The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the Cumberland Forest Limited Partnership are turning former Appalachian coal mines into clean energy hubs. They just announced new agreements with Sun Tribe Development and ENGIE to build 14 solar farms and three battery storage systems across 360 acres in Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky.

This marks the second round of clean energy projects launched under TNC’s Cumberland Forest Project.

These projects aren’t just about clean energy – they’re about proving that clean energy can be developed on former Appalachian coal mines in a way that benefits the environment and local communities. The solar and storage hubs are expected to bring in more local tax revenue, create short-term construction jobs, and establish a community fund to support additional local initiatives.

Brad Kreps, TNC Clinch Valley director, said, “Developing projects on former coal mines – and in a way that engages with people in the local area so that communities can benefit – takes ingenuity, skill, and determination. Ultimately, we selected Sun Tribe and ENGIE, two experienced developers that have a great interest in bringing this vision to life.”

Once online, these projects will generate around 49 megawatts (MW) of solar energy and 320 MW of battery storage – enough to power 6,638 Appalachian homes annually.

Sun Tribe’s projects will be in Virginia and Tennessee. It’s planning one 5 MW solar project and three utility-scale battery storage systems ranging from 80 MW to 150 MW. These storage projects will improve grid reliability and help cut costs for utility customers by reducing the need for future grid upgrades.

“Locating solar and battery storage on former mine lands makes perfect sense to us,” said Danny Van Clief, CEO of Sun Tribe Development. “These sites and the communities they rest within have powered our country for more than a century – all we have to do is reimagine them for today’s energy technology.”

ENGIE, meanwhile, is developing 13 community-scale solar projects across Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky that will take advantage of Inflation Reduction Act incentives to help keep costs down. They’ll range in size from 1 MW to 6 MW, bringing clean energy access to more local communities.

“ENGIE is thrilled to collaborate on the development of these projects with The Nature Conservancy,” says Kristen Fornes, ENGIE head of distributed solar and storage. “These initiatives not only contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions but also generate employment opportunities, rejuvenate local communities, and enhance access to clean energy in areas where it is most needed.”

This latest announcement builds on previous first-round work by TNC, Sun Tribe, and Dominion Energy to bring renewable energy to Appalachia. Since 2021, Sun Tribe and Dominion Energy have been working on plans to generate 140 MW of renewable energy across eight sites in the Cumberland Forest. The first project, Wildcats Solar, is a 10 MW array planned for Wise County, Virginia. Expected to start construction by 2026, it’s projected to generate $800,000 in tax revenue for the community over its lifetime. Additional projects from the first round are set to be online by 2029.

Read more: Renewables provided 90% of new US capacity in 2024 – FERC

If you live in an area that has frequent natural disaster events, and are interested in making your home more resilient to power outages, consider going solar and adding a battery storage system. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*

The US State Department’s procurement forecast for the 2025 budget includes an item called “Armored Teslas” worth $400 million.

But worry not; it was approved under the Biden Administration, so Elon Musk’s DOGE will undoubtedly eliminate this waste. Right?

Elon Musk and his team at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are currently examining a large amount of US government spending.

It’s unclear if he got to the US State Department’s procurement forecast because there are a few interesting lines that would give auditors second thoughts.

The most interesting one is “Armored Tesla (Production Units)”, which is worth $400 million. Strangely, the item is listed under the NAICS code “311999 – All Other Miscellaneous Food Manufacturing.”

The program has a target for delivery in Q4 through the next 5 years.

There are several other similar and strange budgeted items that are linked to the wrong categories:

You have “ARMORED SEDAN” under “Soft Drink Manufacturing,” “ARMORED BMW X5/X7” under “Bottled Water Manufacturing,” and finally, ARMORED EV (NOT SEDAN) under “Ice Manufacturing.”

However, all these other armored vehicle-related items are budgeted at a fraction of the $400 million for Tesla vehicles ($50 million, $40 million, and $40 million, respectively).

The State Department procurement forecast website mentions that the list was last updated in December – before Trump entered office.

Electrek has contacted the State Department for a comment, and we will update you if we get an answer.

Tesla has claimed that its Cybertruck is “armored” and “bulletproof”, but its armored capacity is quite limited. It can likely deflect low-velocity bullets if they hit the doors, but that’s about it.

Other companies have been planning to modify the Cybertruck with higher levels of armor, like the partnership between Unplugged Performance and Archimedes Defense – pictured above.

Electrek’s Take

I am not against armored electric vehicles. If you need armored vehicles, you might as well make them electric.

However, this is certainly weird. Why does the State Department need $530 million worth of armored vehicles? And why is it listed under a bunch of unrelated categories that don’t make sense?

Sounds like a job for DOGE? However, Elon will need to recuse himself from that one, I guess.

Trump’s new trade tariffs and more import restrictions could drive up costs for US onshore wind power, potentially slowing down the industry’s momentum, according to a new report from Wood Mackenzie.

The report, “Trade war hits US onshore wind power,” warns that Donald Trump’s proposed US tariffs – 25% on imports from Mexico and Canada and 10% on Chinese imports – could raise the cost of wind turbines by 7% and overall project costs by 5%, given the way the US supply chain is currently set up.

“Protectionist policies will push capital costs higher for wind projects,” said Endri Lico, principal analyst at Wood Mackenzie. “In a scenario with universal 25% tariffs on all imported products, the impact would be even greater, with turbine costs potentially rising 10% and overall project costs increasing 7%. This would have material impacts on the industry, putting some projects at risk due to economic factors.”

The US wind industry relies heavily on imports, particularly for components like blades, drivetrains, and electrical systems. In 2023, the US imported $1.7 billion worth of wind-related equipment, with 41% coming from Mexico, Canada, and China.

Lico noted that tariffs aren’t new to the wind sector. “Wind peers await the specialization of the tariff legislation to fully assess the impact. Tariffs imposed during the previous Trump term had minimal impact on the US wind power segment, while a looser monetary policy may soften tariffs’ impact.”

The report predicts that these tariffs could increase the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for US onshore wind by 4% in the near term. In a scenario where all imports face a 25% tariff, LCOE could jump by 7%. That, in turn, would make one of the cheapest forms of energy more expensive, with the result of raising consumers’ electricity bills.

“The supply chain actors are waiting for the dust to settle, exploring their options,” added Lico. “We anticipate that wind manufacturers will adopt a mix of measures to mitigate tariffs’ impact, including rerouting and restructuring their supply chains and assembly lines, strengthening US localization, and increasing their prices.”

Read more: Renewables provided 90% of new US capacity in 2024 – FERC

If you live in an area that has frequent natural disaster events, and are interested in making your home more resilient to power outages, consider going solar and adding a battery storage system. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*