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On today’s sunny side up episode of Quick Charge, we take a look at the latest from the world of solar power, and discuss Congressional Republicans’ plans to limit your energy independence by eliminating a critical tax credit for homeowners nearly ten years early. (!)

We’ve also got a quick review of a massive solar farm powering 200,000 homes in Indiana and the biggest solar project East of the Mississippi – both part of a record 98% of all new power generation and grid capacity introduced in 2025 coming from wind and solar. Those are jobs, those are lower utility rates, those are energy independence … so why are Congressional Republicans working to make that more expensive?

If you want to read that EnergySage report on the state of the home solar industry, including news about battery energy storage system and V2H/V2G prices and financing trends, you can check it out for yourself, below, then let us know what you think in the comments.

Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple PodcastsSpotifyTuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

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New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news.

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Drop us a line at tips@electrek.co. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show.


If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. 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. It has 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 Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

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Alphabet’s Waymo wins approval to expand driverless ride-hailing service to San Jose

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Alphabet's Waymo wins approval to expand driverless ride-hailing service to San Jose

A Waymo autonomous vehicle drives along Masonic Avenue on April 11, 2022 in San Francisco, California. 

Justin Sullivan | Getty Images News | Getty Images

Alphabet’s Waymo unit has received approval to expand its autonomous ride-hailing service to more parts of the San Francisco Bay Area, including San Jose.

In March, the company submitted a request to the California Public Utilities Commission to gain approval for its latest passenger safety plan, a key step in gaining permission to operate driverless vehicles across a broader area. On Monday, the proposed expansion was approved, allowing for Waymo’s driverless coverage to extend from San Francisco down through the Peninsula.

“We’re very excited to share that the CPUC has approved our application to operate our fully autonomous commercial ride-hailing service in the South Bay and nearly all of San Jose!” the company wrote in a post on X on Monday. “While this won’t change our operations in the near-term, we’re looking forward to bringing the benefits of Waymo One to more of the Bay Area in the future.”

Read more about tech and crypto from CNBC Pro

Waymo is a bright spot in the Google story, says Truist's Youssef Squali

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Trump reversal revives Empire Wind, NY’s offshore energy giant

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Trump reversal revives Empire Wind, NY’s offshore energy giant

The $5 billion Empire Wind is back in business. The Trump administration’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has lifted its stop-work order for Empire Wind, a major offshore wind project off the coast of New York led by Empire Offshore Wind LLC, a subsidiary of Equinor. Construction is now allowed to resume.

Equinor CEO Anders Opedal welcomed the news, saying the restart reinforces Equinor’s commitment to delivering clean energy while supporting local economies and saving thousands of jobs. He also credited a wide coalition of officials for helping get the project back on track, including Trump, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, and congressional leaders like Senator Chuck Schumer and Representative Dan Goldman. Opedal also thanked the Norwegian prime minister and the minister of finance for raising the issue with the US administration.

Governor Hochul said in a statement that “countless conversations with Equinor and White House officials” had taken place.

Neither the BOEM nor the Department of the Interior has issued a comment.

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The Trump administration halted construction of the 54-turbine Empire Wind on April 16, but discussions between Equinor, regulators, and leaders at the federal, state, and city levels led to a reversal. That means Empire Wind can now push ahead with its goal of powering 500,000 New York homes with offshore wind energy.

“This project delivers on the energy ambitions shared by the US and New York by providing a vital new source of power to the region,” said Molly Morris, president of Equinor Wind US. She added that Empire Wind is boosting supply chain investments across the country, with activity in New York, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Texas, and South Carolina.

Equinor plans to reassess the project’s financials in the second quarter. The goal is still to install turbines offshore in 2025 and hit full commercial operation by 2027. The company says it will work with suppliers and regulators to minimize any delays from the month-long pause.

Empire Wind was first awarded its offshore lease in 2017 after a competitive federal process. It received its final construction green light in early 2024 following an extensive environmental review. Construction kicked off shortly after, and the project is now over 30% complete.

The US is a major market for Equinor. The Norwegian energy giant says it has invested around $60 billion in US energy projects since the early 2000s, more recently in low-carbon solutions, critical minerals, and renewables. Empire Wind is one of its flagship projects in the US.

Read more: Trump admin halts $5 billion NY offshore wind project mid-build


If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. 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. It has 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 Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

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Toyota’s new smart EV for China looks pretty sharp: Check out the bZ5

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Toyota's new smart EV for China looks pretty sharp: Check out the bZ5

Toyota’s new bZ5 EV starts at about $18,000 in China and uses BYD batteries for a driving range of up to 630 km (391 miles). Can it keep up in the world’s largest EV market?

Meet Toyota’s new bZ5 EV for China

Remember the bZ3C, Toyota’s coupe-like SUV concept from the Beijing Auto Show last year? It’s back and launching under a new name.

The first bZ5 rolled off the assembly line at FAW Toyota’s new energy factory in China on May 16, marking several milestones.

Bi Wenquan, the company’s executive vice president, said the new EV “demonstrates FAW Toyota’s strong hard power as a joint venture automaker to keep up with the pace of the Chinese market.” It’s also expected to help FAW Toyota compete in China’s increasingly competitive EV market.

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The bZ5 marks the joint venture’s 12 millionth car that has rolled off its production line, but the new EV may be one of its most important so far.

Developed locally, FAW Toyota’s general manager, Fujiwara Hiroyuki, explained at the event that “being global and more Chinese” is a core part of Toyota’s plans to regain market share in the region.

Toyota's-bZ5-EV
Toyota bZ5 EV rolls off the assembly line (Source: FAW Toyota)

Toyota opened pre-sales last month, starting at just 130,000 yuan, or about $18,000. Two BYD Blade LFP battery options are available: 65.28 kWh or 73.98 kWh, providing a CLTC driving range of 550 km (342 miles) and 630 km (391 miles), respectively.

The “smart cockpit” interior looks like an upgrade from the Toyota vehicles we are accustomed to in sporty red. A 15.6″ touchscreen infotainment sits at the center of a relatively minimalistic setup.

However, it’s loaded with smart tech, including Momenta 5.0. The intelligent driving system provides over 30 functions, including city and highway navigation assist, parking assistance, and more.

Based on Toyota’s e-TNGA platform, the bZ5 is 4,780 mm long, 1,866 mm wide, and 1,510 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,880 mm. That’s about the size of the new Tesla Model Y, which is 4,797 mm long, 1,920 mm wide, and 1,624 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,890 mm.

During the event, Toyota’s president, Koji Sato, said, “China is in a leading position in intelligence and electrification. If our products can be loved by Chinese consumers, they will surely be favored by the global market.”

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