Oregon Passes Landmark Microgrid Legislation

There are currently no community-owned or operated microgrids in Oregon. Two new laws recently passed are designed to make it possible for communities to plan, build, and own local microgrids and connect them to the larger utility system. This development is unique in the nation, as most microgrids are owned by utilities, governments, or private businesses. 

Micro grids are local, self-contained energy systems designed to operate independently from the larger power grid or in coordination with it. This allows communities that incorporate a microgrid to continue delivering power even when the grid goes down. Microgrids can also help fill capacity shortages during peak demand times by feeding excess power to the broader electricity grid.

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek signed House Bills 2065 and 2066 into law this month – the legislation is aimed at expediting microgrid development within that state.

Green Energy Projects Canceled in Wake of Trump Budget Bill

Businesses canceled, closed, and scaled back more than $22 billion worth of new factories and clean energy projects in the first half of 2025 after canceling another $6.7 billion in June alone, according to E2's latest monthly analysis of clean energy projects.

The latest wave of cancellations — affecting five battery, storage, and electric vehicle factories in Colorado, Indiana, Michigan, New York, and Oregon — follows growing uncertainty among businesses as Congress was making the final push to effectively end federal clean energy tax credits.

Historically, not all announced projects end up completed, but 2025 has seen a dramatic dropoff in new announced projects - as well as a significant increase in the number of previously announced projects that have been cancelled.

Electric Bills Spike

According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data, the average price of electricity has risen from $0.179 per kilowatt-hour in January to $0.190 in June—an increase of around 6 percent.   

Analysts blame a spike in natural-gas prices, surging loads from artificial intelligence-driven data centers triggering multibillion-dollar capacity charges, and an aging, congested grid as among the reasons Americans will continue to see higher energy and electricity prices this summer.

Ohio is seeing a projected 10-15 percent increase in residential electricity bills due to a capacity auction with much higher pricing than the previous year. New York is also facing substantial increases, with some utilities proposing hikes of over 20 percent. Massachusetts is also seeing proposed increases of 23 percent.

Enphase announces new residential battery system

Enphase Energy began shipping of its 4th-generation Energy System in July, featuring the IQ Battery 10C, IQ Meter Collar, and IQ Combiner 6C.

The company claims the new system reduces the number of components required, which will in turn reduce installation time.  The smart switch or system controller is no longer needed, as all its functions have been moved to the other three components.

The IQ Battery 10C offers 10 kWh of usable energy and delivers 7.08 kW of continuous power, enough power to support heavy startup loads like HVAC systems and pool pumps. Its compact form delivers nearly 34 percent greater energy density and can take up to 62 percent less wall space compared to the previous batteries from Enphase.

The IQ Meter Collar mounts behind the utility meter or on a standalone meter socket, removing the need for a backup sub-panel. It also monitors the flow of electricity to and from the grid.

The IQ Combiner 6C consolidates the interconnection equipment into one enclosure, featuring integrated breaker spaces for solar, battery, EV charging and load control, along with pre-installed CTs for solar and battery metering.

Together, these components reduce wall space, complexity and installation time of the system.