PLUS: Track balcony solar laws in 25 states, clean energy super PAC targets Democratic governor, solar-plus-storage hits $25B

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Good morning. Hyundai breaks ground this week on a $6 billion Louisiana steel mill that promises 70% lower carbon emissions than coal-based production, but it will run on natural gas, not the green hydrogen the company promoted. The mill will release 1.6 million tons of greenhouse gases annually into a community that's 70% people of color.

The Environmental Integrity Project found that Hyundai switched wind data sources in its permit application to downplay pollution impacts on the nearly 300 people living within three miles of the site. Who bears the cost of the energy transition? Is "lower carbon" good enough when communities are still breathing the difference?

In today's Solarpunk Currents:

• Louisiana residents challenge Hyundai's $6B steel mill air permits
• 25 states advance balcony solar laws to democratize energy access
• Solar-plus-storage investment doubles to $25B as batteries solve evening peaks
• Clean energy super PAC targets Democratic governor over renewable rollbacks

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Louisiana communities challenge 'green' steel mill's pollution permits

The Bottom Line: Hyundai breaks ground this week on a $6 billion steel mill in Ascension Parish, Louisiana that will emit 70% less carbon than coal-based steel, but it will still release 196 tons of particulate matter, 336 tons of sulfur dioxide, and 1.6 million tons of greenhouse gases annually. The plant uses natural gas, not the "green" hydrogen Hyundai promoted when announcing the project. Local residents and the Environmental Integrity Project are challenging the state air permit ahead of a September 1 public hearing.

The Story: Courtney Harris, program manager for Rural Roots Louisiana, lives in Donaldsonville, the nearest city to the mill site. "Development should improve our communities, not leave families wondering what the long-term cost will be to their children," she said at an August press conference. The Environmental Integrity Project found that Hyundai's permit application switched wind data from nearby Baton Rouge Airport (25 miles away) to New Orleans International Airport (48 miles away). This change significantly lowered the company's estimates of pollution impact on local communities. Almost 300 people live within three miles of the plant site. 70% of them are people of color.

By the numbers:

• The mill received $2.6 billion in Louisiana tax subsidies for 1,300 jobs ($2 million per job in public funds)
• Annual permitted emissions include 1,760 pounds of lead, 7,580 pounds of hydrochloric acid, and 824 tons of nitrogen oxides, according to Environmental Integrity Project analysis
• Steel from the plant will have a carbon footprint 70% lower than conventional coal-based methods, per Hyundai-Posco
• The facility's 1.6 million tons of annual greenhouse gas emissions equal 348,000 cars driving for a year

What remains: Hyundai has no timeline for switching from natural gas to green hydrogen. State permit applications say nothing about when or whether this will happen. The broader market for green hydrogen continues to face major cost hurdles. Cleveland-Cliffs recently redirected a $500 million federal clean steel grant to upgrade a coal furnace instead.

Plug-in solar goes mainstream: 25 states push energy democracy

The Bottom Line: About half of U.S. states are working on legislation to legalize balcony solar: simple plug-in systems that let renters and apartment dwellers generate their own power without utility permission or installer costs. New Jersey became the latest to legalize the technology on September 1, 2026. The state joins a wave of states removing barriers that have kept solar access limited to property owners.

The Story: When New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill signed the balcony solar bill into law, she opened access to an estimated 3.2 million renters in the state who were previously locked out of solar generation. These DIY kits can be plugged into a standard outlet and mounted on balconies, porches, or yards. They let households offset their electricity use immediately. No utility approval required. "It's about energy affordability," said Cora Stryker, co-founder of Bright Saver, a nonprofit tracking the legislative push. "Every legislator wants their constituency to have less trouble meeting their energy demands."

By the numbers:

• ~25 states are considering or have passed plug-in solar legislation as of September 2026, according to Bright Saver's tracking
• Balcony solar systems typically save users $100-300 annually on electricity bills without requiring subsidies or incentives
• 44% of U.S. households are renters who cannot install traditional rooftop solar
• Systems require zero utility permission, removing a major gatekeeping mechanism that has limited solar access

What remains: Utility companies are lobbying against these bills in multiple states. They argue safety concerns despite widespread European adoption. Legislation has stalled or failed in several states where utility influence is strongest. Even where laws pass, implementation rules around metering and grid interconnection are still being fought over.

Solar-plus-storage investment doubles to $25B as batteries solve the evening problem

The Bottom Line: Co-located solar-plus-storage projects attracted $25 billion in investment during the first half of 2026, nearly double the previous six months and triple the year-ago level. Developers are pairing batteries with solar farms to capture daytime generation and shift it to evening demand peaks. This addresses intermittency through market forces, not ideology. The US and Australia lead deployment, with investors favoring projects that can respond to grid needs over standalone solar farms that risk curtailment.

The Story: Standalone utility-scale solar investment fell 20% year-over-year to $75.4 billion, the lowest since the solar boom began in 2021. Investors cite curtailment risk, power price cannibalization during solar peaks, and grid congestion as reasons to avoid projects that dump electrons onto the grid when they're least valuable. Co-located projects with batteries solve this. They bank midday solar and sell it during evening peaks when prices spike and the grid needs power most.

By the numbers:

• Global co-located renewable-plus-storage investment hit $25 billion in H1 2026, up from $13 billion in H2 2025, according to BloombergNEF data
• Standalone solar investment dropped to $75.4 billion, down 20% year-over-year, as concerns about revenue risks tightened financing
• Nearly half of US grid battery capacity installed in Q2 2026 was built alongside solar farms
• Total renewable energy investment reached $327.5 billion in H1 2026, flat with the previous six months but down 21% from its H2 2024 peak

What remains: Overall renewable investment has plateaued after last year's decline. Some growth is driven by US developers racing to meet tax credit deadlines before they expire in 2030. BloombergNEF expects new renewable capacity additions to decline in 2026 for the first time in over a decade before recovering in 2027.

Clean energy super PAC targets Democratic governor who blamed renewables for high bills

The Bottom Line: Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee is the first Democrat targeted by the Invest in Tomorrow Coalition, a super PAC that has already defeated three anti-clean-energy Republicans in primaries. The group is spending $500,000 against McKee ahead of the Sept. 9 Democratic primary after he repeatedly scapegoated clean energy for utility costs and proposed delaying the state's 100% renewable target by nearly two decades.

The Story: McKee's spring budget proposal would have pushed Rhode Island's 100% renewable energy deadline back by 19 years and cut energy-efficiency spending by more than 20%. State lawmakers blocked those measures in June, but McKee responded by vetoing legislation requiring large building owners to track and report energy use. In July, he declared that anyone opposing his proposals "wanted residents to have higher bills" and was "advocating for their own personal self-interests." Christian Roselund of Climate Action Rhode Island said he's been "trying to find a Democratic governor with a worse record on the climate than Dan McKee, and I'm not sure there is one."

By the numbers:

• The super PAC is spending $500,000 on ads opposing McKee through state-level PAC Invest in America's Future
• McKee's budget would have delayed the state's renewable target by nearly 20 years and slashed efficiency spending by more than 20%
• A recent poll shows McKee trailing his Democratic challenger by 38 percentage points, largely because of mishandling of a bridge closure
• Invest in Tomorrow previously targeted 3 Republican congressional candidates who opposed clean energy. All lost their races.

What remains: McKee isn't alone. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has rolled back her state's emissions targets. Other blue-state governors are tempering climate commitments because of constituent concerns about costs. The broader question: should wealthy donor-funded super PACs or grassroots organizing enforce political accountability on climate?

The Quick Scribbles

Zero announced plans to add the feature its electric motorcycles have always lacked, addressing a key gap that has limited broader adoption of the California-based company's electric two-wheelers in the growing e-mobility market.

Solarpunk Currents covers the clean energy transition through a solarpunk lens: community power, climate justice, and imaginative futures. Subscribe on Substack or visit solarcurrents.co.