On 23 May 2025, the European Commission adopted several pieces of secondary legislation under the Net-Zero Industry Act (“NZIA”), including an Implementing Regulation on Non-Price Criteria in Renewable Energy Auctions (“Implementing Act”). The Implementing Act gives legal effect to Article 26 NZIA, which obliges each Member State to apply, from 30 December 2025, non-price criteria to either at least 30% of their annual auctioned capacity or, alternatively, to at least six gigawatts annually.Continue Reading Adoption of Implementing Act on Non-Price Criteria in Renewable Energy Auctions
Regulatory
Commerce Seeks Comments on Regional Tech Hubs Program
In August 2022, the Chips and Science Act—a massive, $280 billion bill to boost public and private sector investments in critical and emerging technologies—became law. We followed the bill from the beginning and anticipated significant opportunities for industry to inform and influence the direction of the new law’s programs.
One such opportunity is available now. The U.S. Department of Commerce recently published a request for information (RFI) “to inform the planning and design of the Regional Technology and Innovation Hub (Tech Hubs) program.” The public comment period ends March 16, 2023.
Background
The Chips and Science Act authorized $10 billion for the U.S. Department of Commerce to establish a Regional Technology and Innovation Hub (Tech Hubs) program. Specifically, Commerce was charged with designating at least 20 Tech Hubs and awarding grants to consortia composed of one or more institutions of higher education, political subdivisions, state governments, and “industry or firms in relevant technology, innovation, or manufacturing sectors” to develop and deploy critical technologies in those hubs. $500 million has already been made available for the program, and Commerce will administer the program through the Economic Development Administration (EDA).Continue Reading Commerce Seeks Comments on Regional Tech Hubs Program