Solar and energy storage, either on their own or as part of clean energy portfolios, are showing that they can compete with natural gas in the United States. But will regulators wake up to this reality before half a trillion dollars worth of future stranded assets are built?
Top News
From the editor: Entergy’s New Orleans gas plant shows our regulatory model is failing
The approval of a gas plant for which Entergy hired actors to fake support is just the latest demonstration of the failure of government bodies to meaningfully regulate utilities, a failure which is playing out across the nation.
Markets & Policy
Energy Freedom rings in South Carolina
The South Carolina House has passed the Energy Freedom Act, which gives net metering support through the summer of 2021, aims to develop programs for C&I as well community solar, and seeks utility consistency in dealing with large solar projects.
Markets & Policy
pvMB 2/22/19: Walls are up at LG’s Alabama solar factory, utilities overspend by billions on T&D and more…
Good morning - it's Friday! In today's pvMB we will also bring you more regulatory capture in New Orleans, NREL's new database for albedo, and a study that looks at the idea locations for EV chargers in Michigan.
Announcements
Subscribe to our Newsletter!
To keep your finger firmly on the photovoltaic pulse, make sure you sign up for our daily news alerts! Follow the global solar markets that matter, at the click of a button.
pv magazine test
The first outdoor field results from pv magazine test are online.
Read more about pv magazine test and view all the results to date.
pv magazine USA launches an online event calendar
- Plan your next trade show!
- Find local training events!
- Contact us to add your own events!
Sponsored
Markets & Policy
First Solar is sitting pretty
The thin film PV maker reported solid year-end 2018 results, with future bookings extending out four years and the fourth of five Series 6 factories already online.
Installations
Batteries for days in Arizona
Arizona Public Service has announced a plan to deploy 850 MW of new energy storage, as the largest battery procurement by a utility we've seen to date. This includes adding batteries to its fleet of existing solar plants, building new solar + storage pla...
Markets & Policy
A blockchain trading solar power system in the real world
PowerLedger's xGrid is a blockchain-based electricity trading platform that's now being used in a Pennsylvania business park, in addition to Chicago, California, a large housing unit in Australia, plus a few more locations.
Manufacturing
Sungrow surpasses 1 GW of U.S. inverter contracts for 2019
The Chinese inverter maker expects to more than double its U.S. shipments this year - trade war be damned.
Markets & Policy
pvMB 2/21/19: 13 bills for renewables in New Mexico, 7X doubles up on moves… and more!
Top of the morning and happy Thursday to you all, welcome to the pv magazine morning brief. Today we'll be looking at DTE's issuance of $650 million in Green Bonds, the 20 New England schools participating in the DOE National Science Bowl, Pennsylvania's...
Subscriptions
Subscribe to our global magazine
Independent, professional reporting on the latest technological trends and market developments worldwide. 12 issues per year including free worldwide delivery and access to our online archive.
SubscribePress Releases
Standard Solar to acquire 27 MW portfolio of distributed generation solar projects in New York and Rhode Island from Freepoint Solar
Local power for local use solar projects support states’ renewable energy portfolio goals.
PJM announces retirement of Suzanne Daugherty
PJM Interconnection announced today that Suzanne S. Daugherty is retiring from the organization.
Sangre de Cristo Electric announces Trout Creek Solar Facility is operational
Sangre de Cristo Electric Association Inc. , announced the 2 MW (megawatt) Trout Creek Solar facility began commercial operation January 31.
Encore Renewable Energy announces completion of UVM Medical Center solar rooftop
New facility now generating clean electricity, on track for $124,000 in revenue and savings.
Installations
Solar for low-income of all shapes and sizes
The Low Income Energy Issues Forum has released a new report focused on improving the availability and benefits of community solar for financially-limited customers. The working group identified five different models that can be used to join different ways to best open community solar to customers of all incomes.
Virginia co-op signs up for 300 MW of solar
Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative has signed a power contract for the output of 300 MW of solar that D.E. Shaw plans to build.
Solar Bill of Rights introduced in California
The legislation would enshrine a customer’s right to generate and store electricity on their own property as well as connecting to the grid without undue burden and freedom from discriminatory fees, as well as setting compensation for battery exports.
Community solar clears first hurdle in New Mexico
A bill to create New Mexico’s first community solar program has passed the House.
pvMB 1/20/19: FERC pushes back over PG&E contracts, GameChange opens innovation center in Massachusetts
Good morning! In today’s pv magazine USA morning brief, we bring you a new webinar on how to sell commercial solar, CESA honoring Dr. Carla Peterman, and more…
kWh Analytics: #Solar100’s Dan Shugar: The Bono of Solar
In this #Solar100 Interview, Richard Matsui, Founder & CEO of kWh Analytics, speaks with Dan Shugar, Founder & CEO of NEXTracker.
Manufacturing
Featured
pvMB 2/19/2019: 50 MW in Maine, robotic panel cleaning and more!
Its a sunny Tuesday morning and the days are getting longer! Maui Electric is trying to charge ratepayers for curtailed solar electricity, Nissan is using old batteries in campers and Aerospec sees how BIG a solar farm is.
Even with new capacity investments, Enphase still sold out
Enphase says its inverter lead times are ~13-15 weeks, even with dedicated manufacturing lines for components. Two new long term contracts expect to turn on in Q3 and Q4 ’19, lowering lead times to ~6-8 weeks.
REC Silicon to suspend production at Washington State polysilicon factory
REC Silicon has revealed plans to halt operations at its Moses Lake facility in 17 days’ time. The company says it has taken the decision to maintain liquidity for its semiconductor business with American workers set to pay the price for President Trump’s trade war with China.
pvmb 2/8/19: Aurora gets $20 million, U.S. lithium-ion factory planned, California makes interconnection easier, and more!
In today’s pv magazine USA morning brief we also see Hawaii regulators propose performance based incentives for utility HECO, hundreds of laws changed in 2018 regarding the grid, concerns aired before Congress about supply chains for lithium-ion batteries, and more!
SunPower officially producing P-Series at former SolarWorld factory in Oregon
The largest shingled solar cell production facility in the Western Hemisphere at 220 MW, marking the first of a group of massive factories expected to go on-line this year.
On the anniversary of the Section 201 tariffs, Trump talks trade
There are indications that the Trump Administration may be reaching a deal with Chinese authorities, but the trade war goes on.
Markets & Policy
Featured
SunCast with PanelClaw CEO Costa Nicolaou
The latest episode of SunCast brings an interview with the CEO of one of the leading racking companies in the world, PanelClaw's Costa Nicolaou.
Utility scale solar pricing inches up
LevelTen Energy’s Q4 PPA price index saw a sight increase in the price of utility scale solar power purchase agreements, except for the Southwest Power Pool which saw a healthy chunk of inexpensive projects come online.
City of Buffalo seeks 32 solar power bids
As part of a broader program between five local schools, the City of Buffalo has submitted a request for proposals for 32 sites around the city, and project owners will then sell the electricity through 20 year power contracts with the city.
Amid tariffs and turmoil, installer confidence in the solar industry grew in 2018
EnergySage and NABCEP have released their annual Solar Installer Survey, with this year’s edition showing that over half of all respondents have growing confidence in the solar industry as they move into 2019.
Big wind + solar gets together for a voice with grid operators
First Solar, Cypress Creek, Coronal Energy, Juwi Americas and other developers have joined AWEA’s RTO Advisory Council to have a say in the decisions of grid operators.
Dr. Solar goes from zero to 1 GW in two projects
Dr. Miguel Oneto has developed a 682 MWdc solar power project in Childress County, Texas. The project is the second by the new developer, following a 324 MWdc project under construction nearby.
Technology
Featured
pvMB 2/14/19: Lyft adds EV option, Kentucky legislation to kill net metering… and more!
Happy Valentines Day and welcome to your pv magazine USA morning brief! Today we'll be looking at a Tesla Powerwall owner who's system was so efficient in an outage, he didn't know there was one, the limbo of Illinois solar projects, a team of teenage girl engineers that designed a solar powered tent for the homeless and everything else you need to know this morning.
pvMB 2/13/19: Tigo’s SMART website, DeKalb solar projects return… and more!
Happy hump day to you and welcome to the pv magazine USA morning brief. Today we’ll be looking at an Australian company’s drone powered by solar wings, Southern Arkansas University Tech going solar and everything else fit to get you caught up on solar news.
What will power Los Angeles’ transition to 100% renewables?
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s move to phase out three gas-fired power plants by 2029 is expected to accelerate the transition to 100% renewable energy by the largest municipal utility in the nation. But there are big questions about the role that local solar + storage will play.
Wood Mackenzie looks at the polar vortex and 100% renewable energy
The research and consultancy group’s study of the latest polar vortex shows the need for greater interconnection of grids and 18-40 hours of energy storage in the Upper Midwest under high renewable energy scenarios. It also shows a potential role for nuclear power; but other extreme weather events tell a different story.
pvMB 2/12/19: AceClamp’s response to patent infringement allegations, NEXTracker’s hiring spree… and more!
Welcome to today’s pv magazine USA morning brief and thanks for spending your morning with us. Today we’re looking at English researchers’ development of a solar flag, two community solar projects in Illinois under fire, University of Northern Iowa’s new group-buy program and everything else on our solar slate. Let’s ride!
Solar, wind and storage can provide seven key grid services
Solar, wind and storage can provide 7 essential grid services, which will help enable them to gain an ever-increasing share of electricity generation.