After years of steady, relentless growth, the U.S. residential solar market is struggling with challenges on both the policy and customer acquisition fronts. And as the market diversifies away from California and the Northeast, the future is far from clear.
Top News
And the grid shrugged: North Carolina, Georgia see little effect from solar eclipse
Let's hope Secretary Rick Perry was paying attention: Today's eclipse across two of the country's most solar states yielded almost no disruption - meaning solar does not inherently weaken the grid.
Announcement
Upcoming Roundtables at SPI
Register now for our upcoming roundtables on September 12 at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas:
Both events are free of charge!
Technology
California’s grid passes eclipse test with flying colors
California ISO reports that it did not even have any minor challenges on its system as the eclipse passes over the state.
Markets & Policy
Battery maker Alevo files for bankruptcy, lays off 290 in N.C.
Russian-backed firm goes belly up, leaving an old Phillip Morris factory in Concord, N.C., empty and its entire workforce search for answers about why.
Technology
All systems go: California moves into the eclipse
“We do not anticipate any adverse impact on California’s reliability of service” – California ISO
Installations
Mississippi gives the go-ahead for another 53 MW of utility-scale solar
Silicon Ranch will build, own and operate the SR Meridian project, as part of a boom in large-scale solar in the Southern state.
Technology
Technical challenges of the eclipse
In this interview with pv magazine, Energy Innovations Power Sector Transformation Expert Mike O’Boyle talks about what it will take for U.S. grids with large amounts of solar to deal with the eclipse – and how he thinks this will pan out.
Markets & Policy
International renewables firm buys 194 MW utility-scale portfolio
Heelstone Energy Holdings, which sold the portfolio to Sammons Renewable Energy, will continue to manage the portfolio, including operations and maintenance.
Markets & Policy
Kaua’i proposes mandatory battery storage for new DG solar
Kaua’i has one of the highest penetrations of solar in the world, and this is reflected in electric co-op KIUC’s new proposal.
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Press Releases
Energy Storage North America Announces Winners of ESNA Innovation and Champion Awards
Energy Storage North America (ESNA), the largest gathering of policy, technology and market leaders in energy storage, today announced the winners of this year’s ESNA Innovation and Champion Awards. The ESNA Innovation Awards were presented to three energy storage projects that demonstrated excellence and impact in two categories: Centralized Storage and Distributed Storage.
CalCom Solar Named One of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies
Inc. magazine today named CalCom Solar to its prestigious list of the fastest-growing private companies in the country, the Inc.
S&C and Ameren Conduct Successful 24-hour Islanding Test on Microgrid
Ameren Corporation, a Midwest-based utility, and S&C Electric Company, a smart grid leader shaping the future of power delivery, conducted a successful 24-hour islanding test this month at the recently deployed Ameren microgrid in Champaign, Illinois. The microgrid — one of the most technologically advanced utility-scale microgrids in North America — has been operational since May and has […]
SolAmerica Energy Partners with MTU America to Launch New Solar Array with SCE&G
MTU America (a subsidiary of Rolls-Royce) held a ceremony on August 9, 2017 in Graniteville, South Carolina, to celebrate a 1. 35 MW (DC) ground mounted solar array installed on a 7-acre site highly visible from the I-20 exit ramp in Graniteville.
Installations
Featured
New Illinois law encourages ComEd to champion community solar
Under a new tariff structure, consumers could subscribe to community solar projects and get credits on their bills equal to their share of the project.
Home Depot expands its rooftop solar energy program by 50 stores
The home improvement giant will add nearly 50,000 solar panels to new sites in five states in a push to meet its alternative-energy use goals of 135 MW by 2020.
...First Solar sells 40 MW-AC solar project to D.E. Shaw
First Solar is unloading projects, and they are not headed to yieldco 8point3 anymore.
...Storage will help stabilize California grid during eclipse
Despite a predicted drop in solar electricity production of nearly 6 GW, the California Energy Storage Alliance (CESA) believes the 3 GW of grid-connected energy storage will allow the state’s grid to survive Monday’s eclipse with little serious disruption.
...Duke enters New York’s solar market with Long Island project
The North Carolina-based power company has bought one of the largest solar projects in New York State from Invenergy.
...Manufacturing
Featured
SolarWorld Americas is up for sale
As part of the insolvency process of the U.S. solar cell and panel maker’s parent company, the Oregon factory is now for sale.
Suniva, SolarWorld describe “manufacturing bloodbath”
The crash in PV module prices and resulting struggles of the U.S. solar cell and module manufacturing industry were displayed as Section 201 petitioners and their supporters made their case before the U.S. International Trade Commission today.
...SunPower announces pilot line for new back-contact technology
The new 5 MW line in Silicon Valley will produce cells and modules under a new IBC technology from the company that makes the most powerful commercially available silicon solar products.
...Could The Solar Trade Petition Destroy The Industry? Not If It Fights Back
In this op-ed for pv magazine, Tony Clifford of Standard Solar argues that the solar industry must mobilize politically to fight the Section 201 investigation initiated by Suniva.
...String to inverter: BoS component failures
Electrical Balance Of System (BOS) components can be key failure points in PV installations, and the further up the chain the component, the greater potential effect on power production.
...Markets & Policy
Can PV and EVs replace XL?
A campaign has launched in Nebraska to “blockade” proposed Keystone XL pipeline with solar installations. How realistic is substituting solar and electric vehicles for oil in the coming decade?
It’s time for solar, wind and energy storage to jointly campaign for 100% renewables by 2050
Solar, wind and energy storage industry communicators and advocates, it’s time for us to jointly and individually state a very public goal of attaining 100% renewable energy in the United States by 2050.
...Staying below 2 degrees is “possible and practical” says RMI
The Rocky Mountain Institute’s new report Positive Disruption describes pathways for the global economy to mitigate serious global warming through accelerated adoption of renewable energy, the transformation of our energy and transportation system, and improved management of agriculture, forestry, and other land-uses. Staying below two degrees Celsius of warming is not just possible the report argues but practical given the accelerating declines in the cost of renewable energy.
...Appeals court upholds SolarWorld’s $800 million debt to Hemlock
The ruling comes as the German solar manufacturer is restarting following an insolvency process, and Hemlock may have a hard time collecting.
...APS officially moves to Value of Solar
Arizona regulators have put into place the deal cut between Arizona’s solar industry and Arizona Public Service, as part of the utility’s rate case.
...Technology
Featured
It’s starting: Cuts at national labs slash more than 500 jobs
Though NREL and Berkeley Lab are not specifically mentioned - yet - the cuts at two other labs could signal dim times ahead for these two vital labs for renewable energy research.
What does the solar eclipse mean for solar power?
This unusual eclipse is a balancing act for energy companies.
...Go west, young solar? An analysis
A rebate offered by a Missouri public utility is stirring up debate on how to use solar in addressing the vaunted “duck curve”.
...No panic necessary: Eclipse won’t dramatically effect grid stability
Despite the significant amount of solar near the path of the solar eclipse, grid experts do not expect the 90-minute event to create reliability issues.
...Imec hits 23.9% efficiency with tandem perovskite/silicon mini-module
Belgian research institute Imec has achieved a conversion efficiency of 23.9% on a perovskite/silicon tandem module measuring 4 square centimeters. This efficiency level, according to Imec, represents the first time such a stacked configuration has outperformed a standalone silicon solar cell.
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