The United States’ solar market is growing again this year, and it is expected to accelerate further in 2020 and 2021, with heavy construction continuing through the end of 2023. For PV module suppliers, the different market segments require varying strategies for success.
Top News
The great module supply crunch
The volume of large-scale solar under construction in the United States has hit a new high of nearly 10 GW, as solar panel prices continue to rise and supply tightens for projects trying to beat the ITC step-down.
Cost and prices
Bernie Sanders wants to nationalize clean energy
The most radical part of Bernie Sander’s plan may not even be a call to move to 100% renewable electricity by 2030. It’s how his campaign proposes to go about it.
Cost and prices
SEIA shreds DTE Energy’s resource plan
2 GW more solar in the near term would save DTE's Michigan customers $1 billion. DTE proposes only 11 MW of near-term solar, or less than one percent of the optimal amount.
Announcements
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Step-by-step process on getting community solar deals done and finding the right financing
Wednesday, 10. July 2019 13:00 – 14:00 (ET), 12:00 – 13:00 (CT), 10:00 – 11:00 (PDT)
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Installations
California solar plus storage shows consistent installs, residential growth
CALSSA has obtained the interconnection data for California solar and solar plus storage for the first six months of 2019, showing significant volume of solar+storage in residential markets while commercial buyers are considering solar alone.
Markets & Policy
No climate debate at the DNC, NREL/First Solar improve thin-film cells: pvMB 8/23/19
Happy Friday one and all and welcome to today's pvMB. Today we've got the Detroit Zoo going renewable, LONGi achieves AA bankability and community solar coming to Maryland. Let's ride!
Installations
TVA recognizes the existence of solar in long-term plan
The company's new integrated resource plan has solar projections as high as 15 GW by 2038 and storage projections of 5.3 Gw in that same timeframe. However what will get built is still uncertain.
Technology
How would a Sanders Administration reach 100% renewables in electricity and transport?
Bernie Sanders may have the most aggressive plans for decarbonization of any presidential candidate. But there are questions as to how this would be achieved, on both a technical and an economic level.
Markets & Policy
There are –data missing– solar power fires per year
International data suggests that fires caused by rooftop solar power systems are rare; however, the United States doesn't centrally track this information - with the National Fire Data Center classifying them in the "other" category.
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SubscribePress Releases
Energy Toolbase Ranks No. 1,011 on the 2019 Inc. 5000 List as One of the Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America
Energy Toolbase was recognized as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America, ranking number 1,011 on the 2019 Inc. 5000 List.
Standard Solar Releases eBook Offering Critical Insight On Executing Successful Community Solar Projects
Nationally known community solar expert Standard Solar has launched a new eBook Community Solar: What You Need to Know. This free, comprehensive guide to community solar, the fastest-growing segment of the burgeoning U.
NEWLY FORMED STRATEGIC SOLAR SOURCING EQUIPS SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZE COMPANIES TO COMPETE IN SOLAR
A group of seasoned wind and solar industry executives today launched a new company, Strategic Solar Sourcing, that is the first to offer small and medium-sized solar businesses supply chain management outsourcing services and products previously available only to large organizations, including low-cost equipment pricing on modules, inverters and racking with resulting significant bottom-line improvements.
Mona Dajani Named Co-Leader of Pillsbury’s Energy and Infrastructure Projects Practice
Pillsbury has appointed New York Project Finance partner Mona Dajani as co-leader of the firm’s preeminent Energy and Infrastructure Projects team. Dajani, one of the foremost energy and infrastructure lawyers in the world, joins partner Robert James in leading the practice.
Installations
Retail electric providers across the country are ditching fossil fuels
Three different retail electricity providers have announced new programs to provide customers the option to buy 100% renewably sourced electricity, with one of the three even coming at no additional cost.
South Carolina is entering the solar big leagues
Cypress Creek has put the state’s largest solar plant online at 106 MWdc and started construction of another 100 MW, as the state’s market opens up following passage of the Energy Freedom Act.
Walmart accuses Tesla of gross negligence in fire lawsuit
The picture that Walmart is painting of Tesla/SolarCity installation and O&M practices in its lawsuit is not a pretty one.
Powerline for $4 billion of wind+solar approved
Wisconsin regulators have approved a powerline that would cross three states, bringing wind from Iowa east, and helping solar under development across the Midwest.
Solar to overtake wind in corporate renewable procurement
A new report by Wood Mackenzie and the American Wind Energy Association shows solar taking the favor of corporate renewable buyers in 2021 and holding that crown to infinity and beyond.
Sunnova seeks to outrun its losses
Sunnova reported higher interest expense than revenue during Q2. Can scale and better access to capital turn this around?
Manufacturing
Sanders dreams of electric sheep, Sungrow considered 100% bankable: pvMB 8/20/19
Hello one and all and welcome to your Tuesday edition of the pvMB. Today we've got on our plates NEC installing over 20 MW of energy storage in Maine and Massachusetts, Biomethanation, Neo Volta's N14 simultaneously operating DC and AC and more!
California approves solar+school buses
California regulators have approved an SDG&E proposal to install 3,000 to 6,000 medium and heavy vehicle charging stations, as well as a vehicle-to-grid pilot where 10 school buses will be tested for use as grid assets.
LONGi shingled module, Soltec bifacial simulations, Campbell Scientific solar albedo, more!
Hardware! Hardware! Get your fresh hardware! Terrasmart’s new *fixed* racking takes into account bifacial solar panels, Quickmount releases 5 to 10 degree commercial rooftop racking system, “Lead Crystal” batteries with 18-20 year lifetimes, more!
Tensions flare in trade war, Trump threatens WTO exit
The World Trade Organization has taken the first steps towards enabling China to file compensatory sanctions against the United States over the section 301 tariffs.
Hanwha Q Cells achieves top-tier bankability, solar panels stolen in Indiana: pvMb 8/16/19
TGIF and welcome to this Friday’s pvMB. Today we’ve got our sights set on Sunnova and PetersonDean’s California partnership, Pivot energy’s hiring, SimpliPhi cutting battery prices and more!
Solar gets by with a little help from its friends
Hidden in a natural gas plant modification application, Duke Energy has released findings that constant ramping is causing solar to contributes increased emissions onto the grid. If only there was some way to cover solar’s shortfalls without fossil fuels.
Markets & Policy
Featured
Inslee drops presidential bid, a shakeup at SolarEdge: pvMB 8/22/19
Welcome one and all of you wonderful readers to this edition of the pvMB. Today we're rocking with Vistra's closing of four coal plants, Sunspec continuing to deliver industry best practices, an update on a previous MB entry and more!
Tesla pushes off warehouse, Green Source Advantage comes to N.C.: pvMB 8/21/19
Welcome to Wednesday’s wonderful pvMb. On this Hump Day we’ll be exploring CNN’s upcoming climate change “town hall,” Silicon Ranch’s promotions, Aubuchon Hardware and Relay Power’s community solar partnership. Let’s ride.
North Carolina looks nationwide for its “Clean Energy Plan” guidance
As required by Governor Roy Cooper’s Executive Order 80, the state has released a draft report of policy and action recommendations to help clean the electric grid – including a recommendation to decarbonize power by 2050.
Wisconsin governor orders 100% carbon-free power by 2050
Governor Tony Evers has signed an executive order directing the state’s Department of Administration to create an Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy, which will be tasked with achieving the lofty carbon-reduction goal.
Tesla will rent you a solar array for $50/month
Elon Musk is trying just about everything to reimagine the solar business. But will this one work?
sPower begins to deliver on $25 million promise
The solar developer is set to begin pumping money into a fund that will eventually deliver $25 million to benefit Spotsylvania County. The fund will hopefully also deliver some goodwill towards sPower, whose massive solar project in the county has encountered intense opposition.
Technology
Featured
Arizona’s potential to develop unbiased 15-year resource plans is up for grabs
An Arizona regulator has advocated for using a modeling tool being developed by Arizona State University, to help the state plan how to phase in more renewable energy. Yet the university’s initial plan for the modeling tool would not serve that purpose well.
Pennsylvania’s largest solar project, SolarEdge’s new co-chair: pvMB 08/19
Welcome back to the workweek and to the pvMB. Today we’ll be taking a look at an award-winning solar home cooking system, GivePower donating solar desalinators and more!
80% renewables is cake – let the extremists argue over the rest
A general consensus among researchers is starting to arise, showing that reaching 80% wind plus solar across various markets in the United States can be done at pricing equal to or cheaper than the cost of electricity today.
‘New and strange properties’ provide a boost to energy storage
MIT scientists have developed a class of liquid electrolyte with properties they say could open up new possibilities for improving the performance and stability of lithium batteries and supercapacitors.
Stitching together the grid of the future
A vision of a decentralized, renewable-powered electricity grid is being brought a step closer by scientists at the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Their project, Autonomous Energy Grids, aims to take an overarching look at the solutions that will power this grid of the future, and to fill any gaps that appear between them.
Philly getting solar rebates, leadership changes at Duke: pvMB 8/13/19
It may only be Tuesday, but we’re glad you’re here with us reading today’s edition of the pvMB! In this edition we’ll be looking at Oregon State researchers confirming the value of solar on farmlands, Hyundai’s entry in the solar car game, a prefab tiny house with solar options and more!