Massachusetts’ (proposed) solar home mandate, Capital Dynamics acquires 180 MW: pvMB 8/7/19

Capital Dynamics acquires 180 MW – “Capital Dynamics today announced that its Clean Energy Infrastructure (CEI) business has acquired the Townsite Solar Project, a 180MWac / 231MWdc solar project located in Boulder City, Nevada, through the acquisition of Skylar Townsite LLC.  The Townsite project will also feature a 90MWac / 360MWh energy storage facility which will be one of the largest in the world. The Townsite solar project is expected to be fully constructed by the end of 2021. The project is expected to create 300 jobs with a peak demand of 400 jobs during a 12-month construction period. The plant is expected to have 10 full time onsite and offsite employees. The Townsite Solar Project is part of Gigawatt 1, one of the largest solar project portfolios in the world announced by Capital Dynamics, Tenaska Power Services Co. and Switch in February 2018. Gigawatt 1 aims to generate the lowest priced solar power in Nevada and generate enough clean energy to power nearly one million homes. The Gigawatt 1 concept comes from an initiative called Rob Roy’s Gigawatt Nevada, first proposed by Switch Founder & CEO Rob Royfour years ago.” Source: Capital Dynamics

Pivot Energy Awarded 25 MW community solar in Colorado – Pivot Energy announced that it has been awarded  through Xcel Energy’s 2019 Solar Rewards Community request for proposal (RFP). The move doubles Pivot’s community solar portfolio in Colorado. These 25 MW will come courtesy of 13 individual projects. Source: Yahoo Finance 

Mass bills would require solar on new residential and commercial buildings, gov’t buildings – A pair of bills moving through the Massachusetts Legislature would require solar panels on most new construction in the state. One of the bills (SB 1957) working its way through the Legislature calls for rooftop solar panels on new residential and commercial construction. The second bill (SB 1995) would require panels be put on new or renovated state-owned buildings. Both measures include exceptions for buildings where shading or positioning issues prevent solar from being a viable option. Projects would also be able to meet the requirements of the rules by showing they would generate an equivalent amount of power using a different renewable energy system. Both bills have been reported on favorably by the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy. They are now under consideration by the Senate Ways and Means Committee. Source: Energy News Network

Vision Solar expands into Phoenix/Scottsdale –  “Vision Solar, one of the fastest-growing solar companies in the United States, is opening a new location in Tempe, Arizona this month, signaling the company’s plans to expand nationwide. Vision Solar plans to hire more than 60 employees, sales representatives, technicians and installers for the Tempelocation, which will serve the Scottsdale-Phoenix market — a strategic move, given that Arizona is among the top ranked states for its residential solar capacity. Arizona also held its national ranking as the third-largest in solar installation in 2018, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association’s year-in-review report.” Source: Vision Solar

California farmers are planting solar panels – As water supplies dry up, it is becoming harder and harder to be a farmer in California. That is, a traditional farmer, however many of these people are taking up new occupations as solar farmers. This is a great LA Times piece about farmers adapting and profiting where once they would have run into ruin. Source: LA Times 

Lightsail 2 is a success – “The Planetary Society has announced mission success as LightSail 2 — the bread-loaf-sized, crowdfunded, solar-powered spacecraft orbiting Earth — officially raised its orbit with the power of sunlight alone. “Today, we declare mission success — we’re going to a higher orbital altitude without rocket fuel, just with the push of sunlight,” Planetary Society CEO Bill Nye said in a press conference.” Source: 

We are officially declaring MISSION SUCCESS for our crowdfunded @exploreplanets #LightSail2 spacecraft! We did it people(s)! pic.twitter.com/vshsMTxHwL

— Bill Nye (@BillNye) July 31, 2019