The (solar) power of the people
Vote Solar and Solar United Neighbors have launched the “I love My Solar” postcard campaign to celebrate two million solar installations nationally. This campaign could be a step towards a larger role that solar consumers could play in American politics.
Opportunities, as seen from above
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.
Toyota’s super-high efficiency solar car, Numbers for New York’s energy transition: pvMB 07/09/19
Happy Tuesday and welcome to this edition of the pvMB. On this fine, fine, Tuesday we’ll be looking at five states choosing solar, wind and storage over gas, the Glendale power plant replacement plan, POWERHOME Soalr’s CEO winning an award, and more!
Jekyll and Hyde utility seeks solar retribution
Florida’s largest electricity utility sought to exclude those who were politically active for consumer-owned solar from an upcoming community solar program. It’s not a good look for the state’s largest utility, or parent company NextEra, the nation’s largest wind and solar developer.
EnergySage educates with solar buyer’s guide
EnergySage has released an all-new solar buyers guide which provides data and assessments of thousands of different solar modules and inverters, as well as scores of residential batteries.
Pine Gate starts work on massive solar project in South Carolina
The 101 MW project may be the largest in the state, which has lagged its immediate neighbors.
ABB exits solar inverter business
This Swiss giant is following a trend as large multinational high-tech companies see their role as redesigning infrastructure rather than supplying inverters at ever lower margins. Schneider Electric has pulled out of large scale solar, Siemens’ Kaco acquisition and Junelight launch show increasing interest in the C&I and residential markets, and GE is likely to divest its power conversion business due to low profit margins in that sector.
Even FERC can’t deny the energy transition
The latest projections from the federal agency show no growth in fossil fuel capacity over the next three years, while new solar and wind more than make up for nuclear retirements. This is likely an overly conservative assessment.
Lawyers embracing the good fight for solar power
The Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia University and the law firm Arnold and Porter have founded the pro bono “Renewable Energy Legal Defense Initiative” to support renewable energy development with professional legal help.
‘Turbocharging’ silicon PV: MIT scientists scratch the surface of singlet exciton fission
Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed a device they say could “turbocharge” a single-junction silicon PV cell, pushing the technology beyond its theoretical limit to efficiencies of 35% and higher.
