Morning Brief: Navajo Transitional Energy proposes 200 MW of Solar, Florida adds 150 MW

Navajo Transitional Energy Company has proposed to site 200 MW of a planned 400 MW solar array on reclaimed Navajo Mine land, as part of a partnership with Photosol US. The proposal is in response to a Salt River Project RFP to site and supply a total of 400 MW of solar. If approved, the 200 MW installation would represent a more than 50% increase in Photosol’s portfolio of installed capacity, which currently sits at 382 MW, though the company reports a project pipeline in the ballpark of 7.5 GW. Source: KSJE

Two large-scale projects Florida have officially reached commercial operation: the Harmony Solar Energy Center in St. Cloud and the Taylor Creek Solar Energy Center in east Orange County. Both projects clock in at 74.5 MW, the same capacity as the majority of large-scale Florida solar installations, as any project over 74.5 MW requires extra permitting, lengthening development time. The installations are also a part of the Florida Municipal Solar Project, a partnership between the Florida Municipal Power Agency and 16 Florida public power utilities. Source: Florida Municipal Power Agency

Battery energy storage is getting cheaper, but how much deployment is too much? In this piece, Utility Dive examines that, while batteries are the answer to variability, is there a breaking point, a point where  buying more storage stops increasing reliability? Situations exist where overbuilding renewables is more cost-effective than deploying storage, which makes the value of battery storage for reliability change significantly as costs fall and penetrations of variable renewables and storage rise. The piece also outlines how some utilities are planning to add storage capacity but are not “fixated on one scenario.” Source: Utility Dive

GCube Insurance is issuing a renewed warning to renewable energy asset owners who are relying more heavily on digital systems during the current period of lockdown and beyond to adapt to increased exposure to cyber threats such as ransomware, denial-of-service and human error. The company warns that a significant percentage of cyber attacks on renewable energy companies and assets go unreported, which is dangerous as it limits the scope of understanding of the issue. GCube’s research suggests that though cyber-attacks are estimated to be responsible for over $3 trillion in losses annually, with that number only set to rise. Source: GCube

REC Group’s flagship REC Alpha solar panel has won the Intersolar Award 2020 in the “Photovoltaics” category. This marks the second time REC Group has won the award, with the REC TwinPeak Series earning the recognition in 2015. The Intersolar Award is presented to companies making a substantial contribution to the success of the solar industry, honoring technological innovations and groundbreaking solutions. It is decided by an independent jury of industry experts who assess leading panels on the basis of innovation, technological creativity and benefits, environmental impact and pricing. Source: REC Group