2020

Also in the brief: Hawaiian Electric Company proposes 20 MW of new projects, EDP Renewables has secured 86% of the company’s targeted capacity additions for 2019-2022 and more.

It is now a well-established trend. After the switch to larger wafer sizes played out in 2019, this year has seen virtually all of the biggest PV manufacturers introduce new modules in dimensions above the 2-meter mark, and with power ratings in excess of 500 W – in some cases, as high as 800 W. As these modules begin to roll off production lines in larger quantities, it’s vital to take a look at the challenges and opportunities they bring to system design, installation, and long-term operation.

Australian design and manufacturing company PVDymanics has unveiled a solar canopy technology which can be used with both framed and frameless solar modules. The company believes its system can revolutionize the micro-grid market.

As of today, the dumb world of solar module tariffs is currently subjecting imported bifacial modules to a 20% penalty, the same tariff as almost all other crystalline silicon solar modules.

Also in the brief: SolaREIT is focused on acquiring the land underpinning solar assets, plus, engineering services company Solar Support has unveiled a tiered customer-service solution for inverter and power electronic manufacturers.

Researchers from Clean Kilowatts and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have developed software that predicts the most important business model interventions for closing the gap of residential PV adoption between high-income and low-to-middle-income areas.

As the world continues shifting towards lithium-ion as an advanced energy solution for all power applications, ongoing education on the technology’s chemistry, uses and limitations are essential.

“As Congress looks to recover jobs and spur new economic activity that leads to job growth and consumer savings, they should prioritize extending and expanding the ITC for distributed clean energy,” CALSSA said.

Also in the brief: Utah lawmakers push to block cities from banning natural gas. Climate risks are accelerating. Here’s what Duke, PG&E and 16 other utilities expect to pay, plus Invenergy signs up customers for $1.6 billion, 1,310-megawatt Samson solar energy generation facility.

As the U.S. economy continues to recover from its Covid-19-induced recession, it’s likely that Congress and the president will put together a multi-trillion dollar relief package, similar to the one that lifted the economy out of its doldrums following the 2008 economic crisis.