Duke Energy, developers and regulators advance solar in the Carolinas with ‘queue reform’ and cluster studies
To address developers’ frustrations with its interconnection process, Duke Energy worked with solar industry associations to map out a second proposal aimed at rationalizing its interconnection process in 2022, after the existing queue is cleared.
8minute Solar Energy inks contract for one of the nation’s largest solar + storage projects
With 400 MW of solar capacity, complimented by 180 MW/540 MWh of energy storage, the Rexford 1 Solar & Storage Center is a development of considerable size. The project now has an energy offtaker, with 8minute signing a 15-year contract with Clean Power Alliance.
Yann Brandt: WoodMac’s residential solar finance forecast is ‘worst forecast of 2020’
A recent report by Wood Mackenzie has asserted that U.S. residential solar finance will “falter” in 2020 has been dubbed the “worst forecast of 2020” by a prominent industry figure. And while the market seems to be sustaining financial health, decreasing installation figures could be cause for concern.
Texas solar will outshine California in 2020
The Covid-19 pandemic continues to cast a cloud on industries around the world, but the U.S. utility-scale solar segment is still growing. Around 3 GW of solar PV is set to be installed this year in Texas alone, but opportunities also abound across several other southern U.S. states.
Lack of carbon pricing and uncertain policy are holding back the flow of capital to renewables
“Putting a price on GHG emissions creates an economic incentive to allocate capital toward the development of new lower-emitting technologies,” claims a report from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
Morning Brief: SEIA forecasts 18 GW of solar for 2020 with 3.5 GW installed in Q2
Also in the brief: BayWa r.e. expands PV and storage capabilities with acquisition of Enable Energy, Hemlock Semiconductor to vertically integrate polysilicon production.
First Solar changes course: now selling its thin-film solar panels into the distributed generation market
The utility-scale solar pioneer and specialist is going small. After decades of avoiding distributed generation, its distributors will now offer First Solar’s series 6 modules to “projects and customers of all shapes and sizes.”
Sunfolding looks to disrupt the tracker industry with air pneumatics
With $32 million in series B funding and an ever-growing project pipeline, air-based tracker startup, Sunfolding, is hoping to increase its hold in the tracker market with tech that’s simple, light and can be installed on terrain previously thought untouchable.
Terabase Energy raises funding to break the $0.01/kWh utility-scale solar barrier with software
Terabase wins a $6 million Round A led by SJF Ventures, an early funder of Nextracker, for an integrated software platform to make building utility-scale solar more efficient, smarter and cheaper.
NREL scientists encourage ‘optimal’ PV curtailment
Solar curtailment might become a valuable aspect of future PV deployment, particularly if grid operators start focusing on ‘curtailment management’ instead of ‘curtailment prevention.’ Management would include measures such as flexible generation, storage, load flexibility, and regional coordination.
