Weather records tumble across U.S. as Atlantic pressure keeps eastern skies clear
In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that persistent high pressure in the upper atmosphere led to irradiance as high as 30% above normal, and new records for solar generation and temperature in North America in mid-February.
Large area organic PV module achieves world record efficiency of 14.5%
The module has a size of 143 mm x 143 mm and an active area of 204.11 cm². The result was certified by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (Fraunhofer ISE).
Sunrise brief: How to boost U.S. solar rooftop installations
Also on the rise: Bloom Energy teams up with Shell to look at large-scale hydrogen projects. A look at the great transformer shortage affecting U.S. utilities. And more.
Policy recommendations to support U.S. rooftop solar installation
Rooftop solar has the technical potential to serve 45% of electricity demand, based on 2022 demand levels, said a report from Environment America. As of that year, it served about 1.5% of electricity consumed.
Massachusetts initiative assists affordable housing adoption of solar
The Massachusetts STAR program announced its fourth phase of program participants.
Texas manufacturer signs onto three-party power purchase agreement
A 2.6 MW solar project in Seguin, Texas will supply about 13% of electricity needs of Vitesco Technologies, an automotive supplier.
A look at the great transformer shortage affecting U.S. utilities
An NREL team finds that lead times for transformers has grown fourfold in three years, with orders sometimes taking two years. Additionally price increases of four to nine times have been reported in the past 3 years.
First Solar unit achieves world record CIGS solar efficiency of 23.64%
The new solar cell achieved a maximum power conversion efficiency of 23.75% and a certified efficiency of 23.64%, thus beating the previous world record of 23.35% achieved in 2019 by Japan’s Solar Frontier. The result was confirmed by the Fraunhofer ISE.
Bloom Energy teams up with Shell to look at large-scale hydrogen projects
The companies are aiming to develop large-scale solid oxide electrolyzer systems to generate hydrogen for use by Shell.
Sunrise brief: California community solar market lies in limbo
Also on the rise: Solar now accounts for over 50% of new electricity capacity added to the U.S. grid. IRS final rules for clean energy tax credit direct pay and transferability. And more.
