pv magazine USA published more than 1,800 stories this year. With a breadth of expertise, this news coverage not only sheds a light on the current state of solar, but also provides a powerful backdrop to our solar future.
1. Spontaneous glass breakage on solar panels on the rise
In its annual PV Module Index, the Renewable Energy Test Center (RETC) examined emerging issues in solar glass manufacturing and field performance. It found reports of a concerning rise in solar panel glass spontaneously breaking in the field, sometimes even before it was commissioned.
2. Existing California solar customers may get blindsided with net metering cuts
A state entity, the California Public Advocates Office (PAO), released a report suggesting that residents who have invested in rooftop solar should be force-shifted onto a regulatory scheme that would greatly diminish the value of their investments.
The PAO released a fact sheet claiming that rooftop solar net metering will create an $8.6 billion cost for non-solar customers in the state, and that this number is increasing. As a result, it has advised that net energy metering (NEM) 1.0 and 2.0 customers are forced to shift to the far less advantageous NEM 3.0 rate structure.
3. How long do residential solar panels last?
Residential solar panels are often sold with long-term loans or leases, with homeowners entering contracts of 20 years or more. But how long do panels last, and how resilient are they? In the first story of this two-part series, pv magazine delved into the productive lifespan of solar panels.
Panel life depends on several factors, including climate, module type, and the racking system used, among others. While there isn’t a specific “end date” for a panel per se, loss of production over time often forces equipment retirements.
4. Solar companies unite in Helene disaster relief in North Carolina
Western North Carolina was devastated by the impacts of Hurricane Helene, leaving thousands of North Carolinians without power, internet, food, shelter, and water. Among a myriad of recovery efforts, teams worked to bring clean energy to areas that need it most.
Following the crisis, which was compounded by washed out, impassable roads, Greentech Renewables Raleigh, Footprint Project, Land of Sky Regional Council of Governments, and the NC Sustainable Energy Association partnered to bring solar and battery microgrids to Western North Carolina.
5. Top solar panel brands in reliability, quality, and performance
The Renewable Energy Test Center (RETC) released its 2024 PV Module Index report, evaluating the reliability, quality, and performance of solar panels. Solar modules are put through a variety of accelerated stress tests to evaluate these parameters. Through comparative test results, project stakeholders can select products best suited for a particular environment, location, or portfolio.
To identify the best of the best, RETC reviewed and ranked the overall data distributions across three disciplines: quality, performance, and reliability. Find the overall top performers in this story.
6. How long do residential solar inverters last?
In the first part of this series, pv magazine USA reviewed the productive lifespan of solar panels, which are quite resilient. In this part, we examined residential solar inverters in their various forms, how long they last, and how resilient they are.
7. 690 MW solar-plus-storage project in U.S. now operational in Nevada
In July, the Gemini solar-plus-storage project outside of Las Vegas, Nevada became operational. The 1.8 million solar panels are expected to generate up to 690 MW and they’re co-located with 380 MW of 4-hour battery energy storage (1,400 MWh). Using a DC-coupled storage configuration enables the batteries to be charged directly by solar, thus increasing efficiency.
8. Tornado rips through solar farm in Florida
A tornado tore through a solar power plant in central Florida. Footage released by Duke Energy shows a swath of solar modules ripped from the single-axis trackers holding them in place.
Local weather reports identified the storm as an EF-2 tornado, with winds between 111 and 135 miles per hour. According to the county sheriff’s department, the tornado struck before Hurricane Milton made landfall, also damaging 20 to 30 homes in the area.
9. World now has five times more PV than nuclear power
The world’s installed PV capacity began to exceed by almost five times that of nuclear energy, found the World Nuclear Industry Status Report (WNISR) 2024, overseen by French nuclear energy consultant Mycle Schneider.
The report revealed that at the end of June, 408 operational reactors were producing 367 GW across the globe, which compares to around 1.6 TW of PV at the end of 2023 and possibly around 1.9 TW by the end of June, given recent projections from BloombergNEF and Bernreuter Researchers, which foresee 592 GW and 660 GW, respectively, this year.
10. Fossil fuel companies sued by all New England states, except one
Maine Attorney General filed suit in state court against Exxon, Shell, Chevron, BP, Sunoco, and the American Petroleum Institute for deceiving Maine residents about the role of their fossil fuel products in causing climate change. Like the other four New England states that filed lawsuits, Maine seeks to hold the companies accountable for concealing their knowledge about the devastating consequences of the increasing use of fossil fuels on Maine’s people, economy, and environment.
More news in 2025
Your avid readership shows what the hot trends are in the industry, and you can expect that pv magazine USA will provide follow-up coverage on these stories and more as we head into 2025. Thank you for your loyalty!
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