SEIA is seeking to save $1 per watt on costs by automating the solar permit process, and also to unlock 30 GW of solar plant energy storage projects by confirming the 30% tax credit on commercial energy storage retrofits.

Electric utility NIPSCO announced plans to close all of its coal facilities by 2028, replacing them with solar, solar+wind, wind, demand side response and the spot market. The utility says some of the coal facilities could have stayed open past 2035, but would have cost customers millions of dollars more than shifting to new solar power.

The independent power producer has closed on a $499 million, investment grade, private placement financing representing approximately 650 MW of utility-scale wind and solar power projects.

Jacksonville, Florida’s municipal utility has gotten rid of net metering and lowered the rate paid for excess solar produced electricity. Concurrently, the utility is pushing larger scale solar and energy storage programs.

NREL has chosen five companies to help administer the America-Made Solar Prize, a program whose stated goal is to develop U.S.-based solar manufacturing. These five companies receive contracts of $100,000 each for their services.

This year’s version of Berkeley Lab’s Tracking the Sun report saw residential installs fall 6% to $3.50 / W, small business fall 11% to $2.90 / W and large business fell 5% to $2.20 /W in 2017, with light changes in early 2018. However, these averages cover wide price variances in different markets.

Ciel & Terre has completed its fourth and largest system in the United States for a California municipal waterworks. The project is also one of four floating solar projects, totaling 5.3 MW, to be completed in the nation this summer.

The long-term, steady income of solar power complements the higher revenue, but harder work of traditional farming. The Massachusetts SMART program looks to increase this trend with “agrovoltaic” incentives for solar co-located with crops.

Arizona Public Service has announced three new residential energy programs hoping to financially motivate customers to use cheaper daytime electricity via HVAC, energy storage and hot water heaters.

Australian real estate developer Lendlease is pushing forward on a 200 MW solar power project. No electricity off taker has been noted, but the project has secured town approval and a tax abatement.