Former coal plant to house 100-hour iron-air battery
Minnesota’s public utilities commission approves Form Energy’s 10 MW/1 GWh iron-air long-duration energy storage facility construction project for Xcel Energy.
Solar generated 7% of U.S. electricity in April
Solar electricity was up 16% from 2022, a relatively modest increase due to lower deployed solar capacity in 2022 than in 2021. For the year, solar has covered 5% of all electricity so far, with emission-free sources greater than 43%.
Solar defends title as most popular U.S. electricity source
Pew Research reports a steady Democratic support for solar energy while its acceptance among Republicans has fallen, particularly following the most recent presidential transition.
Roof-integrated solar takes 44% less time to install on new construction
A time-motion study by NREL discovered that retrofitting installations of roof-integrated photovoltaics takes 7% less labor time than standard solar installations. For new construction, the installation time drops by 44%.
A review of functional requirements for grid-forming inverters
As the grid evolves toward a future dominated by inverters, transitioning from the large spinning masses within turbines to a system managed by power electronics and software, manufacturers are developing and refining necessary stability functions.
Increasing restrictions on siting solar in the U.S.
A study from Columbia University has identified 59 new local renewable energy siting restrictions across 35 states in the U.S., taking the total count to 228. In addition, nine state level restrictions were noted as being severe enough to block projects.
Agrivoltaics seeking mainstream recognition in Farm Bill
Proposed legislation from two U.S. Senators would prioritize pollinator-friendly solar facilities for government funding, ahead of traditional, compacted dirt facilities.
Better solar projections mean better models and higher project valuations
Denowatts helps solar asset owners know what they’re ‘supposed’ to be generating, via their Deno Simulator, a self-powered digital weather station, and the corresponding Digital Twin software package.
Retrofitting solar farms with pollinators could yield up to $264 million in annual benefits for farmers
A new government research framework identifies farms using pollinator services within reach of existing solar facilities. The aim is to determine the financial benefits of these services for both farmers and solar landowners.
Meyer Burger and BayWa r.e. sign 250 MW annual procurement deal
Two European energy companies, Meyer Burger and BayWa r.e., have finalized a contract for their U.S. operations in which the developer will purchase 1.25 GW of modules from the manufacturer’s Arizona facility from 2025 to 2029.
