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Hardware brief: California battery discounts, Dr. Nick!, commercial rooftop bifacial data, more!

It’s beginning to look a like fourth quarter solar rush headache time…so relax, check out some solar gear and services! Silicon and module pricing is down a touch, SMA energy storage systems approved in California, and there’s also a Fronius & BYD hook up!

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California seeks $600 million+ for battery backups in “high fire threat districts”

Regulators are focusing 63% of the $1.2 billion SGIP energy storage incentive fund on those most affected by the power grid shutdowns, specifically risk electricity users with medical conditions, critical locations within communities, or those who have had multiple power shutdowns already.

A way to achieve greater than 100% solar power in the U.S., without sacrificing Arizona

Elon Musk is back at his favorite projection – powering the U.S. with a 10,000 square mile solar project in the middle of the desert, but by combining projections of various research groups, we see a better way.

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Fed and state regulators are pressuring PURPA, responses are being filed

A group of organizations representing Southeastern rate payers are arguing against proposed changes to PURPA by FERC, noting – among other items – that long term contracts at fixed, publicly available pricing is necessary to fight against the monopoly power of local utilities.

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US research lab rewires solar cell increasing efficiency to 27.3%, sees path to greater than 32%

NREL has published a paper showing an experimental solar cell, with a unique technique for wiring two separate solar cells into one, that increased the cell’s efficiency by 4%. As well the document offer a respectable review of other technologies being developed.

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MIT sees wind+solar going big, dreams of nuclear, forgets batteries exist

Researchers see wind and solar headed to over 40% of US electricity generation, even without major national policy. However, analysts project that beyond 40%, the intermittent nature of these sources will drive costs higher without nuclear power than with it.

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Solar tariff talks on the menu – bifacial exemption extended and ITC argued

Federal regulators upheld the bifacial solar module import tariff as a public good, and potential protector of irreparable harm against solar developers. Concurrently, the trade courts reviewed the solar module import tariff as a whole, with some groups stating module manufacturing showed success, while solar cell manufacturing hasn’t been helped.

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Hardware brief: Solar panel walking shoes, poly modules dying?, Trina poly bifacial breaks record, more!

You’re busy, so we keep it simple – only the hardware here folks! Los Angeles simplified its installation requirements, solar+storage install in Vermont, solar walking shoes that spread the force to 1/10th allowable weight, Trina setting bifacial poly records, and polysilicon pricing at the floor!

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GM building $2 billion dollar electric vehicle battery factory in Ohio

LG Chem and GM have announced an agreement to build a 30 GWh EV battery factory in Lordstown, Ohio which will employ 1,100 people and come online in 2023.

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Deeper analysis of bifacial solar panel data – including greater cooling and how DC to AC ratios affect clipping

Soltec single axis tracker research shows greater production in a two-in-portrait configuration versus a single module by just over 2%, driven mostly by lower module temperatures as well hardware design adjustments.

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