John Fitzgerald Weaver
Chapel Hill NC debates solar power on all new construction
An environmental board has suggested to the Town Council of Chapel Hill that all new construction install roof-mounted solar energy systems over at least 80% of the unshaded roof areas, which could make Chapel Hill the latest town to go this route.
Designing for and monetizing curtailed solar power
Research by NREL and First Solar has produced highly accurate, real-time estimates of available aggregate peak power that a curtailed solar power plant can deliver to support the broader needs of the grid.
Vivint Solar keeps growing
The company showed increased costs for its sales force, held the cost of building solar consistent and is projecting to grow annual installation volume 15% in 2019.
Utility scale solar pricing down 7% on competition and construction costs
LevelTen’s marketplace shows utility-scale solar power offers falling $2/MWh across five large grid operators, with executives suggesting that competition among developers and falling construction costs drove this.
Military microgid, solar taxes give $4.4 million to town, 3 tons of recycled panels: pvMB for 5/8/19
Howdy friends and welcome to today’s pvMB. Today we’re wrangling up stories on Geronimo Energy proposing 100 MW in Minnesota, Sunnova’s SunSafe coming to New Jersey, EVgo going 100% renewable and much much more, yee-haw.
New York utility gives free hardware to solar and EV buyers
ConEdison is supplying the ConnectDER solution—which accepts solar and EV wiring directly at the electric meter—when customers install solar and electric vehicles. Installation of the device avoids costly electric panel upgrades.
California’s CCA structure gets Moody’s thumbs up
Moody’s has rated Peninsula Clean Energy, a California CCA, at Baa2 Investment Grade status. The rating agency gave significant credit to the legal structure surrounding CCAs giving them “sticky” customers, in addition to the PCE’s conservative management and strong customer relationships.
Wisconsin utility wants to tax the sun 24%
We Energies has filed to increase fixed fees 10.3% and charge a residential solar power fixed cost recovery charge of $3.53/kW/month.
Tesla’s Powerwall as the beating heart of your home
Vermont utility Green Mountain Power has started a program to replace its customers’ electric meters with the monitoring system in Tesla Powerwall batteries.
Texas collective is getting wind+solar+whatever you have for 3¢/kWh – or less
As part of the Texas’ State Energy Conservation Office procurement process, a group of public companies have received bids for wind and solar power for less than 3¢/kWh for 150 MW+ of load in 12-year power contracts.
