John Fitzgerald Weaver
2018 solar power year in review (part 1)
Between tariffs on everything under the sun, Elon Musk’s $40 million tweet and the boom in energy storage, it’s been one Hell of a year.
$15 million for solar in San Antonio, with a local twist
CPS Energy has made available up to $2500 per home and 60¢ per watt for business solar installations – with bonuses for locally produced solar modules, and a 25% lower incentive for non-local installers.
Nuclear negations yield renewable energy leverage
As part of the recently approved settlement negotiations associated with the failed VC Summer Nuclear Plant expansion in South Carolina, renewable energy has gained greater PPA and IRP access, and greater market continuity.
Solar + wind + storage makes for a DC-powered microgrid
Ensync has begun work on a microgrid tying together 48 kW of vertical wind turbines, 495 kW of rooftop solar, and 730 kWh of energy storage.
The solar plus storage must flow
Ideal Energy has installed a single-axis tracker, 1.1 MW DC solar plant with NexTracker’s largest flow battery project to date: a 35 unit, 350 kW / 1.1 MWh Avalon Battery vanadium flow system.
Look, in the sky – is it a bird? Is it a plane? No – it’s solar power!
Alta Devices’ gallium arsenide solar research cells have been certified with a 29.1% efficiency, setting a new single junction solar cell efficiency record.
A new solar powered #2 rises, and it looks to keep growing
Con Edison states that it has become the number two solar power generator in North America with the finalization of its Sempra purchase which included 980 MWac of operating solar.
The Department of Energy wants you!
The Solar Energy Technologies Office is seeking feedback from solar professionals on what topics it ought research within solar photovoltaics, solar thermal, systems integration and soft cost reduction.
First Solar sees a doubling coming in 2019
The PV maker projects 5.4 to 5.6 GW of solar module shipments next year, more than double its current projected 2018 volumes of 2.6 to 2.7 GW.
Long Draw Solar signs 100 MWac at 2.5¢/kWh
Engie has secured a power purchase agreement for 100 MWac of a 255 MW solar plant, with New Braunfels Utilities. The plant is expected to come online in June 2020.
