DOE seeks solar power situational awareness
The DOE has launched a program to find unique and innovative solutions that increase grid operators’ situational awareness of solar PV systems deployed throughout the grid at strategic locations – and that are seek to go beyond pure R&D, seeking field validation.
No taxation without solar powered representation
SEIA has released version 9.0 of its Federal Solar Tax Guide for Solar Energy, a guide to fully monetizing up to 46% of a project’s cost in the first year – before the value of electricity and state incentives are considered.
Solar panel theoretical efficiency limit increases by 33%
Researchers at the University of Amsterdam have found what they describe as conclusive evidence that perovskites feature “efficient carrier multiplication,” effectively increasing the single layer efficiency limit from 33% to 44%.
Community solar for a dime in Minnesota
Minnesota regulators have approved a 1.5¢/kWh incentive for residential customers of “solar gardens”, as they seek to boost the residential to commercial customer wattage ratio from the current 1:9.
Choice to cost a little more in California
California regulators voted 5-0 to implement higher priced exit fees for CCAs, as requested by investor-owned utilities. The fees will increase residential bills for members of CCAs by 1.7-5.2%.
Spatial and temporal specificity: the new high bar for 100% renewables
Google, already 100% renewable powered via PPAs offsets of fossil fuels, is now aiming to make sure they’re clean energy powered 24/7 – even as the sun sets, and winds die down.
Solar maps to the golden state back in four days
California’s Integration Capacity Analysis (ICA) maps were ordered returned to public availability by a judge before October 14. As parties fine tune the updated broad ICA 2.0 release in December, the 1.0 version was temporarily removed for security reasons.
Duke forgets to bring the sauce to the energy storage BBQ
Duke Energy has announced plans to invest $500 million to build 300 MWh of energy storage in the Carolinas over the next eight years, which breaks down to an average of 37.5 MWh per year.
Hawaii’s march to 100% adds 260 MW solar + 1 GWh storage
Hawaii’s investor-owned utilities are in negotiations with developers to build seven solar projects across three islands.
Zero energy homes make cents – as Vivint builds in Rhode Island
RMI has released an economic analysis of Zero Energy homes, suggesting their economics meet industry standards and stay within homeowner appetites for larger investments, while Vivint Solar has built such a home in Rhode Island.
