Ryan Kennedy
New York governor urged to double solar deployment goal
Currently New York has a state target of 10 GW deployed by 2030. The state’s Solar Energy Industries Association has called for a new target of 20 GW of distributed solar by 2035.
Back contact solar beats mono PERC at lifetime energy generation
A new analysis finds that back contact solar shows an average lifetime energy generation increase of 16.0% over mono PERC. The paper also says back contact had an average 9.7% shorter payback time and 10.7% lower LCOE across all modelled locations.
City of Detroit to install solar in mostly vacant neighborhoods
Three Detroit neighborhoods were chosen as sites for solar facilities. The City plans to build 33 MW of solar to power its municipal buildings.
Cultural considerations for international solar expansion
Each region has a different way of doing things, whether it’s selecting sites, managing employees, or implementing manufacturing standards. Companies looking to expand into foreign markets need to be prepared to deal with these cultural differences, says Clean Energy Associates (CEA) Vice President Mark Hagedorn.
Top solar panel brands in reliability, quality, and performance
Solar modules are evaluated in the Renewable Energy Test Center annual PV Module Index.
New platform vets residential solar salespeople
An industry plagued by deceptive practices is now verifying salespeople via a platform called Recheck.
Low prices for TOPCon solar panels put pressure on PERC
In May 2024, high-efficiency panels, predominantly glass-glass modules equipped with tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) cells began to converge on price with mainstream offerings, writes Martin Schachinger, of pvXchange. Production volumes for these negatively-doped, “n-type” cells and modules have been ramped up in China while the increasingly restrictive customs situation in the United States may already be having an impact. For the European market, ever-lower prices for the latest module technology would suggest that demand would continue to rise were it not for a number of disruptive factors.
Spontaneous glass breakage on solar panels on the rise
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory noted an increase in spontaneous glass breakage in solar panels. The PV Module Index from the Renewable Energy Test Center investigates this and other glass-related trends in solar manufacturing.
Polysilicon prices stable, market concerns persist over worst-case scenario
In a new weekly update for pv magazine, OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a quick look at the main price trends in the global PV industry.
Solar startup claims doubled energy per acre with terrain-following array
California startup Planted Solar uses construction robots and high-density arrays to deliver what the company says are higher energy outputs and lower balance of system costs.
