Southeast US adds 427 MW of distributed solar in 2019, as advocates press for more
Florida led the region for small-scale installations, while Maryland kept the lead on a per-capita basis. Solar advocates look to improve opportunities for distributed solar throughout the region in 2020.
Kresge Foundation backs solar+storage for buildings with low-income residents
To help safeguard residents’ health and comfort during an extended power outage, a new program will provide loan guarantees for solar+storage installations that could keep cooling systems, medical equipment and refrigerators running.
Hawaiian Electric plans for 70% renewables by late 2020s, exceeding targets
To integrate an increasing percentage of renewables, Hawaiian Electric has turned to a standard solar+storage framework, matching all new solar capacity with an equal capacity of storage with four-hour duration.
A desert solar farm can actually improve desert tortoise habitat
With tortoise-sized openings at the bottom of the fence, and improved growth of plants vital to tortoise survival, a solar farm in Nevada can provide better habitat than the surrounding desert. First Solar found similar habitat gains in California.
2,000 gigawatts of solar power needed for 100% renewables
Stanford researchers have a plan that would balance 2,000 GW of solar capacity and 2,300 GW of wind power with 3,300 GW of battery capacity and a large amount of flexible load. Consumers would save 64% on total energy bills, partly from electrification of transportation and heating.
Ten research teams aim for long-duration storage at 5¢/kWh
To get long-duration storage costs down to 5 cents per kilowatt-hour, research teams funded by ARPA-E are pursuing breakthroughs in flow batteries, hydrogen storage and other technologies—even thermovoltaics.
Here’s how utilities use their resource plans to block solar power
At least seven utilities chose to bias their resource modeling against solar in 2019. The good news is that transparent utility modeling could fix the problem.
Boulder, Pueblo, San Francisco pursue city utilities for clean energy, lower costs
Boulder sees a public utility as a way to reach 100% renewables, while San Francisco aims for 100% clean energy, and Pueblo expects 10% to 14% savings.
The quick gray fox jumped through the upside-down solar fence—a photo essay
Deer fence installed upside down lets foxes and other small wildlife through to forage and pursue prey. Solar developers in Tennessee and North Carolina have the photos to prove it.
Making rooftop solar customers ‘go away’ by raising fixed fees on utility bills
Thousands of people across the Southeast have opposed utility plans to increase fixed fees on monthly bills, including a Georgia Power case to be decided soon. Making customers with solar “go away” is an explicit goal of at least one utility.
