“Advanced conductors” can deliver more electricity than conventional transmission lines, using existing transmission towers. Renewables trade group ACORE calls for greater use of advanced conductors, “to accelerate low-cost decarbonization.”

For short-term storage in a 100% renewables grid, thermal energy storage located at concentrating solar power plants could compete with batteries, found a study using an idealized grid model. Seasonal storage needs could best be met with power-to-gas-to-power technology.

Workplace EV chargers, which number only 10,000 in the US, are needed for charging EVs in regions with abundant solar generation, says an RMI study. Home chargers are fine in regions with high wind generation, to enable nighttime charging with wind power.

A Vibrant Clean Energy study commissioned by Vote Solar found that GW-scale investments in distributed solar and storage would yield the lower cost between two approaches studied for Michigan to achieve economy-wide carbon neutrality by 2050.

Ending anti-solar rates in the Phoenix area depends on maintaining an Arizona law favoring competition in the electricity sector. The Arizona House has voted to end such competition, and the Arizona Senate could do the same.

Some northern states added as much small-scale PV per capita as the top states in the Southwest, taking advantage of solar irradiance in northern states that’s about 70% as high as that in the desert Southwest.

Four groups that support rooftop solar have asked federal energy regulators to disallow the “common” utility practice of charging their customers for their anti-solar advocacy.

The geothermal field beneath California’s Salton Sea contains brine that may hold from one to six million metric tons of lithium, an essential element for producing batteries. A Berkeley Lab study aims to evaluate the resource.

The proposed measures would prompt transmission providers to complete studies on time, the groups said. They asked federal energy regulators for an accelerated interconnection rulemaking.

Puerto Rico has 40GW of solar potential, said national lab staff in a webinar. The 100% study will begin by modeling the renewables milestones set by Puerto Rico law.