Solar PV fires: Cost estimates and the road to better data
The solar industry’s struggle with fire safety is ongoing. Dr. John R. Balfour and Lawrence Shaw have developed a means to begin to estimate the future costs and impacts from reported PV system-sourced fires.
Biden signs Executive Order addressing cyber vulnerabilities in energy and other sectors
The White House said that recent incidents share commonalities, including “insufficient cybersecurity defenses that leave public and private sector entities more vulnerable to incidents.”
Citing increased threat, DOE launches a 100-day cyber security initiative
DOE reinstated EO 13920, and Energy Secretary Granholm said the U.S. faces a “well-documented and increasing cyber threat” from malicious actors.
Polar Racking chosen by Branson group for St. Thomas solar rebuild
The 6.4 MW Donoe Solar Farm in St. Thomas, damaged in 2017, will use Polar’s PRU fixed-tilt racking system.
Winterizing Texas power plants makes economic sense, Dallas Fed says
The bank said that the most reasonable solutions to prevent winter storm blackouts are within the bounds of being economically justified.
Branson group is rebuilding another hurricane-damaged solar array
Hardened to withstand winds up to 180 mph, the 6.4 MW facility in the U.S. Virgin Islands is expected to enter service in the fourth quarter.
Insuring against hail is all about risk management for solar project developers
In the second installment of this series, pv magazine talks with Michael Kolodner of Marsh to learn about the evolution of hail risk management and how insuring a solar project is about more than just the policy.
Sunrise brief: California approves electric microgrid program for vulnerable communities
Also on the rise: Hydro-Québec will work to commercialize hydrogen technology, San Antonio’s electric utility gets a financial safety net, and Silicon Ranch wraps up a 200 MW solar portfolio in Georgia.
Storm season has the solar industry looking to protect assets from costly hail damage
The destructive potential of hail on solar arrays has only been fully realized in the last two years. In this series, pv magazine talks with experts in storm modeling, risk insurance, and damage mitigation to learn how solar arrays can survive nature’s wrath.
Muni utility sues ERCOT as fallout from Texas’ electric power crisis continues
The utility alleged that ERCOT “ran up $20 billion in charges” for five days of energy supply due to its “lack of oversight, preparedness, and failure to follow its own protocols.”
