Community

The Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA) has now added nine new members: Borrego Solar, Distributed Sun, EWT, AES Distributed Energy, Westwood Professional Services, Relay Power, Lever Energy Finance, Solstice and GRID Alternatives. Solstice and GRID Alternatives are also CCSA’s first non-profit members.

The aggressive, bipartisan legislation to pursue renewable energy in the state follows an Xcel Energy announcement that it put 32 MW of community solar projects online. These plans for renewables come at the same time a bill makes its way through the legislature that would snuff out Minnesota’s solar incentive.

Senate Bill 456, introduced by Senator José Javier Rodríguez, would allow solar-energy producers to sell electricity to users on the same property as the array without being labeled as public utilities.

The three-year pilot program is expected to jumpstart community solar in the state, proving the viability of this fast-growing industry segment.

According to a new GTM Research research report, utility-driven community solar projects will total 410 MW installed in 2017, an expansion that more than doubles the capacity of last year’s installations.

The Tranquility 8 Verde project in Central California will provide electricity to customers of Sacramento’s public utility who participate in its Solar Shares program.

Buckeye Power, an electricity transmission company, will break ground on its third installation as part of a project that will eventually bring 2.1 MW of community solar in traditionally coal-fueled southern Ohio.

The California-based provider of off-grid solar power in Africa rounded off an excellent 2016 for the company with a further $7.5 million in debt financing and a partnership with Rwanda’s national utility company, off the back of further expansion plans across Africa.

The New Mexico power producer has always wanted to serve its customers with renewable energy, but was severely limited by a previous contract. Now, thanks to a landmark FERC ruling and a new ‘angel’ wholesale-electricity supplier, the co-op can finally reach its goals.

The nation installed over 4 GW-DC of solar PV during Q3 2016, and even more is expected in the fourth quarter of the year. However as utility-scale solar booms the residential segment is struggling.