Morning Brief: EV startup Nikola CEO out after SEC fraud claims, China mulls stronger clean energy goals
Also in the brief: Re-retiring Maui’s 72-year-old, 38-MW oil-fired plant — by adding more solar-plus-storage. Colorado Springs Utilities plans for a 175-MW solar farm to be coupled with a 25 MW battery storage system, all built and installed by Boulder-based juwi.
FERC adopts big utilities’ narrative in PURPA ruling
FERC has issued a ruling on PURPA described by some as “death of a thousand cuts” for the policy that has spurred large-scale solar development across the country.
Plasma enables smaller, more powerful NMC-811 cathodes
Batteries could shrink even more with smaller crystals in the cathodes. Battery packs in electric vehicles and consumer goods could become smaller, while still offering high performance.
Tesla battery day bingo
Tesla battery day is next week. Earlier this year, Musk told analysts that what he had to say “will blow your mind. It blows my mind.” Here’s a list of battery hyperbole and terms you’re bound to hear at the event.
Battery energy storage systems integrated in solar facilities to receive tax incentives
Tax incentives spurring deployment of energy storage are limited in their application, as they require the system to paired with solar. On top of this, the requirements to receive the tax incentives do not always align with advancements in battery technology and/or system design.
8minute Solar Energy inks contract for one of the nation’s largest solar + storage projects
With 400 MW of solar capacity, complimented by 180 MW/540 MWh of energy storage, the Rexford 1 Solar & Storage Center is a development of considerable size. The project now has an energy offtaker, with 8minute signing a 15-year contract with Clean Power Alliance.
Lack of carbon pricing and uncertain policy are holding back the flow of capital to renewables
“Putting a price on GHG emissions creates an economic incentive to allocate capital toward the development of new lower-emitting technologies,” claims a report from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
Morning Brief: SEIA forecasts 18 GW of solar for 2020 with 3.5 GW installed in Q2
Also in the brief: BayWa r.e. expands PV and storage capabilities with acquisition of Enable Energy, Hemlock Semiconductor to vertically integrate polysilicon production.
Big, new solar projects are doubling Indiana’s PV capacity
The proposal by Capital Dynamics and Tenaska to build a 150 MW solar installation in Petersburg has been approved by regulators, the latest in a development push that will add more than 500 MW of utility-scale solar in the coming years.
Morning Brief: US clean energy giants to join to build lobbying muscle
Also in the brief: Utility definition continues to dog regulators as PSC considers Milwaukee solar case
