Six of the year’s most impactful solar policies, courtesy of SELC
The 2020 “Solar Makers” include states, regulators and utilities taking action to encourage rooftop solar. This year’s “Solar Brakers” include utility policies that SELC says undermine rooftop solar as a cost-effective choice.
Sunrise brief: Gas giants plan to make hydrogen from a solar-driven electroylzer
Also on the rise: Invenergy gets a $1 billion holiday gift; Tonight’s celestial thrill; Looser rules could boost Chinese glass capacity; NREL announces record-setting two-junction solar cells; ReneSolar notches a win in Poland’s solar auction
IHS Markit forecasts a “wild” ride” for the global PV industry in 2021
The firm expects 158 GW of new PV to be installed worldwide in 2021, a jump over 2020, and the U.S. and China will still dominate.
A Harley-Davidson plant now hosts a 2.25 MW solar array
The 8,400 panel solar array is part of We Energies’ Solar Now program, and is the largest single rooftop system in Wisconsin.
NYC site will host a 100 MW/400 MWh energy storage system
Under a seven-year contract with Con Edison, the utility will bid power from the battery system into New York State’s wholesale energy market.
Morning Brief: Which US state produces the most carbon-free power?
Also in the brief: FERC and CAISO drama. Plus, U.S. solar PV system costs fell across all market segments from 2019 to 2020. And — the solar boom arrives in Ohio.
NIPSCO adds solar capacity through a 280 MW PPA
The Indiana utility plans to be coal-free by 2028 by adding a combination of cleaner energy sources to its existing mix of natural gas and hydroelectric generation.
Virginia’s legacy coal country looks to solar for economic growth
Pro-solar groups have developed a guide for how municipalities and counties can encourage solar projects in Southwest Virginia, and The Nature Conservancy is eyeing the value that solar can bring to one of its big landholdings.
Philip Shen of Roth Capital: pandemic relief package could extend ITC and include ‘refundability’
Also in the brief: Chart-of-the-day, plus Harley-Davidson goes big on solar. Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners established a joint venture with Birch Infrastructure to develop and construct renewables-powered hyperscale data center campuses in the US.
Aggressive new fees for South Carolina solar customers draw fire
The proposed fees could end up costing the solar average homeowner more than $700 annually. Critics call the fees an attempt to take away consumer control over their power bills.
