Installations

Wood Mackenzie has dropped the 2020 outlook down to 430 MW, still a more than 100% increase over 2019, amid concerns over the role of sales and commissioning and interconnection in a period of shelter-in-place ordinances.

An Alabama industry association and citizens’ groups say regulators should reject Alabama Power’s request to build more gas capacity.

Also In the brief: Iowa passes net metering right before suspending the session amid the Covid-19 pandemic, an international research team has developed a new type of solar cell that is 26.7% efficient in power conversion, Powerhome is hiring and more.

While national solar and storage projections fall, the opposite has been true for Bret Biggart and Freedom Solar, with more and more customers looking for residential storage to weather uncertain times.

Also in the brief: Tesla is planning to retool its New York gigafactory to manufacture medical ventilators, SEIA is projecting that coronavirus could slash the solar workforce in half, a 50 MW community solar project approved in New Mexico and more.

As long as their businesses are allowed to operate, residential solar companies have to adhere to the changing world that Covid-19 has created. In light of this, Sunrun and SEIA have both released best practice guidelines for installing solar during a global pandemic.

“Even going into a pandemic, the market is well-positioned,” says a WoodMac analyst.

The sale of quality PV equipment in the secondary market offers an additional sales channel for sellers. It also provides an alternative procurement option for buyers.

The U.S. thin-film solar company says its production lines in Ohio, Malaysia and Vietnam have thus far been able to carry on operations. The company says measures have been taken to protect its workers at all of its premises.

Electrolyzer manufacturers are in agreement on the goal of rapidly reducing investment costs, mainly through economies of scale. Some are embracing large units, while others are betting on quantity over size. The first approach is attractive for operators of large PV plants, while the latter is better suited to operators of small systems.