EIA looks at why solar cost estimates vary
Three separate organizations under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Energy track various aspects of utility scale solar power plant’s costs, and are producing very different numbers.
Massachusetts calls for ‘Clean Peak Standard’ to green dirtiest, most expensive power
The State specified that retail electricity suppliers must provide customers with clean electricity during defined ‘clean peak periods’, at less than $0.005/kWh averaged across annual usage.
Sunnova now offering solar + energy storage in California
Sunnova’s ‘SunSafe’ solar power plus energy storage product is focused on backup power during outages, avoiding peak charges in the evening.
New Hampshire bill to expand system sizes while setting new rates for net metering
SB 446 has passed the Senate and now heads the House for approval. The bill would allow systems up to 5 MW to participate in the state’s net metering program, with final rates to be set over the next three years.
U.S. solar module to inverter ratio settles in around 1.25
The DC-AC ratio of U.S. solar plants has been increasing since it measured at just over 1.1 in 2001-2009, however, the average seems to have flattened at just above 1.25 in recent years.
TVA proposes rate structures to hobble rooftop solar
The semi-public power authority is not even trying to hide its attempt to slow down deployment of customer-owned solar and other forms of distributed generation.
FERC counts 48 GW-AC of large solar projects planned by 2021
Utility Scale proposed projects have begun piling up at the federal agency as the 30% Investment Tax Credit ending starts appearing on the horizon.
Opposition arises to Michigan plans to kill net metering
A proposed drastic change by the Michigan regulatory agency to end net metering later this year has hundreds registering opposition comments.
TransAlta plans massive solar project on former coal mine in Washington
The Canadian power company is planning its first solar project, which will be up to 180 MW in capacity, on the former strip mine.
Arizona regulators rebuff utilities, order turn from gas to renewables
As an historic first, the Arizona Corporation Commission has voted not to acknowledge the gas-heavy energy resource plans of utilities, and is pushing instead an aggressive clean energy plan by one of its members.
