New York sanctions larger community solar projects
The Empire State’s Public Service Commission will now allow projects up to 5 MW to participate in the program, from 2 MW previously.
AES breaks ground on massive Kaua’i solar plus storage project
The company’s 28 MW PV plant will be paired with a 20 MW/100 MWh battery system, and will push the island to meeting more than 1/3 of electric demand with solar.
Omaha, Nebraska, plans for community solar
The public utility in Nebraska’s largest city has presented the structure of a community solar program for its 352,000 customers in Omaha and surrounding counties.
Maine to dismantle net metering six weeks earlier than expected
Solar installers and advocates are stunned that they now only have three weeks to install systems for homeowners before their customers are hit with new, less generous net metering rules.
Installers more confident in the solar industry than ever, survey says
In a survey conducted by EnergySage in conjunction with NABCEP, 30% of installers also say interest in solar+storage has increased among their customers.
First Solar to build the largest solar plant in the South
Georgia Power has awarded a power contract to the PV maker and developer under its latest solicitation. The project will utilize First Solar’s large-format Series 6 modules.
Puerto Rican school benefits from sonnen microgrid
The rest of the U.S. citizenry appears to have forgotten about Puerto Rico and the suffering of its people (also U.S. citizens) – but companies like sonnen and Pura Energía are working to return electricity to critical infrastructure projects like schools.
Michigan solar total remains low among renewable energy options
The total volume of PV in Michigan remains small for the size of the state, especially as a percentage of renewable energy, as reported by state regulator.
Global storage growth of 4.6% in 2017 reflects patchy state of sector
Despite hitting a record 1.17 GW of new grid-scale storage capacity in 2017, growth was a mere 4.6% on 2016 having surged 61% the year prior. Industry’s reliance on policy support means foundations for growth remain uneven, report finds. Average costs, however, fell by 24% last year.
Enel, NREL partner on three-year solar vegetation study
By doing the research, the partners hope to discover how solar and plant life interact and find effective ways for solar arrays and agricultural lands to co-exist.
