SMART program could make 90% of Massachusetts off-limits to large-scale solar, force more job loss
While the program’s expansion is intended to bring more than 3 GW of solar to the state, new land-use restrictions have made the majority of the state off-limits to large-scale development.
Single-axis bifacial PV offers lowest LCOE in vast majority of world’s land area
Researchers from the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore have concluded that utility-scale PV projects relying on bifacial panels and single-axis trackers deliver the lowest levelized cost of energy in most of the world. They found that the combination of bifacial products with dual-axis trackers is still too expensive, despite the higher yield. The second-lowest LCOE is offered by monofacial single-axis tracker plants.
Solar costs have fallen 82% since 2010
The levelized cost of energy generated by large scale solar plants is around $0.068/kWh, compared to $0.378 ten years ago and the price fell 13.1% between 2018 and last year alone, according to figures released by the International Renewable Energy Agency.
Winners of massive Hawaiian solar-plus-storage procurement include AES, Hanwha, Engie, EDF, Longroad
The usual suspects and a few surprises in the island state’s largest ever renewable energy procurement — for 460 MW of solar power and nearly 3 GWh of energy storage.
Morning Brief: Kentucky’s biggest PV project has a contract, Covid’s effect on the New York solar industry
Also in the brief: Terra Pave Albedo is an America Made Solar Prize competition finalist, a list of environment and climate organizations that have made statements on racism. Plus — “Coal consumption will be crushed in 2020.”
8minute Solar Energy raises $225 million for 18 GW pipeline of solar and storage
Building on what has been a successful 2020 in terms of fundraising, the company has closed on a $225 million letter of credit with partners KeyBank, HSBC, Rabobank and Nomura Holdings.
PV plants lasting longer, with lower operational costs
Solar plants are now expected to last 32.5 years and have operational costs of $17 per kW/year, as shown by a Berkeley Lab survey of industry participants.
Morning Brief: natural gas company to go solar, Duke receives 2 GW of proposals
Also in the brief: Q Cells and Silfab achieve top performer rating in the 2020 PV Module Reliability Scorecard, Tigo sues APS.
Job moves: Helena Kimball promoted to CEO at Cthulhu-backed solar startup; plus Strata, sPower, KCE, Borrego, Sunpro
Executive and boardroom moves in solar, storage, cleantech, utilities and energy VC.
Alliant Energy looks to add 675 MW of PV and quadruple Wisconsin’s solar capacity
The company has filed a Certificate of Authority application with state regulators for a 675 MW portfolio of solar projects, the first step in the company’s larger goal of 1,000 MW of solar in Wisconsin by 2023.
