Morning Brief: Duke alleged to violate state law by building gas capacity without approval
Also in the brief: General Electric is selling its investment in 11 of its startups to 40 North Ventures, power lines are key to New Mexico becoming a renewable leader.
Despite revenue growth, Quick Mount PV to let 40 employees go and shutter California manufacturing
Despite strong revenue growth in the U.S., the racking company is abandoning its U.S. manufacturing (and rhetoric) to “create a globally diversified supply chain.” Quick Mount was acquired by Netherlands-based Esdec last year in a roll-up of U.S. racking companies.
Amber Solutions is betting big on small tech
In pursuit of “disrupting the global electrical and powered products industries” Amber Solutions has developed a solid-state AC/DC enabler, as well as an AC switch, which the company claims allows for greater reliability and control than anything like it before.
SunPower to launch 625 W shingled module
Group spinoff Maxeon Solar Technologies will produce the new Performance 5 modules with bifacial mono-PERC solar cells, made from large format eight-inch G12 wafers. The panels boast an efficiency of 21.2%.
Breaking up the patent monopoly for the benefit of batteries
The patent monopoly is at odds with the global need for battery storage technology and if this norm continues, technology will not be able to be released in time to keep up with current climate goals.
Tesla EVs show profit while solar business hits new lows in revenue and deployment
It was a series of firsts, including a profitable full year and Megapack turning a profit that factored into CEO Elon Musk explaining that he has “never been more optimistic or excited about the future of Tesla.” Austin is confirmed as the site of the next Gigafactory.
Breaking: Explosions at GCL polysilicon fab have reportedly taken down 10% of global production capacity
California-based investment banking group Roth Capital Partners has reported four flash explosions on Sunday and a fifth yesterday “working their way through the GCL facility across multiple systems in a chain-reaction-like sequence.”
NREL looks to tackle PV waste before it’s too late
With up to 80 million tons of solar photovoltaic panels expected to hit landfills globally by 2050, the national lab has taken a look into refining how crystalline silicon module recycling is done — in order to establish a circular market.
Morning Brief: Trina launches 600 W solar module, Jinko hits 24.7% efficiency for n-type mono, Tesla tweaks PV price again
Also in the brief: Trump finalizes rollback of bedrock environmental law, how justice and climate change are inseparable
Job Moves: Lior Handelsman leaves SolarEdge, plus Form Energy, Generate, Omnidian, FirstLight, MP2, Jurchen
Executive, career and boardroom moves in solar, storage, cleantech, utilities and energy VC.
