Solar system fires are on the rise
Historically underreported by the U.S. Fire Administration, Lawrence Shaw of Higher Powered, LLC has found that fires at solar installations rose 36% from 2017 to 2018. With residential installations representing the majority of fires, he believes mandated infrared imaging could be the key to bringing the number down.
Morning Brief: Germany’s solar panels produced record amounts of electricity, Pittsburgh goes renewable for a day
Also in the brief: Montana high school students raise money for a solar installation, Pacific Gas & Electric is tapping into two Li-ion battery storage projects, a startup from Germany has developed a solar-powered UV disinfection station and more.
Storage companies raised $244 million in corporate funding to start 2020
A new report released by Mercom Capital shows that while funding is down from Q4 2019, it is up substantially year-over-year.
Morning Brief: GM’s Michigan operations all-in on solar and wind, Pittsburgh Steelers add solar
Also in the brief: Boston Scientific goes renewable in American operations, a semi-temporary solar farm for Holy Cross Energy, a roadmap to Pandemic Resilience and more.
American module shipments are down considerably to start 2020
1.36 GW of PV modules were shipped in February to go along with 1.49 GW shipped in January. These figures are below the single month record of 1.96 GW, established in December 2019. Yet, while the number of modules shipped is decreasing, the price per kW rose drastically in February.
Morning brief: Elon Musk’s battery day ‘will blow your mind,’ Chinese module prices expected to rise 12.5%
Also in the brief: Powerhome has partnered with Generac, Duke Energy is donating $150,000 in low-income bill relief, Seychelles readies the world’s largest salt-water floating solar plant and more.
Europe can be 60% powered by solar before 2050
Perhaps it is not surprising a report co-produced by Europe’s solar industry places PV at the heart of a zero-carbon, mid-century energy system on the continent. However, the study does flesh out two out of three scenarios in which becoming carbon-neutral by 2050, or even 2040, could be possible.
106,000 American clean energy jobs were lost in March
The industry lost 3% of its workforce in March, erasing the entire jobs growth of 2019. A report projects that, without taking action, 500,000 more jobs could be lost.
Morning Brief: EIA on net metering, Li-Cycle’s first shipment of commercially recycled battery material
Also in the brief: the chance that Covid-19 gives to reform our energy system, Engie has signed tax equity financing for a 2 GW portfolio, Panasonic names inaugural class of Elite Residential Installers and more.
What can solar learn from the 2008 financial crisis in the age of Covid-19?
Even as global PV forecasts fall, tax equity dries up and unemployment rises, Jim Spano, co-founder of RadiantREIT, believes that the right type of government stimulus could not only help the solar industry recover — but drive it to new heights.
