Energy Storage

Almost all of the new capacity has yet to be built, with the new contracts putting Central Coast Community Energy, Silicon Valley Clean Energy total joint signings well over 1 GW.

Also on the rise: A startup invents a breakthrough battery electrolyte, renewables generated a record amount of electricity in 2020, a 250 MW solar project is proposed in Wyoming, and more.

It’s a breakthrough so simple that the Australian patent office needed convincing it counted as an invention.

The bill would offer both a PTC and an ITC and won the support of the Environmental Defense Fund and the American Petroleum Institute.

Also on the rise: Tesla said it is working to ‘dramatically’ improve its solar roof installation performance, FPL’s ‘community solar’ program hits its ceiling, and Michigan and Wisconsin look to expand their own community solar offerings.

The two will provide voltage support for utility National Grid in a move to show that distributed resources can unlock additional value to ratepayers.

New tech which can store power for longer than four hours can secure funds toward demonstrator project costs.

Also on the rise: Developers scrap an 850 MW solar project after local objection, Rivian plans a second EV plant in the U.S., Ohio regulators consider another 470 MW of solar, and more.

The report pegged the cost of adding storage to PV on the order of $700-1,300/kWh of storage capacity and the present-value benefit to the host customer of roughly $500-1,000/kWh.

Made up of distributed residential energy storage, these “plants” stabilize the grid and often end the need for new fossil generation. Tesla customers in California are the latest to join the movement.