Tensions flare in trade war, Trump threatens WTO exit
The World Trade Organization has taken the first steps towards enabling China to file compensatory sanctions against the United States over the section 301 tariffs.
Hanwha Q Cells achieves top-tier bankability, solar panels stolen in Indiana: pvMb 8/16/19
TGIF and welcome to this Friday’s pvMB. Today we’ve got our sights set on Sunnova and PetersonDean’s California partnership, Pivot energy’s hiring, SimpliPhi cutting battery prices and more!
Is a California solar+storage boom about to happen?
CAISO has warned state regulators that there could be a 4.7 GW capacity shortfall in 2022, in the early evening hours of the annual peak demand events of September. The grid operator has suggested alteration of water cooling laws, as well as increased procurement of resources.
Apple picks single axis trackers and bifacial solar panels (w/pictures!)
Swinerton Renewable Energy is moving to interconnection this week of the 200 MWac / 251 MWdc Techren II facility in Boulder, Nevada. The plant uses NEXTracker single-axis trackers and bifacial solar modules from Canadian Solar and LONGi.
Corporations crave solar more than ever before
Large corporations are purchasing solar in the pursuit of going 100% renewable like never before. However, while solar and wind purchase figures are on the rise, the avenues these purchases come from has changed over the past year.
Car industry copper demand to surge 250% due to EVs
By considering use of the metal in charging infrastructure, analyst Wood Mackenzie has found higher demand from the mobility sector than is the case if only the volume of the material required for vehicle construction is examined.
Using machine learning and cheap satellite data to design rooftop solar power
Researchers have built a tool to use cheap satellite imagery – like Google Maps – to automatically create solar designs with a 91% accuracy rate.
FPL’s “30 x 30” reaches Kennedy Space Center
The latest addition to FPL’s “30 x 30” plan is hoping to have a home next to the Kennedy Space Center, but the project’s partial wetland location could lead to issues.
Texas confirms public power’s energy storage rights
Municipally owned utilities and electric cooperatives, as of September 1, will have legal affirmation that they’re allowed to own energy storage assets – and not have to register as power generators – within the state.
Vivint Solar bounces back
The third party residential solar company showed its highest volume of quarterly installations since late 2016 and record revenues. However losses rose as well, driven by an industry-wide trend of rising customer acquisition costs.
