Markets & Policy

Also In the brief: Iowa passes net metering right before suspending the session amid the Covid-19 pandemic, an international research team has developed a new type of solar cell that is 26.7% efficient in power conversion, Powerhome is hiring and more.

“It is not clear why refineries, chemical plants, and other facilities that continue to operate and keep their employees on the production line will no longer have the staff or time they need to comply with environmental laws.”

While national solar and storage projections fall, the opposite has been true for Bret Biggart and Freedom Solar, with more and more customers looking for residential storage to weather uncertain times.

Arizona could join 16 other states and territories that have targets of 100% clean or renewable electricity by 2050 or sooner. Thirty-two groups in Arizona have called for 50% renewables by 2030.

Also in the brief: Tesla is planning to retool its New York gigafactory to manufacture medical ventilators, SEIA is projecting that coronavirus could slash the solar workforce in half, a 50 MW community solar project approved in New Mexico and more.

As long as their businesses are allowed to operate, residential solar companies have to adhere to the changing world that Covid-19 has created. In light of this, Sunrun and SEIA have both released best practice guidelines for installing solar during a global pandemic.

“Even going into a pandemic, the market is well-positioned,” says a WoodMac analyst.

The sale of quality PV equipment in the secondary market offers an additional sales channel for sellers. It also provides an alternative procurement option for buyers.

Electrolyzer manufacturers are in agreement on the goal of rapidly reducing investment costs, mainly through economies of scale. Some are embracing large units, while others are betting on quantity over size. The first approach is attractive for operators of large PV plants, while the latter is better suited to operators of small systems.

Also in the brief: tech from the rumored Apple car could find its way to your pocket or wrist, a list of Georgia utilities and other services that will not cut off services due to nonpayment, COVID-19 resulting in a 20% decrease in oil demand and more