Markets & Policy

A Tesla Megapack battery caught fire at PG&E’s Elkhorn large-scale battery storage facility in Monterey County, California, in the early hours of September 21. The fire was brought fully under control by the late afternoon, and its cause is under investigation.

Three forces are driving solar adoption today: the economics of energy, the energy crisis driven by the war in Ukraine, and a growing global focus on green and net zero initiatives. What matters is that these three drivers change the dynamics of investment – there is a growing body of capital looking to align with low-carbon, net-zero initiatives. Yet as the debate rages about operational versus overall sustainability, what is the future of solar for ESG finance?

The technology is available for virtual power plants to be rolled out across the United States, argues Jigar Shah, the director of the Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office. Their implementation would result in a cascade of benefits, including extending the adoption of distributed energy resources like rooftop PV and lowering electricity costs for consumers.

Also on the rise: BlueWave Solar is committed to integrating Environmental Social Governance throughout development of dual-use solar projects. Net metering reforms in the U.S. are a missed opportunity to harness residential battery storage, argue researchers from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. And more.

Paired Power said its new 5 kW solar canopy measures 10.5 feet by 16.4 feet by 12.13 feet and can host up to 10 bifacial solar panels. It can be used in on-grid or off-grid modes and can be paired with lithium-ion battery storage systems up to 40 kWh in size.

Job moves in solar, storage, cleantech, utilities, and energy transition finance.

The new module series has a power output ranging from 420 to 430 W, a temperature coefficient of -0.26% per degree Celsius, and an efficiency of up to 22.2%.

BlueWave Solar, a certified B Corp, is committed to integrating Environmental Social Governance throughout development of dual-use solar projects.

The Israel-based power electronics specialist has unveiled two new optimizers. Both have a rated input DC power of 1,2 kW, maximum efficiency of 99.5%, and weighted efficiency of 98.8%.

Also on the rise: Fluke unveils the Solar Multifunction Tester 1000 at RE+ in Anaheim. Solar tariffs caused a year of uncertainty–could a U.S. solar supply chain help? And more.