Newer and larger solar plants perform better, while older plants pick up steam with repowering
US government lab sees utility scale solar fleet degrading faster than projected at 1.2% a year, while newer and larger plants are degrading at only 0.7% a year. Older plants appear to be getting repowered in year seven, yielding lasting performance increases.
Stanford University now running on 100% renewables
Flipping the switch on the 88MW array this week is a major milestone toward its goal of net zero emissions by 2050.
Global tracker provider FTC Solar posts 44% growth in 2021
The company announced the launch of a turnkey operation for sub 20MW projects and reported revenues of $101.7 million in the fourth quarter.
Sunrise brief: Canadian Solar launches 420W rooftop solar module with 21.5% efficiency
Also on the rise: RFP released for 500MW of PV for Indiana Michigan Power. Enphase Energy acquires SolarLeadFactory, a solar sales generation specialist. Concentrating solar power with heat storage could compete with batteries. U.S. Light Energy completes the school and municpal solar projects for the Tri-County Energy Consortium.
Concentrating solar power with heat storage could compete with batteries
For short-term storage in a 100% renewables grid, thermal energy storage located at concentrating solar power plants could compete with batteries, found a study using an idealized grid model. Seasonal storage needs could best be met with power-to-gas-to-power technology.
Enphase Energy acquires SolarLeadFactory, a solar sales generation specialist
This is Enphase Energy’s fourth recent acquisition, all of which enhance Enphase Energy’s planned digital platform for installers.
Canadian Solar launches 420W rooftop solar module with 21.5% efficiency
The new product is part of the company’s HiKu6 series based on 182mm wafers. Its temperature coefficient is 0.34% and its electrical characteristics are claimed to be compatible with the most common photovoltaic inverters thanks to values below 14A.
Sunrise brief: Earth’s total solar installed tops 1 terawatt
Also on the rise: 300MW Bighorn Solar Project is complete. To achieve DOE’s goal, we need 700% more community solar in the next four years. MIT scientists develop PV cleaning system based on electrostatic repulsion. Solar drone data assessment shows rise in PV anomalies. Kentucky utility adds more solar as Solar Shares Program gains customers.
Community Solar: Interconnection bottlenecks and other barriers to growth
To achieve the DOE’s goal of powering the equivalent of five million households by 2025 with community solar and creating $1 billion in energy savings would mean an increase of more than 700% of installed community solar in the next four years.
Global solar drone data assessment shows rise in PV anomalies
Over 20GW of solar array aerial visual data was processed by RaptorMaps, and roughly 2.6% of capacity was found to have anomalies that affect power production.
