Crossed wires at a utility jolt Maine’s solar developers
Miscommunication at Central Maine Power led to some solar developers receiving letters saying that interconnection fees would jump by as much as 5x. The utility blamed growing pains.
Sunrise brief: Indiana utility asks to add 400 MW of solar capacity
Also on the rise: Duke Energy starts work on a 50 MW solar array near Charlotte, a solar+storage project nears completion in Massachusetts, and AC Power targets brownfield sites for New Jersey community solar.
An energy strategy worthy of Texas
Going it alone with the ERCOT market as currently structured and regulated has been tested and found inadequate, writes a former state utility regulator. “Texas should not waste this crisis.”
Solar at the speedway: NASCAR aims to make racing more eco-friendly
NASCAR raceways have become one of the sporting world’s most fervent adopters of solar energy, with one project under development that’s set to become the largest solar installation at any sporting venue across the globe.
RFP alert: Puerto Rico launches first of six calls for renewables and storage
The Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority has been ordered to procure a total of 3.75 GW or renewables and 1.5 GW of energy storage.
Duke brings its Green Source Advantage program to South Carolina
The program, which allows large-scale customers to offset power purchases by securing renewable energy directly from project owners and energy suppliers, has been successful so far in North Carolina.
BloombergNEF expects up to 209 GW of new solar for this year
A new report from the U.S.-based analyst predicts that new PV additions for 2021 may range from 163 to 221 GW next year and from 179 to 240 GW in 2023. According to BloombergNEF, the current supply bottlenecks for glass and polysilicon will unlikely halt the global PV market.
Maryland issues an ambitious climate plan–a year late
“This was time well spent,” said a spokesperson for the state Department of the Environment. But environmental groups have raised concerns about the delayed report.
Sunrise brief: Air Force funds development of solar PV sheets for use in space
Also on the rise: Volta Energy fund nets $72.6 million for battery and storage startups, and Brooklyn libraries add rooftop solar to power safe-haven emergency services.
Minnesota bill would curb the power homeowner associations have over solar
HOAs could still complain about some things related to solar, but could no longer ban them outright.
