How does the US retire 236 GW of coal and 1,000 gas peaker plants?
Victory in the economic realm (increasingly the case with solar, solar-plus-storage and wind) is no guarantee of market victory if the regulations are stacked against renewables.
Morning Brief: Consumers Energy expands its net metering cap, Nautilus closes a financing commitment
Also in the brief: A New Mexico regulator has recommended denial of El Paso Electric’s planned expansion of the Newman Generating Station, Gemserv has launched a digital platform aimed at helping businesses transition to electric vehicles and more.
Cubico acquires two giant solar installations in Arkansas and Mississipi
The projects will each be among the largest installations in their respective states and advance Cubico’s expansion into the American solar market.
New York is launching a $10 million program to support climate tech startups, following Massachusetts’ lead
“Because economies were shut down, we also had concerns about the companies in which we had investments, and we had to think about how we could help those companies get through the pandemic.”
Solar for trekking
Belgian start-up Sunslice has developed small, portable, high-performance solar panels that can be applied to backpacks and be used as rechargers for smartphones and watches.
Morning Brief: an update on the Biden Transition, Boralex acquires 209 MW project portfolio
Also in the brief: how the Clean Energy Equity Act can help NJ rebuild better, Dominion signs a power contract for a 75 MW project in Virginia and more.
Energy Transition Jobs: New CMO at QuantumScape, new CEO at PG&E, plus Perea at SunPower, Arevon, The Engine
Executive jobs and job moves in solar, storage, cleantech, utilities and energy transition finance.
AT&T inks massive corporate solar deal
The company has come to an agreement with Invenergy to purchase 500 MW of the upcoming 1.3 GW Samson Solar Energy Center in Texas. the deal will make AT&T one of the largest purchasers of corporate solar in the world.
Monday Brief: Knoxville utility to go 20% solar by 2023, Sunrun and SoCal Edison agree to virtual power plant
Also in the brief: Hawaiian Electric Company proposes 20 MW of new projects, EDP Renewables has secured 86% of the company’s targeted capacity additions for 2019-2022 and more.
Bigger modules, yes, but better…?
It is now a well-established trend. After the switch to larger wafer sizes played out in 2019, this year has seen virtually all of the biggest PV manufacturers introduce new modules in dimensions above the 2-meter mark, and with power ratings in excess of 500 W – in some cases, as high as 800 W. As these modules begin to roll off production lines in larger quantities, it’s vital to take a look at the challenges and opportunities they bring to system design, installation, and long-term operation.
