Morning brief: Bifacial solar panels stay tariff-free, Musk’s $775M payout, G.E. sells lighting business
Also in the brief: Solar-plus-storage microgrid project at the San Diego Blood Bank.
Renewable energy in the US surpassed coal for first time in more than a century
The coal era is officially over in the United States. Not since 1885, when coal replaced wood, have renewables taken the lead.
Record low solar PPAs in the Southwest mean ‘carbon capture is not going to save coal plants’
Recently approved solar PPAs could spell trouble for proponents of retrofitting the state’s San Juan Generating Station to capture the coal-fired plant’s carbon dioxide emissions.
Morning brief: Safe harbor for ITC extended, Dems push FERC to reject anti-net metering petition
Also in the brief: Virginia agency aims to make solar “faster, easier and more affordable,” plus Community Choice Energy providers.
It may be safe to put PV panels in landfills, but that doesn’t mean we should
According to a new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA), health risks from lead in crystalline silicon PV panels are one order of magnitude — or about one-tenth — below the risk levels set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The solar industry and consumers both lose with federal ‘MOPR’ rule
Electricity consumers would pay at least $1.1 billion more per year in the 13-state PJM grid region, says a new report, while 8.5 GW of capacity sales from new solar developments would be excluded from the capacity market, and corporate solar purchase agreements could cost 50% more — if courts uphold a federal regulation known as “MOPR.”
Green Mountain Power expands Tesla Powerwall and bring-your-own-device energy storage programs
Customers now have two options in home battery programs, while also agreeing to pledge some of their stored power for peak reduction.
Puerto Rico citizens’ groups challenge utility plan for 500 MW of temporary generation
At least two renewable energy firms decided not to bid on the utility’s procurement, which calls for generation equipment with a 90% capacity factor. A former chairman of the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau also comments on the plan, and shares his vision of Puerto Rico reaching 100% renewables by 2030.
It’s getting harder to develop solar on US federal lands
Now that the two-year tax holiday enjoyed by solar and wind projects operating on federally-owned lands is over, project owners and developers are facing back rent with more expensive leasing costs looming in 2021. With federal land being critical to a renewable future, what can be done?
Replacing peakers with storage to achieve the greatest health benefit
Regulators and community groups can use a new interactive resource to see the emissions impacts of existing and proposed peaker units. Storage developers may also find the tool helpful, to identify peakers likely to be replaced.
