New faces and familiar faces: the pv magazine USA weekly digest
This week saw three new high-profile executive appointments, Berkeley Lab’s annual report showing ongoing solar cost collapses, progress on Tesla’s acquisition of SolarCity, and more.
Renewables rise to 16.8% of U.S. electricity production in H1 2016
However, EIA data shows solar PV only making up 1.3% of total generation, a fraction of the portion in leading European nations.
Vivint Solar expands to Florida
The third-largest distributed solar installer has moved into the Florida market, which currently does not allow power purchase agreements for residential solar.
Tesla wins anti-trust approval to buy SolarCity
The ruling clears a legal roadblock for the acquisition, which still must be approved by shareholders of both companies.
San Bernardino County rejects 287 MW Soda Mountain Solar project
This is the latest roadblock for the troubled project on public land in the California desert.
Colorado installs the first low-income rooftop solar system using WAP funds
This is the first such system installed in Colorado since the Department of Energy expanded the $215 million Weatherization Assistance Program to include low-income solar.
BREAKING: Energy Department hires Charlie Gay to lead the SunShot Initiative
Gay brings with him over 40 years of experience, including heading NREL in the 90’s and serving on SunPower’s board of advisors.
Arizona commissioner calls for doubling of state’s renewable energy mandate
ACC Chair Little has proposed requiring 30% renewable energy by 2030, scrapping the DG carve-out and potentially adding incentives for energy storage.
Solar in the Big Apple
New York City should be great for solar PV. But it isn’t. Despite policy leadership from the state, local installers are facing crippling bureaucratic challenges, and many have chosen to build rooftop solar elsewhere.
El Paso Electric drops solar demand charge in settlement
While the solar-specific charge was dropped as part of a settlement, the utility will increase fixed charges on its Texas customers.
