Procurement

Also in the brief: Scatec Solar to buy state-owned hydropower firm SN Power in a $1.17 billion deal, Panasonic Solar and Service Finance Company rolled out a new home energy storage financing program.

IHS Markit: At 10% market share, Swinerton Renewable Energy maintained its position as the preferred EPC contractor in the U.S. First Solar and Cypress Creek intend on exiting the EPC segment, creating opportunities for established local EPCs and the emerging group of international firms eyeing the growing U.S. utility-scale market.

LevelTen Energy’s Q3 2020 PPA Price Index report shows that average utility-scale solar PPA prices rose again in Q3, up to $29.3/MWh. And while the ITC step-down and simple economics are to blame, LevelTen shares that the increases are no cause for alarm.

Also in the brief: CollectiveSun raises $4 million for San Diego nonprofits to go solar, EDP has closed on a power contract for 100 MW of solar generated by two projects in Ohio and more.

A report just released by the University of Texas at Austin’s Webber Energy Group has tackled how much solar each state could develop along interstate interchange and exit locations and how much this solar could potentially be worth.

Also in the brief: Wyoming regulators are critical of Pacificorp’s transition plan and solar and renewable industry leaders have begun an initiative to increase workforce diversity and inclusion throughout the industry.

The utility is planning on replacing the San Juan coal-fired station’s 847 MW of capacity with 650 MW of solar generation and 300 MW/1,200 MWh of accompanying energy storage. The new plan all but kills a proposal from San Juan’s owner and the City of Farmington to add a carbon-capture retrofit to the station.

Also in the brief: Solar installer Sigora Solar acquired California-based Aztec Solar, first-of-a-kind utility plan could transform Southeast grid

Dean Solon of Shoals Technologies Group: “The short version is that it’s been a damned good year.” An interview with Shoals covers the growth of large solar projects in the U.S., high AC/DC ratios and the real costs of using cheap components.

150 MW of capacity are available for development in 2021, with at least 40% of all approved projects required to reserve at least 51% of their capacity to serve low- and middle-income households.