Sunny places could see average solar prices of $0.01 or $0.02 per kilowatt-hour within 15 years
New research models that the price of solar will continue to drop faster than previous predictions. This would mean that building new solar would be routinely cheaper than operating already-built fossil fuel plants, even in today’s world of ultra-cheap natural gas.
Analysis of energy use during Austin’s stay-at-home order hints at a Texas summer load issue
Significant spikes in air conditioner usage during the first hot days of Austin Texas’ stay-at-home orders have signaled that this upcoming summer may be one where electric demand meets record, worrisome, levels.
Historic Hawaiian tender will increase state’s solar capacity 50%
16 project winners totaling 460 MW in capacity have been chosen by Hawaiian Electric Company to fill its most ambitious renewable procurement yet. The move will bring jobs to one of the areas hardest-hit by virus-related unemployment.
Overbuilding solar at up to 4 times peak load yields a least-cost all-renewables grid
The global energy firm Wartsila found a least-cost renewables mix for the U.S. that involves overbuilding renewable capacity, but requires no seasonal storage, and needs only four to ten days of multi-day storage capacity. The analysis modeled meeting current uses of electricity, based on projected technology costs for 2030.
The challenges and tricks of adding battery storage to existing solar projects
Alencon Systems teamed up with Duke Energy to look at some of the challenges faced by a utility when adding a battery storage system to an existing solar installation. DC-coupled or AC-coupled? Grounding scheme?
Span wins $10.2 million to modernize the home electrical panel, ease shift to solar, storage and EVs
“The standard electrical panel has not seen major innovation for nearly a century.”
Giant 690-MW Gemini solar project near Las Vegas on BLM land gets the go-ahead
Historic, archeological, and environmental issues have been mitigated. About 70 desert tortoises are being relocated during construction — and the project is full-speed ahead for developers Arevia Power and Solar Partners XI.
1 MW battery system meets the challenge of supplying power to a remote Alaskan community
Cordova, Alaska, a small fishing community in a remote part of Prince William Sound, has been able to find long periods of fossil fuel independence thanks to a new battery system developed by Saft.
Regulatory developments shaping energy storage in 2020 so far
Customized Energy Solutions and the U.S. Energy Storage Association have released a new report analyzing the regulatory, legislative and market developments relating to energy storage across the nation’s RTOs and ISOs in the first quarter of 2020.
Hydrogen and ‘direct air carbon capture’ enter the policy conversation
While utilities, municipalities and states across the U.S. struggle to find a cost-effective way to get to 100% carbon-free power, some companies, like Wärtsilä North America, think that the answer is closer than we realize.
