Startup Sunday: Al Gore vehicle arms Octopus with $600m
Also starting up: SolaBlock tapped for sustainability challenge prize, and BlueDot Photonics closes a $1 million funding round.
Renewable generation hit an all-time high in the first half of 2021
Solar is growing at an unrivaled rate, and wind is now the nation’s largest single renewable energy source.
Sunrise brief: More solar manufacturing is coming to the U.S.
Also on the rise: Koch makes a $100 million investment in li-ion battery recycling, and battery energy storage pairs well with solar, says the EIA.
How much glass is needed for terawatt-scale solar PV?
German scientists have assessed demand for resources such as glass and silver until 2100 and have found that current tech learning rates could be sufficient to avoid supply concerns.
Strategies to enhance the value of utility-scale PV is focus of Berkeley Lab study
The study considers options including an inverter loading ratio of up to 1.7 and DC-coupled batteries, and how increasing levels of PV on the grid influence the optimal PV system design.
Railroad-following HVDC transmission project adds a utility investor
The $2.5 billion SOO Green project would connect the MISO and PJM regional energy markets, enabling the delivery of 2,100 MW of renewable energy.
Long-duration flow battery tech wins DOE funding
Four energy storage companies were awarded $18 million as part of the Energy Department’s Long Duration Storage Shot.
Recycling solar panels: Making the numbers work
NREL researchers said a profitable and sustainable solar panel recycling industry could establish itself by 2032. Here’s how the numbers work.
Startup Sunday: Alkaline battery tech eyed for large-scale storage
Also starting up: Battery maker EnerVenue raises $100 million, and Glydways has raised $40 million to advance solar-powered EVs for Silicon Valley.
Tracking the Sun report offers insight into distributed solar trends
The annual report found that residential system sizes continued to grow even as installed prices declined at a slower pace. Battery attachment rates are growing, but remained below 10% in 2020.
