Technology

Hey evrybody, the weekend is nearly here, but what’s already here is your Thursday edition of the pvMB. Today we’re taking a look at San Diego Gas and Electric’s time-of-use billing, Microsoft purchasing 74 MW of solar energy in North Carolina, HellermannTyton releasing First Solar module-specific wire hardware and everything else that matters today in solar.

The latest episode of SunCast brings an interview with the chief commercial officer of the brilliant researchers at PVEL, Tara Doyle.

The DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy has awarded $50,000 to 20 teams that advanced to the semifinal stage of the American Made Solar Prize. The teams will now have 90 days to design a proof of concept.

Happy Hump Day and welcome to your Wednesday edition of the pv magazine USA morning brief. Today we’ll check out a GreenPeace co-founder comparing the Green New Deal to the End Times, ASU dominating the Solar Energy Technology Office awards, GRID Alternatives’ “Solar Spring Break” program and everything else interesting in the industry today.

The Korean/German solar manufacturer has filed patent infringement lawsuits against the three companies in the United States, and is seeking to bar them from importing solar products for the U.S. market. Hanwha Q Cells claims its three rivals have used its patented solar cell passivation technology to increase the performance of their products.

In this op-ed for pv magazine, Mike Mendelsohn & Dr. Allison Weis of Ascend Analytics break down the value of battery storage and the profitability of this tech.

The old system of regulating frequency on electricity grids with the help of the inertia provided by large spinning masses is under threat by the rise of wind, solar, and batteries. But what will replace inertia-based control, and how will the transition work?

Maybe. But you’d be better off using a laptop. And no, Huawei inverters aren’t going to cause a blackout.

Good morning and welcome to the pv magazine USA morning brief. Today we also bring you Kansas’ solar advocates pushing back against discriminatory fees, NREL getting testing uncertainty down to 1.1%, a new CMO at JinkoSolar, and more…

Solar output grew 25% and met 2.4% of all U.S. electric demand last year. But despite dramatic gains in emerging markets, only California, Nevada and Hawaii are meeting more than 10% of demand with in-state solar.