Chips, commercial CSP and a solar river: What the DOE is doing with its solar innovation dollars
President Trump’s unflagging support for fossil fuels has not stopped the DOE from putting millions of dollars into innovative technologies that could open new paths for market growth in the U.S. solar industry.
Biden’s green energy recovery plan: what you need to know
The biggest shift from Biden’s previous plans involves the money and timeframe for spending it: $2 trillion over four years, rather than the $1.7 trillion over ten years previously proposed.
SMUD looks to go 100% emission-free 10 years ahead of schedule.
Members of the Sacramento Municipal Utility District Board of Directors will vote tonight on a “Climate Emergency Declaration” that could set the utility on track to become carbon neutral by 2030.
The world’s sunniest PV testing field
French energy giant Engie recently commissioned a solar module testing facility in Chile’s Atacama Desert, a region which has the world’s highest solar radiation. Thore Müller – head of bifacial PV R&D and solar services at Engie Laborelec, talked to pv magazine about the advantages of testing panels, inverters and cleaning systems in hot, arid environments.
Morning Brief: California ISO brings the largest battery storage resource in the nation online
Also in the brief: IREC on energy storage interconnection, Wunder Capital and partners to invest more than $100 million in U.S. commercial solar, Photosol buying land rights near coal plants with eye toward transmission, and NREL on recycling solar panels.
LF Energy and the pursuit of a modularized grid
In hopes of creating a grid that is modular, flexible and more resilient than the current one, LF Energy has launched its Digital Substation Automation Systems initiative, which looks to make interoperable substations that are both hardware and software agnostic.
How to replace 187 GW of coal with renewables, and save customers money
Several financing options could ease the replacement of uneconomic coal plants with renewables and storage, with some of the savings used to help coal workers transition to new jobs, says a report from climate advocates.
Morning Brief: Duke, Dominion abandon pipeline, Berkshire Hathaway buys $10B of gas assets from Dominion
Also in the brief: Tepco to reuse Chinese EV batteries for energy storage, end of Chinese dam-building era,
NREL study backs hydrogen for long-duration storage
Pumped hydro and compressed air energy storage will soon be cost-effective for day-long storage, while hydrogen for long-duration storage will be cost-effective by 2050 or sooner, the national lab’s study projected.
Canadian Solar joins the 500 W-plus panel club
The Chinese-Canadian company has unveiled a range of high-power modules which are set to go into mass production by early next year. The series includes a commercial and industrial rooftop-dedicated product offering a reported 405 W.
