Demand-side flexibility: helping solve solar’s curtailment conundrum
This op-ed by WattTime takes a look at solutions to solar curtailment, including new software to enable greater demand-side flexibility.
Operating solar with reserve capacity enables more solar on the grid
A solar plant can increase its output by starting from a curtailment status and then reducing curtailment. If grid operators schedule in advance both solar curtailment and increased solar output, the cost-saving level of solar increases substantially.
PJM subsidiary to test blockchain for trading RECs
The platform will be designed to enable tracking and peer-to-peer trading of certificates at the kilowatt-hour scale, at low cost and with improved ease of use.
53 investments in the sun
The Department of Energy announced funding for 53 new through “advance early-stage” solar technologies. The projects in solar PV, CSP, finance and workforce training will receive up to $53 million in funding.
U.S. companies set to procure more than 5 GW of renewables by year’s end
RMI’s 2018 Corporate Renewable Energy Procurement Mid-year Market Update shows that corporations are buying more renewable energy than ever before and show no signs of slowing down.
Tesla secures 210 acres in Shanghai for its first international Gigafactory
Tesla is planning accelerated development and construction of this new battery and EV plant, which will mark the company’s first soirée into international production.
DOE seeks solar power situational awareness
The DOE has launched a program to find unique and innovative solutions that increase grid operators’ situational awareness of solar PV systems deployed throughout the grid at strategic locations – and that are seek to go beyond pure R&D, seeking field validation.
#Solar100’s Lidija Sekaric: Solar’s jack of all trades
In this #Solar100 interview, Richard Matsui, Founder and CEO of kWh Analytics, speaks with Lidija Sekaric, director of strategy and marketing at Siemens Distributed Energy Systems.
Solar panel theoretical efficiency limit increases by 33%
Researchers at the University of Amsterdam have found what they describe as conclusive evidence that perovskites feature “efficient carrier multiplication,” effectively increasing the single layer efficiency limit from 33% to 44%.
Scientists give solar PV a paint job
Researchers and Berkeley Lab have discovered a shade of blue – dating back to ancient Egypt – which has impressive qualities they say could reduce building energy consumption and boost solar energy output. Meanwhile, NREL has developed a perovskite cell material that could be applied to a substrate using a paintbrush.
