UMass scientists boost polymer-chain storage efficiency
A team from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (UMass) have developed a polymer based energy storage system, which releases energy on demand as heat. The scientists say that their system utilizes a polymer chain ‘organized like a string of Christmas lights’ and can achieve more than double the storage density of previous polymer based systems.
Renewables rise to meet 38% of demand on California’s grid in 2017 (w/ chart)
The latest data shows renewables surging in California, as the state’s grid operator moves to become its own reliability coordinator
From the editor: Renewable energy and information pollution
A recent article in Bloomberg View illustrates clearly the mythology and misinformation that abounds regarding renewable energy, which in many cases is spread by the media.
IEA explores paths to PV and wind integration
The International Energy Agency has released a manual for policy makers on the issues involved in the large scale integration of solar and wind power into power grids.
DOE funds $12 million in solar-generation modeling research
Despite some fears that the Department of Energy might stop funding solar research under the leadership of Secretary of Energy Rick Perry, the department continues to provide money for solar research.
Puerto Rico welcomes solar: An interview with San Juan Mayor Yulín Cruz
Three months after Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, about half the capital San Juan is still waiting for the lights to come back on. In this interview with journalist Daniella Cheslow, Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz says this is an opportunity for private capital to help transform the city and the territory into a solar laboratory.
NERC: More work needed to integrate wind and solar
The regulatory authority says that while assessment of the capacity contributions of wind and solar is improving, that more work is needed to capture the benefits of such resources, and notes that a lack of visibility into distributed solar represents a new challenge.
Crystalline silicon outpaces thin-film in the U.S. large-scale solar market
U.S. Department of Energy data from 2016 shows crystalline silicon deployment surging last year, while thin-film grows at a more modest pace. Are manufacturing constraints to blame?
GAO: Trump Admin’s attempts to undermine ARPA-E were illegal
After Congress allocated $91 million to the research program, the Department of Energy withheld it. The Government Accountability Office says that violated federal law.
Solar is meeting more than 10% of electric demand in three states
During the first nine months of 2017, Hawaii and Nevada joined California among the club of states that get more than 10% of their power from solar.
