OhmConnect now selling electricity in Texas, not just saving it
The California-founded company has opened a new business arm in Texas that is a registered retail electricity provider, coupled with its standard flexible demand response services.
Fraunhofer ISE reaches legal settlements with seven inverter manufacturers who infringed its patent
In 2002, the Fraunhofer ISE patented the HERIC circuit for highly efficient inverters. Since then, the institute says, it has recorded out-of-court settlements in seven patent infringement lawsuits against companies from China, Taiwan and Germany.
Sunrise brief: Thanks to the proposal to reduce compensation for excess solar generation, most Florida solar shoppers lose interest
Also on the rise: Convalt Energy steers arounds obstacles on its way to solar manufacturing in New York. NABCEP and EnergySage release survey for solar installers. Recycled silicon used in PERC solar cells. Michigan DTE seeks 500MW of renewables. Grazing sheep under solar increases carbon sequestration. Robot dog monitors PV plant. Greenback acquires several installations in Massachusetts.
Protest planned as Florida net metering bill could “set rooftop solar back a decade”
Under the proposed reduction to the compensation for excess solar generation, 93% of surveyed solar shoppers to say they are no longer interested in buying.
Greenbacker acquires 16MW Massachusetts rooftop portfolio
The 16 installations in the portfolio all entered operation between the third quarter of 2018 and the second quarter of 2020, and each has an offtaker contracted for its generation.
Convalt Energy’s plans for solar panel manufacturing plant in New York slowed, but not deterred
When National Grid estimated that it will cost $19 million to bring power to the proposed solar panel manufacturing plant in Hounsfield, New York, Convalt turned on a dime and hatched a new plan to get US-made panels to market.
Grazing sheep increase carbon sequestration up to 80%, while also benefiting fixation of soil nutrients under solar panels
Researchers from Temple University have found that managed sheep grazing on an acre of recovering agricultural soil with native plants installed may sequester one ton of carbon per year, which may accumulate for 12 to 15 years before reaching saturation
Recycled silicon used in 19.7% efficient PERC solar cells
Led by German research institute Fraunhofer ISE, the consortium has built the solar cells with 100% crystalline silicon recycled from end-of-life photovoltaic panels. The silicon is recycled through a technique conceived by German specialist Reiling GmbH & Co. KG and the Fraunhofer Center for Silicon Photovoltaics CSP.
Robot dog for PV plant monitoring
A robot dog developed by Boston Dynamics monitors a solar park by walking between the panel rows following a programmed route. It uses its built-in thermal vision system to generate thermographic reports on the status of the different PV plant components.
RFP Alert: DTE Energy seeks 500MW of renewables
The Michigan utility submitted a request for proposals for 500MW of solar or wind energy to support its voluntary MIGreenPower program.
