Software can drastically improve the economics of commercial solar
Jigar Shah of Generate: “Load flexibility is the giant issue nobody is talking about…Extensible Energy’s load-flexibility software is a win-win for the solar contractor and the building owner. Building owners get a higher ROI and faster payback time, and the solar contractor can offer an easy-install demand charge solution with or without batteries.”
The inner workings of a lithium battery
An international group of scientists has developed a method to track the microscopic processes at work in lithium batteries. Employing a ‘virtual unrolling’ model developed for ancient manuscripts too sensitive to be opened, the group peeked inside the layers of a commercial battery to gain a better understanding of the processes at work and the degradation mechanisms affecting them.
Morning Brief: Philly signs an 80 MW PPA, Sunnova closes securitization of rooftop systems
Also in the brief: Fayetteville municipal buildings are two-thirds powered by solar, climate change is a defining issue for Nevada Democrats, Smithville, Texas approves 1 MW project, and more.
Government report says Trump’s solar tariff has accomplished little
The U.S. ITC has released a report highlighting changes in the domestic solar cell and module manufacturing industry, showing that while there has been an increase in domestic module manufacturing, the overall program’s success, relative to the $740 million in tariffs, has created little measurable benefit.
Reactive power produced on-site increasingly important as solar power and EVs go mainstream
Cutting costs and integrating clean energy with local reactive power generation.
Morning Brief: 160 MW coming to Oregon, Vision Solar Expands to Massachusetts
Also in the brief: an 18 MW community solar portfolio proposed in Oregon, Sunnova partners with Generac and more.
Jinko Solar, China dominate module shipment totals again in 2019
Jinko shipped 14.2 GW of modules in 2019, up 33% from the previous year, the high mark in another year dominated by Chinese manufacturers.
Let the solar games begin — more innovation on the Intersolar show floor
Plenty of innovative hardware at the show that isn’t a module, battery or racking — as well as services and the Solar Games.
Silicon heterojunction solar cell hits 23.5% efficiency with new hole-selective contact
Researchers from Switzerland’s École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne have used molybdenum oxide as the hole-selective contact in a heterojuction silicon cell. The scientists claim the compound can compete with traditional contacts despite a lower level of optimization.
Explosive growth: BNEF expects California residential battery installations to quadruple this year
As a California installer has said, “I kind of compliment PG&E because they’re our best marketing department when it comes to battery storage. Now the challenge is there’s a very limited number of battery storage systems that are going to meet the reliability threshold.”
