California

It’s not the next lithium-ion battery breakthrough that’s going to accelerate the energy storage industry. It’s not the next inflated promise from a flow battery startup, compressed-air scheme, solid-state battery research project or energy storage dream funded by Bill Gates.

Directly challenging the bankrupt utility’s system reliability request for proposals, Sunrun has released a paper outlining a renewable alternative: distribution islands with solar and battery backup.

Also in the brief: Engie and JLL develop an energy program for State Fund, Oklahoma Gas and Electric is set to develop solar projects for the Chickasaw and Choctaw tribes, PG&E pays Topaz in January.

Elon Musk has spoken of the “exponential” ramp-up of its solar glass tile at the Buffalo factory. Panasonic’s tiles never made the cut for that product

Also in the brief: CVE finances a 31.3 MW SMART portfolio, SolarEdge adds Karamba Security software to inverters, CIT leads $140 million financing for esVolta and more.

Also in today’s brief: New Hampshire solar wildlife access, Iowa solar compromises

Does the update to California’s solar mandate undermine residential solar and storage, as advocates claim? Or does the new definition of “community solar” provide more choice to builders and low-income homeowners? The answer might be “yes” to both questions.

Tesla has secured approval from the Berlin-Brandenburg administrative court to start clearing 91 hectares of forest for its first European “gigafactory,” which is scheduled to start operations in summer 2021.

The leaders in solar module-level power electronics are profitable and making enormous jumps in revenue. All signs point to a strong 2020 for residential solar — which could keep the momentum going.

Yotta has a potential solution for solar-plus-storage in the urban environment. Will the micro-storage startup become the next SolarEdge or Enphase? Or the next JLM energy? And whatever happened to SolPad?