Morning Brief: Closest pictures of the sun, while on earth — McDonalds opens solar-powered, zero-emissions restaurant
Also in the brief: GRU and Origis Energy announce a PPA for a new 50-MW solar project, and cooling solar panels with KAUST’s hydrogel.
Duke Energy Florida files for a new customer purchase program, hesitates to call it community solar
The program will allow customers to subscribe to blocks of energy generated by nearly 750 MW of new planned capacity in sunshine state. And while Duke has not yet called the program community solar, some partners have, which could prove to be a dangerous misnomer.
More utilities bypassing natural gas bridge and going straight to renewables
Utilities that are transitioning away from coal are starting to view the creation of a natural gas “bridge” to renewable energy as an unnecessary step.
Morning Brief: Navajo Transitional Energy proposes 200 MW of Solar, Florida adds 150 MW
Also in the brief: battery energy storage is getting cheaper, but how much deployment is too much? GCube Insurance is issuing a renewed warning to renewable energy asset owners about cyberattacks, REC Group’s flagship REC Alpha solar panel has won the Intersolar Award 2020 for photovoltaics, and more.
Southeast states to add nearly 15 GW of solar by 2023
South Carolina is set to surpass North Carolina in solar watts per customer. Georgia and Florida will exceed the Southeast average, while utilities in Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi will continue to lag. Overall the states will reach 5% solar generation by 2023.
PetersenDean, a regional solar installer and roofer, seeks chapter 11 bankruptcy protection
PetersenDean came to solar from the roofing world and has long been a top-ten U.S. solar installer with a multi-state regional practice.
Replacing peakers with storage to achieve the greatest health benefit
Regulators and community groups can use a new interactive resource to see the emissions impacts of existing and proposed peaker units. Storage developers may also find the tool helpful, to identify peakers likely to be replaced.
Florida man takes FPL to court, alleging the utility acts like a net metering regulator
Achim Ginsberg-Klemmt has filed an appeal against the denial of a petition to improve the net-metering regulations in Florida. He alleges the company’s 115% generation policy, requirement of insurance on larger residential projects and “As-Available-Energy” rates disincentivizes large residential solar.
Morning Brief: Enormous PV projects in Alabama, Florida, Texas, Ohio and Wisconsin
Also in the brief: Wärtsilä delivering a 70 MW energy storage project in CAISO and the DOE Solar Desalination Prize.
Q Cells takes top share of the US distributed solar module market
The company claimed 25.2% of the residential solar module market, while controlling 13.3% of the commercial and industrial market, according to WoodMac’s Q1 2020 U.S. PV Leaderboard. The achievement marks the first time Q Cells has topped both markets, as well as the first time any company has held a residential market share of 25% or greater.
