North America

Also on the rise: Indiana ruling paves the way for HOAs to allow solar. Shoals opens manufacturing facility in Tennessee. NASA announces advances in space solar and thin films. Majority of homeowners want solar but need help with upfront financing. Rocket Lab unveils space solar cell with 33.3% efficiency.

A look at the interconnection queue of California’s grid operator shows that the state’s market has already shifted to batteries—sometimes with solar, and sometimes without.

The new device is based on an inverted metamorphic multi-junction (IMM) cell technology developed by Rocket Lab’s unit Solaero. The cell can be used in applications in the civil, military, and commercial space markets.

House Bill 1196 establishes a process for residents of HOAs with existing bylaws against solar installations to petition for a system in a fashion that cannot be denied once a certain level of community support has been attained.

Rocket Homes found that 66.5% of homeowners surveyed would like to go solar–and they know it saves on the electric bill and increases resale value–but they need financial incentives to handle costs.

Shoals manufactures balance of system components for solar, energy storage, and EV charging solutions. The company opened a Tennessee facility and posted record revenues and gross profits in 2021.

Also on the rise: Solar advocates oppose Duke’s proposed NEM 2.0 in North Carolina. Indiana enables renewable-ready communities. In Virginia shared solar customers could see fixed charge. Solar+food in ethanol fields could fully power the United States. Federal support needed for US to reach 39% of carbon-free energy sector by 2035. RMI Study suggests charging EVs at work not home, to put daytime solar power to work.

With the passage of SB 411, Indiana communities can opt to voluntarily adopt regulations that will qualify them as a wind- or solar-ready community. The standards are expected to significantly cut project development time, lower costs, and create thousands of jobs in the clean energy industries.

Add North Carolina to the list of states considering changes to net metering rules, as Duke Energy proposes shifting costs to solar customers.

Without important federal measures like the Build Back Better reconciliation bill, the investment tax credit long-term extension, and US manufacturing support, Wood Mackenzie and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) said the US will fall short of goals.