North Dakota

Welcome to pv magazine USA’s morning brief. Today we bring you SunGrow’s new energy storage system, potential changes to the prime farmland rule in North Dakota, and PosiGen raising $20 million to deploy low- and middle-income solar.

Long seen as a slow region for solar deployment, the U.S. Midwest has seen an explosion of project development in recent years. And while there is still a lot of speculation and uncertainty, one way or another this region is going to see major development.

For the first time, North Dakota will have a solar installation at least 1 MW in size. Actually, that’s an understatement, as state regulators have approved Geronimo Energy’s bid for a 200 MW project outside of Fargo.

By setting a timeline for the inevitable decarbonization of its fleet, Xcel is moving to have an energy transition on its terms.

The research firm’s latest analysis of utility rate case filings finds regulators often rejecting the hikes on fixed charges that many utilities are asking for. However, the general direction of fixed charges is still upwards.

A recent analysis from the U.S. Department of Energy shows the Midwest and Plains States in the lead, but the coasts are on a track to catch up thanks to mandates.

Sean Gallagher of SEIA comments on the burgeoning regional solar market at the Solar Midwest conference in Chicago.

Two newly released reports explore diversity efforts for solar installation jobs in California and overall job growth in the Midwest.

MISO plans to conduct a multi-year study of how increasing amounts of solar and other forms of renewable energy will impact its territory and how to manage expected growth.