Intersolar North America: Four key takeaways
Battery storage, net metering, trackers and the integration of solar as part of the smart energy concept were big themes at this years’ Intersolar North America trade show.
Solar EPCs Need to Focus Down-Market
The future growth of the PV industry in the United States will necessitate that solar EPCs increasingly focus down market from the standard 100 MW utility project to the 1 MW to 20 MW commercial and industrial mid-market.
SolarFlexRack Launches TDP Tracker
Solar FlexRack has launched its new single-axis TDP tracker this week at InterSolar North American, here in San Francisco.
JLM and Honeywell Target AC Peaks
Homeowners with PV now have a smarter approach to avoiding home energy usage peaks and time of use charges: JLM Energy and Honeywell’s strategic partnership to quash cooling bills.
U.S. Federal Court rules against SolarWorld in polysilicon dispute
The U.S. court adjudicating on the legal dispute between SolarWorld subsidiary Deutsche Solar and Hemlock Semiconductor has granted a motion for a summary judgment, dismissing SolarWorld’s submission for the case to be heard by a jury. The dispute stems from three multi-year polysilicon supply deals negotiated and signed between 2005 and 2007. SolarWorld argues that it is not beholden to these supply deals as they were subsequently amended by the two parties.
Hemlock leveraging SolarWorld contracts to get Chinese trade duties removed
The court document from the dramatic initial ruling in the SolarWorld and Hemlock Semiconductor polysilicon dispute reveals that Hemlock was willing to negotiate amendments to the polysilicon Supply Agreements with SolarWorld subsidiary Deutsche Solar, if the German company assisted in resolving a dispute “between the US and China over the exchange of solar-industry products.”
SolarWorld ready to appeal Hemlock case
The German PV group says it is optimistic that Hemlock will not succeed in actually enforcing any claims against it in Germany, arguing that the disputed silicon supply contract at the center of the legal dispute violates EU antitrust law.
SolarCity collaborates with PG&E on distributed energy project
The U.S. residential PV installer will work with the Pacific Gas and Electric Company in San Jose, California, to test the efficacy of coordinated solar smart inverters and storage for enhanced grid stability.
U.S. commercial storage to be economically attractive in 19 states by 2021
Financially viable in just a handful of states today, commercial storage will make economic sense across 19 states by 2021 as battery costs fall, finds a GTM Research report.
Bill introduced to extend the ITC to energy storage
Introduced in the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate, the new Energy Storage Tax Incentive and Deployment Act has the potential to do for residential and commercial storage what the previous tax credit did for solar.
