United States

A team of researchers the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has discovered a method of coating particles with organic dye, which can capture near infrared light, a breakthrough which could greatly boost solar cell efficiency by capturing a larger section of the light spectrum.

California has set a new record for peak output of utility-scale solar at more than 10.5 GW, as well as for renewable energy overall. However, the state’s grid operator is still curtailing solar and wind while hydro and the last nuclear plant run full-steam.

Michigan regulators’ approval of DTE Energy’s plans for a new gas plant comes only days after the state body gutted net metering.

The firm is building the $400 million factory, its for First Solar – and creating 500 construction jobs in the process

Open Energy’s program funds projects costing between $250,000 and $2 million. The capital lease program hopes to finance 70 MW of projects through the end of this year.

A new report sheds light on primarily states, primarily in the sunbelt, that dampen (or drown) rooftop solar through bad policies, or none at all.

The bill to allow PV systems up to 5 MW in capacity to participate in net metering has been reported out of committee and will now go to a vote of the full House, it’s last stop before the desk of Governor Sununu.

The thin film solar maker is also reviving its EPC division with a goal to build 1 GW of solar projects each year, as well as increasing its presence in O&M services.

The 1.2 GW factory will employ 500 workers. The new facility is expected to First Solar’s total capacity to 7.6 GW by the end of 2020.

Wacker Chemie has said it is gradually ramping up production at its beleaguered U.S. polysilicon production site, with product expected to be again available in Q2. The shutdown has affected its Q1 earnings, with sales down 18% compared to a year ago.