SEIA funds Republican candidates at 2x rate versus Democrats
A new analysis by Reuters finds that the solar industry trade group provided $56,500 to Republican candidates in the most recent election cycle, versus $26,700 to Democrats
Solar panel imports down 50% in the first two months of 2018
The EIA’s monthly solar module import report shows that after a ramp up in in mid-2017, volumes of imported PV modules crashed in January and February.
Solar power tax incentives fall almost 50% as installations increase 300%
An analysis by the Department of Energy shows electricity generation from solar growing 32% annually since 2000. Meanwhile, the tax benefits claimed for solar fell from just over $2 billion in 2013 to just over $1 billion in 2016.
Community solar capacity more than doubles in 2017
387 MW of community solar projects were installed in the United States last year. This brings the cumulative total to 734 MW, with the majority in Minnesota and Massachusetts.
Mosaic, Sunrun lead residential solar finance
GTM Research finds that the loan provider has become the largest residential financier overall, while Sunrun leads in the third party solar space.
kWh Analytics tracks $8 billion in U.S. solar deals so far in 2018
The Spring DealFlow report from kWh Analytics highlighted 17 Asset Transactions and 19 Asset Financings deals year to date.
Berkeley Lab scientists discover coating to capture near-infrared light
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 blows through solar power, renewable energy output records
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.
In a loss for clean energy, Michigan OKs a new gas plant
Michigan regulators’ approval of DTE Energy’s plans for a new gas plant comes only days after the state body gutted net metering.
Rudolph Libbe to lead construction of new First Solar factory
The firm is building the $400 million factory, its for First Solar – and creating 500 construction jobs in the process
