Utah

Landfills are increasingly playing host to solar facilities, with the EPA reporting an 80% rise in such projects across the U.S. over the last five years. A 4.7 MW Utah project is one of the latest additions.

Researchers used noise measuring devices to identify physical processes within solar cells that cause energy loss and lower efficiency.

The social media company increased its in-state solar portfolio to 814 MW, and said it runs its operations on 100% renewable energy.

D. E. Shaw Renewable Investments announced commercial operation of the Cove Mountain and Cove Mountain II solar projects, both part of a PPA frenzy that Facebook undertook beginning last fall.

Mining group Rio Tinto said it will spend nearly $3 million on a facility in Utah to recover tellurium, a critical mineral used in solar panels.

Also in the brief: A rural Virginia county grapples with the pros and cons of a proposed $200 million, 149 MW solar farm, Utah’s solar advocates plan to fight decision by state regulators.

In a long-fought battle, Utah’s PSC just decided to lower the rooftop solar export credit rate from 9.2¢/kWh to about 5.8¢/kWh. Both solar advocates and the utility are expected to be unhappy with the decision.

Solar from customer roofs in Utah is worth somewhere between 1.5 cents/kWh and 22.6 cents/kWh, depending on your calculations and who you ask — a ridiculously wide range.

Also in the brief: Solar in schools

Facebook now has contracts for 694 MW of solar power in Utah (63% of the state’s solar generation capacity) in its pursuit of becoming entirely renewably-powered by the end of this year.