SMA prepping for ‘exponential growth’, shipping solar inverters ready for AC-coupled energy storage
The SMA Sunny Boy-Storage is now shipping to the United States. The inverter offers 3.7/5.0/6.0 sizes and can accept up to three AC-coupled battery connections. SMA believes the solar + storage market will offer exponential growth.
Joint U.S. House-Senate committee quietly maintains funding for renewable energy, ARPA-E in FY2019
After an attempt to cut EERE and ARPA-E funding by the House, the conference committee has retained funding for both programs at roughly 2018 levels.
U.S. solar market slumps during second quarter
The impact of Section 201 tariffs is cited in a 9% year-over-year fall in installation volume during Q2. However, Wood Mackenzie and SEIA also show massive utility-scale procurement, which is expected to lead to a boom in the second half of the year.
Alaska to get its largest solar arrays: 100 kW and 563 kW
Renewables IPP is preparing to build a 100 kW project in Willow, Alaska. This will be the state’s largest until a 563 kW plant comes online this fall.
Arizona regulators provide mixed ruling for solar in TEP, UNSE service areas
In the same meeting that they rejected a discriminatory grid access charge, Arizona regulators have moved PV system owners in TEP and UNS’ service areas to a value of solar methodology which creates long-term uncertainty for the market.
Kentucky tips crown to solar power with one project to triple capacity
The Kentucky Municipal Energy Agency has signed a power contract to purchase most of the electricity from an 86 MW-AC solar power plant, which will begin to offset the loss of coal and gas facilities at the end of 2022.
Sunrun commits to 100 MW of solar power on affordable housing
California’s Solar on Multifamily Affordable Housing (SOMAH) program has a 2030 goal of installing 300 MW of solar power, and Sunrun’s 100 MW commitment aims to satisfy one-third of that by 2028.
Flex to manufacture Enphase products in Mexico
The microinverter maker is shifting production to Mexico to avoid the pending Section 301 tariffs on inverters and other products from China.
SRP approves $50k donation to fight Arizona RPS initiative
The board of the Arizona utility has approved a $50k donation to fight a ballot initiative to move the state to 50% renewable electricity by 2030, even though SRP would not be directly subject to the mandate.
Kaiser signs power contracts for 131 MW of solar, 110 MW of batteries
NextEra will build a series of solar, wind and battery projects which will power 27 of the healthcare consortium’s 39 hospitals.
