Sunrise brief: Greater accountability is needed to improve interconnection timelines
Also on the rise: Solid-state battery start-up Sparks opened a pilot plant for its patented lithium battery technology based on zero cobalt cathodes. Hyperion will invest in a new facility in Ohio to manufacture its hydrogen fuel cell. Pennsylvania may have to sell RECs and use the cash to cap abandoned oil and gas wells. Sol Systems acquires 540MW Illinois solar portfolio. Greenskies moves agrivoltaics forward in Connecticut. FranklinWH chief sales officer shares views on distributed storage.
Greenskies to support farming at its solar sites
The Connecticut-based firm received approvals to bring farming to two solar fields in a practice called agrivoltaics.
A year in PV: Technology trends in 2021
The PV industry in 2021 has largely been defined by disruption: Price increases from raw materials to final shipping have led to shortages in PV module supply and project delays the world over. Despite these upsets, innovation has continued at pace, and the year has seen plenty of technological twists and turns that are sure to spell good news for solar in the long run. Read on for a look back at some of the biggest developments.
All I want for Christmas is a solar-powered greenhouse
Heliene is developing the solar integrated greenhouse market via multiple angles – integrating standard panels into structures while also developing “quantum dot” panels that shift the photon wavelength away from crop damaging UV, and into the orange and red wavelengths that plants crave.
Sunrise brief: First Solar notches its biggest win via multi-gigawatt orders
Also on the rise: Consumers Energy will add 400 MW of solar, an agrivoltaics clearinghouse launches to help drive the movement, and John Weaver lays out the case for continued California net metering.
Agrivoltaics clearinghouse launches to share info on matching solar with farming
The National Center for Appropriate Technology launched the clearinghouse to connect farmers and solar developers with agrivoltaics information.
Sunrise brief: Which crops pair well with solar?
Also on the rise: Ossoff bill would address cost burden of rooftop solar to low- to middle-income customers, and $13 million in seed round funding for a solar module-mounted storage solution.
Which crops pair well with solar? Illinois study aims to find out
Rapidly falling price of solar panels has created an impetus for the construction of solar fields, which is often perceived as competing with crop production.
Sunrise brief: Big financial win means more clean energy investments from NY Green Bank
Also on the rise: Getting to net-zero carbon by 2050 will be a steep climb, report says; Walmart signs on as anchor for community solar; and BlueWave aims to develop floatovoltaic projects.
Researchers develop a novel design for agrivoltaics
The design uses metal brackets as mounting structures, conventional solar panels, and a grooved glass plate placed between the solar panels. System costs would be around $847/kW.
