pvMB 3/11/19: Wisconsin’s big development, Vistra’s energy retail business… and more!
Hello, welcome to your workweek and the pvmb. Today we’ll be looking at Florida A&M and Duke’s partnership on a 74.9 MW project, a 5 MW plant coming to Massachusetts, a former Virginia coal plant being converted to solar and everything else you need for this new week in the solar industry.
North Carolina groups call for end to utility monopoly, 100% renewable energy
Their petition calls on elected officials to transition the state to 100% renewables; end Duke Energy’s monopoly on generation; refuse to accept campaign contributions from the utility; and appoint citizen-oriented utility commissioners.
Duke installed over 550 MW of solar in the Carolinas in 2018
The company built on its 2017 mark of installing 500 MW of new solar in the Carolinas by adding 565 MW in 2018, with even greater growth anticipated in the future.
Solar+storage+sewage in Orlando resiliency plan
Duke Energy has presented a plan to the City of Orlando for a 1 to 3 MWac solar plant plus a 5 to 10 MW energy storage facility at a local sewage plant. The project is the first of potentially 14 solar+storage sites at strategic city locations.
pvMB: The Clean Energy Access Act of 2019 in SC, sheep+solar in Arizona, power sector emissions are up and more!
In today’s pv magazine USA morning brief, Duke Energy’s 74.9MWac Hamilton Solar Power Plant has opened in Florida, gas spiked U.S. electricity-related emissions in 2018, and South Carolina is moving forward with its first piece of aggressive pro-solar legislation.
Duke tries to sock it to rooftop solar in South Carolina with massive fixed charges
Duke’s proposed basic service charges of $28-29 for residential customers in South Carolina could stop rooftop solar dead in its tracks.
Solar “maker and braker” utilities across the South
A new web tool lets consumers in six Southern states see how their utility is embracing solar or blocking it; the tool could help consumers promote improved solar policy.
Duke forgets to bring the sauce to the energy storage BBQ
Duke Energy has announced plans to invest $500 million to build 300 MWh of energy storage in the Carolinas over the next eight years, which breaks down to an average of 37.5 MWh per year.
Solar slowly comes back online in North Carolina
Failures of the electric grid have affected large solar plants after Hurricane Florence, just as they are affecting centralized generation.
Duke calls for extending net metering in South Carolina through March 2019
The power company says that this will allow time for a more careful crafting of a successor program.
