Grid connection barriers and solutions for utility-scale renewables
Network upgrade costs for generating projects recently withdrawn from interconnection queues averaged 70% of total interconnection costs, Berkeley Lab researchers found. They proposed solutions for interconnection issues in a paper published in Joule.
A fast interconnection process like that used in Texas is widely supported
Texas is quickly adding solar, wind and storage to its grid by using a relatively simple interconnection process, and now 24 industry participants have expressed support for the use of a similarly streamlined process across the nation.
Flexible interconnection with curtailed output can benefit everyone, analyst says
Allowing flexible interconnection for large solar projects can reduce costs and speed deployment, benefiting developers, ratepayers and utility staff, said a presenter at a North Carolina conference of utility regulators.
Rain insufficient for removing tree pollen from solar panels
An analysis by NREL in North Carolina reveals that various types of tree pollen can reduce solar panel efficiency by over 15%. Unlike the immediate improvements assumed to follow heavy rain, recovery of performance post-pollen season is gradual. Manual cleaning post-rain can boost performance by 5% to 11%.
Bringing ERCOT’s speedy interconnection process to the rest of the U.S.
Texas grid operator ERCOT is enabling rapid growth in solar and wind capacity through an interconnection process known as “connect and manage.” That approach could be used across the U.S. with modifications, according to a new study.
Duke Energy North Carolina survived and thrived in 2020, with record-setting solar
An unpredictable year saw the utility add 5,500 residential and commercial solar systems in North Carolina, contract for the largest floating solar system in the Southeast, and add three major players to the company’s Green Source Advantage program.
Duke University buys 101 MW of solar from Duke Energy
Three projects across North Carolina are being developed to fulfill a new agreement between Duke Energy and Duke University, under the utility’s Green Source Advantage program. The university is the first academic institution to come to terms on a renewable power contract under the program.
