Hawaiian Electric saw a 55% increase in home solar installations in 2020
Almost 6,000 new rooftop solar systems were installed across Oahu, Hawaii Island, and Maui County, 78% of which included battery storage.
A Harley-Davidson plant now hosts a 2.25 MW solar array
The 8,400 panel solar array is part of We Energies’ Solar Now program, and is the largest single rooftop system in Wisconsin.
Unbound Solar busts residential solar myths
After surveying 1,000 people who have either installed or strongly considered installing solar on their homes, Unbound Solar has identified many of the common misconceptions and concerns that could be holding back residential solar development.
Investing in equitable access to solar energy for Hispanic communities
As one of the fastest growing American communities, the Hispanic population has been historically underrepresented in solar energy. The barriers that have excluded Hispanic people from solar, however, are not permanent and work can be done to ensure an equitable energy transition.
Discriminatory rooftop solar charges may violate antitrust law
The U.S. Department of Justice has argued that in Arizona, a utility’s discriminatory charges for rooftop solar owners can be “unlawful.” The Center for Biological Diversity also supported the four rooftop solar owners whose lawsuit has progressed, arguing the legal significance of Arizona’s renewables goals.
Advocates seek solar on all new houses in ten states
“The most efficient time to install solar panels is when the builders are on the roof in the first place,” said Bronte Payne with Environment America.
Cities ‘could generate hundreds of times more solar power than they do today’
While applauding the rooftop solar progress of dozens of cities, a report from Environment Texas offers policy options for further progress. Per capita solar leaders are Honolulu, San Diego, Albuquerque, San Jose and Burlington, Vermont.
Ten sunniest US states added 1.8 GW of small-scale solar in 2019, as solar advocates press for more
Solar contractors added another 1.8 gigawatts of small-scale solar in the ten sunniest states last year. In Hawaii and California, solar groups described their ambitious policy goals to keep the momentum going.
Midwest and Northern Tier states added 400 MW of small-scale solar in 2019
Solar contractors added far more small-scale solar in the 19-state area than in 2018, when they added 250 MW. Solar policy groups aim to improve opportunities for distributed solar in Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota and Montana.
Tesla results: solar down, batteries up
Elon Musk’s EV and energy company is becoming increasingly irrelevant in the rooftop solar market, but battery sales are booming.
