Humans have installed 1 terawatt of solar capacity, generated over 1 petawatt of solar electricity in 2021
The homo sapien species has installed its first terawatt of hardware on Earth to generate electricity directly from its local star.
California’s solar market is now a battery market
A look at the interconnection queue of California’s grid operator shows that the state’s market has already shifted to batteries—sometimes with solar, and sometimes without.
Rocket Lab unveils space solar cell with 33.3% efficiency
The new device is based on an inverted metamorphic multi-junction (IMM) cell technology developed by Rocket Lab’s unit Solaero. The cell can be used in applications in the civil, military, and commercial space markets.
The Solar Tech Check: PV in space, and thin films stride forward
This week has seen NASA announce the completion of a new folding array set to power a mission deep into our solar system, while scientists continue to work on new applications to take such explorations even further from the sun. New measurements also promise routes to higher efficiency in cadmium-telluride PV, and details emerge of one of thinnest solar cells seen so far.
PV balance of system provider Shoals opens manufacturing facility, reports Q4 earnings
Shoals manufactures balance of system components for solar, energy storage, and EV charging solutions. The company opened a Tennessee facility and posted record revenues and gross profits in 2021.
Without federal support, US would only reach 39% of carbon-free energy sector by 2035, said Wood Mackenzie
Without important federal measures like the Build Back Better reconciliation bill, the investment tax credit long-term extension, and US manufacturing support, Wood Mackenzie and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) said the US will fall short of goals.
Solar+food in ethanol fields could fully power the United States
Converting the nation’s 40 million acres of ethanol corn farms into solar-plus-food facilities would generate 1.5 times our nation’s electricity needs, while also powering a 100% electrified passenger vehicle fleet.
Industry efforts prevented Florida rooftop solar bill from being potentially disastrous
Though the recently passed House Bill 741 is viewed as a loss for consumer choice and the industry, policy advocates fought for and achieved significant improvements. Palmetto’s Ryan Barnett joined pv magazine to discuss the effort and share how his company will continue to serve solar-ready Floridians.
SMUD signs its largest solar and storage PPA with D.E. Shaw
The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) contracted for 200MW of solar, 400MWh storage with the renewable energy producer.
Plans announced for a US lithium-ferro-phosphate battery gigafactory network
American Battery Factory said it is developing a US-based material processing and cell manufacturing network for LFP battery cells.
