Swift Current Energy reported that it has closed on a tax equity investment from Google for its 800 MWdc Double Black Diamond Solar project in southern Illinois. The amount of funding by Google was not disclosed, but previous reporting by pv magazine USA stated that over $779 million in project financing was closed for this project, making it among the largest solar project financings in U.S. history.

Located 30 miles west of Springfield, Illinois, the Project is currently under construction and is expected to reach commercial operations by early 2025. Once operational, according to Swift Current Energy, Double Black Diamond Solar is expected to be the largest solar project east of the Mississippi River.

The tax equity financing makes use of energy communities and domestic content adders, provided in the Inflation Reduction Act.

Energy communities are those that are expected to face challenges in the transition away from fossil fuels, such as certain metropolitan statistical areas (MSA) and non-metropolitan statistical areas based on unemployment rates. The domestic content adder is a 10% tax credit bonus for solar, wind, and battery energy storage developers that install projects using U.S.-made components, adding to the 30% base investment tax credit.

“As we work to responsibly grow our infrastructure, we need to partner with companies like Swift Current who understand the nuances of the energy markets where we operate and can help unlock new clean energy at a rate that matches the pace and scale of demand growth on electric grids today,” said Amanda Peterson Corio, global head of data center energy at Google.

The project uses First Solar modules, a majority of which are being manufactured in the US, as well as solar trackers from U.S.-based Nextracker. At peak construction, the project employed approximately 500 construction workers. Swift Current is the project developer and will be the long-term owner and operator, and McCarthy Building Companies is the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) partner.

Swift Current Energy said that Double Black Diamond Solar will contribute to communities in Sangamon and Morgan counties. The Project, capable of powering 100,000 homes annually, is expected to reduce regional carbon dioxide emissions by approximately one million tons per year.

“We are proud to be home to one of the largest clean energy projects in the nation,” said Andy Van Meter, Sangamon County board chairman. “The Double Black Diamond Solar project brings significant economic benefits to our community, contributing $100 million in tax revenue and supporting hundreds of jobs. This project is a win for both our community and the environment.”

Energy producer Constellation NewEnergy reportedly will purchase a portion of the energy and renewable energy credits (RECs) generated by Double Black Diamond Solar to serve the seven customers that have been announced. The City of Chicago will source renewable energy produced by the Project to power several energy-intensive facilities, including Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Midway International Airport. Additionally, Cook County Illinois, CVS Health, Loyola University of Chicago, PPG, State Farm, and TransUnion have agreements to purchase power from the Project via Constellation.

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), Societe Generale, Truist and ING provided construction financing for the Project. Vinson & Elkins LLP and Husch Blackwell LLP represented Swift Current in the transaction. Milbank LLP and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP represented Google.

Which solar inverter manufacturers are most financially stable?  Sinovoltaics, in its latest financial stability ranking of inverter manufacturers lists Hoymiles, Eaton and others at the top. 

Biden issues new proclamation on solar cell tariffs  Tariffs on solar cells remain, but volume increases from 5 GW to 12.5 GW.

What happens when solar is installed without homeowner’s permission A Connecticut couple and several companies including Sunrun have been sued by the state’s Attorney General for forging signatures, faking a voices, and unlawfully installing solar panels on a home without the owners’ consent.

Ebon Solar to invest nearly $1 billion in U.S. solar cell factory The solar cell manufacturing facility is to be located in New Mexico and expected to bring over 900 jobs to the area.

IRA 2-year anniversary: A look at its successes and failures David Burton, attorney with Norton Rose Fulbright and specialist in energy tax law, looks at tax credit transfer, domestic content, energy communities, prevailing wage and more.

SunPower goes bankrupt The company, one of the longest running solar companies in the U.S., spun off its manufacturing business in 2020 to focus more squarely on rooftop solar as demand surged. Since then, demand cooled considerably, and, under a high interest rate environment, the strategy proved fatal for the company.

Goldman Sachs invests $440 million in renewable independent power producer  The strategic investment in BrightNight will support the development of utility, commercial, and industrial solar and energy storage projects.

More money is going into solar than all other forms of generation combined, reaching $500 billion in 2024 The International Energy Agency projects that solar will attract more investment than all other electricity generation sources combined. Global energy spending is set to surpass $3 trillion for the first time this year.

Republicans request continuation of IRA post-January Eighteen Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives have urged House Speaker Mike Johnson to preserve the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) if their party takes control of the political reins in January.

Sunrun stock rises on strong cash generation in Q2 earnings The residential solar and energy storage provider increased its battery attachment rates and net subscriber value of its customers.

The evolving art and science of agrivoltaics At Bluewave, integrating solar technology with traditional farming practices isn’t just a concept, it’s the new standard. Jesse Robertson-DuBois, director of sustainable solar development, shares insights on the transformative journey of agrivoltaics within the industry.

Renewables “cheaper and faster” than methane, says nation’s largest utility NextEra’s Q2 2024 quarterly earnings report shows significant growth in the company’s renewable pipeline. However, the group, which is typically exacting, refused to put a hard number on their future demand growth expectations.

Battery fire shuts down California highway A utility-scale battery delivery overturned on a highway after the truck carrying the batteries collided with a car, overcorrected, tipped to the side and dumped its cargo, leading to a fire that lasted more than 24 hours.

Bill aims to cut 45X tax credits for Chinese solar makers While the lucrative tax credits has attracted clean energy manufacturers from around the world to build factories in the U.S., the fact that many of the new manufacturing facilities are from Chinese companies has created a controversy that this new bill aims to solve.

Massive 900 MW solar project designed to preserve agricultural land Brookfield Renewable Partners filed a notice of intent for a 900 MW solar project in Oregon that will be installed in ribbons along the edge of a field to allow for continued agricultural use of the land

Automated permitting for distributed solar and storage is set to expand well beyond California, as five states follow California’s lead in offering grant support to localities to help them switch to automated permitting.

An automated process can issue a permit “instantly” to a distributed solar project that meets all permitting requirements, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Standard permitting can take months, says the New York Solar Energy Industries Association, “resulting in delays and higher costs for homeowners and solar companies.”

The best-known automated permitting software for solar and storage is SolarAPP+, developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. NREL provides free support to local governments before and during implementation of SolarAPP+, and a spokesperson said the software will always be free for local governments to use, while solar installers pay user fees.

While the software is free to local governments, grants can help them meet the costs for staff time to transition to automated permitting. Once the transition is completed, automated permitting can save substantial staff time.

NREL reports that SolarAPP+ is now used by 138 local governments in California and 14 local governments in nine other states, including several large cities and counties. The software is also being pilot tested by 56 local governments.

California has been helping local governments make the switch to automated permitting by offering them grant support and technical assistance, in a program launched in 2022.

Five other states are now following California’s lead in offering grants and technical assistance to local governments adopting automated permitting.

In Washington, state legislators early this year allocated $600,000 for a grant program. The state’s solar trade group WASEIA provided written testimony to the Washington House Appropriations Committee and a policy brief supporting the budget provision “to help speed rollout of SolarApp+,” said Bill Will, the association’s senior policy advisor.

Colorado has launched an “Automated Permit Processing for Solar” grant program with $1 million in funding for local governments. The state’s solar trade group COSSA “was the main advocacy organization to push for” a state law that created the grant program, said Mike Kruger, president and CEO of COSSA, as the group worked with bipartisan sponsors and other stakeholders “to lower red tape and speed up solar permitting,”

Minnesota has budgeted $2 million to support a grant program for local governments to adopt SolarAPP+. Passing the legislation “was a multi-year, bipartisan effort,” said Logan O’Grady, executive director of the state’s solar trade group MnSEIA. The group “was proud to collaborate with advocacy partners on this initiative, boosting the residential solar market and enabling Minnesotans to go solar faster and easier,” he said.

Illinois plans to use a portion of its federal Solar for All grant to fund a program to help communities automate permitting, according to Environment America.

Maryland has announced an upcoming SolarAPP+ Implementation Grant Program.

Automation requirements

California and Maryland have also set requirements for local governments to automate solar permitting.

California requires all but the smallest local governments to use either SolarAPP+ or another automated permitting software. Larger cities and counties were required to comply by last September, and medium-sized cities and counties are required to comply by this September.

The California Energy Commission says that “enforcement lies outside of CEC jurisdiction but may be enforced through private claims.”

California last month completed awards of $19 million in grants to 334 cities and counties to make the switch to automated permitting, according to an analysis by Permit Power, a new advocacy organization dedicated to advancing automated permitting.

Maryland’s Brighter Tomorrow Act, enacted in May, requires local governments to adopt automated solar permitting software, according to the law firm Saul Ewing. Montgomery County, Maryland, with a population of 1 million, already uses SolarAPP+.

In New York, the solar trade group NYSEIA recently called for automated permitting in the state.

Advocacy partners

The nonprofit group Solar United Neighbors joined with others in advocating for the automated permitting grant programs in Minnesota and Maryland, said a spokesperson.

Environment America Senior Campaign Director Johanna Neumann said the nonprofit group’s Maryland director identified legislative sponsors for the state’s automated permitting policy, recruited allies, and helped guide the legislative strategy.

Permit Power also contributed to the Maryland effort, Neumann said.

Residential solar company SunPower stock crashes 70% The company’s share price fell below $1 as it announced it is halting some operations and ending its lease and power purchase agreement offerings, among other actions.

How long do residential solar panels last? Multiple factors affect the productive lifespan of a residential solar panel. In the first part of this series, we look at the solar panels themselves.

U.S. Senators introduce comprehensive energy permitting reform act Joe Manchin (I-WV) and John Barrasso (R-WY) released the Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024, promising to accelerate the permitting processes for energy and mineral projects of all types in the U.S.

WoodMac says global solar tracker shipments grew by 28% in 2023 Global tracker shipments reached 92 GWdc last year, according to WoodMackenzies’ latest report. The US accounted for the majority of the global market, with three US-based manufacturers, Nextracker, Array Technologies and GameChange Solar, ranking as the three largest shippers in the world.

Interview: My experience as a battery energy storage homeowner What is it like being a residential solar and energy storage prosumer living in California? Ahmad Faruqui, economist-at-large, shares his perspective with pv magazine USA .

Elastocalorics could replace heat pumps, air conditioning systems Elastocalorics have the potential to replace current air conditioning and heating systems, offering significant energy savings when paired with technologies such as photovoltaics.

First Solar probes potential infringement of TOPCon patents First Solar says it is evaluating potential infringement of its patents for its TOPCon tech, secured through the acquisition of TetraSun in 2013. The U.S. thin-film solar module manufacturer has not named the companies involved or given a timeline for the investigation.

Global solar installations to nearly quadruple by 2033 Wood Mackenzie forecasts 4.7 TW of solar capacity to be built between 2024 and 2033, with China accounting for about 50% of the growth.

U.S. manufacturer Toledo Solar closes business The Ohio based thin-film solar module producer was sued last year by First Solar, which alleged that Toledo Solar sold Malaysian-made First Solar modules under the Toledo name. It has announced it will cease operations.

Solar tariffs could “unintentionally cede U.S. leadership in the solar industry”  A report from Clean Energy Associates (CEA) and the American Council on Renewable Energy shows how antidumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) tariffs create cost issues not just for imported solar panels, but for U.S.-made solar panels as well. 

Solar panel cleaning with electromagnetic waves Three companies, including Massachusetts startup Sol Clarity, are experimenting with electrodynamic screen systems to clean solar panels using minimal electricity and no water.

Solar supply chain, technology trends, and policy update A report from Clean Energy Associates (CEA) provides the latest on global and regional solar supply chains, technological trends, and market impacts from policy.

Tesla battery deployment jumped way up while Megapack is down Tesla revealed a significant increase in energy storage deployment, officially reporting revenue for 9.4 GWh of deployed storage products.

Experts consider speedy utility-scale interconnection in Texas going nationwide Some experts shared data to back up their praise for the “connect and manage” approach used by Texas grid operator ERCOT, while others speaking on an industry panel explained their reservations.

Public input sought for large-scale solar project in Arizona  According to the application submitted by developer EDF Renewables, the proposed Socorro project will sit on 3,066 acres on nearly 6,000-acres of public land and it would produce up to 350 MW of solar energy along with battery energy storage.

Yotta Energy launches ‘panel-level storage’ package for C&I solar U.S. storage and inverter specialist Yotta Energy says its new package has several advantages compared to conventional C&I solar storage solutions.

Lithium-ion battery fire safety starts with the manufacturer Fluence America’s president says stakeholder and first responder engagement is necessary to keep failures from becoming newsworthy events.

Planted Solar, a solar startup out of Oakland, California, received $20 million in Series A funding from the Bill Gates Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Khosla Ventures, as well as Department of Energy Funds to scale its terrain-following solar installation design.

The company installs its arrays like a sheet, densely packed together, rather than using typical row spacing. Instead of developing the land to be flat and uniform, the company’s solar mounts follow the terrain, tolerating up to a 27% slope. This helps reduce land development costs and allows for more energy-per-acre.

This may prove important, as the U.S. Bureau of Land Management forecasts the country will need 22 million acres for solar project deployment.

“In comparison to south-facing fixed tilt and tracker designs, a Planted array provides a comparable kWh/kWp yield when using a higher inverter loading ratio (ILR) and is substantially lower in cost of structural balance of system and installation, reduces the amount of civil work and civil risk, and requires a lot less land,” said Planted Solar.

The company said its design allows for a megawatt of solar to be installed on only two acres, less than the five acres typically required for a megawatt of solar capacity. Its simple terrain-following mount leads to a 50% reduction in balance of system costs and fewer installation hours.

“This adds up to a system with a lower build cost, higher DC system size, and similar annual kWh production,” said the company.

The terrain-following mounts are compatible with all conventional module formats and sizes, said the company.

After completing the design phase, the company uses installation robots to deploy the solar panels, which it said reduces installation time and costs. Planted Solar said its design mitigates impacts like erosion on the developed land, which is explained in a whitepaper.

“Planted’s low-impact approach to fixed-tilt solar PV foundation and table installation is novel in its automation, low impact/low disturbance, and tolerance to using existing ground conditions without grading. Furthermore, the low-area cross section of the Planted foundation legs should reduce local scour when compared to traditional pile. Installing using Planted’s methodologies will reduce disturbance and resultant hydrological and hydraulic impact to a site versus traditional installations of solar arrays,” said Planted Solar.

Planted Solar chief executive officer Eric Brown said it is rapidly “moving from pilots to portfolios.” The company announced it was selected for an 11 MW portfolio of projects in the Chicago area with Cultivate Power.

“Planted Solar gives our team a strategic tool to be stewards of the land and develop better projects with our community partners,” said Brian Matthay, co-founder and managing director of Cultivate Power. “Cultivate is focused on collaborating with landowners and communities so we can integrate solar seamlessly with the local environment and agricultural operations.”

Cowboy Solar, largest solar project in Wyoming moves forward The $1.2 billion project will be built by Enbridge, with 771 MW expected to be fully operational by 2027.

Battery energy storage tariffs tripled; domestic content rules updated Breaking down U.S. market impacts on energy storage from recent policy changes with insights from Clean Energy Associates.

Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) have developed a new method to make hydrogen gas from water using solar power and agricultural waste like manure or husks. The researchers said the method reduces the amount of energy needed to create hydrogen fuel by 600%. The results are published in  Cell Reports Physical Science.

The method uses a carbon-rich substance called biochar to decrease the amount of electricity needed to convert water to hydrogen. Combined with using solar power or wind to power the water-splitting process known as electrolysis.

“We are the first group to show that you can produce hydrogen utilizing biomass at a fraction of a volt,” said Singh, associate professor in the department of chemical engineering. “This is a transformative technology.”

Electrolysis represents the most expensive step in the hydrogen fuel lifecycle, representing about 80% of the cost. Recent advancements in producing hydrogen fuel have decreased the voltage required for water splitting by introducing a carbon source to the reaction. However, this process often uses coal or expensive refined chemicals and releases carbon emissions as a byproduct.

The UIC researchers modified the process to instead use biomass from common waste products as the carbon source. By mixing sulfuric acid with agricultural waste, animal waste, and sewage, they produced a slurry of biochar to be used in the reaction.

The team trialed several different inputs for biochar, including sugarcane husks, hemp waste, paper waste, and cow manure. All five inputs reduced the power needed to perform electrolysis, but the best performer, cow manure, decreased the electrical requirement by 600%, to roughly a fifth of a volt.

With reduced voltage requirements, the UIC researchers were able to produce an electrolysis reaction with one silicon solar cell generating about 15 milliamps of current at 0.5 volt, or less than the amount of power produced by a AA battery.

“It’s very efficient, with almost 35% conversion of the biochar and solar energy into hydrogen” said Rohit Chauhan, the report’s co-author. Chauhan said the utilization rate of biochar represents a world record.

The research team said this utilization for biochar represents a new revenue stream potential for farmers, or an opportunity to become self-sustainable for energy needs.

Orochem Technologies Inc. sponsored the research and has filed for patents on the biochar-hydrogen process. The UIC team plans to test the methods at a larger scale. Stanford University, Texas Tech University, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Korea University also participated in this study.

The Center for Rural Affairs (CFRA) has released an analysis, Sifting through Solar: Land-Use Concerns on Prime Farmland, which discusses the potential expansion of solar power by 2050 on Midwest farmland.

The report highlights that solar projects have generated 147,000 rural jobs and delivered substantial land lease payments to farm owners, with farm owners in Iowa receiving $73.4 million in 2022 alone.

According to the CFRA, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Futures study estimates that by 2050, 1,600 GW of solar power will be needed to fulfill 40-45% of electricity demand, with 210 to 420 GW anticipated to be installed in the Midwest. The analysis further notes that if all the projected solar capacity for the Midwest were installed solely on farmland, totaling 114.8 million acres, “it would only occupy 1.45% to 2.90%” of farmland.

Moreover, a significant portion of land is neither considered prime farmland nor currently used for agriculture at all.

Challenges

The CRFA highlights Iowa, notable not only for its extensive ethanol production but also for significant resistance to solar development. Repurposing these ethanol-producing lands for solar could theoretically power the entire U.S., including all electric vehicles and heating systems.

The analysis identifies two technical land designations, “prime farmland” and “corn suitability rating” (CSR), as potential barriers to placing solar installations. These designations could be overly restrictive under current policies.

In Minnesota, advocates contend that the classification of prime farmland, established in the 1980s to curb the spread of coal and nuclear facilities, is outdated. Unlike these facilities, solar installations do not permanently alter the land and can be decommissioned, allowing the land to return to its original farming use after lying fallow, potentially improving its condition for future agricultural use.

In Iowa, proposed legislation aimed to limit solar installations to land with a CSR value of 65 or less failed to pass. Had it passed, placing solar installations on 65% of the state’s farmland would have been illegal, and a large portion of the remaining 35% was considered less than viable for solar due to various land characteristics.

CFRA’s efforts to address land use concerns could be deployed as part of an effective comprehensive educational strategy. Stakeholders must understand the significant income potential from solar installations alongside the threats posed by local anti-solar legislation to the financial security of family farms.

Financial comparisons and community impact

Considering the attractive solar lease rates, dedicating even a small percentage of farmland to solar energy can substantially enhance a farm’s financial stability. For example, in 2023, the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service reported that non-irrigated cropland cash rent averaged $269 per acre in Iowa and $259 in Illinois. High-quality farmland can command rents over $400 per acre, while the least profitable farmlands fetch as low as $58 per acre.

Contrast these figures with the typical solar lease in these states, ranging from $750 per acre for up to hundreds of acres to as much as $3,000 per acre for up to 20 acres.

Community solar programs, which tend to lease fewer acres, offer higher rates ranging from $1,200 to over $5,000 per acre depending on the state. For example, a farmer with 400 acres who converts their least productive 15 acres – representing 3.75% of their land – for a 2 MWac community solar farm could see annual earnings surge to $45,000. This amount is approximately 11.5 times the previous earnings of $3885 from these acres, based on the average cash rent of $259 per acre in Illinois.

Even at the lower end, solar leasing would at least double the cash rent of the most lucrative farmland and could provide a dramatic increase for less profitable lands. For instance, in Johnson County, Illinois, land renting at $58 per acre could see income increase 13-fold with a $750 per acre solar lease rate.

To achieve 1,600 GW of solar capacity in the U.S., just over 10 million acres would be required, of which 1.2 million to 2.5 million acres would be utilized from the Midwest’s almost 700 million acres of total land area.

With 10,300,000 acres available nationally for solar installations, projected land lease revenues available to owners would range from $7.725 billion annually to an impressive $30.9 billion, with billions in lease revenues available in the Midwest.

To further harmonize solar development with agricultural land use, several strategies can be implemented:

• Enhancing biodiversity: Planting native or perennial vegetation under panels can improve soil health and provide pollinators and wildlife. Sites managed with native vegetation have been shown to have a restorative effect on the environment.
• Integrating agrivoltaic practices: Agrivoltaic practices such as livestock grazing, crop growing, and beekeeping allow land to remain in agricultural use while simultaneously producing energy.
• Ensuring land restoration: Solar projects have a minimal impact on land quality, and the land can be restored to its original farmland state at the end of the project’s life cycle, estimated to be between 30 to 35 years.
• Implementing decommissioning plans: Once solar arrays reach the end of their life cycles, county decommissioning plans should mandate the restoration of the pre-construction environment.
• Combating disinformation Campaigns: Washington-based, fossil fuel-associated, groups such as Susan Ralston’s “Citizens for Responsible Solar’‘ focus on inciting controversy and disseminating misinformation. These groups actively work to influence local governments to impose bans and legislative limitations on solar projects.

U.S. electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian announced it has entered a deal with Pivot Energy to purchase renewable energy certificates (RECs) as well as subscribe to a portion of a community solar project.

The agreement includes a subscription to 10 MW of off-site community solar to support Rivian’s Illinois manufacturing capacity. Rivian will also purchase RECs generated from 50 MW of operational solar assets.

The REC impact agreement is designed to support the development of projects where emissions reductions are needed the most. The REC-tied projects are designed to be installed in locations with few solar resources.

“According to the EPA, the region of the electric grid where the solar projects will be located is 67% dirtier than the U.S. grid as a whole, meaning that the region emits two-thirds more greenhouse gases from fossil fuels than other areas,” said Pivot Energy.

The new-build REC projects are expected to generated 79,000 megawatt-hours of electricity per year, equivalent to powering nearly 11,000 homes annually.

The two companies will invest $5,000 per MW built in local community organizations. The donations tied to each MW constructed will go to support local community-based organizations working to reduce energy burden for low-income families, developing workforce development pathways into the solar industry for local residents and groups working at the intersection of agriculture and energy production.

“Our partnership with Pivot shows how we go one step further by investing in projects that not only deliver additional clean energy to the grid, but also drive positive benefits for communities, conservation and the climate,” said Andrew Peterman, director of advanced energy solutions, Rivian.

Rivian’s decarbonization strategy includes plans to support 2 GW of renewable energy each year to support emissions-free EV charging. This is enough to power 7 billion miles of renewable driving with its R1 truck each year.

Rivian said its manufacturing facility in Normal, Illinois, aims to operate with greater than 90% carbon free energy on an hourly basis and will run on 100% renewable energy annually by 2030.

]]> https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2024/05/17/u-s-solar-industry-week-in-review-10/feed/ 0 104344 https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2024/05/17/u-s-solar-exceeds-five-million-installations/ https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2024/05/17/u-s-solar-exceeds-five-million-installations/#respond Fri, 17 May 2024 14:15:42 +0000 https://pv-magazine-usa.com/?p=104336 Over half of all U.S. solar installations have come online since the start of 2020 and over 25% have come online since the Inflation Reduction Act became law.

According to data from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie, the U.S. has officially exceeded five million solar installations, marking a milestone that comes just eight years after the U.S. reached one million installations in 2016.

To put the rapid growth of the U.S. solar industry in perspective, the first solar installation was connected to the grid in 1973, and in just 41 years there are now more than five million grid-connected installs.

The rise in U.S. solar has not always been as meteoric as it is today, as over half of all U.S. solar installations have come online in just the past four years and over 25% have come online since the Inflation Reduction Act became law in 2022.

“Solar is scaling by the millions because it consistently delivers on its promise to lower electricity costs, boost community resilience, and create economic opportunities,” said SEIA president and CEO Abigail Ross Hopper. “Today 7% of homes in America have solar, and this number will grow to over 15% of U.S. homes by 2030. Solar is quickly becoming the dominant source of electricity on the grid, allowing communities to breathe cleaner air and lead healthier lives.”

SEIA forecasts that solar installations in the U.S. will double to 10 million by 2030 and triple to 15 million by 2034.

The residential sector accounts for 97% of all solar installations in the U.S., with a total of 36 GW installed by the end of 2023. While just 7% of homes in the U.S. currently have solar, that number is expected to grow to more than double to over 15% by 2030.

State policy making a difference

California leads the nation with 2 million solar installations, but the state’s residential market was harmed when  the California Public Utilities Commission’  NEM 3.0 policy change cut payments for exported solar energy by about 75%.

Several other states are seeing rapid growth. Illinois was an emerging market with only 2,500 solar installations in 2017, and today it is a shining example of where solar policy promotes clean energy growth. Illinois is home to more than 87,000 solar installations or about 27 GW and 65 GW more is expected to come online in the next five years according to the SEIA.

Strong policies, such as the state’s renewable portfolio standard (RPS), are behind the growth in Illinois. Its RPS requires 25% of energy comes from renewable sources by 2025. The state also has the Illinois Shines program with incentives that makes solar more affordable for all. And Illinois has targets to have 40% of its energy come from renewable sources by 2030 and is aiming for 100% by 2050.

Florida is another market experiencing substantial growth, increasing from 22,000 installations in 2017 to 235,000 installations today. In a surprising move that buoyed rooftop solar in the state, the governor vetoed a bill that would have dropped net metering credits to near zero. The bill was founded on the same cost shift rhetoric used in California’s move to NEM 3.0, which has not fared well for rooftop solar.

“Florida is one of the fastest-growing solar markets in the country with new businesses popping up all across the state,” said Hopper. This veto signals that Florida’s energy economy is open for business, and that the rights of state residents should be placed ahead of monopoly utility interests.”

While the number of installations throughout the U.S. is impressive, the difference solar is making in the nation’s capacity is testament to the fact that solar is making a difference. For the first time, solar accounted for over half of new electricity generation capacity added 2023 and, by 2050, solar is expected to be the largest source of generating capacity on the U.S. grid.

The 5 million solar installations are making a serious cut to carbon emissions. SEIA estimates that the installations displace 198 million metric tons of CO2 every year. This reduction is the equivalent to 22 billion gallons of gas, or enough gas to travel to the sun and back nearly 3,000 times in a traditional ICE vehicle.  Overall, SEIA calculates that the current solar capacity in the U.S. offsets the emissions of 12 million Americans, which is greater than the population of New York City and Los Angeles combined.

California approves uncapped fixed charges on electricity bills The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) voted to approve a controversial electricity rate rule called the Income-Graduated Fixed Charge, enabling utilities to assess an average $24 monthly fixed charge on residential bills.–roughly double the national average in the United States. It applies to all customers, regardless of how much electricity they consume. 

Cypress Creek Renewables constructs 208 MW / 80 MWh solar-plus-storage facility in Texas The site reached commercial operation on May 2, adding enough capacity to the grid to serve the equivalent of 41,600 homes in the Brackettville, Texas area. Over $11.5 million in tax revenues are expected to be generated for the county by the project, along with $11.7 million earmarked for the Bracket Independent School District.

Solar in Illinois is on the upswing, with 27 GW currently installed and 65 GW expected to come online in the next five years according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. Illinois boasts a strong renewable portfolio standard that requires 25% of energy comes from renewable sources by 2025.

The state also has the Illinois Shines program with incentives that makes solar more affordable for all. And Illinois has targets to have 40% of its energy come from renewable sources by 2030 and is aiming for 100% by 2050.

Two recently announced solar construction projects will move the state closer to these goals.

Utility-scale with PPA

Adapture Renewables is set to begin construction this summer of two 128 MW projects in central Illinois, with commercial operation expected in early 2026.

The two new utility-scale solar energy projects will include more than 232,000 solar panels each. Adapture anticipates the projects will create more than 300 jobs during construction and over $250 million in economic impact to the local communities.

Large enough to power more than 34,250 homes, the electricity generated by the projects will be procured by an unnamed “social technology company” through an purchase purchase agreement.

Coordination of the projects will be managed and executed by Alberici in conjunction with resources from its enterprise affiliate Flintco Renewable Energy.

Community solar

Nautilus Solar Energy and TurningPoint Energy are partnering on a 29.3 MW community solar portfolio of four solar projects in Kankakee and Livingston counties.

Combined, the projects will generate enough energy to power 3,000 homes and 100 commercial businesses.

Additionally, Turning Point Energy makes charitable community investment commitments in each of its community solar project communities.

”In 2022 we made a commitment to Illinois that we would bring over half a billion of investment in the community solar market,” said Salar Naini, president of TurningPoint Energy. “This collaboration with Nautilus is the start of that commitment, with many more dollars of investment set to flow to the state in the coming years.”

For these four projects, Turning Point has designated $75,000 in planned donations to local Kankakee County and Livingston County organizations. Nautilus said it will match Turning Point’s commitment for a combined $150,000 in community investment donations on this transaction alone.

The portfolio of projects qualified under Illinois’ community solar program and is expected to be operational in 2025. Nautilus will be the long-term owner of the projects and is responsible for overseeing construction, maintenance and acquiring and managing customer subscriptions.

The projects will enable ComEd customers to save on their electric bills while supporting the expansion of renewable energy and Illinois’ ambitious clean energy goals.

Microsoft announces largest-ever corporate procurement of renewable energy The tech giant signed a power purchase agreement for 10.5 GW of renewable energy to help power its datacenters with clean energy. Cost to build is projected at more than $11.5 billion to build, according to Bloomberg NEF.

California hits energy storage milestone Batteries dominate the evening grid with 10 GW/40 GWh of capacity.

New green bank to support distributed solar and storage in the Appalachian region The Green Bank for Rural America will support community lenders in Appalachian communities to finance climate-supporting projects including distributed solar and storage. The bank and four others received a total of $6 billion in federal awards.

]]> https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2024/05/03/u-s-solar-industry-week-in-review-8/feed/ 0 103899 https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2024/04/26/u-s-solar-industry-week-in-review-7/ https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2024/04/26/u-s-solar-industry-week-in-review-7/#respond Fri, 26 Apr 2024 21:00:56 +0000 https://pv-magazine-usa.com/?p=103651 pv magazine USA spotlights news stories of the past week including market trends, project updates, policy changes and more.]]> pv magazine USA spotlights news stories of the past week including market trends, project updates, policy changes and more.

Solar manufacturers want anti-dumping tariffs enforced The American Alliance for Solar Manufacturing Trade Committee, which includes First Solar, Qcells, Meyer Burger, REC Silicon, and others said the current “manufacturing renaissance” in the United States is under threat from heavily subsidized Chinese cells and modules that are alleged to be in infraction with antidumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) law.

SunPower to close business units, cut about 26% of workforce SunPower’s struggles reflect a market-wide retraction in residential solar, which has been battered by worsened economics from high interest rates and unfavorable policy and ratemaking changes. We did have an inkling when revenues reported last December reflected a 28% year-over-year decline, while operating expenses increased, and net income resulted in a loss of $123.9 million.

President Biden announced the ambition to upgrade 100,000 miles of transmission lines over the next five years  The Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnership (GRIP) program intends to fund upgrades and modernization of the transmission and distribution system to increase reliability and resilience to prepare the grid for extreme weather as well as to ensure delivery of affordable, clean electricity to all communities across the nation.

IRS issues final guidance for clean energy tax credit transferability Under a tax credit transfer transaction, renewable energy developers and owners are essentially able to sell tax credits for cash, making financing easier for new clean energy projects. The transferability option is generally open to the entities that are not covered by the direct pay option.

NREL updates interactive chart of solar cell efficiency The highest research cell efficiency recorded in the chart is 47.6%, for a four-junction cell developed by Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems. Also included is the 33.9% world record efficiency achieved in November by Longi for a perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell and the 27.09% efficiency achieved by the same company for a heterojunction back contact solar cell.

Qcells leads petition to revoke bifacial exemption The bifacial exemption may be revoked once again, this time by the Biden Administration following a petition by Qcells, which has a large manufacturing footprint in the United States. Reuters reported that, Qcells, the solar division of Korean conglomerate Hanwha, sent the formal petition to the U.S. Trade Representative on Feb. 23 requesting the exemption to be revoked.

Quoted solar prices decreased on the marketplace, falling 3.5% to $2.80  For the first time since 2021, quoted solar prices decreased on the marketplace, falling 3.5% to $2.80 per watt for quotes in the second half of 2023. The median system size over that period was 11.3 kW, leading to an average quoted system price of $31,640 (before any associated tax credits or incentives). These prices are the lowest since mid-2020.

DOE lays out roadmap to advance interconnections of renewables The report presents 35 interconnection improvement solutions developed through a DOE stakeholder engagement process, known as the Interconnection Innovation e-Xchange (i2X) program.

Puerto Rico net metering law at risk  Central to Puerto Rico’s future success with residential solar is a law that extended the territory’s net metering policy for solar through 2031. Yet that law, known as Act 10-2024, has been challenged by the Financial Oversight and Management Board (FOMB) for Puerto Rico, a body created by federal law.

Important Q1 solar policies across 50 states  The Q1 2024 report by NC Clean Energy Technology Center finds that 43 states plus Washington DC and Puerto Rico took a total of 163 actions related to distributed solar policy and rate design. Read about what works for or against the advancement of solar energy.

California Supreme Court takes a look at NEM 3.0  The controversial rooftop solar rulemaking decision has risen to the Supreme Court of California, with the state’s highest court granting review for a petition filed by the Center for Biological Diversity.

Eyes were on the sky for the 2024 solar eclipse  With an estimated 6.5 GW of solar in the path of the eclipse, load balancing, battery storage and the significance of solar energy in the U.S. was brought front and center.

Texas, now the number one state for solar, is seeing a drop in use of natural gas  The Lone Star State is seeing tangible changes to its daily electricity supply, lowering the need for natural gas peaker plants, said the Energy Information Administration.

Despite opposition, 4.95 MW agrivoltaic community solar project in Illinois moves ahead Lightstar Renewables’ Nesler Road project will grow hay along with enough solar energy to power 1,100 Illinois homes.

Renewables and storage interconnection backlog grew about 30% last year  With grid interconnection reform yet to take place, solar and energy storage wait in line for studies to be completed. The growing backlog of projects awaiting grid interconnection studies called a major bottleneck for project development, according to a recent study by Lawrence Berkeley National Labs.

Community solar provider Nexamp announced it has secured a $520 million capital raise led by Manulife Investment Management, with participation from existing investors Diamond Generating Corporation and Generate Capital.

The half-billion-dollar deal is expected to help the company expedite deployment of its national community solar project pipeline and expand on developer partnerships in new and existing markets.

Community solar is a fast-growing segment in the United States, expanding access to solar to customers that may not have a suitable roof or finances for rooftop residential solar. It is typically a subscription-based service under which a customer subscribes to a portion of an off-site solar array and receives credits on their electricity bill for the power generated by the solar asset.

Smaller than their utility-scale counterparts, community solar projects often opt for development on capped landfills, brownfield sites, highway rights-of-way, and other developed lands. This more distributed design for solar projects can help alleviate grid bottlenecks, reduce land development, and lower high-power transmission costs when compared to a centralized utility-scale design.

“This unprecedented investment reflects swelling confidence in the ability of independent renewable energy providers to reimagine outmoded infrastructure and reshape our grid,” said Zaid Ashai, chief executive officer, Nexamp.

Nexamp’s growth has been supercharged in recent years due in part to the Inflation Reduction Act, which has significant carve-outs for projects that serve low-income customers, are sited on brownfields and more. The company announced a second national headquarters in Chicago and it has stated a plan for more than $2 billion in investments in energy infrastructure in Illinois, which has among the nation’s most robust community solar markets.

Currently Nexamp serves nearly 80,000 customers with over 1.5 GW of projects either operational or in construction. The company has several gigawatts of projects in its pipeline in over 20 markets and the “combined potential to serve over one million customers in the coming years.”

In August 2023, Nexamp made the largest procurement order in U.S. history for the community solar sector by agreeing to purchase 1.5 GW of solar modules from Heliene. The modules are produced in North America, with Heliene operating factories in Ontario, Canada, Florida, and Minnesota.

“The infrastructure transition relies on the rapid deployment of proven technology solutions,” said investor Scott Jacobs, chief executive officer and co-founder Generate Capital. “Nexamp has been at the forefront of a distributed energy revolution in the United States, and we’re thrilled to expand our partnership.”

Free solar projection tool beats commercial competition  NYSolarCast, a solar projection tool developed by the state of New York to handle its growing base of solar power facilities, demonstrated equal or superior performance compared to competing commercial alternatives, according to a year-long analysis.

Illinois agrivoltaic project successfully permitted, despite local challenge  The 4.95 MW Nesler Road agrivoltaic/community solar project will be installed on 36 acres and will grow hay along with generating enough clean, renewable solar energy to power 1,100 Illinois homes each year.

Livestream shows how eclipse impacts solar power production across the U.S.  The 2024 solar eclipse will bring a few minutes of total darkness to twelve states as it cuts its path from Texas to Maine, and interest in how it will affect solar production brings to light the importance of solar energy on today’s grid.

Federal community solar program extends $31 average monthly bill savings to low-income households Residents in eligible states can save on their electricity bills by subscribing to community solar via the Clean Energy Connector software. The Department of Energy is inviting more states to join the program, which vets solar providers and integrates consumer protections.

Low-income households are now able to save on their electricity bills by signing up for a Department of Energy (DOE) and Department of Health and Human Services community solar program. The Clean Energy Connector is a new software platform extending access to community solar subscriptions.

Community solar is an alternative to rooftop residential solar. Rather than placing solar panels on the roof, which may be inaccessible to renters, low-income customers, and roofs with excessive shading or obstructions, community solar connects ratepayers with off-site solar. Community solar customers typically subscribe to a portion of an off-site solar facility’s capacity and receive credit on their utility bills for the electricity generated by the solar facility.

The Clean Energy Connector was developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The software is expected to enable state community solar program administrators to thoroughly vet solar asset providers that must adhere to state consumer protection laws and savings requirements to participate in the platform. The Connector extends access to Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) eligible households.

“We can’t claim to be serious about a clean energy future until it’s an option for everyone, not just those with the extra resources available to invest in technologies like solar,” said Illinois Governor JB Pritzker.

The initial phase of the federally run Clean Energy Connector program is offering subscriptions in Washington D.C., Illinois, and New Mexico. The Biden-Harris administration said this phase is expected to extend $15 million in annual savings to 40,000 households, which equates to about $31 in average monthly savings per household per month.

NREL reported that community solar has the technical potential to serve more than 53 million households and over 300,000 businesses in the U.S. that cannot access rooftop solar, representing nearly 1 terawatt of potential community solar capacity.

“Renewable energy is by far the cheapest form of power and now, thanks to innovative solutions developed under the Biden-Harris Administration, more households across America can access the health and savings that solar power provides,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm.

The program is in pursuit of a federal target of enabling 5 million households to connect with community solar, leading to a targeted $1 billion in energy bill savings by 2025.

DOE stated intent to expand the Clean Energy Connector to additional states throughout 2024 and 2025. Additional pilot states must satisfy the following requirements:

• Active community solar programs with specific measures to ensure access for low- to moderate-income customers. The program design must enable minimum savings requirements for such customers and include specified consumer protections.
• New low-income community solar capacity coming online and are seeking subscribers within the next year.
• Secured support for the Connector from both the state community solar and state LIHEAP administering agencies. The agencies must agree to collaborate and commit staff resources to pilot the Connector.

DOE is holding a webinar on April 10 for states that meet the criteria above and are interested in joining the Connector program.

Lightstar Renewables, a Boston-based community solar developer, announced the successful permitting of a 4.95 MW agrivoltaic community solar project in Illinois.

The Nesler Road project will be installed on 36 acres and is expected to generate enough clean, renewable solar energy to power 1,100 Illinois homes each year, while cultivating hay; providing necessary nutrients to grazing livestock during winter months and drought periods, according to Lightstar Renewables.

The project’s special use permit application was submitted to Kane County in October 2023 and was unanimously approved by the County Board on March 12^th, 2024, after receiving approval by the county zoning board of appeals and county development committee.

“This project, now fully permitted, exemplifies the immense value in safeguarding family land from sprawling development. Keeping the land active in agriculture production, while ensuring energy freedom and resilience for the community, is a benchmark in American land stewardship,” expressed Cecelia Stephens, development manager at Lightstar, who spearheaded the permitting process. “Projects like this one highlight how rural communities can be catalysts for economic development while maintaining their agricultural heritage.”

Neighbors appeal

Lightstar Renewables told <b>pv magazine USA</b> that neighbors raised concerns about the impact the solar array may have on property values. A neighboring horse farm also was concerned about its viewshed and about sound, as they did not want their horses to be spooked by any potential noise from the solar site. Lightstar came back to the zoning board with a revised site plan that further distanced the solar array from the horse farm. In addition, they provided a property value study, a sound study, and a comprehensive landscaping plan that included vegetative screening and fencing along the parts of the array that border the horse farm. A property assessment expert, sound engineer and landscape architect were all present at the second zoning board meeting, and neighbors’ concerns were successfully alleviated.

The next step is for the project to be awarded capacity in the Illinois Adjustable Block The Illinois Shines program was expanded in 2021 and supports the development of on-site solar (distributed generation) as well as community solar projects. Program (also called Illinois Shines). After capacity is awarded, construction could begin as early as Q4 2024.

Because this will be an agrivoltaics installation with vegetation planted between the rows of solar modules, the developer will use a single axis tracker system that’s elevated 4 to 10 feet, depending on the tilt/tracking position. The array is designed to accommodate equipment that will be used to cultivate and harvest hay, which will be grown under the panels. Lightstar Renewables said that specific spacing and height considerations were made while engineering this project to ensure safe operation of farming equipment within the array.

The project is owned by Nesler Road Solar LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lightstar Renewables, LLC. Lightstar intends to own and operate this project for the lifetime of the project.

Lightstar Renewables is active in 15 states and currently has a 1 GW pipeline. In September the company announced it had been acquired by an affiliate of Eagle Creek Renewable Energy, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ontario Power Generation.

In the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) 2024 Community Power Scorecard, Illinois is the only one state that scored an above average grade with a B, 11 earned a C average, 13 received Ds, and 26 states failed.

ILSR evaluates eighteen facets of state energy policies as they are written and assesses how those policies help or hinder local clean energy. States earn high scores by supporting locally owned distributed generation, empowering communities to pursue their own energy goals, demonstrating a plan for an equitable transition to clean energy, and holding utilities accountable for inflated costs and potential abuses of power.

The 18 policies evaluated on the questions shown below, and states can earn a maximum of 88 points. A state can earn negative points when having a policy is worse than not having a policy.

Net metering policy is one of the key policy criteria evaluated in the report. The Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) offers model net metering rules with two small modifications; the word  “reasonable” should be added as a qualifier for any fixed charges that will not be able to be offset by on-site power generation; the policy should require excess credits leftover when the ratepayer termi­nates service to be gifted to the state’s low-income assistance program.

A state can earn a maximum of 10 points in the net metering policy category. States that scored a 10 on net metering include Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois and Maine. Georgia and Alabama received zeros.

ILSR also evaluates state-level community solar policies. Community solar provides a way for people to benefit from solar energy who may be unable to install solar either due to financial restrictions or because they do not have a suitable rooftop for solar. ILSR looks for virtual net metering in the community solar policy, which allows many individuals to receive credit for the electricity generated by a single solar facility.

ILSR states that “a model community solar policy has no cap, has a fair compensation rate, simplifies the billing process for subscribers, meaningfully accounts for the challenge of reaching low- and moderate-income (LMI) subscribers, and rewards other beneficial development or small subscriber-friendly practices”.  The report notes that after changes were made last year, Maryland’s community solar policy is now an example of one that meets all the criteria. A state can earn 13 points for its community solar policy.

Other policies examined for the scorecard include third-party ownership, interconnection, hosting capacity analysis, community choice energy, franchise authority, gas ban preemption, renewable portfolio standards, integrated resource plan approval, and more.

With 26 states failing and just one receiving above a C indicate that much work is to be done on energy policies that by advancing shared, local decision-making authority and holding utilities accountable are fostering a clean energy future for all.

In looking at state policy, ILSR compiles data from the Center for Biological Diversity/Energy and Policy Institute, Clean Energy Works, DSIRE, Energy Justice Lab, Freeing the Grid (IREC and Vote Solar), Inside Climate News, NARUC, and SolarReviews.

As of the first half of 2023, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) reported that over 5.8 GW of community solar had been installed across the United States. There are 41 states with at least one community solar project installed and operational, with at least 19 states recognizing the benefits of shared renewables by encouraging their growth through policy and programs. 

This sector is expected to grow considerably in a short time, with Wood Mackenzie projecting that cumulative installations could reach 14 GW by 2028, more than doubling the total in less than five years. 

Community solar allows residents, small businesses, organizations, and municipalities to subscribe to a portion of a solar asset’s electricity generation to receive credit on their electricity bills for the power it generates. One of the major benefits of community solar is it opens access to customers that may not have a suitable roof or financial situation for rooftop solar. 

As consumer protection practices, Department of Energy recommends that community solar programs ensure subscribers receive about 20% savings on their electricity bills, are not assessed exit or termination fees, and that compliance mechanisms are in place to ensure the community solar assets deliver on their expected generation. 

Community solar is in a nascent stage in many states, and requires more program structuring, regulatory support, and community engagement to build out. The report points to landmark markets like New York and Illinois that can serve as models for implementing a successful community solar program. 

“Near-term growth in Wood Mackenzie’s national outlook is driven by robust pipelines in existing state markets like New York and Illinois. Longer-term, newer state markets support lasting growth as mature markets saturate. Additionally, developers will begin to benefit from the incentives within the Inflation Reduction Act as soon as this year,” said Caitlin Connelly, research analyst for Wood Mackenzie. 

Wood Mackenzie expects 7.6 GWdc of new community solar will come online in existing state markets between 2024 and 2028, and the national total of community solar installations are expected to pass 10 GW of cumulative capacity in 2026.

The report said residential customers are representing an increasingly larger share of community solar subscriptions, suggesting a shift in focus for developers and providers. Low- and middle-income (LMI) customers rose from 2% of the customer base to 10% from 2022 to 2023, with costs to subscribe these customers declining 30% year-over-year. 

“The early years of community solar served almost exclusively commercial anchor customers; however, stricter LMI requirements in state programs and the availability of LMI-focused federal incentives are beginning to reveal a more well-rounded, community-focused subscriber profile,” said Connelly. 

There is some variability in the 14 GW by 2028 forecast by Wood Mackenzie. A bull case would raise the total by 13%, while the bear case decreases the national outlook by 38%. 

The ramp-up in installations is expected to be made possible in part by federal funding. The community solar industry will begin to experience the impacts of the Inflation Reduction Act as soon as this year, said Wood Mackenzie, and LMI credit adders will begin to be awarded. 

Wood Mackenzie noted that the LMI tax credit adder was in high demand, with applications totaling over eight times the allotted capacity. The industry also awaits the awards from the $7 billion Solar for All fund, which is expected to roll out in summer 2024. 

“I’m increasingly confident that we can leverage the transformational innovation of community solar products and the flexibility of programs to meet a diverse set of grid and policy goals in states across the country,” said Jeff Cramer, chief executive officer of the Coalition for Community Solar Access. “And what’s really exciting is that we’re seeing a significant uptick of residential and low-to-moderate income subscribers that will only grow exponentially as markets focus on these crucial customers.” 

On the floor at RE+ NE 2024: Concrete racking, no caulk needed, basketball, and more RE+ Northeast 2024 showcased a plethora of solar innovations and industry advancements, from concrete ballast racking systems to cutting-edge battery technology, as 3,500 industry professionals gathered in Boston despite the cold weather.

California regulators approve $1.9 billion investment plan for zero-emission vehicle infrastructure The plan is set to create the most extensive charging and hydrogen refueling network in the country.

Standard Solar acquires 84 MW community solar portfolio in Illinois Construction of the 14 projects in the portfolio is expected to begin this year.

Blue Ridge Power plans 164 MW solar tracker-based plant in Virginia Soltec to supply SF7 trackers that were introduced to the U.S. market last month, and are not only designed to adapt to terrain, but can be locally manufactured, the company reports.

Verde Technologies advances solar perovskite thin film roll-to-roll coating  A spinoff of the University of Vermont, specializing in single junction and all thin-film tandem perovskite solar technologies, demonstrated that its coating processes are transferable to existing commercial roll-to-roll manufacturing lines.

Utility-scale solar had a record year in 2023. It’s set to double in 2024 The Energy Information Administration (EIA) projects nearly 63 GW of utility-scale electric capacity additions, most of which are solar and batteries.

Merida Aerospace developing perovskite PV cells for space Merida Aerospace, a U.S. aerospace company, is developing perovskite solar cells for low-Earth-orbit satellites. It says perovskite solar cells could be a more cost-effective and efficient option than traditional cells.

Solar wafer prices momentarily stable, masking turbulence of industry consolidation In a new weekly update for pv magazine, OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a quick look at the main price trends in the global PV industry.

Corporate PPAs hit record high in 2023, says BloombergNEF BloombergNEF says in a new report that corporations publicly announced 46 GW of solar and wind power purchase agreements (PPAs) in 2023, up 12% year on year. It says the increase was driven by a surge of activity in Europe.

Standard Solar, a commercial and community solar project developer, has acquired an 84 MW community solar portfolio from New Leaf Energy,  a renewable energy developer headquartered in Lowell, Mass. 

The portfolio of ground-mounted community solar facilities includes three sets of sites across Illinois. Six sites have a 47 MW capacity, four have a 12 MW capacity and another four have a 25 MW capacity. Construction is scheduled to begin this year, with some projects expected to be completed on or before December and others throughout 2025. 

Standard Solar and New Leaf Energy have collaborated on 20 other projects across three states.

In March 2023, Standard Solar acquired New Leaf Energy’s 21 MW portfolio of projects in New York and Massachusetts. The Copicut facility in Freetown, Mass., has 12 MW of solar and 22 MWh of storage. The 2.79 MW Main Street Newbury site is a ground-mounted solar array in Byfield, Mass., and the Saunders Settlement project in Sanborn, New York, features over 6 MW of solar and is expected to produce about 8,861 MWh each year. 

In November 2023, Standard Solar acquired New Leaf Energy’s 12 MW community solar portfolio in Chatham and Kilmarnock, Va. Standard Solar states its two Kilmarnock Va., projects with a combined capacity of over 7 MW will serve the energy needs of low-and-moderate income customers. 

Standard Solar’s new 84 MW portfolio is expected to significantly contribute to Illinois’ renewable energy goals, which include establishing 100% renewable electricity generation by 2050. 

Illinois Shines

The Illinois Shines program moving the state toward its clean energy targets. Launched by the Illinois Power Agency (IPA), the scheme provides financial incentives for community solar projects across six categories: small distributed generation, large distributed generation, traditional community solar, community-driven community solar, public schools, and equity-eligible contractors. Incentives are provided through the purchase of renewable energy credits (RECs), which are issued when a renewable energy source produces 1 MWh of electricity.

Illinois sets incentive amounts for each REC generated by participating solar projects each year. Incentives are paid to qualifying approved vendors, which pass savings onto customers. Approved vendors are entities that submit project applications to the Illinois Shines Program and demonstrate they will assume financial liability in the Illinois Shines contracts with utilities. 

“Amidst a year of record-breaking temperatures and rising energy costs in the state, Illinois is providing its residents a clear path to clean, affordable energy for a more sustainable future,” said Harry Benson, the director of business development at Standard Solar. 

Read more about solar in Illinois here.

The 26 community solar installations planned by Summit Ridge Energy are part of the Illinois Shines program, which is legislation passed in 2016 that supports the development of distributed generation as well as community solar projects.

The solar projects in the new portfolio will average about 3 MW and will use bifacial solar modules mounted on single-axis solar trackers. The majority of these projects will be designed with pollinator-friendly habitats.

Summit Ridge reports that Castillo Engineering will provide design and engineering services on the portfolio, with many of the projects beginning construction in Q1 2024. All 26 are expected to be completed by Q4 2024, at which point Costello and Summit Ridge Energy together will have completed over 120 projects totaling over 375 MW combined. By the end of the year, the two will collectively have a community solar portfolio of over 500 MW in Illinois.

“We chose to work with Castillo Engineering on this portfolio of projects due to their extensive community solar experience within Illinois, their Project Management Office, as well as their highly customized solutions,” said Pradeep Mohanraj, vice president of engineering at Summit Ridge Energy.

Illinois has a strong and growing solar market mainly as a result of the state’s renewable portfolio standard that requires that 25% of its energy comes from renewable sources by 2025. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the state had 2.35 GW of solar installed as of 2023 and that is expected to grow by more than 1,700% over the next five years.

Illinois is now ranked as the fourth largest U.S. state in terms of community solar operating capacity, according to the Institute on Local Self Reliance, with approximately 220 MW installed. Collectively, Summit Ridge Energy and Castillo Engineering will have a community solar portfolio of over 500 MW in Illinois by the end of 2024.

Overall, community solar capacity in the U.S. is expected to increase from about 6 GW in 2023 to 14 GW by 2028, according to Wood Mackenzie

A recently completed portfolio of seven community solar projects in Illinois and New York is expected to help approximately 5,000 low- to moderate-income (LMI) households. Additional subscribers will be public schools, a municipality, non-LMI households, and various private organizations, including two affordable housing providers, a community recreation center, religious institutions, and a housing association.

The seven projects boast a combined capacity of 14.4 MWac, estimated to avert 667,788 metric tons of CO₂ emissions or the equivalent to eliminating 748 million pounds of coal burned over the lifespan of the projects.

The six Illinois community solar projects are located in Chicago Heights, Ford Heights, Monee, Granite City, and Rockford, and will serve qualifying customers of ComEd and Ameren. The New York solar project is located in Oswego County and will serve qualifying customers of National Grid.

Reactivate, a renewable energy company, in collaboration with Walmart and U.S. Bancorp Impact Finance closed a tax equity transaction on the portfolio.

According to Reactivate, 90% of the cost savings delivered by the projects will go to LMI households who will see a minimum 20% reduction on their retail electricity costs, up to the amount of their subscription to project output. Total customer savings from the projects in this investment are projected to exceed $17 million over the lifespan of the projects.

“Projects like Reactivate’s are shining examples of how renewable energy developers can distribute the direct benefits of grid-decarbonization to historically underserved communities,” said Clark Conlisk, vice president, assistant director of project management & impact capital at U.S. Bancorp Impact Finance. “For the LMI households subscribed to the project, the money that no longer must be spent to keep on the lights and A/C is a benefit to real people and empowers them to spend or save as they choose.”

Reactivate, founded by Invenergy and Lafayette Square, specializes in developing, owning and operating renewable energy projects that improve the lives LMI households and energy transition communities across the country. The company focuses on community solar, commercial and industrial, small utility-scale, energy storage, and EV charging projects.

Walmart set a goal to bring at least 2 GW of community solar projects in service by the end of 2030, and the retailer reports that this investment is an example of its energy transformation strategy of focusing on projects that make access to clean energy affordable, reliable, and equitable.

“Serving our customers and communities is core to our purpose at Walmart and our support of this high-impact portfolio demonstrates our continued commitment to that purpose,” said Frank Palladino, vice president, renewable energy strategy at Walmart. “These projects will assist in building a stronger and cleaner grid, expand access to clean energy for underserved communities and help people save money on their utility bills.”

Maryland YMCA to cut energy costs with rooftop solar Secure Solar Futures installed a 222 kW solar array on a Maryland YMCA, which is expected to save about $100,000 on electricity bills.

California to grant $52 million for vehicle-to-grid home energy stations Smart home energy company Dcbel was awarded grant money for the deployment of EV charge-controlling devices that can respond to dynamic grid price signals.

Plus Power to construct 175 MW / 350 MWh energy storage in Maine The Cross Town project will add 175 MW of storage to New England’s grid while helping to ensure Maine meets its 2030 and 2050 decarbonization goals.

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%.

EcoFlow battery generator can back up a house for up to a month  The Delta Pro Ultra, shown this week at CES 2024, works with multiple energy sources for whole-home backup, solar power storage and off-grid use.

Nautilus Solar acquires 16 community solar projects in Illinois  The community solar specialist expands its footprint into the Midwest with the acquisition of this 75.6 MW portfolio.  

Yaskawa Solectria Solar announced it will exhibit its new XGI 1500-250 series of utility-scale string inverters at the RE+ 2023 event, September 11-14 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Solectria’s full line of inverters range from 25 kW to 250kW, with string combiners and web-based monitoring for all sizes of solar arrays. The new XGI series inverters are Made in USA at its Illinois facility, made of U.S. and global components. The company said its products qualify for the domestic content bonus tax credit within the Inflation Reduction Act.

The XGI 1500-250 series was developed in collaboration with U.S. solar panel manufacturer First Solar and are optimized for the company’s solar modules. Tesla PowerPack Microgrid systems have also been tested and demonstrated for compatibility with the XGI 1500 series.

The inverters feature Silicon Carbide technology and have an electrically grounded DC input for optimal performance and longevity.

“As the largest and longest-standing U.S. Manufacturer of PV inverters for Commercial and Utility applications, Yaskawa Solectria Solar is proud to showcase our newest XGI 1500 inverter models and energy storage solutions at RE+ this year” said Mark Goodreau, general manager at Yaskawa Solectria Solar.  “We look forward to helping project developers and owners to qualify for the 10% Domestic Content Bonus Credit by designing PV systems with our U.S. manufactured inverters.”

The XGI 1500 series comes in output ratings between 175 kW and 250 kW, with 480 Vac and 600 Vac configurations. The absolute maximum input voltage is 1500 Vdc and the peak efficiency is 99%, while the CEC rated efficiency is 98.5%.

For communications and monitoring, the inverters are WiFi and Ethernet compatible and have SunSpec Modbus TCP/IP monitoring. Firmware updates can be performed remote or local.

The inverters have passed IEEE 1547 and UL 1741 standards for safety and the enclosure is polyester powder-coated aluminum that is NEMA 4X, IEC IP66 and Type 3R rated. Each unit measures 29.5 inches by 44.3 inches and 15.4 inches deep and weighs 290 lbs. The inverters come standard with a 5 year warranty with option for 10 years.

Find the products on display at RE+ Las Vegas, booth 925, Sands Level 2. Read the full spec sheet here.

Almost 200,000 job-years could be created by the 167 GW of large-scale solar, wind and storage projects awaiting interconnection studies by PJM Interconnection, the nation’s largest grid operator, said the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) in its report Power Up PJM.

A lack of transmission capacity due to “insufficient” transmission planning is a “root cause of the unprecedented backlog” of interconnection requests across grid operators nationwide, the report says.

Virginia, Illinois, Ohio and Indiana have the greatest number of job-years awaiting PJM action, as shown in the nearby bar chart from the report, which also shows the states fully or partly served by PJM. ACORE counted only direct and indirect construction, operation and maintenance jobs, not induced jobs due to increased economic activity in the region.

The 167 GW of pending renewables and storage projects are “eligible for PJM’s transition cycle,” the report says, referring to PJM’s plan, approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), to expedite interconnection studies for pending requests through early 2026, while closing its interconnection queue to new requests in the meantime.

ACORE pointed to a sharp decline in renewables projects in the PJM region reaching commercial operation, falling from 20.3% of renewable capacity entering PJM’s queue between 2011 and 2016, to 2.7% of renewable capacity entering PJM’s queue in the fifteen months starting January 1, 2017, citing data from Berkeley Lab.

The recent low success rate for renewables projects in PJM is largely due to “low spending on large-scale, high-voltage transmission” within the PJM region, said Noah Strand, an ACORE policy associate and the report’s author, on an ACORE webinar, citing a study from the nonprofit group RMI.

“It’s good to see PJM going in the right direction” said Brendan Casey, deputy director for economic analysis at the American Clean Power Association, in an apparent reference to PJM’s announced transition to cluster studies, which are more efficient than first-come, first-served studies, speaking on the webinar.

Yet he added that as the industry is currently building about 30 GW of renewables and storage capacity per year, “if we want to have a net-zero grid by 2035, we need to be building more like 90 to 100 gigawatts. And this means speeding up the interconnection processes, not just in PJM but across the country.”

The ACORE report recommended that PJM speed interconnection through transmission planning, accelerating transmission upgrades, additional staffing and automation.

ACORE also recommended that FERC require grid operators to consider grid-enhancing technologies and advanced conductors in the interconnection study process, and set “a more just framework” for allocating transmission upgrade costs associated with interconnection.

50 states solar incentives: California  California has long been the leader in solar adoption, investing over $90 billion in the technology to date.

Meyer Burger and BayWa r.e. sign 250 MW annual procurement deal  Two European energy companies, Meyer Burger and BayWa r.e., have finalized a contract for their U.S. operations in which the developer will purchase 1.25 GW of modules from the manufacturer’s Arizona facility from 2025 to 2029.

Chicago solar workforce training program honors graduates Reactivate’s inaugural cohort was trained in solar installation and design based on the criteria of NABCEP PV Associate certification.

Canadian Solar announces 5 GW Texas module factory Representing an investment of $250 million, the facility is expected to bring 1,500 jobs.

$7 billion in EPA grants to advance low-income residential and community solar  The “Solar for All” grant program is expected to begin accepting applications from states and other entities as early as this month, aiming to enable millions of families in low-income and disadvantaged communities to access solar energy.

Retrofitting solar farms with pollinators could yield up to $264 million in annual benefits for farmers  A new government research framework identifies farms using pollinator services within reach of existing solar facilities. The aim is to determine the financial benefits of these services for both farmers and solar landowners.

Cement manufacturer to generate 75% of onsite power with 25 MW solar array  Holcim plans to install solar on a 100-acre field site on the Alpena, Michigan property, which produces 2.4 million metric tons of cement per year, including the OneCem brand cement.

Reactivate, a nationwide solar training program that uses the Building Equity in Solar Training (BEST) protocol, this week honored the graduation of its first 12 program trainees in Chicago.

The milestone signifies the completion of a sixteen-week solar training program for 12 individuals from the Chicago area. The program has equipped graduates with the necessary skills and certifications for a career in solar energy and general building trades.

Reactivate’s inaugural cohort was trained in solar installation and design based on the criteria of the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) PV Associate certification. In addition the students were trained in solar technical, electrical applications, and industrial vehicle training, such as skid steer, scissor lift and forklift operations, to ensure they had transferable skills within and beyond the solar industry, Reactive spokeswoman Jeannette Torres told pv magazine USA.

Reactivate launched the Chicago program in February 2023 in partnership with GRID Alternatives, Solar Energy International, Jobs for the Future, and local workforce partners Elevate and Community and Economic Development Association of Cook County (CEDA).

The BEST program offers comprehensive training in solar energy installation and the building trades, encompassing various skills such as solar photovoltaic system installation, OSHA 30 certification, NABCEP preparation and exam, as well as essential skills development in leadership, teamwork, financial literacy, and workplace etiquette.

Reactivate graduate Shuron W. said:

You have given us an incredible opportunity that we did not take lightly. Your passion for solar has given us a whole new perspective, and we now understand that solar is the future. Regardless of the path each of us chooses in the solar industry – whether it’s becoming pro-installers, researchers, electricians, instructors, inspectors, or sales consultants – we are now equipped and prepared for the present and future that revolves around solar.

The BEST program offers paid training with materials provided, assistance with transportation and childcare, tutoring and counseling, bilingual support (English/Spanish), and guidance with job placement and apprenticeship transitioning.

The graduation keynote was delivered by Utopia Hill, chief executive officer of Reactivate, emphasizing environmental justice, inclusivity, and the future of renewable energy careers. Hill highlighted the ecological crisis and the opportunity it presents to create a more equitable and sustainable world by empowering marginalized communities.

Reactivate’s Utopia Hill said:

Graduates, this is your call to action. It’s about recognizing the impacts of pollution, climate change and environmental degradation disproportionately affecting marginalized communities. Let us be the driver of change and let your actions be the embodiment of hope. Inclusive environmentalism recognizes the interconnectedness of social justice and environmental issues and acknowledges that a just transition to a sustainable future must also be must also be a just transition for all.”

Reactivate is actively collaborating with partners to secure additional funding sources and aims to scale the BEST program nationwide. The program is calling for year-round cohorts that will empower thousands of individuals across the U.S. with the skills and opportunities for careers in the renewable energy industry.

For more information or to apply for the Reactive workforce program, click here.

Lafayette Square and Invenergy formed Reactivate in January 2022 as a community solar energy platform supporting development in underserved communities. The platform will finance, acquire, develop, and operate solar energy projects primarily serving LMI communities and areas disproportionately affected by the clean energy transition.

For drivers weighing the option of buying an electric vehicle (EV), range anxiety and battery fires have been proverbial hot topics, so to speak. Over time, consumers have also noticed that lithium-ion batteries have historically underperformed or shown to be less effective operating in freezing environments at or below zero degrees.

Current lithium-ion batteries use a liquid electrolyte. As particles and ions transfer within the liquid and as the liquid begins to freeze at sub-zero temperatures, an EV battery’s charging ability can be severely limited in cold temperatures. Various consumer studies by Kelly Blue Book and Consumer Reports found that EV driving range can be reduced by up to 25% in sub-freezing temperature conditions driving at normal highway speed.

According to a study by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne and Lawrence Berkeley National laboratories, researchers have developed a fluorine-containing electrolyte that performs well for EVs driving in sub-zero temperatures.

In conventional lithium-ion batteries, the electrolyte is a mixture of a salt (lithium hexafluorophosphate) and carbonate solvent such as ethylene carbonate. These solvents dissolve the salt to form a liquid. When freezing, the battery solvents’ cluster loses the ability to transport ions out of the cathode and pass through the electrolyte onto the anode.

Creating an antifreeze component to EV batteries, the DOE/LBNL research team investigated several fluorine-containing solvents. The team found a composition that had the lowest energy barrier for releasing lithium ions from the salt clusters at sub-zero temperature.

The team’s fluorinated electrolyte retained stable energy storage capacity for 400 charge-discharge cycles at negative 4 degrees F. Even at sub-zero temperature, the capacity was equivalent to that of a cell with a conventional carbonate-based electrolyte at room temperature, the research team found.

“Our team not only found an antifreeze electrolyte whose charging performance does not decline at minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit, but we also discovered, at the atomic level, what makes it so effective,” said Zhengcheng ​“John” Zhang, a senior chemist and group leader in Argonne’s Chemical Sciences and Engineering division.

This low-temperature electrolyte shows promise of working for batteries in electric vehicles, as well as in energy storage for electric grids and consumer electronics like computers and phones.

“Our research thus demonstrated how to tailor the atomic structure of electrolyte solvents to design new electrolytes for sub-zero temperatures,” said John Zhang, Argonne group leader and senior chemist of energy storage.

The antifreeze electrolyte has a bonus property. It is safer than carbonate-based electrolytes in current use, since the antifreeze battery technology will not catch fire.

Zhang said the DOE/LBNL research group is seeking to patent the antifreeze electrolyte technology now and secure an industrial partner to adapt it with one of their designs for lithium-ion battery production.

The study was initially published in Advanced Energy Materials. Additional authors include Argonne’s Dong-Joo Yoo, Qian Liu and Minkyu Kim. LBNL contributors include Orion Cohen and Kristin Persson.

The research study was funded by the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Vehicle Technologies Office.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is investing $26 million through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for eight selected projects to demonstrate how solar, wind, storage and other clean energy resources can support a reliable and efficient power grid.

The Solar and Wind Grid Services and Reliability Demonstration program will deploy clean energy technologies with a goal of learning more about technologies that support a resilient grid that automatically adjusts to changing demands.

“As threats and climate risks to America’s energy infrastructure continue to evolve, DOE is laser-focused on ensuring our power grid is strong and reliable as it incorporates a historic level of renewable resources,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm.

The program is funding eight projects at 15 sites in 13 states and Puerto Rico, and will involve research teams consisting of utilities, laboratories, universities and industry. The teams will test how wind and solar plants can more reliably transmit clean energy and protect against disruptions to the network of high-voltage power lines that carry electricity from centralized generation sources. Monitoring and test controls will also be implemented that allow the grid to restore power quickly and efficiently after power outages.

The selected projects fall into two topic areas: Wind and solar grid services design, implementation, and demonstration; Protection of bulk power systems with high contribution from inverter-based resources (IBRs).

The Electric Power Research Institute was awarded $3.4 million for the Collaborative Ancillary Service Accelerator for Renewables (CASAR) project. This project will develop a multi-level control architecture for power systems that supports ancillary services to the grid, including active and reactive power event and non-event reserve services. This project will work with multiple balancing authorities and utilities to perform demonstrations of grid services at sites across Michigan, Nebraska, Texas, New Mexico, and California.

GE Renewable Energy was awarded $3.5 million for the Grid-ready Wind project. The work is primarily taking place at the Great Pathfinder wind power plant in Iowa, and it includes a commercial-scale demonstration of grid services using emerging grid-forming technology in Type-III wind turbines with electricity output controlled by converters. This project is jointly funded by WETO and SETO.

Portland General Electric Company was awarded $4.5 million for a project that will develop a 300 MW wind, solar and battery storage combined power plant. The project aims to demonstrate grid services using mixed grid-forming and grid-following technologies at the Wheatridge Renewable Energy Facility in Oregon, North America’s first energy center to combine wind, solar, and energy storage systems in one location.

Veritone was awarded $3.9 million for the Advanced Reliability and Resiliency Operations for Wind and Solar (ARROWS) project, which aims to boost confidence in renewable power investment using Veritone’s artificial intelligence-powered distributed energy resource management system (iDERMS) technology. The AI-powered platform will be used to forecast, optimize, and control IBRs on New Mexico’s power grid in real-time.

Con Edison of New York was awarded $3 million with an awardee cost share of $1.4 million for a project that demonstrates reliable protection for an IBR-dominant grid. The project aims to improve existing grid protection strategies and enable new technologies to maintain reliable system protection in systems with a very large number of IBRs.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) was awarded $2 million with a cost share of $600,000 for the Protection of Inverter-dependent Transmission Systems (PROTECT-IT) project. NREL will partner with University of Idaho, Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Tesla, and the Public Service Company of New Mexico to investigate the impact of high levels of IBRs on bulk power transmission protection systems.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company was awarded $2.5 million with a cost share of $700,000 for development of a sensitivity-driven wide area protection (SWAP) coordination tool for high penetration of IBRs. The intent is to develop an analysis tool that can be incorporated in commercial platforms used by transmission utilities and system operators nationwide.

University of Illinois at Chicago was awarded $3 million with a cost share of $1.1 million for a project that uses an innovative modeling, protection, and control framework to ensure reliable operation of a bulk power system with 100% of its generation coming from IBRs, which have much different fault characteristics than traditional synchronous generators. The IBR model under development by this project will be able to perform accurate protection simulation and be easily implemented in the existing commercial simulation software. This project will demonstrate protection strategies in Illinois and Puerto Rico.

Just two months after the receivership and takeover of Silicon Valley Bank by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, now under the ownership of First Citizens Bank, SVB has reemerged as a lender to the solar development market.

The lender closed a $203 million debt financing to support construction of a 100 MW multi-state distributed generation solar portfolio of Pivot Energy, a Denver-based community, commercial and industrial solar development company.

Tax investor Foss & Company is committing an initial tax equity round in the portfolio, which comprises 35 community solar and C&I projects planned to reach commercial operation (COD) between mid-2023 and mid-2024.

Community solar subscribers in the portfolio include municipalities, healthcare facilities, food service, and retail companies, as well as 8,000 low-to-moderate income (LMI) residential households.

With community solar projects in Colorado, Minnesota, Illinois, New York, Hawaii, Maryland, and California, the portfolio represents what the company said is one of the most extensive LMI solar portfolios developed to date in terms of diversity and geographic reach.

SunCentral, a community solar subscriber management and acquisition platform, will manage the community solar portfolio through operations.

The debt transaction led by SVB includes a construction loan, tax equity bridge loan, and term loan. SVB led the financing as coordinating lead arranger (CLA) and sole bookrunner.  Other lenders committed to the DG solar portfolio include J.P. Morgan, National Bank of Canada, Bank United, Cadence and Comerica. The debt facility also represents J.P. Morgan’s first debt issuance to the community solar market.

The SVB financing represents Pivot’s second debt syndication closed with the SVB-led lender group. In 2022, the developer raised $190 million in credit to finance a 90 MW community solar portfolio in New York, Illinois, Colorado, Minnesota, California, and New Jersey.

Bret Labadie, chief financial officer for Pivot Energy, told pv magazine USA that for the new financing, Pivot had been in the market since Q4 2022 and were set to close the second debt facility with Silicon Valley Bank in March 2023, but the federal takeover of the commercial bank put the financing process on hold.

“Each of the banks in this syndicate worked with Pivot and we were able to navigate the temporary uncertainty to retain the initial terms of the deal,” Labadie said.  “It’s a testament to the leadership from each of the parties that we were able to stay the course and see this loan through.”

“We are pleased to have led and structured this portfolio of solar projects across 35 sites in 7 key markets,” said Bret Turner, head of project finance, Silicon Valley Bank. “We appreciate the confidence and trust placed in the team at SVB to continue moving this asset class forward.”

When combined with the Foss tax equity contribution, the total financing package enables Pivot to construct, operate, and own the multi-year and multi-state portfolio.

“This initiative will expand access to clean, affordable energy for small businesses and low-income households, reinforcing our commitment to invest in tax equity within under-served market segments,” said Bryen Alperin, managing director at Foss & Company.

CohnReznick Capital was Pivot’s financial advisor on the transaction. Stoel Rives was counsel to the company. Milbank represented SVB while Winthrop & Weinstine represented Foss.

The financing is Pivot’s second project development portfolio to be built, owned, and operated since the company’s June 2021 acquisition by Energy Capital Partners (ECP).

Safe asset class

Silicon Valley Bank, the 16^th largest U.S. commercial bank, was shuttered on March 9, 2023 and placed into receivership by the FDIC. After parent company SVB Financial filed for bankruptcy on March 17, First Citizens Bank entered an agreement on March 27 to acquire Silicon Valley Bridge Bank, effectively resuming the corporate debt financing platform of the bank.

SVB extended $56 billion of venture capital financing to climate-technology focused companies in 2021. Several solar development executives told pv magazine USA for the April print edition of pv magazine that the bank’s demise was not expected to create widespread challenges to development clients in the community and commercial and industrial (C&I) solar market, as well as utility scale solar companies.

“The biggest threat to the pace of project development is definitely not available capital, it’s the significant and ever-increasing pushback on project siting and land use at the local level,” said Mark Richardson, chief executive officer of U.S. Light Energy, a community solar developer in upstate New York, told pv magazine USA. “We are not even close to operating at full speed, because of local opposition, not because of a lack of financing,” he said.

(Read more: “Solar and the SVB banking crisis“)

High Impact Solar Solutions, an Irvine, Calif.-based solar developer for multi-family housing communities, sees Massachusetts and Illinois as solid new markets where it is undertaking expansion efforts, John B. Wood, founder and chief executive officer, tells pv magazine USA.

Wood said High Impact is looking to participate in community solar project development for low- and-moderate income (LMI) housing communities, which is an extension of its core competency for developing rooftop solar and car canopy projects for senior center communities, LMI housing customers and other residential groups primarily in southern California.

High Impact is currently planning on submitting applications for more than 65 projects for the anticipated Q3 2023 low-and-moderate income (LMI) communities adder, Wood said, even though the developer has yet to see the application yet based on the newness of the federal Inflation Reduction Act protocol.  About 40 of the 65 projects are within California LMI communities, and the remainder are in new markets like the Northeast, Maryland and Illinois, he added.

To date, the company has utilized the resources of about 70 regional sub-contractors and engineers to install rooftop and car canopies in its first market of California, and continues to use engineering, procurement and construction contractors in new markets as well, Wood said.

The company is working with Sunrun, SunPower and Grid Alternatives on construction of current and future projects, Wood said.

High Impact has contributed projects in LMI communities that qualify for statewide incentives from California’s Multifamily Affordable Housing (MASH) and Solar for Multifamily Affordable Housing (SOMAH) programs, Wood said. These programs date back to 2008 and 2017, respectively, and provide rebates for low-income solar projects to the tune of $1.10 per watt to $2.70/W if the system generates more than half the customer’s load. Under SOMAH, the state has awarded additional $100 million of rebates annually for solar systems deployed on multi-family affordable housing buildings, which amounts to a credit of $3.20 per watt (ac) on system installations.

Wood was quick to point out that the company is grandfathered into the net energy metering or NEM 2.0 standards in California.  For another nine years the company will not be subject to changes from the state’s changing rooftop solar framework imparted by the December 2022 NEM 3.0 decision by the California Public Utilities Commission to reduce the value of solar energy exported from rooftops.

The Inflation Reduction Act’s 30% solar investment tax credit combined with 20% of added credit for designated low-income community deployments of clean energy projects creates a tailwind for the project developer, and should facilitate High Impact’s expansion efforts in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic markets, Wood said.

Case study

High Impact is working with the Retirement Housing Foundation, a Long Beach, Calif., non-profit group that owns over 200 senior center assisted living and affordable housing units across the U.S., to deploy rooftop solar arrays, the solar executive said.

In 2022, the developer installed 20 solar systems for RHF, and this year the company expects to deploy about 30 new systems for the nonprofit housing group, Wood said.

High Impact is actively engaged in state markets with active climate change and greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals, where Wood said the turnkey developer saves building owners up to hundreds of thousands of dollars per year on energy consumption.

Project deployments range from 200 kW and smaller per rooftop array, and with multi-building customers can be deployed as much as 2 MW aggregate systems, he said.

High Impact’s development team uses its own proprietary internal review method for finding prospective project sites, but also uses Aurora’s HelioScope commercial PV software platform and Energy Toolbase for proposal generation, Wood said.

The company has identified a few hundred buildings out of its 1,000 building portfolio as candidates for Level 2 electric vehicle charging infrastructure, which Wood says the company expects to rollout this year as well.

To date High Impact has been largely self-funded, though project financing has been offset by tax equity arranged by various New York banking institutions active in the distributed energy market, Wood said.  The BQuest Foundation, a San Diego, Calif.-based nonprofit foundation formed by GoFundMe founder Andy Ballester, has recently provided development equity financing for High Impact’s LMI portfolio, he said.

Prior to forming High Impact Solar, Wood was a managing partner at One Planet Caribbean, which sold over 100 MW of Caribbean utility solar portfolio to several investors, including GCL New Energy Holdings.

On the way toward meeting its sustainability goals, home improvement retailer Lowe’s announced additional solar installations on what will be a total of 174 stores and distribution centers nationwide, including 20 sites currently in operation. Once installation is completed, the solar panels will provide approximately 90% of on-site energy usage at each store location in California, New Jersey and Illinois.

DSD Renewables, a New York-based commercial and industrial solar developer, is installing 85.3 MW of solar on top of 55 Lowe’s stores in California (42.17 MW) and 36 stores and three distribution centers in Illinois (43.13 MW). These projects are expected to generate 123.6 GWh per year of clean power.

Greenskies Clean Focus, a Connecticut-based commercial, municipal and utility-scale developer, will install rooftop systems at 52 Lowe’s retail stores and two distribution centers in California. The initial production for the combined 48 MW portfolio is projected at 76 GWh per year, providing 90% of the energy usage at each location.

Infiniti Energy, a New Jersey-based solar power developer and independent power producer, has installed solar on 20 Lowe’s stores in New Jersey to date, totalling 22.9 MW. Brought online last August, they have produced an average 11 GWh. Infiniti plans to complete installations at six additional Lowe’s stores this year.

This investment in rooftop solar continues Lowe’s recent sustainability progress, including achieving its 2025 goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40%, relative to 2016 emissions levels. In addition, the installations will help Lowe’s reduce its operational emissions and reach its goal of having its operations powered with 50% renewable energy by 2030.

“At Lowe’s, we are focused on operating responsibly and reducing our impact on the environment,” said Chris Cassell, vice president of corporate sustainability at Lowe’s. “Investing in renewable energy lowers operating costs and is an important step in reducing emissions associated with our stores and distribution centers. This initial rooftop solar portfolio is one example of the collaboration we seek with partners as we work toward our long-term and interim net-zero goals.”

Soltage, a Jersey City, N.J.-based utility and distributed generation solar developer, launched the construction of three Illinois community solar projects with 7.24 MWdc of total power generation. 

Two of the projects, Bolton Freeport Solar 1 (2.58 MW) and Freeport Fairview Solar 2 (2.58 MW), are located in Commonwealth Edison service territory in northern Illinois, and the third project, Danville Michigan Solar 1 (1.81 MW), is located in Ameren’s service territory in Danville, Ill., in the eastern part of the state. 

MC Squared Energy Services is the subscription manager for the community solar platform, while the customer concentration is expected to consist of residential, local commercial businesses and municipal customers in the Freeport and Danville areas. 

“Customers who subscribe to these projects receive significant savings on their electricity bills, as well as price certainty over time as these projects will be running for many decades,” said Jon Cole, senior vice president of development, Soltage. These projects demonstrate Soltage’s commitment to build out clean energy infrastructure to serve Illinois customers. The addition of these projects brings Soltage’s community solar portfolio in the state to 11 projects, the company said. 

 The three projects, once constructed, are anticipated to provide more than 10,000 MWh of clean energy per year and operate for a minimum of 40 years. 

 A Soltage spokeswoman told pv magazine USA that the three projects are employing an agrivoltaics protocol utilizing a native pollinator species at each of the project sites. These will feature 27 varieties of low-profile and pollinator-friendly native vegetation planted across over 20 acres of land. In addition to producing clean energy, the projects will serve as a critical habitat for local flora and fauna, the company said. 

“Dual-use projects serve multiple purposes and generate many values that jump off the page when you take a second to look at them,” Dan French, executive producer of Solar Farm Summit, LLC, told pv magazine USA.  “Solar developers are starting to figure it out, and the fact that agrivoltaics is scaling so strongly in Illinois is powerful evidence that these practices can already pencil. Proper cropping may not come at scale until down the road a ways, but we know that advanced conservation with beneficial vegetation works now, and that’s why it’s booming,” French added.

The Illinois Community Solar Program was enacted in 2018 by the Future Energy Jobs Act to support the development of new distributed generation and community solar projects across Illinois. A component of the program, the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, obligates the Illinois Commerce Commission to take various actions to implement new programs, initiatives, and directives to further the State’s goals of transitioning the state to 100% clean energy. 

 According to the Illinois Shines’ website, the state has 62 community solar projects in operation or advanced development across the Ameren and ComEd territories.  

 By the end of 2023, ComEd recently said it expects to double its current cumulative installation to more than 150 community solar projects installed, serving more than 36,000 customers across its more than 11,400 square mile service territory in northern Illinois. The utility recently completed its 75th community solar project, Speedway Solar, a 2.5 MW facility in Joliet, Illinois, built by Summit Ridge Energy. 

 Solar in Illinois practically did not exist until 2019, when the Illinois Shines program was introduced, creating renewable energy credits that pay residential and commercial solar asset owners based on their system’s production. The state has also a rich community solar offering under Illinois Shines and a healthy mix of residential, commercial, and community solar installations. 

According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), Illinois ranks tenth in the U.S. by its robust 5.7 GW development pipeline of projects to be installed over the next five years. The state brought online 583 MW of projects in 2022, SEIA reports. 

Swift Current Energy, a Boston-based solar and wind project developer, has kicked off construction on the Double Black Diamond solar project in Illinois, an 800 MW(dc) utility solar project that is vying for the recognition of being one of the top three largest U.S. solar projects.

The project is slated for commercial operations by Fall of 2024, and when operational will be owned by the developer. First Solar is providing 1.6 million U.S.-made solar panels and Nextracker is supplying its U.S.-made tracking systems for the project.

The developer recently tapped McCarthy Building Companies as the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor on the massive project. During construction, expected to last 14 months, the companies will retain 435 construction workers for the Double Black Diamond project.

The midwestern project checks off a few additional boxes for Inflation Reduction Act initiatives and rebates. The project has set apprenticeship, as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion hiring goals, which are being facilitated with local unions for carpenters, laborers, operators, electricians, and crew leads.

In partnership with local unions, McCarthy will train workers who are inexperienced in utility-scale solar construction to assist with future workforce needs and accommodate the exponential regional and national growth of the solar industry.

Once operational, Double Black Diamond will provide enough clean energy equivalent to more than 85,000 Illinois households per year.

In collaboration with Constellation Energy, the City of Chicago will be a key offtake customer. Starting in 2025, the city will partially source its large energy uses such as Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Midway International Airport with renewable energy from Double Black Diamond. The project is expected to bring $100 million in tax revenue to the Counties of Sangamon and Morgan counties, where the project is located.

“As one of Double Black Diamond’s largest end users, the City of Chicago is proud to support a project that will generate solar energy right here in Illinois and will be constructed according to our shared labor and equity goals,” said Angela Tovar, chief sustainability officer for Chicago’s Office of Climate and Environmental Equity.

Additional offtake customers for the large project include State Farm Insurance and PPG, a producer of paints, coatings and specialty materials. State Farm will procure about 103,000 MWh of clean energy per year from Constellation as part of the insurance company’s continued efforts to reduce environmental footprint.

Formed in 2016, Swift Current Energy is a utility-scale developer whose management team has developed a combined 10 GW of renewable energy projects over its career. In April 2021, the company was acquired in a majority stake transaction by Buckeye Partners and Nala Renewables, both of which are backed by IFM Investors, an Australian infrastructure fund manager with $68.4 billion of assets under management.

A midwestern rivalry has also emerged for the development of the largest U.S. utility solar project. Savion, a Shell Energy-backed solar and wind developer, is constructing its own 800 MW utility solar project, Oak Run Solar, located in Madison County, Ohio. If approved, construction on the project will begin this year, with commercial operations coming online in phases starting in early 2025. The solar project will also include 300 MW of Tesla energy storage systems, which is expected to have a 20-year lifespan.

“Drone in the box” for thousandths of a cent per kilowatt hour  Raptor Maps is developing a drone and software package for ongoing, on-site visual and thermal intelligence at utility-scale solar facilities.

Tracking clean energy initiatives under the Inflation Reduction Act  A new website called IRAtracker.org clarifies how the Inflation Reduction Act is taking shape and being implemented across more than a dozen federal agencies.

EnerVenue announces non-lithium battery gigafactory in Kentucky  With generous incentives from Shelby County and the state of Kentucky, EnerVenue plans to invest in a one-million square-foot facility to produce metal-hydrogen batteries.

Summit Ridge raises tax equity for 50 MW Maine and Illinois solar portfolio  The $67 million investment utilizes the Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) Qualified Advanced Energy Project Credit program. Once guidance for low- and moderate-income community incentives and domestic content requirements program is finalized, the developer expects to expand its partnership with the tax investor to fund additional projects in underserved and traditional energy communities.  

Oregon research highlights zinc metal battery improvements  An Oregon State University research group has developed a zinc metal anode electrolyte that raises the efficiency of zinc battery cells to nearly 100%, a breakthrough as companies scramble to find non-lithium-ion alternatives to supplement a growing U.S. energy storage market.

Ultrathin solar cells self-repair radiation damage in space  Third-party testing confirms a high level of resilience to the conditions of space in silicon-based solar cells developed by Arizona-based Solestial.

Massachusetts city offers EV adoption as employee benefit  Partnering with MoveEV to support the transition to EVs is expected to save Easthampton, Mass. about $360,000 per year on gasoline, among other benefits.

Wärtsilä battery passes UL 9540A fire certification milestone  Rigorous testing for grid-scale lithium-ion storage systems involved heating battery cells to induce thermal runaway within Wärtsilä’s storage module. Performing fire tests reveals critical information to the manufacturer, first responders and asset owners about how the battery system reacts in the unlikely event of a cell failure.

Birch Creek Energy acquires utility-scale solar developer  Washington, D.C.-based Foundation Solar is comprised of a team of solar industry veterans that have developed, acquired and managed over 6 GW of generation assets over the past two decades.

Community solar developer Summit Ridge Energy lined up its second tax equity financing commitment from Foss & Company, raising $67 million for a 50 MW community solar portfolio of 13 projects under development in Maine and Illinois.

The investment utilizes the Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) Qualified Advanced Energy Project Credit program. Once guidance for low- and moderate-income community incentives and domestic content requirements program is finalized, the developer expects to expand its partnership with the tax investor to fund additional projects in underserved and traditional energy communities.

The funding supports a development pipeline to provide residential and commercial subscribers with clean energy and an opportunity to support the local renewable economy.  The company has raised $122 million in tax equity commitments from Foss since partnering with the institutional investor in April 2021.

“In addition to targeting robust cash flow and economic returns for our investors, this portfolio is expected to increase access to low-cost clean energy for thousands of families and small businesses in Illinois and Maine,” said Bryen Alperin, managing director of Foss & Company. “This investment will allow us to continue building upon our current partnership with SRE, as well as advance our long-term mission of supporting a renewable energy future for all.”

Summit Ridge started construction on the 50 MW portfolio early this year and expects to achieve commercial operations in 2024. Once operational, the projects will generate clean power and energy savings for residential and commercial customers across six utility service territories. Commercial customers include small to large businesses who will remotely subscribe to the community solar projects.

At the Solar Energy Industries Association’s (SEIA) Finance, Tax & Buyers Seminar on March 21, Foss & Company’s Alperin told a tax equity panel audience that with the massive IRA legislation currently being disseminated and parsed out via guidance, “there’s more projects out there right now than investors.”  With additional guidance pending on transferability, or the selling of tax credits, and other incentives under the IRA, the solar project development market is currently in a bottlenecked pattern, with developers and investors both awaiting further clarity as projects get pencilled in, but not built, Alperin said.

Transferability was the number one topic at the SEIA Finance seminar this month, with many policy advisors including Seth Hanlon of the Department of Treasury saying that federal guidance on the tax credit transfer provision could come within a matter of weeks.  This year, companies with taxable income will be allowed to transfer investment and production tax credits, along with other tax credits, for cash to unrelated parties, and the proceeds from the transfer is not treated as taxable income.

Summit Ridge was formed in 2017 by Steve Raeder and Brian Dunn after the pair helmed SunEdison’s East Coast commercial and industrial solar business and served as vice president of the Hunt Companies’ distributed solar group, respectively. The company has developed community solar and rooftop distributed generation projects in Illinois, Maryland and Maine. In Illinois, the company has 250 MW of solar projects constructed and in development.  In July, Summit Ridge raised $175 million from Apollo Funds to fund geographic growth expansion and other initiatives.

In December, Summit Ridge partnered with the 548 Enterprise, Ecademy and Power52 Foundation to launch the “Sustainability Hub” on Chicago’s West Side to train more than 10,000 residents over the next decade.  The solar apprenticeship program is a 13-week (450 hour) training program targeting veterans, formerly incarcerated citizens returning to the workforce (returning citizens), and high school-aged adults from underserved communities. Summit Ridge is committing $600,000 in seed capital over the next two years for the program’s launch. To participate or learn more about a training program, visit  www.548enterprise.com/foundation.

One of the top 100 largest car dealerships in the United States, Arlington Toyota of Palatine, Illinois, commissioned Texas installer Solar One to build a 1,734-module solar array on its 2.9-acre building. 

The rooftop solar array generated 256,930 kWh of electricity in its first five months of operation, offsetting 50% of the site’s demand. It also offset the dealership’s carbon dioxide emissions by 128 tons. 

Solar One offered the dealership an innovative financing solution with no upfront cost to make the project happen. “The up-front investment required has been a hurdle that we were finally able to overcome with this project,” said Aaron Wilson, chief executive officer, Solar One. 

The installation was built and financed by the installer, and the initial investment will be recouped once Arlington Toyota takes in incentives like Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs), rebates from the state of Illinois, and the federal investment tax credit. 

“SRECs become payable upon certain production targets being achieved, which means it is in the interests of both Solar One and Arlington Toyota that the technology we install will produce the most energy possible,” said Wilson. 

Looking to maximize production at the site, Solar One tapped its partnership with inverter and optimizer provider SolarEdge. The project called for five SolarEdge 100 kW inverters along with power optimizers attached to each pair of modules.

The optimizers increase energy production while mitigating the effects of soiling and shading. Optimizers allow for independent operation of the paired modules, meaning that installers can make the most of a roof space, installing some panels near obstructions without risking lowering production for the array system-wide. 

“SolarEdge is now an important part of our identity, and it has enabled us to offer something unique in the market,” said Wilson. 

The company’s optimizers can be remotely monitored for production information and fault detection. Solar One will be sent automatic notifications with a pinpoint location of the fault, allowing for a fast repair. The company said this will lead to reduced maintenance costs over the life of the system, contributing to a return on investment of seven years. 

“Following the success of the Arlington Toyota project, we have since funded projects for several other similar sized businesses in the U.S.,” said Wilson. “Our solution means that customers can install solar with no upfront cost and enjoy 100% of the benefits and the energy it generates.” 

“The solar installation is a tremendous asset to our business, our image, and to our electricity bill, which is now 50% reduced from what it used to be before we installed the system,” said Gary Vicari, president of Arlington Toyota.