D.R. Horton, among the largest new home builders in the United States, announced it has selected Streetleaf as a national vendor. 

In the agreement, Streetleaf will provide its solar-powered streetlamps to D.R. Horton for its new construction communities. 

Streetleaf’s latest streetlamp includes a 21% efficiency solar panel, 220W high-efficiency LED lights, and an NiMH battery. The resilient structure can withstand temperatures up to 158 degrees F and winds of 160 mph. It an be installed at heights 15 to 25 feet and is available in black or white.

“Any housing project being developed without solar-powered streetlights is a missed opportunity for the future of that community,” stated Liam Ryan, chief executive officer of Streetleaf. “The demand for sustainable living solutions is growing exponentially and our streetlights are attracting the attention of potential homebuyers.” 

D.R. Horton already installs smart home technology in every home it builds. Now the company is incorporating smart neighborhood solutions, including solar-powered streetlights from Streetleaf. 

“Sustainable infrastructure is highly attractive to homeowners, and the added peace of mind that comes with knowing the lights are designed to remain operational even during many extreme weather events like hurricanes is equally important,” said Brad Conlon, senior vice president, business development, D.R. Horton. 

Over 7,300 Streetleaf streetlights have already been installed in more than 100 projects across the U.S. This has led to an estimated 2.6 million pounds of CO2 savings compared to traditional streetlights, said the company. 

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) used a circular economy framework to determine how to scale, deploy, and design future metal halide perovskite solar panels to be easily recyclable.

As initiatives to commercialize metal halide perovskite (MHP) solar technology are underway, especially efforts to ensure durable performance in the field, NREL researchers initiated a study of sustainability design factors as another important aspect of commercialization.

“Our goal with this perspective paper was to point out that existing technology does not prioritize building products with sustainability and circularity up front. It was not developed specifically to minimize waste or use the lowest energy processing steps,” Joey Luther, the research’s corresponding author, told pv magazine. “However, since PV is inherently a sustainable technology, now is the time to begin to evaluate how we can develop the commercialization of MHPs with sustainability in mind.”

The group performed the evaluation based on a a prototypical single-junction MHP module close to commercial designs, framed with mounting rails in a glass-glass module configuration with polymer encapsulants, and edge sealing typical of silicon and cadmium telluride panels. The individual PV cells are integrated via scribing, and include front glass coated with a transparent conductor, the MHP layer sandwiched between electron and hole transport materials and a back electrode.

In addition, the team drilled down into constituent chemicals, molecules, and materials typically used in perovskite A, B, and X sites.

For all of the above, sustainability aspects were evaluated, such as energy intensity of manufacturing, carbon intensity, rare mineral mining, recyclability, earth abundance, cost, fossil fuel derived, fail-safe encapsulation, health hazards, and flammability among others.

The prototype was further evaluated based on critical material concerns, embodied energy, carbon impacts and circular supply chain processes. The analysis included the frame, rail materials, front and back glass, encapsulation polymers, solvents, electron and hole transport materials, and electrode materials.

In an information-rich table, the team detailed how the eleven “Rs” of circularity for photovoltaics can offer opportunities and advantages within sustainable manufacturing. An adaptation of the “reduce, reuse, recycle” concept, some of the Rs discussed are listed here: refuse fossil fuels and carbon-intensive materials; reduce energy, material, and carbon input, repair or design for repair, reuse, repower, restore, and recover energy.

When it comes to recycling, the researchers noted that ‘recycling’ includes both downcycling to lower-value, or lower-quality, products. They explained that recycling is beneficial when recovered feedstocks replace virgin materials, which require energy-intensive refining. There is room for improvement. For example, PV glass manufacturing is still using virgin sources in new PV glass products and not post-consumer PV glass cullet, they noted.

The team identified five key areas and opportunities to pursue. The first is enhancing MHP module reliability to meet current commercial PV lifetime standards. Second, investigate the supply chain of low-trade-volume raw materials, such as cesium, and ensure adequate accessibility for the sustainable scale-up of a given MHP composition, or focus research, to reduce or substitute. Third, seek alternatives to indium. Fourth, explore how to accelerate PV glass recycling without downcycling. And fifth, further improve module remanufacturing processes.

“A reasonable combination of these solutions would enable MHP-PVs to contribute meaningfully and sustainably to the energy transition,” stressed the team.

The scientists asserted that “circularizing the PV supply chain, particularly through recycling and remanufacturing glass”, provides opportunities to lower the embodied energy and carbon of MHP-PVs. “Improvements in lifetime and reliability remain paramount for the energy transition and provide the largest benefits,” they concluded.

The perspective is detailed in “Sustainability pathways for perovskite photovoltaics,” published by nature materials.

From pv magazine France

It is the largest floating and mobile solar power plant in the world. Moored on the banks of the Seine, the temporary photovoltaic installation, rented especially for the Olympic Games by energy company EDF ENR to a subsidiary, helps supply green electricity to the Olympic and Paralympic Square, the central and festive site of the Athletes’ Village, where athletes and journalists gather. There are also shops and giant screens projecting live images of the competition.

Operating on pure self-consumption, the temporary solar power plant does not feed-in electricity into the grid, requiring real-time adaptation of electricity production to the site’s consumption. Spread over 470 square meters and with a capacity of 78 kWp — the consumption of 94 apartments in the Village — the installation’s main advantage is that it can be set up and dismantled very easily.

Innovative process

To unfold it on the pontoon, all you have to do is open the doors of the shipping container that houses it, pull the solar wings, which are pre-wired, connect them together and plug the whole thing into the container – where the inverter, protection systems and all the electrical parts are located – to have an operational solar power plant in less than 24 hours.

Beyond performance, this type of PV structure, innovative in its process, is an advantageous alternative to the use of generators to supply electricity to events such as the Olympic Games, trade fairs or festivals, or even isolated sites not accessible to the public network. The Voies Navigables de France (VNF), the French navigation authority responsible for the management of the majority of the country’s inland waterways, is the first to take an interest in it, particularly to carry out construction sites along the banks of rivers.

From pv magazine Germany

The Dutch research institute TNO has carried out a detailed life cycle analysis of floating PV systems on behalf of the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (PVPS). It shows that the floating systems have a slightly larger carbon footprint than land-based systems, mainly due to the additional components for the floating structure.

According to the experts, the carbon footprint of floating systems is around 15% larger than that of land-based systems with an east-west orientation. Compared to those with a south orientation, it is around 25%. However, floating systems have other advantages, such as the use of water instead of land and potential synergies with hydroelectric power plants.

According to their calculations, the CO2 emissions of floating systems are around 50 grams per kilowatt-hour of electricity generated, around seven times less than the current electricity mix in Germany and three to four times less than the EU-wide target for 2030.

For their analysis, the experts compared two real floating systems, one in Germany with a support structure made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and one in the Netherlands with a structure made of steel and HDPE, with hypothetical systems on land.

Recycling further reduces the carbon footprint

According to the experts, the carbon footprint of the floating system could be reduced with three measures: by using electricity from low-emission sources in the manufacture of the PV modules, by using recycled materials in the support structures and by recycling the HDPE at the end of its life cycle.

“Our study of two operating systems in Western Europe shows that floating photovoltaic systems on small inland waters can be a good complement to ground-mounted systems from the point of view of greenhouse gas emissions over the entire life cycle,” said Josco Kester, co-author of the study.

The researchers recommend further research into the environmental impact of floating photovoltaic systems, particularly with regard to the impact on aquatic ecosystems.

The University of Michigan student-run solar car team took home the gold covering 2095.5 miles (3372 km) at 37.51 mph (60.3 kmph) over 8 days in the latest Electrek American Solar Challenge 2024. The top spot placing came after a car roll on day one of the qualifier round damaged the engine, almost knocking the team out of the competition.

The Electrek American Solar Challenge 2024 attracted over 30 student-run teams from the U.S. and Canada to the eight-day competition that began on 20 July in Nashville, Tennessee, and ended in Casper, Wyoming on 27 July. The primary route has 1562.2 total miles to complete, plus seven optional loops for teams to earn additional points. Vehicles must average at least 35 mph for the event.

This year’s winner of the single-occupant vehicle class is the University of Michigan student team with its Astrum solar car. It completed 2095.5 miles (3372 km) at an average speed of 37.51 mph (60.3 kmph), followed by the team from Canada’s École de technologie supérieure with 2004.5 miles, and in third place, the Illinois State University solar car team with 1504.3 miles.

The winning team’s spokesperson told pv magazine that the team’s biggest technical challenge came in the qualifier race after a motor failure on day two, the result of damage experienced when the car rolled on the previous day. It was replaced in time and the team went on to complete the qualification rounds.

Astrum is a 3-wheel carbon fiber monohull design with a mandatory roll bar that measures 5 m*1.2 m *1.0 m. It has a 20 kg lithium-ion battery. Its 2 kW motor from Japan’s Mitsuba is powered by a 4m2 solar array featuring Maxeon Sunpower Gen 3 and Gen 7 solar cells.

The team will be taking Astrum to the next Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in Australia in 2025. Last year it finished in fourth place, just behind the student teams from Belgium’s Leuven University, Dutch Team Twente and the United Kingdom’s Brunel.

Three small changes that can make a big difference to your energy bills  There are a few ways to make efficiency-minded changes at home that reduce energy bills now and in the future.

8 GW of solar-plus-storage at resilience hubs in California could save lives Solar and storage at almost 20,000 community sites across California could help protect its population during power outages, especially during heat and smoke events, a study found.

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.

Senate committee approves bill to improve permitting of energy projects The bipartisan legislation is designed to speed up permitting by setting deadlines and doubling production targets for renewable energy permitting on federal lands while not compromising environmental review or community needs.

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.

Data center power loads threaten corporate net-zero goals The International Energy Agency (IEA) projects that by 2026, data centers will consume more than 800 TWh annually, more than double their consumption in 2022.

With the hike in energy costs, many homeowners are looking for ways to save money on utility bills. While there are some obvious changes you can make – like turning off lights in empty rooms – believe it or not, there are many lesser-known things you can do to make a greater impact on your energy consumption.

Looking to expedite savings? Here are a few ways to make efficiency-minded changes at home that reduce energy bills now – and in the future.

Lowering the temperature and heating smarter

One of the biggest energy guzzlers in the home is heating, accounting for 50-60% of a household’s total energy costs. So, it’s no surprise that this is one of the main areas people focus on when looking to reduce energy. But how do you do this without compromising on comfort?

Lots of us tend to leave the heating on in rooms we aren’t using, or due to the way in which the system is built, have to heat the whole house, which leads to higher energy bills. But we wouldn’t leave the lights on in every room when empty, or leave the taps running, so why do we not take this approach with our heating?

There are many types of heating controls that can be programmed and personalized to your needs. As noted in recent research from UK-based BEAMA, upgrading from basic heating controls to a multi-zone smart heating system, where you heat rooms individually, can offer savings of over 30% on the average heating and hot water bill.

Additionally, intelligent thermostats can now detect when a window is open and automatically pause the heating. Even better, the latest home technology learns your behaviors to ensure you maximize energy savings without compromising on comfort.

Slaying vampire devices

Most of us are guilty of leaving devices plugged in when we’ve finished using them, but did you know that even on standby mode they consume electricity?

Yes – 23% of a household’s electricity is wasted by ‘vampire’ devices, appliances that consume lots of energy even when on standby mode. This includes gaming consoles, televisions, and smart speakers, just to name a few. Ensuring that they’re switched off helps limit unnecessary costs, but instead of manually having to go around your home to turn appliances off, smart plugs can make saving easier.

A smart plug can be easily turned on and off from a smartphone app, and some even allow you to set schedules for your appliances too. That means that if your plans suddenly change and a vampire device is still plugged in, you can easily disable it remotely, so you won’t have an eye-watering energy bill to come home to.

Automate your energy use

Homes are becoming highly complex energy environments, with tens or even hundreds of electrical devices all running at once. But very few of us have the expertise, time or desire to constantly check that we’re following good energy habits.

That is where home energy management systems (HEMS) come in. With the ability to automate all aspects of your energy – from production through consumption – they can help to lower energy bills.

One of the larger electrical loads commonly found in homes, in fact, are EV chargers. With electric vehicle sales increasing 35% year-over-year in 2023, more of us are installing EV chargers in our homes for easy, convenient charging. However, these chargers are one of the largest electrical loads, which can bump up your energy bills.

With a HEMS, the timing of your charge can automatically be shifted to, for example, run during the night when the utility costs are lowest. Additionally, a HEMS is great for homes powered by renewables, such as solar panels. Solar panels have the capability to generate surplus energy, and a HEMS can help you manage this extra power in a simple, cost- effective way.

The first is storing the excess in a home battery which you will then be able to use for things like charging your EV instead of using electricity from the grid. Additionally, you could also use the stored energy in the event of a power outage.

Alternatively, the surplus may be sold back to the grid, to be used in exchange for payment or credits contributing to greater saving on your electricity bills. By making your home efficient and energy secure, all from the push of a button, smart energy apps and home energy management systems can help reduce consumption by 7%.

Michael Lotfy Gierges is executive vice president for the Home & Distribution division at Schneider Electric. ​In this role, he is responsible for all aspects of Schneider Electric’s residential & small buildings offerings and solution development. 

AI-enabled solar installation robot Maximo the robot will soon help to construct the 2 GW Bellefield solar project in California. 

California state grant advances 2 GWh iron flow battery deployment plans The Sacramento Municipal Utility District’s long-duration battery energy storage project in partnership with ESS Tech, Inc. has been awarded a $10 million grant from the California Energy Commission to demonstrate the capability of iron flow battery technology.

Can the grid cope with the surge in electricity demand? The grid needs to modernize to meet a booming demand for electricity, which is only predicted to grow even further in coming years. IEC Standards are key to help with the transition.

Sunnova forges two new partnerships with home energy financers The residential solar and energy storage “adaptive services” provider partnered with EV charging and home energy financers.

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.

The New York Solar Energy Industries Association has called for “high-impact policy interventions” to move the state beyond its distributed solar goal of 10 GW by 2030 to reach 20 GW by 2035. The call comes in a report seeking to influence state policymakers.

Of New York’s current 5.8 GW of solar, 93% is rooftop and community solar, which NYSEIA counts as distributed solar. New York has about 3 GW of rooftop solar and nearly that amount of community solar.

Utility-scale solar is lagging in the state, and has faced “recent setbacks,” says NYSEIA. Those setbacks have created “a significant gap between New York’s pipeline of clean energy projects and what’s needed to comply” with the state’s legislated 70% renewables mandate by 2030, the report says.

Yet New York is “ahead of schedule toward the state’s goal of deploying 10 gigawatts of rooftop and community solar by 2030,” and the state’s distributed solar industry is “well-positioned to help New York close the gap” by deploying an additional 10 GW of solar “while delivering significant benefits.”

The largest projected benefit would be $50 billion in customer savings over 25 years, as 10 GW of additional distributed solar would provide about $1.65 billion in annual electricity bill savings for New Yorkers who install solar panels or subscribe to a community solar project.

Increasing the amount of distributed solar plus storage to help meet New York’s 2030 renewables goal would also result in lower costs than relying “heavily” on large-scale renewables and transmission buildout, saving a projected $28 billion, the report says, citing a 2021 analysis by Vibrant Clean Energy.

To to accelerate distributed solar deployment, NYSEIA calls for new approaches to local permitting and utility interconnection, “targeted” incentives, “smart” electric rate design, and virtual power plant programs. The group’s 11 policy recommendations could, in aggregate, “transform and accelerate New York’s clean energy progress,” the report says. Specific recommendations  include:

• State-level permitting support for community solar projects that face restrictive local laws
• Automated permitting for residential solar plus storage, using software such as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s SolarAPP+
• Faster interconnection
• Flexible interconnection, to address hosting capacity constraints and mitigate costly grid upgrades
• Grid investments to support solar plus storage deployment that can supply clean power to new loads
• Improvements to New York’s Value of Distributed Energy Resources electric rate tariff
• Support for virtual power plant programs
• Continued improvements in the state’s community solar programs
• Improvements to the residential solar tax credit and the distributed solar incentive program.

NYSEIA’s report is titled “Raising New York’s Distributed Solar Goal: 20 Gigawatts by 2035.”

The Canadian government’s OHPA program, which incentivizes homeowners to switch from heating their homes with oil to a heat pump, is now available to citizens of the eastern province of Prince Edward Island.

The OPHA program offers up to CAD 15,000 ($10,914) per eligible low- to medium-income household. The funds can be used to install heat pumps, alongside additional measures such as switching to electric water heaters, supplemental electric resistance heaters, electrical upgrades, and the safe removal of oil tanks.

The program began delivery in Prince Edward Island after an agreement was signed between the federal and provincial governments. It is estimated that 5,000 grants have been issued to applicants in the area.

The federal government also has co-delivery arrangements in place for the OPHA program with Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, and British Columbia. It said it “looks forward to co-delivering the program with other provinces and territories soon.”

As of July 5, a total of 7,403 heat pumps have been installed under the plan nationally, with 10,568 Canadian households having received upfront payments.

“Canadians should be able to save on energy bills by heating and cooling their homes more efficiently,” said Bobby Morrissey, member of parliament for Egmont, Prince Edward Island. “This is especially true in Atlantic Canada, where many are facing high energy costs … That’s why this federal government is helping Canadians switch from expensive home heating oil to lower-cost and lower-emission heat pumps through the Oil to Heat Pump Affordability program. This next step in the program is a win-win: it will provide even more support for low-to-medium-income Islanders who are looking to reduce their energy bills while also reducing pollution.”

In jurisdictions where OHPA agreements are not yet in place, oil-heated households can still apply for up to CAD 10,000 in federal funding to make the switch to heat pumps. Government estimates suggest that homeowners who switch from an oil furnace to a cold-climate heat pump could save approximately CAD 1,500 to CAD 4,500 per year on their home energy bills, depending on their province or territory.

Earlier this month, the province of British Columbia launched a rebate scheme for homeowners that install rooftop solar and battery energy storage systems, offering up to CAD 10,000.

From pv magazine Germany

A team from Saarland University in Germany has secured funding from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Pathfinder program to develop elastocalorics heating and cooling technology as an alternative to heat pumps and air conditioning systems.

The €4 million ($4.36 million) EIC Pathfinder Challenge research project aims to develop a prototype for decentralized room air conditioning within three years. According to the research team, the technology is rated by the World Economic Forum (WEF) as one of the “TOP Ten Technologies 2024.” The US Department of Energy and the European Commission have also declared it to be the most promising alternative to conventional heating and cooling.

The solid-state heating and cooling process is based on transporting heat into or out of a room by loading and unloading a so-called shape memory material, for example in the form of wires. The material absorbs heat when it is loaded, for example when it is pulled, and releases it again when the load is removed.

The researchers, led by elastocalorics pioneer Paul Motzki, are using the superelastic nickel-titanium alloy for this purpose. Materials made from this alloy return to their original shape after deformation because they have two crystal lattices and thus two phases. While water, for example, assumes the solid, liquid and gaseous phases, in nickel-titanium both phases are solid but merge into one another.

Motzki, who holds a bridge professorship between Saarland University and the Center for Mechatronics and Automation Technology (ZeMA), is leading a consortium as part of the SMACool project, which is now funded by the EIC. The consortium also includes the universities in Ljubljana and Naples, as well as Irish company Exergyn.

The aim is to jointly develop a prototype of an air conditioning unit for residential buildings. Fresh air will flow in through narrow ventilation slots in the external walls and be heated or cooled as required until the desired temperature for the room behind is reached.

“With our technology, we don’t want to heat and cool houses with a central system, but rather each individual room in a decentralized and individual way,” said Motzki.

The compact unit to be developed could also be installed directly in new buildings with ventilation systems in the future.

With an electrocaloric system, temperature differences of around 20 C can be achieved when cooling and heating. The technology could become an alternative to conventional cooling and heating methods, as it does not require coolants and uses considerably less energy.

“The efficiency of elastocaloric materials is more than ten times higher than today’s air conditioning or heating systems – they will require significantly less electricity,” said Motzki.

Teams in Saarbrücken, Germany, have spent around 15 years researching and developing a technology using thin sheets of nickel-titanium to achieve optimal cooling or heating effects in circulatory systems. This includes creating a cooling and heating demonstrator and a continuously operating refrigerator.

From pv magazine Global

The world will have to expand renewables capacity at a minimum rate of 16.4% per year through to 2030 to meet targets pledged at COP28, according to new statistics from IRENA.

IRENA’s latest report underscores a key risk: the world may fail to achieve its 11.2 TW target by 2030. The report reveals that renewables capacity grew by a record 14% in 2023. If this growth rate continues, IRENA said that the world could fall short by 1.5 TW, or 13.5%, of its target by 2030.

“Renewable energy has been increasingly outperforming fossil fuels, but it is not the time to be complacent. Renewables must grow at higher speed and scale,” said IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera. “Today’s report is a wake-up call for the entire world.”

COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber said that reaching the target will require more collaboration between governments, the private sector, multilateral organizations, and civil society.

“Governments need to set explicit renewable energy targets, look at actions like accelerating permitting and expanding grid connections, and implement smart policies that push industries to step up and incentivise the private sector to invest,” Al Jaber said. “Above all, we must change the narrative that climate investment is a burden to it being an unprecedented opportunity for shared socio-economic development.”

In June, the International Energy Agency published a report on the COP28 tripling renewable capacity pledge, after finding only only 14 of 194 National Determined Contributions from countries worldwide explicitly lay out 2030 targets for renewables capacity.

Amazon set a goal in 2019 to match all of the electricity consumed in its global operations with 100% renewable energy by 2030. The company announced recently that it achieved this target in 2023, seven years ahead of schedule.

To be clear – Amazon is not a carbon emissions-free enterprise. The retail giant uses gas-powered trucking and flies commercial jets. Some of its datacenters are operated on electric grids that are still heavily fossil fuel based.

In many cases, Amazon matches its electricity demand by investing in Renewable Energy Credits (RECs), documents that represent financial investment in off-site renewable energy capacity. RECs are a common pathway for corporations pursuing clean energy procurement goals. However, RECs have been shown to have limited impact on increased renewable energy production.

Nevertheless, Amazon has invested billions of dollars in more than 500 solar and wind projects globally, which together produce the equivalent of roughly 7.6 million U.S. homes. And, it has set a pledge to be net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, which would include decarbonized transportation and logistics, which is no easy task. While an REC-based achievement of this target would make nice headlines, a true direct decarbonization of Amazon’s own operations will take time.

“We’ve known from the start that our path to net-zero would have many obstacles and need to be adjusted for changes to both our business and the world. Nevertheless, as with all of our long-term goals, we remain optimistic and focused on achieving them,” said Amazon in a press release.

In total, Amazon’s renewable energy portfolio will help avoid an estimated 27.8 million tons of carbon per year once all projects are operational.

In addition to investment in utility-scale projects, the company has also enabled almost 300 on-site solar projects on the rooftops and properties of Amazon fulfillment centers, Whole Foods Market stores, and other corporate buildings around the world.

Amazon’s commitment to renewable energy moves beyond investment, as well. The company has gotten involved in developing solutions to the mounting grid interconnection issues in the United States that are perhaps the most severe bottlenecks for the clean energy transition.

“According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the world must add or replace 80 million kilometers of grids by 2040 to meet climate targets, and more than 1,500 GW of renewables projects are waiting in the queue globally,” said Amazon. “To help address this, teams across Amazon are engaging with energy regulators to find new ways to support grid modernization, remove permitting obstacles, and deploy grid enhancing technologies.” 

In total, Amazon reported a 3% reduction in emissions in 2023, its most significant reduction since making its climate pledge in 2019.

Read more pv magazine USA coverage of Amazon’s solar activity here.

Researchers from Spain’s Andalusian Association for Research and Industrial Cooperation (AICIA) have investigated the potential usage of photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) energy for beer brewing. Specifically, they have looked into using PV systems into microbreweries, defined as those with an annual production below 5,000 hectoliters (hl).

“A PVT system has the potential to preheat brewing water and generate electricity,” explained the researchers. “Given the brewing process’s requirement for low-temperature heat and cold, a solar-assisted multi-generation system proves to be suitable. Microbreweries typically lack steam boilers, often relying on gas burners or electric resistors for heat supply. Additionally, small vapor-compression chillers are common for cold production.”

For their investigation, the researcher constructed computational simulations using TRNSYS software, utilizing actual heat and cold load profiles from a Spanish microbrewery located in Jerez de la Frontera, southern Spain. The brewery is assumed to be able to produce 650 l of beer in batches three times per week, totaling an annual production of about 1,000 hl.

“The main energy-related components of the brewery include heat resistors (2 x 10 kW); an air–water chiller 7.5 kW, a chilled water tank 1.3 m3; and an air conditioner-heat pump (ACHP), 3.5/3.2 kW (heat/cold),” the scientists specified.

To deal with the electric and heat loads, several scenarios were created. Firstly, the simulation was run with different panels. It used either 350 W PV modules, 390 W unglazed PVT panels, or 260 W glazed PVT modules. For each of them, three system sizes were considered — 3.9 kW, 10 kW, and 15 kW. They were tested against the climatic conditions of Malaga and Madrid, Spain, and Stuttgart, Germany, along with the relevant economic metrics.

“Furthermore, two configurations of the PVT-plus-thermal storage were analyzed,” added the academics. “The first one considers that the storage tank has an internal coil where the fluid to/from the solar field flows. The working fluid at the storage tank is treated water, since it is an ingredient of the beer, at the temperature of the mains. The second configuration  considers that the working fluid at the tank is the same as the one of the solar circuit (water), and through the internal coil flows the treated waters that are later used in the process.”

The simulation showed that the PV-only system could cover between 6.9% and 28.2% of the electricity production in the 4 kW Stuttgart plant and 28.2% in the 15 kW Malaga microbrewery. With the PVT systems, the range was 12.4% to 27.1% in Malaga, 10.4% to 23.9% in Madrid, and 5.8% to 16.9% in Stuttgart.

“When considering just the thermal contribution of the PVT systems for the pre-boiling stage heat demand, between 12% to 47.6% can be covered with the PVT in Malaga, between 11.3% and 42.4% in Madrid, and between 4.9% and 27.6% in Stuttgart,” added the scientists.

“The payback period for all PV systems, regardless of location, is around 4–6 years,” they concluded. “In this study, despite Spain having higher solar radiation, the cost of conventional energy being lower than in Germany compensates for the economic analysis. The payback period for PVT systems ranges from 13 to over 25 years.”

Their findings were presented in “PVT potential for a small-scale brewing process: A case study,” published in Thermal Science and Engineering Progress. Scientists from Spain’s Andalusian Association for Research and Industrial Cooperation (AICIA) and the University of Seville have conducted the research.

There are over 2,000 microbreweries in the U.S., representing another sizeable opportunity for solar to support small businesses.

Keeping the grid stable is priority number one for grid operators, and over the past century, various technologies and strategies have emerged and been implemented to assist with load management, frequency regulation, and black start capability, among others. Most of these solutions are designed to work with a grid characterized by high inertia provided by spinning generators. However, as solar PV and other inverter-based power generation resources increase in number on the grid, they often displace spinning generators, the source of high inertia, leaving grid operators who have small and islanded systems to manage low-inertia grids with tools designed for high-inertia grids. This doesn’t work.

One big problem for island systems with low inertia is that the rate of change of frequency (RoCoF) is faster on a low-inertia grid than on a high-inertia one. This means that the response rate to correct a frequency deviation must occur within milliseconds on a low-inertia grid, whereas a high-inertia grid can rely on that inertia to carry it through the first five to ten-second period before needing to rebalance. Traditional frequency regulation methods such as generator and load-shedding responses are simply not fast enough for low-inertia grids.

The solid lines on this graph depict the dropping frequency on low, medium and high inertia systems. As is demonstrated by the steep drop of the yellow (low inertia) line, the frequency drops much more rapidly on a low inertia system than on a high inertia (red line) system.

To combat this problem, low-inertia grid operators turn to traditional solutions, such as increasing the number of fossil-fuel spinning generators to compensate for the drop in system inertia. Then, because they need to keep the additional generator running so it is ready to respond to such an event, and this generator is producing electricity, the operators resort to curtailing the renewable energy generated by their inverter-based resources because they now have an excess of power supply. In addition to wasting generated renewable energy, this approach creates a vicious cycle that adds unnecessary redundancy, expense, and runs counter to environmental and sustainability initiatives.

Solving the inertia deficit

It may seem counterintuitive to operators who are familiar with traditional grid management methods, but the key to stabilizing the destabilizing effects of more renewables on the grid is—more renewables. And the key to managing more renewables is—software in the form of a high-speed, precise controller. The renewables can make up for the lost inertia by offering synthetic inertia in the form of rapid or fast frequency response, and the controller is the brains behind detecting grid disturbances and ensuring the inverter-based resources are dispatched within milliseconds to rebalance any deviations.

A critical part of this approach is to integrate a battery energy storage system (BESS). The BESS behaves as a shock absorber capable of absorbing or releasing power from/onto the grid to compensate for changes in production, load, or frequency. When a BESS is paired with a sophisticated high-speed controller, the BESS can be called upon to perform additional grid management functions, increasing its own return on investment. These additional BESS functions include:

• Energy shifting: Absorbing excess solar PV power during periods of high production and dispatching it during low production times. This reduces the need for curtailments, captures generated power that would otherwise be lost, and augments the ability to respond to demand spikes.
• Ramp control: Solar PV production is intermittent and can be highly variable during weather events when cloud cover can cause rapid peaks and valleys in power output. A BESS can absorb those peaks and bump up the valleys to smooth and stabilize power output.
• Frequency regulation: Providing fast frequency response to address the steep RoCoF on low-inertia grids is a snap as BESS power can be instantly dispatched to address a frequency deviation.

It takes a multi-level, high-speed controller to manage all these use cases in a single battery. The controller needs to be able to generate a plan in advance that factors in anticipated grid load requirements and be able to adapt that plan in response to current events. Without the kind of parallel processing capability that can learn, plan, triage, and command, the BESS might be full when it needs to absorb and drained when it needs to dispatch. Of course, it’s possible to have dedicated BESS units for each use case but given the amount of downtime that the BESS is idling in between use cases, it makes more sense to pack all the use cases into one. This saves capital costs and helps in instances where there may be physical constraints that prevent multiple BESS units from being installed.

So far, we’ve revealed that the ‘secret’ to keeping a highly renewable grid stable is to integrate a BESS + multi-level, high-speed controller onto the grid. But what about inverters, where do those come in?

Will grid-forming inverters help?

When it comes to tools made for the 21st-century grid, grid-forming inverters show a lot of promise. Unlike grid-following ones, grid-forming inverters don’t require a fully functioning grid to “follow” to determine their own set points. This makes them great for managing inverter-based resources on low-inertia grids.

When paired with renewable resources like solar PV or a BESS, grid-forming inverters can help with grid support services such as black start and frequency management. However, there are some services they can’t assist with, and worse, when multiple grid-forming inverters are configured on a grid, they can compete with one another to try to re-stabilize the grid after a disturbance, which results in more destabilization. So, they can’t offer a full solution to low-inertia grid woes.

What the inverters need is something in charge of all of them. That’s where the multi-level controller comes in again. A multi-level, high-speed controller establishes and enforces a control hierarchy over all the grid’s energy resources, empowering each resource to contribute when and as needed, as directed by the controller. It can work with both grid-forming and –following inverters and integrate with the grid’s existing resources. Plus, if it is both network- and equipment-aware, the controller will ensure operations remain within the system’s constraints.

With visibility over the entire grid and its resources, the multi-level controller can take a holistic approach and make real-time decisions that take the grid’s limitations and the operator’s priorities into account. That leads to fewer outages and more rapid restorations when unavoidable outages occur.

Islands wishing to reduce their reliance on fossil fuel power generation need to let go of traditional grid management methods and embrace the tools of the 21st-century grid. Solar PV, wind generation, high-speed inverters, and BESSs are all part of the new technology mix, and when combined with a multi-level, high-speed controller, have been proven in real-world island environments.

Tim Allen, CEO of PXiSE Energy Solutions, brings more than 22 years of experience across utility-scale solar, wind and energy storage projects, software controls, investor-owned utility, independent power producer and pure developer realms. His unique set of skills, beginning with an Electrical Engineering degree from CalPoly offers seasoned perspectives and relationships that position him to lead PXiSE into the future. 

University solar projects model institutional responsibility With a goal of achieving net neutrality by 2030, the University at Buffalo is not just generating clean energy with its solar installations, but serving as an example of how solar can become part of the landscape.

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.

U.S. household energy can wield 15 GW to affordably meet electricity demand A report from Deloitte showed how distributed energy resources (DER) can help the U.S. meet its climate goals while improving the functionality of the grid.

Google invests in Taiwanese solar developer New Green Power Google has made a capital investment in Taiwan-based New Green Power, in a deal that grants the U.S. company the rights to procure up to 300 MW of solar assets.

PV market eyes recovery amid falling module prices Martin Schachinger, founder of pvXchange.com, says that solar module prices are falling across the board, while batteries and inverters are hitting historically low prices due to market oversupply.

AEG unveils hybrid inverters for high-voltage PV systems The new three-phase hybrid inverter series includes five versions with power ratings of 6 kW to 15 kW. They feature efficiencies of up to 98.2% and a maximum input voltage of 1,000 V.

The University at Buffalo (UB) has an aggressive climate action plan with a goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2030. To move the University closer to that goal, it’s installed five ground-mount solar arrays as well as four rooftop installations with plans for more in the future.

The largest and most recent of the arrays called the UB Solar Stroll is set on 24.5 acres on the University campus. Made up of 16,354 Qcell Q.Peak Duo 400 W solar panels, the Solar Stroll array produces 6.54 MW of electricity or 8.29 GWh annually, the equivalent to offsetting the usage of approximately 1,354 homes.

Ryan McPherson, chief sustainability officer, told pv magazine USA that when they built the solar project, they didn’t want to put fences around it “because solar is not just about energy.” He noted that the high-voltage equipment is fenced, of course, but otherwise the arrays are open to the public. “It gets people thinking about how you can integrate solar into your world.”

The Solar Stroll and its predecessor, the Solar Strand, have become models for how to integrate solar into the landscape, and is now used by clubs, school groups and community organizations. The University’s Solar Decathlon house also sits alongside the Strand, another testament to UB’s commitment to sustainability.

As chief sustainability officer, McPherson played a lead role in the solar projects and said that the organization, Second Nature, was infinitely helpful. “We wouldn’t have done what we’ve done without them,” McPherson said.

Second Nature is a non-profit organization with a mission to help higher education institutions act on climate commitments and to help them scale campus climate initiatives and create innovative climate solutions. The organization reports that since 1993, it has helped hundreds of colleges and universities work toward achieving climate goals.

McPherson said that it was through Second Nature’s workshops, educational and networking opportunities that he learned about renewables and specifically about power purchase agreements. “Second Nature catalyzed solar in universities”.

Before the University embarked on the Solar Stroll array, it had financed smaller installations through grants. Financing the larger array was a challenge. “Our bread and butter is research and education, so when there’s capital, our cash goes into that,” McPherson said.

Second Nature introduced the University to the power purchase agreement (PPA) model, which helped them to leverage capital and gave them budget stability. UB signed a 20-year PPA with Buffalo Climate Action, a subsidiary of Solar Liberty and Oriden, which has since been assigned to Greenbacker.

McPherson said the result is that, while they were initially just trying to get to grid parity, they have stability because they know what they’ll pay for energy over time and they’re actually saving money now.

The University is now using two different models of PPAs; a virtual PPA that goes out to the meter and another physical one that is behind the meter. They also embarked on an initiative to advance solar in the region, partnering with Erie County, Buffalo State College and Erie Community College. “If we achieve climate neutrality by 2030, that’s great but if nobody else does it doesn’t help,” said McPherson.

Going forward, UB is looking to mandate that all new construction have the ability to install rooftop solar on buildings, similar to the measure California recently enacted requiring builders to include solar and battery energy storage in most new construction projects. The University is also looking closely at solar canopies for campus parking lots.

“As a major public research university, these solar panels speak — they communicate and reinforce our value of taking responsibility for our actions as an institution,” said  McPherson.

The renewable energy projects received national attention when Vice President Kamala Harris chose UB as the place to tout the landmark Inflation Reduction Act. The Vice President called the work that is happening at UB “very exciting and really a model for our country.”

SolarEdge Technologies, a provider of inverters, module level power electronics, battery energy storage, and other related technologies, announced it has been selected by Rutgers University to support research of dual-use agrivoltaics.

Agrivoltaics is the practice of installing solar arrays on function farmland. The arrays are typically raised higher than a traditional array, leaving space for crops to grow below.

Administered by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, Rutgers will assist the Dual-Use Solar Energy Pilot Program. The program is a three-year study of 200 MW of agrivoltaic installations.

“The aim of our research is to develop knowledge that will help to establish practices that can help improve both the sustainability and viability of farms through safe and regulated adoption of solar energy,” said Margaret Brennan-Tonetta, director of resource and economic development, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station.

(Read “Has the US caught up with European agrivoltaic deployment?”)

The program includes three project sites, including a different panel mounting method to understand effects on cost, agricultural production, and electricity generation.

• Rutgers Animal Farm in New Brunswick has vertically mounted bifacial panels and will be used for the production of forage crops and beef cattle grazing (170 kWDC installed and grid-connected)

• Snyder Research and Extension Farm in Pittstown has single-axis trackers and will be used for hay production (94.5 kWDC installed and 82.4 kWDC grid-connected)

• Rutgers Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Bridgeton has single axis trackers with both single-wide and double-wide rows of panels and will be used for the production of vegetable and staple crops (255 kWDC installed and 48.6 kWDC grid-connected)

Each site will use SolarEdge’s module level power electronics (MLPE) to collect and analyze production data.

“Agrivoltaics is a perfect example of a real ‘win-win’,” said Bertrand Vandewiele, general manager, SolarEdge North America. “This practice allows for expanded solar development to address climate change, without the land-use challenges often associated with ground mounted solar developments. It can also provide benefits for farmers, allowing a stable revenue stream and protection against climate hazards.”

Vandewiele shared that in the U.S., there are already more than 500 active agrivoltaics sites, adding a total of 9 GW of solar capacity to the grid. He said these numbers are likely to grow as interest in agrivoltaics has been greatly expanding, as indicated by the increase in support and funding for the sector. For example, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s funding for agrivoltaics more than tripled from 2021 to 2022.

NJBPU, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, the State Agricultural Development Committee, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, and the Rutgers Agrivoltaics Program are participating in the pilot. 

(Read about a vertical solar study at Rutgers in “New Jersey farm studies agrivoltaics with vertically mounted solar“)

Research areas for the pilot program will include:

• Impact on yield and quality of vegetables, nursery crops, sod, cranberries, blueberries and grapes

• Impact on pastures and animals (sheep, cows, horses) grazing underneath solar panels

• Opportunities for Controlled Environment Agriculture (greenhouses and high tunnels), including the use of supplemental lighting powered by photovoltaics

• Greenhouse Gas (GHG) based-Life cycle assessment for conventional field production versus crops grown under agrivoltaic systems, including the impact on water consumption and renewable energy generation

• Optimal design of agrivoltaic systems for NJ farms (pole placement and height, panel type and efficiency, panel tilt angle, tracking systems, etc.)

• Economic opportunities and challenges for agrivoltaics in NJ

Read more global pv magazine coverage of agrivoltaics.

As clean energy professionals, we’re rightfully proud of the rapid progress being made in deploying solar, wind, and battery storage technologies. The plummeting costs and increasing efficiencies of renewables mean that greening the grid by 2050 is now a realistic goal. This is cause for celebration.

However, we must also reckon with an inconvenient truth: even if we achieve 100% clean electricity by mid-century, atmospheric CO2 levels are still on track to reach around 450 parts per million (ppm) by 2050 – far above the 350 ppm level considered safe for humanity. The painful reality is that the clean energy transition, while absolutely necessary, is not sufficient on its own to avert climate catastrophe.

This is the stark message of Peter Fiekowsky’s recent book Climate Restoration, which argues that we must go beyond emissions reductions to actually remove a trillion tons of legacy CO2 from the atmosphere. Only by restoring CO2 to pre-industrial levels below 300 ppm can we ensure the long-term survival and flourishing of human civilization.

Fiekowsky, an MIT-educated physicist and entrepreneur, contends that relying solely on emissions cuts to stabilize CO2 around 450 ppm is far too risky. Humans have never lived long-term with CO2 that high. The last time levels were similar was over 3 million years ago, when sea levels were 60 feet higher and global temperatures 5-8°F warmer. Allowing CO2 to remain elevated for centuries risks crossing irreversible tipping points in the climate system.

The good news is that CO2 removal at the necessary scale is technologically feasible and surprisingly affordable, costing an estimated $1-2 billion per year. Fiekowsky identifies four main approaches that could restore atmospheric CO2 to safe levels by 2050:

1. Ocean iron fertilization to stimulate plankton blooms that absorb CO2
2. Seaweed permaculture to grow and sink carbon-sequestering kelp
3. Synthetic limestone manufacture using captured CO2
4. Enhanced atmospheric methane oxidation

These nature-based and biomimicry solutions harness and accelerate the Earth’s natural carbon cycle processes. Importantly, they are permanent, scalable, and financeable – key criteria for viable CO2 removal approaches. When you consider that New York City (just one major coastal metro) is currently debating whether to spend $20 to $50 billion dollars on an ocean barrier system to prevent future storm surges from flooding the city, the $2 billion/yr price tag on climate restoration seems like a better bet.

As clean energy professionals, we must expand our focus beyond just greening the grid to include large-scale carbon removal. Here’s why:

First, it’s a moral imperative. We have an obligation to restore a safe, stable climate for future generations. Stopping emissions is necessary but not sufficient – we must clean up the trillion-ton legacy CO2 mess we’ve already created.

Second, it’s risk mitigation. Relying solely on emissions cuts without CO2 removal is an enormously risky bet on humanity’s ability to thrive in a radically altered climate state. Carbon removal gives us vital insurance.

Third, it’s economic opportunity. CO2 removal solutions like synthetic limestone can produce valuable products, creating new industries and jobs. The transition to a circular carbon economy will require major infrastructure investments.

Fourth, it’s technically synergistic. Many carbon removal approaches like ocean fertilization or seaweed cultivation could be powered by offshore wind or floating solar, creating virtuous cycles.

To be clear, carbon removal is not an excuse to slow down the clean energy transition – both are essential. But the clean energy community must broaden its vision to champion carbon removal alongside renewables deployment.

Specific actions we can take include:

• Advocate for updating climate policy goals to include restoring CO2 to pre-industrial levels (300 PPM of CO2 is worthy goal), not just emissions cuts
• Support R&D funding and commercial deployment of CO2 removal solutions
• Explore integrating carbon removal with renewable energy projects
• Educate ourselves and others on the need for atmospheric CO2 cleanup

The coming decades will be pivotal for humanity’s future. By combining a rapid shift to 100% clean energy with large-scale deployment of carbon removal solutions, we can create a true climate restoration future – one with a healthy, livable planet for generations to come. But we must act quickly and decisively. The clean energy industry has shown it can innovate and scale rapidly when needed. Now we must apply that same spirit to carbon removal. Our children’s future depends on it.

Tim Montague leads the Clean Power Consulting Group and is host of the Clean Power Hour podcast. He is a solar project developer, cleantech executive coach and consultant, mastermind group leader, entrepreneur and technology enthusiast. 

From pv magazine 6/24

Data centers come in many sizes. The largest, China Telecom’s Inner Mongolia Information Park, spans 100 hectares and consumes up to 150 MW per hour. North Virginia, in the United States, houses around 300 facilities in a grouping known as Data Center Alley, with each consuming about 10 to 50 times the energy per square meter of a typical commercial office.

Utility Dominion Energy was forced to pause grid connections for new members of Data Center Alley in 2022 and is now constructing new transmission lines to meet demand.

The United States has more than 5,000 data centers and consultant McKinsey & Company expects their power consumption to rise from a peak 17 GW/hour, in 2022, to 35 GW/hour in 2030.

Scaling up

Data centers are becoming more high density and power intensive but also more efficient.

“The hyperscale cloud providers all seem to be locked in an arms race to build out as much infrastructure as quickly as they can,” said Dan Thompson, principal research analyst at S&P Global Market Intelligence. “Some of this is high-density, high-performance, compute-type deployments, but a lot of it is also the cloud providers building out at scale. Densities in watts per square foot are rising, but I think what we’re seeing right now is just the tip of the iceberg.”

Data centers have a power usage effectiveness (PUE) ratio, which dictates how much energy is needed for computing versus other activity, such as cooling, lighting, and power losses. A PUE of 1.5 would indicate a data center requiring 500 kW of extra power for 1 MW needed for computing purposes.

S&P’s Thompson said power densities have fallen from an average 1.58 in 2020, as power density and cooling efficiency have risen. The lowest values, however, involve some trade-offs.

“The data centers we’re seeing built now are designed for PUEs of 1.3 to 1.4, so you can see some improvement there,” said Thompson. “That said, while they are designed for those PUEs, many factors could cause the building to never actually realize that PUE, depending on climate and operations. We have seen some constructions with a designed PUE of 1.15 to 1.2, however these facilities require the consumption of large volumes of clean water to reach those numbers. Given the issues around access to clean water, hyperscalers and the companies building data centers for them have tended to build slightly less efficient data centers for the sake of using very little or no water.”

Greener computing

The world’s technology giants are the biggest corporate power purchase agreement (PPA) buyers of renewable energy. On March 1, 2024, Microsoft and asset manager Brookfield signed a record 10.5 GW deal to deliver solar, wind, and “new or impactful carbon-free energy generation technologies” to Microsoft from 2026 to 2030.

Microsoft says its CO₂ emissions are now up 30% from when it set its 2030 net-zero target, in 2020, and mainly because of data centers.

“The rise in our scope 3 emissions [from third-party, supply chain companies] primarily comes from the construction of more data centers and the associated embodied carbon in building materials as well as hardware components such as semiconductors, servers, and racks,” said Microsoft, adding that the 10.5 GW renewables PPA is on top of a 19.8 GW clean power portfolio.

Simon Maine, managing director for communications, renewable power, and transition at Brookfield, told pv magazine that the deal was eight times bigger than any previous PPA.

“We have a very large renewable power and transition business, with over $100 billion of assets in that division alone, and 30-plus-years’ experience in the sector,” said Maine. “We look to either buy assets or, more recently and more likely, buy companies. The companies will have high-quality management teams that have a full spectrum of capabilities. We have projections to install somewhere between 5 GW and 7 GW per year [to 2030]. The deal with Microsoft probably covers about 30% of that growth and that’s without factoring in further acquisitions.”

Brookfield is reported to have acquired a majority stake in India’s Leap Green Energy for $500 million, and is also said to be preparing to acquire Australian renewable energy developer WindLab, which has around 24 GW of projects in development or under construction.

Anas Papazachariou, senior PPA manager at renewables developer Cero Generation, explained how colocation can meet data center energy demand.

“A single solution where solar meets the full increase from the growing number and size of data centers is probably not optimal and I have to be honest about that,” he said. “So a lot of the offtakers are looking to create virtual portfolios whereas wind and solar, and combined batteries, are part of their portfolio because they’re actually optimizing their profiles through that basis.”

Solar-plus-storage means more expensive energy offtake agreements, but reduced risk, said Papazachariou.

Efficient clusters

“Hyperscale” data centers are clustered for efficiency. Where latency is concerned, however, many other data centers, especially those serving internet and network services, are distributed closer to population centers. These are smaller and experience more variation in demand.

Mike Bates, general manager for the Intel Energy Center of Excellence, said data centers are using workload management software that can respond to real-time energy conditions. Intel is deploying software inside data centers to manage workflows and loads, while also tracking carbon footprints of workloads for audits by companies claiming low carbon or net-zero workflows.

“One of my customers is the [internal] Intel Data Center group and we work to deploy these same solutions we’re taking outside of the market, making sure that we’ve hardened data centers for climate impacts while opening up new opportunities as well,” said Bates. “For example, our software is also able to adapt workloads for certain conditions. If I can push a workload inside the data center to the times when energy is in surplus, I can actually get paid to consume that energy.” He added that energy resiliency also includes interruptions to supply, when considering climate impacts.

Ben Levitt – associate director for the gas, power, and climate solutions North American power and renewables research team at S&P Global Commodity Insights – highlighted the cost benefits of operating data centers with flexibility.

“Data centers with flexible operations – that is, interruptible, price-responsive – cost less to supply than ones that are less flexible,” said Levitt. “Data centers that are interruptible might even be able to get a faster grid connection. In addition, and separately, it is possible that big tech may drive investment in developing and scaling the new, ‘clean firm’ technologies needed for around-the-clock clean energy for their data centers.”

Levitt said new loads will lead to new renewables investment but fossil fuel generation, and increasingly batteries, will also pick up extra demand. Ultimately, a lot will depend on local bureaucracy and permitting.

Levitt added that it is possible big technology companies will play a role in scaling new clean technology. “These efforts could accelerate the development of newer technologies that could reshape energy supply mix at a faster pace than previously considered,” he said.

The Catholic University of America, located in Washington D.C. was one of the first universities to sign on to the Laudato Si Action Platform, a global initiative to increase the Catholic church’s ecological practices. Not only has the University installed solar so that it can generate its own clean energy, but it has made sustainability part of its curriculum as well as part of its five-year plan.

The 7.5 MW solar project uses ZNshine solar modules, Chint Power Systems inverters and Solar FlexRack racking. The ground-mount installation is located on a 40-acre parcel, previously planned to be a parking lot, on the west campus of the University.

“This West Campus solar farm project is not just a renewable energy venture; it’s a testament to The Catholic University of America’s dedication to creating a sustainable future for our nation and world,” said President Peter Kilpatrick, Catholic University. “As we illuminate our campus with clean energy, we also enlighten minds through education and invite the community to join us on this transformative journey toward a greener and more sustainable world.”

Trees that once stood on the parcel were salvaged by the District of Columbia’s Urban Forestry Division and milled into lumber or made into benches to be donated to school and non-profits. Once the land was cleared for the solar area, the area was planted with pollinators and beekeepers will tend hives at the site.

All of this makes for an outdoor classroom for the Introduction to Energy and Energy Systems course as well as other sustainability courses taught at the University.

The solar array was developed in collaboration with Standard Solar, who will own, operate and maintain the system. The array will save an estimated 7.115 metric tons of carbon emissions annually and contribute to the city’s goal of achieving 100% renewable energy by 2032 and carbon neutrality by 2050.

The array will also provide clean energy savings to over 1,200 subscribers within the community, benefiting District residents. The 20-year projected savings to district subscribers is estimated at $3.5 million.

“Undertaking a project of this magnitude in an urban setting presents its challenges, but the potential rewards for the region are immense,” said Scott Wiater, president and CEO, Standard Solar. “The West Campus Solar Array will power the university sustainably and benefit the local community. It’s a true win-win scenario for all involved.”

From pv magazine Global

Bosch Home Comfort Group, a unit of German industrial conglomerate Robert Bosch GmbH, has launched new water source heat pumps intended for use in both new buildings and renovation projects.

“What we have solved for with our Bosch CL and RL Series heat pumps is a need for an HVAC unit design where high-quality and efficiency meet accessibility,” the company said in a statement. “Not only will these products make the jobs of techs and installers more seamless, but they will also offer them a deeper product portfolio to meet their customers’ needs and wants.”

The company said both products are available with both a vertical and a horizontal cabinet, use R-454B as a refrigerant, and rely on water coil and air coil freeze protection.

The CL Series has a size of ½ to 6 tons  The heat pump’s number of tons doesn’t refer to its weight but to the tons of heat a home needs. Its dimensions range from 48.3 cm x 48.3 cm x 58.4 cm to 61.0 cm x 83.8 cm x 147.3 cm. Its coefficient of performance spans from 4.45 to 4.90, depending on the size.

The CL Series also features a swinging electrical box, a slide-out blower on the vertical units, and designated compartments for high and low voltage components. “Together, these features not only improve safety conditions for technicians and installers, but also streamline routine services and repairs by offering greater accessibility to the unit’s compressor, air coils and other internal components,” the manufacturer said.

As for the RL Series, Bosch said its size and COP are the same as the CL Series. “Similar to the commercial model, the Bosch RL Series is equipped with a swinging and divided electrical box for faster and safer maintenance, as well as a slide-out blower on the vertical units,” the company added.

This series also features permanent split capacitor motors (PSC) and a unit protection module (UPM) that interfaces directly
with thermostats to provide time delays and protect the unit against freezing.

The two products come with a 1-year parts limited warranty and a 5-year compressor limited warranty.

Researchers in Germany analyzed the future consumption of material by the crystalline silicon PV industry, including glass, aluminum, silver, copper, ethylene-vinyl-acetate (EVA), and silicon, and found that a circular recycling approach could be a solution to supply chain and waste issues, with the potential to be economically sustainable.

The team presented a detailed vision of a “perpetual utility” cycle for solar panels, asserting that the time is now to begin to make the changes to enable cradle-to-cradle recycling, and that Europe will likely lead the way.

“I would say that genuinely circular recycling is in the future for almost anything we produce today. The biggest challenge in my opinion is that we still lack processes that allow circular recycling to compete economically with generating virgin materials,” research leader, Ian Marius Peters, told pv magazine. “Europe has the strongest regulatory framework, and I expect that to remain the case for some time. For that reason, I believe that Europe will be leading the way in the coming years.”

Peters asserts that circular recycling will make PV even more sustainable than it is now. Further benefits include the recovery of resources, especially glass, and even land. At the moment, a strong economic incentive is lacking, so recycling is driven by policies and regulations.

In the study, the researchers relied on a future scenario prepared by PV scientist Pierre Verlinden, which foresees a cumulative capacity of 80 TW by 2050  and a “steady-state manufacturing value of about 3.3 TW /year” in 2033. It considered material re-use scenarios, economic value, and volumes to determine the role of circular recycling to sustain the growth trajectory of solar PV, and to avoid waste streams on “a scale roughly equivalent to today’s global e-waste”.

It considered the recycling of silver, glass, and silicon. For example, it noted the need to replace or reduce silver due to competition from other industries with higher margins will be able to outbid the PV industry, due to its narrow margins.

The team noted that if silver is replaced, then it will be “essential” to recycle silicon, copper, and aluminum. The latter is seen as the second-most valuable recycling product of a PV module, and “its role will likely increase as silver is replaced,” noted the scientists.

Glass recycling is seen as “vital”, especially in the mid- to late-2030s, when the amount of glass from retired panels will be in the tens of millions of tons, as there is no alternative market able to absorb it. “The most suitable market, and in some cases the only one large enough to absorb the amount of recycled material, will be PV module manufacturing itself,” stressed the team.

Recycling processes must be able to retain the value of recycled components, it noted. For example, silicon recycling could reduce projected energy demand and shorten the energy payback time of modules made with recycled silicon. “Circular recycling of silicon has the potential to become the main economic driver for module recycling,” they said.

Looking ahead, teams are working on PV module designs that are easier to dismantle. “We have realized prototypes with solution-processes solar cells, for which we could demonstrate that all materials could be restored to the quality of virgin components,” said Peters.

There is also a need for research on improving the quality of recycled silicon, developing techniques to get rid of impurities, and reducing the energy required.

“Circular recycling is essential for managing the significant material flows required for a global PV module fleet in the multi-terawatt range,” conclude the researchers, adding that although the mass recycling of PV modules is still years or decades away, “it is vital to prepare for circular recycling now to avoid dealing with millions of tons of low-value waste in the future.”

The perspective paper appears in “Cradle-to-cradle recycling in terawatt photovoltaics: A vision of perpetual utility,” published in Joule.

Feedback since publishing has been positive. “Especially setting the projected material flows of the PV industry in a wider context and exploring the implications on circular recycling is something that people have told me they consider interesting and useful,” said Peters.

The researchers were from Helmholtz Institute Erlangen-Nürnberg for Renewable Energy, Jülich Institute for Energy and Climate Research, and Friedrich-Alexander University.

Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have developed a new methodology for estimating the value of climate and air quality benefits from wind and solar generation. A report describing the results of an analysis of data from 2019 to 2022 using the methodology concludes that wind and solar generation provided $249 billion dollars of climate and air quality health benefits over that period.

Renewable energy advocates argue that the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) does not tell the whole story when comparing the economics of wind and solar generation with fossil-fuel sources. Emissions from natural gas- and coal-fired plants in the form of carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen oxides (NOx) affect the climate and air quality in ways that should be accounted for in the evaluation of renewable energy’s benefits.

The researchers draw on publicly available electricity generation data and break the continental U.S. into ten regions in which wind or solar supplied at least 3% of electricity demand. An 11th region centered on Tennessee was excluded because the thresholds weren’t met. The methodology measures daily generation from appropriate sources (solar, wind, gas and coal) by region and a yearly average of emissions by region. The reason for averaging emissions is that there is generally a significant delay in the availability of daily emissions data.

According to the report, in 2022 the generation-weighted average across all regions in shows that 1.0 MWh of wind generation offsets 0.89 MWh of fossil generation (0.29 MWh of coal generation and 0.60 MWh of gas generation); and that 1.0 MWh of solar generation offsets 0.76 MWh of fossil generation (0.14 MWh of coal generation and 0.62 MWh of gas generation).

The offsets are not one-to-one because of transmission loss from solar and wind sources, which tend to be located further from consumers than fossil-fuel sources and curtailment issues. Also because some generation is absorbed by battery storage, which was not factored into the analysis method. Furthermore, other sources such as nuclear and hydroelectric typically are not displaced by solar and wind generation and so were not factored in, the researchers said.

In order to determine the dollar value of climate and air-quality benefits resulting from lowered emissions, the researchers turned to published reports in scientific journals: a 2022 article in Nature for determining the social cost of carbon; and a 2019 article in Environmental Research Letters that evaluated the social costs of pollutants such as SO2 and NOx.

With the generation offsets and social costs of emissions in hand, the Berkeley Lab researchers were able to calculate the health benefits of renewable generation. The researchers found the 435.6 TWh of wind generation produced in the U.S. during 2022 prevented 228,798 kilotons (KT) of CO2, 116 KT of SO2 and 129 KT of NOx emissions, resulting in total health benefits worth $62.4 billion. Solar provided 116.1 TWh of generation, preventing 45,729 KT of CO2, 15 KT of SO2 and 28 KT of NOx emissions, yielding $11.6 billion in health benefits.

According to the researchers, their new methodology shows the benefits of renewable generation are much higher than have been previously estimated and could help make a strong case for increasing wind and solar penetration in the U.S. Moreover, the analysis tools could be applied anywhere sufficient data are available. “The relatively simple data needed for our approach increases the possibility that it could be adapted to other regions around the world,” the researchers said.

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.

From pv magazine Global

A new IRENA report proposes a multi-dimensional approach to energy security to align with the renewables-based transformation of the global energy system.

The “Geopolitics of the Energy Transformation: Energy Security” report advises policymakers not to transpose thinking from the fossil fuel era to a renewables-based system. It says this could lead to “significant oversights and ill-considered investments.”

“This is particularly crucial as governments make significant investments in infrastructure for systems that are increasingly electrified, digitalised and decentralised,” says IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera. “The report places the well-being of people and the planet at the centre of the evolving energy security narrative. Ultimately, it recognises that addressing energy security is as much a political endeavour as it is a technical one.”

IRENA’s multi-dimensional approach to energy security encompasses technologies, value chains, and societies. It examines demand-response, flexibility, ecosystems, and human security as preconditions for robust energy systems.

The agency predicts that technology, rather than fuel, will play a dominant role in renewables-dominated systems. It says this is why supply chain resilience must be enhanced.

“Technology supply chains will be exposed to geopolitical disruptions and uncertainties, their exposure magnified by the complex web of connections,” the report says. “Given the need to decarbonize the global economy and the critical role of energy for industrialization and development in the global south, resilience is an indispensable part of energy security frameworks.”

From pv magazine Global

Quilt has launched its first product – a wall-mountable (or tabletop) heat pump for cooling and heating in residential applications.

“The Quilt system is anchored by our outdoor unit, which is sized to power up to two indoor units,” the US-based startup said in a statement. “This 2:1 ratio means our outdoor units are quieter, more compact, and more efficient than larger units, saving you more energy and money than higher ratio systems.”

The system measures 711 mm x 965 mm x 406 mm and uses R32 as a refrigerant. Its cooling capacity at 46.4 F (8 C) ranges from 2,500 BTU/hour to 20,500 BTU/hour, while its cooling capacity at 95 F (35 C) spans from 2,500 BTU/hour to 20,500 BTU/hour.

The heat pump features a COP of 4 for heating at 46.4 F and 2 at 5 F (-15 C). The COP for cooling is 4 at 95 F.

The new product has an input power of 208/230V and noise levels of 27 dBA to 47 dBA, which the manufacturer describes as “quieter than rainfall.” It is available in a real white oak veneer or a white option that is paintable or ready for wallpaper.

“Quilt is a full generation ahead of the best systems in the market today and priced competitively at $6,499 per room before point-of-sale rebates,” the manufacturer said. “This includes everything from the intuitive indoor unit, Dial for room-by-room control, design-forward outdoor unit, modern app, professional installation by Quilt, permitting support from a Quilt Advisor, and ongoing support.”

In mid-April, Quilt raised $33 million through a funding round co-led by Energy Impact Partners and Galvanize Climate Solutions, with participation from Lowercarbon Capital, Gradient Ventures, MCJ Collective, Garage Capital, Incite Ventures, and Drew Scott.

“Quilt will first launch in the Bay Area, followed by Los Angeles, and then expand to new markets in the U.S. to meet rising demand for a smart, intuitive, design-forward heat pump option,” the company said at the time.

China-based heating specialist Midea has developed a new outdoor, central ducted heat pump for residential applications.

“This latest generation of the Evox series, featuring the Evox G³ Heat Pump and Evox G³ Air Handling Unit (AHU), represents the future of electric, inverter-driven heat pump technology as the solution for home heating and cooling upgrades, designed to deliver unparalleled heating/cooling comfort, performance and ease of installation across North America,” the manufacturer said in statement.

It claimed that the new product is suitable for all climates and is designed “to defy harsh winter temperatures.”

The Evox G³ Heat Pump has a size of 1.5 tons to 5 tons and a coefficient of performance of 1.8. It is 36 cm to 53 cm wide, which the company said ensures easy deployment in challenging spaces such as attics and basements. It can reportedly provide up to 100% heating output down to -13 F (-25 C) and operate “effectively” down to -22 F (-30 C).

The heat pump also features an enhanced vapor injection (EVI) technology and a multi-layer heat exchanger. These components enable it to operate with auxiliary sources of heat and achieve high comfort levels also in extremely cold weather conditions.

“Evox G³ also has you covered in the summer, with a cooling efficiency of up to 19 SEER2 that can provide energy savings of up to 32.5% compared to the conventional 14.3 SEER systems currently popular on the market,” said the company.

The EVI technology combines a two-stage refrigerant compression process with an intermediary injection of additional refrigerant vapor, which reportedly increases overall performance and coefficient of performance.

“The injection of vapor refrigerant facilitates higher output temperatures while simultaneously expanding the operational range of the heat pump, thereby ensuring outstanding functionality even in sub-zero conditions,” said Midea. “Its multi-position installation configuration means contractors can stock one stock keeping unit and install it in six configurations.”

From pv magazine Australia

The researchers behind the new “Buildings as Batteries” paper claim that a load shift in Australia to the middle of the day would save AUD 1.7 billion ($1.1 billion) per year. They claim it would also add additional peak capacity equivalent to 52% of Australia’s existing coal-generation fleet and significantly reduce the country’s greenhouse gas emissions from electricity.

“Luckily for everyone except the owners of the coal-fired power stations, it is relatively easy to shift a lot of electricity demand from late afternoon to the middle of the day,” he said. “Our research shows big commercial buildings are particularly good at shifting their daily electricity demand around, to take better advantage of the cheap, clean power that is so abundant in the middle of the day.”

The paper cites an example of a large office tower in Sydney, where the building managers were told that electricity demand would likely be extremely high on a hot summer day in 2019. In response, the internal temperature set point of the building was lowered by 1 degree from 8.30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The figures show that the building used more electricity earlier in the day and reduced demand by 200 kW relative to forecasts from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

“The building effectively operated as a battery with capacity of at least 800 kWh,” the report said. “We estimate this led to savings of AUD 111 and 221 kg CO2e in emissions in just one day in just that one building. A battery of that size would cost around AUD 500,000. Extrapolating across Australia, if 33% of the energy buildings use in the late afternoon in summer were shifted to the middle of the day, that would deliver new peak capacity in the energy market of almost 12 GW.”

The report said that if a government program to develop the demand side in the National Electricity Market was launched this year, it could organize load shifting in 30% of Australia’s institutional grade office buildings by 2025, rising to 90% in 2027.

The researchers said that such a program, which would deliver about 2.6 GW of flexible capacity by the end of 2026, could be secured through relatively minor changes to building management practices, such as cooling large office buildings earlier in the day and then allowing their temperature to rise back to normal levels across the afternoon.

The researchers warned that changes to policy and regulation would be required, as current efficiency ratings systems are holding back the adoption of new technologies by failing to recognize the financial, emissions and grid stabilizing potential of smart, grid-interactive buildings.

Buildings Alive Chief Executive Officer Craig Roussac said the solutions to this problem exist already, and the country just needs to start using them.

“If we don’t harness the potential of smart, grid-interactive buildings, Australians will pay the price through higher network costs, more expensive electricity and increased carbon pollution,” he said. “Australia has had world-leading building efficiency ratings systems in the past, but they have not evolved. Most buildings can double their energy demand at times of the day when it’s abundant and halve it when networks are constrained. This is a massive service they can offer.”

The report recommends a range of policies to support load shifting and demand response, including having NABERS develop and implement an updated building efficiency rating system that recognizes the potential of these measures.

The researchers also said that governments should implement demand flexibility in their own buildings and work with energy innovators and the property sector to accelerate development of load shifting and broader demand response. They also said federal government agencies like ARENA and the CEFC could help by soliciting for related project proposals and through concessional finance.

The report said it would be necessary for the electricity market operator, regulators and rule makers to ensure that load shifting can compete in the wholesale demand-response market.

Solar panels are highly recyclable, but the use of thin plastic layers to encase solar cells can cause challenges in recycling valuable materials like silicon or silver effectively.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has developed a proof of concept that helps cut the use of polymers by making direct glass-to-glass welds in solar cells.

The method makes use of femtosecond lasers, a type of infrared laser that focuses energy on a very short time scale with a single laser pulse. The laser creates hermetically sealed glass-on-glass welds. Femtosecond lasers are currently used in medical eye procedures like cataract surgery today.

The laser welds would eliminate the need for plastic laminates that make recycling more difficult. At the end of their useful life span, the modules made with laser welds can be shattered, and the glass and metal wires therein can be recycled and the silicon reused.

“Most recyclers will confirm that the polymers are the main issue in terms of inhibiting the process of recycling,” said David Young, senior scientist and group manager for the High-Efficiency Crystalline Photovoltaics group in the Chemistry and Nanoscience department at NREL.

NREL published the study in IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics. The authors said the laser is cell material agnostic, able to be used with silicon, perovskites, cadmium telluride, etc., because the heat from the highly focused laser is confined to a few millimeters. The researchers said the welds within the glass are essentially as durable as glass itself.

“As long as the glass doesn’t break, the weld is not going to break,” said Young. “However, not having the polymers between the sheets of glass requires welded modules to be much stiffer. Our paper showed that with proper mounting and a modification to the embossed features of the rolled glass, a welded module can be made stiff enough to pass static load testing.”

A different type of edge sealing using nanosecond lasers and a glass frit filler was tried in the past, but the welds proved too brittle for use in outdoor module designs. The femtosecond laser welds offer superior strength with hermetic sealing at a compelling cost, said NREL.

The research was conducted through the Durable Module Materials Consortium, which targets extending the useful life of solar panels to 50 years or beyond.

From pv magazine global

Johnson Controls has introduced a new heat pump series for residential applications.

“The York YH5 15.2 SEER2 2-Stage Heat Pumps are engineered for year-round comfort and energy efficiency,” a spokesperson from the company told pv magazine. “These heat pumps are specifically designed to be matched with a York residential gas furnace to create a hybrid comfort system that automatically switches between heat sources based on energy costs or capacity.”

The new heat pumps use R-454B as the refrigerant and have a size ranging from 1.5 tons to 5 tons. The heat pump’s number of tons doesn’t refer to its weight but to the tons of heat a home needs.

The systems have reportedly a seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER2) of up to 16 and a heating seasonal performance factor (HSPF2) of up to 8.1. Their coefficient of performance (COP) ranges between 3.24 and 3.40, according to the manufacturer.

They also feature a cooling capacity spanning from 22.2 MBtuh to 58.5 MBtuh. Sound levels are reportedly as low as 67  dBA.

“Designed to simplify serviceability, the YH5 heat pump features top or side compressor access, a swing-out control box, field-installed TXVs, removable fan guard and individually removable coil guards for fast and easy servicing,” the spokesperson said. “Additionally, equipment information, troubleshooting support and helpful tools – including an intelligent refrigeration detection system (RDS) – can be conveniently accessed via the DS Solutions App simply by scanning a QR code located on the heat pump.”

The new heat pump series is compatible with York humidifiers, dehumidifiers, air filters, ultraviolet air purifiers and energy recovery ventilators, as well as with most heat pump thermostats.

After a period of historically low interest rates from 2009 to 2022, central banks have sharply raised interest rates to fight inflation. The increase of cost of capital has “profound implications” for the energy and natural resource industries, said a report from Wood Mackenzie.

A transition to a net-zero economy could require $75 trillion of investment globally by 2050, said the report. The cost and pace to transition to low-carbon technologies is challenged by the higher cost of capital.

Wood Mackenzie said the economy has departed from the post-Great Recession “zero era” rates and likely will remain that way for “the next couple of decades.”

A “higher for longer” sentiment for interest rates has been echoed by Federal Reserve members in recent months. Globally, structural inflationary trends like global trade reshuffling, deglobalization, and an emphasis on nearshoring industry and employment over raw macroeconomics may keep rates elevated for a while.

“Highly capital intensive and often reliant on subsidies, low-carbon energy and nascent green technologies are most exposed [to high rates],” said the report. “Debt accounts for a higher share of the capital structure for low-carbon energy sectors.”

Wood Mackenzie said that the oil and gas industry, while also highly capital-intensive, has far less exposure to the cost of debt and is therefore less affected by the higher rate environment. Gearing, or the ratio of debt to equity, is typically higher with renewables and nuclear energy development than in mining, oils, and gas.

“Debt from bonds and project finance, secured against long-term power purchasing agreements, has been used to fund rapid growth in renewables,” said Wood Mackenzie. “While power and renewables companies have higher gearing, they do compare favorably with other peer groups on a cost-of-debt basis.”

Renewable investments have greater price certainty than their oil and gas counterparts, making them a less risky investment and enabling lower borrowing costs. Plus, the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) for new-build solar is now 29% lower than any fossil fuel alternative, reported Ernst and Young. With solar module prices continuing to plummet to record lows, this lower-cost and predictable electricity source may serve as a powerful long-term combatant to inflationary pressures.

Interest rates have squeezed this LCOE advantage, said Wood Mackenzie. In its analysis, interest rates increasing by 2 percentage points lead to an LCOE increase of 20% for renewables, and 11% for a combined-cycle gas turbine plant. Despite this, Wood Mackenzie said renewables hold an advantage in LCOE, even without any subsidies attached.

While it is difficult to place a dollar value on the cost of damages from climate change and what a transition to net-zero emissions would do to mitigate damage, a report from the Potsdam Institute in Berlin assessed annual climate-related costs at $38 trillion per year by 2050. In the face of these costs, the $75 trillion global price tag for transitioning the global economy to net-zero emissions looks more palatable.

While the oil and gas industry is less affected by the higher interest rates, and oil giants have lowered their debt significantly from 2020 through 2023, Wood Mackenzie said the availability of finance may pose problems for the fossil fuel industry. Environmental, social, and governance concerns are contributing to an ever-shrinking list of lenders, it said.

Wood Mackenzie said governments should continue to subsidize the energy transition to encourage investment, despite rising debts and debt servicing costs. It recommends a strategy that focuses on efficient, non-discriminatory subsidization, a bolstering of global carbon markets, and mobilization of climate finance.

“Policymakers need to act to offset the interest-rate headwinds. Removing obstacles such as slow permitting and project approval and offering clear, consistent and sustained incentives will support nascent low-carbon technologies,” said Wood Makenzie. “Strengthening global carbon markets, maximizing subsidy efficiency and mobilizing green finance are also essential. A higher interest-rate environment might be what it takes to get policymakers to spring into action.”

From pv magazine Global

EcoFlow presented new solar-to-heat smart heating solutions, the PowerHeat Air-to-Water Heat Pump and the PowerGlow Smart Immersion Heater, at Solar Solutions Bremen 2024 this week.

The company said its smart solar-to-heat solutions are designed to integrate into the EcoFlow Residential Smart Energy Ecosystem, offering users energy independence and reduced energy expenses.

“With compatibility with the PowerOcean series solar storage systems, EcoFlow’s smart heating solutions enable users to harness the power of solar energy for home ambience and water heating, providing a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to traditional heating methods such as gas and fuel,” said the company.

The EcoFlow PowerHeat Air-to-Water Heat Pump, equipped with R290 refrigerant, is available in 9 kW and 20 kW versions. The system supports one-phase and three-phase connections.

The smaller device measures 1,263 mm x 440 mm x 875 mm and weighs 253.5 pounds (115 kg). The larger variant measures 1263 mm x 440 mm x 1375 mm and weighs 297 pounds (180 kg), according to the company.

The smaller heat pump features a cooling capacity of 1.53 kW to 5.96 kW, while the bigger one ranges from 4.40 kW to 14.40 kW. The heating capacity is between 3.50 kW and 8.81 kW for the smaller system, and 6.70 kW to 20.36 kW for the bigger version. The inlet water temperature is 86 F (30 C) and the outlet water temperature is 95 F (35 C).

At higher water temperatures of 122 F (50 C) inlet and 131 F (55 C) outlet, the heating capacity ranges from 3.15 kW to 7.98 kW for the smaller system and from 5.80 kW to 18.48 kW for the larger system. The maximum outlet water temperature for both is 167 F (75 C).

The smaller system has a power input voltage of 220 V to 240 V and a maximum input power of 4 kW. The 20 kW system has a power input voltage range of 380 V to 415 V and a maximum input power of 6.8 kW.

The operating temperature range for both products spans from -13 F to 109 F (-25 C to 43 C). The smaller system features a 2 liter expansion tank and the larger version has a 5 liter tank.

In addition to the new heat pump, EcoFlow has also unveiled its new PowerGlow Smart Immersion Heater as a solution to heat water use surplus PV energy.

The system can be operated in combination with the EcoFlow PowerOcean system or third-party PV systems, with the scheduling of energy use handled via the EcoFlow app. It is available in three versions: 3,5 kW, 6 kW, and 9 kW. All versions offer more than 99% efficiency at nominal power.

The 3.5 kW system is available in one-phase and three-phase variants, while the other two systems only offer three-phase connections. They have an operating temperature range from 32 F to 104 F (0 C to 40 C) at the casing and a storage temperature range from -4 F to 158 F (-20 C to 70 C). The heating rod length ranges from 375 mm to 550 mm and the entire system weights from 2.5 kg to 3 kg.

The PowerGlow Smart Immersion Heater will be available in May, while the PowerHeat Air-to-Water Heat Pump will hit the market in late June, EcoFlow said in a press release.

The energy sector is generally considered to be fairly conservative when it comes to adopting new trends and technologies. After all, much of the energy we consume still comes from sources that have been used for hundreds of years — oil, coal, and natural gas. 

However, in the recent push for sustainability in the energy sector, one technology emerges as a linchpin for the shift towards “green living”: artificial intelligence.

How AI will disrupt the energy industry for the better

Artificial intelligence seems poised to revolutionize the energy sector thanks to its superior data analysis capabilities. Data analysis is a fundamental aspect of any energy operation — from determining where the best sites for development are to how much energy has been consumed for billing. AI can perform all of this analysis at a much more efficient rate than human workers, allowing them to focus more of their efforts on implementing these solutions.

Artificial intelligence can also use the data it is fed to perform advanced predictive analytics. In the energy industry, this could prove invaluable, as the ability to better forecast consumption can allow energy companies to avoid the overuse of resources. Furthermore, as renewable energy resources have historically been somewhat unreliable due to their dependence on external factors such as weather, predictive analytics now powered by AI can allow energy companies to ease some of their concerns about the volatility of these renewable sources.

Using these tools, artificial intelligence could improve the sustainability of the energy sector by enabling the more efficient deployment of resources. Energy companies can both reduce waste and cut costs using analysis and forecasting generated by AI.

The most apparent use of artificial intelligence in the energy sector is “smart meters,” which help users better control their energy consumption and energy providers better understand and manage their load. Smart meters help the energy provider’s sustainability initiatives by reducing overall energy consumption, which will also benefit customers’ wallets. 

Something that must be understood about the shift towards renewable energy sources is that, as more renewable energy sources are introduced, it makes the grid more complex to handle this increasing number and diversity of sources. In turn, more technology is needed to manage it. This is where artificial intelligence emerges as a particularly valuable innovation in the solar power industry — as a tool to help manage the distribution of resources on the grid.

AI in the solar industry

Some more specific applications in the solar power sector show even higher potential. As solar developers continue to expand some reach, some exciting use cases for AI technologies include:

• Searching for solar-generating properties: AI models can analyze data much more efficiently than humans, making them ideal for identifying solar-generating properties. An AI model can be trained to cross-reference properties on the market with characteristics set by the user — for example, climate, open space, and proximity to grid infrastructure — to quickly identify ideal sites for development and installation. 
• Pre-construction planning and design: Artificial intelligence models can be used during the pre-construction planning and design process to ensure that solar power arrays are designed for optimal output. Producers can use this technology to test potential scenarios and layouts in advance, reducing the need for on-site labor and the expenses of on-site modifications and customizations.
• Real-time monitoring and data analytics: Solar power producers can use AI to power real-time monitoring and data analytics of their array’s output. This technology can help producers more efficiently identify and isolate any obstacles in their panels’ productivity, allowing them to conduct repairs much more quickly.
• Forecasting weather: One of the most exciting potential applications of AI in solar power is weather forecasting. Because the output and efficiency of solar panels are influenced directly by weather conditions, producers must be wary of any inclement weather that can interfere with the panels’ ability to generate power. Artificial intelligence can be used to predict weather conditions, allowing producers to adjust the amount of power being generated and stored during optimal conditions so that disruptions during suboptimal conditions can be minimized.
• Predictive maintenance: AI can also help enable predictive maintenance for solar panels. Regular maintenance is essential for solar power operations because a solar panel in disrepair cannot perform to its maximum potential. An artificial intelligence model can analyze historical trends and data on current conditions to indicate to producers when it is necessary to enlist a technician for maintenance.

The adoption of AI in the energy sector

AI can potentially revolutionize the energy industry with its advanced data analysis and predictive analytics capabilities. At this point, it is a matter of convincing the energy companies of the validity and necessity of these use cases. 

By better understanding our consumption and needs, the energy sector can be better prepared to adopt renewable energy sources such as solar power. Artificial intelligence is the key to unlocking this deeper insight.

Ed Watal is an AI thought leader and technology investor. One of his key projects includes BigParser (an Ethical AI Platform and Data Commons for the World). He is also the founder of Intellibus, an INC 5000 “Top 100 Fastest Growing Software Firm” in the USA, and the lead faculty of AI Masterclass, a joint operation between NYU SPS and Intellibus. Forbes Books is collaborating with Ed on a seminal book on our AI Future. 

Resilient Watertown, the city’s Climate & Energy Plan, outlines 61 actions to ensure the city is on its way to achieving its goal of 100% of electricity sourced from renewables by 2050.

Two elements of the extensive plan are to promote electrification and enhance and actively promote zero-carbon mobility options for travel. In fact, the city plans to not only have all registered vehicles be electric by 2050, but also has a goal of cutting in half personal vehicular travel miles.

In 2018 the Watertown Town Council passed a first-in-New-England solar ordinance requiring solar on the equivalent of 50% roof coverage for new and substantially renovated buildings over 10,000 sq. feet and 90% of parking garages.

Now the city celebrates the operation of a solar and storage project installed at 66 Galen, a brand new 224,106 square foot life science building that features purpose-built offices and laboratories.

The project was directed by Houston-based Catalyze, a national Energy Transition Partner that develops, finances, owns, and operates integrated renewable assets. Catalyze owns two proprietary technologies: REenergyze, an origination-to-operations software integration platform and SolarStrap, a proprietary mounting technology to install rooftop panels.

The Gold LEED-certified facility draws power from 252 kW solar and 125 kW storage system, covering about 10% of the buildings electricity needs. It also boasts a series of EV charging stations featuring 15 ports, located within the parking garage and are intended for use by employees and visitors.

The installation features Znshine Solar modules, a 251 kWh battery from SYL and Powercharge EV chargers. Catalyze told pv magazine USA that the battery storage system will be used to offset peak demand times, supplying solar power to the building when the cost of power from the utility provider would be at its highest.

Other sustainability features include 100% recyclable terra cotta tiles with a low-e coating on the exterior that maximize the building’s insulative properties and minimize solar heat gain; high-efficiency LED and self-dimming lighting to minimize light pollution; a variable-volume air handler system that helps reduce energy cost by 19%, according to Catalyze, compared to buildings of a similar size; and significant water conservation infrastructure that directs excess rainwater to green space.

To support this project, Catalyze participated in the Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) program, an incentive program that has catapulted Massachusetts into the top ten list for solar states.

The building, which is called 66 Galen, is owned by Davis and Boston Development Group, with investment by Actis and Encap.

“It’s terrific to see a multi-technology scheme such as 66 Galen which comprises energy generation from solar PV and battery storage come into operation,” said Javier Orellana, director, energy infrastructure at Actis. “It’s a perfect demonstration of the energy transition in progress.”

66 Galen is not the first solar on a commercial building in Watertown. The largest commercial solar installation is on Arsenal Yards.

The more than one million square foot mixed-use development that includes state-of-the-art life science lab space, 300 apartments, and a 146-room hotel. The 1. 1 MW of solar was installed in 2020 by Boston-based Kearsarge Energy.

Watertown is also home to the first net-zero school in Massachusetts. The Cunniff elementary school is testament to the support among municipal leaders as well as town residents. In developing the Climate & Energy Plan, the city surveyed residents, solicited comments, distributed educational materials, had conversations at five public events and invited the public to the three advisory group meetings—all to solicit feedback and support for the clean energy goals in Watertown.

Watertown intends to re-evaluate its goals and actions regularly in order to keep them on target for the 2050 goal, and also to adjust any actions to adapt to new trends and technologies.to update and adjust actions and targets to adapt to emerging trends and technologies.

From pv magazine Global

In 2022, the global solar photovoltaic (PV) generation experienced an unprecedented surge, marking a record increase of 270 TWh and reaching nearly 1 200 TWh worldwide. This remarkable growth underscores the pivotal role of solar energy in meeting the escalating global electricity demand while simultaneously mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. The driving force behind this was the establishment of new manufacturing capacities, alongside the transition from aluminum-back surface field (Al-BSF) cell technology to the more advanced passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC) technology around 10 years ago. The emergence of PERC as the standard technology is marked by its distinguishing features: an additional dielectric passivation stack on the rear of the cell and its possible bifaciality. This technology has replaced older cell structures like Al-BSF, primarily due to its improved efficiency gains in both PV cells and modules, leading to an increase in the nameplate power of modules. Moreover, there has been a notable rise in the adoption of Horizontal Single Axis Tracker systems, which offer higher kWh production per kW installed compared to fixed-tilt systems across various geographical locations. This shift towards more efficient and productive PV systems underscores a commitment to sustainable energy solutions.

Environmental Impact Assessment

While the energy production aspects of PV technologies have been extensively studied, a comprehensive understanding of their environmental footprint is essential. IEA PVPS Task 12 Experts have been employing their life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology to evaluate the environmental impacts associated with PERC technology in comparison to AI-BSF technology. By utilizing primary data from an Italian manufacturer, the report “Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Passivated Emitter and Rear Contact (PERC) Photovoltaic Module Technology” provides an in-depth analysis of the complete life cycle of PV systems, encompassing manufacturing, installation, operation, and end-of-life phases. While based on analysis of data from only one manufacturer, the findings suggest that the transition from Al-BSF to PERC technology results in significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, and resource depletion throughout the life cycle of PV systems.

“The main thrust of our report is to analyze the impacts of the dominant technology in photovoltaics, using the LCA methodology and incorporating primary and up-to-date data,” Pierpaolo Girardi, co-Author of the report said. “This approach allows us to assert that electricity generated by PERC technology manufactured by an Italian company has a carbon footprint lower by 15% compared to electricity production with the currently most installed photovoltaic technology (Al BSF), and a 96% reduction compared to electricity produced by a typical Italian natural gas combined cycle power plant.”

Life Cycle Assessment Methodology

LCA is a structured, comprehensive method of quantifying material- and energy-flows and their associated emissions caused in the life cycle of goods and services. The ISO 14040 and 14044 standards provide the framework for LCA. IEA PVPS Task 12 subsequently developed guidelines, now in their 4th edition, to provide guidance on assuring consistency, balance, and quality to enhance the credibility and reliability of the results from LCAs on photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation systems.

Unveiling the Environmental Footprint

In their report, the Task 12 experts analyze two possible designs: (1) modules mounted on a horizontal single-axis tracker and (2) modules installed on a fixed structure. In addition, two possible PV locations with different irradiance levels are considered: one in the north of Italy and the other in the south of Italy; results shown here represent those for Southern Italy. The results, based on primary data from one manufacturer, are impressive:

1. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Transitioning from Al-BSF to PERC technology can lead to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions per kWh produced across both locations. The additional passivation layer in PERC cells enhances energy conversion efficiency, thereby reducing the carbon intensity of electricity generation. Furthermore, the adoption of single-axis solar tracker systems amplifies this environmental benefit, as the increased energy yield per kW installed translates into lower emissions per unit of electricity produced.

The new IEA PVPS Task 12 report analyzes in detail the greenhouse gas emissions associated with using the PERC technology (see Fig. 1 for an example)

The PERC PV plant located in the south of Italy is responsible for 17 g of CO₂ equivalent per kWh produced. This figure illustrates the contribution analysis of the PERC PV plant based on primary data from an Italian PERC manufacturer. The percentages represent the contribution associated with each component/process. Note also that the tracking system is based on primary data from a manufacturer. The process/component highlighted in blue is associated with module production, which – from raw material to module assembly – accounts for 79% of the total life cycle of the plant.

When comparing the PERC PV plant to a typical Italian natural gas power plant (which accounts for about 50% of the Italian energy mix), the significant difference in greenhouse gas emissions becomes obvious (see Fig. 2). The comparison is made in terms of grams of CO₂ equivalent emitted per kWh produced by each plant.

                    Figure 2: Comparison of greenhouse gas emissions between different types of plants

1. Energy Consumption: Similarly, the shift to PERC technology is accompanied by a notable decrease in total energy consumption throughout the life cycle of PV systems. Improved cell efficiency and manufacturing processes contribute to this reduction, underscoring the importance of technological innovation in driving sustainability gains. Moreover, horizontal single-axis tracker systems exhibit higher energy yields per unit of land area, further optimizing energy production and minimizing energy consumption per kWh generated. Note also that the LCA of the tracking system is based on primary data from a manufacturer.

2. Resource Depletion: While both Al-BSF and PERC technologies rely on a similar suite of materials, the efficiency improvements associated with PERC cells mitigate resource depletion impacts. By maximizing energy output per unit of material input, PERC technology minimizes the extraction and utilization of finite resources, thereby alleviating pressure on critical minerals and metals.

Paving the Path to Sustainable Solar Energy

The study highlights the potential environmental benefits of PERC technology. Based on the results of this case study of one PERC manufacturer, by utilizing PERC, the solar industry can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, and resource depletion, while simultaneously increasing energy yields. Additionally, the analysis of different mounting systems reveals that modules mounted on a horizontal single-axis tracker can lead to preferable environmental outcomes, especially in latitudes similar to those in Italy.  Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis included in the Task 12 report suggests that extending the lifetime of PV panels can lower specific environmental impacts per kWh, emphasizing the importance of longevity in panel performance.

Moving forward, concerted efforts to promote the adoption of environmentally responsible technologies and optimize site selection can increase the realization of the full potential of solar energy as a cornerstone of the clean energy transition.

Download the full report here.

For more information on IEA PVPS Task 12 and Sustainability of PV Systems please click here.

This article is part of a monthly column by the IEA PVPS program. It was contributed by IEA PVPS Task 12 – PV Sustainability.

From pv magazine Global

An additional 345.5 GW of solar was deployed throughout the world in 2023, according to official figures from IRENA, published in its Renewable Energy Capacity Statistics 2024 report.

These numbers differ substantially from figures released in February by BloombergNEF, which said global newly installed PV capacity reached approximately 444 GW last year.

IRENA’s figures represent a 32.2% increase on 2022 levels and are a record for a single calendar year. Solar represented roughly 73% of total renewable-energy deployments last year, at 473 GW overall.

Iron-based redox flow battery for grid-scale storage Researchers in the U.S. have repurposed a commonplace chemical used in water treatment facilities to develop an all-liquid, iron-based redox flow battery for large-scale energy storage. Their lab-scale battery exhibited strong cycling stability over one thousand consecutive charging cycles, while maintaining 98.7% of its original capacity.

Potential effect of the 2024 solar eclipse on solar energy production To compensate for potential loss of solar energy flowing to the grid, grid operators will have to be ready to rely on other sources to ensure grid stability, as was done during the 2017 and 2023 eclipse episodes.

Maxeon claims 24.9% efficiency for IBC solar panel Maxeon said it has achieved a 24.9% efficiency rating for a full-scale Maxeon 7 solar panel using its IBC technology. The U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) confirmed the result.

Walmart makes big commitments to solar energy  The retail giant entered multiple new agreements across the U.S. with solar developers, furthering its position as a corporate leader in solar adoption.

Community solar group challenges assertions by CPUC  Stating that the California Public Utilities Commission “embraces a myopic view”, CCSA comments characterize the CPUC proposed decision as misguided and misinformed, and determined it will not result in the development of community solar projects as envisioned by the legislature with the enactment of AB 2316.

1100 GW solar and 1000 GW storage now await transmission interconnection Solar, wind and battery storage accounted for nearly 95% of the capacity in transmission interconnection queues as of year-end 2023, based on preliminary data from Berkeley Lab, presented in a staff report from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Sunnova becomes exclusive solar provider at Home Depot stores  Over 2,000 locations will host Sunnova representatives helping customers start their inquiry into solar, storage, and home energy management.

The NABCEP continuing education (CE) conference taking place this week in Raleigh, North Carolina is the largest to date with over 1,000 people registered.

With 70 technical training sessions taking place, the conference draws solar in NABCEP-certified installers seeking re-certification. The newest certification is the Energy Storage Installation Professional (ESIP). With support from a grant from the National Science Foundation, NABCEP teamed up with the CREATE Energy Center  and the Midwest Renewable Energy Association to develop the standard of education and training for those working with battery energy storage systems technology.

Steve Kalland, Executive Director of the North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center delivered the keynote presentation to a packed room of solar professionals, highlighting solar history, current policies and new opportunities. He noted the changes in the technology and overall perception, saying that back in the 1980s PV stood for “potentially viable”. Since that time efficiencies are up, costs are down, policies have been created, and Kalland said the new challenge is how fast it can get built.

With NABCEP being just over 20 years old, a “Pioneers in Solar Breakfast” was added to this year’s agenda to celebrate those attending who have been in solar for decades. Also being recognized are the winners of the annual Walt Ratterman and Les Nelson awards. The Ratterman winner receives a donation of $500 to a charity of their choice and the Les Nelson Scholarship covers NABCEP Conference.

The exhibit hall, which sold out, was bustling with over 100 exhibitors showing tools of the trade as well as marketing software, services and more.

IRENA has released a new report describing the future actions that should be taken to reach the renewable energy targets set by the COP28 conference held in Dubai in December.

“We need to deploy around 1.1 TW of renewable energy capacity per year by 2030. Every technology that provides a reduction in CO2 emissions is good, but technology neutrality may not be the solution, as only renewables ensure the necessary speed and scale to achieve the proposed targets,” said IRENA President Francesco La Camera, in reference to the slow pace at which nuclear energy is currently driving the global energy transition.

According to the official documents, 123 national governments and supranational blocs, including the European Union, have signed up to triple the world’s installed renewable energy generation capacity to at least 11 TW by 2030. The signatories also vowed to double the global average annual rate of energy efficiency improvements, from 2% to 4%, until the end of 2030.

La Camera noted the importance of creating a workforce for the energy transition. He also discussed the need to create incentives to foster the emergence of a green hydrogen market and to develop grid infrastructure and interconnection sea cables for global energy trade.

In the Tracking COP28 Outcomes report, IRENA said that annual investments in renewable power generation must surge from $570 billion in 2023 to $1,550 billion on average between 2024 and 2030. The report also said that the proposed COP28  target will not be reached without urgent policy intervention.

“G20 nations, for example, must grow their renewable capacity from under 3 TW in 2022 to 9.4 TW by 2030, accounting for over 80% of the global total,” said IRENA.

The organization also said that wider international cooperation, as well as the strategic use of public finances, will be key to achieving the COP28 goals.

“This requires structural reforms, including within multilateral finance mechanisms, to effectively support the energy transition in developing countries,” it stated.

As a serial entrepreneur and advocate for environmental stewardship, I’ve navigated the complexities of various industries, but few have been as challenging – or as rewarding – as the journey to establish a solar farm on Long Island; New York.

The Middle Island Solar Farm (MISF) stands today as a beacon of innovation and sustainability. Since its full operation in 2018, MISF has been generating 19.6 MW of electricity, equivalent to powering approximately 4,000 homes annually on Long Island.

Moreover, its clean energy output translates to removing the emissions of 6,000-8,000 cars from our roadways, a significant stride towards environmental sustainability. Witnessing the realization of my vision to utilize private investment for public welfare brings me immense satisfaction. However, the road to its success was fraught with obstacles that threatened to derail the project at every turn.

One of the most pervasive challenges we encountered was the Not In My Backyard (NIMBY) mindset prevalent in many communities. Despite the undeniable benefits of solar energy – including reduced carbon emissions and energy independence – local opposition often arises, fueled by fear and misinformation. Overcoming this resistance requires patience, perseverance, and a commitment to community engagement.

In addition to public perception, outdated zoning laws and bureaucratic red tape presented significant hurdles to the development of MISF. The arbitrary classification of solar farms as electric generating plants, coupled with convoluted regulatory processes, created unnecessary delays and added complexity to the approval process. Reforming these outdated laws and streamlining regulatory procedures are essential steps towards facilitating the growth of the renewable energy sector.

Furthermore, the influence of vested interests cannot be ignored. Established industries, threatened by the rise of sustainable energy, have wielded considerable power and resources to maintain the status quo. Lobbying efforts aimed at undermining clean energy initiatives perpetuate dependence on fossil fuels, hindering progress towards a greener future.

Despite these challenges, the case for clean energy investment remains stronger than ever. The economic and environmental benefits of renewable energy are undeniable, with solar power emerging as a viable alternative to traditional energy sources. However, realizing this potential requires a concerted effort to dismantle systemic barriers and create a more conducive environment for investment.

Education and community engagement are crucial components of this effort. By dispelling myths and highlighting the tangible benefits of clean energy projects, we can garner public support and overcome opposition. Moreover, fostering partnerships between government agencies, businesses, and local communities can help streamline the approval process and expedite the development of renewable energy infrastructure.

Additionally, policymakers must prioritize sustainability and incentivize investment in clean energy initiatives. By implementing policies that promote renewable energy adoption and phase out subsidies for fossil fuels, we can level the playing field and create a more equitable energy landscape.

As we confront the urgent challenges of climate change and environmental degradation, the need for decisive action has never been greater. By breaking down barriers to clean energy investment, we can pave the way for a brighter, more sustainable future for generations to come. It’s time to harness the power of innovation and collective action to build a world powered by clean, renewable energy. The time for change is now.

Jerry Rosengarten is a serial entrepreneur and advocate for environmental stewardship. He is the author of Jump on the Train: A Dyslexic Entrepreneur’s 50-Year Ride From The Leisure Suit to the Bowery Hotel and a New York Solar Farm.

Indoor cannabis growing operations use a staggering amount of electricity, requiring high-powered lighting, heating and cooling, ventilation, water pumping, and more.  

Back in 2012, before cannabis growth was legalized, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory estimated that 1% of the electricity consumed in the United States was diverted to indoor cannabis growing operations.

Since then, nearly half the states half legalized marijuana. Industry researcher Brightfield Group estimates the industry had $31.8 billion in annual sales in 2023, and that figure is expected to grow to $50.7 billion by 2028.

Today, fossil fuels still represent about 60% of U.S. electricity generation, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). According to the Northwest Power and Conservation Council (NPCC) one pound of cannabis growth requires about 2,000 kWh to 3,000 kWh of electricity consumption. For context, the average U.S. home uses about 900 kWh of electricity per month, said EIA.

This adds up to an enormous amount of greenhouse gas emissions to produce cannabis. While the industry could cut emissions by moving more production outdoors, or using more passive growing conditions like greenhouses, the quality and quantity advantages of growing indoors leaves little incentives for investors in large growing operations to change their operations fundamentally.

This creates an opportunity for the solar industry to step in as a partner to cannabis growers, helping cut emissions, lower electricity costs, and create a marketing competitive advantage for climate-conscious marijuana users.

One grower and processor, Bright Green Corporation, seized this opportunity, investing in a 102 MW solar project to power its new $250 million expansion project in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Maxeon Solar Technologies is providing the solar panels for the project, while Baker Tilly is leading construction.

The cannabis facility currently burns natural gas and oil for electricity. The company will now install three 40 MW electric boilers and power them with the solar facility, which is expected to take about 30 months to construct. Bright Green Energy said the cost savings over the 30-year lifetime of the equipment is expected to save the company “hundreds of millions of dollars.”

“This source of energy will reduce and fix our substantial heat and electric costs annually. The future growth of this company is highly dependent on Innovation and long-term efficiency,” said Lynn Stockwell, Bright Green Corporation founder. “The uncertainty of the long-term costs and pricing predicated on supply and demand for the traditional fossil fuels for this type of mega factory compared to clean energy from the sun advances the company’s economics and ethos.”

Although PV produces electricity from sunlight with no emissions, it is not “free.” It requires energy, resources, transportation, and installation, all of which are processes currently require carbon emissions.

In pursuit of reduced emissions, one of the major drivers of solar adoption, along with reduced costs, component procurers and project developers must consider the carbon required to bring a project to fruition. Sometimes referred to as the “carbon backpack,” the embodied carbon in a component can differ greatly based on materials used and where it was produced.

According to the Ultra Low-Carbon Solar Alliance, the use of PV materials with a lower carbon backpack can reduce the carbon footprint by 50% in the U.S. and 70% in Europe.

Origami Solar, a designer and manufacturer of recycled steel frames for solar modules, commissioned an independent study with Boundless Impact Research & Analytics to understand the difference in carbon backpack between its product and leading competitors. The analysis considered raw material production, manufacturing, transportation, and more.

It found that compared with traditional virgin material aluminum module frames shipped from China, U.S.-made module frames made from recycled steel show a 90.4% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. In Germany, the frames have a 94.7% carbon advantage.

Boundless estimates the greenhouse gas footprint of Origami Solar’s steel module frames at 9.25 kilograms (kg) of carbon dioxide equivalent per 2 meter by 1 meter frame produced in the U.S.

“The estimated Fossil Energy Footprint of Origami Solar’s steel module frame is 71.8 megajoules (MJ) in the United States and 62.2 MJ in Germany per 2 by 1-meter frame, compared to 920 MJ for a conventional virgin aluminum frame produced in China using an extrusion production process,” said the report.

The company said the improved carbon embodiment would result in a reduction of 80 kg of emissions per module or 200 metric tons per MW.

Analysis by Bloomberg NEF found that though solar component costs have lowered, aluminum framing has stayed relatively flat, and now represent about 25% of the cost of a module. 

Find the full comparative analysis and learn more about Origami’s process here.

Origami Solar, a small company based in Bend, Oregon, was awarded the grand prize in the 2022 U.S. Department of Energy’s American-Made Solar Prize competition, recognizing the disruptive value and market potential of the company’s steel module frame.

The company said it is sourcing steel and plans on producing frames regionally, thus eliminating supply chain constraints and trucking miles. The company reports that the frames are 100% U.S. made and will enable solar modules to qualify for the domestic content bonus tax credit.

“Steel is an earth-abundant resource that can be manufactured on every continent, the use of which in trackers, racking, mounts, and tubes is already widely accepted by the solar industry,” said Mathew Arnold, chief executive officer of Unimacts, a Boston-based manufacturer with production facilities in Nevada, Mexico and Spain. “We are excited to collaborate with Origami Solar to rapidly facilitate the shift from imported aluminum to domestically made steel frames.”

From pv magazine 2/24

Solar power will play a crucial role in the planned tripling of renewable energy capacity by 2030, delivering an unprecedented fivefold generation capacity increase by the end of 2030, to 5.4 TW – and some forecasts are even more optimistic. Despite the competitiveness of renewables, led by solar, challenges persist and require urgent policy action on financial flows, permitting, electricity grids, and supply chains.

The first step to delivering the renewable energy capacity the planet requires is to align global policy around a renewables transition. The GRA launched the #3xRenewables campaign in September 2023 with the aim of focusing attention on this urgent objective, in order to deliver rapid progress.

Just five months after that launch, some 300 organizations have signed an open letter calling for #3xRenewables and 198 countries and regional blocs agreed to the target at COP28, with 130 of them also committing to a global renewables and energy efficiency pledge. In order to deliver on that global commitment, governments must focus on four core actions, outlined below.

Financial flows

The flow of funds – including export finance and climate finance, as well as public and private capital – must be redirected from fossil fuel energy to the build-out of renewables and grids. In a policy report developed by the GRA, the International Renewable Energy Agency, and the COP28 presidency, we found that a $10 trillion investment in renewable energy deployment between 2023 and 2030 will be key to align with a global net-zero trajectory by 2050. While this may be a staggering number, $7 trillion is currently paid in fossil fuel subsidies annually and an additional $1 trillion was invested into fossil fuels in 2023. There is a need for a long-term sustainability perspective, rather than more capital.

To achieve our global target, we must also prioritize low-cost and long-term financing in the least developed economies and off-grid communities for a “just energy transition.”

Supply chains

Strengthening supply chains is crucial to avoid vulnerability and ensure all benefits from the opportunities offered by the energy transition. Investing in local supply chains promotes job creation, economic growth, and stable renewable energy expansion. Governments should prioritize transparent supply chains and should incentivize adherence to high environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) standards to bolster investor confidence and eliminate market barriers to pave the way to achieving solar targets. ESG standards such as the “do no significant harm” principle, as well as best practice initiatives such as the Solar Stewardship Initiative, will also be critical for ecologically and socio-economically sustainable development.

Electricity networks

Grid upgrades and development are a critical factor in the growth of renewables. Beyond accommodating the variability of renewable energy, the focus of grid upgrades should prioritize bolstering resilience, flexibility, and accessibility to smart grids. Solar power can be a cornerstone of energy security, through decentralized energy generation systems ranging from utility-scale sites to individual homes – offering unique opportunities for the least developed countries to expand energy access. Achieving this means tackling both transmission and distribution grid issues to deliver cost-competitive solar energy globally.

Solar’s decentralized potential enhances resilience against grid failures and other crises, powering essential services such as fridges for food and vaccines, light for construction, and mobile phone charging points. Policymakers must integrate decentralized solar design into national planning for a secure and just future.

Permissions process

With lengthy timelines and overlapping responsibilities among government entities, permitting processes can represent a significant roadblock for the rapid expansion of solar, both large and small scale.

To overcome this obstacle, permitting procedures for solar projects should adopt a standardized and clearly defined process proportionate to the size of installation and incorporating a “one-stop shop” approach. Considering the relatively small impact of rooftop solar, permitting processes for small-scale projects should be much more streamlined, compared to utility-scale developments. In some countries, the permitting burden has even been removed entirely for residential and commercial rooftops for installations with a generation capacity of up to 5 MW.

Cautious optimism

As we look ahead, the renewables sector is optimistic but realistic. The technology is at our disposal, renewables are cost-competitive and will create millions of jobs, and the benefits of a green grid are undeniable. Realizing this vision, however, demands policies which align to remove barriers and direct finance where it will have the most significant impact. This is where organizations such as the Global Solar Council (GSC) are critical – uniting the world’s solar industry. By bringing together expertise and stakeholders from regions across the world, the GSC, in strong collaboration with other renewable energy sectors, through the GRA, can drive the way to shaping our sustainable energy landscape.

About the author: Bruce Douglas is CEO of the Global Renewables Alliance, which includes leading industry associations for wind, geothermal, hydropower, long-duration energy storage, and green hydrogen. He has 25 years of international experience in the promotion of renewable energy and electrification and helped found the Global Solar Council in 2015, when he worked for trade body SolarPower Europe.

Grid operators in California and Texas earn “B” grades, others score poorly With two million megawatts of generation and storage projects awaiting interconnection studies across the U.S., a report gives grid operators grades for their interconnection processes ranging from B to D-.

Off-grid solar kit for EV pickup trucks Worksport announced a solar kit for pickup trucks that can be used a portable power source for leisure activities or as a temporary backup to recharge electronics or small appliances during power outages

MIT research provides roadmap to perovskite passivation In previous work, research teams developed methods for passivation, but there wasn’t clear understanding of how the process works. The new MIT study provides details on how to passivate the material’s surface so that the perovskite no longer degrades so rapidly or loses efficiency.

Calculating potential impact of EPA’s $7 billion Solar for All program  Solar for All can jumpstart the solar market and expand the benefits of solar far beyond the initial five years of the program. Clean Energy States Alliance notes that after the award decisions are announced, additional states will be evaluating strategies and more households will benefit from this funding over time.

Solar generated 5.5% of U.S. electricity in 2023, a 17.5% increase  Solar generation grew by 17.5% compared to 2022, albeit at a lower rate, adding just over 33 TWh of generation compared to the 40 TWh added in 2022.

Cadmium telluride solar cell based on indium gallium oxide emitter achieves 17.2% Developed by the University of Toledo, the cell achieved the highest efficiency ever reported for flexible cadmium telluride solar cells to date. The device reached an open-circuit voltage of 861 mV, a short-circuit density of 27.8 mA/cm2, and a fill factor of 71.7%.

Shell to sell 25% of its U.S. solar assets, said Reuters Reuters reported that the oil major is continuing to draw back from renewable energy investment.

Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA) published a report summarizing trends and calculating the potential impact of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s $7 billion Solar for All competition.

Solar for All is a funding opportunity announced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in June 2023. The goal of the program is to enable millions of low-income households access to affordable, resilient, and clean solar energy. The program was intended to up to 60 grants to states, territories, tribal governments, municipalities and nonprofits, and the CESA report looks at the range of proposals submitted for awards.

The CESA report, Empowering Tomorrow: A Preview of States’ Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund Solar for All Programs, looks at 35 Solar for All applications submitted in 33 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The overall finding is that if all 35 of the applications were funded, the projects would deploy 2.9 GW of solar capacity, providing $2 billion in savings for 711,068 low-income households over the next five years.

“The Solar for All competition represents an investment in solar for disadvantaged communities, the scope and scale of which has not been seen before,” explains CESA Senior Project Director Vero Bourg-Meyer. “For some states, this is an acceleration of work they have supported, with much more modest resources and variable levels of success, for years. For others, it is an entirely new endeavor, now enabled by the IRA.”

The deadline for receipt of applications was October 12, 2023. The EPA plans to notify applicants of its decisions in March 2024. Once award decisions are announced, award recipients and the EPA will negotiate cooperative agreements, with the EPA making final awards in July 2024. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) requires that all funds are awarded by September 30, 2024.

EPA restricted the maximum amount of funding that applicants could request, based on the total population of disadvantaged census tracts identified by the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST).

Of the 35 states included in the report, two were eligible for a large program (>$250M to $400M), 16 were eligible for a medium program (>$100M to $250M), and 17 were eligible for a small program ($25M and up to $100M). All but nine states requested the maximum amount of funding available in the size category.

The types of solar in the applications includes community, single-family residential, multi-family residential and other. Not all applications indicated the planned capacity, but of those that did, the report estimates that 63% of applications are for community solar, which would total about 1.75 GW of new capacity. An estimated 20% applied for single-family residential, for approximately 575 MW of new capacity. About 17% applied for multi-family residential, for an estimated 479 MW.

With an estimated 6.2 GW of community solar installed across the United States the nation as of Q4 2023 according to the Solar Energy Industries Association, the country has a long way to go toward achieving the Department of Energy’s target of 20 GW installed. The 1.75 GW of new community solar capacity proposed in applications for Solar for All state programs would help to move the needle toward the goal, while also supporting low- to middle-income (LMI) and disadvantaged communities (DAC).

Among the states that applied, all but five intend to add battery storage amounting to 1.2 GWh across all programs. While not a primary goal of the Solar for All program, the CESA report notes that this amount of storage that would serve DACs and low-income households over the next five years is significant.

Five key takeaways from the CESA report include:

1. The program can bring funding to a large number of disadvantaged communities and low-income households, while also lowering greenhouse gas in the targeted areas.
2. Solar for All can jumpstart the solar market and expand the benefits of solar far beyond the initial five years of the program. CESA notes that after the award decisions are announced, additional states will be evaluating strategies and more households will benefit from this funding over time.
3. Solar for All will feed the entire ecosystem of support services that can transform the LMI market.
4. Individual state programs will be driven by goals set by states’ leadership, enabled by the priorities established in local legislation, and fed by needs and wants of local communities.
5. States and the private sector can leverage the funding with other funding opportunities including other Greenhouse Gas Reduction funding as well as the revamped tax credits, including the bonus credit programs and new credit monetization features.

The CESA report points out that the Solar for All program aims to address known market barriers to transforming state markets for LMI customers. CESA sees the program as “an incredible opportunity for states to collaborate, exchange and grow markets together, faster than they would on their own, building economic opportunity, alleviating poverty, and working to meet their clean energy goals”.

Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) studied the local health and air quality benefits of achieving 100% renewable energy generation in Los Angeles’ transport and electricity sector. 

The Los Angeles 100% Renewable Energy study (LA100) explored how different approaches to achieving carbon neutrality affected air quality and health outcomes in Los Angeles over time. The researchers used 2012 as a baseline year compared to health and air quality outcomes across four adoption scenarios by 2045. 

Results showed that each scenario explored could reduce citywide air pollutant emissions like oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5).

The most significant reductions in emissions resulted from electrification and infrastructural changes to the non-power sector, such as transportation, buildings, the Port of Los Angeles, and the Port of Long Beach. This is due to reduced air pollutant emissions that led to citywide reductions of PM2.5 concentration.

However, researchers state that reductions also led to an increase in ozone  concentration in certain parts of Los Angeles, which they attribute to “temporary but inevitable growing pains” the city will experience as it works toward ozone reductions.

“Once NOx emissions get sufficiently low, further emission decreases will lead to marked ozone reductions,” the researchers stated.

The study found that health outcomes reflected air quality changes. For example, in one scenario, researchers state that 96 premature deaths and 53 cardiovascular-related hospital admissions were avoided. However, there was an increase of 30 asthma-related emergency room visits resulting from the rise in ozone concentrations.

NREL said a health outcomes focused scenario translates to about $900 million in yearly monetized health benefits for the City of Los Angeles. The figure exceeded $4 billion when adding the monetized health benefits of neighboring counties.

NREL conducted a follow-up study, LA100: The Los Angeles 100% Renewable Energy Study and Equity Strategies, to assess how air pollution affects different demographic groups. They focused on heavy-duty transportation electrification as a tool to reduce air pollutant emissions, concentrations and health effects. They found that electrifying large trucks could help to reduce air quality-related health disparities as many members of disadvantaged communities in Los Angeles live near major highways.

From pv magazine Global

An international research team has compiled and reviewed published literature on floating solar photovoltaic (FPV) systems from 2013-2022 and how water-based systems compare to those based on land. The paper summarizes the important findings of a broad range of studies on FPV systems and presents a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art of the technology, its benefits and challenges, and highlights research gaps.

The study’s corresponding author, Ramanan Chidambaram Jayaraj, told pv magazine that the team reviewed more than 300 articles, as well as patents, industry websites, and reports. The researchers charted the energy gain in FPV relative to LPV for 19 different reports examining FPV technologies ranging in size and tilt angle, as well as the efficiency gain for 10 different reports. For this report, the team excluded from their review studies that investigated submerged and partially submerged PV as well as systems that were in contact with water for cooling.

“With 70% of the world covered with water, research and development of FPV on ocean platforms opens a new era of solar energy with the advancement of robust floating structures,” the scientists emphasized. “However, it should be noted that oceans are not necessarily calm, and harsh ocean currents may pose serious challenges to FPV structures. Therefore, research and development efforts addressing this issue are crucial.”

The researchers noted that the results of the studies reviewed suggest that the increased energy production capacity from FPVs can potentially result in a decrease of up to 85% in the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) compared to land-based PV (LPV) systems, even despite the higher initial capital investment. Data compiled from the literature showed potential energy yield increases of up to 35.9% for FPV compared to conventional systems. They highlight several factors that affect the ability to achieve this maximum performance, including irradiance level, tilt angle, temperature, and cooling effect, among others.

The team also observed a range between 0.1% and 4.45% for the efficiency gain of FPVs against LPVs, as well as improvements of 2.4% to 3.3% for FPVs employing tracking technology. Additionally, the reviewed studies showed that bifacial floating solar panels that also use dual-axis tracking and cooling effects could even achieve gains of 42.5% to 47.5%.

“Based on the comprehensive review spanning from 2013 to 2022, it has been consistently demonstrated that floating photovoltaic systems outperform conventional land solar PV systems under homogeneous conditions,” they concluded. Additionally, they emphasized that FPV integrated with hydropower dams “not only maximizes renewable energy generation but also capitalizes on existing infrastructure, potentially revolutionizing the energy landscape.”

The study included a discussion of challenges faced by FPV systems, noting that factors such as the varying elevation of land in the pathway of the panels – as well as rocks, grass, and other panels – can influence the effectiveness of wind in cooling the panels. It cites a case where the temperature of an FPV was higher than that of a rooftop system during peak sun hours, emphasizing that performance is “highly dependent” on the system’s location.

The group explained that certain limitations emerged from the analyses reviewed in the study. “The existing techno-economic analyses and predictions on FPV performance often rely on software tools, which offer advantages in terms of cost, time, and resource efficiency compared to traditional research methods,” it said. “However, these software tools often require significant modifications to their user interfaces to adequately accommodate the unique characteristics and requirements of FPV systems. Additionally, some studies have found that even reputable solar PV software may not be fully capable of accurately predicting the performance of FPV systems.”

The results of the review are available in the study “Towards sustainable power generation: Recent advancements in floating photovoltaic technologies – ScienceDirect,” which was published in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. The team comprises researchers from Malaysia’s Curtin University and India’s Energy Institute Bangalore and Assam Energy Institute.

The researchers stressed that “there is a pressing need for further development of software dedicated to numerical modeling and prediction specifically tailored for FPV applications. This development would enable more accurate and reliable assessments of FPV performance, contributing to the advancement and widespread adoption of the technology in the renewable energy sector.”

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced more than $366 million for 17 projects across 20 states and 30 tribal nations and communities, to build resilience and energy security in rural and remote areas across the country.

This funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is intended to support community-driven energy projects, such as microgrids for community health centers, which strengthen energy security and delivers economic opportunities in rural and remote regions.

Rural and remote communities face a unique set of energy challenges and often have higher electric bills, unreliable energy supplies and some have no access to electricity at all. For example, 21% of Navajo Nation homes and 35% of Hopi Indian Tribe homes remain unelectrified, according to a 2022 report by DOE’s Office of Indian Energy. Low-income residents consistently face an energy burden three times higher than other households, according to the DOE.

The projects are part of DOE’s Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas (ERA) program, which is managed by the DOE Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED).  The selected projects cover a range of clean energy technologies, from solar, battery storage systems and microgrids to hydropower, heat pumps, biomass, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

Of the 17 funded projects, 12 are solar and 11 of those include energy storage. At least 12 projects will support tribal communities, such as the Navajo and Hopi Nations, who plan to install solar and battery energy storage systems to provide electricity for 300 homes. Another project expects its proposed tribal clean energy projects to save every Taos Pueblo household in its service area an estimated $700 per year by transitioning to clean energy.

Examples of projects selected for award negotiation include:

• The Solar + Storage Microgrids for Rural Community Health Centers Project: (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee): The CHARGE Partnership plans to build energy resilience in Community Health Centers to improve access to reliable health care in low-income, rural communities across eight states in the southeast. The clean, resilient energy systems developed through this project will benefit up to 175 health center sites, ensuring energy reliability and continuity of care during emergencies and power outages. DOE estimates that participating health centers could save up to $45 million in energy costs, avoid millions in losses due to closures, decrease greenhouse gas emissions, and create a scalable, replicable model for remote health care providers, strengthening the resilience of vulnerable communities.
• Resilience and Prosperity in Rural Northern Wisconsin (24 sites across Red Cliff Band Tribal Lands and Bayfield County, Wisconsin): This project seeks to increase regional energy reliability with the deployment of 23 microgrid systems. Wisconsin’s Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy (OSCE) will promote local workforce development. OSCE also aims to deploy solar power, battery storage, smart controls to enable islanding, and electric vehicle charging stations.
• Energizing Rural Hopi and Navajo with Solar Powered Battery-Based Systems (Navajo and Hopi communities in Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah): This project plans to install 2.5 kW off-grid solar and battery storage systems to electrify 300 tribal homes, enhancing energy resilience and increasing electrification rates within the community. The project lead, Native Renewables Inc., is committed to an Indigenous-led workforce and has developed a program to increase the number of tribal solar-installation professionals. They will also host training and education for participating households on solar electric energy systems and best practices to ensure the longevity of battery storage systems. his electrification project will fulfill essential household power needs.

Learn more about the 17 projects selected for award negotiation here.

Tribal solar on the rise Native American lands boast serious PV potential in the United States but getting projects off the ground hasn‘t always been easy. Different tribes are willing to take power generation into their own hands and the landscape could be shifting, thanks to funding from the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and other programs.

Fully printable flexible perovskite solar cell achieves 17.6% efficiency Developed by scientists in Canada, the 0.049 cm2 solar cell was built in ambient air fabricationand with a reactant known as phenyltrimethylammonium chloride (PTACl). It achieved an open-circuit voltage of 0.95 V, a short-circuit current density of 23 mA cm−2, and a fill factor of 80%.

First Solar could have $5 billion impact on U.S. economy by 2026 A study commissioned by First Solar analyzed the company’s actual and forecast U.S. spending in 2023 and 2026 when the company expects to have 14 GW of annual nameplate capacity across Alabama, Louisiana, and Ohio.

California needs 10 GW of solar deployment in five years, 57.5 GW of new solar added by 2045 For context, the state has about 43GW installed cumulatively to date, according to SEIA. The state’s new 2035 electricity emissions goals include 19 GW of new solar power, 20.6 GW of new wind and 15.7 GW of new battery power.

Construction begins on largest utility-owned solar project in New Hampshire ReVision Energy is building the 4.9 MW solar project on 36 acres of vacant land in Kingston, New Hampshire.

Arizona approves “discriminatory” charge on rooftop solar customers The Arizona Corporation Commission approved a request from utility APS to raise rates and add a punitive charge to rooftop solar customers.

Fire department nets 40% tax credit and $18,000 state rebate for rooftop solar A fire station in Superior, Wisconsin will save on energy bills and cut emissions with solar.