The Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA) released its Policy Roadmap that includes a guidebook, model legislation, inclusive solar access solutions for low-to-moderate income subscribers and consumer protection best practices. It’s intended to serve as a blueprint for states without competitive community solar programs to pass legislation that supports programs. It also provides insight into how to maximize federal funding.

“Our Roadmap boils down nearly a decade of the best lessons we’ve learned from creating community solar markets across the country into a succinct set of documents,” says Molly Knoll, Vice President of Policy, CCSA. “With many states exploring the development of new, or revamped, community solar programming and federal funds ready to deploy, this felt like the perfect time to release this helpful guide for all our advocates.”

The community solar is on the rise as it brings economic and social benefits to all Americans seeking local, clean community solar energy. By its design it lets people benefit from solar energy who may be unable to install solar either due to financial restrictions or because they do not have a suitable rooftop for solar.

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

The CCSA’s aim with the Roadmap is to help the industry continue on the upward trajectory it’s currently experiencing, which requires strong programmatic and policy decisions.

The Roadmap’s release coincides with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is set to deploy $7 billion to state applicants through its Solar for All program, a funding opportunity that has a goal of bringing solar energy to low-income households. Recipients were chosen based on their proposals to develop programs designed to serve communities facing barriers to distributed solar deployment, with 100% of funding supporting low-income and disadvantaged communities in all 50 states the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and territories.

Supporting low-income households

As recently shown in community solar programs and research reports from Wood Mackenzie and the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab  (LBNL) community solar has effectively expanded solar access to multifamily housing occupants, renters and low-income households. Based on a sample of 11 states, the LBNL study found that community solar adopters in 2023 were about 6.1 times more likely to live in multifamily buildings than rooftop solar adopters, 4.4 times more likely to rent, and earned 23% less annual income.

“The data speaks for itself: when states implement thoughtful policy programs that simplify income verification, billing, and expand access, we see immense growth in community solar adoption by low-to-moderate income households,” said Stephanie Burgos-Veras, senior manager of equity programs, CCSA. “We hope our Policy Solutions for Inclusive Solar Access primer can lead to more community solar programming being implemented — so that ultimately, more LMI households can benefit.”

The new CCSA Roadmap is intended to be used in conjunction with a companion document that provides Model Legislation for Community Solar Programs, that serves as a toolkit for policymakers to draft effective and sustainable community solar policies. The toolkit helps them tailor the program to community residents; kickstart the market with bill credit structure, oversight and administration; ensure long-term success by integrating community solar programs into existing utility and energy infrastructure of a state.

Also covered are potential challenges, the role of utilities, interconnection issues, program size and more. It also offers strategies to ensure that programs exist long into the future and continue to serve local residents.

Community solar legislation has been adopted in 19 states and the District of Columbia and multiple states have legislation in the works with nearly a dozen considering laws to create programs. Combined with the Solar For All program, CCSA believes that now is the time for policymakers to revisit the idea of bringing community solar to their state.

Find all the documents in the Policy Roadmap here under the “CCSA & Other Resources” tab.

Recurrent Energy, a subsidiary of Canadian Solar, signed a $103 million tax credit facilitation agreement with Bank of America for its North Fork Solar Project.

The tax equity agreement is Recurrent Energy’s first production tax credit (PTC) transaction and first tax credit transfer transaction. Recurrent reports that by transferring tax credits to Bank of America, it can access funding more quickly and efficiently.

In April the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released final guidance for the transfer of clean energy tax credits, a provision within the Inflation Reduction Act and the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) act that allow tax credit owners to sell their credits to other entities with a tax appetite.

Under a tax credit transfer transaction, renewable energy developers and owners can sell tax credits for cash, making financing easier for new clean energy projects. The transferability option is generally open to the entities that are not covered by the direct pay option. More information in the frequently asked questions section can be found here.

Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority (OMPA), which serves 42 municipally owned electric systems in Oklahoma, will purchase 100% of the energy produced by North Fork Solar under a 15-year agreement. This marks the first solar project in OMPA’s energy mix. Recurrent Energy will continue to own and operate the project long-term.

“This addition will further diversify our energy sources and provide our member cities with more energy options to offer their customers,” said David Osburn, OMPA general manager. “We look forward to maintaining a long-term relationship with Recurrent Energy.”

The 120 MWac North Fork Solar project, which sits on 1,012 acres in Kiowa County, Oklahoma, will provide enough electricity to power the equivalent of 35,000 homes year.

This project greatly increases the amount of solar installed in the state of Oklahoma, which ranked 46^th for installed capacity in Q1 2024 with 189 MW, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. At that time the Covington Solar Farm at 13.2 MW, which came online in 2017, was a landmark project.

Construction by Blattner began in August 2023 and was compete in June  2024 with approximately 250 people employed during peak construction and three permanent jobs during operation.

According to Recurrent Energy’s website, the project used construction methods to minimize grading and removal of soil, and preserved topsoil was redistributed across the graded areas to assist in growing ground cover as quickly as possible.

Recurrent Energy reports that during the project’s development and construction, the company supported local initiatives, including the Snyder 4-H and FFA, Snyder Prom, and Cyclone Educational Foundation. Now that it’s operational, the solar project will contribute about $26 million to community services.

Recurrent Energy began developing North Fork Solar in 2018. NordLB and Rabobank provided project financing for North Fork Solar. CRC-IB and Latham & Watkins advised Recurrent Energy on the tax credit transfer transaction.

Community solar provider Ampion Renewable Energy is partnering with The Wendy’s Company to help the restaurant chain source renewable energy. By signing onto community solar projects, companies like Wendy’s support the generation of renewable electricity for local grids.

Nearly 100 company-operated Wendy’s restaurants and nearly 40 franchise restaurants in New York, Illinois, and Massachusetts are now enrolled in Ampion+, a product that enables organizations t secure renewable energy certificates (RECs). RECs are a green power procurement strategy that electricity consumers, such as Wendy’s, use to substantiate renewable electricity use claims.

The result of the agreement, according to Ampion, is that the enrolled restaurants will source between 30% and 100% of their energy from solar without the need to install solar panels onsite. Wendy’s plans to increase the number of restaurants enrolled in Ampion’s community solar program as additional solar generation capacity comes online and more franchise restaurants enroll in the program.

“We are excited about the opportunity this partnership provides our Company and franchise restaurant operators by making it easier and more accessible to source clean energy while ultimately realizing cost savings,” said Steven Derwoed, vice president, global design & construction at Wendy’s. “We are advancing progress toward our emissions reduction goals through community solar participation and RECs. It’s a win-win for the Company and our franchisees.”

Last year, Wendy’s set near-term science-based targets to reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 47%, and Scope 3 emissions from franchisees by 47% per restaurant by 2030, from a 2019 baseline.

Through Ampion, Wendy’s locations have enrolled approximately 27.5 million kWh in community solar or the equivalent electricity needed for 2,200 homes for one year. Each kilowatt hour will be accounted for, tracked, and assigned ownership to a specific restaurant location via RECs through the Ampion+ product.

“As the need for reducing carbon emissions grows, community solar combined with RECs provides a solution for environmental sustainability in the corporate sector that is both achievable and affordable, while enabling companies to quantify and disclose their progress in a standardized manner,” said Nate Owen, CEO and founder of Ampion. “We’re seeing more large companies actively seeking sustainable solutions through community solar. This partnership with Wendy’s demonstrates that Ampion is able to support these organizations in reducing emissions and putting more renewable energy on the grid for local communities.”

Community solar is expanding rapidly in the U.S. with 22 states, including Washington D.C. that have policies supporting third-party shared or community solar. According to the Coalition for Community Solar Access, 6.6 GW of community solar generation capacity has been installed to date, and Wood Mackenzie’s most recent U.S. community solar market outlook predicts that there will be 14 GW power installed across the country by the end of 2028.

Earlier this year, Ampion surpassed 1 GW of community solar generation under management. Currently active in nine states and counting, Ampion acquires and manages subscribers of all types, from housing authorities, municipalities, and enterprises such as Wendy’s, to small businesses and residential subscribers. Ampion reports that it acquired thousands of low-to-moderate income subscribers in 2023, expanding access to those who need savings the most.

Solar ingot and wafer manufacturing coming to Oklahoma The Norwegian company, Norsun, announced an investment of $620 million in a 5 GW ingot and wafer facility planned in Tulsa.

People on the move: Spruce Power, ConnectDER, Amp Energy and more Job moves in solar, storage, cleantech, utilities and energy transition finance.

pv magazine interview: ‘Oversupply issues may continue in 2025’ As part of our Intersolar 2024 interview series, pv magazine spoke with Amy Fang, Senior PV analyst at InfoLink Consulting, about new solar factories coming online and decreasing solar modules prices. She says the downward trend may continue until the first half of next year, with prices reaching $0.07/W, and estimates global module demand for this year could reached between 470 GW and 500 GW.

Back contact solar beats mono PERC at lifetime energy generation A new analysis finds that back contact solar shows an average lifetime energy generation increase of 16.0% over mono PERC. The paper also says back contact had an average 9.7% shorter payback time and 10.7% lower LCOE across all modelled locations.

New York governor urged to double solar deployment goal Currently New York has a state target of 10 GW deployed by 2030. The state’s Solar Energy Industries Association has called for a new target of 20 GW of distributed solar by 2035.

The New York Solar Energy Industries Association (NYSEIA) has issued a report to Governor Kathy Hochul, requesting a raised target for the state’s distributed solar targets.

NYSEIA specifically requested an increased target for the buildout of distributed solar projects, which are typically installed on rooftops, carports or other built-environment locations for homes and businesses.

Under New York’s current climate strategy, the state targets 10 GW of distributed solar by 2030. NYSEIA has called for this to be doubled five years later, reaching 20 GW by 2035.

NYSEIA projects achieving this goal would lead to $50 billion in gross electric bill savings; $3 to $4 billion in revenue for rural landowners, municipalities and school districts; and support an additional 15,000 jobs in the solar industry.

New York is a leader in distributed solar buildout. About 90% of the state’s solar capacity is distributed, a much higher percentage than solar heavy states like California and Texas that have invested heavily in large, centralized utility-scale projects.

New York added more than 800 MW of distributed solar capacity last year alone and is on track to surpass 6 GW by the end of 2024, one year ahead of schedule.

“Scaling up distributed solar deployment will deliver cost-effective progress toward New York’s overall climate goals while delivering immense benefits to New York’s environment, economy, and working families,” said Noah Ginsburg, executive director, NYSEIA.

In 2019, New York enacted the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), directing New York to be powered with 70% renewable energy by 2030, 100% renewable energy by 2040, and a carbon neutral economy by 2050. 

Since then, a wave of high-profile utility-scale renewable project cancellations has jeopardized the feasibility of achieving 70% renewable energy by 2030, said NYSEIA.

“As New York struggles to meet its ambitious renewable energy mandates, legislative leaders and regulators must take decisive action,” said Ginsburg.

In 2023, Governor Hochul enacted a 10-point action plan to get utility-scale renewable projects back on track. However, NYSEIA said while utility-scale projects are important, they are not enough to meet New York’s mandates. To double solar cumulative solar deployment in six short years, distributed rooftop solar can be deployed rapidly to fill the gap.

There is hope yet for New York to achieve its climate goals. Solar deployment has grown at an average 31% annual growth from 2013-2022. To reach the new 20 GW by 2035 goal, the state will need to sustain 7-10% annual growth in deployment. NYSEIA said this was driven in part by the state’s leading community solar program.

NYSEIA advocates for the following policy changes to achieve the goal:

• Interconnection reform and flexible interconnection to lower clean energy costs and accelerate deployment 
• Streamlined permitting for rooftop and community solar
• Virtual power plant programs and dynamic rate design to compensate distributed solar and energy storage for exporting power when and where it’s needed
• Continued investment in New York’s nation-leading community solar programs to provide even more direct bill savings to low-income New Yorkers

“Distributed solar has performed so well in New York because it fits the nature of our state,” said Senator Pete Harckham, chair of the environmental conservation committee. “We have a unique mix of urban, suburban, and rural communities that can support a diverse portfolio of renewable energy projects, and it’s time we lean into our character as a state.”

Find the full roadmap here.

The City of Detroit announced it has selected three sites for its Solar Neighborhoods initiative, which seeks to develop solar facilities on mostly vacant neighborhoods throughout the city. 

Detroit city-owned buildings use a collective 33 MW of electricity. The city seeks to meet all this demand with new solar projects distributed throughout the metro area. 

Phase one of the project will add 21 MW of capacity across the Gratiot Findlay, Van Dyke/Lynch, and State Fair neighborhoods. Lightstar Renewables was selected to develop 10 MW of the portfolio. Site maps can be found here. 

Under the agreement, the solar facilities will be operated for 25 to 35 years. When the arrays reach the end of their useful life, the contract calls for developers to remove the equipment and return the property to a green field.

A coalition of local nonprofits, environmental groups, energy experts and solar developers are participating in the program. The groups engaged in a several-months-long community engagement program to explain its benefits and reach residents. 

Projects are planned in mostly vacant neighborhoods. Residents located in the footprint of the proposed solar facilities are offered compensation equal to double the market value of their property (or $90,000 minimum) along with moving expenses and relocation services. Renters will receive 18 months’ worth of rent and relocation services. The initiative includes energy efficiency upgrades for surrounding homes, with a minimum value of $15,000 on average per home. 

Each acre contributed will be provided with up to $25,000 in community benefits for energy-efficient upgrades, prioritizing affected homeowners and renters within the solar array footprint. Neighbors can elect to install energy bill saving measures like new windows, roof repairs, energy efficiency, home insulation, smart thermostats, battery back-up, and residential solar panels. 

For the next steps, the Office of Sustainability, The Department of Neighborhoods, the program’s Neighborhood Solar Partners and the solar developers to work with the community and get their insight into how the sites will look and operate. There will be a negotiated and approved agreement between the developer and residents, which will include what the design, vegetation and maintenance will be for each solar neighborhood before any construction work begins. 

List of Neighborhood Solar Partners: 

Green Door Initiative  

EcoWorks  

D2 Solar  

MI Interfaith Power and Light  

Peace Tree  

Sustainable Community Farms  

Walker-Miller Energy  

Rescue MI Nature  

Manistique Community Treehouse Center  

Ryter Cooperatives  

First Family Solar  

Anti-Gravity, LLC  

SDEV  

Energy Alliance 

Maine may design a distribution system operator to advance distributed energy resources Maine has hired a consulting firm to evaluate whether forming a distribution system operator could speed deployment of distributed energy resources and support other state goals. Consultants are reviewing how the approach is used in five other countries.

New platform vets residential solar salespeople An industry plagued by deceptive practices is now verifying salespeople via a platform called Recheck.

Summit Ridge to procure 800 MW of Qcells solar panels The recent agreement brings the total to 2 GW of solar modules that the community solar specialist will purchase from Qcells, mostly manufactured in its facility in Georgia.

More solar installations coming to U.S. military bases In a partnership with Duke Energy valued at an estimated $248 million, the U.S. Department of Defense will be the exclusive purchaser of all output generated by two new solar facilities, which will serve five military bases.

Siting solar projects for best environmental results A new white paper from Clearloop identifies key U.S. regions for best carbon displacement impact of new clean energy projects.

Top solar panel brands in reliability, quality, and performance Solar modules are evaluated in the Renewable Energy Test Center annual PV Module Index.

pv magazine interview: ‘In the next year, some of these guys are going to be bankrupt’ At Intersolar in Munich, pv magazine spoke with Jenny Chase, solar analyst at BloombergNEF, about the incredibly low polysilicon prices, massive overcapacity, and increasing consolidation. According to Chase, this year there will be enough polysilicon capacity to produce 1.1 TW of solar modules, but global module demand is expected to reach around 585 GW. 

With more than 300,000 buildings and 600,000 vehicles, the U.S. Government is the nation’s largest energy consumer. As a part of the Federal Sustainability Plan that directs the Government to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, the Government is quickly ramping up use of solar energy at military bases, five of which will soon be drawing electricity from two solar installations in South Carolina.

In a partnership with Duke Energy valued at an estimated $248 million, the Department of Defense (DOD) will be the exclusive purchaser of all output generated by two new solar facilities. The five military installations across North Carolina and South Carolina to benefit from the clean energy include Fort Liberty, USMC-Camp Lejeune, USMC-Cherry Point, USAF Seymour Johnson and USAF Shaw.

“DoD is leading by example on climate change in ways that will spur new clean electricity production, create good-paying jobs, increase our resilience to climate change, and enhance our national security,” said Andrew Mayock, Federal Chief Sustainability Officer at the White House Council on Environmental Quality.

Duke Energy estimates that it will provide 135 MW and approximately 4.8 million MW-hours of renewable energy in both states over a 15-year delivery period. According to the DoD, these installations will achieve 75% of their 2030 carbon-free energy requirement. Fort Liberty, for example, will reduce its emissions from electricity by 27% compared to 2022, with cost savings possible by 2040. The two solar facilities, which are expected to become operational in 2026, will be developed, owned and operated by energyRe, according to Duke.

“This project is a great opportunity to assist our military departments and our warfighters in their decarbonization goals and is paramount to reaching our initial goals of Executive Order 14057, Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability. DLA Energy is committed to supporting the administration’s clean energy initiatives and helping the military services and whole-of-government partners achieve their climate change goals,” said United States Air Force Col. Jennifer Neris, director of carbon pollution-free electricity for the Defense Logistics Agency.

Duke Energy reports that it currently owns, operates and purchases more than 5,100 MW of solar power on its energy grid in the Carolinas or enough to power nearly 1 million homes annually. North Carolina currently ranks No. 5 in the nation for overall solar power. With a portfolio of nuclear, hydro and renewable energy, the utility says more than half of its energy mix in North Carolina is carbon-free.

The DoD said in a statement that it will continue to seek partnership opportunities that enable the agency and other Federal partners to achieve President Biden’s carbon-free energy goals and build a robust, clean, and domestically based electricity supply chain by 2030.

“Our partnerships with utility companies are essential to delivering energy resilience for the Army,” said Rachel Jacobson, assistant secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy, and Environment. “These partnerships are helping us put microgrids with carbon-free energy generation and storage on our installations. And our continuing collaboration with Duke Energy allows the Army to contribute to a more reliable commercial grid that strengthens the resilience of the defense communities where our soldiers, military families, and civilians live. I am proud of these partnerships and look forward to expanding them so that our installations always have access to the electricity we need to defend the nation.”

Summit Ridge Energy expanded its partnership with Qcells with an agreement to purchase 800 MW of solar panels.

The agreement builds on an existing 1.2 GW relationship between Qcells and Summit Ridge, announced in April of 2023 by Vice President Kamala Harris. At the time the 1.2 GW order was the largest equipment purchase in history for the community solar market.

By increasing the total commitment to 2 GW, Summit Ridge reports it will develop more than 100 additional community solar projects across the country using U.S.-made solar.

Last year Qcells announced what was then the largest investment in U.S. solar manufacturing history, investing more than $2.5  billion to build a complete solar supply chain in the United States. This made the Korean company, a subsidiary of Hanwha Solutions, the first company to establish a fully-integrated silicon-based solar supply chain in the U.S. When complete, Qcells solar panels — from polysilicon to the finished panel — will be entirely made in the U.S.

Both the build-out of Qcells U.S. manufacturing footprint and the growth of Summit Ridge Energy are incentivized by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The includes tax incentives for domestic energy production as well as manufacturing. Many of Summit Ridge’s solar projects also qualify for IRA tax credits that will provide thousands of low-income households with greater access to clean energy savings.

“We are excited to expand our partnership with Qcells, which enables Summit Ridge to deliver on our promise of giving more Americans the opportunity to power their homes and businesses with locally generated clean energy,” said Brian Dunn, chief operating officer of Summit Ridge Energy. “Through our Qcells partnership, we are able to support domestic manufacturing and job creation, while simultaneously bringing low-cost clean energy to communities that have historically been left out of the clean energy transition.”

Summit Ridge’s planned fleet of community solar farms are expected to generate enough clean energy to power an estimated 200,000 homes and businesses. Since launching in 2017, the company reports that it has deployed over $2.6 billion into clean energy assets and controls a development pipeline of more than 3 GW that will provide solar power to homes and businesses nationwide.

“Expanding this relationship with Summit Ridge Energy means more communities will have access to the most affordable energy resource in the world,” said Justin Lee, CEO of Qcells. “This partnership not only supports the domestic manufacturing industry and thousands of jobs in solar, but it also ensures more people – especially those who have historically been left out – benefit from everything the clean energy economy has to offer.”

The majority of the solar panels purchased by Summit Ridge will be produced in Qcells’ new U.S. manufacturing facility located in Georgia. Additionally, Qcells will continue to provide Summit Ridge with battery storage and software solutions under separate procurement agreements.

New York policy authorizes $814.6 million to fund energy storage The new order puts the state on track to install 6 GW of energy storage by 2030.

Utility-scale solar development: Good planning makes good neighbors A recent study by Berkeley Lab, the University of Michigan, and Michigan State University found that sharing plans for large-scale solar projects with local residents improves the perception of such sites.

GCL says perovskite solar module passes silicon degradation tests At Intersolar Europe, the Chinese manufacturer said the perovskite-silicon tandem module would cost 50% of a crystalline silicon module that costs $0.15 per W, meaning $0.075 per W.

A look at the prevailing wage and apprenticeship final rule Taxpayers seeking to claim the highest available investment and/or production tax credits for renewable energy projects must comply with the prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements.

Spontaneous glass breakage on solar panels on the rise The National Renewable Energy Laboratory noted an increase in spontaneous glass breakage in solar panels. The PV Module Index from the Renewable Energy Test Center investigates this and other glass-related trends in solar manufacturing.

In case you missed it: Five big solar stories in the news this week  pv magazine USA spotlights news of the past week including market trends, project updates, policy changes and more.

Aiko presents ABC solar module with world record efficiency of 25.2% at Intersolar The Chinese back contact module maker said its new products rely on the company’s all-back-contact (ABC) cell technology and feature a temperature coefficient of -0.26% per C.

People on the move: Amp Energy, Deriva Energy, Atwell LLC, and more Job moves in solar, storage, cleantech, utilities and energy transition finance.

Arizona’s largest energy storage project closes $513 million in financing The 1,200 MWh Papago Storage project will dispatch enough power to serve 244,000 homes for four hours a day with the e-Storage SolBank high-cycle lithium-ferro-phosphate battery energy storage solution. 

Scientists develop silver-free PEDOT:PSS adhesive for shingled solar cells Researchers from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) have developed a new silver-free adhesive for shingled solar cells. The novel adhesive is based the PEDOT:PSS polymer and can reportedly reduce silver consumption to approximately 6.3 mg/W.

Longi launches ultra-black HPBC solar modules for residential applications The Chinese manufacturer said its new Hi-MO X6 Artist series has an efficiency of up to 22.3% and a power output ranging from 420 W to 430 W. The smaller version is currently priced at CNY 298 ($41.7)/m2 and the largest model is sold at CNY 268/m2.

Nextracker acquires solar foundation specialist Ojjo for $119 million Ojjo makes a unique truss system that reportedly uses half the steel of a conventional foundation and a design that minimizes grading requirements.

Nextracker, a global provider of intelligent solar tracker and software solutions, has acquired Ojjo in an all-cash transaction for approximately $119 million.

Ojjo is a California-based renewable energy company specializing in unique truss systems that uses half the steel of a conventional foundation and a design that reportedly minimizes grading requirements in utility-scale projects.

The foundation company was founded by Jack West, who also founded Zep Solar. Zep was also known for its unique design in that it offered a rail-less way of installing solar on rooftops. Zep was acquired by SolarCity, which was later acquired by Tesla.

Ojjo’s truss is comprised of underground anchors, above ground legs and a truss cap. The Ojjo Earth Truss has more than 4 feet of reveal tolerance, regardless of Truss height, the company reports, which minimizes grading requirements. A hollow Screw Anchor is the heart of the Ojjo foundation technology, and it’s designed with a crimp collar welded to the top and a hollow tip at the end. Ojjo also has a Truss Driver machine that uses automation software for installations.

Today Ojjo is made up of industry veterans from Avantus, Vestas, SunPower, Recurrent Energy, and Canadian Solar as well as original members from the Zep days. Ojjo reports that, to date, it has delivered more than 2 GW of truss foundations and has 600 total patents issued and pending.

One of Ojjo’s notable projects is Gemini, a 690 MW standalone solar and battery storage project in Nevada on Bureau of Land Management land in the Mojave Desert. The company reports that the project’s owner, Primergy, and EPC, Kiewit Power, chose the Ojjo solution because it eliminated predrilling and reduced the need for grading.

Nextracker reports that for many years it has partnered with Ojjo on testing, evaluation and collaboration on joint customer solar projects. Nextracker sees the acquisition as a bonus for developers and EPC firms as Ojjo’s patented foundations portfolio paired with Nextracker systems provides an integrated solution for a variety of soil conditions.

“Their team brings geotechnical products and expertise in foundation systems that are especially well-suited to rocky sites, with control system intellectual property that is broadly applicable to a range of equipment,” Dan Shugar, Nextracker founder and CEO. “This acquisition furthers our successful global tracker foundation business with next-generation, differentiated technology.”

Nextracker reports that Ojjo technology paired with its NX Horizon integrated tracker system will advance Nextracker’s existing foundation capabilities. In addition, Ojjo technology will continue to be available to customers for use with other compatible solar trackers.

“I am proud of what the Ojjo team created. Nextracker is by far the best partner to drive this technology to its fullest potential in the utility-scale marketplace,” said Mike Miskovsky, outgoing Ojjo CEO, who will be providing transitional support to Nextracker into the next fiscal quarter.

The transaction closed on June 20, 2024, and is not expected to be material to fiscal 2025 results. The purchase price is subject to working capital and other customary purchase price adjustments.

Recurrent Energy, a subsidiary of Canadian Solar Inc. has secured $513 million in project financing for its Papago Storage project located in Maricopa County, Arizona.

The 1,200 MWh Papago Storage, which will be the largest energy storage project in Arizona, is expected to begin operations in the third quarter of 2024, with commercial operations slated for the second quarter of 2025. Once operational, the project is expected to dispatch enough power for approximately 244,000 homes for four hours every day.

The Papago battery energy storage systems (BESS) project will use e-Storage’s SolBank, a containerized, proprietary battery energy storage solution designed and manufactured for utility-scale applications. SolBank, which was announced at RE+ in Anaheim in 2022, uses high-cycle lithium-ferro-phosphate (LFP) batteries with a 2.8 MWh energy capacity.

Recurrent Energy, owner of the project, secured a 20-year tolling agreement with Arizona Public Service (APS) for the energy storage project, under which the utility pays for the right to charge and discharge the battery when it needs to.

MUFG and Nord/LB acted as coordinating lead arrangers for the Papago Storage project financing. The financing includes a $249 million construction and term loan, a $163 million tax equity bridge loan, and a $101 million letter of credit facility. Joint lead arrangers for the transaction included Bank of America, CoBank, DNB, Rabobank, Siemens Financial Services, and Zions.

“Today, we are thrilled to see nearly a decade of planning culminate in the financing of what will be the largest energy storage project in Arizona,” said Ismael Guerrero, CEO of Recurrent Energy. “We appreciate the continued support from our partners Nord/LB and MUFG in our shared mission to advance the clean energy transition.”

Last April Canadian Solar rebranded its wholly owned global energy subsidiary as Recurrent Energy. This segment develops both stand-alone solar and stand-alone battery storage projects, as well as hybrid solar-plus-storage projects. To date, Recurrent Energy has delivered more than 10 GWp of solar power projects and 3.3 GWh of energy storage projects, with a global project development pipeline of 26 GWp and 56 GWh for solar and energy storage respectively, the company reports. In North America, Recurrent Energy is developing a pipeline of 6.3 GWp of solar projects and 18.9 GWh of battery energy storage projects.

Wood Mackenzie and American Clean Power released its quarterly Energy Storage Monitor report, finding that the U.S. storage market posted strong growth in the grid-scale and residential storage sector, while the commercial and industrial sector retracted significantly in Q1 2024. 

The grid-scale market installed 993 MW / 2,952 MWh of storage, with California, Texas, and Nevada responsible for 90% of the total. This was a record quarter for grid-scale storage, growing 84% year-over-year over Q1 2023. The enormous backlog of grid-scale storage with interconnection applications has grown 10% year-over-year, with 426 GW of storage in the queue nationwide. 

Costs declined considerably year-over-year, with grid scale storage averaging $1,776 per kWh in Q1 2023 and falling 39% to $1,080 per kWh in 2024. The grid-scale segment is projected to see a 45% increase year-over-year in 2024 with 11.1 GW/31.6 GWh installed, bringing total cumulative volume in the next five years to 62.6 GW/219 GWh.

About 250 MW / 515 MWh of residential storage was installed, posting a slight increase of 8% over Q4 2023. Interestingly the residential solar segment grew 48% on a MW capacity basis year-over-year for Q1. 

California tripled its number of residential storage installs year-over-year for Q1. Batteries were attached to 41% of installed solar arrays in California, suggesting there is still a lot of room for growth, said Wood Mackenzie. High interest rates continue to drag down the residential solar and storage market, increasing the amount of third-party owned systems like leases and power purchase agreements (PPA). 

Wood Mackenzie forecasts that 13 GW of distributed storage will be deployed over the next five years. The residential segment will constitute 79% of distributed power capacity installations, said the report. It said that more residential storage will come online as costs decrease and the value of exporting rooftop solar mid-day decreases as well. 

Despite growth in other sectors, the commercial, community and industrial market had its worst quarterly deployment total in years. The California market has remained stagnant as most systems installed are under Net Energy Metering 2.0, and New York and Massachusetts have had down quarters. 

“The CCI segment continues to see the highest barriers to growth in the near-term, but its strong value proposition and emerging value streams will make it an exciting growth segment in the later years of our ten-year forecast,” said Wood Mackenzie. 

Across all segments, Wood Mackenzie expects 12.9 GW / 35.8 GWh of storage to be installed in 2024. In its quarterly report, the firm raised its five-year forecast for grid-scale installations by 5% and residential sector installations by 8%. The five-year commercial, community, and industrial forecast was cut by 34% after the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) made an unfavorable ruling on community solar.

Looking ahead, Wood Mackenzie expects 75 GW / 251 GWh to be installed through 2028.

“The rapid growth of the energy storage industry comes at a critical time, providing a solution to growing energy demand and increasingly variable weather conditions that are placing added stress on the grid.” said John Hensley, vice president of markets and policy analysis at American Clean Power, “A strong start to 2024 sets expectations high for the remainder of the year.”

Read more energy storage news coverage on the new pv magazine energy storage platform.

This article was amended to correct MWh to KWh in reference to declining costs.

From ESS News

U.S.-based energy solutions company Torus has announced the signing of a deal with real estate developer Gardner Group to provide its propriatery BESS and FESS technologies in one of the largest commercial energy storage projects in the U.S. state of Utah.

The deal will see 26 MWh of systems installed and supported by Torus’ proprietary software platform, enabling intelligent energy management, demand response capabilities, and seamless integration with renewable energy sources and EV charging infrastructure.

The project will also leverage Torus’ participation in Rocky Mountain Power’s Wattsmart Battery program, which supports grid resilience through the integration of energy storage resources into a VPP ecosystem. The Torus VPP platform enables predictive analytics for demand response, energy arbitrage, and frequency regulation.

From pv magazine Global

Global PV installations will range from 600 GW to 660 GW in 2024, according to Bernreuter Research.

Bernreuter said its forecast is supported by the shipment targets of the world’s six largest solar module suppliers for 2024. On average, JinkoSolar, Longi, Trina, JA Solar, Tongwei, and Canadian Solar aim for a growth rate of 40%, which, based on global solar installations of 444 GW in 2023, would result in 622 GW of newly installed capacity in 2024.

“Even if leading players gain market share as tier-2 and tier-3 manufacturers struggle in the current low-price environment, it is likely that new PV installations will exceed 600 GW (DC) this year,” said Bernreuter.

Bernreuter’s latest report, “Polysilicon Market Outlook 2027,” said low module prices will fuel demand in the second half of the year. “Once market participants conclude that the crash of the solar module price has reached its bottom, demand will accelerate,” explained Johannes Bernreuter, head of Bernreuter Research.

Global solar installations of 630 GW to 660 GW would exceed the report’s high scenario of 620 GW. The report also noted that China, with a market share of more than 50%, will continue driving global PV installations forward.

“Our new analysis confirms the more aggressive forecast approach we have adopted in the report,” said Bernreuter.

An integrated microgrid infrastructure project in Rockville, Maryland will be the largest renewable energy-powered bus depot in the nation and the first on the East Coast to produce green hydrogen on-site, according to developer AlphaStruxure.

The microgrid will be constructed at Montgomery County’s David F. Bone Equipment Maintenance & Transit Operation Center (EMTOC), which is the County’s fifth largest energy user. With the depot eventually powering 200 zero-emissions buses, it will support the County’s climate goal of reaching 100% reduction in carbon emissions by 2035.

The 7 MW microgrid will consist of 5 MW of Sunpower solar modules, a 2 MW/7.35 MWh Schneider Electric battery energy storage system, and 4.5 MW of charging capacity. It will also use SMA inverters and feature EV chargers from Heliox and PowerCharge.

The integrated microgrid, which is expected to be operational in the fall of 2025, will be interconnected to the utility, but engineered to operate indefinitely in island mode, according to AlphaStruxure. Once built, it will be able to power not just electrolysis but the depot’s five existing buildings and battery electric bus charging. As a self-sufficient microgrid, it will do so with or without utility electricity, and can export up to 2 MW back to the grid, the company reports.

Unique to this microgrid is the 1 MW hydrogen electrolyzer that will be powered by the on-site solar energy and used to support fuel cell electric buses and enhance the county’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network.

The County’s 2024 fleet transition plan calls for replacing 100% of its nearly 400 fossil-fuel-powered buses with a mix of battery-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell electric buses, while also scaling the entire fleet to about 600 buses by 2035. With this microgrid, the County is planning in advance how to power these zero-emissions vehicles by strategically coupling procurement of both the vehicles and the infrastructure.

“What you don’t want is to get these vehicles on site and have no way to charge them. It’s a balance between infrastructure done and the fleets in at the same time,” said Michael Yambrach of the County’s office of energy and sustainability.

Montgomery County created a public-private partnership with AlphaStruxure to design, build, finance, own, and operate the microgrid. The Counted used AlphaStruxure’s Energy as a Service agreement under which AlphaStruxure designs, builds, owns and operates the infrastructure, and taps an investment firm for financing.

Startup Giraffe Financial aims to unravel tax credit complexities for businesses Giraffe received a $1.5 million pre-seed round of funding and plans to help underserved small- and medium-sized businesses access IRA tax credits.

CATL, Gotion deny U.S. accusations of forced labor U.S. lawmakers have urged for Chinese battery heavyweights CATL and Gotion High-Tech to be immediately added to an import ban list under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. Both manufacturers have adamantly denied the allegations.

Bitech Technologies sells 2.4 GW of solar to focus on energy storage Bitech completed the sale of 2.425 GW of its greenfield solar projects to “a third party purchaser”. The company plans to turn its focus to its battery storage business, which it believes, could ensure better investment returns.

Hawaii’s largest solar-plus-storage facility now operational The 60 MW Kūihelani solar-plus-storage facility will generate enough electricity for 27,000 homes, with a 240 MWh battery energy storage system.

Solar represents over 80% of U.S. electric capacity additions in 2024 Combined with wind, the two technologies represent 99% of all capacity additions, according to data from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

Maxeon reveals minimized risk of hotspots in IBC solar panels Maxeon’s Interdigitated Back Contact (IBC) solar panels were found to disperse heat evenly, leading to lower operating temperatures in the shade and reduced degradation.

Swift Solar closes $27 million in funding, plans perovskite solar factory Swift Solar, a specialist in perovskite tandem photovoltaics, plans to build a factory in the U.S. in the next two to three years to manufacture thin-film solar.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission released its Energy Infrastructure Update, issuing data through April 2024 for projects interconnected to utility electric grids.

Solar installed a cumulative 7,899 MW in January through April 2024, representing 80.5% of capacity additions. Wind followed with 1,825 MW, while natural gas added 67 MW of capacity through the first four months of the year.

In April, solar added 1,374 MW to the grid, representing 63.7% of all capacity added. Wind followed with 737 MW added, while 16 MW of natural gas was interconnected with the grid.

Despite its domination of new project queues and activations, renewable energy has a long ramp of growth ahead of it if the United States is to achieve its goals of decarbonizing the energy sector. FERC reports that natural gas has the largest share of the energy mix with 564.5 GW (44%). This is followed by coal (16%), wind (12%), solar (9%) Nuclear (8%), and hydropower (8%). Oil, biomass, geothermal and waste heat combine for about 4% of the energy mix.

Looking ahead, for a short-term outlook of new capacity additions from May 2024 through April 2027, FERC expects solar to add the most capacity by a wide margin. FERC defines capacity additions in two buckets, all additions (including proposed projects) and high probability additions (projects that are further along the development cycle and very likely to be approved and constructed).

For high probability additions, solar leads the way with 88,195 MW expected. This is followed by wind with 23,919 MW, and natural gas with 13,280 MW. All other generation sources are expected to add 400 MW or less, with zero nuclear energy capacity additions expected.

As for retired capacity over the next three years, about 20,177 MW of coal, among most emitting source of electricity, is expected to be retired. Additionally, 17,103 MW of natural gas capacity is expected to come offline, leading to a net decline of 3,823 MW. About 2,043 MW of oil capacity is expected to be retired.

FERC reported that 128.2 miles of transmission lines with voltages from 230 V to 500 V was constructed thus far this year. Through September 2026, FERC expects 2,056.2 miles of high-probability transmission lines to be added.

Below are highlights of project additions as reported by FERC:

• FGE Goodnight I LLC’s 258.1 MW Goodnight Wind Energy Project in Armstrong County, TX is online.
• AES Clean Energy Development LLC’s 216.0 MW wind powered Chevelon Butte Phase 2 in Coconino County, AZ is online.
• Ranchland Wind Project II LLC’s 148.0 MW Anchor Storage & Wind I – II Expansion in Callahan County, TX is online.
• Ranchland Wind Project LLC’s 114.9 MW Anchor Storage & Wind I – II Expansion in Callahan County, TX is online.
• Sparta Solar LLC’s 250.0 MW Sparta Solar (TX) Project in Bee County, TX is online.
• Hardy Hills Solar Energy LLC’s 195.0 MW Hardy Hills Solar Project in Clinton County, IN.•Sky Ranch Solar LLC’s 190.0 MW Sky Ranch Solar & Storage Project in Valencia County, NM is online.
• Zier Solar LLC’s 163.0 MW Zier Solar & Storage Project in Kinney County, TX is online. •South Cheyenne Solar LLC’s 150.0 MW South Cheyenne Solar Project in Laramie County, WY is online.
• Cane Creek Solar LLC’s 78.5 MW Cane Creek Solar LLC in Clarke County, MS is online.
• Misenheimer Solar LLC’s 74.4 MW Misenheimer Solar Project in Stanly County, NC is online. The power generated is sold to Duke Energy Carolinas under long-term contract.
• Foxhound Solar LLC’s 71.0 MW Foxhound Solar Project in Halifax County, VA is online.
• Castle Solar LLC’s 40.0 MW Castle Solar LLC in Emery County, UT is online. The power generated is sold to the University of Utah under long-term contract.
• Hayhurst Texas Solar LLC’s 24.8 MW Hayhurst Texas Solar Project in Culberson County, TX is online.
• Cottontail Solar 8 LLC’s 20.0 MW Cottontail Solar 8 Project in York County, PA is online.
• Spectrum Solar LLC’s 8.6 MW Spectrum Solar (MD) Project in Prince Georges County, MD is online.
• ASA DeKalb NY Solar III LLC’s 7.4 MW ASA DeKalb NY Solar III LLC in Saint Lawrence County, NY is online.
• Casco Standish Solar LLC’s 6.7 MW Casco Standish Solar LLC in Cumberland County, ME is online.
• Beaver Dam Solar 1 LLC’s 6.2 MW solar powered Beaver Dam (NY) Project in Albany County, NY is online. The power generated is sold to Southern Co Services Inc under long-term contract.
• Elk Solar LLC’s 5.0 MW solar powered Elk Project in Hoke County, NC is online.

Hawaii has the highest average electricity price of any state at 43.93 cents per kWh, nearly triple the U.S. average, yet this project will cut that cost for many residents. Developer AES Hawaii projects that the Kūihelani Solar-plus-Storage facility will generate enough electricity for 15% of Maui’s needs at just 8 cents per kWh.

“Maui residents will soon be seeing the benefit of Kuihelani in their electric bills and the reassurance of knowing they will have reliable electrical power for their homes and businesses,” said former Maui Mayor Victorino.

Islands that are not covering their energy needs with renewables are beholden to imported fossil fuels. The energy generated by this facility will offset the need to import an estimated 2 million barrels of oil.

Situated on 450 acres in central Maui, between Kūihelani Highway and Maui Veterans Highway, the project supports the state’s goal of 100% renewable energy and decarbonization targets by 2045. AES Hawaii broke ground for construction less than two years ago, and as with most large-scale solar projects, the company sought input from the community prior to construction. As a result, AES Hawaii modified its plans.

“We reduced the size of the project site by 35%, minimizing the project’s environmental footprint, while maximizing the usage of the available land in a responsible manner,” said Sandra Larsen, Hawaii market business leader for AES.

Hawaiian Electric is the offtaker of the electricity, having signed a 25-year power purchase agreement with AES Hawaii.

Nearly 300 jobs were supported during construction of Kūihelani Solar-plus-Storage and and generated approximately $68 million for Maui’s economy, according to AES Hawaii. In addition, project area is also designed for agricultural use.

AES Hawaii more than 300 MW of renewable energy in construction or operational, enough to power 120,000 homes statewide. The company estimates that this is the equivalent of eliminating more than 175,000 metric tons of carbon emissions and more than 15 million barrels of oil consumption over the course of project lifecycles.

From pv magazine ESS News

California-headquartered renewables company Bitech is selling 2.425 GW of its total 3.840 GW solar project portfolio. According to its website, Bitech’s primary focus as owner operator is the monetization and modernization of its 1.96 GW pipeline of grid-balancing battery energy storage system (BESS) projects. Bitech says it has a combo pipeline of 5.8 GW of BESS and solar projects.

A large part of Bitech’s business model is building partnerships and M&A deals with other renewables businesses, such as Emergen, a company it purchased from Texas-based solar and storage developer Bridgelink on April 24. With this transaction, the solar assets that have now been offloaded had entered Bitech’s portfolio.

Bitech’s wholly owned subsidiary Emergen will receive $19,400,000 from “a non-related third-party purchaser”, if the projects achieve a Point of Interconnection and subsequently obtain all Necessary Land Rights and the option to return certain or all projects is not executed.

Commenting on the decision to divest…

Article continues here.

People on the move: 3E, Pure Power Engineering, Crux, CMBlu, and more Job moves in solar, storage, cleantech, utilities and energy transition finance.

New York invests $5 million in agrivoltaics The Empire State seeks “active farming,” such as cattle grazing, cannabis, corn, foraging, or specialty crops, on solar power sites. Offers up to $750,000 per site for demonstration projects that share data publicly.

Texas gas station to save on costs with solar installation A Shell gas station is expected to save over $150,000 from a solar array installed on the roof of its pumping station.

Assessing solar asset operational risks A report from kWh Analytics shares new data on mitigating solar asset operational losses.

Solar module prices increase for first time in years, Anza reports Using its own database of price quotes, the Anza Q2 Pricing Insights Report highlights the first price increase in years as a result of AD/CVD petition and the reinstatement of bifacial import duties.

A gas station in Crandall, Texas is among the first in the state to install solar panels on the roof of its pumping station.

DynamicSLR installed the 49 kW array for the Tri Gaz 5 station, The project is equipped with Enphase IQ8-3P microinverters. Microinverters are placed under each solar module, ensuring optimized production for each individual module.

The project is estimated to offset 17% of the station’s electricity needs, producing approximately 66,359 kWh per year. The project is interconnected with utility Oncor’s transmission grid.

The on-site solar array is expected to offset 1,920 lbs of carbon dioxide emissions per year, equivalent to 4,365,231 miles driven by cars, or 28,799 trees planted. 

“Our commitment to sustainability drives us to be pioneers in our field,” said Zak Kassem, president, Tri Gaz 5. “We take pride in being the first gas station in Texas to embrace solar energy, thereby reducing our carbon footprint.”

Ahmed Barakat, head of operations for commercial and industrial solar, DyanmicSLR said the installer was concerned about the potential risks of arc faults and selected a solution that made safety a top priority.

“We choose Enphase microinverters to provide clients with the safest solution, and the Enphase App allows us to implement module-level monitoring,” said Barakat. “This not only addresses their safety concerns, but also enhances their overall experience by providing detailed monitoring and analysis at the individual module level.”

Enphase IQ8 3P inverters were selected to provide the station a three-phase solution. The high-powered microinverter is designed for 208Y VAC three-phase small commercial solution. It has a peak power output of 480 W and comes equipped with a limited warranty of up to 25 years.

The gas station is expected to save about $3,752 per year, or about $154,685 over the expected life of the system.

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) announced that $5 million is now available for demonstration projects that co-locate solar and agriculture within the state. Each project can receive up to $750,000. The state aims to expand the body of knowledge on the technical and financial viability of solar agrivoltaic facilities.

Participants in the program must agree to share data on the projects, including costs, benefits, lessons learned, and to host educational events open to the public.

Applications can be submitted through the NYSERDA website September 12, 2024, at 3 p.m.

Agrivoltaic facilities that are part of a larger solar facility should submit their application accounting only for the solar power area that is part of the agrivoltaic experiment. For instance, a 5 MW solar facility that integrates corn cultivation within 1 MW of solar panels should apply as a 1 MW agrivoltaic facility.

Agrivoltaic projects must be a minimum of 100 kW and are limited to 5 MWac.

According to NYSERDA summary documentation, eligible crops, livestock, and livestock products include, but are not limited to:

• Field crops, including corn, wheat, oats, rye, barley, hay, potatoes and dry beans.
• Fruits, such as apples, peaches, grapes, cherries and berries.
• Vegetables, such as tomatoes, snap beans, cabbage, carrots, beets and onions.
• Horticultural specialties, including nursery stock, ornamental shrubs, ornamental trees, and flowers.
• Livestock and livestock products, including cattle, sheep, hogs, goats, horses, poultry, ratites (such as ostriches, emus, rheas and kiwis), farmed deer, farmed buffalo, fur bearing animals, wool bearing animals (such as alpacas and llamas), milk, eggs, and furs.
• Maple sap.
• Christmas trees derived from a managed Christmas tree operation whether dug for transplanting or cut from the stump.
• Aquaculture products, including fish, fish products, water plants and shellfish.
• Woody biomass, which means short rotation woody crops raised for bioenergy, and does not include farm woodland.
• Apiary products, including honey, beeswax, royal jelly, bee pollen, propolis, package bees, nucs and queens. “Nucs” are defined as small honeybee colonies created from larger colonies, including the nuc box – a smaller version of a beehive, designed to hold up to five frames from an existing colony.
• Actively managed log-grown woodland mushrooms.
• Industrial hemp as defined in Section 505.

Projects that solely include pollinator-friendly ground cover, apiary installation and maintenance, sheep grazing, or crops for biofuel generation are not eligible.

The project application package includes a “General Eligibility Checklist.” A negative response to any of the questions on this form may disqualify the proposal from further consideration.

Source: NYSERDA

A variety of eligible groups, including solar developers, farmers, landowners, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and local governments, can submit projects. Individuals and business owners may also apply independently. Teams looking to enhance existing or under-development distributed solar projects must apply through the NY SUN portal and be certified as NY SUN contractors. Additionally, projects associated with the NYSERDA Large Scale Renewable program are eligible.

The total potential prize of $750,000 is split into two parts; it allocates up to $500,000 for funding incremental solar hardware to ensure the facility’s viability. The remaining $250,000 is designated to support the agricultural aspects of the project. Funding will cover no more than $0.50 per watt for the incremental costs of the solar power plant.

Flexible interconnection with curtailed output can benefit everyone, analyst says  Allowing flexible interconnection for large solar projects can reduce costs and speed deployment, benefiting developers, ratepayers and utility staff, said a presenter at a North Carolina conference of utility regulators.

Startup launches online platform for residential PV system purchase Two-year old Monalee developed an online platform for homeowners looking to buy solar PV and storage systems. Its software enables the process from quotes to financing, installation and after-sales support.

Concentrator photovoltaic module based on surface mount technology A research group in Canada has optimized the performance of concentrator photovoltaics by using the so-called surface-mount technology for thermal management. The CPV module prototype utilizes four non-interconnected III-V germanium cells, a Fresnel lens, and a transparent glass printed-circuit board.

Five Puerto Rico reservoirs could host 596 MW of floating solar Potential sites for solar in Puerto Rico include reservoirs, brownfields, closed landfills, fossil generating plants after closure, and transmission rights of way, determined analysis by the National Renewable Energy Lab.

Weather-related damage to solar assets exceed modeling expectations by 300% The report from kWh Analytics, with input from several industry leaders, identified 14 risks to be aware of in the solar industry, including risks related to extreme weather, such as hail, and operational risks.

Cheapest source of fossil fuel generation is double the cost of utility-scale solar Solar levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) has fallen to $29 to $92 per MWh, said a report from Lazard.

List of top solar module manufacturers led by JA Solar, Trina Solar, Jinko Solar Wood Mackenzie says that JA Solar has taken first place on its list of solar panel manufacturers. Nine of the first 12 positions are held by Chinese manufacturers, seven of them could surpass 100 GW of capacity by 2027, and eight are self-sufficient in cell capacity, according to the research firm.

Largest ground-mount solar project in downtown Washington D.C. now operational  The community solar installation at The Catholic University of America was built through a collaborative effort between the university and 1,200 local residents.

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

Monalee, a U.S.-based software company has developed a web-based platform to enable investing in residential rooftop PV and related home energy systems. The company serves consumer solar PV markets in the states shown on the map.

The software provides estimates, quotes, financing, permitting, installation, and interconnection services after the homeowner enters their address, current bill, and choice of PV or battery, or both. It also calculates savings, a subsidy or credit calculator, and after-sales support via an app.

“Ordering and completing solar purchases must move online because that is what consumers want. They are used to it, even for major purchases such as buying a car,” Monalee CEO and co-founder Walid Halty, told pv magazine, adding that the challenge with solar is the need for site visits to be able to develop the project.

Monalee solved the site visit challenge by tapping into geographical information system (GIS) data and imagery from Google Maps via an application programming interface (API), known as Solar API.

“But the Solar API covered only half of the U.S.,” said Halty, describing how the company partnered with earth imaging specialists that provided photogrammetry LIDAR and drone imagery data for wider coverage.

Deep learning techniques were applied to enable the software to detect roof edges, for example, or to identify building features, such as a chimney or air conditioning units.

Monalee is a licensed general contractor and master electrician in 24 U.S. states. It works with small to midsize installers as sub-contractors, as well as other partners, such as equipment suppliers and finance providers to supply the services sold via its platform, according to Halty, who said that the company has served 1,900 homeowners since its founding in 2022. He attributes it to the service being “less time-consuming” and “more economical” compared to conventional methods.

Monalee reports that it uses Mitrex 405 solar panels and Tesla inverters. It is also a Certified Tesla dealer and uses the Tesla Powerwall for residents who opt for energy storage.

Offering lower prices has led to some unexpected results. “We were surprised to see demand in parts of the country, like Georgia, Alabama, and Kentucky, that are not typically big solar markets due to lower electricity prices. The largest market by volume are Florida and California, as expected,” said Halty.

Monalee has raised a total of $10 million in venture capital, with the most recent round closing in March 2024. The company has plans to expand to 35 states this year.

Bosch unveils water source heat pumps for residential, commercial applications  Bosch Home Comfort has presented two new heat pumps series that can be used for both retrofits and new buildings. Both products have a size of a size of ½ to 6 tons and a coefficient of performance of up to 4.9.

Community solar increases energy equity, report finds For the first time research looks at data about households adopting community solar along with policy that promotes outreach, and the results confirm that coalition efforts are beneficial.

U.S. solar trade case moves forward The U.S. International Trade Commission unanimously voted that solar cell manufacturing in Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, supported by local incentives, is harming U.S. industry. This decision paves the way for the Commerce Department to finalize its determinations on Countervailing Duties by July 18 and Anti-Dumping duties by October 1.

Empowering multifamily housing with Solar for All grants As multifamily housing emerges as a key player in the solar revolution, it is poised to not only benefit from but also drive positive change in the clean energy landscape.

Longi presents 24.4%-efficient 660 W HPBC solar panel Intended for applications in utility-scale PV projects, the new Hi-MO 9 module is available in eight versions with power output ranging from 625 W to 660 W and power conversion efficiency spanning from 23.1% to 24.4%.

More states now require smart inverters, enabling more distributed solar Pennsylvania and Minnesota have joined six other states in requiring smart inverters for distributed solar and storage. Certain utilities in 13 states and Puerto Rico also require smart inverters, while six states are considering the requirement. Smart inverters enable more solar on distribution circuits.

Community solar makes solar accessible to those who live in multifamily housing and don’t own their rooftops, can’t afford the upfront cost of solar or whose roofs are not oriented favorably for solar. A recent study by researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Labs (LBNL) and published in Nature Energy, shows that community solar extends clean energy to communities that would have otherwise struggled to adopt rooftop solar.

“Their findings are compelling: community solar subscribers are 6x more likely to live in multifamily housing and 4x more likely to rent. This reaffirms what we have known to be true for years — community solar is one of the best ways to increase equity in our energy system,” said Molly Knoll, vice president of policy for the Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA).

Wood Mackenzie found that the share of community solar serving low-to-moderate income (LMI) subscribers grew from 2% to 10% in just one year, with costs decreasing 30% over the same period. In a report on community solar, Wood Mackenzie expects 7.6 GWdc of new community solar will come online in existing state markets between 2024 and 2028, and the national total of community solar installations are expected to pass 10 GW of cumulative capacity in 2026.

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

Knoll pointed out that the Wood Mackenzie findings along with the LBNL findings, shows that policy that supports community solar adoption by LMI customers cannot only increase solar adoption but can also decrease overall costs.

For the first time, the researchers combine household-level data from Berkeley Lab’s Tracking the Sun rooftop solar adopter data set with data compiled under NREL’s Sharing the Sun community solar research, as well as additional community solar adopter data collected for the study. To determine how well community solar is serving the needs of those who are underserved by the rooftop solar market, the study looked at the demographic characteristics of the two adopter groups.

Based on a sample of 11 states, the LBNL study found that community solar adopters in 2023 were about 6.1 times more likely to live in multifamily buildings than rooftop solar adopters, 4.4 times more likely to rent, and earned 23% less annual income. Based on this, the researchers conclude that community solar has effectively expanded solar access to multifamily housing occupants, renters and low-income households.

The researchers also looked at what drives community solar participation: business models or policy. The business model removes barriers to adoption by allowing households to adopt solar without owning a home or having exclusive access to a rooftop. This is especially appealing to those who live in multifamily buildings and/or who are renters.

On the other hand, the researchers found that policy has helped to provide targeted support to help low-income households adopt community solar.

The conclusion was that business models and policy are equal in influencing community solar.

According to CCSA’s Knoll, this equitable access will increase substantially as more state policies include requirements that projects serve LMI customers. She noted that the $7 billion infusion from the EPA’s Solar for All competition will further speed LMI adoption.

“This study is important confirmation of one of the values community solar can bring to the electric grid and the tireless work our broad and diverse coalitions are doing to bring community solar to every state in the country,” said Knoll.

The authors of the Berkeley Lab study will host a free webinar on June 18^th at 11 a.m. PT/2 p.m. ET.

New frontiers: All-terrain trackers are changing the rules of solar site selection As solar projects are built increasingly in populated areas, community pushback has become a major risk to solar growth and achievement of climate targets. Yet by allowing solar installations to fit the land in its natural form, we can remove one of the most significant sources of pushback. We shouldn’t have to protect nature from solar development.

Walking the hazardous line of qualifying for the brownfield energy tax credit The brownfield credit is significant and, therefore, it behooves a project developer to understand the definitions and rules in order to avoid any potential liability while also qualifying for the credit.

Solar cell prices hold steady in quiet market In a new weekly update for pv magazine, OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a quick look at the main price trends in the global PV industry.

Zinc-ion batteries: A less volatile alternative? At a time of growing demand for battery energy storage, pv magazine spoke with Eloisa de Castro, CEO of Enerpoly, a Swedish company preparing to launch the world’s first zinc-ion battery megafactory on its home turf. Having solved rechargeability issues, the company expects its safe and sustainable zinc-ion batteries, which rely solely on a European supply chain, to increase their market share in the years to come.

In case you missed it: Five big solar stories in the news this week  pv magazine USA spotlights news of the past week including market trends, project updates, policy changes and more.

Utility-scale solar developer Arevia Power it has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Nevada utility NV Energy for one of the largest solar and energy storage projects in the state.

Under the PPA, the utility will purchase power generated by the 700 MW Libra solar project, 20 miles south of the Fort Churchill substation in Yerington, Nevada.

The project will include 700 MW of solar and a 700 MW / 2800 MWh battery energy storage system. The battery storage system is designed provide reliable power year-round, particularly for rural Nevada. Once complete, the project will span 5,141 acres, with most of the generation ties to the grid located in Lyon County.

The project is planned to reach commercial operations in 2027 and will employ 1,100 people during development and construction, providing $250 million in direct wages.

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) will provide labor for the project and is also serving as an investor through GCM Grosvenor’s Infrastructure Advantage Strategy. 

“With the Libra project we are taking another step toward a sustainable future that also delivers the type of high-paying middle-class jobs the people of Nevada deserve,” said IBEW president Kenneth Cooper.

Over its lifecycle, the project is expected to generate $170 million in personal property and sales taxes.

The project is set to be approved through the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) submitted by NV Energy. Key components of the IRP include three solar and battery power purchase agreements (PPAs), totaling over 1,000 MW of solar energy and more than 1,000 MW of battery storage.

The PPAs under the IRP will be built, owned, and operated by third parties, which sell their projects’ output to NV Energy. The projects are expected to help the utility meet state renewable energy standards while creating fixed-cost energy pricing for customers.

Arevia was advised by Patrick Groomes and Brenda Hanzl, who also advised Arevia in its prior negotiations with NV Energy on the 690 MW Gemini solar and energy storage project.

Total U.S. solar module manufacturing capacity grows by 71% in Q1 2024 According to the U.S. Solar Market Insight Q2 2024 report, solar module manufacturing production capacity increased by over 11 GW.

World’s largest solar plant goes online in China  China Green Development Group has switched on the 3.5 GW Midong solar project in Urumqi, China’s Xinjiang region. The project required an investment of CNY 15.45 billion ($2.13 billion).

U.S. commercial real estate to host VPP-connected flywheels and batteries U.S.-based technology provider Torus has agreed to supply nearly 26 MWh of energy storage for Gardner Group’s commercial real estate portfolio. The project will integrate battery and flywheel energy storage systems (BESS, FESS) with Torus’ proprietary energy management platform.

Solar panel import tariffs are affecting the industry by increasing prices by up to 286% Clean Energy Associates released a summary of the seven solar module trade policies and solar panel import tariffs currently in place, including AD/CVD rulings, Section 201/302, and the Uyghur Protection Act. These tariffs have significantly increased, or will increase, the cost of hardware imports into the United states – predominantly from China, but not exclusively – by 91% to 286%.

IEA urges countries to accelerate renewables deployment A new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) suggests that the world could miss out on a target of 11,000 GW of global renewables capacity by the end of the decade, as agreed at COP28. It also predicts that solar will become the world’s largest source of installed renewable capacity, surpassing hydropower.

California bill amends ruling that gutted value of solar for multi-meter properties If approved, SB 1374 would give schools, farms, apartments and other multi-meter properties “the same treatment” as single-family homes in solar crediting and billing structures.

The COP28 Tripling Renewable Capacity Pledge: Tracking countries’ ambitions and identifying policies to bridge the gap, says only 14 of the 194 National Determined Contributions (NDCs) explicitly lay out 2030 targets for renewables capacity. The commitments equate to 1,300 GW of renewables by 2030 – 12% of the 11,000 GW required to meet the global tripling objective set at COP28 in Dubai. China accounts for almost 90% of this NDC total, having explicitly set a goal of 1,200 GW of wind and solar by the end of the decade.

The IEA reported that governments’ domestic ambitions for renewables surpass NDCs. An analysis of policies, plans, and estimates of almost 150 countries revealed an intention to install nearly 8,000 GW of renewables worldwide by 2030, representing 70% of the required amount to achieve the tripling goal by 2030.

The  U.S. Solar Market Insight Q2 2024 report says 11 GW of new solar module manufacturing capacity came online in the United States during Q1 2024, the largest quarter of solar manufacturing growth in American history.

The report, released by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie, estimates that total U.S. solar module manufacturing capacity now exceeds 26 GW annually.

In addition to solar manufacturing, the U.S. is also quickly ramping up solar installations. With 11.8 GW of new solar capacity installed thus far in 2024, total capacity now stands at 200 GW in the United States. The utility-scale segment alone accounts for nearly 10 GW of the new capacity added.

The report shows that the U.S. added over 40 GW of new solar capacity last year, and Wood Mackenzie now projects that the U.S. is on target to achieve the same goal in 2024.

“This quarter proves that new federal investments in clean energy are revitalizing American manufacturing and strengthening our nation’s energy economy,” said SEIA president and CEO Abigail Ross Hopper. “Whether it’s a billion-dollar investment in a nearby solar project or a new manufacturing plant employing hundreds of local workers, the solar and storage industry is uplifting communities in every state across this country.”

The report points to Florida and Texas as leaders in new solar capacity in Q1. Florida installed 2.7 GW in Q1 and Texas 2.6 GW. California, historically a solar leader, falls into third place with 1.4 GW of new installs; however, it is notable that in 2023, Texas installed nearly 12 GW, while California was about 6.4 GW. New Mexico is another leading market with 686 MW installed in Q1, with Ohio following close behind at 546 MW. Bringing up the bottom is North Dakota, Alabama and Alaska.

“The U.S. solar industry continues to show strength in terms of deployments,” said Michelle Davis, head of global solar at Wood Mackenzie and lead author of the report. “At the same time, the solar industry faces a number of challenges to its continued growth including availability of labor, high voltage equipment constraints, and continued trade policy uncertainty.”

The residential solar segment has been hard hit by high interest rates and unsupportive state policies. California, where the highly controversial NEM 3.0 went into effect, experienced its worst quarter in two years. Overall the residential sector installed 1.3 GWdc in Q1, reflecting a 25% decline year-over-year and 18% quarter-over-quarter but going forward residential solar is expected to be steady.

Commercial solar showed 23% growth in 2023 and expected to grow by another 14% in 2024. This sector is somewhat buoyed by California projects that were submitted under NEM 2.0 still being in the interconnection queue.

Looking at community solar, installations resulted in 279 MWdc of new capacity in Q1, with New York topping the charts at 17% year-over-year in Q1 2024, making up 46% of national installed capacity.

Again, state policy changes in California are punching holes in a previously growing market. As a result of the CPUC’s vote on AB 2316, the report authors revised their five-year outlook for California and now expects just 200 MW rather than the 1.5 GW—an 87% decline. Overall the community solar market is expected to grow 4% in 2024, exceeding 1.3 GWdc of annual capacity.

Questions and challenges

With many unanswered questions about tariffs on imported solar modules and other components, the report contends that a tariff increase will not have a significant direct impact on the U.S. solar industry, given that the U.S. is importing less than 0.1% from China at the present time.

Moving forward, the report’s five-year outlooks expects the U.S. industry to install around 40 GWdc a year for the next five years. Trade policy uncertainty coupled with shortages in workers as well as high-voltage equipment, will keep overall growth in the single digits through 2029. The five year projection, however, is for U.S. solar capacity to grow to 438 GW by 2029.

From pv magazine Global

China Green Electricity Investment of Tianjin, a subsidiary of China Green Development Group (CGDG), has switched on the 3.5 GW Midong PV farm in Urumqi, China’s Xinjiang region.

The PV facility is currently the world’s largest solar plant. Prior to commissioning, Chinese state-owned utility Huanghe Hydropower Development started operating the world’s largest solar park, a 2.2 GW facility, in October 2020.

China Construction Eighth Engineering Division Corp and Power Construction Corporation of China (PowerChina) carried out the construction of the Mindong project in stages. The installation required an investment of CNY 15.45 billion. It features more than 5.26 million 650 W monocrystalline bifacial double-glass PV panels supplied by an unnamed manufacturer.

The extensive infrastructure of the project includes the installation of 1.23 million supporting piles, five 220 kV booster stations, and more than 208 km of transmission lines connecting the array to the grid via a 750 kV substation.

China Green Development Group (CGDG), established in December 2020, is a major energy investment entity under the central Chinese government, succeeding the former State Grid-owned Luneng Group. Managed directly by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC), CGDG focuses on the investment, construction, and management of renewable energy projects. The group aims to achieve more than 20 GW of renewable energy installations by the end of 2024.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced its first proposed projects under its Cleanup to Clean Energy initiative, which seeks to repurpose DOE-owned lands into clean energy generation centers. 

The proposed projects include development on former nuclear weapons testing sites operated by the Idaho National Laboratory. DOE will enter lease negotiations for solar projects within the 890-square-mile site. 

DOE plans to support the development of 400 MW of solar capacity at the site, or enough to power about 70,000 homes. 

“Tens of thousands of acres of DOE-owned land across the nation are being transformed into thriving centers of carbon-free power generation,” said U.S. Energy of Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm. “Working closely with community leaders and private sector partners, we’re cleaning up land once used in our nuclear deterrence programs and deploying the clean energy solutions we need to help save the planet and strengthen our energy independence.”  

The Cleanup to Clean Energy initiative was launched in July 2023. The program dovetails with President Biden’s climate goals and responds to the directive in Executive Order 14057  and the accompanying Federal Sustainability Plan. 

Executive Order 14057 calls for federal agencies to achieve 100% clean energy by 2030 and authorizes them to use land for development of clean energy generation via leases, grants, permits, and other mechanisms. 

For the two developers with selected proposals Idaho National Laboratory site, NorthRenew Energy Partners proposed to install more than 300 MW of solar along with battery energy storage on approximately 2,000 acres. Spitfire proposed to install 100 MW of solar plus battery energy storage on about 500 acres of the site.  

DOE said it plans to open subsequent opportunities for the Idaho National Laboratory site. 

DOE has also issued requests for qualifications (RFQs) to lease land at four additional sites, including the Hanford site in Washington; the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico; the Nevada National Security Site in Nevada; and the Savannah River Site in South Carolina. DOE plans to announce additional selections this year. 

More information on the Cleanup to Clean Energy initiative can be found here.

The U.S. has a net-zero by 2050 goal, which means moving away from fossil fuel generated energy as fast as possible as much as 40% of all carbon dioxide pollution comes from fossil fuel power plants, according to the Department of Energy (DOE). The good news is that for the first time, solar accounted for over half of new electricity generation capacity added 2023 and, by 2050, solar is expected to be the largest source of generating capacity on the U.S. grid.

As the more large-scale solar projects seek approval in the U.S., the Department of Energy is concerned that measures are taken to gain public trust and understanding of the need for and scope of the projects. To that end, the DOE is investing $9.5 million in four new projects that support social science research that examines the ways that siting practices can influence public attitudes toward and permitting of large-scale solar facilities.

The award was one of four made by DOE’s Solar Energy Technologies office under their Solar Energy Evolution and Diffusion Studies 4 (SEEDS 4) program. The organizations receiving funding under the program include the Solar and Storage Industries Institute, Michigan State University, Princeton University, the and the University of Pennsylvania.

The Solar and Storage Industries Institute (S12) was awarded $2.5 million for a project that builds off the stakeholder-driven Uncommon Dialogue: Large-Scale U.S. Solar Development, convened by Stanford University, the Solar Energy Industries Associataion (SEIA) and The Nature Conservancy, and balances three imperatives in the development and deployment of large-scale solar projects: climate, conservation, and community.

In partnership with the Uncommon Dialogue working groups, the project team will identify the best ways to engage community, and these practices will be tested at large-scale solar project sites. The University of California, Santa Barbara and Lawrence Berkely National Labs will study how these practices shape local support for large-scale solar projects.

“We are incredibly excited to receive this award and thank the DOE for this opportunity to perform cutting-edge research on large-scale solar siting and permitting,” said David Gahl, executive director at SI2. “By testing stakeholder-developed community engagement practices at actual solar sites, we hope to yield new insights that improve outreach to host communities.”

Michigan State University was awarded $2.5 million for a project in which researchers will evaluate the potential to speed up large-scale solar siting and permitting processes while also reducing community burdens and improving procedural justice and energy equity. The project will study ten large-scale projects in four different regions of the country.

Princeton University was awarded $2 million for a project in which researchers will assess the potential for Community Benefit Agreements. These legal agreements between community groups and large-scale solar developers can deliver tangible benefits to communities, build credibility in solar projects and strengthen trust across stakeholder groups.

University of Pennsylvania researchers were awarded $2.5 million to evaluate how different siting practices shape community support for large-scale solar projects and how those dynamics differ across different types of communities.

Also read: Solar project developers face opposition from Joshua Tree conservationists

Has the Inflation Reduction Act bolstered the U.S. solar supply chain?  Wood Mackenzie is tracking the capacity that manufacturers have announced will come online in the U.S.; however, three challenges remain including a balance of materials, pricing and tariffs.

RFP alert: CAISO and TID seek renewable energy and storage projects Using the Ascend Analytics Energy Exchange, Turlock Irrigation District announces a request for proposals to meet its California Renewable Portfolio Standards and reliability goals.

A new federal transmission rule won’t help renewables projects anytime soon Although promptly deploying grid-enhancing technologies and advanced conductors could speed interconnection in the short term, a new federal transmission rule will improve interconnection only once new transmission is built, said panelists on a webinar.

ABB launches smart panel for home energy management In partnership with Lumin, the company released an electric panel with software for controlling solar, batteries, EV chargers, and more.

Researchers build 24.4%-efficient perovskite solar cells with room temperature process Researchers from the U.S. and South Korea have developed a method to make high-quality perovskite films at room temperature. The film was tested in a conventional perovskite solar cell architecture and the result was a power conversion efficiency of exceeding 24%.

Startup uses agricultural waste to produce low-cost, safe batteries U.S.-based start-up SorbiForce uses no toxic products or metals in production of its batteries. It claims its systems are cheaper and safer than lithium-ion batteries and have near zero end-of-life waste.

Solar carport to provide 100% electricity needs for Los Angeles Six Flags  Recom Technologies was selected as the solar panel provider for the 12 MW solar carport.

Recom Technologies, a European PV module manufacturer, has partnered with Solar Optimum to supply solar panels for a solar carport project at the Six Flags amusement park in California.

The 12.37 MW solar carport system will be constructed over the main guest and employee parking lots. It is expected to offset 100% of the park’s electricity usage.

The project is the largest solar carport in California, and the “largest single-interconnection commercial and industrial development in the world,” said Ara Krikorian, executive vice president of commercial development, Solar Optimum.

Once operational, the project is expected to produce 20.8 million kWh annually, equivalent to the power demand of nearly 3,000 homes. It is expected to offset the carbon emissions equivalent to taking over 3,100 cars off the road each year.

The park will purchase electricity produced by the system over a 25-year period, leading to an estimated 517 million kWh produced over the period.

The project includes a 1.96 MW / 7.89 MWh battery energy storage system.

The carport will make use of Recom Panther bifacial half-cut solar panels. The bifacial panels produce electricity from sunlight above as well as reflected up from the ground to the backside of the panel.

Recom’s Panther series of solar modules is offered in various formats including G1: 158.75mm; M6: 166mm; M10: 182mm; G12: 210mm. Wattage ratings range from 360 W to 665 W, and the company offers both monofacial and bifacial panels with varied frame and backsheet options.

Recom offers a 25-year product warranty for its panels. The panels offer a first year output of 98% of initial rating, less than 0.54 % annual degradation, and a 25-year output of over 85%.

Six Flags’ latest project adds to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Northern California and Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey, which have also developed on-site solar facilities with over 30 MW of operational solar capacity.

Once the Los Angeles carport is complete, Six Flags will have a combined total of 42.37 MW of solar assets, ranking it among the largest investors of on-site commercial solar.

“Here in California, innovation and climate action go hand-in-hand – our success as America’s economic powerhouse and the world’s fourth largest economy is built on our ambitious transition to a cleaner, greener future. Six Flags’ commitment to clean energy is the type of work that will power our future and ensure our kids have a healthy planet to call home,” said California Governor Gavin Newsom

PVRadar offers solar project risk assessments factoring in historical climate data  PVRadar Labs has expanded its software platform to include PV project risk assessment functionality, reportedly enabling more realistic performance estimates based on historical climate data.

JinkoSolar claims 33.24% efficiency for perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells JinkoSolar says it has achieved a 33.24% efficiency rating for its perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells, confirmed by the Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

Vermont becomes first state with Climate Superfund Act  The Vermont legislation intends to hold fossil fuel corporations responsible for climate change.

Fronius unveils residential string inverter for rooftop solar The Fronius Gen24 hybrid inverter comes to North America after success in Europe.

Solar project developers face opposition from Joshua Tree conservationists  The site of the Aratina Solar Center in Kern County, California, is home to western Joshua trees, and therefore the developer has to comply with the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act that was enacted in July 2023. Incidental Take Permits authorize renewable energy developers to remove trees with an option to pay a standard mitigation fee rather than complete mitigation actions.

Texas to host 300 MW of geomechanical energy storage projects  Quidnet Energy, a provider of geomechanical energy storage (GES) technology, has joined hands with distributed energy resources developer Hunt Energy Network to deliver 300 MW of storage projects in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) grid operating region.

A solar project that was unanimously approved by the Kern County, California Board of Supervisors in 2021 is coming under fire by some who oppose the cutting of western Joshua trees to make way for the Aratina solar project. An environmental review process is conducted prior to approval and before construction begins on any large-scale solar plant, including Aratina.

Aratina is a solar-plus-storage project with an intended generation capacity of up to 530 MW and 600 MW battery energy storage system. Once fully operational, it is expected to produce enough clean electricity to power 180,000 homes. The electricity generated by the Aratina Solar Center will be transmitted to utilities and community energy providers throughout California.

In addition to reducing 860,000 metric tons of carbon emissions every year, which is the annual equivalent to planting 14 million trees or removing 180,000 cars from the road, the project is expected to benefit the local community. Avantus has allocated over $135,000 toward programs and services in Boron and Desert Lake. It is also is expected to generate over $30 million in local tax revenue over the solar center’s lifetime that can go toward local services like schools, public safety, and street services. During construction, Aratina is expected to create approximately 570 construction jobs paying between $31 and $75 an hour.

To receive approval to develop the project located in the Boron and Desert Lake area of eastern Kern County, California, Avantus, the developer produced an Environmental Impact Report, as required prior to beginning construction. The company held public forums as part of the County review, during which some local residents raised concerns about visibility of the plant, and the developer altered its plans, stating that it “listened to the concerns and have incorporated them into a revised design that increases project setbacks from residential areas by up to a half-mile (almost nine football fields)”.

The revised site design, referred to as Aratina 2.0 by Kern County, increases project setbacks from Boron and Desert Lake’s residential areas. The company said the raised bed railroad that runs by the location and vegetation alongside the road will also reduce visibility of the project.

Because the site of the Aratina plant is home to western Joshua trees, the developer has to comply with the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act (WJTCA), a California Law that was enacted in July 2023. Incidental Take Permits of the WJTCA authorize renewable energy developers to take western Joshua trees with an option to pay a standard mitigation fee rather than complete mitigation actions. Under the act, the fees collected are deposited into the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Fund for the purposes of acquiring, conserving and managing western Joshua tree conservation lands and completing other activities to conserve the tree.

To meet these requirements, Avantus hired qualified biologists, approved by the California Department of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW), to a complete count of all western Joshua trees within the site and they will provide the CDFW with a complete Tree Census report. As part of the mitigation requirement in the WJTCA, Avantus must pay a mitigation fee of $10,521.95 per acre to be mitigated to the Western Joshua Tree Mitigation Fund. In addition, prior to removing any western Joshua tree or engaging in groundbreaking activities, the developer was required to contribute $10,000 to cover the account fees and the cost of retaining a land acquisition specialist to assist the department in locating, acquiring and conserving the mitigation lands.

According to Avantus, the process of selective clearing of vegetation, including Joshua Trees and large natural obstacles, will soon begin. The removal has been approved by Kern County and the CDFW, with all impacts such as noise and traffic minimized throughout.

Going beyond the requests of local residents and requirements of the WJTJCA, Avantus purchased the grazing rights on 215,000 acres of federal land in Kern County and created the Onyx Conservation Project. The contiguous land area is seven times larger than the city of San Francisco and considered among the largest mitigation projects in the nation.

The habitat is home to 20 sensitive wildlife species including the California condor, Mojave Desert tortoise, American badger, Mohave ground squirrel and golden eagles. It is also estimated to include more than 80,000 acres of western Joshua tree habitat, including 3,000 acres of dense woodland. This conservation effort will help sustain the health and diversity of the desert ecosystem, which is underlaid by designated Wilderness Areas, Desert National Conservation Lands, and Areas of Critical Environmental Concern. All 215,000 acres will also be open for public recreational use, including hiking and camping.

Avantus will also invest millions of additional dollars for habitat enhancements across Onyx to jumpstart restoration for desert plants and wildlife species.

The CDFW is cognizant of how renewable energy development is necessary in the effort to combat climate change, and endorses such protective measures.

“Our Department is committed to the conservation, protection and restoration of the Golden State’s habitat, and this groundbreaking state and federal public-private partnership provides a roadmap for how renewable energy can continue to combat climate change while also providing landscape-level ecosystem benefits to native plants and wildlife,” said CDFW regional manager, Julie Vance. “By purchasing and permanently retiring the grazing rights, Avantus is assuring this rich, vibrant land is preserved and its inhabitants can flourish.”

Avantus, formerly 8Minute Energy, is a leading solar and energy storage provider and is on track to provide more than half of California’s utility-scale solar and storage demand over the next decade. Aware of the impact that solar projects can have on land, Avantus works closely with wildlife agencies and environmental organizations safeguard species throughout all stages of a project’s life. Avantus reports that its past projects have received support from groups including the Sierra Club, Audubon California, Defenders of Wildlife, and the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Why large-scale solar?

Climate change threatens our nation and planet, as evidenced by the increasing number of extreme weather events. The U.S. has a net-zero by 2050 goal, which means moving away from fossil fuel generated energy as fast as possible as much as 40% of all carbon dioxide pollution comes from fossil fuel power plants, according to the Department of Energy.

The good news is that for the first time, solar accounted for over half of new electricity generation capacity added 2023 and, by 2050, solar is expected to be the largest source of generating capacity on the U.S. grid.

According to data from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie, the U.S. has officially exceeded five million solar installations, marking a milestone that comes just eight years after the U.S. reached one million installations in 2016.SEIA forecasts that solar installations in the U.S. will double to 10 million by 2030 and triple to 15 million by 2034.

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

With PV expected to triple in the United States by 2028, to reach an estimated 380 GW of solar capacity, according to the SEIA and analysts at Wood Mackenzie, sharing facts early on is important. Not only is it important to seek input from area residents—modifying plans when necessary—but going above and beyond permitting requirements to mitigate potential environmental damage is becoming more common among large-scale developers in the U.S.

From pv magazine ESS News site

Houston-based long-duration energy storage developer Quidnet Energy has announced a major deal that could see hundreds of megawatts of its innovative technology deployed in Texas to help address ERCOT’s urgent need for energy storage.

The company has announced a strategic partnership with a $10 million investment from Hunt Energy Network (HEN), a distributed energy resources developer with experience in subsurface development.

The two Texas-based companies will collaborate on a build-transfer program for 300 MW of projects utilizing Quidnet Energy’s GES technology, which relies on well-sealed underground reservoirs for energy storage.

The partnership will pair Quidnet’s solution with HEN’s similar subsurface technologies and its capabilities in developing energy storage projects, the companies said in a release.

“Quidnet Energy’s GES technology presents a unique opportunity to revolutionize energy storage, and we’re excited to invest in a solution that purposefully transforms existing resources to expand access to long-duration storage,” said Pat Wood, III, Chief Executive Officer for Hunt Energy Network.

To continue reading, please visit our ESS News website.

CPUC vote expected to keep California community solar from reaching its full potential Coalition for Community Solar Access says the 3-1 vote ignored the will of the California Legislature and the broad coalition of ratepayer, equity, environmental, labor, agricultural, and business groups who have demanded a functional community solar program for more than a decade.

Alliant Energy completes 200 MW solar project in Wisconsin  The project is part of a multi-phase buildout of 12 solar projects totaling over 1 GW.

Long-duration energy storage poised to outcompete lithium-ion batteries While most long-duration energy storage (LDES) technologies are still early-stage and costly compared to lithium-ion batteries, some have already or are set to achieve lower costs for longer durations, finds BloombergNEF.

Solar wafer prices continue to soften, complex international trade situation sparks concerns  In a weekly update for pv magazine, OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a quick look at the main price trends in the global PV industry.

Gulf heat dome and polar jet stream shape solar outcomes in May In a weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that a strong polar jet stream and a record-breaking heat dome in May resulted in a stark contrast in irradiance patterns across North America. The western and central USA, along with Mexico, experienced higher than normal irradiance, while the Gulf and East Coast regions faced lower irradiance.

TCL Zhonghuan reveals plans to acquire majority stake in Maxeon Chinese wafer manufacturer TCL Zhonghuan says it wants to invest around $197.5 million to increase its stake in Maxeon from 22.39% to at least 50.1%. A Maxeon spokesperson told pv magazine that the plan would place the company in a solid financial position.

Are false pretenses driving solar cell tariff case? Global manufacturer Canadian Solar challenges prevailing support for tariffs among solar manufacturers, questions the accuracy of capacity estimations, and adverse financial effects.

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

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

Alliant Energy announced it has completed construction of the Grant County Solar project, a 200 MW facility in Potosi, Wisconsin that is large enough to generate the equivalent electricity demand of 50,000 homes annually.

The Grant County project covers 1,400 acres and is comprised of more than 430,000 solar panels. Alliant developed 350 acres of the site to host native pollinator habitats.

The company expects more than $30 million in shared revenues to be generated for the county and town over the life of the project.

“Solar lease payments help local landowners like me diversify our income and preserve our land’s value for the future,” said Dave Fritz, local business owner and participating landowner. “In terms of economic impact, the Grant County Solar Project delivered on its promise of jobs and will benefit local taxpayers for decades thanks to the added shared revenue payments.”

Alliant Energy contracted with a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources for construction of the solar facility. Construction began in September 2022, employing more than 700 people.

The project is part of Alliant’s 12-project portfolio in Wisconsin totaling 1,089 MW. The project portfolio is expected to create more than 2,700 construction jobs and generate enough power for nearly 300,000 Wisconsin homes annually.

Alliant also plans to develop nearly 275 MW of energy storage capacity alongside its Wisconsin solar portfolio. This includes the 100 MW Grant County battery storage project that will be co-located with the 200 MW solar facility. The battery project is a four-hour duration facility. FlexGen was selected as the equipment provider for the batteries and energy management systems.

Alliant Energy provides regulated energy service to 1 million electric customers and 425,000 natural gas customers in Wisconsin and Iowa. Interstate Power and Light Company (IPL) and Wisconsin Power and Light Company (WPL) are Alliant Energy’s two public energy companies.

As expected, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) voted on changes to its utility-backed community solar program despite strong opposition from industry groups, community solar developers and even Assemblymember Chris Ward who introduced the original version of the bill (AB 2316).

Community solar enables small businesses and residents who are renters or who otherwise cannot put solar on their roof to subscribe to a portion of an off-site solar facility, receiving a utility bill credit for the power it generates. In California, approximately 45% of California households are renters who don’t own their roofs and, therefore, can’t install a solar system.

The Community Renewable Energy Act (AB 2316) put forth by Assemblymember Ward was sponsored by the Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA), and supported by the Solar Industries Energy Association, GRID Alternatives, Vote Solar, the Sierra Club, and more. Notably, investor-owned utilities, which serve over 75% of the electricity usage in the state, opposed the bill.

Riding on the tail of the CPUC’s net metering change, which dealt a serious blow to the residential solar industry, developers and other industry experts expect this new legislation will stall the buildout of community solar in California.

California was previously the leading state in solar energy; however, the tide is turning. Aaron Halimi, founder and president of Renewable Properties, a community solar developer, said that this recent decision by the CPUC will prevent California from being a leader in community solar. An increasing number of states are implementing pro-active community solar policies just as the market is starting take off.

Calling the new rules a “misguided decision”, Halimi said it’s unlikely the industry will invest in building community solar and energy storage projects in California.

“The CPUC’s decision primarily benefits the financial interests of utilities and does not support the State’s climate goals or the aim of reducing electric bills for low-income Californians, which was the purpose of AB 2316,” said Halimi.

Derek Chernow, Western regional director for the Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA) released a statement saying that the ruling “ignored the will of the California Legislature and the broad coalition of ratepayer, equity, environmental, labor, agricultural, and business groups who have demanded a functional community solar program for more than a decade”.

The legislation passed with a 3-1 vote, and CCSA thanked the lone dissenter, Commissioner Darcie Houck, for her vote and remarks for how this Decision will fail to reach community solar’s full potential.

The CCSA characterized the CPUC’s choice to accept the utilities’ proposal as doubling down on failed programs that “have not — and will not — establish a viable community solar market that would provide affordable energy to Californians that need relief the most”.

“It’s also further evidence that California’s utilities are doing everything they can to stifle distributed energy generation in order to tighten their grip on the state’s electricity grid. The vote solidifies California’s place near the bottom of community solar markets nationwide, ceding leadership to other states to truly democratize solar energy and fulfill national energy equity goals,” said CCSA.

Strategies to address thermomechanical instability of perovskite solar modules  A U.S. research team has investigated the thermomechanical reliability of metal halide perovskite (MHP) modules and cells in an effort to identify the best strategies to improve their stability under thermomechanical stressors. The scientists discussed, in particular, film stresses, adhesion of charge transport layers, and instability under light and heat.