Solar PV News

[mspohr]

California is learning to trust 100% residential solar power

Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) wanted to first better understand if and how smart solar inverters could address power quality problems as solar penetration levels on homes approach 100%, and then to understand the financial effects. The broad conclusion was that when penetration levels hit 100%, smart inverters – via management of Volt-VAR and Volt-Watt functions – could mostly keep the grid from experiencing significant voltage violations or thermal issues. They also found a very limited economic impact over 10 years, either positive or negative, when compared to traditional upgrades with a total net present value of -$4 per customer (net cost) to$57 per customer (net benefit) over 10 years.

 

[mspohr]

Solar and wind energy advocates may hold swing vote in Pennsylvania’s divisive nuclear rescue debate

Nuclear and gas are fighting for subsidies. Solar may benefit since even corrupt politicians are balking.

The debate over Pennsylvania’s proposed $500 million nuclear rescue package pits the natural gas and nuclear industries in an epic struggle between the state’s two energy giants. But renewable power advocates believe they hold the swing vote in a tight battle, and they want a seat at the table

 

[mspohr]

CEO of 8minutenergy: Someday Solar Energy Will Be Nearly Free

Today, Buttgenbach is confident that costs will continue to decline so that even the eventual loss of the federal Investment Tax Credit will do little to slow down solar energy’s long-term ascendance. Then if you add energy storage to the mix, he says, “you can now really solve a lot of problems,” eventually eliminating the need to build new fossil-fueled generation.

In fact, Buttgenbach asserts that in America’s sunniest climates, a combination of solar and storage today can supply electricity more cost-effectively than new gas-fired generation, including high efficiency natural gas combined-cycle plants.

Within a couple of decades, he predicts “we will integrate the grid around renewables…mostly solar because it’s much easier from an engineering perspective to design around solar where you have high predictability.” If one looks ahead 10 to 20 years, Butttgenbach projects, “solar generation becomes nearly free.” As a result, it becomes economically beneficial to design the entire system around those cheap electrons. The focus then shifts to storage costs, though he notes, there will obviously be a transition period.

 

[mspohr]

Can microgrids really bring power to the last billion?

Promising future for microgrids

 

[SageBrush]

Within a couple of decades, he predicts “we will integrate the grid around renewables…mostly solar because it’s much easier from an engineering perspective to design around solar where you have high predictability.” If one looks ahead 10 to 20 years, Butttgenbach projects, “solar generation becomes nearly free.” As a result, it becomes economically beneficial to design the entire system around those cheap electrons. The focus then shifts to storage costs, though he notes, there will obviously be a transition period.

I think a fundamental key to successful deployment of renewables is long distance (say, 1000 miles) sharing. It just naturally [sic] solves most of the intermittency.

And off-shore wind. That is a gold mine.

 

[mspohr]

1100 GW new solar by 2035 in Inslee’s climate plan

A 19% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for solar through 2035 is well below the highest “challenging but feasible” CAGR of 29% identified as possible for global PV installations through 2030, in a study led by the U.S./German/Japanese solar research consortium GA-SERI. The challenge is indicated by U.S. PV additions in 2018, which were somewhere between up 6% (per BNEF) to down 2% (per SEIA).

The need for solar would increase beyond 2035, because electric vehicles and zero-carbon buildings from 2030 onward would require additional electricity.

Beyond renewable energy investments, Governor Inslee’s plan calls for investments in energy storage, a smart grid, and advanced transmission and distribution.

Governor Inslee called for expanding long-distance interstate and interregional transmission of clean electricity “through expedited planning, broad cost allocation, and negotiated siting” among state, regional, and federal authorities. Federal lands and offshore waters could be used to deploy more renewables and transmission, he said, noting that public lands contain “enormous resources” for renewable energy development, especially in the West.

 

[mspohr]

WoodMac: Solar Plants Cheaper Than Natural Gas ‘Just About Everywhere’ by 2023

“By 2023, we think solar’s going to be cheaper than gas almost everywhere around the world,” Tom Heggarty, senior solar analyst for Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables, said Tuesday at GTM Solar Summit in Phoenix.

New gas plants remain competitive with new utility solar in a number of big markets today, from China to the U.K. to South Korea. But that will no longer be the case by the early 2020s, as equipment costs continue to fall and competitive auctions proliferate, Heggarty said.

 

[mspohr]

Emerging markets are driving solar towards the world’s preferred energy source

Over the past few years, solar energy has undergone a remarkable transformation. From its position as one mainstream energy source among many, it has now become the world’s preferred source of power, writes Martin Haupts, CEO of Phanes Group.

 

[mblakele]

Renewable capacity growth worldwide stalled in 2018 after two decades of strong expansion

Last year was the first time since 2001 that growth in renewable power capacity failed to increase year on year. New net capacity from solar PV, wind, hydro, bioenergy, and other renewable power sources increased by about 180 Gigawatts (GW) in 2018, the same as the previous year, according to the International Energy Agency’s latest data. That’s only around 60% of the net additions needed each year to meet long-term climate goals.

[...]

China added 44 GW of solar PV in 2018, compared with 53 GW in 2017. Growth was stable in the United States, but solar PV additions increased in the European Union, Mexico, the Middle East and Africa, which together compensated for the slowdown in China.​

 

[mspohr]

In spite of higher cost..
Midwest utilities ‘overwhelmingly surprised’ by solar subscription demand

The plans, marketed as community solar, have seen warm reception in Nebraska and in Missouri, where one project is “78% oversubscribed.”
As Midwest utilities offer solar subscription plans, customers are sending a clear message: They want more.

 

[mspohr]

Interesting point.
State regulators: The next lobbying front in the solar revolution

While the solar industry often struggles in its interactions with utilities, we could really start to influence the conversation if we were able to talk with and influence the regulators who sit on the commissions that oversee them.
Once they know who you are, the regulators will be more likely to listen to you when you come before them to talk about the issues of soft costs like permitting restrictions or interconnection delays. And with informed regulators come more pro-solar regulations that ease the current tensions that so often plague solar-utility relations.

 

[SageBrush]

Interesting point.
State regulators: The next lobbying front in the solar revolution

While the solar industry often struggles in its interactions with utilities, we could really start to influence the conversation if we were able to talk with and influence the regulators who sit on the commissions that oversee them.
Once they know who you are, the regulators will be more likely to listen to you when you come before them to talk about the issues of soft costs like permitting restrictions or interconnection delays. And with informed regulators come more pro-solar regulations that ease the current tensions that so often plague solar-utility relations.

And in a similar vein for utility boards that have elected members: get elected !

PUCs are a mixed bag when it comes to who sits on them. Sometimes they are appointed, sometimes they are voted into position.
Colorado is full steam ahead with renewables these days because the PUC is heavily influenced by the state governor.

 

[mspohr]

Grass-fed beef meets big solar

First Solar has completed the 280 MWac California Flats solar project, co-located with a 73,000-acre cattle ranch which raises grass-fed beef for Whole Foods. This is the biggest demonstration of the synergies between grazing and solar that we’ve seen to date.

360 view
Renewable Energy - Hearst Ranch

 

[felixculpas]

Canadian Solar Set a World Record of 22.28% Multi-crystalline Cell Conversion Efficiency

https://www.canadiansolar.com/en/solarPanels/detail/26

 

[SageBrush]

Canadian Solar Set a World Record of 22.28% Multi-crystalline Cell Conversion Efficiency

https://www.canadiansolar.com/en/solarPanels/detail/26

I think that is a cell. What is the efficiency of a panel using these cells ?

 

[mspohr]

EDF signs for millions of modules from Canadian Solar

The modules will be a mix of Canadian’s HiKu (CS3W-P data sheet) series, which feature passivated emitter rear cell (PERC) and half-cut cells, achieving efficiencies up to 18.8% and 395-415 watt ratings, and its BiHiKu (CS3W-PB) – a new module series which features black silicon, PERC and bifacial technologies – as well as a shingled cell design – in one product.

 

[mspohr]

https://electrek.co/2019/05/29/renewable-costs-new-lows-cheapest/

While many of the numbers in the report concentrate on new power generation, the analysis also notes that “new solar PV and onshore wind are expected to increasingly cost less than the marginal operating cost of existing coal fired power plants.”

This conclusion pairs with a March report which found that in the US alone, constructing new wind and solar projects would be cheaper than continuing to run 74 percent of existing U.S. coal plants as of 2018.

 

[mspohr]

Exclusive: Tesla woes send Panasonic's U.S. solar cells to Philippines

Reuters reported on May 15 that Panasonic planned to ship most cells from the plant overseas, instead of selling them to Tesla for its trademark Solar Roof as initially intended, because of low demand from Tesla and a trade loophole that had fired up new foreign interest. That loophole allows companies outside the United States to ship solar panels into America duty-free provided the panels are made with U.S.-built cells.

 

[miimura]

Exclusive: Tesla woes send Panasonic's U.S. solar cells to Philippines

Reuters reported on May 15 that Panasonic planned to ship most cells from the plant overseas, instead of selling them to Tesla for its trademark Solar Roof as initially intended, because of low demand from Tesla and a trade loophole that had fired up new foreign interest. That loophole allows companies outside the United States to ship solar panels into America duty-free provided the panels are made with U.S.-built cells.

People getting recent quotes from Tesla for traditional rooftop solar systems have been quoted Hanwha Q-cell panels. I fail to see the logic in installing 3rd party solar panels when you have a captive supply of domestic panels available. The obvious answer is that the Hanwha panels plus tariff cost less than the complete Panasonic panels. Does it really make sense for a third party to buy the US made cells, export them to the Philippines, assemble them into panels and then re-import them back to the States, compared to just using the same Hanwha panels?

 

[nwdiver]

People getting recent quotes from Tesla for traditional rooftop solar systems have been quoted Hanwha Q-cell panels. I fail to see the logic in installing 3rd party solar panels when you have a captive supply of domestic panels available. The obvious answer is that the Hanwha panels plus tariff cost less than the complete Panasonic panels. Does it really make sense for a third party to buy the US made cells, export them to the Philippines, assemble them into panels and then re-import them back to the States, compared to just using the same Hanwha panels?

I got a tour of the Mission Solar factory in San Antonio a few weeks ago. They actually have a full fab at the factory where they can make their own cells but they shut it down and import them from China because it's cheaper... I think they got an exemption from the tariffs. China invested so much in PV manufacturing that they can just make everything significantly cheaper.