Solar PV News

[mspohr]

Researchers Bring More Reliable Electricity to Puerto Rican Microgrids

Oak Ridge National Laboratory are partnering with local organizations, nonprofits and universities to build resilience, microgrids

cleantechnica.com

“I don’t know of a microgrid controller anywhere that can communicate and coordinate with another controller,” Ollis said. “We’re designing an architecture for multi-microgrid controls, so any number of microgrids can operate independently but share information to an orchestrator that will predict when switching, routing and connecting should happen.” Ferrari said initial simulations indicate the microgrids could keep each other running at least a week. But with ideal conditions, they could potentially keep operating indefinitely.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Researchers Bring More Reliable Electricity to Puerto Rican Microgrids

Oak Ridge National Laboratory are partnering with local organizations, nonprofits and universities to build resilience, microgrids

cleantechnica.com

“I don’t know of a microgrid controller anywhere that can communicate and coordinate with another controller,” Ollis said. “We’re designing an architecture for multi-microgrid controls, so any number of microgrids can operate independently but share information to an orchestrator that will predict when switching, routing and connecting should happen.” Ferrari said initial simulations indicate the microgrids could keep each other running at least a week. But with ideal conditions, they could potentially keep operating indefinitely.

Now they only need another 999,998 of them and they'll have a grid.

 

[mspohr]

Now they only need another 999,998 of them and they'll have a grid.

The nice thing about microgrids is that they can be built incrementally and are resilient. Since the PR grid is in such pathetic shape, this is a good solution for them to increase reliability.

 

[mspohr]

Researchers Bring More Reliable Electricity to Puerto Rican Microgrids

Oak Ridge National Laboratory are partnering with local organizations, nonprofits and universities to build resilience, microgrids

cleantechnica.com

“I don’t know of a microgrid controller anywhere that can communicate and coordinate with another controller,” Ollis said. “We’re designing an architecture for multi-microgrid controls, so any number of microgrids can operate independently but share information to an orchestrator that will predict when switching, routing and connecting should happen.” Ferrari said initial simulations indicate the microgrids could keep each other running at least a week. But with ideal conditions, they could potentially keep operating indefinitely.

Here's the problem:

Power has gone out across all of the US territory of Puerto Rico on Sunday, according to PowerOutage.us, as Hurricane Fiona bears down on the islands, which are already grappling with the threat of flooding and mudslides stemming from the Category 1 storm.
"Puerto Rico is 100% without power due to a transmission grid failure from Hurricane Fiona," the website said.
Gov. Pedro Pierluisi confirmed the outage in a tweet, noting the entire electric system was out of service and officials have activated the proper protocols to work to restore power.

Puerto Rico suffers total blackout as Hurricane Fiona brings threat of flooding, mudslides

Power gas gone out across all of the US territory of Puerto Rico on Sunday, according to PowerOutage.us, as Hurricane Fiona bears down on the islands, which are already grappling with the threat of flooding and mudslides stemming from the Category 1 storm.

www.cnn.com

 

[mspohr]

Flooding and landslides in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Fiona knocks out power to island

Category 1 storm damage ‘catastrophic’, says governor, while it continues to strengthen and barrels toward Dominican Republic

www.theguardian.com

Lights went out across Puerto Rico just after 1pm, leaving only those households and businesses with rooftop solar or functioning generators with power


Electricity was initially completely out across the island, said Luma Energy, operator of the island’s grid. Some power had begun to be restored on Sunday night, with priority given to hospitals and other critical community services, energy officials said, but reconnecting the whole island would take several days.

The health minister confirmed earlier that a major cancer hospital in the capital of San Juan was without power after its backup generator failed. An emergency shelter in Sabana Grande in the south-west, where dozens of locals including some infirm residents had sought refuge, was also without power after its generator failed, according to Ruth Santiago, an environmental lawyer and campaigner for Queremos Sol, a grassroots movement to transition the island away from a centralized energy grid to rooftop solar.

Fiona is likely to further damage Puerto Rico’s fragile centralised electricity grid, which Hurricane Maria exposed and exacerbated, and continues to fail residents with frequent power outages and extortionate bills.
The Fema money [federal funds to rebuild the energy system after Maria] should have been spent on rooftop solar

 

[willow_hiller]

Lights went out across Puerto Rico just after 1pm, leaving only those households and businesses with rooftop solar or functioning

A couple of them with Powerwalls also posted to the r/TeslaSolar subreddit, which were interesting to read:

https://www.reddit.com/r/TeslaSolar/comments/xhoaxz

https://www.reddit.com/r/TeslaSolar/comments/xhx9k2

 

[TN Mtn Man]

Got a question-where a good source of information concerning the actual cost (installed) of a home solar system, sizing, etc? Lots of sites out there based on a search-but a lot feel like used car dealerships, and want to come out and do a sale pitch. Just looking for some rough numbers to see how things pencil out based on electricity costs in my area. Thanks.

 

[mspohr]

A new era of made-in-USA solar

There are both challenges and benefits to boosting solar manufacturing in America. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 includes a host of measures to support the production of US renewable energy technologies and could foster a new era for made-in-America solar. pv magazine USA Senior Editor...

pv-magazine-usa.com

Tax credits across the solar supply chain Manufacturing credit: 100% credit through 2029, 75% in 2030, 50% in 2031, 25% in 2032 Thin-film and crystalline silicon cells: $.04 per cell capacity in Wdc Photovoltaic wafers: $12/m² Solar-grade polysilicon: $3/kg Polymeric backsheets: $0.04/m² Solar modules: $0.07 per module capacity in Wdc Torque tubes: $0.87/kg Structural fasteners: $2.28/kg Central inverters: $0.25 per capacity Wac Commercial inverters: $0.015 per capacity Wac Residential inverters: $0.06 per capacity Wac Microinverters: $0.11 per capacity on Wac Battery modules: $10 per battery module capacity kWh Critical minerals: 10% of costs incurred Battery cells: $35 per battery cell capacity kWh

 

[mspohr]

Got a question-where a good source of information concerning the actual cost (installed) of a home solar system, sizing, etc? Lots of sites out there based on a search-but a lot feel like used car dealerships, and want to come out and do a sale pitch. Just looking for some rough numbers to see how things pencil out based on electricity costs in my area. Thanks.

This is a difficult question. Kind of like asking "how big is a tree".
You are correct that there are a lot of sites that are just collecting sales leads and some of them are a bit dodgy. You might have better luck looking for local solar installers who will visit your house and prepare a bid for you and give references. This will give you an idea of the cost for a system sized to your house. You could also ask for a bid from the Tesla solar website. They have reasonable costs but availability in your area might be problematic.

Solar Soft Costs Basics

Learn the basics of what solar soft costs are and how they impact solar energy adoption with resources from the DOE Solar Energy Technologies Office.

www.energy.gov

A lot of the variation in prices are due to "soft costs". These are permitting, overhead and profit, financing, installation, customer acquisition, etc.
The "hard costs" are fairly easy to estimate. Panels are about $0.75/W, racking about $0.25/W, inverters, etc.
Here’s an example of how we can breakdown solar panel cost and what it typically costs for installing a system.
Current industry average cost = between $3 to $4 per watt
Average size solar panel system = between 5 and 6 kilowatts (a kilowatt is 1000 watts)
For the sake of a concise example, let’s go with these numbers from Solar Action Alliance:
$3.26 (per watt) x 5,000 (watts) = $16,300 per system (before the 30% ITC tax credit)

Solar Panel Installation Cost Archives

The solar panel installation cost has dropped a remarkable 61 percent since 2010. Let’s take a closer look at the breakdown of solar install costs.

www.solar.com

I have installed five different arrays on my property and the costs have varied widely:
1. Local installer pole mounts 2014: 4 kW $21,000 (microinverters)
2. DIY roof: 2.6 kW $6,000 (microinverters)
3. DIY ground mount: 2.8 kW: $1500 (free surplus panels, I just had to buy an inverter)
4. DIY ground mount: 4.8 kW: $9,000 (string with Tigo Optimizers and Outback Power Skybox hybrid inverter)
5. DIY ground mount: 3.7 kW: $4,500 (used same inverter as #4)
(These prices are before tax credits which were 26 to 30%)
The DIY approach is much cheaper but you need to have skills. I have an EE degree (but not an electrician license) which helps with design and permitting.

 

[TN Mtn Man]

This is a difficult question. Kind of like asking "how big is a tree".
You are correct that there are a lot of sites that are just collecting sales leads and some of them are a bit dodgy. You might have better luck looking for local solar installers who will visit your house and prepare a bid for you and give references. This will give you an idea of the cost for a system sized to your house. You could also ask for a bid from the Tesla solar website. They have reasonable costs but availability in your area might be problematic.

Solar Soft Costs Basics

Learn the basics of what solar soft costs are and how they impact solar energy adoption with resources from the DOE Solar Energy Technologies Office.

www.energy.gov

A lot of the variation in prices are due to "soft costs". These are permitting, overhead and profit, financing, installation, customer acquisition, etc.
The "hard costs" are fairly easy to estimate. Panels are about $0.75/W, racking about $0.25/W, inverters, etc.
Here’s an example of how we can breakdown solar panel cost and what it typically costs for installing a system.
Current industry average cost = between $3 to $4 per watt
Average size solar panel system = between 5 and 6 kilowatts (a kilowatt is 1000 watts)
For the sake of a concise example, let’s go with these numbers from Solar Action Alliance:
$3.26 (per watt) x 5,000 (watts) = $16,300 per system (before the 30% ITC tax credit)

Solar Panel Installation Cost Archives

The solar panel installation cost has dropped a remarkable 61 percent since 2010. Let’s take a closer look at the breakdown of solar install costs.

www.solar.com

I have installed five different arrays on my property and the costs have varied widely:
1. Local installer pole mounts 2014: 4 kW $21,000 (microinverters)
2. DIY roof: 2.6 kW $6,000 (microinverters)
3. DIY ground mount: 2.8 kW: $1500 (free surplus panels, I just had to buy an inverter)
4. DIY ground mount: 4.8 kW: $9,000 (string with Tigo Optimizers and Outback Power Skybox hybrid inverter)
5. DIY ground mount: 3.7 kW: $4,500 (used same inverter as #4)
(These prices are before tax credits which were 26 to 30%)
The DIY approach is much cheaper but you need to have skills. I have an EE degree (but not an electrician license) which helps with design and permitting.

Thank you for the detailed response, much appreciated. My highest power consumption in summer months is ~50KwH/day so about 2 wk/hour. Figuring a 20% utilization factor (or whatever proper terminology is to allow for inefficiencies, off hours, etc) I'm assuming I'd want about a 8-10kw system for full replacement of grid power, plus some excess capacity for an EV at some point in the future. So, $30k give or take. Does the $3-4/watt ballpark include battery backup/leveling? And is there an on-line source showing what local utilities offer net-metering? Mine doesn't show anything either way on the web-site, probably need to stop by the office. I have a couple oddities. A fair number of trees around, the ground doesn't get full sun anywhere, so ground mount is pretty much out. Roof has ridge likes running both directions (think of a cross) with no one large, south-ish facing section. So I'd imagine my efficiency would be low given less than optimal placement. But the house is fairly tall, with steep roof pitch (about 12:12).

 

[mspohr]

Thank you for the detailed response, much appreciated. My highest power consumption in summer months is ~50KwH/day so about 2 wk/hour. Figuring a 20% utilization factor (or whatever proper terminology is to allow for inefficiencies, off hours, etc) I'm assuming I'd want about a 8-10kw system for full replacement of grid power, plus some excess capacity for an EV at some point in the future. So, $30k give or take. Does the $3-4/watt ballpark include battery backup/leveling? And is there an on-line source showing what local utilities offer net-metering? Mine doesn't show anything either way on the web-site, probably need to stop by the office. I have a couple oddities. A fair number of trees around, the ground doesn't get full sun anywhere, so ground mount is pretty much out. Roof has ridge likes running both directions (think of a cross) with no one large, south-ish facing section. So I'd imagine my efficiency would be low given less than optimal placement. But the house is fairly tall, with steep roof pitch (about 12:12).

To calculate consumption, it's best to look at the past 12 months electric bills. These should give you total kWh for the year as well as show monthly variability.
Talk to your electric company about net metering, TOU, etc. to see your options. Their web site should at least have their rate schedules and rules.
$3-$4 doesn't include battery. Look at the Tesla solar site to see the cost for that. Your local installer may have other options (Generac, Sonnen, etc.).
I have several Outback Power Skyboxes with 14 kWh LFP batteries each. I got these real cheap (about $105/kWh) and built them up myself. Commercial will be more expensive.
I too have a lot of shading on my property which impacts solar production during various times of the day and seasons. My solution is to just add more solar panels since these are relatively cheap. A 12:12 pitch (45 degrees) is a good pitch for solar but you'll need to look at E-W orientation. My arrays have various tilts and E-W orientations to try to compensate for shading.
A good solar contractor will calculate all of these variables and should be able to give you a fairly good estimate of annual production.

 

[mspohr]

NPR: Rebuilding Puerto Rico's grid with solar and batteries. Puerto Rico is in the dark again, but solar companies see glimmers of hope

Over the past five years, around 50,000 solar and battery power systems have been installed on homes in Puerto Rico, says Chris Rauscher, senior director of public policy at Sunrun, the biggest residential solar company in the United States. And almost all that equipment appears to have continued supplying electricity while the island's central power system went dark, according to market participants and industry observers.

It's showing that renewables paired with storage ... are really the fundamental building blocks of a clean recovery that we need to really focus on on the island and elsewhere," he says. John Berger, chief executive of Sunnova, another big solar company, agrees, calling Puerto Rico "a window into the future." '"The technology's just physically and fundamentally better," than the traditional power system, Berger says. "And that's not going to change."

 

[mspohr]

pv magazine USA: California law to require automated, instant rooftop solar permits. California law to require automated, instant rooftop solar permits

California has passed SB 379, the Solar Access Act, which will require cities and counties to adopt automated solar permitting systems. The act is expected to lead to shortened project times and lower permit costs for residential solar.

 

[mspohr]

The Associated Press: Tiny Oregon town hosts 1st wind-solar-battery 'hybrid' plant. Tiny Oregon town hosts 1st wind-solar-battery 'hybrid' plant

At the Oregon plant, massive lithium batteries store up to 120 megawatt-hours of power generated by the 300-megawatt wind farms and 50-megawatt solar farm so it can be released to the electric grid on demand. At maximum output, the facility can produce more than half of the power that was generated by Oregon’s last coal plant, which was demolished earlier this month.

 

[mspohr]

CNN: This 100% solar community endured Hurricane Ian with no loss of power and minimal damage. https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/02/us/solar-babcock-ranch-florida-hurricane-ian-climate/index.html

The storm uprooted trees and tore shingles from roofs, but other than that Grande said there is no major damage. Its residents say Babcock Ranch is proof that an eco-conscious and solar-powered town can withstand the wrath of a near-Category 5 storm. "We have proof of the case now because [the hurricane] came right over us," Nancy Chorpenning, a 68-year-old Babcock Ranch resident, told CNN. "We have water, electricity, internet — and we may be the only people in Southwest Florida who are that fortunate."

Babcock Ranch calls itself "America's first solar-powered town." Its nearby solar array — made up of 700,000 individual panels — generates more electricity than the 2,000-home neighborhood uses, in a state where most electricity is generated by burning natural gas, a planet-warming fossil fuel. The streets in this meticulously planned neighborhood were designed to flood so houses don't. Native landscaping along roads helps control storm water. Power and internet lines are buried to avoid wind damage. This is all in addition to being built to Florida's robust building codes. Some residents, like Grande, installed more solar panels on their roofs and added battery systems as an extra layer of protection from power outages. Many drive electric vehicles, taking full advantage of solar energy in the Sunshine State.

 

[mspohr]

CleanTechnica: Sono Motors Debuts Solar Trailers, Solar-Powered Refrigeration To Cut Some Diesel Usage In The World’s Current Diesel Fleet. Sono Motors Debuts Solar Trailers, Solar-Powered Refrigeration To Cut Some Diesel Usage In The World's Current Diesel Fleet

For cargo box type vehicles, Sono Motors is developing flexible and light-weight sandwich panel body parts that ensure seamless integration and optimal heat-distribution. At the IAA Transportation event held earlier this month, Sono Motors also presented its in-house developed solar charge controller, the MCU (MPPT Central Unit). The MCU has an intelligent algorithm that optimizes the PV modules’ energy yields. The Solar Bus Kit is a complete and efficient retrofit solution, optimized for the most common 12-meter public transport bus types on the European market, including the Mercedes-Benz Citaro and MAN Lion’s City. Sono Motors’ new product underscores the move from prototype projects to a scalable solution contributing to climate protection and the reduction of inner-city greenhouse gas emissions.

 

[mspohr]

Proposed FEMA building code may hamper solar deployment

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has proposed to raise the structural risk category for solar to the maximum, which would increase the structural requirements for ground-mounted solar and energy storage.

pv-magazine-usa.com

There is no extended record of irreparable damage to solar arrays from higher seismic, wind or snow loads, and there is no justification for these overly burdensome codes,” said Abigail Ross Hopper, president of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). Solar projects are currently permitted and inspected through local building departments through International Building Code. There are already strict requirements in place for solar panels to resist high winds and snow loads, said Ross Hopper. SEIA said the proposal’s requirements are both poorly defined and technically unworkable

 

[mspohr]

Renewables Met 100% of the Rise in Global Electricity This Year in 2022

The report found that the renewables increased by 416 terawatt hours (TWh), slightly exceeding the rise in electricity demand itself

www.goodnewsnetwork.org

In a stunning piece of accounting, solar, wind, and hydroelectric power supply was found to have met 100% of new power installations globally during the first half of the 2022. This prevented a 4% increase in fossil-fuel generation, avoided $40 billion in fuel costs and 230 million tons of CO2 in emissions.

Across 75 countries representing 90% of global electricity demand, the report found that the renewable sources wind, solar, and hydro increased by 416 terawatt hours (TWh), slightly exceeding the rise in electricity demand itself at 389 TWh.

 

[mspohr]

Major utilities oppose Sunnova’s ‘micro-utility’ microgrid proposal at California PUC

Pacific Gas & Electric Co., San Diego Gas & Electric Co. and Southern California Edison say the California Public Utilities Commission should finish a pending rulemaking regarding microgrids before it reviews Sunnova’s proposal.

www.utilitydive.com

California’s investor-owned utilities — Pacific Gas & Electric Co., San Diego Gas & Electric Co. and Southern California Edison – oppose Sunnova Energy International’s proposal to build microgrids in new residential communities, according to filings released Tuesday by the California Public Utilities Commission. California lacks rules for “micro-utilities” like those Sunnova is proposing, the utilities told the PUC in separate filings, noting the commission has an ongoing rulemaking process on microgrids that could set rules for commercial microgrids. The Utility Reform Network, the Public Advocates Office at the CPUC, the Coalition of California Utility Employees, the Sonoma Clean Power Authority and the Peninsula Clean Energy Authority also oppose the proposal, while the California Solar & Storage Association supports it.

 

[mspohr]

India’s energy future is looking green, report says

BENGALURU, India (AP) — India’s renewables sector is booming, with the country projected to add 35 to 40 gigawatts of renewable energy annually until 2030, enough to power up to 30 million more homes each year, a report said Thursday.

apnews.com

BENGALURU, India (AP) — India’s renewables sector is booming, with the country projected to add 35 to 40 gigawatts of renewable energy annually until 2030, enough to power up to 30 million more homes each year, a report said Thursday. The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis and Climate Energy Finance estimated that India, the third largest energy-consuming country in the world, will reach 405 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2030. It’s expected to surpass the government’s target of producing 50% of its electricity from non-fossil fuel sources by the end of the decade.