Solar PV News

[mspohr]

Solar LCOE now 29% lower than any fossil fuel option, says EY

A report from Ernst & Young (EY) shows that despite inflationary pressures, solar remains the cheapest source of new-build electricity. The global weighted average levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) for PV is now 29% lower than the cheapest fossil fuel alternative.

www.pv-magazine.com

Solar is the cheapest new-build electricity in many markets, even amid inflation and price rises, said EY, noting that the global weighted average LCOE for solar is now 29% lower than the cheapest fossil fuel alternative. Large-scale energy storage is also quickly becoming more cost-competitive and sophisticated, it said. Solar has rapidly fallen in average LCOE globally, from more than $400/MWh in the early 2010s to about $49/MWh in 2022, down 88%. Wind power LCOE has fallen roughly 60% over the same period.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

'Blue-green economy': Work to start on installing solar panels over Gila River canals

Working with federal agencies, the Gila River Indian Community is starting construction on a project to cover some of its canals with solar panels.

www.azcentral.com

Short 3000ft solar-over-canal pilot project in Arizona under construction. Quote says 5-year study. Imported v domestic panels, see how they behave over the water. Simple because of nearby power lines. Hopefully it works well and it will be extended earlier than 5 years.

 

[CrazyRabbit]

Utility regulators to defend new California solar rules in court this week

Three environmental groups and the California Public Utilities Commission are in court this week to debate the merits of the state’s new rules for rooftop solar.

www.kpbs.org

 

[mspohr]

New York City opens 8,500 acres of parking lots to solar canopies

New York City has relaxed its zoning laws for renewables, including opening over 8,500 acres of parking lots for solar canopies.

electrek.co

City of Yes” removes zoning obstacles that severely limit how much rooftop space can be covered by solar panels. It will make it easier to install long-duration energy storage to go with solar, as well as allow microgrids – particularly in low-income communities – that are currently banned in residential areas. It also allows for the solar canopy installation in parking lots – which, if fully built out, could power more than 130,000 homes. The initiative also more than doubles commercially zoned land where EV charging stations can be sited. These changes mean EV charging is now possible in an additional 400 million square feet of space throughout the city. “Building climate solutions, like solar power and battery storage, often comes down to the nuts and bolts of permitting and zoning, and we are so thrilled that the New York City Council and the city administration are recognizing this through the ‘City of Yes’ initiative,” said Anne Reynolds, executive director, Alliance for Clean Energy New York.

 

[mspohr]

A historic GRIC groundbreaking for a ‘first-of-its-kind’ solar panel project stirs up a celebration

Coverage of tribal natural resources is supported in part by Catena Foundation

kjzz.org

Another nearly $6 million in funding has been set aside by President Joe Biden’s Investing in America agenda to construct these solar panels. These major capital investments are meant to be two-fold: generate renewable energy, but also improve water efficiency. It’s a top priority for Arizona and the rest of the Southwest. About 8.2 million acre-feet will be conserved each year over the 25-year lifecycle, enough water Touton says, to serve some 600 reservation homes. More than 2 million kilowatt-hours of electricity is estimated to be generated annually.

Among their seven districts, Lewis shared that Santos represents “one of the oldest agriculturally producing areas in our community.” So, the installation of solar panels atop 18.5 miles of this canal, off both sides of Interstate 10, can help Gila River farmers who have been grappling with an arid climate and persistent megadrought for generations now.

 

[mspohr]

 

[mspohr]

California Solar Duck Curve Gets Bigger - CleanTechnica

Sign up for daily news updates from CleanTechnica on email. Or follow us on Google News! As more solar capacity ... [continued]

cleantechnica.com

The duck curve, however, has created opportunities for energy storage. The large-scale deployment of energy storage systems, such as batteries, allow some solar energy generated during the day to be stored and saved for later, after the sun sets. Storing some midday solar generation flattens the duck’s curve, and dispatching the stored solar generation in the evening shortens the duck’s neck. Battery storage is swiftly being constructed in California; it’s grown from 0.2 gigawatts (GW) in 2018 to 4.9 GW as of April 2023. Operators plan to build another 4.5 GW of battery storage capacity in the state by the end of the year, according to our Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory.

 

[mspohr]

New technology can rejuvenate and extend the life of old solar panels

Through an innovative use of heat and light, a new device developed at NTU Singapore can restore and extend the life of old and new solar panels.

interestingengineering.com

Our solar rejuvenation method has not only been rigorously tested and validated but has shown field-proven results in various commercial applications. The technology has been successfully implemented in projects with major partners in the solar industry, such as renewable energy solutions firm Vector Green, demonstrating its effectiveness and potential for widespread adoption,” explained Dr Wang, Co-founder of EtaVolt Dr Stanley Wang, who is also a Project Manager at ERI@N. But how does it work? As EtaVolt explains, when precise temperature and intense light are applied to solar cells, they excite material molecules, causing them to move quickly, changing their arrangement and repairing light and heat damage. The process of repairing solar panels prevents energy leakage by patching holes in a bucket-like fashion, ensuring optimal light energy collection. The new device can automatically move over solar panels up to 7.5 feet (2.3 meters) long, helping to treat them and recover up to 5% of their lost field performance. The process takes less than five minutes. Up to five years of protection can be provided, depending on the type of solar panel. It can also be used indoors or for outdoor solar farms.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

November 2023 numbers added to UK Solar photovoltaics deployment

66.0MW, all in systems <= 50kW, 77.6% <= 10kW. Includes Pre-2009 adjusted down 1MW, after adjustment up 1MW 2 months ago.
Slightly higher than November 2022 (65.5MW) total, with fewer installs, but higher average capacities. So still some small growth.

In the past 12 months 1050.8MW installed. 840.9MW <= 50kW, 668.1MW domestic. 12mo was below 500MW through September 2022.

UK Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
2021	12.6	14.4	133.1	17.1	24.3	17.6	19.5	19	28.4	23	27.6	20.4
2022	70.6	27.6	37.4	41.2	49.2	42.6	46.4	48.8	57.3	80.6	65.5	90.3
2023	89.5	156.7	102.2	70.7	60.2	136.7	71.3	72.5	71.7	62.8	66

UK <= 50kW	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
2021	12.6	12.8	18.1	17	17	17.6	17.6	18.1	21.6	19.9	25.9	17.9
2022	22.4	27.6	37.4	36	43	42.6	43.9	48.8	57.3	57.6	65.5	50.3
2023	69.6	75	86.7	70.7	60.2	84	71.3	72.5	70.7	62.8	67

 

[mspohr]

Six reasons to be optimistic about the energy transition

Yes, the world is hooked on fossil fuels, but Canary Media’s experts are still hopeful about the rise of clean energy. Here's why.

www.canarymedia.com

Also in 2004, total global solar installations amounted to 1 gigawatt. This year, the world has installed more than that every single day, on average. That’s an unbelievable clip. BloombergNEF’s solar market outlook forecasts that 413 gigawatts of module capacity will be installed in 2023, up from 260 gigawatts in 2022, driven to a great extent by China. It’s a pace that will quickly add up to several terawatts of solar being installed around the globe by 2030, along with several terawatts’ worth of manufacturing capacity. These are mind-boggling numbers that are coming true today.

It will be solar that helps move the globe away from coal, solar that powers the electrolyzers for green hydrogen and the electric-arc furnaces for steelmaking, and solar that allows the grid to expand fast enough to accommodate the electrification of everything, from vehicles to home heating.

 

[mspohr]

The corruption runs deep

Power companies paid civil rights leaders in the US south. They became loyal industry advocates

A joint investigation by Floodlight and Capital B shows millions of dollars flowed from utilities to Black leaders and their groups since at least 2009

www.theguardian.com

The multibillion-dollar power companies use Black support to divert attention from the environmental harms that spew from their fossil fuel plants, the investigation found, harms which disproportionately fall on Black communities. One civil rights leader received power company cash as he built support for its attempted takeover of a smaller municipal utility in Florida. Another fought state oversight in Alabama that could have lowered electric bills and federal oversight that could have restricted emissions and pollution from coal-burning power plants.

 

[ggies07]

The corruption runs deep

Power companies paid civil rights leaders in the US south. They became loyal industry advocates

A joint investigation by Floodlight and Capital B shows millions of dollars flowed from utilities to Black leaders and their groups since at least 2009

www.theguardian.com

The multibillion-dollar power companies use Black support to divert attention from the environmental harms that spew from their fossil fuel plants, the investigation found, harms which disproportionately fall on Black communities. One civil rights leader received power company cash as he built support for its attempted takeover of a smaller municipal utility in Florida. Another fought state oversight in Alabama that could have lowered electric bills and federal oversight that could have restricted emissions and pollution from coal-burning power plants.

damn....

 

[RubberToe]

Solar expansion in recent years saves Texas during cold snap. Storage too.

https://www.expressnews.com/business/article/texas-solar-power-set-record-ercot-passes-latest-18610357.php

 

[mspohr]

Largest US solar-storage project goes online

A new 875 MW solar project in California features nearly 2 million solar panels and offers more than 3 GWh of energy storage.

www.pv-magazine.com

The project is a true renewable energy behemoth, spanning 4,600 acres, comprised of 1.9 million US-made First Solar panels. It holds a capacity of 875 MWdc solar, and nearly 3.3 GWh of energy storage. It has a 1.3 GW interconnection capacity. California’s grid is expected to receive enough electricity to power the equivalent of about 238,000 homes from the project. This leads to an estimated 320,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions abated annually. The energy storage is made up of LG Chem, Samsung, and BYD batteries. This feat of engineering required 98 miles of MV Wire, over 361 miles of DC wiring, and 120,720 batteries.

 

[mspohr]

Solar canopies as a central pillar of IRA-driven energy transition

With so much of the space in United States cities allocated for parking, the dual pronged approach of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) – production tax credits to drive investment in domestic manufacturing and investment tax credits to attract consumer-side investment – means solar canopies can...

www.pv-magazine.com

Data from Portland-based nonprofit the Parking Reform Network introduces the compelling statistic that cities in the United States with a population of more than one million people allocate around 22% of their city center land for parking purposes. That figure presents a significant opportunity: the integration of solar canopies as an innovative solution to transform open parking spaces into multi-functionality hubs. Beyond the conventional purpose of parking spaces, these areas can be used as platforms for the generation of renewable energy, demonstrating the harmonious coexistence of urban infrastructure and sustainability.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Solar canopies as a central pillar of IRA-driven energy transition

With so much of the space in United States cities allocated for parking, the dual pronged approach of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) – production tax credits to drive investment in domestic manufacturing and investment tax credits to attract consumer-side investment – means solar canopies can...

www.pv-magazine.com

Data from Portland-based nonprofit the Parking Reform Network introduces the compelling statistic that cities in the United States with a population of more than one million people allocate around 22% of their city center land for parking purposes. That figure presents a significant opportunity: the integration of solar canopies as an innovative solution to transform open parking spaces into multi-functionality hubs. Beyond the conventional purpose of parking spaces, these areas can be used as platforms for the generation of renewable energy, demonstrating the harmonious coexistence of urban infrastructure and sustainability.

Although, I do like it on a sunny day in late February/early March when I finish work and my car has been warmed by the sun.
Still, a solar canopy would be better.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

December 2023 numbers added to UK Solar photovoltaics deployment

44.9MW, all in systems <= 50kW, 81.7% <= 10kW.
Lower than December 2022 (90.3MW) total, even ignoring large systems (40MW). However, still much higher than December 2021, so they may be past peak but holding up overall.

In the past 12 months 1005.5MW installed. 835.6MW <= 50kW, 661.2MW domestic. 12mo was below 500MW through September 2022.

UK Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
2021	12.6	14.4	133.1	17.1	24.3	17.6	19.5	19	28.4	23	27.6	20.4
2022	70.6	27.6	37.4	41.2	49.2	42.6	46.4	48.8	57.3	80.6	65.5	90.3
2023	89.5	156.7	102.2	70.7	60.2	136.7	71.3	72.5	71.7	62.8	66	44.9

UK <= 50kW	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
2021	12.6	12.8	18.1	17	17	17.6	17.6	18.1	21.6	19.9	25.9	17.9
2022	22.4	27.6	37.4	36	43	42.6	43.9	48.8	57.3	57.6	65.5	50.3
2023	69.6	75	86.7	70.7	60.2	84	71.3	72.5	70.7	62.8	67	44.9

 

[mspohr]

U.S. Department of Energy & FEMA Study Finds Puerto Rico Can Achieve 100% Renewable Energy Future By 2050 - CleanTechnica

U.S. Department of Energy and FEMA Study Finds Puerto Rico Can Achieve 100% Renewable Energy Future By 2050

cleantechnica.com

San Juan, Puerto Rico — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today released a summary report for the Puerto Rico Grid Resilience and Transitions to 100% Renewable Energy Study (PR100). The two-year study concludes that Puerto Rico can successfully meet its projected electricity needs with 100% renewable energy by 2050. PR100 outlines pathways to achieving clean energy success, including grid stabilization measures and the deployment of distributed energy resources. To further assist Puerto Rico’s energy resilience and clean energy goals, DOE today announced that on February 22, 2024, residents can apply for DOE’s Programa Acceso Solar (Solar Access Program) — a program designed to connect up to 30,000 low-income households with residential rooftop solar and battery storage systems with zero upfront costs. This program is a consumer-facing application phase of the first round of funding from the Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund, a $1 billion DOE program focused on improving the resilience of Puerto Rico’s electric grid with an emphasis on the region’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged households and communities. The Biden-Harris Administration remains committed to helping states and territories reach their clean power targets to move the nation closer to achieving President Biden’s 2050 goal of a net-zero carbon economy.

 

[mspohr]

Could Solar Power Become America’s Leading Electricity Source? | OilPrice.com

The solar energy sector is experiencing unprecedented growth, with significant advancements in manufacturing and technology driving down costs and setting the stage for solar to become the dominant electricity source.

oilprice.com

Solar energy operations have been flourishing in recent years, following decades of sustained investment and recent innovations in solar panel technology. There has been a solar manufacturing boom, which is expected to continue at a faster pace. Countries worldwide are investing heavily in increasing their solar energy capacity in support of a green transition, with China and the U.S. leading the way. The International Energy Agency's (IEA) World Energy Outlook (WEO) 2023 explores the potential for growth in the solar energy sector, based on its already strong performance in recent years. Renewable energy sources are expected to contribute around 80 percent of new power generation capacity in 2030 based on the current project pipeline, with solar power making up over half of the expansion. However, the WEO highlights, solar energy has significantly more potential.

This month, Dan Shugar, the CEO of Nextracker - a company that tracks solar energy projects, stated the massive progress that's being seen in the solar market. He said, solar power is on a path to double every two to three years amid an "unprecedented period of demand growth" for new electricity generation. He added, "Solar is unstoppable" and "The intrinsic economics of utility-scale are phenomenal both in the U.S. and overseas. It has never been as favourable as it is." This followed the release of Nextracker's quarterly report

The solar energy market is expected to experience a CAGR of 26% over the next five years and become the principal source of electricity generation in the U.S. within the next decade

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

January 2024 numbers added to UK Solar photovoltaics deployment

57.9MW, all in systems <= 50kW, 80.1% <= 10kW.
Lower than January 2023 (89.5MW) total, even ignoring large systems (19.9MW). Still much higher than January 2022 small systems (22.4MW), and higher than December 2023, so following the general trend.

In the past 12 months 973.9MW installed. 823.9MW <= 50kW, 641.6MW domestic. 12mo was below 500MW through September 2022.

UK Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
2021	12.6	14.4	133.1	17.1	24.3	17.6	19.5	19	28.4	23	27.6	20.4
2022	70.6	27.6	37.4	41.2	49.2	42.6	46.4	48.8	57.3	80.6	65.5	90.3
2023	89.5	156.7	102.2	70.7	60.2	136.7	71.3	72.5	71.7	62.8	66	44.9
2024	57.9

UK <= 50kW	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
2021	12.6	12.8	18.1	17	17	17.6	17.6	18.1	21.6	19.9	25.9	17.9
2022	22.4	27.6	37.4	36	43	42.6	43.9	48.8	57.3	57.6	65.5	50.3
2023	69.6	75	86.7	70.7	60.2	84	71.3	72.5	70.7	62.8	67	44.9
2024	57.9