Solar PV News

[Norbert]

Global solar capacity to grow 30% this year, said analyst

Bloomberg senior clean energy analyst Rob Barnett forecasts a 30% increase in global PV deployment this year, and double-digit growth through 2025.

pv-magazine-usa.com

Unless I'm missing something, 250 GW in 2022 would be much more than what is shown in the graph. In comparison, the graph looks very cautious about the time after 2021.

 

[Norbert]

Global solar capacity to grow 30% this year, said analyst

Bloomberg senior clean energy analyst Rob Barnett forecasts a 30% increase in global PV deployment this year, and double-digit growth through 2025.

pv-magazine-usa.com

Also the article makes this claim:

Renewable energy is hitting all-time highs in the United States, too. Renewable generation from solar and wind installations reached 28% in April, a new record for the category.

But in 2021, solar + wind was already 60% of renewables (12% of 20%) according to this statistic:

Electricity in the U.S. - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)

The major fuel/energy sources and their contribution to annual U.S. electricity generation.

www.eia.gov

(I don't know if they maybe included nuclear in renewables, but even then it would already have been about 31% in 2021.)

 

[mspohr]

It seems that they don't think the significant expansion to about 1TW/year of polysilicon manufacturing is going to happen.

First, this is Bloomberg, not the brightest bulb.
The vauge "double digits" for the future is the best they can do.

 

[mspohr]

Princeton: Solar deployment to increase fivefold under Inflation Reduction Act

US utility-scale solar may deploy at five times the 2020 rate of 10 GW, reaching 49 GW annually by 2024, said Princeton in an analysis of the potential impact of the bill.

pv-magazine-usa.com

The impact on the US solar industry would be huge, to say the least. Princeton said solar deployment may accelerate from 2020 rates of 10 GW of capacity added per year to nearly five times as much by 2024, adding 49 GW each year. Solar deployment may be well over 100 GW per year by 2030, said Princeton.

 

[Norbert]

Princeton: Solar deployment to increase fivefold under Inflation Reduction Act

US utility-scale solar may deploy at five times the 2020 rate of 10 GW, reaching 49 GW annually by 2024, said Princeton in an analysis of the potential impact of the bill.

pv-magazine-usa.com

The impact on the US solar industry would be huge, to say the least. Princeton said solar deployment may accelerate from 2020 rates of 10 GW of capacity added per year to nearly five times as much by 2024, adding 49 GW each year. Solar deployment may be well over 100 GW per year by 2030, said Princeton.

If I get these numbers right, that would put solar capacity within range of the current natural gas capacity around 2030 !

 

[mspohr]

Study finds 100% renewables would pay off within 6 years

New research from Stanford University researcher Mark Jacobson outlines how 145 countries could meet 100% of their business-as-usual energy needs with wind, water, solar and energy storage.

pv-magazine-usa.com

The latest energy system models from Stanford University researcher Mark Jacobson, however, show that for 145 countries, the energy transition too 100% wind, water, solar and storage would pay for itself within six years, and ultimately cost less than continuing with the current energy systems. “Worldwide, WWS reduces end use energy by 56.4%, private annual energy costs by 62.7% (from $17.8 to $6.6 trillion per year), and Social (private plus health plus climate) annual energy costs by 92.0% (from $83.2 to $6.6 trillion per year) at a present-value cost of $61.5 trillion,” Jacobson said in his most recent paper. “Thus, WWS requires less energy, costs less, and creates more jobs than business as usual.”

 

[mspohr]

Designing for 100% renewables with real-time retail pricing could yield benefits of 9% or more

Including real-time pricing of retail electricity in the design of a high-renewables system would "markedly" lower the system's cost, researchers found, in an analysis for the island of Oahu, Hawaii. For continent-scale systems as well, they said the resulting demand-side flexibility is likely...

pv-magazine-usa.com

Designing a 100% renewable grid for the island of Oahu, Hawaii with real-time pricing of retail electricity would yield combined consumer and producer benefits of 9% or more than the same grid with flat rates, says a white paper by researchers at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and Geneva’s Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies.

While the paper did not disclose the generator investments selected by the model for various scenarios, the authors said that real-time pricing provides efficiency gains by curbing peak demand and thereby reducing investment in rarely used peaking power plants, “and also reducing market power.”

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Designing for 100% renewables with real-time retail pricing could yield benefits of 9% or more

Including real-time pricing of retail electricity in the design of a high-renewables system would "markedly" lower the system's cost, researchers found, in an analysis for the island of Oahu, Hawaii. For continent-scale systems as well, they said the resulting demand-side flexibility is likely...

pv-magazine-usa.com

Designing a 100% renewable grid for the island of Oahu, Hawaii with real-time pricing of retail electricity would yield combined consumer and producer benefits of 9% or more than the same grid with flat rates, says a white paper by researchers at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and Geneva’s Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies.

While the paper did not disclose the generator investments selected by the model for various scenarios, the authors said that real-time pricing provides efficiency gains by curbing peak demand and thereby reducing investment in rarely used peaking power plants, “and also reducing market power.”

What could possibly go wrong?

Real-time pricing is great, until there's a supply crunch. They'd need a strong safety net.

 

[mspohr]

What could possibly go wrong?

Real-time pricing is great, until there's a supply crunch. They'd need a strong safety net.

I think real time pricing is supposed to prevent a supply crunch by encouraging people to reduce use during peak times
There are many non essential discretionary uses which can be automatically curtailed.
Even essential air conditioning can adjust the temperature to reduce use

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

I think real time pricing is supposed to prevent a supply crunch by encouraging people to reduce use during peak times
There are many non essential discretionary uses which can be automatically curtailed.
Even essential air conditioning can adjust the temperature to reduce use

Oh yes, when it works well, it's awesome, which is why it became so popular with EV owners in the UK.

Automatic is good, just don't depend on private individuals to make any sacrifices.
Hot still night, you'd better have good backup.

 

[mspohr]

Polysilicon Glut & Cheaper Solar Panels? - CleanTechnica

Rethink Energy researchers predict that a Polysilicon Glut will lead to a reduction in the cost of solar modules.

cleantechnica.com

 

[mspohr]

Nikkei Asia: China has 340 reactors' worth of solar cell plants in the pipeline. China has 340 reactors' worth of solar cell plants in the pipeline

, China's solar cell industry is either planning or has started construction on 340 GW worth of additional capacity as of June, according to an analysis by Great Wall Glory Securities. The data covers forthcoming facilities that use production processes for n-type cells.

 

[winfield100]

Nikkei Asia: China has 340 reactors' worth of solar cell plants in the pipeline. China has 340 reactors' worth of solar cell plants in the pipeline

, China's solar cell industry is either planning or has started construction on 340 GW worth of additional capacity as of June, according to an analysis by Great Wall Glory Securities. The data covers forthcoming facilities that use production processes for n-type cells.

just china,
Terawatt hours generated from PV, data thru 2021, extrapolated out to 2037, growth rate of 26.6%, they had 31% share of world energy produced by PV in 2021

 

[mspohr]

Despite supply challenges, solar panel shipments grew 32% last year

The Energy Information Administration module shipments report showed a steady climb in shipments. Plus, the U.S. may pivot to a domestically sourced solar supply chain.

pv-magazine-usa.com

Currently, the U.S. has capacity to produce materials like metallurgical grade silicon, polysilicon, steel, aluminum, resins, racking and mountings. However, there are significant gaps in the supply chain. United States currently has no domestic solar ingot, wafer or cell manufacturing capacity and only modest capacity to produce solar modules, inverters and trackers, said SEIA. As a result, these segments must be targeted on the path to 50 GW. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 has over $60 billion in funds planned to achieve these domestic manufacturing goals, including:

 

[mspohr]

Europe’s swift transition to a sustainable, low-carbon future will not happen without the engagement and involvement of citizens producing and consuming energy locally, experts say – and across the continent, there are signs it is happening

Energy citizenship: Europe’s communities forging a low-carbon future

The only way forward, Mendes said, is “to decentralise more and more, produce and consume more energy locally with sources like solar and wind – and boost storage and smart solutions for efficient energy management”. All of which means involving ordinary citizens.

According to the latest data, 2 million Europeans are now involved in 7,000 local energy communities across the continent, with numbers growing rapidly since EU directives promoting clean energy and energy communities were introduced in 2018 and 2019.

 

[ggies07]

Europe’s swift transition to a sustainable, low-carbon future will not happen without the engagement and involvement of citizens producing and consuming energy locally, experts say – and across the continent, there are signs it is happening

Energy citizenship: Europe’s communities forging a low-carbon future

The only way forward, Mendes said, is “to decentralise more and more, produce and consume more energy locally with sources like solar and wind – and boost storage and smart solutions for efficient energy management”. All of which means involving ordinary citizens.

According to the latest data, 2 million Europeans are now involved in 7,000 local energy communities across the continent, with numbers growing rapidly since EU directives promoting clean energy and energy communities were introduced in 2018 and 2019.

Yes, I always go back to this article from 2016 by Bill McKibben.

We need everyone (pushed by our governments) to move to local solar ASAP.

We Need to Literally Declare War on Climate Change

We’re under attack by a powerful enemy—and our only hope is to mobilize like we did in WWII.

newrepublic.com

 

[mspohr]

Solar in the U.S. is forecast to triple in five years

Capacity is expected to grow from 129 GW today to 336 GW by 2027, said the Solar Energy Industries Association and Wood Mackenzie.

pv-magazine-usa.com

After a hampered start to the year, the United States is set to grow its solar capacity at unprecedented rates. Now that the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has been passed, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie have lifted the forecast for solar deployment by 40% above prior projections through 2027.

 

[mspohr]

Interesting

CleanTechnica: Why Rooftop Solar Power Investments Are Worth It, & Why California Solar Net Metering Might Not Be Fair — Competing Op-Eds. Why Rooftop Solar Power Investments Are Worth It, & Why California Solar Net Metering Might Not Be Fair — Competing Op-Eds

Now let’s follow the money. A major portion of the money paid to build a utility-scale solar farm goes to a Chinese firm that manufactures solar panels. Some goes to profits paid to dividends and a much smaller portion goes to pay for labor. On the other hand, a major portion of those extra monies for rooftop solar go to pay those evil “soft costs.” Depending on your definition, soft costs include wages for local labor, permits paid to local government entities, profits to local installing companies, and so on.

Those local dollars continue to circulate through the local economy as sales taxes paid and local business supported. Solar incentives are not only a clean energy program, they are also a jobs program. Generally, very few of those jobs are filled by the 1 percenters in society.

 

[mspohr]

California's Electricity Rates Should Be Unbundled — Op-Ed

The discussion about California's grid, rooftop solar energy, and net metering goes on. Following up on the comments under this article and then this article as well as years of debate, research reports, lobbying, solar

cleantechnica.com

A better way to decarbonize would be to drop electricity down to its true marginal cost + social cost of carbon (estimated to be something like an average of 9 cents per kWh, but obviously higher at peak demand), then collect the bulk of utility revenues from fixed monthly grid connection fees. These could be based on connection size, or even income level to promote equity, but they would be decoupled from the per-kWh charges. This would definitely promote electricity consumption, but it would do it by shifting energy consumption away from our most polluting sources — gasoline and diesel for cars and trucks and natural gas for space heating and water heating.

 

[mspohr]

Facing Budget Shortfalls, These Schools Are Turning to the Sun https://nyti.ms/3UgiHA2

One school district was able to give pay raises to its teachers as big as 30 percent. Another bought new heating and ventilation systems, all the better to help students and educators breathe easier in these times. The improvements didn’t cost taxpayers a cent, and were paid for by an endlessly renewable source — the sun. As solar energy gains traction across the country, one beneficiary have been schools, particularly those in cash-strapped districts contending with dwindling tax bases. From New Jersey to California, nearly one in 10 K-12 public and private schools across the country were using solar energy by early 2022, according to data released Thursday by Generation180, a nonprofit that promotes and tracks clean energy.