2020 will be a record year for U.S. renewables construction as 6 gigawatts of coal capacity goes offline, according to new government figures. The U.S. Energy Information Administration has confirmed what it and industry watchers predicted a year ago — that wind and solar power will expand on their already-large share of new U.S. generation […]
With 2 Weeks to Go, Builders Brace for California’s 2020 Home Solar Mandate
An in-depth look at the preparations and lingering controversies around California’s landmark home solar requirement. One in five newly constructed California homes now comes topped with a solar installation. Starting in January, that needs to jump to five out of five. A year ago, California gave final approval to updated building codes that require all […]
California Seeks to Shift Major Battery Incentive Toward Fire, Blackout Resiliency
CPUC proposes to spend $613 million of total $1.2 billion SGIP budget through 2024 on battery-solar systems for high-fire-risk customers. Over its 13-year history, California’s Self-Generation Incentive Program has been the state’s primary driver for distributed solar, biomass power systems, fuel cells. and, over the past half-decade or so, behind-the-meter batteries. Now California regulators are […]
Residential Solar Hits New Peak in US with Record Q3 Installations
The quarterly record came amid weakness in northeastern states, traditionally a stronghold for rooftop installers. The U.S. residential solar industry pulled off an all-time record for installations in the third quarter, according to new research from Wood Mackenzie and the Solar Energy Industries Association. And it happened with Northeastern states — traditionally powerhouses in the […]
OutBack Power™ Gives Up To 24 Percent Discount on Lithium-ion Battery Storage Systems to California Residents to Address Wildfire Blackouts
As preemptive power outages usher in a new normal for California, consumers can save on three packaged solutions for backup power until March 31, 2020 ARLINGTON, Wash.: As California expects wildfire prevention policies to prompt utilities to preemptively shut down grid power for days and weeks at a time in the coming years, OutBack Power […]
NV Energy Gets Green Light for Massive Solar-Battery Projects
Nevada regulators approve a plan for 1.2 GW of solar backed by gigawatt-hours’ worth of energy storage capacity. Nevada regulators have given a green light to utility NV Energy’s plan to add nearly 1.2 gigawatts of solar and 590 megawatts of batteries, underscoring a broader push toward renewable energy and storage by other Western utilities […]
Azelio, Biodico plan 120 MW of thermal energy storage in California
Sweden-based Azelio AB has signed a pact with US biorefineries operator Biodico Inc to collaborate on the development of a series of thermal energy storage projects in California totalling 120 MW through 2024. Under the terms of a new memorandum of understanding (MoU), the two parties will work together on an initial project of 13 […]
Vivint Solar Announces Launch of Solar + Storage Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) in California
LEHI, Utah : Vivint Solar (NYSE: VSLR)–Vivint Solar, a leading full-service residential solar provider in the United States, wants homeowners to have the power to choose the kind of experience they get from their energy provider, and is now launching a new power purchase agreement (PPA) option that includes one simple rate for both solar […]
California Demands 3.3GW of New Resources as Grid Shortfall Looms
Procurement is a boon for solar-storage, demand response and other clean resources, and could forestall last-ditch option of keeping coastal gas plants open. California regulators have approved a 3.3-gigawatt “all-source” procurement that will pit new renewables, energy storage, demand response and other clean resources against natural gas-fired power plants in a race to meet what […]
Will Your EV Keep the Lights On When the Grid Goes Down?
Home battery systems can help during power outages. So can the battery packs rolling around in electric vehicles. Last month’s preventative power shutoffs in California highlighted the vulnerability of the electricity grid to threats exacerbated by a changing climate. In the wake of the forced outages, much has been written about the ability of solar […]
