The energy sector added almost 300,000 jobs last year, about a 3.8% growth rate from 2021 to 2022, according to an annual study by the US DOE.

Energy workforce grew 3.8% last year; clean energy jobs increased in every state

The energy sector added almost 300,000 jobs last year, about a 3.8% growth rate from 2021 to 2022, according to an annual study released Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Every state saw an increase in clean energy jobs, a sector which grew 3.9% nationally, according to the 2023 U.S. Energy and Employment Report. Overall U.S. employment grew 3.1% across the same period.

“We’re only getting started,” Bob Keefe, executive director of the national, nonpartisan business group E2, said in a statement

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Source: Utility Dive

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The construction of the Houston solar power plant is part of the Toronto-based firm’s plan to transition its massive US office portfolio to “zero-emissions electricity” by 2026.

Houston skyscrapers are converting to solar

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Brookfield Properties, which has 10 downtown skyscrapers in its Houston portfolio, is partnering to build a massive solar plant to power the buildings.

Brookfield’s Houston office portfolio totals 10.3 million SF in notable downtown towers including Allen Center, Houston Center, and Heritage Plaza. The 52-story Heritage Plaza, the centerpiece of numerous downtown skyline photos, was designed by architect M. Nasr & Partners with a top that resembles a Mayan pyramid.

The construction of the Houston solar power plant is part of the Toronto-based firm’s plan to transition its massive U.S. office portfolio to “zero-emissions electricity” by 2026.

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Source: Realty News report

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By this time next year, nearly 3,000 solar panels will span the roof of Soboba Casino in San Jacinto, powering the flashy slot machines, air conditioned hotel rooms and golf course facilities.

Solar microgrid offers Soboba tribe independence, with model many users could adapt

By this time next year, nearly 3,000 solar panels will span the roof of Soboba Casino in San Jacinto, powering the flashy slot machines, air conditioned hotel rooms and golf course facilities that dot the tribe’s 474,000-square-foot resort.

Utility services for Native Americans can be problematic. Tribes across the United States report pricier electric bills, more frequent outages and a higher percentage of homes with no electricity at all than those figures for Americans who don’t live on tribal lands. So with a surge in federal funding available to help offset the costs of installing renewable energy projects, the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians has joined the growing number of tribes who are building out microgrids to help flip the switch on that dynamic.

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Source: The Sun

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Noria Energy launched a 1.5MW floating solar power system on the reservoir at Colombia’s Urrá Dam, the largest project of its kind in South America.

South America’s largest floating solar farm launched in Colombia

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California-based solar developer Noria Energy has launched a 1.5MW floating solar power system on the reservoir at Colombia’s Urrá Dam, the largest project of its kind in South America.

Noria conceived and led the development – with the help of its partners 1Solution, DISICO, G&C, Isigenere and Seaflex – as a pilot project for the local independent power producer Urrá. The project aims to demonstrate that hydroelectric dams dealing with fluctuating water levels can pair with floating solar generation to boost energy reliability and increase production.

The ‘Aquasol’ floating solar project has been installed at the 340MW Urrá hydropower plant in the Sinú River basin in Córdoba, Colombia. It comprises more than 2,800 solar modules and is expected to produce nearly 2,400 megawatt-hours of power in its first year, enough to offset the energy used to operate the dam. The project is also forecast to avoid more than 1,540 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year, and generate more than $1.2m in additional electric power revenue over 20 years.

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Source: Energy Monitor

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Florida is next in line after the top 15 solar states, landing in 16th in the overall rankings for solar adoption.

Here are the top solar power states in the USA (Sunshine State just 16th)

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The Sunshine State, unfortunately, has not lived up to its name. It has settled in as a laggard in the adoption of solar power, despite its extensive and world famous solar resources. (And let’s not even get into its offshore wind potential.) With the facts presented a certain way, one might be deceived into thinking Florida is a solar power leader, alongside the Golden State and the Lone Star State. For example, here’s a chart of 2022 US solar PV installations broken down by the top 3 states and then regions of the country.

As that chart shows, Florida was third in the nation in terms of solar PV installations in 2022. It represented 10% of all US solar PV installation capacity last year, only trailing solar giant (and overall economic giant) California (24%) and Texas (18%). Those three states accounted for 52% of new solar power capacity in 2022.

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Source: Clean Technica

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A Swiss startup is using reclaimed wind turbine blades instead of metal beams as horizontal supports for solar panels.

A Swiss startup is mounting solar panels on used wind turbine blades

Founded in 2022, Turn2Sun is based in Neuchâtel and calls its use of second-life wind turbine blades to support solar panels “Blade2Sun.”

The company explains, “The strength of the blades enables structures with broad wingspan, covering large areas with minimal ground use, thanks to spaced-out foundations. This in turns lets you install large PV arrays with reduced impact on the land underneath.”

Turn2Sun and the federal department Armasuisse partnered up and carried out a pilot in Grisons, in the Swiss Alps (pictured above), at an altitude of 2,500 m (8,202 feet). The prototype had around 16 430-watt solar panels attached to 8.4-meter (27.5-foot) wind turbine blades.

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Source: Today Headline

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NREL researchers found that the normalization of retrofit RIPV solar projects in the installation process could speed up installations.

Roof-integrated solar takes 44% less time to install on new construction

A time-motion study by NREL discovered that retrofitting installations of roof-integrated photovoltaics takes 7% less labor time than standard solar installations. For new construction, the installation time drops by 44%.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) conducted a time-motion study on solar contractors installing roofing integrated photovoltaics (RIPV) on residential solar projects at several California sites. The researchers published their findings in a publication titled “Observations and Lessons Learned From Installing Residential Roofing Integrated Photovoltaics.”

The study primarily highlighted that new construction RIPV installs very quickly. However, the time required for retrofit RIPV is still comparable to that of standard solar installations. The installation times are still higher for retrofit RIPV, at least in part, due to the application of new techniques and the continued evolution of supply chains.

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Source: PV Magazine

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Global demand for solar PV could rise up to 40% in 2023 as favourable economics in the solar sector combine with broad policies.

Global solar demand to grow by 40% in 2023 as prices fall and capacity grows

Global demand for solar PV could rise up to 40% in 2023 as favourable economics in the solar sector combine with broad policies like the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and REPowerEU schemes.

Bloomberg Intelligence’s ‘Global Solar Energy Midyear Outlook’ report predicts that solar will remain the energy sector’s fastest-growing sub-segment, predominantly driven by its position as the most cost-effective electricity generation method in much of the world. Bloomberg credited solar PV with a levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) of around US$50/MWh.

At the same time as installations are set to grow, sales for manufacturers are forecast to slow slightly as prices fall.

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Source: PV Tech

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Federal land managers auctioned off thousands of acres in Nevada’s Amargosa desert for solar development, resulting in the highest-yielding onshore renewable energy auction in the agency’s history.

Feds auction NV public land leases for record $105 million, highlighting solar boom

Federal land managers auctioned off thousands of acres in Nevada’s Amargosa desert for solar development, resulting in the highest-yielding onshore renewable energy auction in the agency’s history.

Last week the U.S Department of the Interior announced the sale of leases on four highly sought land parcels in the Amargosa Desert totaling 23,675 acres for a record return of $105 million. Together, the land could produce up to 3GW of clean solar energy — enough to power more than 2 million homes.

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Source: Nevada Current

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China set a target of 1,200GW of utility-scale wind & solar capacity by 2030, but a new GEM report says it is set to meet the goal 5yrs early.

China on course to reach solar and wind power goals five years ahead of schedule

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China’s central government has set a target of 1,200 gigawatts (GW) of utility-scale wind and solar capacity by 2030, but a new Global Energy Monitor (GEM) report says the country is set to double its current capacity and meet the goal five years early, a GEM press release said.

Prospective projects that have already been announced or are in construction or pre-construction  equal about 371 GW of wind capacity and 379 GW of solar capacity — approximately the same amount as the currently installed operating capacity of China, according to the Global Solar and Wind Power Trackers.

“This new data provides unrivaled granularity about China’s jaw-dropping surge in solar and wind capacity. As we closely monitor the implementation of prospective projects, this detailed information becomes indispensable in navigating the country’s energy landscape,” said Dorothy Mei, project manager at GEM, in the press release.

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Source: Eco Watch

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