Gov. Newsom vetoed a bill allowing schools and apartments to use on-site solar energy directly, instead of purchasing it back from utilities.

California governor vetoes bill that would have reversed CPUC’s multi-meter solar rules

Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed legislation on Friday that would have allowed schools and apartment buildings to use solar energy they generate on-site, instead of having to buy it back from utilities. SB 1374, authored by state Sen. Josh Becker, would have reinstated rights that the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) took away from properties with multiple electric meters in 2023. Before then, Californian utility customers including schools could use the solar energy they generated on one electric meter, such as one for their parking lot, to power their separately-metered buildings, making full use of their own energy and avoiding higher utility bills.

California has significant potential to generate more clean electricity from rooftop solar panels; we’ve only taken advantage of about 10% of our state’s rooftop solar potential. SB 1374 would have incentivized solar installations on more rooftops and parking lots, thereby accelerating California’s transition to clean energy and letting schools and renters enjoy the many benefits of solar panels, including less pollution, lower electricity bills and a more resilient energy system.

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Source: Solar Power World

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New German research shows residential PV remains optimal despite energy price breaks, with significant savings during 2019-2022 market volatility.

Photovoltaic systems are a no-regret investment decision

Scientists at the RWTH Aachen University have analyzed the influence that the political measures adopted by the German government to combat rising energy prices in recent years have had on residential PV system profitability and have concluded that price breaks on electricity gas do not “reverse” the economical advantage of deploying a solar array.

The researchers analyzed, in particular, the measures taken by the German authorities after the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis and those following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. Their analysis focused on the possible savings achieved by PV investments made for single-family homes (SFH) during the period.

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Source: PV Magazine

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The SEIA released a draft solar supply chain standard that aims to help companies comply with US Customs and Border Protection traceability requirements.

SEIA proposes solar supply chain traceability standard

The Solar Energy Industries Association on Monday released a draft solar supply chain standard that aims to help companies comply with U.S. Customs and Border Protection traceability requirements. The proposed standard is the first of its kind, according to SEIA.

The standard “explains how to conduct forced labor-focused due diligence, including how to develop a material traceability system to trace the provenance of materials from upstream suppliers into finished products, and how to identify and address indicators of forced labor in supply chains,” according to its introduction.

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Source: Utility Dive

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Cyprus leads the EU in solar hot-water systems, with 93.5% of households using this alternative energy for domestic needs.

‘You basically have free hot water’: how Cyprus became a world leader in solar heating

The Thriamvos company truck pulls up at noon outside the four-storey building in the heart of Nicosia.

It’s the third rooftop installation of a solar-powered water heating system that Petros Mihali and his assistant, Soteris, have made in the Cypriot capital since their working day began at 7am.

The process is perfectly choreographed and almost always the same: in the searing midday sun, the crane bolted on to the truck hoists the boiler up first, then the black-paned solar panels, then the galvanised steel mount on which the entire system will stand. Within two hours of the thermal technology being set up, the household, say the Thriamvos company employees, will have “gone solar”.

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Source: The Guardian

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With 56GW of new solar energy capacity installed in 2023, the EU has set yet another record, surpassing the additional 40GW installed in 2022

European Union ditching fossil gas fast, replacing with solar & wind

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The European Commission recently published its State of the Energy Union Report 2024. The Commission says that the report “describes how the EU has managed unprecedented challenges in the energy policy landscape during this Commission’s mandate, equipping the EU with a regulatory framework for pursuing the clean energy transition and laying the foundations for renewed economic growth and competitiveness.”

One of the notable challenges the EU is facing at the moment, of course, is the continued Russia invasion of Ukraine. Having previously relied on an enormous amount of fossil gas (aka natural gas) from Russia, the EU has had to find ways to replace it. Part of that has been getting fossil gas from elsewhere (most notably, the US). However, part of that has involved simply cutting demand for fossil gas. Overall, it’s impressive how much the Union has been able to do that, as evidenced in the following chart:

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Source: Clean Technica

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Centennial is designed to be a master-planned, environmentally friendly town that addresses the pressing issue of climate change.

Green California town planned to combat global warming

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A planned community in California aims to set a benchmark for sustainable living in the face of global warming.

Centennial, located in the northwestern part of Los Angeles County, is designed to be a master-planned, environmentally friendly town that addresses the pressing issue of climate change by integrating green technologies and sustainable urban planning from the ground up.

Environmental Focus

Centennial is a massive master-planned community set to occupy approximately 12,000 acres and designed to accommodate 19,333 homes (18 percent earmarked as affordable), along with commercial spaces, schools, and parks.

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Source: Newsweek

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New Mexico is getting a solar cell factory worth almost $1 billion, bringing new jobs to the community too.

A $1 billion solar cell factory is coming to New Mexico

New Mexico is getting a solar cell factory worth almost $1 billion, bringing new jobs to the community too.

According to Electrek, Ebon Solar and New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced an 834,000-square-foot solar cell factory is coming to the state. It will be located in Albuquerque’s Mesa del Sol industrial development area.

Ebon Solar is investing $942 million in the project, creating 900 jobs.

“The choice of Albuquerque for our investment aligns with our commitment to sustainable innovation, and New Mexico offers abundant solar resources, favorable renewable energy policies, and a dedicated, skilled workforce,” said Ebon Solar CEO Judy Cai.

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Source: The Cool Down

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Solar energy potential is immense with solar tech improving and costs dropping. Global installations are surging but challenges remain.

Even solar energy’s biggest fans are underestimating it

Every day, the sun’s rays send 173,000 terawatts of energy to Earth continuously, 10,000 times the amount used by all of humanity. Which is to say, the potential for solar energy is immense, and we’re nowhere near the limit.

That’s why solar energy is such an appealing prospect, particularly as an alternative to the fossil fuels that cause climate change. And over the past decade, solar energy technology has vastly improved in performance and plummeted in cost.

As a result, photovoltaic panels have cropped up like dandelions across fields and rooftops at a stunning pace. Yet even the people most plugged-in to the energy industry and most optimistic about solar power continue to underestimate it. In fact, it’s a long-running joke among energy nerds that forecasters keep predicting solar will level off as it continues to rocket up to the sun.

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Source: Vox

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US installed solar capacity has grown 34% since the second quarter of 2023, with more than 110,000 MW of projects now operating.

US utility solar market has grown 34% since Q2 2023

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Developers continued to take advantage of the Inflation Reduction Act in the second quarter as they added utility-scale solar projects in the United States at a record pace.

There was 7,369 MW of solar installed in the quarter, a 49% increase from the first quarter, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence. U.S. installed solar capacity has grown 34% since the second quarter of 2023, with more than 110,000 MW of projects now operating.

Developers plan to add more than 40,292 MW of solar this year, with 3,727 MW announced, 14,548 MW in early development, 1,473 MW in advanced development and 20,543 MW under construction. There is nearly 233,000 MW additional solar capacity in development in the U.S. through 2028, according to Market Intelligence data.

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Source: Solar Power World

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The Energy Department announced $40 million for the domestic solar supply chain, a continuation of the federal clean energy investments

Solar manufacturers score new DOE funding

Dive Insight:

This is at least the second time the Biden administration unveiled funding for end-of-life solar management in recent months. In July 2023, the DOE announced $20 million for solar panel lifecycle optimization.

The funding is part of the Energy Department’s push to bolster photovoltaic systems’ end-of-life management as more solar panel materials reach the end of their use and enter the waste stream.

Solar panels, which typically last roughly 25 years, often contain metals such as lead and cadmium, which can be harmful to health and the environment at high levels, making it key to manage their waste properly, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

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Source: Manufacturing Dive

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