The next wave of clean-tech adoption must focus on non-lithium batteries and take advantage of safe, affordable chemistries.

California’s new net-metering policy brings batteries to forefront

California’s net-energy metering (NEM) policy has been a key driver of the state’s solar deployment, incentivizing adoption by allowing utility customers to sell excess power generated from rooftop solar back to the grid for a profit. With approximately 1.5 million homes and businesses participating, policies like this have made California a clean energy leader in the United States, and even the world. However, the California Public Utilities Commission recently changed the solar-friendly policy.

The approved new framework (known as NEM 3.0) is expected to slash the rate paid for solar energy sold back to the grid by 75%. This revision significantly lengthens the five- to seven-year average payoff period for installing solar and puts the growth of solar power at risk. Californians must embrace an additional clean energy technology in order to shorten payoff periods and continue the momentum behind solar: batteries.

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Source: PV Magazine

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SEIA found that the National Football League (NFL) leads in solar-powered stadiums, with 32% of stadiums powered by solar.

These sports stadiums are leading the charge in solar energy

Solar Energy Industries Association has released a study on solar energy adoption by sports centers around the U.S., and winners have been announced just ahead of Super Bowl Sunday. In fact, both teams playing in the big game, Kansas City and Philadelphia, are top solar adopters at their home stadiums, according to SEIA, although host site State Farm Stadium in Arizona does not have solar.

Overall, more than 40 professional teams have incorporated solar energy into their stadiums and training facilities, or purchased solar power via off-site or community solar programs. Last year, more than 40.6 million fans attended events at solar-powered stadiums.

SEIA found that the National Football League (NFL) leads in solar-powered stadiums, with 32% of stadiums powered by solar. Major League Baseball (MLB) and the National Basketball Association (NBA) are close behind with both at 30% of arenas and stadiums with solar, SEIA shared.

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Source: Eco Watch

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Developers plan to add 54.5 GW of new utility-scale electric-generating capacity to the US power grid in 2023. The 54% will be solar power.

More than half of new US electric-generating capacity in 2023 will be solar

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Developers plan to add 54.5 gigawatts (GW) of new utility-scale electric-generating capacity to the U.S. power grid in 2023, according to our Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory. More than half of this capacity will be solar power (54%), followed by battery storage (17%).

Solar. U.S. utility-scale solar capacity has been rising rapidly since 2010. Despite its upward trend over the past decade, additions of utility-scale solar capacity declined by 23% in 2022 compared with 2021. This drop in solar capacity additions was the result of supply chain disruptions and other pandemic-related challenges. We expect that some of those delayed 2022 projects will begin operating in 2023, when developers plan to install 29.1 GW of solar power in the United States. If all of this capacity comes online as planned, 2023 will have the most new utility-scale solar capacity added in a single year, more than doubling the current record (13.4 GW in 2021).

In 2023, the most new solar capacity, by far, will be in Texas (7.7 GW) and California (4.2 GW), together accounting for 41% of planned new solar capacity.

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Source: EIA

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The Desert Quartzite solar project will result in capital investment of $1 billion and supply clean power to roughly 120,000 homes.

Desert Quartzite approved for 300 MW/ 600 MWh of solar, storage in California

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The US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has approved the construction of the Desert Quartzite solar project near Blythe, California. EDF Renewables North America will develop 300 MW of solar, plus 600 MWh of storage.

“The BLM continues to approve responsibly-sited renewable energy projects to help advance clean energy production on public land and meet the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of a net-zero economy by 2050,” said Karen Mouritsen, the California state director of the BLM. “The project will generate good paying union jobs, boost local economies and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

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Source: PV Magazine

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KFC installs a solar-powered drive-thru in Bakersfield, CA to protect workers from the sun, and to save the unit $400,000 over its lifespan.

KFC installs solar-powered drive-thru in California

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KFC has unveiled a solar-powered drive-thru at its Bakersfield, Calif. location, the chain announced Thursday. The franchised unit is run by the Stewart Restaurant Group.

“We needed a canopy over our drive-thru to protect our team members taking orders outside of the building,” said Justin Stewart, co-owner of the Stewart Restaurant Group, in a statement. “When we compared the costs of a typical canopy to the costs and value of Integrate Solar’s canopy, the decision to go solar was a no-brainer!”

The solar paneling — designed by Integrate Solar — is on the location’s drive-thru to protect workers from the sun, and is expected to save the unit $400,000 over its lifetime.

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Source: Nation’s Restaurant News

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Carlsbad, California will have five solar-powered, covered EV charging stations under a proposed agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy.

California town to get solar-powered EV charging stations

The city of Carlsbad, California will have five solar-powered, covered EV charging stations under a proposed agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy, according to a yahoo.com report.

The department’s Carlsbad field office will provide $500,000 for the five charging stations under the proposal and will work with the city to identify locations on city-owned property.

Assistant City Administrator KC Cass said the funding will be available in six to eight months once the application is approved.

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Source: KIOSK Marketpalce

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A 500kV, 125-mile transmission line between CA and AZ broke ground to give over 3GW of renewable energy capacity to the US Desert SW region.

Construction begins on 3GW transmission line between Arizona and California

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A 500kV, 125-mile transmission line between California and Arizona broke ground last week, promising to bring over 3GW of renewable energy capacity to the US Desert Southwest region.

Construction of the Ten West Link line was inaugurated by US vice president Kamala Harris and a number of federal and state officials last week, including secretary of the interior Deb Haaland and secretary of energy Jennifer Granholm.

The Department of the Interior said that the Ten West project will have the conductor capacity to transmit 3.2GW of solar capacity. Running across one of the US’ richest regions for solar potential, announcements of the construction highlighted the aim for the transmission line to accommodate significant solar PV and solar-plus-storage capacity additions.

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Source: PV Tech

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The Square D Energy Center smart panel from Schneider Electric offers flexible control over solar arrays and battery storage.

As solar + storage ready becomes a title 24 mandate, smart technology helps flatten the complexity curve

If you’re a builder or electrician living in California, you’re probably already thinking about how to meet the State’s latest leap toward net zero: mandated solar and storage in every new house.

As part of the 2022 Energy Code, California has enacted a solar + storage ready mandate. Why? The answer is multi-faceted. The State lies on the front lines of climate change, with worsening wildfires, drought, power outages, and maxed-out energy demands.

California has had a solar PV mandate since 2019, and just passed another mandate phasing out gas-powered cars by 2035. Compared to most states, they’re taking the fast track to phasing out CO2.

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Source: Clean Technica

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The CPUC is considering asking electricity providers in the state to procure 4GW of new capacity to ensure grid reliability.

CPUC proposal would order an additional 4 GW of clean energy resources to bolster grid reliability

In June 2021, the CPUC approved an 11.5 GW procurement package of clean energy resources to come online between 2023 and 2026, in order to replace the then-planned retirement of the 2.2-GW Diablo Canyon nuclear plant as well as a series of natural gas plants slated to retire. Regulators ordered power providers to bring online 2 GW of resources in 2023, another 6 GW in 2024, and installments of 1.5 GW and 2 GW in 2025 and 2026, respectively.

However, circumstances have changed since that initial order was approved, regulators say. New forecasts point to increasing electric demand, beyond what regulators initially anticipated, likely due to extreme weather, a greater expected increase in electric vehicles, higher usage of air conditioning, and electrification of the built environment. At the same time, California expects to have less access to imported electricity from its neighboring states, as they face similar trends.

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Source: Utility Dive

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The Oak Ridge National Laboratory developed a utility-scale solar storage project that can provide power to both AC and DC high-voltage lines

This solar + storage project could be a US grid game changer

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A team at the US Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory has developed a utility-scale solar and storage project that can provide power to both AC and DC high-voltage lines, and thus shore up grid stability – here’s how it works.

Most of the US power grid uses alternating current, or AC, which constantly switches the direction of electron flow. But solar and battery storage uses direct current, or DC, that flows in a single direction.

The US power grid includes a smaller number of high-voltage DC lines that are more efficient at delivering bulk power over long distances or to remote regions.

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Source: electrek

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