SMUD and Swell Energy have signed an agreement for Swell to act as the aggregator for the new My Energy Optimizer Partner+ program

Sacramento, Swell aggregate residential solar + battery storage

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To help deliver on its 2030 Zero Carbon Plan to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from its power supply, Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) and Swell Energy have signed an agreement for Swell to act as the aggregator for the new My Energy Optimizer Partner+ program – a residential customer-driven virtual power plant initiative.

The initial effort will bring 20 MWh and 10 MW of renewable capacity to SMUD by recruiting, installing and aggregating capacity from customers’ battery storage systems located in the utility’s service area. The program has the opportunity to scale to 54 MWh and 27 MW over the term of the partnership. Contract capability is based on a 2-hour deliverable capacity, inclusive of exports with day-ahead notification for up to 240 events per year.

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Source: Solar Industry

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Within three years, a surge of large-scale battery projects is expected to come online on Texas and California power grids.

Utilities rush to install storage batteries in Texas, California

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Within three years, a surge of large-scale battery projects is expected to come online on Texas and California power grids as developers seek to store electricity produced by those state’s sprawling wind and solar farms.

The Energy Department has estimated that 21 gigawatts of storage capacity will plug into U.S. power grids before 2026, more than 2½ times the amount now in operation. Almost 8 gigawatts are expected in Texas.

The boom in battery development comes as weather-dependent wind and solar energy becomes an increasingly large part of the U.S. power grid, requiring an alternate power source when the wind isn’t blowing and the sun isn’t shining.

DOE announced $8 million for six solar energy research projects across six states and the District of Columbia that supports agrivoltaics.

DOE announces $8M to integrate solar energy production with farming

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced $8 million for six solar energy research projects across six states and the District of Columbia that will provide new economic opportunities for farmers, rural communities, and the solar industry. The funding supports agrivoltaics—the co-location of agricultural production and solar energy generation on the same land—and aims to reduce barriers to utility-and community-scale solar energy deployment while maximizing benefits for farmers and local communities. By increasing access to solar energy, the new projects reflect the Biden-Harris Administration’s continued commitment to ensuring that every community unlocks the public health and cost-saving benefits of a clean energy future and support President Biden’s goals to decarbonize the electricity sector by 2035 and achieve a net-zero emissions economy by 2050.

“DOE’s research into agrivoltaics provides an incredible opportunity to pair solar energy generation with safe and robust crop production—ensuring rural communities reap the full economic benefits of a clean energy future,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “With these exciting projects, we’re supporting sustainable agriculture and investing in the technologies that enable us to make our climate goals a reality—a win-win for our planet and hardworking farmers coast to coast.”

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Source: Energy Gov

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The bill would create a tax incentive for companies to build solar canopies in large parking lots to boost local clean electricity generation.

Senate Bill introduced to incentivize solar carport deployment in California

California Sen. Josh Becker (D-San Mateo) introduced Senate Bill 49, a bill incentivizing solar carport development, at the State Capitol on Monday.

“Solar farms use a tremendous amount of land, but that type of open space either isn’t available or is tremendously expensive in cities and suburbs that use the most power,” Becker said. “That’s what makes the solar canopy concept so appealing because it wouldn’t require any more land, it would just give parking lot owners an incentive to make dual-use of their lots by essentially putting a miniature power plant above all those cars.”

The bill would create a tax incentive for companies to build solar canopies in large parking lots to boost the local clean electricity generation, avoiding more solar development on land. According to a report from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, pavement makes up 35%-50% of the total surface area in cities, and 40% of that pavement is parking lots.

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Source: Solar Power World

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Origo Investments with industry veterans Amond World to develop a refrigerated cold storage facility in the Madera Airport Industrial Park.

Off-grid solar + storage microgrid designed for CA almond cold storage facility

Origo Investments is partnering with industry veterans Amond World to develop a refrigerated cold storage facility in the Madera Airport Industrial Park, which will include two 250,000 sq. ft buildings, each holding approximately 50 million lbs of almonds or other recently harvested crops for farmers and processors.

In order to guarantee energy access, reliability and cost economics while considering the sustainability of the facility, Origo has partnered with Scale Microgrids to design, build, own and operate an off-grid clean energy microgrid providing cheaper, cleaner and more reliable power.

The microgrid system will include 1,200 kW of rooftop solar. Storage of the solar energy will be provided by a 1,200 kW/ 2,400 kWh battery system. The microgrid will include two 1,200 kW enhanced emission-reducing controllable generators.

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Source: Solar Power World

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At least $25.7B in new US clean-energy factories are in the works. Most of these projects and jobs are in traditionally conservative states.

Green factories are changing minds in more conservative US states

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At least $25.7 billion in new U.S. clean-energy factories are in the works, thanks in part to the generous subsidies in President Joe Biden’s landmark climate law. Most of these projects — and the jobs that come with them — are in traditionally conservative states.

In Dalton, Georgia, green energy hasn’t been a priority. Its congressional representative, Marjorie Taylor Greene, has said that “Earth warming and carbon is actually healthy for us.”

But a new solar-panel factory is changing minds in the city of 34,000. Indeed, the presence of new jobs is transforming solar power into a tangible community benefit.

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Source: The Seattle Times

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LRE has completed construction of its 100MW Rabbitbrush Solar Facility in Kern County with a 20MW, 50MWh battery energy storage system.

LRE completes 100-MW Rabbitbrush solar + storage project in California

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Leeward Renewable Energy (LRE) has completed construction and commenced operations of its 100-MW Rabbitbrush Solar Facility located in Kern County, California. The facility also includes a 20-MW, 50-MWh battery energy storage system.

The energy generated by the project will serve two not-for-profit, community-owned electricity providers, Central Coast Community Energy (CCCE) and Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE), through two 15-year power purchase agreements (PPAs). LRE, CCCE and SVCE hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Rabbitbrush Solar Facility earlier today to celebrate the start of operations at the facility.

“LRE is proud to partner with CCCE and SVCE on a monumental project that will provide significant economic and environmental benefits,” said Jason Allen, CEO of LRE’s. “Bringing this project online is another example of how we manage our projects in alignment with our core values of protecting and respecting the environment in the communities where we operate. Our focus is on providing continuous value to local communities while building and maintaining strong, long-term relationships.”

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Source: Solar Power World

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The project is a roughly 75-MW solar-to-hydrogen facility using Fusion Fuel’s HEVO technology, capable of producing up to 9,300 tons of green hydrogen annually.

Green hydrogen project powered by solar under development in California

Fusion Fuel and Electus Energy have entered a joint venture agreement to develop a large-scale green hydrogen project in Bakersfield, California.

The proposed project is a roughly 75-MW solar-to-hydrogen facility using Fusion Fuel’s HEVO technology, capable of producing up to 9,300 tons of green hydrogen annually. The project would require an estimated $180 million in capital investment, with a final investment decision expected in early 2024 and commissioning in the first half of 2025. Once operational, this project will provide enough hydrogen fuel to support over 1,000 Class 8 trucks or buses per day.

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Source: Solar Power World

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Since summer 2020, Tampa has piloted solar panels embedded on sidewalks, a design meant to protect the panels from storm-force winds.

Tampa tries sidewalk solar panels as backup power for traffic lights

Hurricane Irma wreaked havoc across Tampa, Florida, in 2017, knocking out power in some areas. At traffic lights, that meant traffic slowdowns at best and dangerous crashes at worst. That experience inspired the city to seek a new source of backup power for traffic intersections.

“It’s a pretty dangerous condition to have a signal, or particularly a series of signals, dark in unlit conditions,” said the city’s Smart Mobility Manager Brandon Campbell. “It’s hard for people to see traffic signals when both they are dark and the surrounding infrastructure is out of power as well.”

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Source: Utility Dive

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San Joaquin Valley may become home to vast solar arrays turning fallowed farmland into a source of clean energy while sustaining local jobs.

Panel finds valley solar can help decarbonize state but local needs loom

The San Joaquin Valley may soon become home to vast solar arrays turning fallowed farmland into a source of clean energy while sustaining local jobs. But it won’t be easy pulling it off in a way that’s equitable to local communities.

That much was clear during an online panel the Public Policy Institute of California hosted earlier this month titled “Solar Development in the San Joaquin Valley.” It took participants through layers of complications that remain to be addressed if the valley is to meet its potential as a major component of California’s efforts to become carbon neutral by 2045.

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Source: Yahoo

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