Solar Industry News
Seven key provisions in the Climate Deal
The proposed new $369B climate bill would help speed the country’s transition away from an economy based largely on fossil fuels and toward cleaner energy sources.
Feds give final approval to eastern Riverside County solar, transmission projects
The BLM is moving forward with renewable development, including issuing final construction approval for the Oberon solar project.
UC Merced wins highest honor for its efforts to go green
UC Merced was recently awarded a platinum rating - the highest honor - for their on-campus sustainability efforts.
Protesters opposed to increased solar fee rally in San Luis Obispo
Solar workers, consumers, clean energy advocates and climate activists held a “Don’t Tax the Sun” rally last Tuesday in San Luis Obispo, CA.
Biden administration launches plan to bring solar to low-income homes
The Biden administration unveiled a new effort on Wednesday to hook up low-income residents with solar power.
New research says vertical solar panels have improved performance
Research shows the need for storage decreases if the majority of the solar capacity is installed vertically in an east-west orientation.
See the enormous solar panels of this Earth-monitoring satellite
A new Earth-monitoring satellite called EarthCARE will will study clouds and aerosols and includes a massive solar panel wing.
A giant battery storage plant is back online, just in time for summer
The Moss Landing Energy Storage Facility is back online, with 400 megawatts of capacity and the ability to run at that level for up to four hours.
Feds approve 1GW of Southern California solar projects
Three recently approved solar energy projects in the southern California desert are expected to add more than 1 GW of power to the state's electrical grid.
Californians’ energy costs could rise and fall with judge’s solar call
A judge asked how to ease the shock of revamped electricity rates for California’s solar panel owners and got thousands of pages' worth of advice.
Batteries are already helping power grids weather a hotter world
In California, batteries now contribute 60 times more to peak capacity than they did in 2017 as global temperatures rise, putting pressure on energy grids.
Rollout solar racking collects rainwater, cuts land-use requirements
Roll-A-Rack has developed a roll-forming solar racking system that captures rainfall on solar panels that can be used for irrigation.
California ups renewables target again with new plan to add 85GW by 2035
The CPUC approved a plan that will set the state on a course to adding 86,000 megawatts of new renewable energy resources to the grid by 2035.
DOE breaks ground on concentrating solar power facility in New Mexico
The U.S. DOE announced that it has broken ground on the Generation 3 Particle Pilot Plant, a concentrating solar-thermal pilot project in New Mexico.
Rooftop solar advocates request new CPUC hearing
Rooftop solar advocates opposed to the CPUC’s recent decision are petitioning for a chance to be heard again.
Community solar is about to get a surge in federal funding. So what is community solar?
Community solar is poised to become much more common thanks to a new $7 billion fund tied to the Inflation Reduction Act.
Solar to soon offer grid more capacity than coal in Australia
Industry consultant SunWiz reports that almost 1/3 of homes in Australia have solar panels, the highest in the world, and will soon outpace coal’s grid capacity.
Unique solar peaker plant breaks ground in California
Arevon Energy and San Diego Community Power broke ground on the Vikings Energy Farm, a solar + storage power plant in Holtville, CA.
Eleven states have committed to 100% clean electricity
Minnesota joins 10 other states with commitments to 100% clean energy. These states account for more than 25% of total US electricity consumption.
Solar and wind save €12 billion gas costs in EU since start of Russo-Ukrainian War
Thanks to the accelerated growth of solar and wind energy, the EU has saved €12 billion in gas costs since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Auckland Airport to build giant rooftop solar array
Auckland Airport plans to power up its roofs with the country’s largest rooftop solar array on its new Mānawa Bay outlet centre.