Author: solarenergy
On July 22, U.S. Senators Manchin (I-WV) and Barrasso (R-WY) released the Energy Licensing Reform Act of 2024 to increase energy security and improve permitting for energy infrastructure projects. In April, more than 200 solar and storage companies called for comprehensive permitting reforms that would open federal lands to clean energy, modernize the electric grid and expand transmission capacity. Clean energy-specific organizations praised the new legislation, while a conservation group sharply criticized the bill’s fossil fuel elements. “We are pleased with the bipartisan recognition that we must quickly and efficiently expand transmission capacity to keep pace with growing U.S. electricity…
Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget for 2024-25 in the Lok Sabha this week. For the renewable energy sector, especially solar energy, the budget supports production by exempting specific machinery and equipment used for the production of solar cells and modules from basic customs duties (BCD).Such machines previously had a customs duty of 7.5%. The exemption will reduce costs for manufacturers of solar cells and modules.Import duty exemptions (BCD) have been extended for specific goods used in the manufacture of silicon wafers, EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) sheets and flat copper wire for photovoltaic ribbon. These exemptions will…
After the transaction, Greencoat’s operational solar portfolio amounts to approximately 1.9 GWp. Image: BayWa (Schroders Greencoat). Schroders Greencoat, the renewable energy infrastructure management arm of Schroders Capital, has acquired three solar PV assets from Metlen Energy and Metals (formerly Mytilineos). The portfolio consists of three operational ground-mounted solar projects with a combined capacity of approximately 110 MW: Gorse Lane in Lincolnshire, Defford in Worcestershire and Watnall in Nottinghamshire. In 2022, Metlen (then Mytilineos) and Centrica signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Vodaphone UK regarding the energy generated by the three assets. Following the transaction, Greencoat’s operational solar portfolio, on…
Michigan Solar Solutions competes on a mock rooftop at the 2024 Solar Games. 7 Hills Productions Residential solar crews spend hundreds of hours together putting in hard labor on rooftops. Validation usually comes from happy customers and positive reviews, but an installer in Michigan saw a chance for recognition on a national stage and found a creative solution to make it happen. Karl Hercula, VP of field operations at Michigan Solar Solutions (No. 246 on the 2024 Top Solar Contractors List), participated in installation competitions in his former career as a roofer and was intrigued by Intersolar’s similar Solar Games,…
Kids from small communities often leave to find something their hometowns can’t offer. There’s a whole world out there filled with opportunities for new careers, education and perspectives. After working with solar contractors across the country, Tony Martin returned to his hometown of Teutopolis, Illinois, to start Sonne Energy Solutions. For Tony Martin, co-founder of Sonne Energy Solutions (No. 382 on the 2024 Top Solar Contractors List), leaving and learning was a necessary part of returning to his hometown of Teutopolis, Illinois — a village with a population of just over 1,600. Teutopolis was founded by German-Catholic immigrants in 1839.…
Avangrid, a member of the Iberdrola Group, has teamed up with a fifth-generation Oregon rancher to graze sheep on two solar farms in Oregon and Washington, launching what is likely the largest “sun grazing” operation in the region. Solar grazing is a vegetation management method used at solar energy facilities that uses grazing livestock, such as sheep, instead of machinery. Sheep are effective at limiting the growth of weeds and vegetation, reducing the risk of wildfires and replacing the use of gas-powered machinery. Avangrid began this effort last year with a pilot project at Pachwáywit Fields, Oregon’s largest operating solar…
By pv magazine USAIn the first part of this series, pv magazine assessed the productive lifespan of solar panels, which are quite resilient. In this part, we explore residential solar inverters in their different forms, how long they last, and how resilient they are.The inverter, a device that converts the direct current produced by solar panels into usable alternating current, can come in a number of different configurations. The two main types of inverters in residential applications are string inverters and microinverters. In some applications, string inverters are equipped with module-level power electronics (MLPE) called DC optimizers. Microinverters and DC…
(Photo: GreenSpark Solar) Catalyze has selected an EPC contractor GreenSpark solar energy to build ten community solar projects in New York State, totaling 60 MW. The projects will be funded in part by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority through the NY-Sun program. “Community solar is one of the best ways to bring the energy transition to lower-middle-income communities, a movement that GreenSpark is incredibly passionate about,” said Kevin Schulte, CEO of GreenSpark Solar. “We are excited to support Catalyze’s success in bringing community solar projects online in New York and look…
The third edition of the Sinovoltaics Financial Stability Report rankings lists India-based Abhishek Corp, Insolartion Energy, Waaree Renewable Technologies and Solex Energy, all based in India, followed by US-based First Solar as the top five. Six additional manufacturers entered the global rankings. July 24, 2024 Valerie ThompsonSinovoltaics, a Hong Kong-based technical compliance and quality assurance service company, has released its third quarter earnings Ranking of PV module manufacturers, which has a global reach and includes 65 panel suppliers, 6 more than the previous ranking. The report can be downloaded for free. Results are calculated based on publicly available information from…
Whitbread will receive energy from a variety of solar and wind sources. Image: Pixabay EDF Energy has signed a three-year supply agreement with Whitbread PLC, owner of many well-known hospitality brands including Premier Inn, to supply the company with approximately 340 GWh of energy from solar and wind sources. The agreement is part of Whitbread’s sustainability initiatives. The company’s ‘Force For Good Sustainability Program’, which has received Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) validation, aims to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 99.6% by 2040 and reduce scope 3 emissions by 90% by 2050. Raghav Singh, director of large businesses at…