Solar

The growing global shift toward renewable energy has intensified the pursuit of high-efficiency photovoltaic (PV) systems, with triple-junction solar cells emerging as a leading technology due to their superior energy conversion capabilities. However, these advanced cells face significant operational challenges, particularly in high-temperature environments, where issues such as thermal degradation, non-uniform heat distribution, and thermal runaway can drastically reduce performance and reliability.

The demand for distributed generation (DG) solar has never been higher, yet many projects are getting stuck before they even break ground. The problem is utility interconnection. For community or net metered solar systems in the 1 MW to 5 MW range, in particular, the utility’s review of whether the grid can handle new power […]

Energy developer, owner and operator Arevon Energy has started construction of a $200-million solar farm in Illinois. The 124-MW Big Muddy Solar installation in Jackson County is the company’s first utility-scale solar project in that state.

An energy research group said U.S. power generation capacity will be led by solar power in the short term, natural gas in the mid term, and nuclear power in the long term as coal-fired units continue to be retired.

The U.S. residential solar industry has entered a new era. With the federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) phasing out at the end of 2025, the market faces a moment of recalibration. This will likely mean a short-term decline, but it’s far from a death knell for the industry. After all, while incentives may fade, energy […]

Securing a reliable supply of electricity requires plenty of research to balance the risks and rewards of striking a deal.

The retirement of older thermal power generation facilities, driven by a transition to cleaner forms of energy, has increased in recent years as utilities and other power generators mothball plants that are uneconomic or simply no longer needed.

California-based Nextracker has announced its corporate rebranding to Nextpower. The company on November 12 said the new name reflects the group’s transformation into a global supplier of fully integrated energy technology solutions.

Independent power producer Treaty Oak Clean Energy recently announced it finalized long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) with technology group Meta Platforms for two utility-scale solar projects in Louisiana. Meta officials said the company would advance its clean energy and sustainability commitments by buying the environmental attributes generated by the facilities in Morehouse and Sabine parishes, which together will have 385 MW of generation capacity.

Utility-scale solar is currently the third-largest renewable energy source in the world. And despite recent changes in law reducing future tax credits, solar power’s relatively low total cost compared to other sources, coupled with its quick time to market, still makes utility-scale solar power a highly viable solution for the U.S. market. With the demand for electricity expected to grow sharply, utility-scale solar installations could prove to be an effective solution to meet this need.

Utility Uses Innovative Method to Deploy More than 3,400 Panels Orlando, Fla. – OUC—The Reliable One has launched one of the largest floating solar arrays in the United States, and the largest in Florida. The 2-megawatt system—located at 5301 S. Conway Rd. in Orlando—consists of two arrays and more than 3,400 solar panels that send […]

Global engineering and construction group Bechtel said it will work with Doral Renewables to design and build a 430-MW solar power station in Texas. The Cold Creek Solar+Storage project, sited in Schleicher and Tom Green counties, also will include a 340-MWh battery energy storage system.

Process manufacturers and power producers are feeling the pressure of tight margins and increasing economic uncertainty. The data tools that engineers and plant operators have relied on for years are rapidly evolving, prompting many to consider how and when to migrate to a new data management platform that enables a more efficient and seamless integration […]

California-based Clearway Energy Group said it has signed a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA), along with a 20-year deal to secure energy storage, with a utility organization in Washington state.

Ever since the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) first surfaced, it has been widely portrayed as an existential threat to the renewable energy transition. From boardrooms to project sites, developers braced for the worst—expecting a wave of regulatory shifts that could undermine years of progress in clean energy deployment. However, with the latest guidance from the Treasury Department released this August, uncertainty has been replaced by urgency—signaling that the time is now for decision-makers to get moving on their much-needed solar initiatives.

Power requirements for industrial and utility operations change constantly, creating a mismatch with static power solutions. This whitepaper discusses Energy Management as a Service (EMaaS™) and how it transforms temporary power into actively managed systems. Key topics include: How load analysis, real-time monitoring, and specialized expertise optimize power delivery and performance Applications for infrastructure transitions, […]

In this case study, Lamons helped a Montana refinery overcome a critical flange misalignment issue during the final stages of an FCC unit turnaround. Traditional methods and standard gaskets failed to resolve the problem, threatening costly delays and safety risks. Leveraging our engineering expertise and rapid response capabilities, Lamons designed and delivered a custom wedge […]

ENGIE North America said it has entered into additional power purchase agreements (PPAs) with technology group Meta that will increase the overall scale of the commercial relationship between the two companies to more than 1.3 GW across four Texas projects.

After nearly nine years leading the Solar Energy Industries Association, Abby Hopper has made the decision to step down as president and CEO, effective January 30, 2026.

FirstEnergy Corp. has submitted a plan to build a new 1,200-MW natural gas-fired combined-cycle power plant to serve customers in West Virginia. The company recently filed an Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) with state regulators that also calls for keeping two major coal-fired power plants in West Virginia operating at least through the next decade.

Historically, the relationship between energy producers and consumers has been straightforward—energy companies produce energy, grid operators deliver that energy, and end users consume the energy they receive. Energy flowed in one direction, from generators to homes and businesses. Producers and consumers were easy to identify in this market because there was no overlap, and they […]

Google announced the first phase of a $4-billion data center project in West Memphis, Arkansas, an initiative that state officials have called one of the largest economic investments in state history. The facility, located near the Arkansas-Tennessee state line, will be powered by Entergy using solar power and existing generation in the area.

Duke Energy announced plans to build more natural gas-fired generation capacity and look at nuclear power in order to meet the increased demand for power in its Carolinas service territory. The utility also said it will delay the retirement of some coal-fired facilities as it seeks to increase the supply of electricity for data centers and manufacturing plants.

Xcel Energy is adding more natural gas-fired power generation in Texas, with plans to convert a retiring coal-fired plant to natural gas, along with building a new peaker plant to provide electricity at times of high demand.

The NTPC Vindhyachal Thermal Power Station, with an installed generation capacity of 4,783 MW, comprises 13 coal-fired units and includes solar and hydropower installations. The plant continues to implement advanced emission-control technologies as part of India’s broader decarbonization strategy.

Ausgrid, the state-owned electricity distributor serving 1.8 million customers across Sydney and beyond, has proposed a “Community Power Network” (CPN) that could upend a century-old regulatory boundary by

Two business conglomerates with interests across Asia announced a partnership to build six geothermal power plants in Indonesia.

The global solar boom has introduced a new urgency around asset durability, performance, and risk. As utility-scale solar farms become more common, so do the invisible defects that compromise long-term generation and reliability. While traditional visual and infrared (IR) inspections are still a common practice, a more advanced diagnostic method is emerging as an invaluable […]

Utilities are confronting a convergence of challenges, including aging infrastructure, rising energy demand and the accelerating shift to renewable energy sources. The electric grid, much of which is decades old, is increasingly exposed to risks like extreme weather and cyber threats. Digital transformation can offer a practical path forward, helping utilities modernize operations, improve visibility […]

Catalyze, an independent power producer and fully integrated developer of distributed renewable energy assets, said it has completed four community solar projects in central and western New York. The company said the installations were developed in partnership with CS Energy, a renewable energy company that develops, designs, and builds optimized solar, and energy storage. The […]