Solar

A virtual power plant (VPP) is a network of decentralized, small- to medium-scale power generating units, flexible power consumers, and storage systems that are aggregated and operated as a single entity through sophisticated software and control systems. Unlike a traditional power plant that exists in a single physical location, a VPP is distributed across multiple […]

Technology company Cisco is among the groups involved in six virtual power purchase agreements (VPPAs) to secure energy from two solar power plants being developed in Texas.

Maryland lawmakers have introduced a bill in the state legislature that sponsors say would provide an easier path to build new power plants, including natural gas-fired facilities, and lower utility bills for ratepayers as part of the process.

A Massachusetts-based solar energy firm is merging with the community solar arm of a renewable energy group to create one of the country’s largest pure-play community solar companies. Perch Energy, based in Boston, and Arcadia on March 11 said they are joining to manage more than 3 GW of solar power capacity developed by more than 90 groups across 16 states.

The decentralization of electricity production and delivery is evident in the commercial and industrial (C&I) sector, as businesses move to produce their own power to ensure a reliable and resilient supply

Major Solar-Plus-Storage Project Announced in Middle East. A solar-plus-storage project that could provide gigawatts of generation capacity was unveiled in January during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW)

Jon De Martin, CEO of Australia-based SCE Energy Solutions, talks with POWER about his company’s work with solar power technology for commercial and industrial enterprises.

GridBeyond said it has signed a contract with Gore Street Energy Storage Fund to provide scheduling coordinator, trading, and energy optimization services for the 200-MW Big Rock energy storage system (ESS) in Southern California.

Clearloop, a carbon solutions platform for Silicon Ranch that partners with companies in support of decarbonization, on Feb. 25 announced a new multi-year agreement with Microsoft to deploy up to 100 MW of renewable energy projects over the next three years in historically underinvested communities. The new agreement accelerates decarbonization and drives capital investment in […]

Energy major Invenergy and telecom company Verizon are moving forward with power purchase agreements (PPAs) involving 640 MW of solar energy from projects across four states. The deals announced Feb. 19 mean that Verizon now has procured more than 1 GW of power from Invenergy, the Chicago, Illinois-based renewable energy group considered the largest privately […]

Imagine a field of solar panels floating silently in the endless day of Earth’s orbit. Unlike their terrestrial cousins, this space-based solar array never faces nighttime, clouds, or atmospheric interference. Instead, they bathe in constant, intense sunlight, converting this endless stream of energy into electricity with remarkable efficiency. But the true innovation lies in how […]

Battery energy storage systems (BESS) play an essential role in balancing grids with high renewable energy. They can charge during low price hours and discharge during high price hours in the wholesale markets, or support grid stability participating in the ancillary markets. It is important for BESS owners to maximise their profit by deciding how […]

Technology giant Microsoft is buying nearly 400 MW of power from three new utility-scale solar projects in Illinois and Texas. EDP Renewables North America (EDPR NA) on Feb. 10 said the installations have come online with long-term virtual power purchase agreements (PPAs), through which Microsoft will take 389 MW of electricity and renewable energy credits. […]

POWER is the one brand that addresses all electric power generation and related technologies and fuels across North America and around the world, providing insight into this increasingly complex industry. Established in 1882, it is dedicated to providing its global audience with exclusive analysis of the latest trends, best practices, and power generation and related […]

Solar builds are becoming more complex. “Perfect” sites with the ideal topography and terrain profile are less available, and sites that remain pose additional challenges for developers and EPCs alike. Selecting the right foundation is key to mitigating risks, overcoming hurdles, and constructing a project that delivers reliable solar power on budget and on time. […]

Kinematics, an Arizona-headquartered global group focused on intelligent motion control, said it has completed its acquisition of P4Q. Kinematics on Feb. 4 said it will now integrate P4Q’s high-performance electronics portfolio—which includes more than 1 million solar controllers deployed across 2,400 solar sites globally—with Kinematics’ installed base of 2.9 million solar actuators (Figure 1). The […]

The Los Angeles wildfires of January 2025 highlight a critical vulnerability in disaster response: power failure. With insured losses potentially reaching $45 billion and more than 170,000 residents displaced, reliable power could have supported essential emergency services and potentially saved lives. Space Solar Power (SSP), which can beam energy directly to disaster zones from space, […]

Lightsource bp announced two solar power projects in Texas with a combined 288 MW of generation capacity are now online, pushing the company’s operational fleet in that state to more than 1 GW of power production. The company on Jan. 31 said the 163-MW Starr Solar project in Starr County, along with the 125-MW Second […]

The necessity for sustainable energy solutions has never been more pressing. As global carbon emissions continue to rise along with the increase of natural disasters, innovative companies are stepping up to offer practical, eco-friendly alternatives to traditional energy sources. Advanced solar power products not only represent a technological triumph but also contribute significantly to the […]

In the face of escalating climate challenges, renewable energy asset owners come to a critical crossroads: invest in resilient, hardened assets or opt for standard equipment to minimize upfront costs. In the context of solar energy, resilience refers to an asset’s ability to withstand, adapt to, and quickly recover from disruptions caused by extreme weather […]

The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) published a white paper outlining the industry group’s vision for U.S. energy storage, setting a target to install 10 million distributed energy storage sites and reach 700 kWh of installed storage capacity the end of the decade. The white paper, released Jan. 28 along with a guide to energy […]

The debate over just how much power will be needed to support the artificial intelligence (AI) industry became heated when a Chinese company said it has a low-cost AI model that could upend the sector’s energy needs. DeepSeek created a global stir after releasing information that said the company’s DeepSeek-V3 required less than $6 million […]

China’s thermal power generation reached a record high in 2024, primarily due to the country’s coal-fired power plants, even as the country continues to add renewable energy resources to its power grid. Data from China’s National Bureau of Statistics showed electricity production from the country’s coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear power sectors increased 1.5% […]

A UK-based independent power producer (IPP) has acquired solar power projects in Virginia and Colorado, both secured with utility power purchase agreements. ContourGlobal, headquartered in London, on Jan. 21 announced the acquisition of the two solar farms, one nearing commercial operation and the other still under construction. ContourGlobal acquired the projects from Qcells, a South […]

United Power, an electric cooperative serving Colorado’s northern front range, on Jan. 21 said the company had a power purchase agreement for its latest solar power project, the 150-MW Byers Solar Farm in Adams County. The installation, located 10 miles northeast of Byers and about 50 miles east of Denver, is being developed in partnership […]

Renewable Properties, a developer and investor in small-scale utility, community solar, energy storage, and electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure projects, added 50 MW of completed projects to its portfolio in 2024, the company announced on Jan. 21. The projects, located in four states, consist of traditional community solar projects, utility-administered community solar serving low-income communities, and […]

Google has entered into long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) with Texas-based Leeward Renewable Energy (LRE) to support more than 700 MW of solar power projects in Oklahoma. Google on Jan. 16 said, “the projects are strategically located to support our data center operations,” noting that one installation is “located less than one mile from our […]

Denmark-headquartered Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), through its Energy Transition Fund (CI ETF I), and Friesen Elektra Green Energy AG have initiated project Anker, a green hydrogen production facility in Sande, Germany. The project is scheduled to have an electrolysis capacity of 400 MW with plans to expand capacity to 800 MW at a later stage. […]

As a significant final move before the incoming Trump administration takes office, the Biden administration has announced conditional loan commitments totaling $22.92 billion to support projects by eight utility companies across the U.S. The investments will seek to modernize infrastructure, expand clean energy generation, and improve grid reliability, impacting millions of customers, the Department of […]

A 111-MW solar power facility built on reclaimed land at a former coal mine site in Kentucky has entered commercial operation. The Martin County Solar Project (MCSP), developed, built, owned and operated by Savion—a Shell Group portfolio company—is now among the largest solar farms in the state and also one of the first U.S. solar […]