solar

  • BNEF Report: As Prices Fall, Renewables Rise Worldwide

    A new report from BloombergNEF (BNEF) predicts about half of the world’s power will come from renewable resources, including solar and wind, by 2050. The group’s New Energy Outlook 2019, released June 18, noted the trend will be driven by falling prices for solar, wind, and battery storage, along with trillions of dollars of investments […]

  • New Jersey’s 100% Clean Energy Goal Imperils Gas Generation

    Through a series of incentives and mandates, New Jersey is planning to produce 100% of its power from carbon-neutral sources, electrify its vehicle fleet and building sectors, and set mandatory efficiency standards for electric utilities by 2050, an energy blueprint released by the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) suggests.  The June 10-released “Draft 2019 Energy […]

  • The POWER Interview: State of the Wind, Solar, Storage, and Hydro Markets

    Increased power generation from renewable resources such as wind and solar also has created a growing market for energy storage. Generators want to harness that power and have it available when it’s needed, whether or not the wind is blowing or the sun is shining. Rob Allerman, senior director of Power Analytics for Drillinginfo, which […]

  • Sharp Builds Mega Solar Power Plant in Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam

    Large 49 MW-dc output enough to power 38,762 households(1) TOKYO, June 5, 2019 – (JCN Newswire) – Sharp Energy Solutions Corporation (SESJ)(2) announces the completion of a mega solar power plant in Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam. The project was a collaboration with multiple partners, including Sermsang Power Corporation (SSP)(3) of Thailand, and SSP affiliate Truong […]

  • Vietnam Supports Solar and More Coal Generation

    The first solar power plant licensed to operate in Vietnam came online in late April, another signal of the country’s increasing reliance on renewable energy. But analysts forecast that coal-fired power

  • Where Is the Microgrid Market Headed?

    Increasingly, today’s electric power grids are interacting with microgrids and in more complex ways. Yet, much work needs to be done to integrate microgrids and flexible demand into the wide-area synchronous

  • Lendlease Energy Development and Sacramento Municipal Utility District Announce 30-Year Power Purchase Agreement

    NEW YORK, May 30, 2019 — Lendlease, a leading international property and infrastructure group, and Sacramento County Municipal Utility District (SMUD) today jointly announced the execution of a 30-year power purchase agreement (PPA) for Rancho Seco Solar II, their new 160-megawatt (MW) solar facility. The plant will be located on the premises of the decommissioned […]

  • Duke Energy Renewables acquires Palmer Solar project in Colorado

    CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 30, 2019 — Duke Energy Renewables, a commercial business unit of Duke Energy, has acquired the development assets associated with the 60-MW Palmer Solar project in El Paso County, Colorado, from juwi Americas, a renewable energy company based in Boulder. The project, which contains more than 200,000 solar panels, is being built […]

  • C2 Energy Capital Completes Largest Solar Project Installed on a Landfill in Tennessee

    NEW YORK, May 28, 2019 — C2 Energy Capital, LLC, a rapidly growing investor in renewable energy and storage assets, announced today the completion of the largest solar project installed on a landfill in Tennessee. C2 Energy Capital provided financing and support services for the development and construction of the 2.7 MW solar power generation […]

  • Xcel Sets Closure of Minnesota Coal Plants

    Xcel Energy on May 20 announced it would close its two remaining coal plants in Minnesota over the next decade, and the utility said it also wants to operate its Monticello nuclear plant in the state until at least 2040. Xcel, which is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and serves electricity and natural gas customers in […]

  • Siemens selected by DOE for $6.4 million project to strengthen resilience of U.S. power system and critical infrastructure

    Siemens Corporate Technology (CT) US, Siemens central research and development (R&D) unit in the U.S., announced it was selected for a $6.4 million research award from the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) to advance solar energy’s role in strengthening the resilience of the U.S. electricity grid. This project will create an […]

  • Arctech Solar Inks Supply Deal for Landmark 125-MW Solar Power Plant in Oman

    SHANGHAI, May 13, 2019 — Arctech Solar, a leading solar tracking and racking system provider, announced that it will supply 125 megawatt (MW) solar trackers to a solar power plant in Oman, Middle East. Located in the southern city of Amin, the plant will be commissioned by the end of 2019 and will power Petroleum Development Oman’s interior operations […]

  • EIA: Gas, Renewables Outpacing Coal for Power Generation

    The percentage of coal-fired generation in the U.S. electricity mix will continue to decline, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said May 9, with gas-fired generation accounting for at least 40% of the nation’s power this summer and output from renewables continuing to rise. EIA’s latest Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) said coal-fired units will produce only […]

  • UK Milestone: One Week Without Coal-Fired Generation

    The UK has gone a week without using electricity from coal-fired generation, according to the National Grid Electricity System Operator (NGESO), which oversees the power network in England, Wales, and Scotland. Government officials said it’s the first time the UK has gone without coal in a week-long period since 1882, when a coal-fired plant opened […]

  • Generating a Winning Plan for Sustainability

    Managing the power load of a Las Vegas casino might seem a daunting task. MGM Resorts International, which operates several iconic properties on the city’s famous strip along with other hospitality and entertainment venues worldwide, took matters into its own hands a few years ago as it tried to control its energy costs and also […]

  • Duke Energy Projects Lead Carolinas’ Solar Expansion

    Duke Energy on April 17 announced it will develop six utility-scale solar power projects in North Carolina, among 14 solar projects chosen as part of the state’s Competitive Procurement of Renewable Energy (CPRE) program. The 14 projects—10 in North Carolina and four in South Carolina—could cost as much as $772.5 million to build according to […]

  • GE Renewable Energy to Implement DC-Coupled Solar and Battery Energy Storage Hybrid System in Upstate New York

    PHOENIX, Arizona (April 15, 2019) — GE Renewable Energy today said is has reached an agreement with Helios Energy to deliver two energy storage systems to be integrated with solar arrays for the Lenox Solar / Energy Storage project in Lenox, NY. The hybrid system will be installed in upstate New York at the end […]

  • POWER Notebook: New 1,600-MW Coal Plant in India; Low-Price Solar Deal in Idaho

    Financing has reportedly been secured for a 1,600-MW coal-fired power plant in India’s eastern state of Jharkhand. Qatar’s Gulf Times newspaper reported April 6 that Power Finance Corp., a state-run lender in India, and its subsidiary REC approved a $1.5 billion loan for the project. The report said the new plant would be funded through loans […]

  • FPL Will Build World’s Largest Battery Storage System

    Florida Power & Light Co. (FPL) has been building new solar farms and bringing gigawatts of new natural gas-fired generation capacity online in recent years. Now the utility has announced what it calls the world’s largest solar-powered battery storage system. FPL on March 28 said the Manatee Energy Storage Center, a 409-MW/900-MWh battery storage facility, […]

  • Introducing the Spectrum of Utility Solar Actions

    Consumer interest in rooftop solar is higher than ever. The most recent numbers from Pew Research show 89% of U.S. adults favor the expanded use of solar power, while only 9% oppose. Historically, this interest has only been met by solar salespeople, which can create a consumer protection risk. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has taken notice: […]

  • Off-Grid Microgrid: Solar + Batteries + Thermal Generation

    Today’s microgrid installations showcase a variety of configurations and control systems. Commercial and industrial sites are finding innovative ways to power their operations, particularly those in remote

  • Renewables Provided 18% of U.S. Power Generation in 2018

    Renewable generation in the U.S. has doubled over the past 10 years. In 2018, generation from solar, wind, hydro, and other renewables soared to a record 742 TWh—or 17.6% of total U.S. generation. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), since 2008—when renewables provided 382 TWh—wind generation rose from 55 TWh and generated 275 TWh […]

  • FPL Plans to Build 1,500 MW of Solar in Next Two Years

    Florida Power & Light (FPL) continues to add to its solar power portfolio, with the utility on March 13 announcing plans to build the largest community solar program in the U.S. Eric Silagy, FPL’s president and CEO, in a statement said, “We’ve been aggressively expanding solar with one goal in mind: bringing more solar to […]

  • States Take Lead with Plans for 100% Carbon-Free Energy

    Minnesota and Wisconsin recently joined the list of states aiming for a 100% clean-energy future, while some Illinois lawmakers are pushing for not only carbon-free power, but also 100% renewable energy. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) was the latest to announce a set of policy proposals designed to lead his state’s electricity sector to 100% […]

  • FPL Developing More Solar, Set to Bring Big Gas Plant Online

    Florida Power & Light (FPL) on March 4 announced plans to build four new solar power plants this year, with each expected to come online in early 2020. The company has rapidly expanded its solar power portfolio in recent years; the four new plants will join 18 others already operating in the state. FPL also […]

  • POWER Notebook: Alabama Power Says Closing Coal Plant Will Cost $740 Million

    Several developments worldwide impacted the power generation landscape in the past week, including more news about the closure of a coal-fired power plant in Alabama, the restart of a geothermal facility in Hawaii, and construction of a biomass-fueled power plant in Japan. In addition, a company said it plans a $150 million investment in three […]

  • Germany’s Coal Exit Bound to Be Complicated

    Eight years after Germany decided it would halt nuclear power production by 2022, the country that relied on lignite and hard coal for 38% of its generated power in 2018 will phase out coal by 2038 or earlier

  • Kazakhstan Adds New Solar Plant to Growing Renewables Capacity

    The SES Saran solar power plant entered commercial operation in late January in Saran, in the Karaganda region of Kazakhstan, an area long known for its coal production. Government officials said the plant is

  • Energy at a Cellular Level: Battery Storage Shows Plenty of Power

    Battery storage technology has moved in fits and starts, but today experts note that rapid advances make it difficult for safety standards to keep pace. Developers of storage systems are designing projects to

  • APS Will Add 850 MW of Battery Storage to Solar Plants

    Arizona’s largest utility wants to support its renewable power portfolio by adding as much as 850 MW of battery storage capacity to its solar power plants by 2025. Arizona Public Service Co. (APS) made the announcement February 21. Don Brandt, the utility’s chairman and CEO, in a statement said, “Arizona is already a national leader […]