solar
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Solar
How the Massive Growth in Solar Power Is Affecting Power Grids
The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) reported in March that the U.S. solar industry installed 32.4 GWdc of capacity in 2023, a remarkable 51% increase compared to 2022. It was the industry’s
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Hybrid Power
Eaton Among Groups Supporting Microgrid Buildout in Puerto Rico
Companies operating in Puerto Rico have paid particular attention to the reliability and resiliency of their power supply after a series of major hurricanes battered the island in recent years. Those storms
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Interview
The POWER Interview: The IRA’s Impact on Tax Credits, Tax Equity, and Renewable Energy
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) represents the largest incentive effort for clean energy in U.S. history. Its impact touches multiple sectors, including solar, wind, hydrogen, energy storage, and more. The IRA includes more than 70 investment, production, and excise credits designed to facilitate the transition to cleaner energy production. The legislation promotes advanced manufacturing, and […]
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Renewables
Renewable Energy for All Seasons
When talking about renewable energy generation, the seasonal nature of these energy sources often raises questions. Will a solar array provide enough power during periods of cloudy weather or during shorter winter days? Can a wind turbine be effective on days with little to no wind? COMMENTARY We know that renewable energy relies on environmental […]
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Solar
Renewable Energy Group Buys 12 New York Community Solar Projects
BW Solar, a Canada-based a developer of community solar, distributed generation, utility solar, and utility-scale storage assets, said it has sold 12 New York community solar projects with a combined capacity of 76.7 MW to Catalyze, a clean energy transition company that finances, builds, owns and operates solar and battery storage systems. The groups on […]
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Distributed Generation
How to Provide Reliable and Resilient Electricity Amid Today’s Changing Climate
The United Nations has gone on record to spotlight the negative effects of climate change that have affected the world in recent years. The group stated, “destructive storms have become more intense and more frequent in many regions … while the frequency and extent of tropical storms has led to destroyed homes and communities, causing […]
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Hybrid Power
Trina Storage, Pacific Green Sign Energy Storage Deal at UAE Summit
An energy storage division of a global solar power provider announced it has signed a letter of intent to supply equipment for several energy parks being developed by a UK-based renewable energy company. Trina Storage, part of China-headquartered Trina Solar, on April 19 said it would partner with London-based Pacific Green on several projects, and […]
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Solar
Thin-Film Photovoltaic Market: A Burgeoning Arena of Innumerable Opportunities
It was 1839 when prominent French physicist Edmond Becquerel observed that some materials have the ability to create electrical charges. Now, 185 years later, solar has come a long way and will continue to hit new milestones. The International Energy Agency has projected that the growth of renewable energy capacity will be raised by almost […]
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Renewables
Japan Energy Giant Launches UK-Headquartered Renewable Energy Group
The largest electric power company in Japan announced the spinoff of a new global renewable energy business, and said the venture would be headquartered in London in the UK. JERA, founded in 2015 as a 50-50 joint venture between TEPCO Fuel & Power, a wholly owned subsidiary of Tokyo Electric Power Co., and Chubu Electric […]
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Commentary
Management Strategies Needed as Power Sector Faces Increasing Risk
Owners and operators of thermal and renewable energy infrastructure are navigating new and emerging risks due to digitization of the grid, an uncertain regulatory landscape, and changing environmental and weather patterns. These factors and others are forcing risk management stakeholders to increase preparation and resilience of their organizations. As digital transformation accelerates in the power […]
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Renewables
Major Offshore Wind Project Part of Swedish Renewable Energy Surge
A Sweden-based renewable energy developer, in partnership with the investment arm of Ingka Group–the biggest IKEA retailer–has been issued a permit for construction of a 5.5-GW offshore wind project that would be built in the Baltic Sea. OX2 AB and Ingka Investments on April 3 said officials in Gotland, Sweden, gave the companies a Natura […]
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Solar
Virtual Power Plant Network Supports the Grid and Compensates Customers
Sunnova Energy International Inc., an adaptive energy services company, announced continued investments and expansion to its virtual power plant (VPP) network, providing increased reliability, reduced emissions, and lower costs. With its VPP investments, Sunnova is boosting accessibility in California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, and Texas to enable customers to rapidly access […]
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Connected Plant
Modern Control Systems Provide Insights for Power Sector
As power generation embraces digitization, and looks for more reliability and flexibility, the need for advanced instrumentation and control systems grows. Power plant operators know the importance of
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Electrification
Expanding Access and Growing DER Networks for a Smarter Future Grid
The framework for a better power grid should include distributed energy resources as a key part of the transition. When you think of the energy system of the future, what do you imagine? Ideally, you’d
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Solar
Community Solar Projects Bring Renewable Energy to the Masses
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) explains that community solar, also known as shared solar or solar gardens, is a distributed solar energy deployment model that allows customers to buy or lease part of a larger, off-site shared solar photovoltaic (PV) system. It says community solar arrangements allow customers to enjoy advantages of solar energy […]
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Interview
The POWER Interview: IRA’s Impact on Solar’s Evolution
The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie’s recent report on solar power installations said the U.S. installed a record 32.4 GW of new solar generation capacity in 2023, including 22.5 GW of new utility-scale capacity. That’s a 37% jump from the previous record, set in 2021, and a 51% increase from 2022. The […]
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Trends
Understanding Future Prospects for Hydrogen, Energy Storage, and Renewables
The world is undergoing a remarkable energy transition. Clean power systems are in high demand, offering a bright future for hydrogen and renewables. However, energy storage projects that may look promising
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Gas
New Colorado Gas-Fired Plant Will Feature GE Vernova Power Units
A new natural gas-fired peaker plant being built on Colorado’s eastern plains will feature aeroderivative gas power packages from GE Vernova. The Mountain Peak Power Plant, which will be managed and operated by Princeton, New Jersey-based Kindle Energy, and will serve the United Power electric cooperative, is expected to come online in 2025. GE Vernova’s […]
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Renewables
Texas Adds Two More Utility-Scale Solar Power Projects
Texas continues to add to its U.S.-leading portfolio of renewable energy projects, with two large solar power installations recently coming online. Clearway Energy Group on Feb. 22 said it had completed the 452-MW Texas Solar Nova complex in Kent County. The multimillion-dollar array, which was built in two phases, already has offtake agreements, including a […]
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Solar
EIA: Solar Will Surge in 2024, Account for More Than Half of New U.S. Capacity
Installations of new solar power generation capacity this year are expected to nearly double the amount that was built in 2023, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). The agency is its latest “Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory” report said developers expect to add 36.4 GW of new solar capacity in 2024. That compares […]
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Energy Storage
RWE Boosts Battery Storage with Three New Projects
German energy giant RWE has added three large battery energy storage (BESS) projects to the company’s U.S. portfolio. The group on Feb. 14 announced the completion of two installations in Texas and one in Arizona, and said energy storage systems now comprise more than one-third of the company’s U.S. renewable energy and storage development pipeline. […]
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Commentary
Holtec Bets on Nuclear Paired with Solar to Support Decarbonization
The decarbonization of power generation is fostering research and development of new energy technologies, and some companies are reimagining what’s possible when it comes to power plant design. That includes pairing nuclear power with solar power, in a system that could repurpose a brownfield site—for example, a closed or soon-to-retire thermal power plant with transmission […]
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Commentary
Stop Using ‘Dirty’ Steel for Renewable Energy Projects
As the solar and renewable energy movement continues to gain momentum in the U.S., it’s important to note how critical the steel industry is to the renewable energy industry. In fact, reports show that steel comprises more than 70% of the weight of a typical wind turbine and each new megawatt of solar power capacity […]
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Solar
Brazil Oil Major Buying Renewable Energy Assets
Renewable energy in Brazil will get a boost after the chief executive of Petrobras, the country’s state-run oil giant, said the company will begin buying solar power and onshore wind projects in an effort to build a clean energy portfolio. Jean Paul Prates, in an interview with the Reuters news service published Jan. 22, said […]
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Solar
SolarEdge Slashing 900 Jobs in Cost-Cutting Move
Israel-headquartered SolarEdge Technologies is expected to cut about 900 jobs from its global workforce as the company seeks to reduce operating costs. SolarEdge on Jan. 21 said it would lay off about 16% of its employees. CEO Zvi Lando in a statement said, “We have made a very difficult, but necessary decision to implement a […]
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Solar
AES Announces Addition of 3.5 GW of Renewables
Virginia-based AES Corp. said the company added 3.5 GW of new renewable energy generation capacity to its global portfolio in 2023, an amount nearly double that built in the previous year. The projects, including solar power, wind power, and energy storage, were built in several locations worldwide, including the U.S., and will serve a variety […]
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Solar
Corporate Funding for Solar Power Projects Hits 10-Year High
Total corporate funding for solar energy projects hit a 10-year high in 2023, according to Mercom Capital Group’s annual report focused on the solar power sector. Mercom, an integrated communications, research, and media firm focused on global clean energy markets, said groups raised $34.3 billion to support solar projects last year, including $6.9 billion in […]
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Coal
Poland Set to End Coal-Fired Power Generation
Poland’s top climate official said the country is preparing to set a date for a complete phase-out of coal-fired power generation, just months after the nation elected a new government that has pledged to support environmental policies of the European Union (EU). Poland, which currently receives about 70% of its electricity from burning coal, and […]
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Interview
The POWER Interview: Agrivoltaics, and Connecting More Renewable Energy to the Grid
The farm-to-table movement has changed the way many people look at food. But these days the agriculture business can be more than just growing and harvesting vegetables and grains. Many farmers are investing in farm-to-grid, particularly agrivoltaics, the practice of growing crops on the same land as a solar farm, to produce food and provide […]
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Interview
The POWER Interview: Predictive Maintenance Key for Solid Solar Performance
Operators of utility-scale commercial solar farms know the importance of predictive maintenance for their installations. Being proactive when it comes to developing operations and maintenance (O&M) programs can help operators anticipate equipment failures, and also streamline repairs in the field, allowing O&M service providers to better manage and plan staff assignments, find spare parts, and […]