Panasonic has released two new series of EverVolt res solar modules: the 410W/400W H Series panels that are made with 66 half-cut cells and heterojunction tech with gapless connections and the 370W/360W PK Black Series modules that are their first panels made with PERC tech. The 410W/400W series are the most powerful modules in Panasonic’s portfolio.
A “massive transformation” of the electric sector could triple the United States’ reliance on its power grid – something needed to meet Biden’s decarbonization goals. 20% of US end-use energy consumption is electricity, something that could go up to 60% by 2050. Better energy planning and modeling, collaborative innovation across the industry, and supportive policies and regulations are needed.
Rising cost and interconnection delays are threatening to make renewables development in the Northeast unviable. Utility management and unwieldy state subsidies are two big causes, exacerbated by COVID related delays in permitting and interconnection. The New York market is particuarly tough right now due to many changes to the incentive structure.
A new report shows that North America’s PPA prices rose by 5.9% from 2021 Q3 to 2021 Q4. This upward swing is the third consecutive quarter rise. Market average for solar PPA offers rose 5.7% to $34.25 per MWh. The reasons? Macroeconomic and regulatory challenges compounded by supply chain constraints, inflation, rising commodity costs and government auctions.
Reasons why the CPUC should reject the CA NM overhaul include that the proposal increases payback periods to over 20 years which will make rooftop panels unaffordable, it imposes discriminatory fixed charges on customers with rooftop solar, the cost shift argument holds no water, it will throw CA’s decarbonization effort and rooftop solar role back in time, and the new rate structures and fees are so complex they will render the economics of solar unintelligible to prospects.
SPW rounded up the hottest products from Intersolar 2022. They are FranklinWH’s home power system, SolarView’s augmented reality app (show clients what batteries and inverters would look like beforehand), GE’s white-labeled inverter, Discover Battery’s rack-ready battery, NEP’s high-power microinverters (bigger and tougher), hyCLEANER’s solar cleaning machine, and CPS America’s utility inverter skid (includes three inverters and one AC combiner).
An NREL report shows that major deployment of energy storage would balance load and meet demand at all hours and would also help electricity grids run more efficiently. Sufficient storage deployment by 2050 would allow the grid to operate with no unserved energy and low reserve violations. If storage could meet peak demand when solar generation is low it would improve the efficiency of thermal generation.
The Biden Admin announced new clean energy plans such as a new collaboration between the Interior, Agriculture, Defense, Energy Depts and the EPA to streamline review of clean energy projects on public lands; the DOE’s Building a Better Grid initiative to speed up new transmission line deployment; and the DOA’s pilot program to support clean energy in underserved rural communities.
Corporations can better invest in renewables by buying GOs in Europe or RECs in the US; signing a CPPA and investing in and owning renewable energy assets; incentivizing new build renewable projects; and matching the volume of electricity demand with an equivalent volume of renewable supply in real time.
Increased federal investment is needed to clean up aging fossil fuel infrastructure like abandoned oil and gas wells and coal mines. Doing so would create climate benefits and jobs. Also needed are policies that update state and federal bonding requirements for oil and gas wells, hold those industry accountable for the cleanup costs, and improve technical and administrative capacity.