Solar Builder discusses the top 5 concerns for installers regarding interconnection. They address concerns regarding a supply side tap or a load side interconnection, system size/limit for a panel, systems with one meter, VNEM vs. NEMA, and how to take care of customer worries around public safety power shutoffs and brownouts.
The DOE, courtesy of the Infrastructure Law, is accepting applications from all 50 states and DC for $425 million in formula funding through the State Energy Program (SEP). This heavily shifts SEP as it expands formula grants to nearly 10 times the recent funding levels, which will accelerate state clean energy deployment and planning.
The thin-film panel manufacturer, First Solar, is expanding its manufacturing operations near Ohio. The company is investing $1.2 billion to build its fourth domestic factory in the southeast. The plant will have an annual capacity of 3.5 GW and be open at the end of 2025. It will also do a $185 million upgrade and expansion to its northwest Ohio manufacturing footprint by 900 MW and complete its third Ohio factory in 2023.
Nico Johnson has just completed his six part series of podcasts on O&M movers and shakers. The last two episodes have him interviewing two industry veterans from Omnidian about their company history, values, strategies and more. The other episode has Nico talking with the CEO of Harmon Electric and the Director of O&M at Pivot Energy about lessons learned about service team scalability and why it is a key component for a solar company’s growth.
Enphase is acquiring German based Internet of Things software provider GreenCom Networks. Enphase seeks to bolster their home energy management solutions worldwide, and GreenCom brings expertise in tech that joins sectors such as mobility, heating, and renewables with the aim of reaching full home electrification for consumers. Capabilities will include installer ability to integrate a complete home energy management system with Enphase microinverters and batteries and third-party EV chargers and heat pumps.
In this conversation Kerim Baran of SolarAcademy looks at an SDG&E EV charger program to drive home the point that high fluctuations in EV charger pricing from some charger networks leave plenty of room for improvement and opportunities for vendors to provide alternatives to expensive rates. The video is below.