Aurora digs into some helpful metrics around quantifying solar’s value. They touch on the impact of the IRA, the solar discount rate, NPV, IRR, calculating dollars per watt, evaluating the cost with LCOE, payback period and calculating recovering the cost of the install, and basics of solar financing.
3SUN USA and joint-venture partner Enel are planning an unusual factory in Oklahoma: one that builds solar cells as well as panels. Making the cell is a completely difference process, involving a tightly controlled environment to manage the gases and chemicals needed for cell production. They are working through permitting and expect to go live in 2025. 3SUN is planning bifacial HJT cells and panels for utility-scale and large C&I as well as smaller backsheeted panels for resi.
PV Solar looks at the phenomenon of the consistently falling prices of modules, with no end in sight. The article looks at causes and ramifications – some issues touched on include the “PV module glut” in European warehouses, the permanently high costs of conventional energy sources, the fallout from the recent supply squeeze, and more.
Low unemployment rates, labor costs, and job hopping are causing gaps in employment in renewables, particularly for production-line staff, electricians, mechanical engineers, and field techs. Solar Builder outlines how to mitigate this problem. Ideas include digitization, tapping in-house resources, and retaining young workers.
GreenBiz did the analysis of the International Energy Agency’s updated 2021 Net Zero report released last month and offered up 10 key takeaways. These include the need to end new fossil fuel projects, prioritize climate over geopolitics, and put equity front and center. They also made the case for optimism re meeting the goal and outlined a number of challenges.
Sunnova has entered into a $3 billion partial loan guarantee agreement with the DOE Loan Programs Office, equal to a 90% guarantee of up to $3.3 billion of term loans. This supports solar loans originated by Sunnova to make clean energy more accessible to disadvantaged homeowners and communities. The new solar loan channel is called “Project Hestia.”
Baywa r.e.’s Solar Tech Talk webinar talks with two Q.HOME ESS Solution execs at Qcells about their energy storage lineup and how their virtual power plant partnerships are making change in the industry. They discuss QCell’s expansion in resi and commercial storage, latest offerings, and more. The video is below.