The Ascent Solar Tech CEO argues that thin film panels can accelerate the effectiveness and deployment of agrivoltaics. He states that given that the tech involves installing elevated, thin-film solar panels over crops, it removes the cumbersome, built-in difficulties of the heavier rigid panels that require stronger support structures to adequately elevate the panels.
The DOE announced a request for proposals for the second round of the Transmission Facilitation Program. They want to use capacity contracts from state and private sector capital to commit the DOE to purchase up to 50% of the maximum capacity of a transmission line – modernize it and increase reliability.
Bloomberg is reporting that a significant expansion of global battery manufacturing is needed to achieve 2030 global net zero goals. They state that investment in energy storage needs to accelerate nearly three times over to about $93 billion over the rest of this decade and that renewables investment needs to more than double to $1,317 billion of investment on average each year.
NexWafe has established a U.S. subsidiary to evaluate the development of solar wafer production, looking to perhaps reach volume of 6 GW. They are leveraging their EpiNex production tech and IRA incentives to realize their desire for gigawatt-scale wafer manufacturing in North America.
NREL found that hail or high winds can impact panel efficiency and recommends more stringent panel standards to ensure panel durability. They found that panels produce about 1% less energy per year after severe weather events, and said these effects could accumulate over time to represent more sizable losses for owners of large fleets of solar panels.
This article discusses the deleterious impact of high interest rates and other issues on resi market growth. It talks about problems for installers and loan providers around rising interest rates as well as layoffs, bankruptcies, and shrinking demand. They also talk about what installers are doing about it, including tapping financing options like TPO offerings and more affordable solar loans with lower dealer fees or origination costs.
Soligent talked with SolarEdge to review their latest offerings at Intersolar 2024. A SolarEdge Field Service Engineer walked through the specs of their home battery system, discussing advantages and latest additions/improvements and how their products can grow installer businesses. The video is below.