SPW argues why hail is a much more serious threat to C&I solar systems than wind. Key stats are that hail is now responsible for 73% of all solar claim costs by damage amount, the average hail damage claim for large scale solar is $58.4 million, 2022 losses were $300-400 million.
Suncast talks with Josh Goldberg of Sunstone Credit re why commercial solar is only really taking off (like resi and utility have been) till now. Issues discussed are key factors re commercial’s growth, how Sunstone built bank-grade underwriting for an “unbanked” sector, why pricing in commercial hasn’t improved in 15 years, and what it took to convince banks to bet on this “brand new” asset class.
The Senate Finance Committee’s new version of the BBB only has minor improvements to utility-scale solar incentives. Some provisions as they stand now are: ITC/PTC projects can start construction by the end of 2025 for full ITC credit, credit phases down to 60% if construction starts by end of 2026, 20% if construction starts by 2027, energy storage projects under are exempt from accelerated 48E phase-down, manufacturing tax credits (45X) remain as in original IRA plan, denies 48E credits to solar leasing companies starting 180 days after enactment, eliminates resi ITC 180 days after enactment.
Apparently, a large secondary components market exists – and its chock full of new products. The large bulk of it is made of new products with warranties. For example, 1.7 million modules have been listed for resale on a large exchange channel since 2020. In 2024, 95% of modules were new, and over 90% had efficiency rates of 19.0% or higher.
HelioVolta found that PV connectors in the field are still a real problem re system failure in C&I solar. They found that 83% of projects inspected had at least one connector-related issue. But most issue are avoidable. Issues are largely due to inter-mating, exposure to the elements, and under or over-torquing. Also EPC and O&M field teams need better tools, training, and documentation methods and systems need third-party inspections of connectors.
New research shows that most large-scale solar neighbors are supportive or neutral re additional projects in or near them. Results from 979 survey responses, covering 379 solar projects that range from 1 MW to 328 MW in 39 states, show that 43% felt positively about their local solar project, 42% were neutral and 15% felt negatively. Plus, 43% would support new projects, 39% remained neutral and 18% said they would oppose them.
This BayWa r.e. video makes a case for why FranklinWH’s aPower 2 can help installers meet today’s industry challenges. They walk through the specs, honing in on performance, reliability, and long-term savings. The video is below.
