Despite US solar rapidly transitioning from an alternative energy source into a leading energy solution in recent years, barriers in regulation, communication and technology still prevent the industry from taking off into the mainstream arena, according to a panel of experts at Solar Power International (SPI) 2016.
Community solar is emerging as a promising new source of demand in the US, opening up access to solar among previously excluded groups. John Parnell reports on the prospects for a new market segment whose time seems to have come.
Energy storage in the US is being propelled forward by falling costs and increasingly favourable markets and policy. But for the full value of storage to be realised, numerous regulatory and fiscal barriers must still be surmounted, writes Matt Roberts, executive director of the Energy Storage Association.
Summer wildfires across the West Coast of the US have significantly impacted the output of solar PV projects in the region with smoke cover reducing irradiance levels, according to environmental and industrial measurement firm Vaisala.
Behind-the-meter storage is forecast to become a larger segment than grid-scale storage by 2021, and could pose a potential threat to utilities, according to Bloomberg Energy Finance (BNEF) senior analyst Logan Goldie-Scot.
Brazil’s Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) has released new guidelines for transmission, which will come into play in time for the wind and solar projects to be tendered in the second reserve energy auction this December.
Telergon’s S6000N DC switch disconnector from distributor Switchtec has been introduced to meet the demand for this type of product as a result of the increased usage of 1500VDC generation in photovoltaic (PV) utility scale systems.
Rooftop solar customers cost non-solar ratepayers in Nevada US$36 million a year, according to the results of a cost-benefit study on solar by Energy + Environmental Economics (E3).
Solar Data Systems, a subsidiary of Solare Datensysteme GmbH has launched its ‘Solar-Log 370’ that has been specifically designed for the US market to provide advanced residential solar PV monitoring with power management. The Solar-Log 370 combines the ‘Solar-Log’ monitoring technology into GE's 1-210+ residential revenue grade meter.
