Grids

The rapid deployment of solar and other renewables is creating new pressures on the efficient operation of electricity markets. Stephen Woodhouse looks at whether a shift from national to locational pricing offers a solution to optimal market design as decarbonisation efforts gather.

PV Tech Premium spoke with analysts about the rejection of phasing out the net metering scheme and the subsidy for manufacturing modules and batteries.

Grid connection backlog increased by 27% YOY in the US with about 2.6TW of generation and storage capacity now seeking grid interconnection.

According to a report from industry lobby group the European Round Table for Industry (ERT) investment in Europe’s energy infrastructure requires €800 billion (US$870 million) by 2030.

Over 6.5GW of US solar PV capacity will be totally obscured from sunlight by today’s full solar eclipse, according to data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Sunnova has expanded its virtual power plants (VPPs) to better manage the grid in six US states, plus the territory of Puerto Rico.

Since 2023, the main concern facing solar PV project developers in Europe has shifted from supply and module pricing to inadequate grid availability, as reflected in a number of discussions at the Large Scale Solar Europe 2024 conference in Lisbon this week.

Despite an awareness of the benefits that co-located storage and solar can offer, the commercial model for such sites has yet to materialise.

Italian grid operator Terna has planned to invest €16.5 billion (US$18 billion) in the next five years to strengthen and expand Italy’s transmission grid.

Polish transmission system operator (TSO) Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne (PSE) has planned to invest PLN64 billion (US$16 billion) in new transmission lines by 2034.