community solar

IDFC acquires 45MW India plants, Colorado Energy Office opens community solar array and Mato Grosso Do Sol ditches ICMS for solar self-consumption.

Community solar is emerging as an auspicious new source of demand in the US, opening up access to solar among previously excluded groups. Ethical Electric, a Washington-based renewable energy company providing 100% clean electricity to retail customers, recently launched a community solar division under the new name of CleanChoice Energy to get on board with the disruption. Managing director Laura Pagliarulo and chief impact officer Richard Graves discussed with PV Tech the company’s plans, its recent SunShot Initiative award, and how community solar is set to become ‘retail 2.0’.

In this week's Movers & Shakers segment, PV Tech reports on management shuffles in yieldcos and Chinese module manufacturers. In addition, a Canadian energy company continues its US expansion, the REEEAC appoints new members and CleanChoice Energy reveals how community solar can become 'retail 2.0'.

SoCore Energy announced that construction has started on a 1.9MW ground-mounted, community-solar project in Leakey, Texas, for Bandera Electric Cooperative (BEC).

Tri-County EMC, a member owned electric co-op, announced Thursday that its 1MW community-solar project in Eatonton, Georgia, has reached commercial operation.

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.

A member of the Alabama Public Service Commission (PSC) has sought a lease for a community solar plant on his land, that would pay US$5.6 million over a 25-year lease, despite previously voting against net metering for the state, said reports.

In this week's Movers & Shakers, PV Tech centres in on employment news in the US, as we examine career shifts in storage, manufacturing, non-profit and integrated energy companies.

Leading CdTe thin-film producer First Solar said it had secured a total of 121MW of community solar projects in the US with around 41MW (DC) under construction by EPC firm M+W Energy.

Last week, Minnesota utilities regulators ruled to take a value of solar approach for determining how community solar customers will be paid – making Minnesota the first state in the country to do so.