A battery is only as good as its control system
A possible failed bearing and a software programming error in a heat-suppression system caused a cascading incident that damaged 7% of Vistra Corp.’s Moss Landing Energy Storage Facility.
Tesla Energy results up, but mixed, for 2021; solar makes nary a sound on quarterly call
On the company’s Q4 earnings call, the world-leading EV manufacturer again prioritized delivering cars over growing low-margin energy storage products, while solar products were barely noted. Both verticals grew though, solar by 68% and storage by 32%.
US zero-carbon future would require 6TWh of energy storage
US researchers suggest that by 2050, when 94% of electricity comes from renewable sources, approximately 930GW of energy storage power and six and a half hours of capacity will be needed to fully cover demand for electricity in the United States.
Pulling fertilizer out of thin air with PV
Nitricity has developed an experimental plasma reactor that uses PV electricity to produce competitively priced, environmentally clean, nitrogen fertilizer. Its onsite fertilizer production eliminates emissions from transport, and provides a viable alternative to fossil-based nitrogen fixation methods like the Haber-Bosch process.
All solar is equal, but rooftop solar is more equal
Cornell Researchers have found that upstate New Yorkers prefer rooftop solar to community solar under 50 acres, but opinions are split 50/50 over large-scale ground mounts. The distaste for utility-scale solar is strongest when converting forests, public land and productive farmland.
Work underway on Tesla’s rooftop solar system in Texas
A drone pilot has discovered that Tesla is starting to install solar panels, racking and inverters on the rooftop of a manufacturing facility it is building in Texas.
Millions saved with onsite mulching of solar trash
Florida utility FPL has been mulching solar panel packaging – cardboard boxes and pallets – to save approximately $130,000 per 75 MW (AC) site, compared to standard disposal practices.
New Yorkers fund 4 GW of solar for less than a cup of coffee per month
The New York Governor’s Office has submitted its financial proposal for 4 GW of distributed solar capacity by the year 2030, at an expected cost of $0.00082/kW.
California to require solar power and batteries in commercial structures
The state has updated its Build Energy Efficiency Standards to include requirements for solar plus storage on all commercial and multifamily homes, while also requiring that all new residential construction – which already requires solar – to be energy storage ready.
Solar takes 25% with one hand, gives 31% with the other
WoodMac Renewables & Power lowered their 2022 US solar capacity projection by 7.4 GW, to 22.2 GW, on supply chain pricing challenges. However, they project the Build Back Better bill could add 44 GW of capacity through 2026.
