California

U.S. researchers are testing regenerative agrivoltaics at a farm in Southern California, combining solar panels with soil-restoring practices like composting, cover cropping, and no-till farming to enhance crop yields, soil health, and water-use efficiency. The pilot evaluates technical, ecological, and economic viability while exploring how this land-sharing approach can optimize food and energy production, reduce irrigation needs, and inform larger-scale deployment and policy frameworks.

On Feb. 1, California’s batteries bridged the solar gap with seamless precision. After discharging through the night until sunrise, they spent the daylight hours charging, then pivoted back to exporting power well past midnight – effectively sustaining the state on solar energy for a full 24-hour cycle.

The US company said its Power Control software is designed to help installers reduce costs and streamline interconnection. Among its features is the ability to control aggregate system exports through software-based limits.

Octopus Energy will acquire a solar and storage project in California that is expected to be operational by July as part of its investment. The UK-based company, active across major markets in Europe, Australia, China and the United States, says California’s clean technology sector will “bring innovation, growth and returns to the UK.”

Hydrostor has secured a 50 MW/400 MWh offtake agreement with California Community Power (CC Power) for its Willow Rock Energy Storage Center, providing firm capacity to six of CC Power’s community choice aggregator members.

A new bill in California is designed to allow small plug-in solar systems to connect directly to household outlets by reclassifying them as appliances, removing utility interconnection and permitting requirements.

A California water district has adopted a long-term plan to develop up to 21 GW of solar generation on agricultural land fallowed due to water shortages.

A family-owned California winery has replaced grid electricity with onsite solar generation, reducing power costs and providing a live test site for floating photovoltaic research.

A coalition of 18 California legislators has formally urged the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to enforce regulations under “Rule 21” regarding the interconnection of customer-sited solar and energy storage systems.

California’s electricity mix is shifting as utility-scale solar generation nearly doubles its 2020 output and battery storage increasingly displaces natural gas during evening peaks, according to new data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).