Suntuity Solar is using solar power to raise money for nonprofit organizations with its new website solarforgood.com. Solar For Good is a community outreach program that will educate homeowners a...
California Gov. Edmund Brown (D) announced that the state would host the Global Climate Action Summit in September 2018. The summit will support the Paris Climate Agreement and efforts to reduce ...
Albemarle County, VA, is the latest community to achieve a SolSmart Designation for making it easier to go solar in the community by reducing the soft costs of solar, like permitting costs and wa...
Engineers at the University of Washington have designed a battery-free cellphone powered by either ambient radio signals solar power. The new device sends and receives calls with only a few micro...
Need a quick cellphone charge when you are on the go? Visitors and residents in Raleigh, NC, can now charge their cellphones at three free solar-powered Soofa Bench charging stations in the downt...
Construction on the Phipps Bend Nuclear Power plant kicked off in 1978, but was abandoned in the 80's. Now, thanks to solar power, the abandoned site once again is providing energy for the region...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/abandoned-tennessee-nuclear-plant-new-life-solar-farm-070617
Late last month Shell Energy North America (SENA) announced it planned to acquire MP2 Energy. The acquisition will increase Shell's renewable energy portfolio and options.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/shell-renewables-genertion-portfolio-mp2-energy-purchase-070517
A new report has found that expanding community choice energy (CCE) programs and developing larger-scale solar projects in California’s San Joaquin Valley could create 8,400 jobs and $845 milli...
The Swedish car manufacturer today announced (July 5) that as of 2019 all its new models will have electric motors. This marks the first time a major auto manufacturer has made an announcement to...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/2019-volvo-vehicles-electric-motors-070517
Researchers have been investigating creating invisible or nearly invisible solar cells that could absorb light while still remaining transparent. Now a group of Princeton University engineers hav...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/princeton-researchers-solar-powered-smart-window-heat-cool-070417
Massachusetts is looking for solutions to curb peak hour use throughout the Commonwealth by granting nearly $4.7 million to 9 pilot projects. Peak demand throughout Massachusetts is four-percent ...
Solar power has long been used to power electronics on board of spacecraft. Now, more aerospace companies are looking at ways of propelling spacecraft with the sun as Aerojet Rocketdyne is doing.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/bet-on-future-spacecraft-solar-propelled-aerojet-070417
It’s the perfect time of year to sit in the sun, watch the grass grow and drink a beer brewed with solar power. Morrisville, VT’s Rock Art Brewery celebrated becoming the first brewery in the...
The state of Massachusetts knows that building a better, more reliable electric grid with more renewable energy will require energy storage to help reduce consumers’ electric bills. As such, th...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/massachusetts-expand-energy-storage-200-megawatt-hours-070317
As summer gets into full swing and heats up, so is the solar news. Last week was interesting as a fully solar-powered electric vehicle was announced, one of the largest rooftop solar projects cam...
Capitol soccer team, DC United’s home turf just got brighter with the announcement that the team will install 884 kilowatts of solar at Audi Field in Washington DC. The system will be installed...
A new Dutch startup, Lightyear, introduced its plans yesterday (June 29) to launch Lightyear 1, a four-wheel drive, solar-powered car it said will have a range of able to drive for months without...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/lightyear-shines-solar-powered-car-challenge-tesla-063017
Oregon’s utility commission approved community solar rules, allowing 150 megawatts of community solar projects to serve Oregonians, with at least 10 percent of that reserved for low-income resi...
Solar power and energy storage will go hand-in-hand as costs of both technologies continue to come down and energy storage is used to reduce energy costs even more. So it’s fitting that the Ene...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/esa-first-ceo-stregthening-key-solar-ally-062917
Southern California is celebrating the commission of 16.4 megawatts of rooftop solar at the Westmont Solar Energy Project located near the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro, CA, covering 2 million...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/la-brings-massive-16.4mw-rooftop-solar-online-062917
Eleven Inupiat tribe villages near Kotzebue, Alaska, 26-miles north of the Arctic Circle, will grow fresh vegetables in a 26-foot hydroponic trailer all year, thanks to the sun and an innovative ...
As the world now knows air pollution is bad. It’s bad to breathe and it’s bad for the environment. Turns out it's bad for solar power, too. A new study from Duke University found airborne par...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/air-pollution-impacts-solar-panel-efficiency-duke-u-062817
The University of California (UC), Merced is about to generate 50 percent of its total energy demands with solar power by developing a 5 megawatt solar installation on campus.
Operations have started at the 150 megawatt Aurora Solar Park in Minnesota, making the state an explosive solar market to watch in 2017. The solar park is a chain of 16 small-scale solar farms st...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/aurora-solar-park-150mws-solar-land-of-lakes-062817
During the first third of 2017 renewable energy, including hydroelectric power as well as newer sources like solar and wind power, provided more of the US’s electricity (20.75 percent) supply t...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/wind-slar-renewables-now-more-us-energy-than-nuclear-062817
PSE&G has filed with the New Jersey utility board to install 100 megawatts of new solar power on landfills and brownfields by the end of 2021. The projects would be an extension of the utility’...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new-jersey-pseg-100mws-solar-landfills-051116
With the 2017 SEPA Power Player Awards, the nonprofit Smart Electric Power Alliance recognizes utilities, industry partners, individuals and others for their efforts to transform the electric sys...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sepa-announces-power-player-awards-2017-062717
The US has relied on so-called baseload electricity since the electric grid was established and began to grow across the country. But as wind, solar and natural gas are able to provide reliable, ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/baseload-power-outdated-idea-flexibility-key-grid-062717
During the US Conference of Mayors annual conference last week USCM and the Center for C2ES introduced the early results of a new survey showing that an overwhelming majority of mayors are intere...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/mayors-pushing-climate-protection-062617
Last week we got a glimpse of how many clean energy jobs California has—more than a half million, but at the same time we learned killing President Barak Obama’s (D) Clean Power Plan is a mis...
The campaigns for the 2018 election season are getting under swing already. Yesterday (June 22) NextGen Climate launched NextGen Rising an effort to register, motivate, persuade, and turn out tho...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nextgen-climate-kicks-off-campaign-engage-youth-voters-062317
An off-grid commercial facility on Saint Croix in the US Virgin Islands is installing a hybrid microgrid. The microgrid will combine solar power from six 33 kilowatt photovoltaic arrays, a 300 ki...
New York’s Green Bank is showing that investing in green technologies and reducing emissions is profitable. The state-run bank, which launched in 2014, said that in the fiscal year of 2016-2017...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ny-green-bank-3m-profits-292m-investments-062317
Maine’s pro-solar bill, Legislative Document (LD) 1504, passed a preliminary round of voting with unanimous support in the state’s Senate and 90 to 54 in the House. If signed into law, the bi...
In 2016 the world’s biggest banks invested $87 billion into extreme fossil fuels, which include tar sands, Arctic, and ultra-deepwater oil as well as coal mining and other efforts, helping spee...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/big-banks-fueling-climate-change-fossil-fuel-062217
Transportation is still one of the biggest places where companies can become more efficient and reduce the amount of pollution they emit. Now a new campaign, Run on Less, is looking to show how f...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/run-on-less-campaign-launches-fuel-efficiency-trucking-062217
To help speed the growth of new energy storage technologies the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is offering up to $6.3 million to emerging energy storage techno...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new-york-offers-6-million-emerging-energy-storage-tech-062117
Georgia is getting 200 megawatts of utility-scale solar, enough to power 35,000 homes annually, at four locations in the southeastern region of the state, thanks to a partnership between Green Po...
The Clean Power Plan that former President Barack Obama (D) enacted had a lot of positives. It would cut average household electricity bills by 7 percent in 2030. At the same time it would create...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/clean-power-plan-missed-opportuntity-560k-jobs-062117
Florida’s residential and commercial rooftop solar market is open for business, thanks to Gov. Rick Scott (R) signing Senate Bill 90 (SB 90) into law. The bill implements Amendment 4, which exe...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunshine-state-implements-amendment-4-rooftop-solar-062017
A new report from ScottMadden and Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA) shows that Illinois has been quietly preparing for a distributed energy future by making policy changes and other progressiv...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/illinois-ready-distributed-energy-sepa-report-062017
Some worry that the variability of solar power and wind power could impact the grid's reliability. But a new report out from the Analysis Group finds that there’s no evidence that changing the ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/wind-solar-not-endangering-us-electric-grid-062017
A new study from E2 (Environmental Entrepreneurs) found that more than 519,000 Californians now work in clean energy. The study included those working in renewables, energy efficiency and clean v...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/more-than-half-million-people-clean-energy-california-061917
Cogenra Solar has installed a 227 kilowatt a hybrid rooftop array at the Solar Zone in the University of Arizona Tech Park. The hybrid system will provide the 70,547 square-foot Building 9070 on ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/cogenra-solar-installs-227kw-solar-array-university-arizona-061917
Most of the news in the solar and renewable energy world was positive last week from states moving forward with progressive solar policies, to renewables powering 10 percent of the US grid for a ...
As anticipated Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval (R) signed into law the state’s Solar Bill of Rights (AB 405). The bill reopens net-metering in the state and gives homeowners assurances that rates wo...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nevada-gov-signs-solar-bill-of-rights-into-lae-061617
When Suniva filed for bankruptcy in April it did not go gently into that good night. It shortly after filed a trade petition seeking tariffs on imported solar panels, holding essentially the whol...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/suniva-trade-case-could-cost-90000-gov-approves-061617
Potluck Energy and SunBug Solar are celebrating the completion of a 22-kilowatt subscription-based, community solar installation in Somerville, MA. The first community solar project in the city o...
By 2030 the cost of renewables will undercut the majority existing fossil fuel power stations in terms of price, found Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) in its New Energy Outlook 2017, released...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/wind-solar-unstoppable-tide-new-energy-coal-fossil-061517
Hasbro, the toy company that created Nerf, My Little Pony and Transformers, has purchased 25,699 megawatt-hours of renewable energy certificates (RECs) from 3Degrees to offset 99.6 percent of its...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/hasbro-purchases-25000-mw-hours-renewables-061517
Solar and wind power have now together produced more than 10 percent of the US’s electric needs for the month of March 2017. It’s the first time that the penetration of renewables has been so...
To say Sunnova’s been busy raising capital lately is an understatement. The company announced June 13 that in last three months it’s raised a total of $915 million to support its residential ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunnova-close-to-1-billion-raised-3-months-rooftop-solar-061417
Pick My Solar, an online solar marketplace, in partnership with Self-Reliance and the Marion Institute is making it easier for home and business owners along the southeastern coast of Massachuset...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/online-rooftop-solar-market-mass-solar-connect-061417
Someone in California will win a 3.9 kilowatt SunPower solar rooftop array this year valued at nearly $9,000, thanks to SunPower by Quality Home Services. The company is holding a random drawing ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/quality-home-services-solar-giveaway-061417
Solarize Rhode Island has partnered with RGS Energy to provide homeowners and businesses in Cranston with the chance to sign up for a community-wide solar discount program.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarize-rhode-island-kicks-off-cranston-061317
Casinos bring in a lot of green and now MGM resorts is making more by investing in clean energy and the environment. The company released its annual corporate social responsibility report this we...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/mgm-resorts-ups-green-game-061317
DNV GL introduced the third version of its PV Module Reliability Scorecard 2017 with several newcomers, among them SunPower and SolarWorld, achieving high-performing scores in the report.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunpower-solarworld-high-performer-reliability-scorecard-061317
It looks like Nevada is open for rooftop solar again. Now, Vivint Solar announced that it will, once again, open operations across Nevada, bringing 80 to 100 jobs to the state.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/vivint-solar-returns-nevada-net-metering-returning-061217
Minnesota Power announced its EnergyForward plans to transition to 44 percent renewable energy by 2025 using solar, wind and natural gas. The utility would add a total of 510 megawatts of renewab...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/minnesota-power-more-renewables-energyforward-061217
Last week it came to light the world installed a record 161 gigawatts of renewables. That news comes as more in the US are pushing against President Donald Trump’s decision to exit the Paris Ag...
Last year the world saw 161 gigawatts of new renewable energy installed, almost 9 percent more than was installed in 2015, raising the amount of renewable energy online across the world to 2,017 ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/world-adds-161-gws-renewables-2016-costing-23percent-less-060817
The remote Chitwan National Park Ranger Outpost, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Nepal, is getting outfitted with a rooftop solar array. At the same time 10 local women will be trained as solar i...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-entrepreneur-opportunities-nepal-chitwan-park-060817
Earlier this week over 1,200 signatories publicly declared their intent to adhere to the Paris Agreement and have issued an open letter to the international community and created WeAreStillIn.com...
South Carolina residents and others will have a chance to go solar without putting it on their roofs, thanks to a new 16 megawatt portfolio of community solar projects being built by Clean Energy...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/16-megawatt-community-solar-south-carolina-060817
The Washington Wizards will play under the power of the sun on their home court at the Verizon Center next season. Arena owner, Monumental Sports and Entertainment, will get 4.7-million kilowatt-...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sun-shines-washington-wizard-verizon-center-goes-25percent-060817
The little islands way out West of mainland US are leading the way on climate change. The state is currently the only one with a 100 percent renewable energy portfolio and now it’s become the f...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/hawaii-first-state-paris-agreement-state-law-060717
As part of a $1 billion investment to install 500 megawatts of solar, Virginia’s Dominion Energy is developing the 20 MW Essex Solar Center on 174-acres. The project will help preserve the land...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/dominion-coronel-energy-develop-20-megawatt-essex-solar-060717
On Monday (June 5) California Gov. Edmund Brown Jr. (D) signed an agreement with California's sister state, Jiangsu Province, to to broaden bilateral collaboration on climate action.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/california-inks-climate-deal-chinese-province-060717
Recently Nevada passed a Solar Bill of Rights (AB 405) would reinstate retail rate net-metering, bringing back the rooftop solar industry to the sun-drenched state. The positive actions were enou...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/positive-events-neveda-shine-solar-industry-sunrun-back-060617
Powervault is teaming up with Renault to test the French automaker’s used electric vehicle (EV) batteries as smart battery storage systems for its solar installations. The partnership is expect...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/powervault-testing-renault-used-ev-batteries-solar-eenrgy-060617
Massachusetts has become one of the nation’s biggest solar power success stories boasting the nation’s second largest solar workforce, thanks in part to its solar incentive programs. Now the ...
President Donald Trump (R) announced that he would pull out of the Paris climate agreement. The controversial decision has been decried by businesses, cities and states. Now a new poll shows near...
Sunrun has teamed up with Think Energy, a subsidiary of ENGIE Resources, to offer its residential solar services in Texas. The companies will offer homeowners options including purchasing, leases...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunrun-brings-residential-solar-20-year-contracts-texas-060517
Last week President Donald Trump (R) announced that he would pull the US out of the Paris Agreement on climate change or seek to renegotiate it. That news comes as SolarPower Europe announced the...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarreviews-trump-out-paris-world-reach-307-gws-060517
New York, Governor Anthony Cuomo (D) has already pledged to uphold New York’s respective commitment to the accord and today (June 2) announced that the state is launching the Clean Climate Care...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new-york-create-40k-clean-energy-jobs-060217
The California State Senate took control of its energy future on May 31, passing SB 100, the California Clean Energy Act of 2017, and two other renewable energy bills to transition the state to 1...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/califorinia-senate-passes-3-bills-100-percent-renewable-060217
President Donald Trump (R) made what many—from states and cities to environmental advocates, and more—are calling a terrible decision, to withdraw the US from the Paris Climate Agreement. It�...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/trump-pullout-paris-agreement-climate-america-behind-060217
8minutenergy is entering into energy storage in a big way, with a 1 gigawatt project pipeline. The company has over 700 megawatts of solar power in operation in California, will build stand-alone...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/8minuteenergy-renewables-energy-storage-1gw-pipeline-060117
Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) has started the process of shuttering the Mercer and Hudson coal-fired power plants in New Jersey. They are the last two coal plants in the utility’s serv...
During the campaign then candidate Donald Trump (R) pledged to pull the US out of the Paris Climate Agreement, which was signed by almost every country. Now, it appears he is on the verge of maki...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/trump-pull-out-paris-agreement-environment-advocates-060117
Toronto’s Daymak, an ebike manufacturer, announced the launch of its EC1 Special Edition (SE) electric bicycle and a solar charging station. The station has wireless charging capabilities and c...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/daymak-introduces-solar-powered-ebike-stations-053117
Earlier this month SC Johnson, the company that makes Ziploc bags, announced that it’s piloting a program to allow its bags to be recycled with all other plastics. Now it’s making them even m...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ziplock-cleaner-as-sc-johnson-manufacturing-site-wind-053117
Xcel Energy produced 25 percent of the electricity it supplied to customers in 2016 from renewables, with 1 gigawatt coming from solar and 6.7 gigawatts coming from wind. That’s according to it...
In 2017 40 states and Washington, DC, have already considered changing their solar policies for rooftops and more. To help states and regulators implement fair net-metering and solar energy reimb...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-inustry-creates-principals-solar-rate-design-policies-053117
Last week saw new twists and turns in the Suniva bankruptcy even case while a new solar farm in Arizona is coming in at historically low prices. Meanwhile, the renewable energy industries continu...
Russell County Public Schools in Virginia are receiving $5.6 million in bonds to finance solar and energy efficient improvements in 16 buildings at 9 schools, Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) announced. ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/virginiasaves-support-clean-energy-va-schools-5m-bond-052517
The 263 unit Hanover Olympic apartment building in the heart of Los Angeles has become the first rental property in the city to offer net zero-energy apartments outfitted with individual solar in...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/hanover-olympic-first-net-zero-rentals-la-053017
Climate Central has issued new research showing that EVs in most states are now the US’s cleanest vehicles—considering everything from manufacturing to vehicle life—they're even cleaner tha...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/eve-now-cleanest-cars-us-climate-central-052617
A new, 100 megawatt (MW) solar farm being built by NextEra Energy for Tuscon Electric Power (TEP) will produce electricity at less than 3 cents per kilowatt hour—that’s a historically low pri...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/tep-signs-contract-solar-farm-3-cents-per-kilowatt-hout-052617
Solar advocates in Nevada are excited about the passage of revised Assembly Bill 405 through the State Assembly with a 38-2 vote. The bill would restore net-metering for every rooftop solar custo...
Camelot Theatres in Palm Springs, CA, is celebrating the summer by cooling down its three-screen movie house with a new solar-plus-ice-battery-storage system. The 73.6 kilowatt rooftop solar arra...
In its latest Renewable Energy and Jobs—Annual Review 2017, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) found that more than 9.8 million people were employed in renewable energy in 2016. ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/wordwide-renewable-energy-employs-nearly-10-million-052517
Suniva's bankruptcy is placing most of the US solar industry at risk over a controversial filing with the International Trade Commission (ITC). The commission decided to hear the petition this we...
Ameren Corp. is piloting the first investor-owned utility microgrid able to island customers on an active utility feed. The system will integrate wind, solar, energy storage and natural gas-based...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ameren-testing-microgrid-illinois-solar-wind-storage-gas-052417
Vandenberg Air Force Base in California will soon host the Air Force’s largest behind-the-meter solar farm, a 28 megawatt solar farm where all the energy produced is consumed onsite. The projec...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/california-vandebery-air-force-getting-28mw-solar-farm-052417
In Hawaii, which has the nation’s most aggressive renewable energy portfolio standard, Sunetric and Sunnova have partnered to offer home solar power with energy storage systems.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunetric-sunnova-hawaia-solar-plus-storage-052317
Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) and the Jacksonville Energy Authority announced on May 22 that they filed a plan to shutter the 1.3 gigawatt coal-fired St. Johns River Power Park plant near J...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/fpl-shuttering-more-coal-for-solar-natural-gas-052317
To the dismay of the solar and renewable energy industries, President Donald Trump's (R) first budget proposal imposes many of the draconian cuts he promised putting millions of jobs at risk this...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/trump-budget-slashes-renewable-energy-support-052317
Housing cooperative Georgetown Mews is becoming a solar-powered oasis in the middle of Queens in New York City. That's thanks to a partnership with Sol Alliance to construct 1.56 megawatts of roo...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/georgetown-mews-multi-building-rooftop-solar-oasis-nyc-052217
Six states now get 20 percent or more of their electric generation from renewable energy, not including utility-scale hydro generation. Three now get 30 percent or more from renewables—and they...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/6-states-generate-20percent-from-renewables-052217
Utilities are continuing to ramp up solar power and renewable energy, and some are starting to reduce the costs of solar power. Meanwhile the news in solar power last week also found that the res...
The cost to participate in Pacific Gas and Electric’s Solar Choice program is falling—thanks to the utility’s continued investment in solar power. The program allows its customers to source...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/pge-cuts-costs-solar-choice-program-30percent-051917
Electricity in the modern world is only a necessity, but a human right. Now the Azraq refugee camp in Jordan has access to electricity thanks to a 2 megawatt solar farm funded through a partnersh...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/unhcr-ikea-first-refugee-solar-farm-jordan-051917
Under a new three-year contract with Envision, New York City is adding in new at least 30 solar-powered EV ARC electric vehicle (EV) chargers. The agreement is helping the city achieve Mayor Bill...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new-yorkcity-buys-30-envision-solar-powered-ev-chargers-051917
Vivint Solar’s customers might soon have one the most coveted symbols in their garages or on their homes. Under a new partnership with Mercedes-Benz Energy, Vivint Solar will be the first compa...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/vivint-solar-brings-mercedes-benz-energy-storage-us-051817
DTE Energy of Michigan will cut its carbon emissions more than 80 percent by 2050 as it moves to cleaner energy sources and away from coal-fired power plants, which it will continue to decommissi...
Using what they call ‘dynamic norm feedback’ to show how others are saving energy Greenely and Stanford University are launching Greenely Go in California, a mobile app to help PG&E customers...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/stanford-psych-greenely-reduce-electric-use-california-051817
Ahead of the latest Q2 2017 U.S. Solar Market Insight from GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association, GTM Research said it has observed a steep slow down—17 percent—in the amou...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/us-home-solar-growth-slowed-17percent-gtm-reserach-051717
President Donald Trump (R) has threatened to pull out of the Paris Agreement, but now emissions reductions in China and India are planning to make could almost make up for the amount the US commi...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/china-indias-paris-agreement-commiments-replace-us-trump-051717
With rate changes in California savings from rooftop solar could fall by as much as 50 percent for those in multifamily affordable housing. However, a new study from Clean Energy Group showed tha...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/energy-storage-solar-more-valuable-affordable-housing-051717
Last week news that SolarWorld AG, the parent company of SolarWorld Americas, filed for bankruptcy. However, the US subsidiary, based in Hillsboro, OR, is operating as usual. The company said it ...
No one can benefit more from solar than low-income households. Giving low-income people access to solar can reduce their electric bills. CESA’s new guide, Bringing the Benefits of Solar Energy ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-benefit-low-income-homes-cesa-shows-how-guide-050617
Last month, four of the nation’s leading renewable energy organizations issued a letter calling for Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Rick Perry to make his review of the US energy market op...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/renewable-energy-leaders-dismayed-no-response-perry-051617
Earlier this month the Florida legislature passed legislation that will implement Amendment 4, a solar-friendly amendment that was supported by 73 percent of voters in the state. With the unanimo...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/florida-solar-industry-sunny-amendment-close-implementation-051517
Varta Storage has revamped its line of home energy storage systems and introduced the new compact plug-and-play Varta pulse battery systems to the European market. The new, 3.3 kilowatt-hour Vart...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/varta-introduces-plug-and-play-energy-storage-revamps-line-051517
Even as Tesla announced pricing for its Solar Roof, SolarWorld announced its insolvency. It was that type of week for the solar industry, mostly good news, but mixed with some bad news.
A new study out from SmartAsset found that the fastest-growing job in the US is photovoltaic installer. The report, which used Bureau of Labor Statistics data, found that the overall unemployment...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new-study-shows-solar-fastest-growing-us-job-051117
SolarWorld, an international solar panel manufacturer headquartered in Germany and with a manufacturing facility in Oregon filed for insolvency in Bonn, Germany this week. It’s the latest solar...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarworld-latest-photovoltaic-manufacturer-bankruptcy-051217
Vivint Solar is going beyond its door-to-door sales model by introducing kiosks at retail locations in New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, California and Utah by the end of June. It plans to exp...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/vivimt-solar-opening-retail-locations-051217
By the end of 2016 the US had 21.5 gigawatts of utility-scale solar power online. It’s an impressive capstone for an industry that’s grown at an average rate of 72 percent annually between 20...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/utility-scale-solar-fastest-growing-source-electrcity-051217
Boston scored 84.5 out of a possible 100 points in the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy’s (ACEEE’s) latest City Energy Efficiency Scorecard. On the other end of the spectrum, ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/boston-tops-aceees-scorecard-energy-efficiency-051117
Tesla CEO Elon Musk introduced its solar roof last October and had dropped teasers about it ever since, promising that the cost of the nearly invisible solar roof tiles would be less than that of...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/tesla-solar-roof-to-cost-less-than-standard-roof-051117
Energy storage is the next solar power—in terms of a new revolution for the energy sector. The newly launched Congressional Advanced Energy Storage Caucus initiated by U.S. Reps. Chris Collins ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/bipartisan-advanced-energy-storage-caucus-launches-051017
NextEra Energy and Entergy Arkansas broke ground on an 81-megawatt solar project farm near Stuttgart, AR, that will alone be nearly four times larger than the state’s existing 21 megawatts of i...
On Monday (May 8) Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) signed 11 clean energy bills into law, supporting the growth of solar power, energy storage and clean energy. The new laws enjoyed bipartisan s...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/virginia-gov-mcauliffe-signs-solar-clean-energy-legslation-051017
The Solar Foundation announced that 22 communities were recently designated as SolSmart communities, with nine of them achieving SolSmart Gold, the highest designation. In just over a year 58 com...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/22-new-cities-counties-join-solsmart-communities-050917
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) signed controversial State Bill 309 into law, which will end new net-metering for solar powered homes and businesses after 2022. The move was criticized by solar ind...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/indiana-gov-holcomb-elminates-solar-net-metering-2022-050917
The biggest year for solar power in Minnesota was 2016, the state saw 207 megawatts (MWs) of new solar power come online. But it looks like 2017 is going to blow that away. Already in the first q...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/minnesota-sees-solar-boom-2016-explosion-2017-050917
The Solar Ready Vets program has already helped place over 17,000 veterans in solar jobs and aims to add a total of 50,000 to the solar workforce by 2020. Solar installers like EcoMark are lookin...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ecomark-hire-solar-ready-vets-trained-fort-carson-050817
The Department of Energy’s (DOE's) SunShot Initiative worked with IBM and its supercomputing capacity to improve solar forecasting accuracy by as much as 30 percent. Solar forecasting can help ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunshot-initiative-ibm-watt-sun-solar-forecasting-050717
Solar continues to grow, finds the news last week. A new report anticipated that the global solar industry could grow to 429 gigawatts of new installations annually by 2026.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarreviews-weekly-review-solar-429gws-sungevity-050817
Utilities are trying to find a better way to educate customers about the costs of incorporating different types of solar generation into the grid. E Source recently surveyed 7,000 US utility cust...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/survey-utilities-need-educate-consumers-solar050517
A group of 3,000 small and medium sized businesses, Green America’s Green Business Network, is urging President Donald Trump (R) to remain committed to the Paris Climate Agreement. The organiza...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/green-businesses-trump-paris-agreement-050517
President Donald Trump’s (R) Energy Secretary, Rick Perry appointed Daniel Simmons, an advocate of fossil fuels to head the Energy Department’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energ...
National Grid and United Renewable Energy have completed a community solar project on three acres of underused pasture land in the hamlet of Somerville, NY, with more than half of it already sold...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/community-solar-somerville-ny-national-grid-050417
New York extended how far electric vehicles (EV) can drive in the state with the installation of an Envision Solar EV ARC charging station at the Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve near Buffalo, NY.
A Redfin and Sun Number report found that in 10 large Midwestern cities solar significant value. For instance, in Chicago the median sale price for a home with solar was $303,500 compared to a me...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/real-estate-firm-shows-solar-value-homes-midwest-050317
Another city has committed to sourcing all its energy from renewables. This time it’s Atlanta, the largest southern city in the US to make such a commitment, and the first in Georgia. It joins ...
A new Navigant Research report anticipated that by 2026 each year could see 429 new gigawatts of distributed solar installed across the world—that’s more than the 74.8 GWs installed across al...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/2026-429-new-gws-distributed-solar-annually-050217
Dominion Virginia Power’s 2017 integrated resource plan (IRP) includes 8 potential scenarios that outline the development of between 5,200 megawatts and 5,760 megawatts of new solar generation ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/dominion-wants-5760mws-more-solar-2042-modernize-grid-050217
Door-to-door sales are one of the key ways in which solar companies have reached out to new customers. However, the nation’s largest rooftop solar installer, SolarCity, acquired by Tesla last y...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/tesl-solarcity-end-door-to-door-sales-050217
Clean energy advocates representing the fastest growing source of energy and one of the fastest growing jobs creators in the US has issued a letter to DOE Secretary Rick Perry urging him to make ...
Solar Spectrum, a new company backed by equity firm Northern Pacific Group, has acquired Sungevity for $50 million as part of a court-approved bankruptcy sale. The sale handed the new company Sun...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-spectrum-acquires-bankrupt-sungevity-50-million-050117
It was another busy week of interesting contradictions for the solar industry. Utilities are adding record numbers of solar power—Hawaii’s biggest utility wants to go 100 percent renewable, a...
Thanks to a $400,000 grant from Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) students throughout central and northern California will build 100 more We Share Solar Solar Suitcases for We Share Solar.
The State University of New York Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) will judge 172 teams from across the US competing in the Solar in Your Community Challenge for a total of $5 million in prizes.
7X Energy, is introducing its new SolarBlocks option allowing companies to purchase solar electricity without the requirements of most power-purchase agreements. The option, a block-and-index opt...
Understanding the amount of sunlight that strikes an area or region is imperative to siting and financing solar power projects. Now Vaisala, an environmental and industrial measurement company, s...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/vaisala-offers-worldwide-validated-solar-dataset-042717
The Chemehuevi Indian Reservation, near Lake Havasu, CA, will soon have a 90-kilowatt SunPower solar carport and a 25 kW/125 kilowatt hour (kWh) Primus Power flow energy storage system. Thanks to...
Suniva, which filed for bankruptcy protection last week, filed a Section 201 petition with the US International Trade Commission that would impose tariff of up to 78 cents per watt on imported ph...
Rooftop solar and distributed generation policies and regulations are in flux across the nation. That’s according toThe 50 States of Solar, a quarterly publication from the N.C. Clean Energy Te...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/40-states-solar-action-1q-2017-50-states-solar-042617
Southern California Edison (SCE) installed 1,648 megawatts of new solar in 2016, more than double the amount any other utility added, easily making it first for overall solar installations. It’...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/southern-california-edison-tops-sepa-utility-rankings-042617
There are a number of factors that make it more difficult for businesses to go solar, including leased buildings and multi-business buildings. It’s also harder for smaller businesses to go sola...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/harder-businesses-go-solar-uc-research-042617
Charlottesville, VA, recently achieved designation as a SolSmart Bronze community by reducing the soft costs of solar power. The achievement recognizes communities that make it faster, easier and...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/charlottesville-va-becomes-solsmart-community-042517
In 2016 Hawaiian Electric Companies (HECO) increased its total renewable energy generation to 26 percent, making strong progress toward its goal to source 100 percent of its electricity from clea...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/hawaii-bggest-utility-rides-wave-renewable-energy-042717
The solar job market is growing so fast, finding new employees is getting expensive. More than half of the US’s solar companies spend more than $10,000 per unfilled position in delayed hiring a...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-industry-save-10million-investing-training-042417
Puget Sound Energy (PSE), Washington state’s biggest investor-owned utility launched Green Direct, a green tariff that allows companies, cities and towns to buy renewable energy under long-term...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/washington-largest-utility-green-power-program-042417
Last week marked the celebration of Earth Day as companies like Apple and Walmart announcing new initiatives to reduce their impact on the world. Meanwhile a Kentucky coal company’s plans to in...
As part of Earth Week celebrations in Massachusetts, Gov. Charlie Baker announced have selected five towns and three non-profit organizations to participate in Solarize Mass group purchasing sola...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/8-chosen-for-solarize-mass-group-dicount-programs-042117
The US wind industry added nearly 15,000 jobs in 2016, reaching 102,500 jobs across the US in 2016. That’s according to the 2016 U.S. Wind Industry Annual Market Report from the American Wind E...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/wind-now-102k-employees-us-042117
South Korea’s LG Chem is bringing its residential energy storage systems in the US and Canada. Starting in 2013 the company began introducing the lithium-ion-based battery systems in Asia, Euro...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/lg-introduces-home-energy-storage-north-america-042117
California has a good solar problem. It has an overabundance of solar power that could be better utilized with the implementation of energy storage technology. State Senator Scott Weiner (D) intr...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/california-considering-rebates-energy-storage-systems-042017
Apple is getting greener. The company introduced its latest Environmental Responsibility Report today (April 20)—just ahead of Earth Day. The company said that 96 percent of all of the energy i...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/earth-day-apple-100-percent-renewable-end-mining-products-042017
Recently a coal mining museum in Kentucky announced that it will soon be powered by solar. Now it’s being widely reported that Berkeley Energy Group and EDF Renewable Energy are looking to deve...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-picks-kentucky-replace-coal-mine-042017
Love or hate it, Walmart’s doing a lot to clean up its footprint on earth. Today (April 19) it announced a new effort, Project Gigaton to eliminate one gigaton of emissions from its suppliers b...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/walmart-project-gigaton-cut-supplier-greehouse-gasses-041917
It’s no mistake that Vermont is called the Green Mountain State. It was ranked as the most environmentally friendly by Wallethub’s 2017 Greenest States in the US. Vermont achieved the top spo...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/green-mountain-state-tops-wallethub-2017-greenest-states-041917
Currently the world has about 300 gigawatts of solar power installed. But the potential for harvesting solar energy far exceeds the world's needs and scientists now think photovoltaics could prod...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-power-could-reach-10-terrawatts-by-2030-scientists-041917
Massachusetts is one of the US’s leading solar states thanks to continually evolving solar policies that have kept expanding over the years. The newest iteration of solar incentives, the SMART ...
Ramada Silicon Valley in Sunnyvale, CA, announced the completion of a 269 kilowatt solar array that will generate 426,000 kilowatt-hours of clean electricity annually. The installation is expecte...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sleeping-on-sun-silicon-valley-ramada0041817
The Nevada utilities commission at one point ended net-metering overnight in the state. Since then the commission has reinstated it but in a patchwork fashion. Now a new pro-consumer, net-meterin...
As solar continues to grow in the US, grid modernization is essential. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has released the first in a series of white papers detailing how the US power...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/seia-grid-modernization-strategies-increase-solar-041717
There were 30 electric vehicles showcased at the 2017 New York International Auto Show and all are eligible for the state’s new $70 million Drive Clean Rebate program for EVs as Gov. Andrew Cuo...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ny-cuomo-70m-rebates-evs-ny-car-show-041717
Tesla unveiled its new rooftop solar panel system—but not its new solar roof. Meanwhile as Chicago committed to powering all its municipal buildings with renewables, California’s electric gri...
Salesforce has achieved net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and avoided 2 million metric tons of carbon emissions during 2016. The company signed two, 12-year power purchase agreements for a combin...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/salesforce-goes-net-zero-energy-efficent-cloud-software-041417
Researchers from the University of California Berkeley and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed a device that uses solar power to pull liters of water from the air—eve...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/researchers-use-solar-power-create-water-from-air-041417
The World Bank has approved a $100 million loan to help India finance its plan to install 100 gigawatts of solar power on its way to 175 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2022.
Walmart will install a total of 40 megawatt hours of energy storage systems across 27 of its stores in Southern California in the first phase of a project to save money. The systems use Advanced ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/walmart-going-hybrid-energy-storage-27-stores-california-041317
Powerpedia created #GetChargedUp, a nonprofit, to provide free solar systems to orphanages throughout Baja, Mexico and beyond. The organization launched #EmpowerOrphans with the announcement that...
The EmPOWER Maryland energy efficiency program, which will save residents and businesses $4 billion while creating 68,000 jobs, was extended through 2023 this week, thanks to action through the s...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/maryland-renews-empower-maryland-energy-efficiency-041217
Race to Remember (RTR), a NASCAR team, is partnering with Momentum Solar and its “Give Back” program to benefit the USOMNY throughout the 2017 racing season. The partnership will launch at th...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nascar-team-help-military-veterans-momentum-solar-041217
Vermont wants to source 20 percent of its energy from solar power by 2025 and ultimately 90 percent of its energy from renewables by 2050. The state and partners recently released The Vermont Sol...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/vermont-aims-20percent-solar-2025-report-shows-how-041217
Last year renewable energy accounted for 55 percent of the new electric generation added across the world. It also was the biggest year for installations yet, as the world added 138.5 gigawatts o...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/2016-renewable-55percent-new-electric-investments-fell-041117
The Windy City will soon be the largest city in the US to power its public buildings with 100 percent renewable energy. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D) announced that Chicago has committed to powe...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/chicago-commits-power-city-buildings-100-renewable-041117
California’s robust solar industry has surpassed another threshold—supplying roughly 50 percent of the state’s electric needs. The agency reported that the increase in solar power resulted ...
Over the weekend Tesla quietly added a new section to its site under its Energy channel, "Solar Panels." This isn’t the much ballyhooed Solar Roof and tiles that Tesla unveiled last October, bu...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/tesla-solar-roof-not-here-new-solar-system-is-041017
Toyota isn’t just making the world’s most popular hybrid cars, it’s making more commitments to reduce its impact on climate change. Its latest effort is making its new, North American headq...
Last week saw some interesting developments in solar power. For instance, iconic actor William Shatner, who played Captain Kirk in Star Trek, is going solar. Even more interesting, perhaps, a coa...
HCS Renewable Energy, LLC, an Austin company that’s developed solar projects in the southeast, is joining the South Carolina Solar Business Alliance (SBA) to help grow solar and create jobs in ...
The Air Force Research Laboratory’s Advanced Power Technology Office (APTO) is designing the forward operating bases of tomorrow. The lab is looking to create a totally deployable, self-sustain...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/air-force-new-forward-operating-bases-solar-batteries-040717
Ahead of the first meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, SolarWorld released a statement urging the two world leaders make China’s unfair solar trade policy a...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarworld-pushes-trump-talk-china-solar-manufacturing-040717
With some irony even a museum dedicated to coal, the Kentucky Coal Mining Museum, in the heart of coal country, is turning to solar power to provide it’s energy. The simple reason given—it’...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/kentucky-coal-musuem-goes-solar-040717
Solar-powered microgrids are being built and tested by increasingly larger companies. Case-in-point, Schneider Electric partnered with REC Solar and its parent, Duke Energy to build a microgrid t...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/schneider-electric-partners-rec-solar-duke-microgrid-040617
William Shatner saved mankind as Captain Kirk in Star Trek and showed travel customers how to save money as the Priceline pitchman. Now he’s taking the sun as the Solar Alliance’s new rooftop...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/shatner-joins-solar-alliance-save-the-world-campaign-040617
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has helped renewable energy technologies go from science fiction to growing, thriving businesses. As it celebrates its 40th birthday in 2017, it promises ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nrel-40th-birthday-pioneering-lab-looking-ahead-040617
PacifiCorp and subsidiary Rocky Mountain Power, announced a long-term, $3.5 billion energy expansion plan to develop and deploy 3 gigawatts of new wind and solar generation by 2036.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/pacificorp-developing-3gws-wind-solar-rocky-mountains-040517
First Solar and SunPower partnered to create 8point3 Energy Partners, A YieldCo aimed at owning solar projects that others can invest in and expect long-term returns from. First Solar has announc...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/us-leading-integrated-solar-companies-may-end-yeildco-040517
Southern Co.’s Southern Power announced that one of Texas’ biggest solar farms—if not currently the largest—is now operational. The 120 megawatt (MW) East Pecos Solar Facility is now prov...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/texas120mw-east-pecos-solar-facility-comes-online-040517
Florida Power and Light Co. (FPL) announced plans to add 2.1 gigawatts of utility-scale solar projects by 2023, adding to the 686 megawatts it has already installed across its service area.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunshine-state-fpl-2100mws-solar-2023-040417
With 303 megawatts (MWs) of solar photovoltaic (PV) power serving its residents and businesses, San Diego edged out Los Angeles as the top solar city in Environment America’s Shining Cities 201...
Gov. Terry McAullife (D) announced that employment in Virginia’s solar industry surged 65 percent in 2016, growing to 3,236 workers. That’s up from 1,963 workers in 2015.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/va-gov-mcauliffe-solar-jobs-market-explosion-040317
The Big Apple now has more than 9,700 solar power projects, producing 101.2 megawatts of electricity, enough to power more than 15,000 homes in New York City.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/big-apple-shines-with100mws-rooftop-solar-040317
President Donald Trump (R) proved he was thinking of a different era as he took moves to strike down the Clean Power Plan. But the world may be passing him by. For instance, Budweiser's parent co...
The world’s largest brewer—with more than 500 brands across 50 countries—Anheuser-Busch InBev, said by 2025 it would get all of its power from renewable energy. That means the company will ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunny-windy-buds-come-anheuser-busch-100percent-renewables-032917
Despite President Donald Trump’s (R) actions to end the Clean Power Plan, even the Republican-led Senate is recognizing the importance of clean energy and energy efficiency. The Senate moved fo...
Solar had its strongest year of growth in a record year of growth for all renewable energy sources. Solar accounted for 71 gigawatts (GWs) of the unprecedented 161 GWs of newly installed and oper...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/irena-reports-record-renewables-2016-solar-beats-wind-033117
To help low-income communities across the US better access the benefits of solar power and energy storage the Clean Energy group issued seven grants from its Resilient Power Leadership Initiative...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/clean-energy-group-issues-7-solar-storage-grants-low-income-033117
Ikea announced it now has solar on 90 percent of its US locations as it announced that its newest store, being completed in Columbus, Ohio, has a 1.2 megawatt rooftop solar array. The installatio...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ikea-solar-on-90percent-us-bulidings-latest-columbus-ohio-033017
TransActive Grid, a solar project on Brooklyn’s rooftops is taking a slightly different approach to community solar with a local microgrid. The project, still in early stages, hopes to use a bl...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/brooklyn-transactive-grid-blockchain-community-solar-033017
Fluidic Energy’s unique Zinc-air long duration energy storage systems are proving their mettle in real life. One of its installations in Indonesia for a telecommunications company, Indostat, ha...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/zinc-air-batteries-fluidic-energy-five-years-oprations-033017
Solar employees earned $50 billion in wages and contributed $154 billion to the US economy during 2016. To better show the local economic impact of the unprecedented 25 percent increase in solar ...
The solar industry has launched a set of new tools aimed at helping consumers across the nation learn more about going solar. The new tools, introduced by the Solar Energy Industries Association ...
German scientists have built Synlight, the world’s biggest artificial sun, that can generate 10,000 times more light radiation than the sun produces on the earth’s surface. The 149 xenon lamp...
President Donald Trump (R) has taken further actions to weaken the US climate protections and make the US less competitive as he seeks to make it easier for dirty coal to compete with cheap, rene...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/trump-action-against-climate-change-draws-outrage-activists-032817
There’s more interest than ever in installing home solar systems with energy storage particularly as charges that can make stored energy more valuable are coming. But a report out today (March ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nrel-doe-energy-storage-costs-solar-032817
NV Energy and a group of solar installers, including SolarCity and Sunrun, asked the Nevada utilities commission to extend a solar net-metering deadline through July 1. The extension would help t...
A new solar power system installed by Horizon Solar Power and Ice Energy is storing energy produced by the sun in ice to cool the Palm Springs Cultural Center in California. The system produces i...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ice-eenrgy-horizon-solar-energy-ice-system-032717
Solar power records were set as states debated the future of solar power. Meanwhile, Tesla’s Elon Musk took to Twitter tantalizing that it will start taking orders of its new solar roof product...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarreviews-weekly-review-records-set-states-take-action-032717
Today (March 24) Tesla CEO Elon Musk took to Twitter to tease on his company’s new solar roof tiles with a tantalizing tweet! “Start taking orders in April.”
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/musk-teases-tesla-solar-roof-orders-april-032417
Solar advocates and environmental organizations in Nevada are celebrating the next step to offering community solar in the state. If passed, the bill would offer the benefits of community solar t...
Thanks to the second stage of the NY Prize Community Microgrid competition 11 microgrid projects will receive $1 million in funding from the NY Green Bank. The funds, announced by Gov. Andrew Cuo...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ny-green-bank-fund-11m-new-york-microgrids-contest-032417
A new report, The New Solar System, published by Stanford University researchers recommends that the US and China work to efficiently expand the international solar market by reassessing trade po...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/stanfrd-researchers-us-china-must-revise-solar-policies-032317
Kaneka has set a new energy conversion efficiency level for the first photovoltaic (PV) silicon solar cell to exceed 26 percent efficiency in converting sunlight into electricity. Its commercial-...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/kaneka-closer-pv-efficiency-limit-record-solar-cell-032317
Massachusetts will extend the state’s Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC 2) program—for now. The move is a short-term fix as the state prepares to implement a long-term plan to incentivize r...
GE’s Current has announced 13 new projects in the US northeast that will blend solar power and energy efficiency. The startup within GE will install solar and other equipment at GE facilities a...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ge-current-13-solar-projects-us-northeast-032217
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) is teaming up with 17 member-owned rural energy co-ops across the US. Under its PV System Toolkit program, NRECA will assist rural util...
Wind power is blowing strong across the US. Most recently rights to develop the Kitty Hawk Wind Energy Area were sold for $9.1 million. It’s the latest offshore wind farm lease sold and comes s...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/kitty-hawk-offshore-wind-farm-site-leases-9million-032217
Industrial energy efficiency software firm, Arkados Group, announced plans to acquire solar developer SolBright Renewable Energy in a $15 million deal. Under the proposal, Arkados will buy SolBri...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/combining-efficiency-tech-solar-power-arkados-buy-solbright-032117
Community solar power is the next big thing in solar power and distributed energy. The latest evidence of this is the first Community Solar Summit, which was announced today (March 21) and will t...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/denver-host-nations-first-community-solar-summit-032117
A cheap, effective means of producing hydrogen gas as a fuel has been a longtime goal for researchers since it could replace other fuels like gasoline with a clean burning alternative.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-power-turns-biomass-hydrogen-fuel-cambridge-032117
Of all the cities in the US Houston has the most untapped potential for rooftop solar power. When Google announced the expansion of its Project Sunroof last week it estimated that the city could ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/google-shows-top-10-cities-solar-potential-032017
Solar advocates, utilities face-off in Missouri over proposed bill that could allow utilities to impose up to 75 percent in new fees on rooftop solar customers. House Bill 340 would enable utilit...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/missouri-bill-could-increase-rooftop-solar-fees-75percent-032017
President Donald Trump (R) introduced a new budget proposal which would slash environmental protections and the energy department. That’s even as reports are showing that renewable energy is le...
The Moapa Band of Paiutes have a new, giant solar plant to celebrate—and the retirement of a coal plant that had led to increased pollution near tribal lands. That’s thanks to the commissioni...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/kappa-250-mw-solar-project-comes-online-031717
Environment America recent report highlights how colleges and universities throughout the US can achieve 100 percent sustainability by 2050. The report, Renewable Energy 100: The Course to a Carb...
Over the last few years Minnesota has added a lot more solar power. Now a bill passed by both houses of the state’s legislature to reduce the state’s ability to regulate electric co-ops and t...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-industry-urges-minnesota-gov-veto-bill-031717
Grid Alternatives, Vote Solar and the Center for Social Justice discussed their recently released Low-Income Solar Policy Guide 2017. The guide aims to improve the ability for lower-income people...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/advocates-talk-low-income-solar-access-solar-power-colorado-031617
President Donald Trump’s (R) new budget proposal cuts climate protection to the bone and makes deep cuts into the energy department. While it should be no surprise as Trump promised steep cuts ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/trump-america-first-budget-proposal-sad-puts-america-behind-031617
Tesla announced this week that it is offering $1.15 billion in stock options to get production of its Model 3 underway this year. The Model 3, is the company’s first attempt at a “Model T” ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/tesla-races-model-3-market-1b-stock-offering-031617
Organizations representing construction, manufacturing and electrical workers joined solar and wind advocates to push Congressional leaders to ensure electric grid updates are made if any infrast...
SolSmart recognized seven new cities and counties for their work to reduce the soft cost barriers that limit solar market growth. Soft costs, or non-hardware costs like permits for rooftop solar,...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solsmart-recognizes-7-more-us-communities-031417
Energy efficiency improvements, as well as solar and wind power, are less expensive alternatives to replace aging, polluting coal-fired power plants than even natural gas, according a recent repo...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-wind-more-cost-effective-replacing-coal-natural-gas-031417
Solar power plays an important role in the ability of buildings to achieve net-zero energy use. That’s certainly the case in Wilde Lake Middle School, the first school in Maryland to achieve ne...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/maryland-first-net-zero-energy-school-howard-county-031317
Hanwha, using 1366 Technologies’ multicrystalline silicon solar wafer technology, was able to push the efficiency of its Q Cells to 19.9 percent. The efficiency results were verified by Fraunho...
The US solar industry revealed that it had its biggest year ever in 2016, installing 14.8 gigawatts of new solar power. At the same time it became more apparent that clean energy contributed high...
Solar-based fuels are becoming closer to reality as a replacement for coal and oil, thanks to researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Caltech. In the past two years they’ve...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sun-water-fuel-yes-new-research-031017
Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) held initial meetings with business leaders and solar industry experts to kick-start the state’s Finding Pennsylvania’s Solar Fut...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/pennsylvania-wants-produce-10percent-energy-2030-0310117
Renewable energy is one of the keys drivers for new jobs in the US. New research from the American Wind Energy Association shows that wind industry jobs grew nearly 17 percent to 102,500 direct j...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/wind-industry-eyes-250k-jobs-2020-031017
Fully 135 organizations have issued a statement to Senators urging them to rebuke President Donald Trump’s (R) nominees to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The statement letter ...
As the battles over net-metering shape up across the country utility commissions have to decide the value rooftop solar power. The New York Public Service Commission today voted to approve the fi...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new-york-takes-steps-implementing-value-of-solar-030917
The US installed a total of 14.8 gigawatts of solar power in 2016—nearly double what was installed in 2015, according to the figures released today (March 9) in the U.S. Solar Market Insight 20...
Ibiden, a Japanese manufacturer of parts for electronics, including Apple products, will power all of its manufacturing for Apple products with renewable energy, including sourcing energy from a ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/apple-supplier-ibiden-commits-110percent-renewable-energy-030817
As part of its Energy Transition Plan toward a 100 percent clean energy campus, Michigan State University (MSU) announced the construction of 10 megawatts of solar power, covering carports at 5 p...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/michigan-state-university-solar-carports-save10m-25-years-030817
While the US loves its beer, it looks like it loves its advanced energy more. Last year the industries that are part of the advanced energy economy in the US employed more than 3.3 million and co...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/advanced-energy-contributes-200b-us-economy-solar-led-030817
Little Rhode Island is going big with a plan to increase renewables by 1000 percent. This week Gov. Gina Raimondo (D) announced a plan to increase solar and wind development from the 100 megawatt...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ri-goes-big-renewables-plans-increase-1000-percent-2020-030717
Canada’s Brookfield Asset Management and TerraForm Global, TerraForm Power, announced that Brookfield will purchase both of the renewable energy YieldCos, which were launched by the now bankrup...
Chile will be one of the next countries to benefit from solar thermal power with the 450 megawatt (450) Tamarugal Solar Project in the Tarapacá region of Chile, which just received environmental...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarreserve-go-ahead-450mw-baseload-solar-thermal-chile-030717
The Church Pension Fund's latest $60.8 million fund, the Off-Grid, Renewable and Climate Action (ORCA) Impact Note, will support renewable energy in developing nations.
Peace + Freedom Services has partnered with Solar Ship to purchase two aerostats to bring such connectivity to remote areas in Great Lakes Africa with South Africa. Solar Ship is also developing ...
Last week in US solar news, Energy Information Administration (EIA) figures showed the US’s solar industry had a monster year, installing 11.1 gigawatts (GWs) of new power. Meanwhile states are...
EIA’s most recent report said that more than 27 gigawatts of electric generating capacity was added to the US power grid in 2016. Of that more than 60 percent came from utility-scale wind (8.7 ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-adds-11gigawatts-wind-solar-lead-new-us-electric-030317
Already 48 schools from 25 New York school districts have signed power purchase agreements to go solar through the New York Power Authority’s (NYPA’s) K-Solar program. Now NYPA is expanding t...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new-yok-speeds-development-of-solar-k-solar-program-030317
Amazon announced a new, company-wide initiative to deploy rooftop solar arrays on 50 of its facilities around the world by 2020.The company is kicking off the new initiative by developing 41 mega...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/amazon-deploy-rooftop-solar-50-faciliites-worldwode-2020-030317
San Francisco Mayor Edwin Lee and Supervisor Katy Tang proposed legislation to require all new buildings in the city to include infrastructure for EV charging stations. San Francisco is the first...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/san-francisco-proposes-ev-charger-ordinance-for-city-030217
It’s not the first time that the Toyota Prius has donned solar panels, but now Panasonic Corp. has developed its 180 watt "HIT Photovoltaic Module for Automobile,” which was developed for the...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/panasonic-solar-roof-module-vehicles-prius-030217
An MIT startup, Sistine Solar, has developed its proprietary SolarSkin, a means to camouflage solar panels on a roof. The panels are hidden under the skin to look like a home’s existing roofing...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/mit-startup-sistine-solar-camouflages-solar-panels-030217
Arizona’s largest utility, Arizona Public Service (APS) reached a settlement with a broad coalition of stakeholders on its rate increases. Under the new proposal, which was submitted to the Ari...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/aps-settles-solar-industry-net-metering-rates-030117
Solar advocates and clean energy industry representatives are speaking-out against House Bill 479 in Georgia. If passed, the bill would prohibit the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) from m...
Oftentimes utilities are seen as opposed to distributed energy resources (DERs). Since they run counter to the centralized energy generation structure they’ve grown accustomed to over the past ...
President Donald Trump (R) will deliver his first address to Congress. With the moves he’s already made in office, as well as changes he’s promised, it’s already got plenty of clean energy ...
Renewable energy retailer Green Mountain Energy has introduced a three-step rooftop solar plan in its Texas markets. Through the new plan, homeowners can get a rooftop solar array through an appr...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/texas-green-mountain-energy-solarsparc-rooftop-solar-022817
SunPower and Moss Construction began building the 56-megawatt Gala Solar Power Plant in Crook County, OR, which is slated to come online by the end of 2017. The new project was hailed by the Gove...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunpower-starts-buiding-largest-solar-plant-oregon-022817
A bipartisan group of legislators and Lt. Gov. Tina Smith (D) announced a new effort to commit the state to getting 50 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2030, creating 1,500 jobs an...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/minnesota-legislators-want-50percent-renewable-energy-2030-022717
Last month New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced the retirement of the aging Indian Point Nuclear Energy Center (IPEC) by April 2021. Now, a new report released by the Natural Resources Defens...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/report-shows-renewables-replace-nuclear-new-york-0227217
Renewable energy is continuing to grow across the US and now the group of industries it includes employ more than the retail industry does the US. At the same time states are quickly growing thei...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarreviews-weekly-review-renewables-employment-grows-022717
Georgia Power introduced its new voluntary solar option, Georgia Power Simple Solar, for customers unable to install solar on their homes and businesses, but that want to use clean energy.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/georgia-power-simple-solar-customers-go-solar-no-rooftop-022417
Residential solar provider, Vivint Solar announced that it now has more than 100,000 residential rooftop solar customers across 15 states. In less than six years, the company has installed 634 me...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/vivint-solar-reaches-100000-rooftop-solar-under-6-years-022417
Sunlight Financial, a provider of rooftop solar loans offered through solar installers, will expand its services and offerings thanks to a new, $130 million investment from Route 66 Ventures.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunlight-financial-gets-130m-rooftop-solar-loans-022417
On Feb. 22 MetLife announced that it met its goal to become carbon neutral through green investments of $9.7 billion and more, becoming the first US insurer to do so. The insurer said it’s inve...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/metlife-goes-carbon-neutral-022317
The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) announced that all utilities in the state have either reached or exceeded, the state’s 10 percent renewable portfolio standard (RPS) requirement es...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/michigan-reaches-renewables-goal-cheaper-than-coal-022317
Wind and solar power have long been associated with each other. Now, a new project in Minnesota coming online this August aims to bring them even closer together, integrating the two renewable en...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/first-us-commercial-wind-solar-hybrid-project-minnesota-022317
Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute pushed the efficiency of a multicrystalline silicon solar cell to 21.9 percent, surpassing the 21.3 percent efficiency record set by Trina Solar.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced that between December 2011 and December 2016 solar exploded in the state by nearly 800 percent. In 2011 the Empire state had only 83.6 megawatts of solar ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new-yorksolar-grows-nearly-800percent-since-2011-022217
Citing statistics from the Department of Energy’s recent U.S. Energy and Employment Report, a group of clean energy organizations show that the US now now has more than 3 million jobs in the cl...
In the latest affront to to net-metering, Indiana’s legislature has proposed SB 309, a bill that solar advocates argue would end net-metering in the state. Their ire is up after the bill passed...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/renewable-energy-advocates-fight-anti-solar-bill-indiana-022117
Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) announced plans to accelerate its solar development throughout the state by nearly tripling its current solar generating capacity of 335 megawatts to 935 (MWs)...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/fpl-nearly-triples-solar-power-600mws-solar-1-year-022117
In a move to preserve natural beauty, public health and local economies, Pueblo, CO, and Moab, Utah, are the 22nd and 23rd cities in the US that have committed to transition to 100 percent renewa...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/moab-pueblo-commit-100percent-renewable-energy-022017
Solar celebrated early results of its record year in 2016, installing 14.6 gigawatts (GWs) of new solar. In what amounts to a potential blow to this jobs and clean energy growth President Donald ...
In an affront to cheap, clean energy and one of two moves that sparked outrage from the environmental community this week, President Trump (R) signed House Joint Resolution 38 that protects strea...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/trump-cuts-water-protection-resurrect-cying-coal-021717
For a second time, Texas’ El Paso Electric is attempting to raise rates on its rooftop solar customers more than on all of its customers. The utility wants to raise rates for rooftop solar cust...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/el-paso-electric-wants-to-raise-rates-rooftop-solar-021717
Maryland’s legislature passed a bill allowing community solar projects in the state to take off in 2015. However, it’s taken until Feb. 15 this year for the legal thicket of regulations to be...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/maryland-set-to-launch-community-solar-pilot-021717
Xcel Energy is partnering with battery manufacturers, Sunverge Energy and Northern Reliability (NRI) in a two-year pilot to study rooftop solar with residential and utility-scale battery storage ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/xcel-tests-energy-storage-denver-stapleton-021617
The redevelopment of New Jersey’s Bell Labs facility into Bell Works, a mixed-use innovator’s “metroburb” in Homdel, NJ, will soon have another innovative feature. The US’s, if not the ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nj-bell-works-soon-have-worlds-biggest-solar-skylight-021617
SEIA is recognizing two Republican legislators from the state, Sen. Richard Burr and Rep. George Holding, leading the charge to solar at the federal level with its SEIA Solar Champion Award.
Companies working in clean tech from renewable energy to energy efficiency are drawing a lot of interest right now. New York realizes this and to help bring the next generation of clean tech comp...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new-york-clean-tech-startups-new-site-021517
Dominion Energy is investing $1 billion to install 500 megawatts of solar in Virginia by 2020. Nearly 398 of the 500 megawatts of solar are now complete or under development. Most are utility-sca...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/dominion-energy-1b-investment-solar-virginia-021517
Since at least 2010 the US solar market has experienced record growth, with each successive year seeing more installations than the year before. But nothing like the 14,626 megawatts (MWs) of new...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/14-gws-new-solar-2016-setting-records-0215117
The growth of the renewable energy industry is a genie that President Trump can’t put back in the bottle. A recent report by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) found that an estimated 4 to 4....
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/renewable-energy-jobs-genie-trump-cant-rebottle-021417
The Climate Leadership Council introduced The Conservative Case for Carbon Dividends, a plan to institute a carbon tax in the US to address climate change. The organization, led by Ted Halstead, ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/conservative-group-makes-case-carbon-tax-021417
A bipartisan group of nearly half of all US governors—the Governors’ Wind & Solar Energy Coalition—sent a strongly worded letter to President Donald Trump (R) and Congress urging them to su...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/bipartisan-governors-urge-trump-congress-wind-solar-021417
There is no better time to install solar on a home than during construction or when an owner has to repair or replace their roof. That is why LA Solar Group has launched the Empower Plan which un...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/la-solar-group-launches-program-repair-roofs-install-solar-021317
Last week was a good one for the solar and renewable energy industries. For instance, The Solar Foundation announced that 2 percent of all new jobs in the country were in the solar industry.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarreveiws-weekly-review-solar-jobs-electric-costs-021317
Non-profit solar developer, GRID Alternatives announced that the Wells Fargo Foundation will provide a four-year, $2 million grant to install solar in low-income communities. GRID will use the fu...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/wells-cargo-gives-solar-projects-2million-grant-021017
DTE Energy has launched MIGreenPower, an opportunity for customers to buy more of their power from wind and solar farms, which the utility called: “two of the most affordable clean energy sourc...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/michigan-dte-energy-migreenpower-buy-renewable-energy-0210117
Looking into 2017 and beyond Utility Dive’s Krysti Shallenberger and industry experts delved into where the hottest rooftop solar debates in 2017 and beyond will be. This is particularly import...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/utility-dive-top-10-solar-debates-2017-beyond-021017
Just a handful of residential solar companies have reached a point where they are able to bundle their residential solar loans and sell them as securities. With its $139 million, A-rated Mosaic S...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/mosaic-latest-solar-installer-securitize-residential-solar-020917
In a move to stimulate more of the clean energy economy in New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced a two-year, $15 million proposal to provide rebates of up to $6,000 to residential owners who ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new-yor-announces-15m-rebate-geothermal-systems-020917
A freshman member of Congress, Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Florida, introduced H.R.861, a resolution with the simple title and objective “To Terminate the Environmental Protection Agency.”
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/republican-house-rep-introduces-bill-kill-epa-020917
UPS will invest $18 million to add roughly 10 megawatts of solar power across eight of its facilities across the US by the end of 2017.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ups-goes-solar-8-more-us-locations-020817
In 2016 less than 4 percent of consumers’ spending was used to pay for energy, a record low for the country, thanks to energy efficiency, renewable energy and natural gas. That's because retail...
Hold on to your hats, a 9 MW wind turbine off the shores of Denmark produced 216,000 kWhs in 24 hours—enough energy to power a US home for 20 years, or roughly 7,300 US homes for one day!
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/worlds-biggest-wind-turbine-breaks-all-records-020817
The 14 site, 18-megawatt Dairyland Power Cooperative/SoCore Energy solar project in Wisconsin and Iowa was named one of four recipients of the 2016 Project of Distinction Award by SEIA and SEPA.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/wisconsin-18mw-dairyland-solar-project-wins-award-020717
In its most stunning National Solar Jobs Census yet, The Solar Foundation found that solar power accounted 1 of every 50 new jobs in the US in 2016. The report found that last year the solar indu...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-industry-created-2percent-new-us-jobs-2016-020717
If big energy companies continue to undervalue the continuing falling costs of renewable energy and electric vehicles, they could face a world where the fossil fuel industry is dashed upon rocks....
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/staying-course-fossil-fuels-losses-energy-companies-020717
Team Las Vegas, a group of students and faculty from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas (UNLV), are designing a solar-powered, energy efficient to compete for cash prizes at the Solar Decathlon 2...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/unlv-raises-nearly-1m-compete-solar-decathlon-2017-020617
From virtually unheard of five years ago, community solar farms are becoming one of the most dominant forms of solar power in the US. A new report from GTM Research, anticipated that the US will ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/community-solar-surpass-400mws-2017-020617
By the end of 2017, the world had installed 300 gigawatts of solar, with much of it coming online. As one of the world’s largest markets for solar power, the US has played a strong role in that...
The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) is continuing to introduce tools to make it easier and safer for people to go solar. This week it introduced the standardized SEIA Solar Purchase Di...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-group-new-disclosure-form-homeowners-solar-020317
In a big win for renewable energy the Democrat-controlled Maryland General Assembly restored the Clean Energy Jobs Act by voting to overturn Gov. Larry Hogan’s (R) veto of the bill in April 201...
There are plenty of places in the US where more people could go solar. The northeastern US, for instance, has a bunch of cities that aren’t taking advantage of solar power or the incentives tha...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/10-northeast-cities-taking-advantage-solar-020317
Solar advocates are applauding Massachusetts’ legislative proposal to extend the Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC 2) program into the summer of 2017. The state’s Department of Energy Resou...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/massachusetts-extends-solar-credit-program-020217
Solar installers develop relationships with solar panel manufacturers and other equipment manufacturers. This helps ensure that the panels they use can be serviced or replaced as rooftop solar sy...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/handful-companies-provide-most-solar-panels-homes-020217
Last year 47 states and Washington, DC, took action on solar power, according to the NC Clean Energy Technology Center’s (NCCETC’s) The 50 States of Solar Report. The report found states were...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/states-take-policy-action-solar-2016-report-020217
Foundations can help disadvantaged communities get access to renewable energy, particularly reliable solar energy with battery backups, can be the work of foundations.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/foundational-support-low-income-communities-solar-storage-020117
In its first announcement since Donald Trump (R) was sworn in as President, the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) SunShot Initiative announced an investment of up to $30 million to integrate sol...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/energy-department-30million-integrate-solar-020117
WPPI Energy and NextEra Energy Resources will construct Wisconsin’s largest solar farm on land adjacent to the Point Beach Nuclear Plant in Two Rivers. The 100-megawatt Point Beach Solar Energy...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/100mw-solar-farm-wisconsin-nuclear-power-plant-020117
President Jimmy Carter (D) has leased ten-acres of his farmland to SolAmerica Energy for a 1.3-megawatt solar farm. SolAmerica recently held a ribbon cutting at the new power field, which is expe...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/jimmy-carter-farm-solar-farm-powering-hometown-013117
An inexpensive device built and led by researchers at the University of Buffalo in New York aims to make dirty water drinkable with some help from sunlight. The researchers created a “solar vap...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/u-buffalo-water-purifier-sun-powered-013117
Of the 70 projects nominated, the Better Shelter emergency home won two Beazley Design Awards in London, including the grand prize. The refugee shelter, developed by IKEA and the United Nations R...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ikea-un-solar-powered-better-shelters-win-awards-013017
The world has installed 300 gigawatts of solar power, finds the German Solar Association. The solar advocacy organization said its research found that roughly 70 gigawatts of solar power were ins...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/world-300gws-photovoltaics-installed-german-group-013017
There's overwhelming support from all sectors of the US economy, from homeowners to businesses and even states. Massachusetts is emerging as a leader in renewable energy policy while a new report...
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) announced that Amazon Web Service, Community Energy Solar and Dominion Energy have partnered to develop a 100-megawatt solar farm in Southampton County, which wi...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/amazon-goes-prime-virginia-100mw-solar-farm-012717
Lawmakers in Massachusetts proposed a bill that would commit the state to sourcing all of its energy from renewable sources by 2035. If passed it would be the most aggressive renewable portfolio ...
New York just made it easier for prepared community solar projects to get online. The New York Public Service Commission (PSC) announced that it has instituted changes to the state’s standardiz...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new-york-speeds-permitting-process-communiy-solar-012717
Since 2013 Georgia Power has integrated approximately 846 megawatts of solar power into the grid. Now it’s announced that it expected to add up to 1.6 gigawatts by 2021.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/georgia-power-864mws-renewablesonline-1600mws-more-2021-012617
One day solar power will be integrated into the very fabric of buildings. But for now, such building integrated photovoltaics (BIPVs) will have to be like the wall of solar panels installed at th...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/bronx-gets-solar-wall-urban-health-center-012617
The Apple is ripening in the sun. At least that’s one quippy take on the technology giant’s new solar contract with NV Energy in Nevada. The company signed a contract with the utility to supp...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/apple-installs-200mws-solar-nevada-datacenter-012617
Communities are showing an increased interest in microgrids, which can more easily integrate renewable energy resources and react to extreme weather events. At least that’s according to a new r...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new-sepa-epri-report-shows-microgrid-potential-012517
Fully 565 business leaders are urging the US Senate to deny confirmation of Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to lead the Environmental Protection Agency through a letter sent by Environment...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/business-leaders-urge-senate-deny-scott-pruitt-epa-admin-012517
A common argument from utilities is that incorporating more distributed solar power into their network costs them money and requires upgrades. That might not be the case found the recently publis...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/rooftop-solar-doesnt-usually-add-costs-012517
There is no better way to teach students about renewable energy than installing solar arrays on schools. That's what is happening in North Carolina thanks to the North Carolina GreenPower Solar S...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nc-green-power-secu-fund-solar-north-carolina-012417
New research from Park Associates shows that up to 15 percent of the US households with broadband internet are interested in installing solar power in 2017. That’s in addition to the 8 percent ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/15-percent-households-purchse-solar-2017-012417
One of the most promising new solar materials are perovskite crystals and now researchers have figured out a way to flip the orientation of the crystals in solar devices to make them more efficie...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/los-alamos-flips-perovskite-boost-performance-012417
Massachusetts remained the national leader in Solar Power Rocks’ annual state ranking for home solar, beating out Rhode Island and New Jersey.
Tesla made a splash when it announced that it and SolarCity were introducing a solar roofing product. Now GAF, one of the largest North American roofing materials company in the US, is getting in...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/gaf-roofing-supply-co-gets-rooftop-solar012317
Newly minted President Donald Trump (R) struck a strident note in his first minutes as President last when he removed all mention of renewable energy from the White House website. This could illu...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarreviews-weekly-review-trump-v-renewables-012317
New Jersey joins the small handful of states that have surpassed 2 gigawatts of solar installations. Almost 66,000 solar projects have been developed across the state, reaching 2 gigawatts of cap...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/garden-state-reaches-2gw-solar-66000-installations-012017
The solar industry may face gray smoggy skies ahead. Today (Jan. 20) Donald Trump (R) was inaugurated as the new President of the US. One of his Administration’s first big changes was eliminati...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/trump-eliminates-renewables-celan-energy-white-house-012017
The PV Market Alliance (PVMA) anticipated that when all is said and done the world will have installed 75 gigawatts of photovoltaics (PV) in 2016 reaching 300 GWs of solar installed international...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/pv-jumps-75gws-2017-2017-challenge-012017
Duke Energy and its subsidiaries are on what’s looking like a solar power binge. The utility brought on roughly 500 megawatts of solar power in North Carolina in 2016 and it plans to bring anot...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/duke-energy-adding-1gw-nc-2-years-011917
New Castle, NY, as the first community with less than 40,000 residents to be designated in New York as a Clean Energy Community for reducing energy use and promoting clean energy practices.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new-castle-first-ny-town-clean-energy-community-011917
With a new 28-megawatt solar photovoltaic and a 20-MW energy storage system project in the works on the Hawaiian island of Kauaʻi, the island will be getting more than 50 percent of its electric...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/hawaii-kauai-50-renewable-energy-storage-cheap-011917
Developing and financing solar around the world just got a lot easier thanks to the release of the online Global Solar Atlas. The tool enables users to evaluate potential solar sites in one regio...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/world-bank-isa-global-solar-atlas-promote-solar-development-011817
New York’s green bank to support renewable energy and energy efficiency projects committed $250 million into a total of 13 transactions in 2016. Those investments are being met by $677 million ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ny-green-bank-13-transactions-2016-927m-investments-011817
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) predicted that solar power will account for 7 percent of all electricity generated worldwide and could reach a production capacity of 1,760 gigaw...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/irena-report-1760gws-solar-worldwide-2030-011717
In what’s being called a reverse renewable portfolio standard, a group of state lawmakers in Wyoming have kicked off the 2017 legislative session with a decidedly draconian, anti-renewable ener...
The Global Solar Council (GSC), an international consortium of solar advocacy organizations, manufacturers and more founded in 2015, has introduced its first quarterly report. The report includes...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/global-solar-council-first-quarterly-report-011717
Arizona Public Service (APS) commissioned a 40-megawatt solar farm that’s producing energy for two corporate customers, PayPal and Arizona State University (ASU).
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/aps-paypal-0asu-40mw-solar-farm-011617
It was a busy week for the solar industry last week as rooftop solar companies announced new partnerships and funding. Likewise, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) announced a new pre...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarreews-weekly-review-seia-head-rooftop-solar-funds-011617
After eight months without a President the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has named Abigail Ross Hopper to lead the organization starting on Jan. 17. She takes over after the years of...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-industry-gets-abigail-ross-hopper-seia-president-010917
Plug-and-play solar panels are coming to market. At least if SunCulture has anything to do about it. The company announced pricing and pre-orders for its SolPad, a solar panel and battery system ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunculture-plug-and-play-solar-panels-pr-orders-011617
Residential solar provider, Vivint Solar has raised $303 million in financing in two major transactions led by Bank of America Merrill Lynch. It closed a $203 million fixed rate, 18-year term deb...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/vivint-solar-raises-303m-buliding-on-2017-011317
Together solar and wind power now employ 366,000 workers across the US showing they are becoming an increasingly large sector of the US’s energy employment. Today (Jan. 13) the Department of En...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-employs-260k-wind-102k-deo-report-011317
By signing contracts and purchasing for renewable energy and energy efficiency upgrades, the federal government will save taxpayers $8 billion in energy spending over the next 18 years, according...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/government-saves-taxpayers-8b-renewables-energy-efficiency-011317
Loveland, CO’s 3.5 megawatt solar farm is the first electricity generating facility to receive approval and funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The $9.2 million Foothil...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/loveland-fema-solar-farm-replaces-dam-011217
Solar industry and utility companies can play nice. Investor-owned utility National Grid is investing $100 million into Sunrun to develop 200 megawatts of residential solar homes. The partnership...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunrun-national-grid-partner-200mw-home-solar-ny-011217
Tesla Gigafactory 1 (GF1), where it will produce batteries for its vehicles and home and commercial energy storage Powerwall and Powerpack units, began production. The giant factory also will hav...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/tesla-adds-70mw-solar-rooftop-gigafactory-011117
LG Electronics USA was recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with its 2016 Gold Tier Award for recycling of keeping 67,714 tons of carbon dioxide into the earth’s atmosphere. ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/lg-wins-epa-gold-tier-award-ces-recycling-011117
Wind could provide 20 percent of western US's electricity in 2030 and up to 35 percent in 2050—saving consumers billions—by adding to and updating grid transmission infrastructure.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/wind-solar-grid-updates-save-customers-3billion-annually-011017
There’s a clear connection between clean energy and where employers want to be. At least if you take into account the opinions of some of the leading and growing employment sectors in the US—...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/states-strong-clean-energy-attract-employers-011017
The first week of the year means the prognosticators are prognosticating and with a new Administration about to take over the White House many are worried that President-Elect Donald Trump (R) co...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarreviews-weekly-review-2017-predictions-gigafactory-010917
To many solar advocates chagrin, the European Commission announced it will recommend extending European Union (EU) trade restrictions beyond March 2017 by continuing to add 50 percent tariffs to ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-advocates-leary-eu-commission-chinese-solar-tariffs-010317
The solar industry had a record-breaking year in 2016. It looks like 2017 will continue that trend even with continued challenges to net-metering policies and a shift in federal policy regarding ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/2017-more-solar-growth-net-metering2-010617
The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is looking into 2017 and calling for the grid to continue evolving to meet the energy needs of people in the 21st century while protecting the enviro...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nrdc-calls-electricity-markets-evolve-2017-beyond-010617
Maryland has been late to the game in terms of solar power. Now it looks like Maryland may start catching up.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/maryland-gov-hogan-2017-environmental-agenda-010617
Donald Trump could gut the renewable energy industries and the progress the industries have made in the past decade. But at least one sustainability director posits the idea that Trump’s intere...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/trump-deregulation-spur-70-billion-solar-sales-us-010517
Sharp Electronics announced that Sunworks is choosing its SmartStorage battery system to integrate into commercial rooftop solar projects in California. Sharp guarantees the no-money-down energy ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunworks-chooses-sharp-smartstorage-system-commercial-010517
Tesla announced that its Gigafactory in Sparks, NV, began producing its new “2170 cell”, the battery cell that it will use in a variety of products from the Model 3 car to the Powerwall 2 and...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/tesla-panasonic-producing-battery-cells-gigafactory-010517
In the near future, investing in a rooftop solar array may be as easy as buying a television. That’s, at least if Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and the Solar Energy Finance Associa...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-groups-partner-to-ease-financing-for-rooftop-solar-010417
File this in fascinating and amazing potential uses of solar power. Swiss researchers are proposing that subcutaneous (under the skin) solar cells could continuously recharge implanted, life-savi...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/heart-beats-with-sun-solar-powered-pacemakers-010417
Yesterday (Jan. 3) Raymond James issued its Clean Tech Primer 2017: A Holistic Update on the Ten Major Verticals, a report on investing in the renewable energy and related sectors. The news is, w...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/clean-tech-complex-investors-2017-010417
States and municipalities across the US are supporting President Obama’s Clean Power Plan. Now they’re urging President-Elect Donald Trump (R) to keep the plan in place. It would reduce emiss...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/states-urge-trump-keep-celan-power-plan-010317
A new study, Utility of the Future, introduced last month by the MIT Energy Initiative and the Institute for Research in Technology at Comillas Pontifical University looks into how to best integr...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/mit-report-transform-grow-distributed-solar-energy-010317
Vermont’s Green Mountain Power (GMP) said it is the first utility in the US to provide residential and commercial customers a chance to go off-grid. The utility is offering an incentive package...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/vermont-green-mountain-power-off-grid-solar-incentives-010217
The last few weeks of 2016 saw some interesting things for the solar industry. While climate change is still an issue, people, like the World Economic Forum are seeing it as an opportunity for in...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarreviews-weekly-review-peering-into-2017-010217
It's becoming increasingly apparent solar power has a key role to play in fighting climate change even as global energy demand increases and many in the industry and outside of it anticipate posi...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-power-predictions-2017-123016
the Mayflower Autonomous Ship (MAS) will mark the 400th anniversary of the original Mayflower journey to North America with the first-of-its-kind solar and wind-powered drone. The 100-foot-long t...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-mayflower-recreate-plymouth-journey-123016
Minnesota wants more solar products to be made in the state and it’s putting its money where its mouth is with a locally-made incentive program that’s already helping almost 1,100 solar syste...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/minnesota-applications-locally-produced-solar-incetinves-123016
Solarpack won a bid in Chile for a 120 megawatt solar farm to produce 280 gigawatt hours of solar power annually at a cost of $29.10 megawatt hours. The new bid is the lowest price ever bid for a...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/chilean-solar-projects-lowest-price-ever-solar-082216
California’s Palo Alto is a fan of the sun and renewable energy. With its two latest utility-scale solar farms totaling 60 megawatts the city is now getting a third of its energy from solar pow...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/palo-alto-now-gets-one-third-power-from-solar-122916
It looks like the US is on its way to meet its emissions reductions targets under the Paris Climate Agreement, at least if the Energy Information Administration’s (EIA’s) findings earlier thi...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/us-energy-emissions-lowest-in25-years-eia-122916
In a move that will help re-invigorate the solar and wind industries in Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) vetoed Substitute House Bill 554. The bill sought to keep freezing renewable energy development i...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ohio-gov-kaisch-vetoes-renewable-killing-bill-122816
Ithaca College in New York is now getting 10 percent of its electricity from the sun thanks to a new, 2.9-megawatt solar array. The new array, actually located 40 miles away in Seneca, NY, will h...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ithaca-college-10percent-energy-solar-farm-122816
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst will soon host the 16.5-megawatt solar farm, upping the base’s total solar generation to 28.8 MWs. The latest project is being built on a Superfund site where t...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new-jersey-larest-solar-farm-ne-military-base-122816
Hawaii Electric Companies (HECO) introduced a new energy plan for the near future and it’s big on renewables—so much so that 48 percent of its electric generation will come from renewables by...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/hawaii-big-utlity-half-electricity-renewables-2020-122716
As the cost of renewable energy has come down and the costs of fossil fuels have gone up, investing in renewable energy is becoming a no-brainer. That’s according to the World Economic Forum (W...
Tesla’s Gigafactory in New Buffalo, NY, will actually be a Panasonic manufacturing facility, supported by the Japanese company's more than $256 million investment.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/tesla-ny-gigafactory-260m-panasonic-manufacturing-122716
The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUCN) is moving forward to restore net-metering, encouraging more rooftop and utility-scale solar development in northern Nevada, in NV Energy’s Sierr...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nevada-regulators-reverse-net-metering-decision-north-122616
In the year since introducing $1 a watt rebates for solar power in South Carolina, nearly 2,000 of Duke Energy’s customers and businesses in the state have chosen to go solar, totaling nearly $...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/duke-energy-south-carolina-solar-rebates-12m-one-year-122616
As 2016 comes to a close the solar industry is pushing the zenith further and further. For instance, installations for solar are coming in at prices lower than any other energy source, including ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarreviews-weekly-review-solar-cheapest-energy-world-122616
After what’s already a record-shattering year for the US solar industry, challenges lie ahead in 2017 and beyond. GTM Research recently outlined some of the challenges it and the Solar Energy I...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/gtm-seia-project-solar-challenges-2017-beyond-122316
Fully 4,143 megawatts of new solar power installed in the US in the third quarter of 2016 every previous quarterly record was broken handily. For instance, the amount of solar installed in the th...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/4-gws-solar-installed-third-quarter-us-shattering-records-121316
The Springbok 2 Solar Farm, which promises electricity at rates lower than fossil fuels can deliver in California, was commissioned this week.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/155mw-solar-farm-powers-la-lower-costs-than-fossil-fuel-122316
The River, a mall in California’s Coachella Valley, took advantage of PACE financing to install a 667-kilowatt solar carport and a water pumping and control system energy efficiency project. To...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/coachella-the-river-goes-solar-pace-122316
Even though the solar industry showed unprecedented growth throughout 2015 and 2016 there are clouds on the horizon, even in the sunniest states. Arizona regulators voted to slowly end net meteri...
Florida’s biggest utility Florida Power & Light (FPL) bought the 250-megawatt coal-fired Cedar Bay Generating Plant in Jacksonville, FL last year. Now it’s retiring the dinosaur. At the same ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/florida-utility-shutters-coal-plant-opens-3-solar-farms-122116
Low-income residents and their housing providers in New York City now have a new opportunity to go solar thanks to Affordable Solar New York. The nonprofit will focus on reducing low-income resid...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/afordable-solar-new-york-low-income-housing-nyc-122116
The US solar industry had a record 2015 with 7.3 gigawatts of new power, but 2016 will blow it away with 9.5 gigawatts coming online. In fact, this year is expected to be the first time one renew...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/us-rcord-9500mws-solar-2016-beating-everything-122116
New York City’s housing co-ops and apartments now have a new option to install solar power on their rooftops with no up-front costs for their owners and inhabitants thanks to a new solar loan o...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/big-apple-condos-apartment-solar-financing-option-122116
By the end of 2016, 77 more gigawatts of solar power will be operational, topping a decade of continual growth for the industry. Even more, 79 gigawatts, is expected to come online across the wor...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-installs-77gws-2016-decade-annual-growth-ihs-122116
With 78 gigawatts of new solar installed, it looks like this will be the penultimate year for solar power. Mercom estimated that new solar installed in 2016 will be 48 percent higher than in 2015...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/2016-record-year-solar-nearly-50percent-more-2015-113016
The Michigan House of Representatives passed state Senate legislation that would increase the state’s renewable portfolio standard (RPS) from 10 percent to 15 percent by 2021 and to at least 35...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/michigan-set-to-expand-renewable-portfolio-standard-122016
Maine’s Public Utilities Commission said it needs more time to make a decision on net metering in the state.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new-net-metering-rule-maine-molasses-january-122016
Renewable energy had a banner year in Massachusetts, growing to an $11.8 billion market. The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center’s 2016 Massachusetts Clean Energy Industry Report showed that the ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/massachusetts-sees-significant-renewable-energy-job-growth-121916
The unsubsidized costs of utility-scale solar and wind power are now cheaper than the costs of natural gas power in the US, according to Lazard reports. The found that as the cost of utility-scal...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-wind-cheapest-unsubsidized-energy-lazard-121916
Last week was a big week for solar power and renewables. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) announced that the US solar industry had a quarter that shattered all previous records and ...
MCE a not-for-profit, public electricity provider in California just signed a power-purchase agreement (PPA) with EDF Renewable Energy for 150 megawatts of its Desert Harvest Solar Project underw...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/mce-buy-150mws-edf-renewables-desrt-harvest-solar-121616
The latest Climatescope report found some interesting things. In 2015 the price of solar projects were essentially equal to those of wind projects—and that investments in solar power across the...
The residential solar industry is growing at breakneck speed across the US and now the energy storage market is following it quickly. To capitalize on that opportunity Sunrun announced it is offe...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunrun-introduces-brightbox-california-121516
The first fully solar-powered mobile medical clinic is going to Clemson University’s Joseph F. Sullivan Center in South Carolina. The new mobile clinic, designed by Wyoming’s Odulair, will al...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/odulair-solar-mobile-clinic-clemson-sc-underserved-121516
Arizona’s largest utility, APS, recently began installing 4 megawatts of commercial-sized lithium-ion batteries—2 MWs each. The energy storage systems will serve customers in the utility’s ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/arizona-aps-4mws-energy-storage-pilot-121516
SolarReserve didn’t win an environmental award for its concentrated solar power (CSP) technology, it won the Commercial Application of the Year Award from the 2016 Platts Global Energy Awards.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarreserve-takes-platts-commercial-energy-project-award-121416
It’s not solar power, but it’s a major advance for its renewable energy cousin, wind power, in the US. The US’s first offshore wind farm, Deepwater Wind’s five-turbine, 30-megawatt Block ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/us-first-offshor-wind-farm-online-rhoad-island-121316
Companies aren’t just racing to bring cargo to the skies, at least one solar-powered startup, Solar Ship, is ready to take on traditionally powered industry stalwart, Lockheed Martin in a 21st ...
When former Vice President Al Gore introduced An Inconvenient Truth in 2006, it helped bring concerns about the climate change and the environment to the forefront. Now he's introducing the seque...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/gore-inconvenient-truth-sequal-debut-sundance-121316
Plug-and-play solar panels can plug into conventional residential power outlets and could provide up to 57 gigawatts of renewable energy to the grid.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/plug-and-play-solar-technology-affordable-solar-option-121216
The Breakthrough Energy Coalition (BEC), a group of entrepreneurs, business leaders, and institutional investors, chaired by Bill Gates announced that they will invest more than $1 billion into c...
Solar power will return to space in two new innovative ways, manned aircraft and solar sail. More terrestrially, solar power continued to march forward with a California utility reaching more tha...
The Japanese space agency, JAXA, will test Ascent Solar’s lightweight, flexible solar cells on its upcoming Jovian Space Mission. The cells will power the unique satellite's operations while th...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/jaxa-tests-ascent-solars-cells-used-japanese-satellite-120916
This week California’s Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) announced that will soon have 2,409 megawatts (2.4 gigawatts) of rooftop solar arrays throughout its network of customers. That’s mo...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/pge-more-than-2-gws-rooftop-solar-nem-2-120916
With a glut of solar panels in the market, it’s becoming tougher for solar manufacturers to compete. This was driven home this week as SunPower announced that it’s restructuring to remain com...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunpower-cuts-2500-jobs-solar-manufacturing-120916
Energy efficiency is one of the most effective means of reducing household and business energy expenses. It includes things like insulation, windows and heating and air conditioning. Throughout t...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/energy-efficiency-2million-us-jobs-120916
Solar pushed aeronautics boundaries earlier this year when a solar-powered plane finished its circumnavigation of the globe. Now a group wants to take solar to new heights—the stratosphere.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-to-power-solarstratus-flight-edge-space-120816
Solar is being used on forward and remote military bases to reduce weight and the need for fuel—transporting fuel is one of the deadliest jobs in the military. But now NREL is working with the ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nrel-soldiers-lightening-loads-solar-120816
New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo (D) announced that $3.6 million in funding from the NY-Sun Initiative will be invested to increase solar access to low- to moderate-income communities throughout...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ny-sun-3m-lower-income-new-yorkers-go-solar-120716
Boulder, CO, continues on its path to creating its own, 100 percent renewable utility. The city council members voted unanimously to aim to reduce the city and county’s greenhouse gas emissions...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/boulder-continues-path-100-reenwable-unanimous-vote-120716
Google leads pretty much everyone in clean energy, tech companies, major corporations the US military, etc. Now, in 2017 it’s going to reach a new milestone. The company and all of its global o...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/google-g-stands-green-will-run-renewable-100-renewable-120716
In the annual NRDC Annual Energy Report, Accelerating into a Clean Energy Future, the nonprofit advocacy organization showed that the progress the US is making in moving to clean energy is undeni...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/us-clean-energy-revolution-not-reversible-nrdc-120616
Stanford University and SunPower have completed construction on a 67-megawatt utility-scale solar farm outside of Palmdale, CA, that is projected to produce over half of the electricity needed by...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/67mw-solar-farm-brings-stanford-closer-sustainability-120616
The new Better Buildings Zero Energy Schools Accelerator, launched aims to create zero energy schools at normal costs.
Late last month the Department of Energy launched Solar in Your Community Challenge. It’s an effort to make it easier for everyone in the US to benefit from the clean energy and potential cost-...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/doe-launches-solar-in-your-community-tour-120516
New Mexico’s Kit Carson Electric Cooperative wants to install enough solar power to cover all of its customers’ electric needs during summer peak days by 2022. To get there it wants to instal...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nm-coop-instaling-enough-solar-for-all-customer-needs-120516
As 2016 comes close to ending the reports are coming in and it looks like 2016 will be the record year for solar. Likewise, they’re showing the future looks bright for the industry as new campa...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarreviews-solar-week-in-review-supports-reports-120516
Enphase Energy and solar installer Solaray Energy, have completed the construction of a rooftop solar installation in Newtown, Australia, with the largest Enphase Storage System to date.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/enchase-installs-solar-array-energy-storage-australia-120416
Environment America, just introduced a new report aim to push back against those forces that are trying to fight solar power. The new report, Blocking the Sun and the campaign “Stand Up for Sol...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/environment-america-fights-attacks-on-solar-120216
Duke Energy has proposed creating a small, 10-kilowatt solar microgrid with a 95-kilowatt hour storage system in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It would allow Duke Energy to eliminate a...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/duke-energy-return-service-corridor-natural-solar-120216
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities has approved an extension to Public Service Electric and Gas’s (PSE&G) Solar 4 All program, a unique program that’s installing solar power on rooftops...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new-jersey-utility-commission-expands-solar-4-all-program-120116
It’s a lot cheaper than it was 6 months ago to become a solar customer. A GTM report showed a reduction in cost of 8.6 percent for residential solar, 12.5 percent for commercial and up to 17.4 ...
The Sunshine State is starting to live up to its name—or at least taking advantage of its moniker’s resource. Under a new rate approval, Florida utility Florida Power & Light (FPL) will insta...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/florida-fpl-will-install-1200mws-solar-over-4-years-120116
A new report by Environment New York Shining Rewards: The Value of Rooftop Solar Power for Consumers and Society found that residential and commercial customers with solar arrays aren’t getting...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/utilities-dont-value-rooftop-solar-fully-113016
Germany-based Energy Watch Group is again calling the findings of an International Energy Agency (IEA) report, its World Energy Outlook (WEO), into question. The organization challenges that the ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/energy-watch-group-challenges-iea-world-energy-outlook-113016
Earlier this week International Energy Agency (IEA) showed that the world installed 153 gigawatts of renewable energy in 2015 and that wind solar will increase 13 percent. Now the Energy Watch Gr...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/energy-watch-group-challenges-iea-renewables-forecast-102816
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, CO, is a hotbed for emerging renewable energy technologies, a place where advances are made and technologies are tested. Now it’s installing ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nrel-solar-field-shows-solar-panel-performance-112916
A post-election survey of 1,000 Latinos across the US conducted by the Sierra Club and GreenLatinos shows that there is nearly unanimous support within the Latino community to protect the earth.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/97percent-latinos-support-battle-against-climate-change-112916
Today (Nov. 29) is Giving Tuesday, a chance to support nonprofits and charities across the country and world, including those in solar power and renewables.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/support-solar-renewable-during-giving-tuesday-112916
USAID announced that it is investing $4 million into eight African solar start-ups through a competition called Scaling off-Grid Energy: Grand Challenge for Development. USAID’s commitment will...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/said-gives-4million-solar-start-ups-africa-112916
This month former Congressman J. Gresham Barrett (R) announced the creation of the Palmetto Conservative Solar Coalition (PCSC), a new organization aimed at promoting energy independence in the s...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/conservatives-launch-south-carolina-solar-organization-112816
The season for giving has begun. Now, Habitat for Humanity, Solar Kentucky and former nightclub owner and host of Renewable Energy Podcast David Butler are partnering to raise money to install so...
Indicators showed that President-Elect Donald Trump is now less likely to gut the renewables industries as evidence shows that they are thriving and even providing jobs for coal workers. Even Rep...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/week-in-review-trump-not-likely-gut-solar-112816
As community solar projects keep popping up across the US as an alternative to rooftop solar and dirty electricity from the grid. In fact, so many are popping up, people might not even know if th...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/energysage-community-solar-market-112516
Progress is being made on Future Energy Jobs Bill. Gov. Bruce Rauner's (R) office and the clean energy industry have successfully pushed back against provisions in the original bill that would ma...
Researchers at Technion are on the way to developing a unique photovoltaic solar cell that could convert up to 50 percent of the sun’s energy into electricity—which is 70 percent higher best ...
As the transition process begins from the Obama administration to the Donald Trump administration, the press and clean energy advocates are anxious as to whether progress toward a renewable energ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/mccarthy-assures-press-trump-wont-derail-wind-solar-112416
NRG Energy announced that it completed the acquisition of the largest chunk of SunEdison’s domestic solar and wind power projects. The acquisition of more that 1.5 gigawatts (GWs) of SunEdison�...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nrg-buys-1500mws-sunedison-112416
Ahead of the election, President-Elect Donald Trump made a stand about coal and oil-and-gas jobs, claiming he wanted to bring them back. But more evidence is showing that coal workers can find wo...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/coal-workers-find-work-solar-power-112416
At a cost of between $3 per watt and $3.50 per watt, residential solar offers a cost-savings in anywhere from a quarter to half of US states—even without state subsidies. That’s thanks to mor...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-cost-effective-residents-without-subsidies-112316
By the end of 2015 renewable energy produced 13.8 percent of the US’s electric needs for the grid, coming primarily from hydro, wind and solar power, in that order. That’s according to NREL�...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/renewable-enery14percent-us-electric-2015-112216
Solar loan financier Mosaic announced that it has closed on a $250 million loan with Deutsche Bank for a warehouse facility, a short-term line of credit that uses revolving loans as collateral. N...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/mosaic-raises-$550m-home-solar-loans-112316
Tesla is touting its expansion into renewable energy with the installation of renewable energy-powered microgrid, including a 1.4 megawatt solar power farm and 6-megawatt hours of energy storage ...
The Chernobyl area, home to the infamous nuclear meltdown 30 years ago may soon start generating electricity again. However, this time it would come from solar power. The meltdown of the nuclear ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/power-returns-chernobyl-this-time-its-solar-112216
The 2016 Presidential election is over and President Elect Donald Trump is appointing members of his transition team and Cabinet to implement policies proposed during his election campaign.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/northwestern-university-trump-presidency-renewables-1112216
The Department of Energy’s SunShot Initiative recently launched the new Solar in Your Community Challenge, a competition with $5 million in prizes, which includes a $500,000 grand prize. The co...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunshot-initiative-launches-community-solar-challenge-112116
Last week the biggest renewable energy news came from Marrakech, Morocco, where world leaders gathered at COP22 to discuss climate change and how the world would fight it. The US and US businesse...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/week-in-review-cop22-renewable-energy-tesla-112116
Amazon’s AWS subsidiary partnered with Dominion Energy to vastly expand the amount of solar power in the Old Dominion of Virginia. Under a power-purchase agreement, 180 megawatts of solar farms...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/amazon-dominion-team-virginia-renewable-portfolio-solar-111816
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) has proposed a new plan to expand solar in the northeastern state that could result in the Bay State having 5 gigawatts of solar installed by 2025, according ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/massachusetts-add-5gws-solar-under-baker-111816
This week at the COP22 climate meetings in Marrakech, Morocco, the Obama Administration unveiled the United States Mid-Century Strategy for Deep Decarbonization and submitted the plan to the Unit...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/white-house-reduce-emissions-increase-economy-solar-111716
This afternoon (Nov. 17) Tesla Motor’s shareholders approved the $2.6 billion purchase of SolarCity, with 85 percent of them voting in favor of the deal. While many assumed the acquisition woul...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarcity-tesla-acquisition-approved-shareholders-111716
Global leaders convened at the United Nations’ COP22 in Morocco, this week to discuss the implementation of the Paris Agreement. But it’s not just global leaders taking action on climate chan...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/leading-companies-tell-world-reduce-climate-change-111716
The Community Power Network has harnessed the power of co-ops to reduce the cost of solar for more than 1,500 homes throughout eastern and southeastern US. That’s resulted in 10 megawatts of so...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/community-power-network-10mws-home-solar-111716
The Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA) released a first-of-its-kind guide designed to help policymakers develop community solar programs specific to their communities. The organization i...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ccsa-introduces-community-solar-policymaker-guide-111616
Today (Nov. 16) US Secretary of State John Kerry reassured the world at the COP22 meeting in Marrakech, Morocco, that the US will live up to its promises under the Paris Climate Accord it ratifie...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/kerry-reassures-world-us-paris-climate-agreement-111616
International oil and gas giant Total will invest roughly $300 million to install solar power at 5,000 gas stations across the world! The company is installing a total of 200 megawatts of SunPowe...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/total-installing-solar-power-5000-gas-stations-worldwide-111616
How utilities deal with distributed energy resources like rooftop solar and small business solar is a topic of hot debate across the US that has divided homeowners, solar installers and utilities...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/naruc-introduces-manual-distrbuted-energy-like-solar-111516
California’s SOMO Village is expanding its solar array to a full 3.1 megawatts and adding a 1 megawatt commercial energy storage system that is expected to save its 1,000 residents and 50 busin...
Between 2011 and 2014 solar power production grew by 577 percent and wind power grew 40 percent across the US, with states leading the shift to renewable energy. Finds “State Leadership Driving...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-grew-577percent-four-years-georgetown-climate-center-111516
NextEra Energy Resources commissioned the Blythe and McCoy solar energy centers in Riverside County, CA. The solar farms consist of 4 million solar panels generating 485 megawatts of energy. That...
In just five years the Department of Energy's SunShot Initiative is 90 percent of the way to reaching its cost reduction goals. So DOE set new goals for 2030.
Election results last week shocked many including those in the solar and renewable energy industries. However, the industries are ready to work with Trump. Elsewhere there was some good in the el...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarreviews-week-in-review-trumping-renewables-voters-111416
Renewable energy organizations and companies are ready to work with President-elect Donald Trump (R). Over the past eight years, the renewable industries have grown from handfuls of fledgling com...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/renewable-energy-ready-work-president-elect-trump-111016
In a likely setback to solar growth in Utah, utility Rocky Mountain Power has proposed three new changes would raise rates for all new solar customers including a $15.00 monthly charge, $9.02 per...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/rocky-mountain-power-solar-rate-hike-proposal-111316
The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has introduced a new guide, Diversity Best Practices Guide for the Solar Industry, to help the solar industry be more inclusive. The new guide build...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/seia-introduces-diversity-guide-solar-workforce-111116
The expansion of the solar industry in sun-rich Colorado has reached a huge milestone. The Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has approved—without modification—a settlement fought for...
On Nov. 10 Clenera and Swinerton Renewable Energy (SRE) announced that the 108 megawatt (MW) Grand View PV Solar Two projects will come online by the end of November 2016. The project is the larg...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/idaho-108mw-grand-view-solar-farm-online-soon-111116
Tucson Electric Power (TEP) announced it is seeking bids from solar developers to design and construct a utility-scale community solar array in the Four Corners of Arizona, enabling it to purchas...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/tuscon-electric-power-seeks-100mw-community-solar-project-111016
Florida’s voters realized Amendment 1 for what it was, a piece of proposed legislation that appeared to be solar friendly but really would have limited people’s options for installing solar p...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/floridans-vote-down-anti-solar-amendment-1-111016
Two sites in Wisconsin, one in La Crosse County and another at an abandoned landfill in Eau Claire, will host 1-megawatt community solar farms. The farms are being built by California’s Pristin...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/largest-community-solar-project-wisconsin-110916
The University of California, Berkeley, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have developed new perovskite solar cells that achieve an average steady-state efficiency of 18.4 percent, with a...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/uc-berkeley-lbl-perovskite-solar-cell-20percent-efficient-110816
Boulder will go 100 percent renewable by 2030 and it looks like the cheapest way to do it is to create it's own utility!
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/boulder-could-save-100m-with-renewable-utility-110816
Arcadia Power announced that it will offer a “Solar Savings Subscription” service, a first of its kind, nationwide community solar platform. The service allows customers throughout the countr...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/arcadia-brings-community-solar-nationwide-online-platform-110716
Over the next three years SunPower will donate more than 2 megawatts of its solar panels to provide enough panels to power roughly 550 homes. That’s through a new partnership with GRID Alternat...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunpower-partners-grid-alternatives-110716
By the end of the week, the US should have some idea about the direction of the country for the next four years. Currently, the solar industry seems to be chugging along even amidst controversies...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/week-in-review-hulk-musk-florida-amendment-1-110716
Soon, Canada will be known as the great green north. The US’s northern neighbor announced that its government is going 100 percent renewable by 2025, making it one of the first federal governme...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/canada-government-goes-100-percent-renewable-110416
German auto manufacturer Mercedes-Benz is plugging into the North American residential and commercial energy storage market. Mercedes-Benz announced that it will release residential battery modul...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/mercedes-benz-plugs-into-solar-batteries-us-110416
Already Miami-based Origis Energy, has a portfolio of over 600 megawatts of completed solar projects worldwide. Now the company will expand that portfolio of projects, thanks in part to raising $...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/florida-origis-energy-100m-expand-solar-business-110416
He isn’t as green in real life, but it doesn’t keep Hulk/Bruce Bannon portrayer Mark Ruffalo from being a greenie. Recently he and Native Renewables presented Standing Rock Sioux protesting t...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/hulk-green-power-ruffalo-solar-standing-rock-110316
Schools are a great place to install solar power. Alta Energy is on its way to helping Poway Unified School District (PUSD) save $250,000 annually in energy costs through a power purchase agreeme...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/alta-energy-solar-modular-classrooms-saves-250k-110316
Energy storage is becoming a big issue in the solar industry. Now Stanford University scientists are using photovoltaics to turn water into a chemical capable of storing 30 percent of the sun’s...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/stanford-engineers-use-solar-store-30percent-sun-hydrogen-110316
MCE has announced a power purchase agreement (PPA) to buy the initial 40 megawatts of electricity from the first phase of construction of First Solar’s Little Bear Solar Project in Fresno Count...
carbon emissions would rise 16 percent more after two terms under Trump than under Clinton, according to analysis from Lux Research. The firm found that Clinton’s plans, which include massive s...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/trump-higher-emissions-than-clinton-lux-110216
Florida is the Sunshine State, but utilities aren’t making it easy for the state’s residents to take advantage of the sun to power their homes. That’s because utilities are supporting the c...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/florida-amendment-1-most-contentious-solar-policy-elections-110216
The Snake River Alliance, a nuclear watchdog and clean energy advocacy organization, organized a solarize campaign in southwestern Idaho’s Treasure Valley about six months ago. Through the camp...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/idaho-solarize-valley-campaign-nets-800k-solar-investments-110116
Con Edison proposed its “Shared Solar Pilot Program” to install up to 11 megawatts of solar power over 5 years on more than 40 of its buildings' rooftops. The solar arrays will provide electr...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/con-edison-solar-proposal-benefits-low-income-customers-nyc-110116
Right now students at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) are making a new vehicle at the Prototype Vehicles Laboratory (PROVE Lab) that they hope will be the fastest solar-powered...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/students-cal-poly-solar-powered-car-prove-110116
DTE Energy and General Motors have completed a 900-kilowatt solar array at GM’s Warren Transmission plant in Warren, MI, making it the largest solar installation at a GM facility in the state.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/general-motors-greener-900kws-solar-array-michigan-103116
Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveiled the new Tesla and SolarCity solar roof, in not one, but four unique styles, which are designed to look like traditional roofing. At the same time, he unveiled the Tes...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/tesla-introduces-solar-roof-103116
With 153 new gigawatts of renewables like wind and solar power installed in 2015, the world saw more renewable energy installed in 2015 than coal power installed, for the first time, ever! It als...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarreviews-week-in-review-renewables-beat-coal-103116
Vivint Solar and NBA franchise Utah Jazz teamed up to install more than 2,700 rooftop solar panels on the Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. The 80,000 square foot, $125 million arr...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nba-utah-jazz-slam-dunks-solar-102816
New York’s Department of Public Services published its recommendations to state regulators for rooftop solar power and other distributed energy resources (DERs). The publication was heralded by...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new-yore-introduces-solar-growth-roadmap-102816
Royal DSM, Sungevity, SolarAid and partners are challenging people to create solutions that will accelerate the adoption of renewable energy to 100 percent of the world’s energy supply through ...
To gain greater economies of scale and reduce the costs of equipment Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island partnered on the three-state Clean Energy RFP approved seven wind and solar projec...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new-england-states-procure-460-mws-renewables-102716
The US is still the world’s most attractive market for renewable energy investments. That’s according to the bi-annual EY Renewable energy country attractiveness index (RECAI).
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/us-remains-most-attractive-country-wind-solar-investments-102716
On Aug. 12, 2016, roughly 265,000 Green Mountain Power customers in Vermont collectively saved $200,000. Even though they probably don’t know it, that’s thanks to the 2-megawatt Stafford Hill...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/vermont-solar-farm-energy-storage-saves-200k-one-hour-102616
It’s already expected the US will fail to make its goals under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. That’s why the Center for Biological Diversity today (Oct. 26) urged Obama to install sol...
LG has quickly made a name for itself across the world with its electronics. Now, it’s entering the residential energy storage business thanks to a new partnership with Sunrun.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunrun-brings-lg-energy-storage-to-us-homes-102616
With 153 gigawatts of new, renewable energy installed across the world in 2015, renewable energy surpassed coal-fired electric generation for the first time. Led by record levels of both wind and...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/world-installed-153-gws-renewables-2015-beating-coal-102516
Dominion Energy’s Dominion Virginia announced that construction is now underway on new utility-scale solar projects in Isle of Wight, Louisa and Powhatan counties that will produce enough elect...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/dominion-virginia-installing-56mws-solar-projects-102516
A cross-Atlantic team from Stanford and Oxford Universities has produced a dual-layer, perovskite crystal-based solar cell that’s 20.3 percent efficient in laboratory testing. That’s nearly a...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/stanford-oxford-20percent-efficient-perovskite-solar-cell-102516
Solar farms are popping up across rural Iowa like new crops thanks to member-owned utility co-ops. Famers Electric Cooperative (FEC) and Iowa Wind and Solar completed the second phase of a 2-mega...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/rural-iowa-farmers-electric-cooperative-increases-reenwable-102416
Just like importing fruits and veggies, Invenergy is proposing importing energy to Long Island, a lot of it. The renewable energy developer just announced a new proposal for Long Island that woul...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/inveergy-proposes-700mws-wind-solar-long-island-102416
It’s election season and in one state solar is on the ballot. In another solar will replace coal plants. Meanwhile, the nation’s biggest box stores have swapped solar leadership places, peer-...
Wisconsin’s Public Service Commission (PSC) is transferring $7.7 million in funds for renewable energy loans to solar rebate programs for homes, businesses and non-profits. The rebates will off...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/wisconsin-turns-renewable-loans-into-solar-rebates-102116
This past week Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) announced two new solar projects in the state as he updated the state’s 2014 Energy Plan. The new installations include a 20-megawatt solar farm...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/virginia-getting-solar-makeover-102116
In Florida, the battle for rooftop solar power and the ability to go solar is up for fierce debate as voters will decide whether or not to approve Amendment 1, a misleading piece of solar legisla...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/florda-solar-advocates-fight-amendment-1-102116
Universities are moving renewable energy solutions, research and practical applications forward in all sorts of ways from technology to financing. Case in point, MIT partnered to purchase power p...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/mit-ma-orgs-fund-massive-solar-farm-north-carolina-102016
The Department of Energy announced today (Oct. 20) that it would invest $21.4 million through the SunShot Initiative to fund 17 new projects aimed at reducing the soft costs of solar power.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/does-invests-21m-reduce-soft-costs-solar-102016
The new McKnight Lane Affordable Housing Development in Waltham, VT, transformed an old mobile home park into a zero energy, low-income housing development that includes solar power and energy st...
Home sharing saves travelers money and offers a way for guests and hosts to reduce their carbon footprint with sustainable vacation or business trip choices. That's why solar provider, SolarCity ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/aiirbnb-solarcity-partner-discounted-solar-power-101916
For years now Walmart has lead the US in terms of businesses with installed solar but this year Target—its chief rival—has unseated the retail giant. With 147.5 megawatts of solar installed, ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/target-unseats-walmart-most-solar-company-us-101916
New York’s first community solar project is online! The 359-kilowatt solar array will produce power for more than 3 dozen residents in New York’s Tompkins, Steuben and Schuyler counties who h...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new-york-first-community-solar-project-completed-101916
Scientists from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Korea, Japan and Switzerland partnered to help perovskite solar cells become competitive. Perovskite solar cells are garnering int...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/international-group-propose-commercial-perovskite-solar-101816
The US's investment of $4.6 billion in five giant solar projects 100 megawatts or larger has led to 45 additional privately financed utility-scale PV projects.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/doe-investment-utility-scale-solar-private-financing-101816
Yesterday (Oct. 17) Tesla and Panasonic announced a non-binding, long-term partnership under which Panasonic will collaborate on manufacturing producing photovoltaic (PV) cells and solar modules ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/tesla-solarcity-partnet-panasonic-solar-production-101816
Last week the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) launched two new working groups to help grow the solar industry more. The new working groups will focus on safety and workforce developmen...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-industry-forms-working-groups-grow-solar-101716
Minnesota is becoming a major player in the renewable energy market. Recently the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) unanimously approved Xcel Energy’s 15-year energy plan, which would...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/minnesota-xcel-energy-retire-coal-plants-add-in-renewables-101716
Last week in solar and renewables President Obama teamed up with sports leagues and teams to help fight climate change. But that’s just a small smattering of the news in solar. Read on for more...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarreviews-solar-week-inreview-obama-sports-more-101716
ENGIE North America, with subsidiary Mt. Tom Solar, broke ground on a 5.76-megawatt community solar farm in Holyoke, MA, on property which was once home to the coal-burning Mt. Tom Power Station.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/engie-mt-tom-solar-community-solar-massachusetts-101416
New York’s Gov., Andrew Cuomo (D), announced a new, $10 million investment in new and existing clean energy incubators. Previous incubators have already created more than 1,000 jobs in the stat...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new-york-supporting-clean-tech-companies-solar-10-million-101416
The Navy and the California Energy Commission (CEC) partnered to expand the amount of renewable energy the Navy and Marines have in the state. While details of some of the projects are not yet re...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/california-navy-partner-renewable-energy-101416
The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) is focussing on empowering women and diversity within the solar industry with a new series of discussions and will host its first event on the West ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/seia-women-empowerment-series-san-francisco-101316
Stanford University upgraded its commitment to solar energy by installing solar arrays on 16 of its buildings and the construction of a 67-megawatt solar farm for its energy needs are near comple...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/stanford-campus-wide-solar-expansion-on-time-101316
This week Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and former Vice President Al Gore were on hand in Florida campaigning at Miami-Dade College where they discussed solar power, climate c...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/miami-clinton-gore-for-solar-against-amendment-1-101316
The exciting atmosphere of professional sporting arenas are increasingly becoming high profile demonstrations of how environmentally sustainable design and practices can be integrated into an ele...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sacramento-kings-solar-powered-arena-101216
With 75.6 points out of a possible 100, San Francisco topped WalletHub’s listing of green cities in the US. It was followed closely by Honolulu, HI, which achieved 74.5 points out of the total ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/san-francisco-honolulu-wallethub-top-green-cities-101216
Fluidic Energy will install its zinc-air energy storage system at a home in Scottsdale, Ariz. It’s a first for the company in North America even though it’s based in Arizona and has deployed ...
Last week the Institute for Energy Research, an organization funded in part by the Koch Brothers and fossil fuel industry. But now the Centers for Biological Diversity have fought back against th...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/center-biological-diversity-fights-misleading-solar-report-101116
Through the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change, the Canadian government will implement a nationwide tax on carbon emissions in all provinces and territories by 2018, with t...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/canada-announces-emmissions-plan-toward-clean-energy-101116
The third quarter of 2016 was strong for the solar industry, raising $3 billion in investments nearly double the $1.7 billion in the second quarter. However, Mercom's Q3 2016 Solar Funding and M&...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-industry-nets-3billion-investments-thrid-quarter-101116
Last week the White House celebrated the first Green Sports Day on Oct. 6 with the White House launching a number of new actions with these partners to help green sports.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sports-teams-white-house-tackle-climate-change-101016
Borrego Solar Systems is launching an energy storage division. The division will focus on developing and constructing megawatt-sized energy storage systems as stand-alone units or devices to help...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/borrego-launches-energy-storage-disivion-support-growth-101016
A new World Energy Scenarios report, The Grand Transition, found that the even as the demand for electricity worldwide will double by 2060, wind and solar power could provide up to 39 percent of ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-wind-much-world-energy-2060-101016
Only a handful of utilities have a gigawatt of solar power in their electric grid and today (Oct. 7) that handful got a little larger as Arizona’s APS announced that it passed the threshold. It...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/arizona-aps-passes-1-gigawatt-solar-100716
A new 135-kilowatt solar array and a 120-kilowatt energy storage system at Blisterpak’s manufacturing and distribution center in Commerce, CA, is expected to save the company $42,000 a year in ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/blisterpak-save-42k-yearly-solar-energy-storage-100616
This year five members of Congress will receive the SEIA Solar Champion Award from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). In addition, it’s also awarding solar champion Sen. Harry Reid...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/seia-5-members-congress-solar-champions-100616
Four co-op utilities representing rural areas in Tennessee, Colorado and Kansas have joined the Solar Utility Network Deployment Acceleration (SUNDA). Each has committed to develop utility-scale ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/four-co-ops-join-sunda-developing-new-solar-project-100616
The single most significant international agreed upon recognition of climate change requiring countries across the world to take action, the Paris Climate Change Agreement, will go into effect! T...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/paris-climate-agreement-becomes-effective-100616
The US has more than 10 gigawatts of solar power in development and now, according to the latest research from GTM Research's Utility PV Tracker, 11 states currently have more than 500 megawatts ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nearly-half-us-states-200mws-solar-underway-100516
Dallas-based utility, TXU Energy partnered with SunPower to offer an instant rebate of $2,000 to $5,000 to its customers who purchase SunPower solar arrays for their homes through the end of 2016...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/txu-energy-sunpower-instant-rebate-plan-home-solar-100516
The Department of Energy (DOE) introduced the latest installment of its annual Revolution…Now report, which shows how clean energy technologies, like wind, and solar are proliferating the US, a...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/revolution-now-report-doe-highlights-clean-energy-100516
Gensler and Toyota of Corvallis in Oregon are collaborating to build one of the car industry’s first fully sustainable, solar-powered facilities. The net zero energy building will produces at l...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/toyota-corvallis-cuts-ribbon-net-zero-solar-dealership-100416
The United Kingdom is more known for cloudy days than sunny ones, and it offers a stark contrast to the sunny days experienced in the US southwest. Yet the country sourced more of its power from ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-outshines-coal-uk-half-2016-100416
Tesla Elon Musk offered teasers about the company’s plans going forward, when he said: “It’s a solar roof as opposed to a module on a roof.” But now it looks like ZEP, a Dutch company wil...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/zep-beats-musk-to-integrated-solar-roof-tile-100416
California’s SunCulture Solar Inc. has announced that it will release its full sized SolPad series of plug-and-play photovoltaic panels in 2017. In what is likely a first in solar technology, t...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunculture-plug-and-play-solar-panels-2017-100316
Last week IRENA held the third International Off-Grid Renewable Energy Conference (IOREC) in Nairobi, Kenya, where it disclosed that off-grid renewables could provide the majority of electric gen...
The University of Tulsa (UT), in partnership with Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO), has completed one of the state’s largest rooftop solar installations on the university’s Case Tenni...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/university-tulsa-stellar-solar-example-oklahoma-100116
The merger between Tesla Motors and SolarCity isn’t complete yet. Though SolarCity is already seeing some shakeups, it’s still rolling forward and in just over two weeks it has raised more th...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-raises-over-half-billion-ahead-tesla-merger-093016
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced the completion of the 35,000th residential solar installations on Long Island. These installations have reduced carbon emissions by 200,000 tons yearly, d...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ny-gov-cuomo-35000-residential-solar-long-island-093016
Students in Northern and Central California will have a chance to build We Share Solar Suitcases that will give Kenyans access to clean electricity and lighting. Students at 19 high schools in PG...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/california-high-schools-build-solar-for-kenya-093016
SunPower and Colton Joint Unified School District (CJUSD) in Colton, CA, announced a partnership to install SunPower Helix carport systems at 28 schools estimated to cover 73 percent of the distr...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/colton-ca-schools-73percent-solar-0929216
Once again it’s time for the National Solar Tour! It’s a chance for people around the country to visit their neighbors’ solar-powered and energy efficient homes to see, hear and learn more ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/rooftop-solar-national-solar-tour-ases-092916
The average installed cost for residential solar is now at $2.93 per watt in the first quarter of 2016. That’s according to the latest U.S. Solar Photovoltaic System Cost Benchmark Q1 2016 just...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/residential-solar-costs-fall-below-3-per-watt-nrel-092916
Last week during Climate Week NYC New York City’s Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the amount of solar power in the city has nearly quadrupled since he took office. However, that’s small p...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new-york-city-sets-1gw-solar-goal-2030-092816
The team of students majoring in architectural and building technology and interior design from Embry-Riddle and Daytona State College (Team Daytona Beach) are bringing their BEACH from concept t...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/team-daytona-beach-house-solar-decathlon-2017-092816
In Minnesota NRG Energy said that it has broken ground on its first five community solar projects in Minnesota, totaling 29.1 megawatts of solar power in Xcel energy’s service area. It also ann...
Ever since President Obama initiated his climate change proposal called for the replacing coal-fired energy production in the US with renewable energy, coal workers have been leery of the solar i...
A suit against Obama’s Clean Power Plan, which requires states to cut their power generation emissions 32-percent by 2030, is being heard in the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit. Environm...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/obama-clean-power-plan-goes-back-to-court-092716
The Land Art Generator Initiative is introducing illustrations and concepts aimed at showing how renewable and sustainable energy sources can meet the nation’s needs. They also showed a map of ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/california-map-shows-little-land-needed-renewables-092616
SolSmart announced that 22 communities across the US achieved SolSmart status from the Department of Energy’s SunShot Initiative. The program recognizes cities, towns and counties for making it...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solsmart-recognizes-22-communities-making-solar-easier-092616
California solar energy project developer and owner, SolarReserve has been awarded a grant by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency initializing the study and development of its “Urban Solar Fa...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarreserve-studies-urban-solar-farm-south-africa-092416
In less than a year, Duke Energy’s South Carolina solar rebate program has already issued nearly $5 million in rebates to customers. Already more than 750 residential and more than 35 businesse...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/due-energy-rebates-beat-expectations-092316
This week Albuquerque, NM, announced that 25 percent of its city facilities will use solar power by 2025. The announcement came as Environment America expanded the Shining Cities campaign to conv...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Albuquerque-25-percent-power-solar-092316
Nevada’s Public Utilities Commission (PUC) reversed an order allowing homeowners with solar to get the net-metered payments they expected. But that wasn’t enough for the Bring Back Solar Alli...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/pressure-nevada-reinstate-solar-net-metering-092216
Apple announced that it joined the RE100 initiative with a pledge to source 100 percent of its energy from green sources and to help its suppliers to do as well. Already it’s making good on tha...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/apple-50mw-solar-project-arizona-bite-green-energy-092216
To cut the costs of solar farther SMASHsolar has introduced a new, direct mount system for installing solar power. The company said that it can halve the amount of time it takes to install a syst...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/smashsolar-introduces-solar-legos-mounting-system-092116
SunPower, a vertically integrated solar company is clearly bringing technology from science fiction films to the real world with the latest generation of its Oasis platform for solar projects wit...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunpower-streamlines-solar-with-drones-robots-092216
The RE100 initiative is gaining steam. At Climate Week NYC this week already 10 companies from Apple to VF Corp (owner of The North Face, Timberland and other lifestyle companies) to Bank of Amer...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/apple-vf-corp-pthers-green-energy-re100-092116
The United States military is once again testing innovative solar technology in the field to improve the safety and capabilities of its personnel on the front lines. This time the Air Force is te...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/air-force-tests-solar-microgrid-fobs-092016
On Sept. 19 the Abu Dhabi Electricity and Water Authority (ADWEA) announced a new low for solar power, 2.42 cents per kilowatt hour. That’s the lowest bid yet for a project in the world.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-poet-reaches-new-low-might-be-good-092016
Team Gamera, an undergraduate group of students and faculty advisors from the Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland, successfully designed, constructed and tested the first hu...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/university-maryland-creates-solar-powered-helicopter-091916
The Navy and Georgia Power completed a new 30 MW solar farm at Naval Submarine Base (SUBASE) in Kings Bay near St. Marys, GA. The new project is on-base and is the first of more than 150 MWs of p...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/navy-base-georgic-goes-solar-30mw-farm-091916
Solar energy developer and financier, Standard Solar, announced that it has 35 commercial-scale rooftop solar projects comprising 9 megawatts of solar power in urban areas like New York City and ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/standard-solar-overcomes-urban-rooftop-solat-challenges-091716
Nevadans with solar rooftops breathed a collective sigh of relief today as it was announced that they will again receive the benefits of net-metering, allowing them to receive the incentives they...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nevada-utility-comission-reinstates-net-metering-091616
General Motors, one of the world’s largest automotive manufacturers, says that by 2050 all of its electricity will come from solar, wind, landfill gas and other renewable energy sources by 2050...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/gm-goes-green-auto-giant-sourcing-energy-renewables-2050-091616
With almost 7,000 customers and nearly 100 MW of community solar power from projects already online or in stages of advanced development, community solar provider, SunShare, announced a rollout o...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunshade-rolls-out-community-solar-services-091616
Yesterday (Sept. 14) The Department of Energy announced three new efforts to help advance solar technologies by funding 40 projects with $42 million in funding and up to $65 million in future fun...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/energy-department-40-projects-advance-solar-107m-091516
Solar panels continue to get better, more durable and longer lasting. But they can still get better. That’s why the national labs are forming a new consortium, the Durable Module Materials (Dur...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nrel-constortium-improve-solar-panels-091516
As the solar energy boom continues to sweep the US, the issue of environmental waste once solar products have reached their end of life is becoming a more pressing question. It’s becoming an is...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sea-solar-players-stride-recycling-091616
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recently released the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP). However, clean energy advocates are arguing that the new plan will effectively end dep...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/blm-plan-stop-new-clean-energy-federal-land-advocates-091416
Whole Foods Market, the natural grocery juggernaut, recently announced plans to retrofit roughly 100 of its stores with rooftop solar by 2017. the grocer’s rapid rollout of solar power has gene...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/whole-foods-model-rapid-solar-rollout-praised-091316
SolarCity announced that it raised $305 million to support its growth across the US. The announcement comes before Tesla’s purchase of SolarCity is complete. The latest transaction is a cash eq...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarcity-raises-305million-before-tesla-takeover-091316
Spruce Finance added a solar loan to its portfolio of home solar offerings along with the introduction of its new SpruceFlow platform. The product and service adds to Spruce’s existing offering...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/spruce-adds-portfolio-solar-financing-options-solar-loan-091316
As both solar power and wildfires increase in the west, the latter is having an impact on the former, finds a new report from environmental measurement firm Vaisala. What’s more is that the two...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/wildfires-could-cloud-solar-producction-091216
Energy storage systems, when coupled with a solar power array, can help system users save money on their energy bills, continue to grow. Case in point, in New England Enersave said that it will i...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/enersave-sbnnebatterie-energy-storage-solar-homeowners-091216
In the second quarter of 2016 the US installed 2,051 megawatts of photovoltaic (PV) solar panels, a record for the quarter and a 43 percent increase over the same quarter in 2015 and 26 percent o...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/us-more-2-gws-solar-second-quarter-2016-091216
As renewable energy like solar power is growing in the US energy storage is becoming more important. It provides an energy hedge against fluctuation on the grid and fluctuation of energy prices. ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/us-deploys-41mws-energy-storage-2q-2016-090916
There is a solar power movement taking place in the Southeastern US. Case in point, BayWa r.e., a subsidiary of Germany’s BayWa is partnering with solar power developer Geenex Solar to develop ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/germany-baywa-geenex-partner-350mws-solar-nc-va-090916
REC Solar, through its parent company Duke Energy, is allowing SolarWorld’s commercial solar partners access to its $225 million financing fund and other support resources to speed up the devel...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/rec-solar-solarworld-parrtner-finance-commercial-solar-080816
This past weekend President Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping officially signed the Paris Agreement on climate change with UN Secretary Ban Ki-moon. With that the world’s two largest econo...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/us-china-ratify-paris-agreeement-climate-change-090816
The future of solar power in the US is closer than ever with Solar Power International 2016 around the corner. The location of this year’s conference is indicative of some of the challenges fac...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/seia-gtm-discuss-the-future-of-solar-advocacy-ahead-of-spi
Famed actor James Earl Jones, best known for his roles in Field of Dreams and as the voice of Darth Vader in Star Wars, will present a segment on solar power on Front Page, a short documentary se...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/vader-voice-brighter-solar-power-front-page-090716
Over time solar power helps provide stabilized energy costs, offering investors a releatively stable return on investments, but there’s still some risk as to a solar array’s energy production...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/kwh-analytics-powerlock-solar-production-guarantee-090716
Sharp entered the solar energy plus storage market in New Mexico in an impactful way, by installing an energy storage system at the Roadrunner Food Bank. The new installation couples two 30 kilow...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sharp-affordable-solar-storage-food-bank-090616
On the whole, the southern US isn’t considered a stronghold for solar power. But solar power is beneficial to those who have installed in the region. That’s why the Southern Environmental Law...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sec-launches-stories-of-solar-090616
The first carbon neutral automotive dealership in the world is Cleveland Ohio’s Motorcars Honda, which was recognized by British Petroleum (BP) for the achievement. Among its efforts it install...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/honda-motorcars-first-carbon-neutral-car-dealership-090516
Pine Gate Renewables partnered with New Energy Capital Partners to create a $20 million fund for solar projects in North and South Carolina as well as Oregon. The project financing could support ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/pine-gate-renewables-20million-solar-projects-carolinas-090616
Cenergy Power just completed its newest collaboration with cold storage company Western Precooling Systems by engineering, designing and installing a 568 kilowatt roof solar array at its Oxnard, ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/western-precooling-systems-solar-4-installations-090516
A booming industry quickly dropped 93 percent when Nevada's utility commission ended net metering. It's revisiting net-metering now but kicked SolarCity out of the proceedings.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nevada-grandfathering-saga-continues-solarcity-090216
North Central College in Naperville, IL, is going solar thanks in part to a recent partnership with the Billion Dollar Green Challenge. The college is installing a 538.56 kilowatt solar array wit...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/illinois-north-central-college-solar-array-green-challenge-090216
The California State University system is going big on solar power. It’s been adding in solar power in large amounts across of its campuses. Now it announced it’s latest project, a 4.8 megawa...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/california-state-university-long-beach-solar-carport-090116
Boulder, CO, Mayor Suzanne Jones announced that her city will source all of its electricity from clean energy sources like wind and solar power by 2030. Jones made the announcement at a Ready for...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/boulder-commits-100-percent-clean-energy-090116
NREL used a supercomputer to investigate how the eastern US’s electric grid could handle up to 30 percent of its power coming from wind and solar power.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/noel-supercomputer-eastern-us-30-percent-renewables-083116
Florida’s voters—by a 73 percent margin!—supported Amendment 4 to end tax liabilities for home and business solar installations in the state. The amendment will make it easier to support so...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/florida-add-solar-tax-break-constitution-083116
Last week Vivint Solar announced that it was entering one of the US’s richest states for solar power, Florida. It becomes one of the first large, multi-state rooftop solar third-party ownership...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/vivint-solar-enters-Florida-082916
The Smart Electric Power Alliance’s (SEPA’s) 2016 Solar Power Player Awards recognizes utilities, companies and individuals who are innovating and collaborating to expand the use of distribut...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/pepco-clean-energy-collective-sepa-solar-power-players-083116
“Let’s brew up some more solar in New Hampshire,” could have been a slogan at last week’s ceremonial bill signing to lift the state’s cap on net metering. After all NH Gov. Maggie Hassa...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new-hampshire-gov-hassan-signs-net-metering-throwback-083016
Community solar is the buzzword these days but California’s Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) just issued a request for proposals for 75 megawatts of small to mid-sized renewable energy proje...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/peg-regional-renewable-choice-customer-program-083016
Washington, DC, recently increased its renewable portfolio standard (RPS) target to 50 target by 2032 requiring 5 percent of it to come from solar power at that point. However, the EIA found that...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/dc-ambitious-renewable-requirements-short-onsolar-082916
As students return to California State University, Chico, they’ll find they’re now able to charge their mobile devices and their laptops via a solar charging station designed and built by stu...
The Swedish furniture is installing some of the most massive rooftop solar arrays by installing a 1.18 megawatt solar array on its upcoming in Renton, WA, which will serve the Seattle area. When ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ikea-installing-washington-state-rooftop-solar-082616
The Southern Ute Tribe will soon have a 1.3 megawatt solar array, the Oxford Solar Project, to power some of its buildings in Ignacio, CO. The solar farm will offset roughly 15 percent of the tri...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/southern-ute-soon-enjoy-solar-power-082616
The largest solar power conference in North America, Solar Power International (SPI) is returning to Las Vegas, starting Sept 12 and running through Sept. 15. It’s an event that brings the indu...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-pore-international-announces-keynote-agenda-082616
The Solar Decathlon is coming Denver! In 2017 the Department of Energy will bring the olympics of solar power, the Solar Decathlon, to Denver from Oct. 5 through Oct. 15. It’s also the first ti...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-decathlon-new-contests-sets-denver-dates-2017-082516
The National Park Service is now 100 years old and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is helping the park service move into its second century by greening its energy supply with sola...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/us-parks-100-years-young-nrel-helping-082516
The median cost of residential solar power in the US reached $4.10 per watt in 2015, down from roughly $7 per watt in 2010. That’s according to the latest figures from the Lawrence Berkeley Nat...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-power-costs-all-time-low-us-082416
REI’s new distribution center in Goodyear, AZ is part of the outdoor retail giant’s goal to achieve net-zero energy use thanks to its 2.2 megawatt (MW) rooftop system that offsets 100 percent...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/rei-distribution-center-2mw-solar-array-net-zero-082416
One might expect California to be the leader in solar power in the US and they’d be right. But the state that’s in second place—particularly in terms of third-party owned solar might be a s...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/north-carolina-solar-leader-small-power-producers-082416
The Department of Energy (DOE) recently allowed Colorado to use Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) funds to install rooftop solar on low-income homes, becoming the first state allowed to do ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/colorado-first-weatherization-install-solar-low-income-082316
Home and commercial solar services provide Sungevity announced that its foundation, sungevity.org, has raised more than $2 million to support more than 100 nonprofits, ranging from The Sierra Clu...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sungevity-raises-2million-for-nonprofits-082216
Today (Aug. 22) Wiki-Solar announced that 2016 will likely be another record year for utility-scale solar power and could see as many as 100 gigawatts (GWs) of newly installed solar projects over...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/world-could-see-100gws-utility-scale-082216
Electric producers in the US have significantly reduced emissions of key air pollutants by 15 percent between 2005 and 2014 and may have dropped another 6 percent in 2015. That’s despite a grow...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/us-emissions-down-solar-wind-renewables-071416
Last week US Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) introduced a bill with bipartisan cosponsored by Dean Heller( R-NV) and others to create investment tax credits (ITC) for energy storage systems like b...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/bipartisan-senators-propose-itc-energy-storate-071916
Today SolarCity announced that it has raised $345 million more to finance its growing growing business. It’s expanded its debt facility by $110 million. Both of which mean the residential and c...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarcity-raises-455m-ahead-of-tesla-buyout-071816
Fort Hood in Texas will soon get all of its electric needs from wind and solar sources. That’s thanks to a recently signed power-purchase agreement for 65.8 megawatts of energy, with 40 percent...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/fort-hood-getting-40percent-energy-from-wind-solar-projects-072316
Facebook announced the first flight of Aquila, a solar-powered autonomous flying wing that will be able to beam the internet to users from 60,000 feet in the air across a 60 mile diameter for mon...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/future-internet-wing-solar-facebook-072116
More than half of all the electricity used at the General Motors Orion assembly plant—where the company is producing the Chevy Bolt—comes from renewable energy. In fact, fully 54 percent of p...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/gm-bolt-assembly-plant-more-50-percent-green-energy-072816
In what’s likely to be one of the largest battery installations to date Tucson Electric Power will use the 10 megawatt Iron Horse Battery Energy Storage Project and a 2 MW solar array to help m...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/tuscon-10mw-battery-storage-system-072616
Sungevity made two, concordant major announcements, that it will merge with Easterly Acquisition Corp. and become a publicly traded company. The move will help residential solar company Sungevity...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sungevity-merger-public-company-062916
NY Green Bank closed a $25 million loan allowing Sunrun to cover the up-front cost of materials and construction for over 5,000 residential solar projects in New York state. The loan follows a pr...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ny-green-bank-finances-sunrun-loan-062816
There’s still a lot for people to learn about the opportunity community solar promises, so the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and the Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA) int...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/community-solar-consumer-guide-released-070116
Just three companies First Solar, SunEdison and SunPower account for 44 percent of the operations and maintenance providers in the US according to IHS’s recently released Solar EPC and O&M Prov...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/three-companies-maintain-solar-us-063016
The World Bank Group announced a new collaboration on June 30 with the International Solar Alliance (ISA), which will result in $1 trillion in solar investments by 2030. The World Bank also signe...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/world-bank-boosts-solar-india-partnership-isa-070416
More than 90 percent of utility and stakeholders anticipate that distributed energy, like rooftop solar power, will cause a major change to utility business models. Rooftop solar is expected to b...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/rooftop-solar-distributed-energy-change-for-utilities-061416
Research from the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory show that perovskite solar cells, one of the newer solar technologies being explored, could reach efficiency level...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/perovskite-solar-could-reach-31percent-efficiency-070616
the Connecticut Green Bank used the state’s Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) program and the CT Solar Lease Commercial program, to finance and install the state’s largest so...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/connecticut-green-bank-largest-commercial-roof-pace-071216
Last week BMW announced that it’s getting into the home battery market. Instead of just offering a brand new battery system like Tesla’s Powerwall, BMW is offering people a chance to recycle ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/bmw-enters-solar-home-energy-storage-market-062816
More than 200,000 US homes had photovoltaic solar panels on them at the end of 2015. In 2010, only about 54,000 homes had solar panels. What’s more the report found that the trend is curving up...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/residential-solar-activity-up-300-percent-071116
It might sound odd that a solar power company is focussed on oil and gas extraction, but that’s what GlassPoint Solar is focussed on and now it’s been named one of World Economic Forum’s Te...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/glasspoint-solar-world-economic-forum-technology-pioneer-062716
Rooftop solar power jumped to 5,434 megawatts at the end of 2015 from 3,612 megawatts at the end of 2014. While the 1,822 megawatts of new rooftop solar installed last year was impressive, the ut...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-market-snapshot-finds-rooftop-solar-50percent-growth-072716
Environmental Leader, a sustainability publication, named SunPower’s Cradle to Cradle Certified E-Series and X-Series solar panels as one of its Products of the Year. The solar panels are produ...
Large solar projects need land. It’s the one big impact they have. They can be built on almost anything, from old farmland to old landfills, industrial sites and more offering landowners an ext...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/seia-introduces-land-lease-guide-large-solar-072516
In effort to better inform consumers about the most common residential transactions in the solar industry, Solar Energy Industries Association introduced its new standardized disclosure statement...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/seia-introduces-simplified-disclosure-statements-062416
The states with the greatest amounts of solar power per person are those that are seeing the steepest opposition from utilities. For instance, Nevada, which ranked first among states for solar po...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/top-10-states-solar-under-attack-utilities-072216
New York’s Attorney General has introduced a new guide to help Empire State residents go solar responsibly. The guide is intended to provide information about the various solar options in the s...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new-york-ag-solar-tips-062316
Sunrun continues its run into the summer months with a new $33 million to finance a portfolio of solar renewable energy credits (SRECs), which will help reduce costs for its new residential custo...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunrun-gains-33-million-srec-loan-solar-rooftops-071916
Solar Impulse—the first manned solar-powered airplane capable of flying throughout the night thanks to its batteries—departed from the John F. Kennedy (JFK) airport in New York early on June ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-impulse-leaves-for-spain-062216
The Obama Administration introduced the Clean Energy Savings For All Initiative today (July 19), which aims to expand access to solar power and energy efficiency to low and moderate income commun...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/obama-proposes-clean-energy-savings-for-all-initiative-071916
Earlier this year Europe hit an amazing milestone in solar, surpassing 100 gigawatts of installed solar power across its countries—becoming the first region to do so. It’s a harbinger of 2016...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/world-solar-installations-boom-2016-europe-wanes-062116
Grand Rapids, MI-based Brewery Vivant recently installed a 54 kilowatt solar system atop its brewing facility and The Chapel, its pub. The 192 panel system installed earlier this month is expecte...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/brewery-vivant-toasts-sun-solar-071516
The NY Solar Map and Portal was launched today (June 20) at the 10th Annual NY Solar Summit. The map and portal offers New Yorkers throughout the state detailed information about the solar potent...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new-york-unveils-statewide-solar-map-062016
Over the next 10 years residential energy storage systems (RESS) across the world are expected to boom from under 95 megawatts of systems of annually deployed systems to 3.8 gigawatts of new ener...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/hoe-solar-boom-precede-home-energy-storage-boom-071316
Few things beat concerts in the park on a sunny summer day, but San Diego’s North Park and Home Energy Systems (H.E.S.) found a way by powering the park’s summer concert series with solar pow...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/san-diego-solar-concert-series-061716
In less than a week Southern Company acquired of three large solar farms each in different states. It acquired two solar farms 102 megawatts in size in, one in California, the other in Texas and ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/southern-company-solar-farm-buying-streak-071216
Con Edison is piloting a “virtual power plant” made up of solar-powered homes connected to the grid. That’s thanks to a new partnership with SunPower and Sunverge which will allow more than...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/conedison-sunpower-sunverge-pilot-home-solar-storage-061416
First Solar announced that it will expand production of its Series 5 thin-film photovoltaic modules at its solar power plant in Kulim, Malaysia. In doing so, it also announced that it will halt p...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/first-solar-pushes-thin-film-ends-silicon-070616
Stellar Homes Group of Fort Lauderdale said it will become the first company in southern Florida to install photovoltaic (PV) solar panels as a standard feature on all its new homes in the region...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/stellar-homes-southern-florida-solar-standard-option-061516
Minnesota is about to get a lot more solar. Minnesota utility Minnesota Power just issued a request for proposals (RFP) for up to 300 megawatts each of wind and solar power. The utility said it�...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/minnesota-power-seeks-300mws-solar-wind-072716
Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas made a smart bet by installing the US’s largest rooftop solar array. The 8.3 megawatt behemoth rooftop solar array consists of 26,000 photovoltaic panels and supplies ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/mandalay-bay-bets-sun-largest-solar-rooftop-070816
Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski and other city officials have agreed to transition the city to 100 percent renewable electricity sources, like solar and wind, by 2032 and to reduce the city...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/salt-lake-city-latest-city-commit-100-percent-renewable-072716
In what’s pretty much a win-win-win scenario, MIT has published a new study showing that the impact of more renewable energy on the world will be reduced emissions, improved renewable energy te...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/renewables-cut-costs-emissions-improve-technologies-080916
Landing in Abu Dhabi at 4 in the morning Solar Impulse completed its round the world flight powered only by the sun, breaking records all the way, including the longest duration flight and the fi...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-impulse-completes-solar-powered-flight-world-072616
Apple continues to become more ubiquitous. The tech giant, which sells everything from smartphones to computers and all forms of media and more may soon enter people’s lives by selling its exce...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/apple-cleared-sell-power-solar-080916
In late June Elon Musk’s Tesla Motors made an up to $2.8 billion bid for SolarCity owned by his cousin Lyndon Rive. Last week, almost a month to the SolarCity announcement, Musk announced his �...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/musk-master-plan-part-deux-builds-solar-072516
Homeowners who want to save money on their electric bills by going solar have more financing options than ever. Now, a new partnership between solar financing provider Mosaic and investment firm ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/mosaic-raises-$220m-solar-financing-080816
As more solar power and particularly rooftop comes online utilities will have to keep changing how they charge and reimburse customers with solar power. To help ensure that charges are fair the S...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-advocates-introduce-plan-distributed-grid-072216
First Solar is continuing to expand into community solar power with 121 megawatts of newly announced community solar projects with M+W Energy and other companies.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/first-solar-expanding-commnunity-solar-121mw-projects-080816
Alliant Energy commissioned Wisconsin’s largest solar facility last month in the Town of Beloit. The Rock River Solar project transformed the 17-acre landfill site into a 2.3 megawatt (MW) sola...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/wisconsin-landfill-largest-solar-farm-in-state-072116
Researchers and students at the University of California, Berkley are partnering with non-profit GRID Alternatives to study off-grid solar projects in Nicaragua, Nepal and tribal communities in t...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/uc-berkeley-grid-alternatives-off-grid-developing-nations-080416
Soon rooftops at the University of Massachusetts Amherst will be generating savings for the campus—an estimated $6.2 million in savings over the next 20 years. That will be thanks to eight sola...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/umass-amherst-goes-solar-save-6-million-072116
This week Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo (D) signed into law four clean energy bills that will expand the use of solar power and other renewables in the nation’s tiniest state. The bills expan...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/rhode-island-gov-signs-clean-energy-bills-070816
New research from Fitch Ratings suggest that net-metering could pose potential long-term threats to the creditworthiness of investor-owned utilities. However, the company also suggests that the r...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/report-finds-solar-net-metering-poses-credit-risk-utilties-071916
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) introduced a new renewable energy standard for the state, which was approved by the state’s utility commission. It will require its utilities to source 50 percent...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new-york-approves-50percent-renewable-mandate-080316
Today Vivint Solar and Renovate America announced a new partnership to use property assessed clean energy (PACE) financing to support home solar installations. The financing mechanism will help l...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/vivint-solar-renvate-america-pace-home-solar-071916
SolarCity’s board accepted Tesla’s offer to purchase the company for $2.6 billion, making Tesla not just an electric motor and battery company but a more full-fledged energy company. With the...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarcity-agrees-tesla-buyout-080216
Solar, environmental, consumer groups and other organizations applauded the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission's decision to reject NextEra Energy’s proposed takeover of Hawaiian Electric. Base...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/hawaiian-utilities-reject-utility-buyout-proposal-071716
The Department of Energy’s SunShot Initiative introduced a series of posts under the umbrella of SunShot Spotlight: Solar and Real Estate to help people understand the myriad of opportunities f...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunshot-initiative-focusses-home-solar-080216
More than 40 organizations wrote a letter to Congress requesting that they pass the FAIR Energy Policy Act, which would phase out tax breaks for the fossil fuel industry. Signatories said the ind...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/environmentalists-labor-call-congress-oil-subsidies-071516
In a blow to rooftop solar customers statewide, current and future, net metering was dismantled in the Silver State last December by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) of Nevada, forcing layof...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nevada-energy-proposes-net-metering-grandfather-solar-080116
California’s Independent System Operator (ISO) recorded a new milestone for the state’s electric grid when solar power provided 8,030 megawatts of electricity to California’s homes and busi...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/california-reaches-8-gigawatts-solar-power-071416
Now that the price of solar power is well on its way to reaching the SunShot Initiative’s goal of falling to 6 cents per kilowatt hour the Department of Energy (DOE) is supporting more innovati...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunshot-initiative-supports-new-solar-research-073116
Solar is heating up in San Diego this summer as five fire stations and one maintenance facility in The North County Fire Protection District (NCFPD) covert to solar, allowing the six facilities t...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/san-diego-fire-stations-go-solar-071416
This month 13 Fort Bragg veterans graduated from the Fayetteville Technical Community College’s Solar Ready Vets program in North Carolina. In North Carolina, the solar sector accounted for 5,5...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/north-caroline-vets-graduate-solar-industry-jobs-072916
A new study at Lancaster University and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in the United Kingdom found that solar farms not only are good for the environment because they’re eliminating pollu...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/study-finds-solar-panels-cool-local-climate-071216
Imagine sucking carbon dioxide from the air and making it into fuel for a car with nothing but the power of the sun. That’s what researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago did, and th...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-device-harnesses-carbon-dioxide-fuel-072916
The 100 megawatt (MW) North Star Solar Project was just purchased by D. E. Shaw Renewable Investments, LLC (DESRI) from Community Energy. When completed it will be the largest solar project in th...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/minnesota-joins-100mw-solar-farm-club-071216
New York’s University at Buffalo and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) just won a grant from the Department of Energy’s SunShot Initiative to investigate chalcogenide perovskites.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/university-buffalo-sunshot-pervoskite-grant-072816
Enphase Energy and Pacific Gas & Electric are piloting a program using integrating microinverters for solar panels to control the flow of electricity through grid management. The program is desig...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/enphase-pilots-microinverter-management-pge-071116
Solar Power World’s annual Top 500 Solar Contractors List is out now. It’s the leading magazine list of the nation’s best solar contractors. Behind the list is analysis from SolarReviews.co...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarreviews-analysis-solar-power-world-top-500-contractors-072816
Horizon Solar Power launched “Acts of Sunshine Program,” a community support initiative in Southern California. In the first partnership Horizon is collaborating with The Growing Experience t...
The solar industry keeps evolving. That’s perhaps a key takeaway from Mercom Capital Group’s most recent quarterly Global Funding and M&A Report. The report found that residential and commerc...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/home-commercial-solar-raise-1-4-billion-2q-070716
A new Florida Public Service Commission report revealed that electric generation capacity from renewable energy systems increased 35 percent statewide over the prior year, reaching 107,545 kilowa...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/floridans-gaining-confindence-on-site-solar-070816
The University of California system is now getting 60 megawatts (MWs) of solar power from the Five Points Solar Park. The Fresno County solar farm is supplying about 14 percent of the university ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/university-california-80mws-solar-energy-081916
San Diego Gas & Electric is the first utility in California to meet its limit for net-metering under California’s original rooftop solar subsidy with 90,000 rooftop solar installations in its s...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/san-diego-solar-first-to-reach-net-metering-2-070716
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) just made more information from the “Global Atlas for Renewable Energy” free for download. The atlas has offered comprehensive data to suppor...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/irene-visalia-global-atlas-solar-wind-data-081916
GRID GLA and its team of volunteers and job trainees are installing rooftop solar for 500 low-income families in Los Angeles this summer providing up to 1.6 megawatts (MW) of new rooftop solar in...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/los-angeles-500-pledge-low0income-solar-500-families-070716
Earlier this week NV Energy proposed retiring the Reid Gardner coal plant on Feb. 28, 2017, nearly a year earlier than the Dec. 31, 2017 date it previously planned to close the plant on. The powe...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-replace-coal-nv-energy-081916
Organizations in San Jose came together last week to help Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose save energy, educate youth and provide life and job skill training. The solar company SunPower ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/children-discovery-museum-san-jose-sunpower-070616
Sungevity and partners completed the first phase of a commercial microgrid that includes a 832 kilowatt solar installation. The microgrid was installed at the Ram's Hill Golf Course in Borrego Sp...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/commercial-microgrid-complete-testing-081816
The latest California Green Innovation Index by Next 10 shows that solar has grown 1,378 percent between 2009 and 2014. Moreover all forms of renewable energy and electric vehicles are experienci...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/california-green-innovation-index-1400-solar-growth-070516
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) announced that Hecate Energy, LLC has received a permit to build the Cherrydale Project, a 20 megawatt utility-scale solar facility in Cape Charles. The solar fa...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/virginia-gov-supports-solar-announces-20mw-farm-081816
As the rooftop solar power market matures it’s able to attract more investors. Case in point OneRoof Energy announced that it will sell 19.8 megawatts of its solar project assets through two ne...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/oneroof-energy-selling-20-mws-rooftop-solar-070416
Earlier this month Colorado’s Ascent Solar Technologies debuted its newest EnerPlex thin-film solar chargers at the Outdoor Retailer show. The thin-film solar chargers are flexible and extremel...
New York’s rooftops could provide up to 37.4 percent of the Empire State’s electric needs. That’s one of the findings from a new solar integration study by the New York Independent System O...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/rooftop-solar-supply-third-new-york-energy-070116
1366 Technologies said its Direct Wafer process is able to grow a “three dimensional” wafer or a thin silicon wafer with a thick border, which reduces the amount of silicon required for each ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/1366-technologies-innovates-3d-solar-wafer-081716
Yale created an important new resource to understand how Connecticut’s 169 municipalities are embracing solar power. As such, they also show how other communities are doing and what’s enabled...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/yale-grades-connecticut-solar-063016
Consumers Energy is building its second large-scale solar power plant, a 1 megawatt solar farm, on 8.5 acres of Western Michigan University property. The new project is part Consumers Energy’s ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/michigan-largest-utility-1-mw-community-solar-0811716
As the 2016 presidential elections gain momentum candidates were thrown a new challenge, the Solar Throwdown. The challenge asks candidates to demonstrate clean energy leadership by installing so...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/2016-presidential-solar-throwdown-challenge-063016
Apple announced that its suppliers and manufacturers in Asia are going as green as the company is going with all of its operations. As Apple CEO Tim Cook is touring Asia the company announced tha...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/apple-gets-greener-suppliers-commit-100percent-renewable-081716
The Three Amigos (President Obama, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto) announced that their countries will source 50 percent of their power from clea...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/canada-mexico-us-target-50-percent-clean-energy-2025-062916
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recently reported that polymer solar cells, which can effectively be printed onto sheets akin to printing a newspaper from a long spool o...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/when-will-polymer-solar-roll-out-081616
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the Terrawatt Initiative are leading the Solar Energy Standardisation Initiative. The initiative aims to help spur development of solar proje...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/irena-terrawatt-streamline-solar-projects-062816
In a positive move for the solar industry in Colorado the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (COSEIA), the national Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), Xcel Energy and more than...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/coseia-seia-settlement-colorado-xcel-energy-081616
Denver-based nonprofit Mercy Housing partnered with Promise Energy, Inc. to increase solar energy use across Mercy Housing’s portfolio of affordable housing throughout the US. The partnership w...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/mercy-housing-promise-enegy-low-income-062716
A recent report showcases how 10 US cities committed to 100 percent clean energy and how their decisions are creating local jobs, saving residents money and reducing pollution. It’s the first r...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/report-showcases-10-us-cities-100percent-renewable-081616
SunPower has consistently been a leader in solar power efficiency and today (June 27) it announced that once again it holds the world record for the most efficient silicon-based solar panel. Earl...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunpower-regains-solar-panel-efficiency-record-062716
Today (Aug. 15) the World Bank’s International Finance Corp. (IFC) announced the launch of a web portal to speed development of mini electric grids in Tanzania, which could help up to 9.1 milli...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/tanzania-gets-new-web-portal-solar-microgrids-081516
Dividend Solar and Figtree Financing announced that they were merging and, as a combined entity under Dividend’s name, will already receive up to $200 million from LL Funds to grow the new enti...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/dividend-solar-figtree-merge-pace-home-solar-financing-062416
A new study reveals that community solar projects have the potential to impact between 3 million and 12 million households across the country. However, participation among consumers may lack as c...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/how-tom-make-community-solar-accesible-081216
With places like Big Sky, Montana—even though it’s a more northern state has plenty of options and space for solar power and renewable energy. Governor Steve Bullock’s (D) new plan would do...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/montana-gov-introduces-blueprint-solar-energy-future-062316
George Washington University (GWU) has partnered with Semprius to help bring the next generation of multi-junction photovoltaic cells to light. The university will work to develop PV devices that...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/gwu-semprius-super-efficient-solar-cells-081216
Tesla Motors made a surprise move when it offered to purchase SolarCity. The up to $2.8 billion offer would represent a value of $26.50 to $28.50 per share, which Tesla said is a premium of appro...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/tesla-makes-2-8-billion-bid-solarcity-062216
Elon Musk, already is announcing lofty plans for the residential and commercial solar installing giant, specifically solar roofs. Musk, already SolarCity’s chairman, raised the roof with the in...
The search for the cheaper, greener, more flexible solar cell is on. Now researchers at the Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO) in Spain have developed a new thin-film solar cell using earth ab...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/researchers-create-non-toxic-solar-cells-nanocrystals-062116
The Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) released a request for proposals (RFP) to develop 16 megawatts (MWs) of community solar projects in Rochester, NY, to expand solar access to low and moderate in...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/rmi-rocspot-community-solar-rochester-081116
The International Renewable Energy Agency and the International Energy Agency’s Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme have issued a new report showing the value of materials recovered from end-o...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/irene-recycling-solar-panels-15billion-062016
Solar services company OneRoof Energy just refinanced a portfolio of its residential solar rooftops on 1,611 homes to the tune of $19.8 million. Under the refinancing Greenbacker Renewable Energy...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/oneroof-energy-refinances-12mws-rooftop-solar-081116
Earlier this week Maryland’s Public Service Commission (PSC) approved regulations establishing a community solar pilot program in the state. The pilot has a focus of making sure community solar...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/maryland-community-solar-pilot-061716
NRG Energy has submitted a bid to purchase up to 2.1 gigawatts of wind and solar projects in the US owned by bankrupt SunEdison. Under the filing by SunEdison NRG would pay $144 million for 2.1 g...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nrg-bids-2100mws-sunedison-wind-solar-projects-081116
This summer nearly 550 students from more than 30 California school districts will attend Solar Energy Academy, SunPower’s work-based learning program.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunpower-hosts-solar-energy-academy-high-school-061616
The 2016 American Solar Challenge title goes to the University of Michigan for the sixth time in a row. The team’s Aurum car completed the multi-day, 1,975 mile race on Aug. 6 in 48 hours, 26 m...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/university-michigan-wins-2016-american-solar-challenge-081016
Creating a more efficient solar device is a holy grail of sorts. One of the most promising low-cost technologies are perovskite crystals. Since December 2015 at least two organizations have creat...
New Mexico’s Southwestern Public Service Company (SPS) had proposed a rate hike on its solar customers to the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission. However, Earthjustice,Vote Solar and New M...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/settlement-new-mexico-avoids-hike-solar-customers-081016
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) published a new report today (June 15) showing that the cost of solar photovoltaics will continue to plummet over the next decade—falling anoth...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-costs-drop-60percent-2025-irena-061516
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) signed An Act Relative to Energy Diversity (H. 4568) into law, which, among other things supports renewables and energy storage as well as creates a commercia...
One of Obama's first acts was to create and pass the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, a sweeping piece of legislation signed into law that helped right the U.S. economy. In doing so, he co...
Between May 23 and 24 nearly $200 million in rooftop solar funding was unlocked through two new, separate rounds of financing. In separate announcements Spruce Finance and Vivint Solar announced ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/rooftop-solar-financing-grows-new-funding-rounds-052416
The U.S. is expected to install 41 gigawatts of solar power and 56 gigawatts of wind power by the end of 2021. That’s enough to keep the country on top of the pile for EY’s RECAI (Renewable e...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/us-most-attractive-market-renewable-energy-052616
Of the 8.1 million people who work in renewable energy worldwide more 2.8 million work in solar photovoltaics than in any other renewable energy industry. That’s according to a new report from ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/renewable-energy-supports-8m-jobs-worldwide-most-solar-052516
A recent report from the Investor Responsibility Research Center Institute looked into the lobbying efforts of the U.S.’s 25 largest utilities and found that over the last four years these gian...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/utilities-$400m-lobbying-against-solar-051316
Institutional investors are increasingly supporting solar power and renewable energy. In fact, just last month multiple investment organizations announced support for the International Solar Alli...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/investors-signing-on-solar-power-051016
Solar power with energy storage leads to energy savings for low-income renters in California. That’s according to a new study by the Clean Energy Group and its partners, which is making the cas...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-energy-storage-economic-benefits-rentals-051916
The Department of Energy is expanding the Solar Ready Vets Job Training program, adding 5 New Locations. At the same time it’s supporting 10 new projects in the Solar Training and Education for...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/doe-solar-ready-vets-10m-steps-funding-051716
It’s been a busy week for Colorado’s Clean Energy Collective. In Colorado it partnered to bring community solar to low-income residents in Summit County. In Massachusetts it expanded its port...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/community-solar-low-income-colorado-grows-massachusetts-060916
The first four months of 2016 are a triumph for the US solar industry. 1.7 gigawatts of solar power came online more than the combined total of gas, coal and nuclear.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/64percent-new-us-electricity-1q-2016-solar-060916
The World Bank recently approved a $625 million loan to support a program that will generate electricity from a countrywide installations of rooftop solar systems in India. The project will finan...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/world-bank-invests-625-million-rooftop-solar-india-061016
Ikea recently revealed that it will install the largest rooftop solar system in the state of Tennessee at its new Memphis location, which is set to open in Fall 2016. The 1.5 megawatt (MW) array ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ikea-installing-tennessee-largest-rooftop-solar-060916
Earlier this week Apple filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to sell electricity from its solar farms at the Cupertino, CA, campus and at its Nevada datacenter. The filing a...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ready-for-power-apple-sells-solar-power-061016
The utilities might not want to hear it, but rooftop solar power is saving everyone money. That’s what new research from Boston University found. In Massachusetts alone solar saved utility cust...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/research-shows-rooftop-solar-saves-everyone-money-061016
The latest edition of the Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) report “New Energy Outlook 2016” finds that wind and solar power will start being the cheapest form of energy in many countries i...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-wind-cheaper-than-gas-coal-061316
The U.S. Commercial solar market is set to grow by 30 percent in 2016, according to GTM Research’s latest report, U.S. Commercial Solar Landscape 2016-2020. The report found that the commercial...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/commercial-solar-market-grow-30percent-2016-052316
Scientists at Harvard University have developed a ‘bionic leaf’ that uses artificial photosynthesis to convert sunlight into liquid energy at 10 percent efficiency—far more efficient than e...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/harvard-bionic-leaf-beats-plants-photosynthsis-060816
Gamesa, which has installed more than 32 gigawatts of wind power worldwide, introduced a new hybrid power plant that combines solar, wind, energy storage and diesel generators into an off-grid sy...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/gamesa-launches-hybrid-wind-solar-offgrid-system-052016
“Renewables accounted for all of the growth in global power generation in 2015, and contributed 38 percent of world primary energy growth.” That’s a highlight from the 65th edition of the B...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/bp-energy-review-renewables-lead-new-energy-060816
When the SunShot Initiative was introduce in 2011 the goal of reducing the cost of installed solar power to $1 a watt over a decade seemed outlandish. After all, at the time solar power cost roug...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunshot-initiative-halfway-mark-70percent-there-051816
The U.S. and India have worked together to bring more solar power to India in the past and on June 7 the White House announced that the two countries are deepening their partnership to help curb ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/us-india-deepen-solar-power-partnership-060716
Researchers at Pennsylvania State University have developed a method to create huge sheets of thin-film silicon semiconductors, which could create extremely low-cost solar cells. The researchers ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/penn-state-researchers-find-method-producing-low-cost-solar-061916
Toyota could claim to be one of the greenest large car makers, after all it introduced the first commercial hybrid, the Prius, in 1997. Now it’s moving forward, developing what might be the gre...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/toyota-green-goals-stretch-sun-solar-power-plano-060716
As solar cells produce energy in the heat of the day they actually become less efficient at turning the sun’s photons into electrons and electricity. Stanford researchers think they may have fo...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-cells-hot-stanford-solution-raditive-cooling-051216
Which city will be the most solar friendly city in the U.S.? The community of Babcock Ranch in Punta Gorda, FL, is vying for that title. The city hopes to be “The World’s Most Sustainable Cit...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/florida-babcock-ranch-worlds-solar-city-060916
Battery technology is drawing billions of dollars investment, but now MIT researchers are proposing a new take on an old technology, flow batteries, that relies on gravity to store and discharge ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nit-introduces-gravity-flow-battery-052716
Last week at the seventh Clean Energy Ministerial meeting a series of new partnerships and initiatives between business leaders and companies were made which will lead to $30 billion in research ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/governments-companies-invest-30b-annually-renewables-060816
The Baltimore Ravens and Constellation Energy flipped the switch on a new, 400 kilowatt rooftop solar array at the team’s headquarters in Owings Mills, MD. The new array will provide about 15 p...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/baltimore-ravens-football-team-solar-touchdown-052616
Redstone Arsenal U.S. Army power in Alabama will soon be powered by the thanks to a new 10 megawatt SunPower array that is beginning construction in June 2016. The new project will provide energy...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/alabama-redstone-arsenal-sunpower-060816
The Brookings Institute is out with a new report showing that residential solar net-metering is a net benefit. The report comes as utilities are pushing back against an incentive for homeowners t...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-net-metering-benefit-bookings-052516
While some utilities are cutting back on solar and particularly rooftop solar power, others are making it easier to go solar. Case in point, Minnesota Power recently filed a plan with the state u...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/minnesota-power-triples-solar-rebate-060316
SunPower panels will provide about 42 percent of the power needed to run the subway system in Santiago, Chile. Another 18 percent will come from Vestas wind turbines. It’s the first time solar ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/santiago-solar-subway-coming-soon-sunpower-052416
The REN21 Renewables 2016 report out June 1 found that by the end of 2015 the world had installed a total of 227 gigawatts of solar power and 50 gigawatts (28 percent) of that came online in 2015...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/227-gigawatts-solar-worldwide-060316
With conventional solar panels, like the silicon panels in most solar installations, the photovoltaic (PV) cells can only connect a certain spectrum of light into electricity. A lot of it, partic...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/mit-takes-heat-from-sun-solar-thermal-device-052316
SolarCity, which is know for its power-purchase agreements (PPAs), is relaunching a solar loan product replacing its MyPower loan. The product will allow customers to choose from a number of loan...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarcity-relaunches-solar-loan-50-month-060216
While the Solar Impulse plane is lumbering across the world’s skies other companies are getting ready to use solar power in their ariel vehicles pretty quickly. Case in point, Airbus just signe...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-powered-planes-coming-microlink-airbus-052016
Arizona Public Service (APS), Arizona’s largest utility filed a proposal that would raise residential rates by 7.96 percent, significantly reduce the rate it offers for new rooftop solar custom...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/home-solar-attacked-arizona-aps-end-net-metering-060216
Over the past few weeks not one but two countries have reported that renewables provided almost all of their electric needs, in fact renewables like wind and solar did provide all of one nation�...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/countries-germany-portugal-get-all-power-renewables-051916
The SunShot Initiative's stellar goal is to bring the cost of utility-scale solar power down to less than $1.00 per watt by the end of the decade, 2020. According to GTM Research’s latest repor...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/us-solar-will-drop-below-1per-watt-by-2020-060116
Researchers at UNSW in Australia have produced a solar module that reached 34.5 percent conversion efficiency, which they claim set a new world record in its category of photovoltaic devices. The...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/australian-researchers-claim-solar-device-efficiency-record-051816
Maryland’s Republican Gov. Larry Hogan vetoed the state’s Clean Energy Jobs Act of 2016, which had bipartisan support in both state houses and strong support of the public, according to polli...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/maryland-gov-endangers-jobs-vetoing-clean-energy-act-060116
SEIA created the Million Solar Strong campaign to recognize that the U.S. had reached more than 1 million solar installations. Now Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Cory Gardner (R-CO) introduc...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/senators-resolution-million-solar-strong-051716
Thanks to rooftop and distributed solar power throughout California, PG&E one of its largest utilities, has not had to invest $192 million in infrastructure costs. That’s because the California...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/pga-customers-save-192m-rooftop-solar-energy-efficiency-053116
Duke Energy announced approval from the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) to construct two new solar farms totaling 75.4 megawatts in two different counties. It continues its efforts to ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/duke-energy-building-two-utility-solar-051916
Pasha Stevedoring and Terminals and the Port of Los Angeles are building one of the nation’s largest solar-powered microgrid projects in an effort to eliminate emissions from port operations. T...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-micogrid-power-north-america-largest-port-053016
A new study shows that solar farms can increase local biodiversity, which benefits wildlife and even surrounding crops. The new study in Britain shows that solar farms can have benefits in additi...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-farms-help-increase-biodiversity-051316
The Charlotte Motor Speedway sped up with solar this year during the 10 Days of Thunder from May 20 to May 23. This year it used 79 mobile solar devices to save more than 3,000 gallons of diesel.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/charlotte-motor-speedway-solar-generators-052716
International companies and four non-governmental organizations officially introduced the Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance (REBA) aimed at deploying 60 gigawatts of renewable energy like wind and...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/renewable-energy-buyers-alliance-60gws-corporate-renewable-051216
In another victory for the regional solar industry Wisconsin’ Dane County Circuit Court Judge Peter Anderson on Friday (Oct. 30) struck down charges that We Energies, a Wisconsin utility, wante...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/wisconsin_judge_bans_charges_solar_cutsomers_11-02-15
SunEdison’s TerraForm subsidiary is closing 2014 on a busy note. It announced yesterday (Dec. 23) that it secured $175 million to support 60 megawatts of solar projects. That follows an announc...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunedison_terraform_ends_2014_strong_122414
Anyone will agree it’s been an interesting year for clean energy. Prices continued to fall, incentives expired, were set to expire and most recently, some of the most important were extended ju...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/top_5_policy_issues_aee_for_2015_122215
BlueWave Capital signed partnered with Morgan Stanley subsidiary, to co-own a community solar portfolio of more than 25 megawatts in Massachusetts. The $100 million investment from MS Solar Solut...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/moregan_stanley_invests_100m_ma_community_solar_121015
Many are anticipating that First Solar will have a strong year in 2016 and with the contract announced this morning with SCE it looks like that will be the case. The utility will purchase power f...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sce_signs_500mws_first_solar_projects_011916
Expect another banner year of growth from solar power across the world. At least that’s what IHS Research and the Institute for Energy Economics & Financial Analysis(IEEFA) are anticipating. IH...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/big_jump_solar_67gws_2016_010616
Austin’s utility, Austin Energy, approved a plan that would invest $33 million in 300 megawatts of solar projects to supply energy needs for its customers. The cost of the projects will be roug...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/austin_energy_signs_for_300_mws_solar_record_low_cost_100515
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) voted to uphold net metering throughout the state. It’s the latest victory for rooftop solar and net metering.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/california_commission_upholds_net-metering_012916
Caterpillar is likely best known for its heavy equipment movers and their Old Yellow paint jobs, but now it’s offering a new, solar powered microgrid system aimed at more remote locations like ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/caterpillar-solar-microgrid-remote-installations-050616
Austin Energy is quickly establishing itself as one of Texas’ most forward thinking utilities and one of its most price-savvy ones, too. Today (Oct. 29) First Solar announced that it signed a 1...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/austin_energy_first_solar_agreement_102915
The New York Power Authority (NYPA) partnered with the State University of New York (SUNY) at New Paltz on a new energy storage project powered by the sun. The new solar array includes a battery ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nypa-suny-testing-solar-powered-battery-storage-project-050916
NRG Energy, is ending its NRG Home Solar subsidy as it has operated. However, the new Jersey-based energy company’s residential solar company will live on under newly announced partnerships wit...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nrg-partners-spruce-finance-Sunrun-home-solar-050616
Last week IHS reported that Europe passed an impressive solar energy milestone—surpassing 100 gigawatts (GWs) of solar power. That’s well over a third of the 256 gigawatts of solar panels ins...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/europe-passes-100gws-solar-power-050916
SolarCity announced that it is entering the utility-scale market with solar and energy storage offerings. It also announced a new, 6 megawatt hour energy storage project with Connecticut Municipa...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarcity-big-solar-6mwh-energy-storage-project-051016
The Snake River Alliance launched the Solarize the Valley campaign to reduce the cost of solar installations in Ada and Canyon Counties in Idaho. The solarize program will use the power of group ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarize-program-comes-idaho-051016
The 2015 Paris Climate Conference (COP21) got underway. President Barak Obama (D) was one of the early speakers at the conference, promoting national and international actions to reduce climate c...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/global_climate_talks_begin_paris_clean_tech_fund_113015
When someone in a community or town goes solar, it helps get their neighbors thinking the same thing. The thought process that begins with: “Well, Marge and George did it, maybe we should too�...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/keeping-up-jones-solar-power-050516
SunPower is introducing a new line of solar panels called its Performance Series. The new solar panels are based on technology developed by Cogenra Solar, which SunPower purchased earlier in 2015...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunpower_introduces_performance_series_solar_panels_111515
The cost of solar power continues to drop. But the latest record low price of solar power came in at a stunningly low 2.99 cents per kilowatt hour for solar projects in Dubai. The lowest price ca...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-ids-lower-than-coal-dubai-050516
Last week 1366 Technologies announced that it will build a commercial solar wafer manufacturing facility in Genesee County New York between Buffalo and Rochester. The project represents a $700 mi...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/1366_technologies_announces_solar_wafer_plant_new_york_101515
It looks the competition to be the solar-iest city is heating up. Santa Monica’s City Council voted that all new construction in the City of Santa Monica must have solar rooftops—both residen...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/santa-monic-mandates-solar-rooftops-040416
Investigation into the cost of installing solar from a solar company and solar government statistics data.
The U.S. Energy Department’s SunShot Initiative is offering $25 million to help modernize the grid with real-time monitoring through it’s new Enabling Extreme Real-Time Grid Integration of So...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-gets-25m-integration-boost-energy-department-040416
The next great step for solar power is upon us, energy storage. Over the past half decade or so one of the biggest problems that has plagued photovoltaic solar power is the lack of ability to sto...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_energy_storage_sunpower_sunverge_gtm_research_121814
On May 3 the U.S. solar industry celebrated an important milestone—1 million solar installations across the U.S. It’s an impressive milestone, especially considering that in 2009 the country ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/1-million-solar-installations-a-start-for-us-050316
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) delivered his state of the state and budget speech today (Jan. 13) calling for more solar power and an end to coal in the state. The state has been making significa...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/cuomo_expands_solar_goals_state_address_011316
Last week the U.S. Navy and Georgia Power broke ground on a 31 megawatt solar panel array at Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany. The project will provide stable energy for the base at costs equal...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/marine-cops-31mw-solar-array-georgia-power-050216
Under a new partnership announced today (Dec. 29) residential solar company Vivint Solar and solar company BlueWave are working together to sell memberships in two community solar projects in Sou...
Recently Mississippi Power, Origis Energy and the Area Development Partnership (ADP) held a ceremony to celebrate what will be the state’s largest solar facility, the 52 megawatt Lamar County s...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/mississippi-power-52mw-solar-plant-061314
Congress introduced its omnibus appropriations bill, which extends tax breaks and allows the government to continue operating. In it the House and Senate extended Investment Tax Credit, which hel...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/looking_like_renewable_christmas_after_all_121615
Taking a cue from his neighbors New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has introduced a new statewide Solarize New York program. The new initiative, Community Solar NY, was instated under the NY-Sun initiati...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new_york_cuomo_solarize_community_120814
Alphabet, formerly Google, announced that it plans to add 842 more megawatts of renewable energy in the form of wind and solar power across the world. The company said it now has 2 gigawatts of c...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/alphabet_google_buys_842_mws_wind_solar_120315
First Solar is one of the U.S.’ largest producers of photovoltaic solar panels and while it’s building some of the largest PV farms in the U.S. and the world, hardly any of them are on homes ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/first_solar_clean_energy_collective_partner_121014
In 2014 developing nations invested $126 billion in clean energy—outpacing the investments by the wealthiest nations. That’s according to a Climatescope report, an international index that lo...
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has just released "The Effect of State Policy Suites on the Development of Solar Markets," an NREL report that looks into how states have implemented succ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nrel_report_solar_state_policies_121214
President Obama made a largely symbolic gesture when he rejected the Keystone XL pipeline, after all the project didn’t make sense anymore. It’s a first for a U.S. President, rejecting such a...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/obama_rejects_keystone_nods_to_clean_energy_110615
South Carolina is the latest solar victory in 2014, according to The Alliance for Solar Choice (TASC), and overall it’s a been a good year for solar. In all, TASC says that seven states expande...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/south_carolina_solar_victory_net-metering_121514
Today (Oct. 23) the Environmental Protection Agency published President Barack Obama’s Clean Power Plan in the Federal Register making its rules to reduce carbon emissions effective. The plan h...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/epa_publish_clean_power_plan_states_sue_102315
New York City’s Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Solarize NYC as part of OneNYC’s 80x50 campaign to reduce the city’s emissions by 80 percent by 2050. The new Solarize NYC program will expand...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/big-apple-launches-solarize-campaign-042716
This week former Vice President Al Gore joined with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) to sign the Under 2 MOU, a directive aimed at keeping climate change to a 2 degree Celsius rise in temperatures.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/cuomo_pledges_reduce_emissions_add_solar_100915
A new Mercom Capital Group report anticipates that solar power will break previous records in 2016 as it has for the past decade. The report found that in 2016 the world will install roughly 66.7...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/world-will-see-67-gws-solar-power-2016-mercom-042716
When people think of big states for solar power, they think of states like California, Arizona, Colorado and Nevada. They probably don’t think of leafy, green North Carolina, but they should re...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/north_carolina_passes_1_gw_solar_092515
SunFunder’s mission is to improve access to reliable energy in emerging markets through the power of solar. The U.S. Government’s Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) has approved a...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunfunder-beyond-grid-solar-fund-opic-042616
Seraphim Solar, a Chinese solar panel manufacturer announced that it plans to build a new manufacturing plant Seraphim Solar Manufacturing USA in Jackson, Miss. The new plant, when completed is e...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/chinese_solar_panel_maker_seraphim_plant_mississippi_091415
AT&T and SunPower announced a new partnership under which the companies will co-market SunPower Equinox home solar systems this summer. They’ve also partnered to deliver connective services for...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/att-sunpower-partner-home-solar-marketing-042616
Vote Solar and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) released their Freeing the Grid 2015 report card rating the states on net metering and interconnection standards. Policies are gettin...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/freeing__the_grid_best_worst_states_rooftop_solar_012716
Nanotubes are an exciting technology with many potential applications, one of them, solar power. Now researchers at the Energy Department's NREL have determined that single-walled carbon nanotube...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nrel-research-nanotube-semiconducgtors-solar-power-042516
Last year Duke Energy added 300 megawatts of solar power in North Carolina. The company plans to keep adding more solar in 2016. It’s already announced 75 new megawatts of solar for 2016.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/duke_energy_touts_solar_installations_north_carolina_2015_012116
It often seems that utilities and solar companies, particularly solar installers that put solar power on homes and businesses are at odds. A new partnership partnership in New York is showing tha...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new-york-solar-companies-utilities-propose-net-metering-042516
Solar is expected to have an amazing year in 2016 by most accounts. As photovoltaic equipment continues to experience high demand prices will fall albeit at a slower rate than originally predicte...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_trends_2016_gtm_research_011516
San Francisco announced a remarkable step toward increasing clean energy in the city. All new buildings must have solar panels. The panels can be either photovoltaic or solar hot water panels.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/san-francisco-earth-day-new-buildings-solar-requirement-042216
Ironically, one of the darkest spots for solar power in the U.S. is in one of the sunniest states—Nevada. Late in 2015 the Public Utilities Commission decided to drastically cut net-metering to...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_comanpanies_pull_out_nevada_commission_decision_010716
Nothing is more fitting for Earth Day than the overwhelming majority of countries coming together to sign the Paris Climate Agreement, which was hosted by the United Nations last year.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/earth-day-paris-agreement-signing-042216
Solar power will become a bigger part of the world’s electric supply, particularly as the world works to stem climate change. While it’s an inexhaustible, clean and renewable energy source, i...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/large-scale_solar_will_require_changes_mit_123115
Solar Impulse resumes attempt to become first manned aircraft powered purely by the sun, to circumnavigate the globe.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-impulse-resumes-worldwide-journey-hawaii-042116
Lead is a problem, it’s highly toxic, it’s in a lot of stuff and still ends up in a landfills sometimes. One big source of lead is batteries, specifically car batteries. Thankfully lead can b...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/mit_lead_car_batteries_solar_cells_122415
Earth Day is just a spin away and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) observed that the U.S. has hit a big milestone—1 million solar installations across the country. It’s launched...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/earth-day-siea-million-solar-strong-042116
Earlier this week San Diego passed a Climate Action Plan that will make the city of roughly 1.4 million people the largest city in the country to be powered entirely by renewable energy like wind...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/san_diego_to_become_100_percent_clean_energy_121815
The Senate passed the Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2016, the most significant piece of energy legislation thus far this session. The new legislation met mixed reviews from renewable energy ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/senate-energy-bill-passes-mixed-reviews-0420216-b
Brewers in North Carolina, among them Appalachian Mountain Brewery, French Broad Brewery, Highland Brewing Company, Innovation Brewing, New Belgium Brewing and Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, were...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/something_big_brewing_north_carolina_121415
A new political action committee in Arizona Yes on AZ Solar filed late last week to preserve net metering in the state. The new organization filed paperwork to place a constitutional amendment kn...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-advocates-files-arizona-ballot-amendment-041916
Climate Change International and the Climate Action Network just introduced new analysis that shows that leading countries are spending 40 times more subsidizing fossil fuels than they are on cle...
Haiti is continuing to electrify villages with help. Today (April 19) NRG Energy’s philanthropic arm, NRG Global Giving, partnered with Haitian solar company DigitalKap to install rooftop solar...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/haitian-nonprofits-solar-power-nrg-digitalkap-041916
SEPA surveyed 25 of the active community solar projects for a new report to discover how to make them more successful. It found that currently only one-third of the projects are fully subscribed....
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/spa_introduces_report_creating_community_solar_120215
Startup mPower has launched a new Indiegogo campaign for its line of mobile solar power generators. The company’s campaign is aimed at giving people a chance to buy a solar generator and to sen...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/mpower-launches-personal-solar-generators-041816
In 2013 Google proposed a new way to purchase renewable energy for large energy users. Apparently Duke Energy was listening. Yesterday (Nov. 24) the companies announced Google will be the first c...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/google_dukes_first_green_source_rider_customer_112515
The Energy Department’s SunShot Initiative has launched a new, $4 million effort to increase access to solar data to help increase solar market transparency and fair pricing. The department has...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/gunshot-initiative-launches-orange-button-initiative-041516
Earlier this month the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) published its annual report Renewable Energy in the 50 States: Western Region. The publication looks at the state energy polici...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/core_report_state_renewables_west_us_111915
Two companies partnered across the Atlantic to create highly efficient silicon solar cells made with kerfless wafers. Together Belgium's imec and California's Crystal Solar have created a 22.5 pe...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/companies-partner-atlantic-kerfless-silicon-solar-041416
U.S. veterans are finding jobs in the solar industry thanks to some innovative training programs like the DOE’s Solar Ready Vets Program. Other organizations like GRID Alternatives are also tra...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/veterans_day_solar_jobs_training_111115
Fully 330 utilities across the U.S. responded to the Smart Electric Power Alliance’s (SEPA’s) annual market survey. The 2015 survey found that respondents added 6.4 gigawatts of solar power. ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sce-tops-sepa-top-10-solar-utility-rankings-041316
Today (Nov. 3) Oregon State University (OSU) announced that its engineers have identified a new way to store the energy produced by the sun. The engineers involved in the project said that the ap...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/oregon_state_univeristy_solar_thermal_storage_110305
These days there’s a lot of talk about organic solar power. Usually this means something like a using a small organic molecule polymer to convert sunlight into electricity. New York’s Bingham...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/binghamton_U_bio-solar_cell_device_041216
A day before Republican presidential candidates debate in Boulder, Colo. two separate organizations, NextGen Climate (NGC) and TUSK (Tell Utilities Solar won’t be Killed) have launched new adve...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_clean_energy_advocates_air_campaigns_102715
Last week Sungevity and REC Solar partnered to expand access to the commercial solar power market, a market that remains underserved as other solar markets, residential and utility-scale have flo...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sbungevity_rec_solar_partner_commercial_solar_options_041116
President Barak Obama announced that 81 of the U.S.’s leading companies have signed onto the American Business Act on Climate pledge. The companies from Alcoa to GE, GM, International Paper, Mc...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/obama_gets_81_companies_Signed_climate_action_pledge_102015
The first quarter of 2016 saw $2.8 billion in corporate funding, that’s according to a new report from the Mercom Capital Group. It found that the amount of corporate funding for the first quar...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_sector_corporate_funding_drop_q1_2016_040816
Today (Oct. 14) the California Solar Energy Industries Association (CALSEIA) and Brightline Defense announced the results of a new poll showing 92 percent of Californians support rooftop solar po...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new_california_poll_big_support_for_solar_101415
The solar market in Massachusetts was thriving until it hit a roadblock—itself. It began hitting caps for net-metering and renewable energy credits for solar power, and there wasn’t a plan cl...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/massachuetts_legislators_resolve_solar_net-metering_040716
A new report out from Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) found that the costs of wind and solar power have continued to go down while the costs of gas-fired and coal-fired electric generation ha...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/renewable_energy_making_fossil_fuel_expensive_100715
Fully 15 cities now have achieved “Solar Star” status with more than 50 watts of solar power installed per person. That’s just one finding from Environment America’s “Shining Cities 201...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/15_cities_achieve_solar_star_status_040616
In this corner we have U.S.-based solar installers, developers and some manufacturers and in this corner we have other U.S.-based solar manufacturers—both are on different sides of the U.S. Com...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/commerce_decision_chinese_solar_tariffs_121914
Solar power is growing in more places across the U.S., including the southeast in places like Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi. A newly strengthened partnership between First Solar and Silicon...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/silicon_ranch_first_solar_partner_solar_southeast_040516
The Northern and Central California SunShot Alliance said they are looking into how solar power could be installed and connected to the grid on rooftops within a day. That would be quite a step u...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/california_solar_alliance_aim_solar-24_hours_092315
Last month SunPower introduced its new Equinox solar array for homeowners, which is designed to provide more power for homeowners with less visible parts. The new product line is intended to help...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunpower_equinox_home_solar_system_040416
Today (Sept. 16) the Energy Department released its second Quadrennial Technology Review. The review explores where clean energy technologies are and identifies research opportunities for more cl...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/energy_department_report_clean_energy_091615
Following the Supreme Court’s actions temporarily blocking the Clean Power Plan supporters from across the country are speaking out in defense of it. This week more than 50 city and county gove...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/support_obamas_clean_power_plan_040116
Last week it came to light that fully 17 percent of Hawaiian Electric Co.'s (HECO's) customers have installed solar power. That penetration of distributed solar power is a record for any state or...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nearly_20_percent_cusotmers_hawaiis_biggest_utility_solar_020216
Of all the new electric generation installed in the U.S. the largest source was wind power, which saw 8.1 gigawatts of new installations in 2015—41 percent of all new electric generation. The d...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/clean_energy_tops_new_electric_generation_eia_033116
New international research at the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory was able to create highly efficient silicon solar cells in only seven steps. By simplifying the step...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/seven_steps_solar_power_012816
Scientists convened for the first meeting of the Global Alliance of Solar Energy Research Institutes (GA-SERI). The meeting of 50 leading international experts discussed GA-SERI discussed reachin...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/global_solar_researchers_gather_terawatt_workshop_033016
A new report showed that the U.S. can increase renewable energy production, reduce carbon emissions by up to 78 percent below 1990’s levels in 2030 and keep electric costs at where they’re at...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/greening_grid_lower_costs_emissions_noaa_boulder_012616
While some states have gigawatts of solar power installed, some don’t. Case in point, Iowa. The Central Iowa Power Cooperative (CIPCO) and its member cooperatives just announced that they will ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/iowa_co-op_build_5mw_solar_farms_032916
Renewable energy just got another boost. Yesterday (Jan. 22) the Governors’ Wind Energy Coalition voted to rebrand as the the Governors’ Wind & Solar Energy Coalition, showing the increased i...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/governor_group_embraces_solar_power_012216
Marathon Capital updated its white paper on solar securitization claiming that the age of solar securitization has arrived. The financing company observed, among other things that already in 2016...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_securities_here_marathon_capital_report-032816
As solar power and wind power have come down in cost and have become more widespread technologies their impact on the grid has become more worrisome as intermittent resources and the need to bala...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/energy_department_invests_18m_solar_storage_012016
As researchers seek the new, next best thing in solar power, they’re exploring new materials and new ways to capture the sun’s energy. Case in point perovskite crystals and recycling light. T...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/researchers_recycle_photons_solar_cells_032516
Earlier this month the Department of Energy (DOE) announced a further expansion of its popular Solar Ready Vets program to train veterans for jobs in the solar industry. The program was piloted i...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/doe_expands_solar_ready_vets_011616
The U.S. could generate nearly 40 percent of its electrical sales via its rooftops according the latest analysis from the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Tha...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/us_rooftops_40_percent_energy_needs_nrel_032416
The solar industry is continuing to gain steam. Last year it raised $25.3 billion, only slightly less than the $26.5 billion raised in 2014, according to a new Mercom Capital report. However, cer...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_raises_25_billion_2015_mercom_011416
South Carolina’s Santee Cooper utility celebrated the start of spring with its approval of what will be South Carolina’s first community solar project at the same time as it renewed rebates f...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/south_carolina_utility_community_solar_rooftop_solar_032316
The solar industry in the employed 208,859 people across the U.S., according to The Solar Foundation’s National Solar Jobs Census 2015, which was published today (Jan. 12).That’s more than th...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_employs_more_than_oil_solar_foundation_report_011216
Just earlier this month the future looked bleak for Vivint Solar, which ended its flailing merger agreement with SunEdison citing breach of contract. Now the company is seeing the sun with a new,...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/vivint_solar_200m_following_sunedison_failure_032216
scientists at the NREL and at the Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology announced a new world record for converting sunlight into electricity using a dual-junction photovoltaic cell. T...
Massachusetts is in a solar conundrum. The state’s solar policies have been successful, very successful. They’ve created over 10 thousand jobs but they’re already set to sunset. Now the sta...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/massachusetts_representatives_urge_pro-solar_legislation_032116
Every year about this time experts start offering up what to expect in the coming year—in just about everything. Solar is no exception, usually. This year the plethora of prognostications is lo...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/experts_solar_predictions_2016_010416
Earlier this week the Center for Social Inclusion, GRID Alternatives and Vote Solar introduced the Low-Income Solar Policy Guide. The new guide is an online tool designed to expand access to sola...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/national_solar_nonprofits_low-income_solar_guide_031816
Earlier this month EnergySage introduced a new survey of solar installers. The survey found that solar installers are competing more intensely at the same time that consumers are becoming better ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_shoppers_finding_deals_123015
A new report out from the IRENA, REmap: Roadmap for a Renewable Energy Future, shows that doubling the use of renewable energy like solar power throughout the world over the next 15 years will sa...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/irena_report_renewable_energy_doubling_save_trillions_031716
Last week Virgina Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) announced plans for the Commonwealth of Virgina’s facilities to start increasing its use of renewable energy swiftly. In the next three years it will ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/virginia_gov_sets_state_on_solar_growth_path_122815
The Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon is coming Denver! The biennial event began in Washington, D.C. and since moved to California. Now the world’s first solar decathlon series of events...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_decathlon_denver_2017_first_cash_prize_031616
There will be no reindeer prancing happily on Nevada’s solar rooftops this Christmas. The Nevada Public Utilities Commission just took action against rooftop solar in a big and disparaging way....
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nevada_puc_acts_against_solar_homeowners_present_future_122315
A new partnership between PosiGen, NewWorld Capital Group, and Constellation Technology Ventures aims to offer fully financed solar and energy efficiency services to low- to- moderate income home...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new_partnership_to_increase_access_low-income_families_031516
The southeastern U.S., including Florida (the Sunshine State) have a great solar power resource and are underutilizing it—except in North Carolina and perhaps Georgia. That’s according to rec...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/north_carolina_champions_solar_southeast_us_122115
NASA has selected four proposals to develop game-changing solar array technologies for space exploration. Don’t expect the newest technologies being tested and promoted by NASA to end up on roo...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nasa_four_solar_technologies_future_031416
Today’s crystalline silicon photovoltaic panels could be widely deployed by mid-century to help mitigate climate change. However, new nanomaterials could make for better, more efficient and les...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/mit_assesses_solar_technologies_silicon_beset_now_121715
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) signed a sweeping new renewable portfolio standard into law requiring the state to source 50 percent of its electric generation from renewable energy like wind and sola...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/oregon_passes_50_percent_reenwables_end_coal_use_031116
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) decided to keep net metering in the nation’s largest and most populous state, which also is the largest solar market in the country. At the sam...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_industry_hopes_holiday_cheer_itc_extension_121515
Patagonia comes out of the cold and gets into rooftop solar—again. Today Patagonia announced that it and Kina’ole Capital Partners have partnered to lead the creation of a new, $35 million fu...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/patpagonia_leads_home_solar_fund_35m_031016
The Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition (SVTC) introduced its Sixth Annual 2015 Solar Scorecard. The annual report ranks solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturers on the amount of toxic materials in thei...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_toxics_scorecard_more_participation_less_toxic_121115
Last year the U.S. installed 7.3 gigawatts of solar power, raising the total to 27.4 gigawatts of operating solar power throughout the country by the end of 2015. Impressive, until you hear that ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/us_will_install_16_gws_solar_2016_030916
The U.S. solar industry is preparing for its biggest quarter—ever. The third-quarter of 2015 is big, too, with the U.S. installing 1,361 megawatts of PV. The 4th quarter could see more than 3,0...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_industry_record_breaking_2015_120915
Whole Foods Markets announced that it will install up to 184 solar arrays on its stores across the U.S. under partnerships with NRG and SolarCity. The new agreements will reaffirm the premium gro...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/whole_foods_200_solar_arrays_nrg_solarcity_030816
At the COP21 the solar industry announced the Global Solar Council (GSC) in an attempt to share best practices and bring the solar power industry together.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/global_solar_council_launches_cop21_120715
While many college students are celebrating spring break on beaches or visiting their folks or doing some amazing, fun things Grid Alternatives is hosting its spring break program, installing sol...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/grid_alternatives_solar_spring_break_2016_030716
The Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration (EIA) publishes data about energy production and use in the U.S. Until now it had not included information about distributed and roo...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/eia_now_tracking_rooftop_solar_power_120315
The off-grid solar power market is growing and will become a $3.1 billion opportunity by 2020. That’s from essentially a non-existent market less than a decade ago. The report recognizes that t...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/off-grid_solar_industry_growing_developing_nations_030416
the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) published its fourth annual Solar Means Business report. The report looks at solar installations across businesses throughout the U.S. At this point...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/us_businesses_install_907_mws_2015_120115
That’s according to the latest annual Advanced Energy Now 2016 Market Report from Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) and Navigant Research. But some beer companies are also producing energy from the...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/avanced_energy_rakes_200b_us_2015_revenue_030316
That’s what researchers from Stanford University and the University of California Berkeley are suggesting—as have others in the past. Researchers said that in an all-electric U.S. wind, water...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/store_solar_wind_power_ground_wind_112615
Christmas comes a bit earlier for solar and renewable energy advocates, particularly those associated with Colorado’s Rocky Mountain Institute and Richard Branson’s Carbon War Room. The two o...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/branson_carbon_war_room_merges_rocky_mountain_institute_121714
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s (D) office hasn’t officially confirmed it yet but yesterday news broke that he direct the utility commission to codify requirements that half of the electricity p...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new_york_Cuomo_ensures_50_percent_renewable_2030_112415
The U.S. is expected to install 26 gigawatts of new electric generation in the U.S.—the majority of it, 16.3 gigawatts, will come from renewable energy and the majority of that, 9.5 gigawatts, ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_will_lead_us_energy_growth_2016_030116
NREL introduced a new report showing that renewable energy is economically viable in most of the U.S. based on the rapid decline in technology costs. The new report looks at solar, wind and other...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nrel_report_cost_benefit_renewable_energy_112015
One of the quests in solar power is to make solar cells that can be placed ubiquitously, in windows, in paint, in shirts, on smartphones—the list goes on. Now MIT might have produced the thinne...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/it_develops_bubble-ready_solar_cells_022916
Community Solar is undoubtedly one of the fastest growing sectors of the solar industry in the U.S. The White House made that clear with National Community Solar Summit where The White House show...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/white_hose_national_community_solar_Summit_grows_111715
Xcel Energy and community solar power developers reached an agreement that will allow them to add up to 60 megawatts of community solar in the state throughout 2016. The agreement means more of C...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/colorado_community_solar_groups_settle_xcel_solar_gardens_022616
Whether or not solar panels actually add value to a home had been up for debate for a long time. The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBL) has dispelled this in numerous reports, previously...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/report_finds_solar_adds_value_homes_six_states_111215
It’s not all good and it’s not all bad. But states are taking action on solar power policies, particularly on net-metering and fixed charges. That’s according to a new report out from the T...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/46_states_rooftop_solar_policy_action_2015_022516
IHS anticipates that solar photovoltaic sales will grow strongly through the first half of 2016 growing to 65.5 gigawatts of new solar power world wide. But the incentives that have helped fuel i...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/2016_solar_boom_2017_may_bust_110915
Last year SolarReserve quietly brought its Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project online for testing. Now the 110 megawatt facility is expected to reach its full annual production this year.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_reserve_crescent_dunes_24-7_solar_power_022416
Community solar is gaining popularity across the U.S. A case of the two Washingtons shows it. Tacoma Power in Washington state last month announced its first community solar garden. In the Capito...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/community_solar_two_washingtons_110315
The U.S.’s leading solar companies posted two separate solar energy efficiency records in the past two days. First Solar has produced 22.1 percent efficient thin-film solar cells while SunPower...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sun%20power_first_solar_set_solar_efficiency_records_022316
Sol-Wind Renewable Power is looking for an end-of-year stocking stuffer to support it’s growth in clean energy developments like wind and solar power. The company filed an IPO (initial public o...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sol-wind_files_po_for_yieldco_122314
The U.S. installed 7.3 gigawatts of solar power in 2015, a record. In all the U.S. now has 25 gigawatts of solar power online. It also marked the first time that more solar power was installed in...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_installations_surpass_natural_gas_2015_022216
The range of Halloween costumes is vast, and everyone once in a while you get caught off-gaurd by the holiday and don’t have a costume idea ready. If that’s you this year, don’t worry, the ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/need_costume_ideas_think_solar
This week Apple Inc. issued $1.5 billion in green bonds as part of a larger bond issuance. The green bonds will support Apple’s use of renewable energy like solar power. It’s said to be the l...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/apple_issues_green_bond_solar_renewable_energy_021816
SunPower unveiled its new Helix modular solar system, a system that that’s designed with commercial customers in mind and that takes a page from SunPower’s utility-scale Oasis modular plants....
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunpower_helix_modular_system_commercial_solar_102615
Earlier this week Intel Corp. unveiled a 6.5 megawatt carport at its Folsom, Calif. campus. The carport covers 3,000 spaces—which, could be more than enough parking spaces for the 6,000 employe...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/intel_unveils_largest_solar_carport_021816
The Florida Supreme Court ruled in favor of allowing the Solar Choice Amendment to appear on the state ballot in 2016. The ballot choice will allow voters in the state to make an important decisi...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/florida_supreme_court_allows_solar_amendment_102215
Environment America introduced a new report “Solar On Superstores” showing the vast potential of covering the more than 102,000 box stores and their supporting infrastructure in the U.S. with...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new_report_superstore_solar_62gw_solar_021716
Assistant Secretary of Energy Dr. David Danielson announced that the team from the Stevens Institute of Technology won the Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon in 2015, earning 950.685 points...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sevens_wins_solar_decathlon_2015_101915
Rooftop solar power in Nevada is off to an acrimonious start in 2016. The PUC made things slightly better on Friday when it voted to reduce net-metering rates and increase solar rooftop fees over...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nevada_utility_commission_votes_against_solar_021616
A new report shows that the cost of rooftop solar power continues to fall. Between July 2014 and June 2015 the cost of residential solar power fell from $3.86 per watt in 2014 to $3.79 per watt i...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/residential_solar_costs_keep_dropping_101415
President Obama enacted regulations to reduce the U.S.’s dependence on fossil fuels and to move the country to clean energy like solar power. Now the U.S. Supreme Court has issued a stay agains...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/supreme_court_delays_clean_power_plan_021216
First Solar and Clean Energy Collective (CEC) announced a new partnership today under which First Solar will supply Clean Energy Collective with its solar panels for community solar gardens acros...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/rec_first_solar_partner_community_solar_101315
GTM Research introduced U.S. Residential Solar Economic Outlook its latest report on rooftop solar power in the U.S. The newest report found that rooftop solar is at this point at pretty with oth...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/20_states_reached_rooftop_solar_parity_021116
The biennial Solar Decathlon opened up to the public at Orange County Great Park in Irvine, Calif. The competition challenges college teams from around the world to build solar-powered homes.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_decathlon_2015_opens_100815
Choosing a financing mechanism for a solar array can seem complicated but new tools are coming out to help people understand more about their options. For example the SEIA introduced a short Resi...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_leasing_easier_seia_form_021016
Wiser Capital in California recently undertook a study looking at commercial buildings in the northeast and it found that the opportunity is gigantic, 95 gigawatts of solar panels could be instal...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/commercial_buildings_northeast_95gw_potential_100515
The Department of Energy (DOE) announced that it is investing $21 million to further reduce the costs of solar. The department is investing $13 million in states’ efforts to reduce the soft cos...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/energy_department_invests_21_million_reducing_costs_020916
SolarCity introduced its newest product, solar panels. The company said its new solar panels, which will be made in the U.S. are the most efficient panels for the rooftop market at over 22 percen...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarcity_promises_most_efficient_solar_panels_100215
The U.S. EIA keeps tabs on how much solar is installed across the nation and where it’s installed. In the most recent update it noted that California has 9,976 megawatts of solar power installe...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/california_leads_us_solar_020816
Arizona Public Service (APS) announced that it planned to forgo its previously planned “cost of service” charge implementation for its customers with solar power installations. Under the plan...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ps_gives_up_on_high_solar_service_charges_092915
This year isn’t just the golden anniversary of the Super Bowl, its 50th, it’s also going to be a solar, energy efficient spectacular. Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA, is the first LEED Go...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/super_bowl_50_solar-powered_spectacular_020516
SolarCity wants to prove solar power with battery backups can provide effective, cost-efficient energy for the grid. Earlier this month it signed multiple contracts for energy storage systems, bu...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/hawaiian_utility_solarcity_large_solar_arrray_battery_092415
Earlier this week Sens. Angus King (I-Maine) and Harry Reid (D-Nev.) proposed an amendment to the Senate Energy Bill that would protect net-metered customers with solar power. The amendment would...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/senators_propose_bill_net-metering_customers_020416
The Clean Energy Challenge, a clean tech startup accelerator program administered by the Clean Energy Trust, is growing. In 2015 the program will offer a total of $1 million in funds to more than...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/clean_energu_trust_challenge_1m_2015_122614
It’s not rooftop solar, it’s not community solar but now customers of Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) can go 100 percent solar through PG&E’s Solar Choice program.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/pge_solar_choice_offering_customers_020316
The Department of Energy announced that it would support solar power with a $102 million investment in projects and technologies. Vice President Joe Biden introduced the new funds for solar and c...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/biden_does_102m_solar_investment_091715
The predictions for the U.S. solar market keep coming in. The late 2015 extension of the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) for multiple years impacted many analysts’ expectations for 2016 and beyond....
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/report_predicts_15_gigawatts_solar_us_2016_020216
Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) introduced a new report that anticipates the U.S. will see substantially more solar installations—and jobs...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/bloomberg_solar_growth_continues_if_itc_extended_091515
Today (Sept. 22) Senate Democrats introduced a new bill to the Senate Finance Committee that would reduce emissions from energy generation in the U.S., reduce subsidies to fossil fuel companies a...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/democrats_introduce_clean_energy_legislation_092215
In the waning hours of 2014 it’s time to celebrate solar power in the year. With states across the U.S. seeing major solar gains of all types from installations to new legislation and an antici...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/2014_banner_solar_year_122914
Sometimes the word tendril seems to have dark overtones, but Tendril is taking a sunny disposition on community solar power. The company unveiled the Tendril Community Solar Solution to help spee...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/tendril_launches_community_solar_platform_utilities_060815
A power line to California’s Borrego Springs was damaged by lightning last month. Normally they’d have to shut down power to 2,800 customers in the area the impacted area for about 10 hours t...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/borrego_springs_powered_by_solar_microgrid_060215
A new report out from Mercom Capital Group anticipates that the by the end of 2015 the world will have roughly 57.4 gigawatts (GWs) of newly installed solar power. That’s about 12.4 more gigawa...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/world_nearly_60000_new_mws_solar_2015_end_061815
Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) introduced its SEIA Residential Consumer Guide to Solar Power. The new guide joins a host of other tools out there to help homeowners and everyone else,...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/seia_introduces_residential_solar_guide_061215
The Alliance for Solar Choice (TASC) released a poll conducted on its behalf by Wilson Perkins Allen Opinion Research, looking into how Nevadans felt about how politicians vote on solar issues. T...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nevadans_support_legislators_supporting_net-metering_solar_050115
Apple introduced its annual sustainability report updating the company’s progress on its use of renewable energy, reduced water use and reduced toxins use in its equipment and more. The news co...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/apple_sustaniablity_report_2015_china_solar_042015
the Alliance for Solar Choice (TASC) launched a statewide campaign in California, calling on California utilities to explain why they’ve taken anti-solar—particularly anti-rooftop solar—sta...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/tasc_call_out_california_utilities_anti-solar_positions_083115
Greenpeace released an update to its report on the greenest tech companies. The list was led by companies including Apple, Facebook and Google. The report, “Clicking Clean: A Guide to Building ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/greenpeace_report_updates_cleanest_tech_companies_051315
In a Private Letter Ruling, IRS ruled that community-solar buyers can take advantage of the Investment Tax Credit (ITC). The ITC allows solar owners to receive a 30 percent tax credit for the sol...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/irs_allows_community_solar_itc_090215
Obama announced his Clean Power Plan this summer meaning many states will have to start getting energy from cleaner sources. oday (Sept.1) Michigan, home of motor city, announced that it will dev...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/michigan_implement_clean_power_plan_090115
The Alliance for Solar Choice (TASC) has launched a new site, WeAreTeamSolar.com, to support an extension of the Investment Tax Credit for solar installations as part of upcoming tax extenders’...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/weareteamsolar_campaign_extend_itc_090315
In its most recent annual report on solar growth in states Environment America found a number of important new developments. Among them: in California, Hawaii, and Arizona solar now generates mor...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/report_top_solar_states_2014_strong_solar_policies_090415
Aspen revealed that it is now 100 powered by renewable energy. In making the announcement the city became the third in the U.S. to do so.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/aspen_third_city_100_percent_renewable_energy_powered_090815
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBL) unveiled its newest building, the Solar Energy Research Center, named Chu Hall. The new research center is named afte...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/berkeley_lab_unveiled_solar_center_chu_052715
The Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration latest monthly report shows that in June 2015 utility-scale solar generation produced 2,765 gigawatt hours of electric generation. A...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/2015_continues_record_year_solar_082815
Increasingly popular solar power in the U.S. as enjoyed some support from the federal government in the form of the 30 percent Investment Tax Credit, which may expire unless new legislation is pa...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_tax_credit_extension_bill_enters_congress_052015
Colorado’s Public Utilities Commission (PUC) decided to keep the state’s net-metering policy as it is. As solar power has become an increasingly less expensive and more popular option across ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/colorado_puc_upholds_solar_net-metering_082715
SunEdison has largely focussed on the commercial and utility-scale solar market. However, more recently the solar company has been getting into the residential solar market. Now its launched a ne...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunedison_ppa_offering_sales_partnership_050715
Vote Solar and its partners announced a new program in Colorado’s front range, which allows homeowners in Denver, Boulder and Adams Counties access to discounted solar arrays and Nissan Leaf El...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/colorado_group_purchasing_nissan_leaf_ev_082615
Vivint Solar has partnered with SolarEdge as its inverter supplier for its residential solar installations. SolarEdge makes inverters and power optimizers, which Vivint Solar will use in its syst...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/vivint_solar_soalredge_inverter_partner_052715
A National Renewable Energy Laboratory found that more than 100 information and communication technology (ICT) companies are sourcing 14 percent of their electricity from renewable energy and by ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/it_companies_use_clean_energy_growing_082515
California is the biggest state for residential solar in the country. The state has also supported residential solar with the $2.2 billion California Solar Initiative (CSI). A new study from Vand...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/leasing_neighbors_fuel_solar_growth_california_051415
Today President Obama (D) is traveling to Las Vegas to make remarks about expanding renewable energy and energy efficiency programs including $1 billion in additional loan guarantees to support d...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/obama_expands_renewable_energy_support_082415
Something kinda weird is happening in Arizona—utilities now want to put solar on people’s homes. This comes after years of fighting with installers and solar advocates to stop some solar poli...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/arizona_utilities_solar_on_homes_free_122214
Solar is hot, particularly in hot markets like California. But solar actually compares very favorably to a range of investments homeowners can make—outpacing even the stock market's average pay...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/right_time_install_solar_power_081415
Amazon will support the construction of an 80 megawatt solar farm in Accomak County, Va., the largest for the state and one of the largest solar farms in the eastern U.S. The announcement comes a...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/amazon_renewable_80mw_solar_farm_virginia_061015
The cost of rooftop solar fell by up to 20 percent in 2014 in the U.S., according to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s annual “Tracking the Sun” report. The report found that on a...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/rooftop_solar_fell_20_percent_2014_081315
Vivint Solar quickly grew to the second largest residential solar installer in the U.S., behind SolarCity. Now it’s looking to expand its customer base further and has announced plans to move i...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/vivint_solar_commerical_solar_market_060415
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican seeking the Presidency, signed into law with little fanfare S-2420, which expands the state’s net-metering capacity threshold to 2.9 percent of tota...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/christie_expands_net-metering_new_jersey_081115
The Power & Water division of General Electric is entering the solar market in the U.S. as an engineering, procurement and contractor. The company announced that it is installing a 2 megawatt PV ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ge_enters_solar_contracting_market_052915
Last week Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) introduced a bill to raise the net metering cap in Massachusetts. The solar industry, which had thrived in the state until caps started being reache...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/mass_gov_files_net-metering_bill_081015
Earlier this month MOVE Systems began to pilot 500 MRV100 solar-powered food carts in New York City to replace the gas, Diesel or propane-powered carts that people sidle up to throughout the day ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_power_food_trucks_new_york_052215
PG&E proposed cutting its rooftop solar program in an effort to keep it viable. Despite having the most rooftop solar power in the country, the utility now is trying to pare how much it reimburse...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/pge_proposes_cuts_rooftop_solar_080515
China and the U.S. have been working to ease sanctions and pricing issues. Now the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the China PV Investment and Finance Alliance (CPVFA) partnered t...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nrel_china_partner_solar_investments_051515
President Obama unveiled his Clean Power Plan, an ambitious plan to reduce the U.S.’s emissions and drastically increase the use of renewable energy throughout the country. The plan was heralde...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/whie_house_clean_power_plan_080315
California’s cap-and-trade program has about $832 million to support energy efficiency, public transit, affordable housing and other greenhouse gas-cutting programs statewide in 2015. Recently ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/fresno_home_low-income_solar_Cap-and-trade_051115
Two different solar-powered drones are making the news this week. In Switzerland a 5 meter wide drone has just completed an 81-hour (3 days and 9 hours) long, unmanned flight powered only by the ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_drones_take_off_073115
A new report out from MIT’s MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI), “The Future of Solar Energy,” found that solar energy is likely the best option to meet humanity’s energy needs in the future. B...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_incentives_need_change_mit_report_050515
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced New York State’s state-operated ski resorts at Belleayre, Gore and Whiteface Mountain will use solar power to run their ski lift and snowmaking operatio...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/cuomo_solar_power_new_york_ski_slopes_073015
The Department of Energy is renewing its interests in one method of creating a transportation fuel from the sunlight by renewing its support of the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis (JCA...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/fuel_from_sun_doe_renews_funding_043015
NRG Energy, one of the most aggressive power companies in solar power is now entering the newest consumer-facing side of the solar industry, community solar power. The company announced this week...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nrg_community_solar_project_massachusetts_072915
Tesla Motors, makers of some of sleekest electric cars in the world, will announce next week its plans to introduce two new lines of batteries—one for home energy storage (read, great for tying...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/tesla_home_solar_battery_052315
In Iowa as the 2016 campaign season warms up Clinton introduced the outlines of an ambitious energy plan that would get the U.S. to 33 percent renewable energy by 2020 by in part installing 700 m...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/clinton_unveils_plan_700m_solar_panels_072715
A new survey from Sungevity shows that the overwhelming majority of parents—81 percent—plans to live in a solar powered home. Moreover, it found that 88 percent of parents thought teaching th...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/parents_want_solar_powered_homes_041615
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) announced that is investing $1 million in solar power to be installed at Habitat for Humanity facilities across its service area. Under the agreement the u...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/pge_invests_1m_habitat_humanity_072415
The costs of batteries and solar panels are continuing to come down. That's according to a new report from the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and HOMER Energy that came out this week. It's could ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_array_battery_backup_challenge_utilities_051015
This is something a little different. The SunPort is set to launch a kickstarter next week. You’ve heard about rooftop solar and you’ve hopefully heard about community solar but the SunPort i...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/take_solar_power_anywhere_sunport_072315
Solar installer giant, SolarCity, is branching out from residential and commercial solar installations into community solar gardens. The company partnered with Sunrise Energy Ventures to makes it...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarcity_community_solar_minnesota_061715
Sunrun and the New York Yankees announced a new partnership under which Yankees fans will have greater access to solar energy at lower than utility rates. The new deal comes even as the company p...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunrun_prepares_309m_ipo_yankees_072315
First Solar announced a new world record efficiency for cadmium-telluride solar panels. In testing at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory its full-sized advanced PV module had an 18.6 percen...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/first_solar_new_efficiency_level_061515
A new study by EQ Research found that between 2013 and 2014 the amount of time it took 34 leading utilities to allow customers with rooftop solar installations to start producing their own electr...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/report_finds_utilities_slow_up_rooftop_solar_072215
The city of Cologne, Minn., voted last Monday to source all of the electricity to power its municipal buildings from a community solar array. The city will source its power from a SunShare solar ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/cologne_mn_powered_by_community_solar_061115
Today SunEdison and its TerraForm Power YieldCo subsidiary announced plans to acquire Vivint Solar in a $2.2 billion deal. The deal will help SunEdison become one of the biggest—not just renewa...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunedisont_terraform_power_acquires_vivint_solar_072015
In the first quarter of 2015 the U.S. solar industry installed 1.3 gigawatts of solar photovoltaics, according to GTM Research and SEIA's quarterly U.S. Solar Market Insight Report. Residential s...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/residential_solar_drives_growth_first_quarter_060915
The next generation of solar photovoltaics is upon us. But they have to become more effect and the best materials need to be found. That's where NIST and Naval Research Lab can speed things up wi...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nist_naval_research_test_solar_cells_with_lasers_071715
Over the next five years Ikea will invest 600 million euros (about $667 million) in wind and solar energy by 2020. It’s foundation will invest another 400 million euros (about $444 million) in ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ikea_invests_1_billion_renewables_060515
First Solar’s proposed 100 megawatt Solar Playa 2 project for NV Energy in Nevada is the lowest-cost electric project proposal that NV Energy received this year. The bid for the project came in...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/playa_solar_2_lowest_electric_cost_proposal_2015_071615
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Department of Interior have approved the first three solar power farms on federal lands in Nevada under the BLM’s streamlined Solar Energy Zones perm...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/blm_approves_3_solar_farms_under_fast_track_060315
Florida might be the Sunshine State, but thus far it hasn’t been as easy for homeowners in the state to go solar as it is in other states. That may change this year. As of today, there are now ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/second_solar_florida_ballot_measure_071515
A new report out from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) finds that the U.S. could install 5,000 megawatts—the equivalent of about 5 to 10 large power plants—on municipal property a...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/us_cities_could_install_5000_mws_solar_report_060115
Fossil fuel and free market advocates weren’t able to get rid of Colorado’s renewable portfolio standard (RPS) as they’d hoped. Instead the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals in Colorado upheld...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/colorado_renewable_standard_deemed_constitutional_071415
This July Georgia Power, the Southern Co. subsidiary that supplies almost all of the electricity in Georgia, is diving into rooftop solar power. The move comes as utilities are finding ways in wh...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/georgia_power_utilities_offer_financings_rooftop_solar_052815
Overall spending on solar in the second quarter of 2015 was down to $5.9 billion, lower than the $6.4 billion in the first quarter of 2015. However, many sectors of the solar industry particularl...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/global_solar_spending_down_slightly_071315
The Department of Energy announced $12 million to train Americans for solar jobs. That’s in addition to $15 million it will invest in new designs for concentrating solar power systems and $5 mi...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/doe_invests_32m_solar_workforce_csp_innovations_052615
GlassPoint Solar uses concentrating solar power (CSP) to help oil companies extract oil. The U.S.-based company announced a deal build a 1 gigawatt system in Oman to extract oil!
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/glasspoint_solar_power_oman_worlds_biggest_csp_071015
The University of South Florida St. Petersburg (USFSP) is testing a 200 kilowatt battery with a 100 kilowatt solar array thanks to a $1 million grant from Duke Energy Florida. The project will di...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/university_south_florida_200_kw_energy_storage_solar_052215
The biggest impact on the future of rooftop solar will be electric utility rate design, according to a report out from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The report finds that how retail ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/rooftop_solar_fate_dependent_rate_structure_070914
To see how California’s efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions through renewable energy and more stack up against those of other major polluters across the world, Next 10 introduced its 2015 ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/next_10_ranking_green_innovation_greenhouse_gas_reduction_051915
The Investment Tax Credit (ITC), the tax credit that has allowed homeowners and businesses to deduct 30 percent of the cost of a solar array from their taxes, is set to expire at the end of 2016....
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/salvage_solar_tax_credit_070815
Sen. Mazie Hirono (D) has introduced and or signed on to a number of solar and renewable energy bills that were introduced into the Senate this week. For instance, The Federal Energy Savings Enha...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/hawaiian_sen_hirono_introduces_clean_energy_bills_051415
Today (July 7) the White House announced the National Community Solar Partnership and ancillary plans in an effort to make it easier for middle and low-income people in the U.S. to have access to...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/white_house_initiatives_increase_solar_access_070715
One of the big things that has hindered greater adoption of renewable energy in the U.S. and across the U.S. is a lack of federal policy that supports renewable energy across the country. Today (...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/senators_introduce_national_renewable_energy_standard_bill_051215
Today (July 3) Solar Impulse continued its record-breaking journey, breaking two records for the longest solo flight in human history. The plane landed at Kalaeloa Airport in Hawaii after being a...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_impulse_lands_hawaii_breaks_records_070315
The team behind Solar Impulse, the solar-powered airplane is preparing for its most perilous journey yet—a five or more day trek across the the Pacific Ocean, which will be the longest leg of t...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_impulse_flying_from_china_hawaii_050815
James Cameron has designed a new solar flower that’s aimed at making solar power both functional and attractive. It’s not the first time the director has taken a pro-environmental stance. Aft...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/cameron_solar_array_idead_070215
The flat pack giant has done it again, its help push solar into a place that isn’t known for it by installing a new array in Kansas. The company installed a 730.17 kilowatt solar array on its s...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/kansas_gets_largest_commercial_solar_array_ikea_050615
Austin Energy’s recent request for proposals (RFPs) for 600 megawatts of solar power has revealed the lowest price for solar power yet—under $40 per megawatt hour or 4 cents per kilowatt hour...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/austin_energy_solar_prices_below_electric_rates_070115
The Mass Solar Coalition today (May 4) commended the work of Massachusetts’ Net Metering and Solar Task Force. The task force sent a final report to Massachusetts’ state legislature last Frid...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/mass_solar_advocates_support_task_force_net-metering_050415
Rooftop solar is increasingly under attack by many utilities across the U.S.new report from Environment America, Shining Rewards: The Value of Rooftop Solar Power for Consumers and Society, finds...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/report_finds_rooftop_solar_delivers_benefits_063015
There now more than 22.7 gigawatts of solar photovoltaics installed across the U.S. That’s according to the latest U.S. Solar Market Insight Report by the Solar Energy Industries Association an...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/us_surpassses_22_gws_solar_2015_090915
Solar Impulse has taken off from Japan to Hawaii on its longest and most perilous journey yet. It’s the plane’s second attempt at the flight after suffering a weather-cased setback weeks ago ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_impulse_takes_off_japan_hawaii_062915
Community solar or shared solar resources could make up nearly half of the distributed solar resources in the U.S. by 2020. That’s according to a new report from the National Renewable Energy L...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/half_distributed_solar_could_be_community_by_2020_042815
Sunrun announced that it filed a Form S-1 for an initial public offering (IPO) of stock. The company plans to issue more than 54.8 million shares of common stock. In doing so it joins SolarCity a...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunrun_files_for_ipo_062615
As California suffers through another crippling drought people in the U.S. are again talking about desalinating water. Some of the folks over at MIT have just won an award for a desalinization pr...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Ssolar_for_water_desalination_042415
Community solar power is an increasingly popular choice to go solar. But there’s still a disconnect and not everyone—including utilities understand it. Clean Energy Collective introduced its ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/clean_energy_collective_utility_tools_community_solar_062615
Today is a chance to celebrate what what we’ve accomplished in terms of protecting our home and what we’re starting to do. The U.S. has gone from virtually zero solar panels when the first Ea...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_power_earth_day_052215
This is a final kick in the pants for the coal mines that supplied the Widows Creek coal power plant in Alabama. First the coal-fired power plant was scheduled for a shutdown. Now Google announce...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/google_renewable_powered_data_center_alabama_062515
That’s according to figures from the California Independent System Operator (CaISO), which tracks and manages most of the Golden State’s electric grid. The organization reported yesterday tha...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/califorinia_solar_installations_6gw_online_041715
The U.S. now has more than 50,000 wind turbines and 650,000 solar installations, according to according to Clean Energy Champions: The Importance of State Programs and Policies. State policy has ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/cesa_report_state_policy_impacts_clean_energy_growth_062315
Last week the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Forest Service, Department of Energy (DOE) and General Services Administration (GSA) developed the first federal partnership to purc...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/federal_agencies_join_solar_ppa_rfp_041515
First Solar and SunPower previously announced they were joining together to form a YieldCo to provide financing for their solar projects. Today they announced the $420 million initial public offe...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/first_solar_sunpower_yieldco_ipo_420m_061915
NRG YieldCo will invest up to $150 million into NRG Home Solar’s Residential Solar portfolio, one of the first times a YeildCo will be used to purchase a residential solar portfolio in the U.S.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nrg_yieldco_invest_150_million_residential_solar_041315
Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveiled Tesla Energy and the Powerwall, the poorly held secret new residential energy storage system that the company will soon offer to residents. The system will allow home...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/tesla_powerwall_home_energy_storage_050115
Vermont’s Green Mountain Power has partnered with Yeloha, a solar company that touts itself as a peer-to-peer solar sharing network. Under the agreement Yeloha and Green Mountain will offer Yel...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/yeloha_partners_green_mountain_power_092115
A new study found that Los Angeles could have the largest local solar program in the country. However, the study found that there are needless delays in its solar programs.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_in_la_needlessly_delayed_032715
A new study from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) came out today (March 31) showing that 2014 was the best year yet for renewable energy with 103 gigawatts coming online across the...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/wind_solar_renewables_103_gigawatts_online_2014_033115
Today the leading renewable energy industry advocacy groups released a handbook aimed at helping states better understand how solar and wind power can help them comply with EPA regulations. The h...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/wind_solar_produce_state_renewable_energy_guide_033015
When people talked about the solar coaster in the past it referred to the quickly changing in prices in the solar industry. Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey just changed that by announcing...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/six_flags_nj_solar_coaster_040115
At Hill Air Force Base in Salt Lake City, Utah, President Obama announced a plan with the Department of Energy and community colleges across the nation to train 75,000 people to work in the solar...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/obama_plans_train_75000_solar_workers_040315
Duke Energy is lending credence to the term “The Sunshine State” for Florida. Last week it announced a new plan to install 500 megawatts of solar power in Florida by 2024. Its parent has alre...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/duke_energy_introduces_plans_for_500mw_solar_florida_040615
Who woulda thunk it. Just a few years ago solar power made up less than a percent of California’s electric generation. Now it’s up to more than 5 percent, according to the Energy Information ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/california_passes_5_percent_solar_power_032515
The solar industry now employs 173,807 workers across the U.S. That’s according to figures released from The Solar Foundation’s National Solar Jobs Census for 2014 last week.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_industry_employes_174000_US_021715
Today the Department of Energy announced that the first class of marines at Camp Pendleton trained for careers in the solar industry has graduated. They’re the first class of service members tr...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/camp_pendleton_trains_marines_solar_021315
Last week the board of Arizona’s Salt River Project (SRP), a nonprofit public utility, chose to impose draconian fees on customers with new solar installations—despite public protests. The ut...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/arizona_utility_imposes_solar_fees_030215
Yesterday (March 4) the Department of Energy announced the final rules for its SunShot Prize: Race to 7-Day Solar challenge. The challenge, as implied by the name, aims to help people install sol...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/energy_department_7-day_solar_challenge_030515
As solar and wind become bigger contributors to utilities’ energy generation they're talking more and more about grid resiliency. Clean Energy Group just introduced two new reports to help citi...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/resiliency_solar_buzz_word_2015_030315
The theme of this year’s Solar Power Colorado 2015, the annual conference held by the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (COSEIA), is the next 25 years in solar. The conference will f...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_power_colorado_next_25_years_solar_cosiea_021815
SunEdison announced that it purchased Solar Grid Storage a maker of battery storage systems intended to provide back up storage for the grid as well as buffer the power from solar energy installa...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunedison_acquires_solar_grid_storage_030515
Prior to SunPower's and First Solar's 2014 earnings calls on Feb. 24 the companies, the two largest vertically-integrated solar companies in the U.S., announced they are partnering to create a yi...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/us_largest_solar_companies_sunpower_first_solar_yieldco_022515
The Taxpayer Protection Alliance (TPA), a Koch brother-backed organization has issued a new report which claimed that the U.S. has given $39 billion in subsidies annually to the solar industry. I...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/koch_brother_fight_solar_new_report_022015
Solar Frontier is the biggest manufacturer of Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIGS) thin-film photovoltaics in the world but thus far the company hasn’t had a large presence in the U.S. market....
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_frontier_us_market_280mw_gestamp_pipeline_031315
Louisiana’s Public Service Commission (LPSC) recently released a net-metering (NEM) study that’s drawing the ire of the local solar industry. The study is more evidence that the next step uti...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/louisiana_solar_industry_net_metering_study_wrong_031215
Among all the states in the Northeast Massachusetts is leading the way in solar power. This small state—more than five Massachusetts’ could fit into New York by area—installed more solar po...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/massachusetts_leads_northeast_in_new_solar_031615
SolarCity made its first bonds available for investment to the public last fall. Now it’s partnered with Incapital to make its solar bonds to investors across the U.S. It’s another way SolarC...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarcity_incaptial_partner_bonds_financial_031315
GTM Research unveiled its March Madness bracket to see which state will install the most home solar in the month of March. “Last year, solar analyst Cory Honeyman filled out a bracket to predic...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/march_madness_gets_solar_take_051715
Target's logo might be red but the company just got a lot greener thanks to a new agreement the discount retailer with Greenskies Renewable Energy unveiled on March 17. Under the newly signed agr...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/target_install_solar_180_locations_2016_031715
President Barack Obama (D) signed an Executive Order requiring the federal government to increase its use of renewable energy to 30 percent and to reduce its emissions. Under the order federal ag...
SolarCity announced a new, $750 million fund to support residential solar in the U.S. Included in that fund is a $300 million investment from Google. It's being called “Google and SolarCity 2.0...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/google_solarcity_750m_solar_fund_022715
GTM Research and SEIA announced that 6.2 gigawatts of solar photovoltaics—that’s 30 percent more than in 2013—and 767 megawatts of concentrating solar power came online in the U.S. in 2014....
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/us_surpassses_20_gw_solar_7_gw_solar_2014_031015
At COSEIA’s Conference: 2015 Solar Power Colorado: The Next 25 Years the organization introduced its new grassroots nonprofit Solar CitiSuns. The new nonprofit is aimed at engaging Coloradans i...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/coseia_launches_solar_citisuns_022615
And they’re off! This morning (March 9) Solar Impulse took off on the first leg of its attempt to circumnavigate the earth in an airplane powered only by the sun.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_impulse_launches_worldwide_solar_flight_030915
The cost of silicon PV dropped significantly making CPV technology comparatively more costly. Many companies in the CPV industry disappeared shortly after launching but now Arzon Solar is plannin...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/arzon_solar_reinvigorates_CPV_022315
The Energy Information Administration Electric Power Monthly report. for December 2014. It showed that the amount of installed, utility-scale solar has more than doubled since 2013 and that wind ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/wind_solar_impressive_gains_eia_report_030615
That’s the question asked in a new outlook from Wood Mackenzie. The outlook found that solar has the potential to upend the gas and power markets throughout the world.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/will_solar_be_next_shale_021915
That’s the time, in business days that it usually takes for a home or small business to go solar from initial consultation to installed and online. That's the time the National Renewable Energy...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/63_days_average_time_soalr_installation_021115
Today at the International CES show in Las Vegas Misfit Wearables introduced the solar-powered Swarovski Shine, a smart activity tracker that doesn’t look like a miniature tv-screen on the wear...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/mistfit_introduces_solar-powered_activity_tracker_010514
Two recent polls confirm that the public wants more solar power and renewable energy. One, released by Gallup, found that solar and wind are more popular than nuclear. The other by Clean Edge and...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/polls_confirm_us_wants_more_solar_040815
Florida was one of the sour spots for solar in 2014. The Florida Public Service Commission voted to end the state’s rebates after 2015 in December. But it looks like the state might start takin...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/florida_conservatives_push_distributed_solar_010815
Yesterday (Jan. 6) California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) became the first governor in California to serve 4 terms—his first two were in the 1970’s, But with ambitious propositions, including sourci...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/california_gov_wants_50_percent_renewables_2030_010615
Investing in solar rooftops offers a better return on investment than investing in the S&P 500 in 46 of 50 of the U.S.’ top cities. That’s the determination of a new report from the N.C. Clea...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_roofs_beat_stock_46_us_cities_011415
SunEdison and Adani Enterprises signed a memorandum establishing a joint venture aimed at building the largest vertically integrated solar photovoltaic manufacturing facility in India. The projec...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunedison_adani_4b_solar_plant_india_011215
Renewable energy, including wind, solar, hydropower and biopower grew to 13 percent of all electric generation in the U.S. in 2013. That’s according to the the National Renewable Energy Laborat...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nrel_2013_energy_data_strong_renewable_growth_012115
Yesterday (Jan. 15) NRG Energy, Inc. introduced its long-term growth plan. The plan, unveiled at the company’s 2015 investor meeting, which was themed “Win Today, Win Tomorrow and Win the Fut...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nrg_debuts_growth_plan_solar_011615
The Business Council for Sustainable Energy released its Sustainable Energy in America Factbook for 2015, which was produced by Bloomberg. The factbook shows the advances that clean energy is mak...
Most solar photovoltaic systems are tied to the grid and the home, business or feeder line they provide power for in such a way that they must be turned off if the whole grid goes down. Otherwise...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/cuny_developing_power_outage_ready_solar_system_020415
Yesterday (Feb. 9) Duke Energy acquired a majority stake in REC Solar, which provides commercial solar energy services. Over the next several years Duke Energy also plans to invest up to $225 mil...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/duke_energy_boosts_dstributed_solar_020914
NRG Energy ecently announced its intentions to increase this trend during its annual call. Earlier this week it made good on the promise, purchasing the Northeast sales and operations Verengo Sol...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nrg_buys_vernego_solar_northeast_home_solar_020614
South Carolina hasn’t been known as a solar stronghold but with its new Solarize South Carolina program the state is changing that. It wants to put solar on 2,000 homes within the next 18 month...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/south_carolina_solarize_2000_solar_homes_2016_032015
Over the past few months a number of Democrats and Republicans Representatives have expressed concern over solar leasing practices. Most recently 12 Republicans wrote a letter to the Federal Trad...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/house_reps_look_solar_leasing_010215
Today (Feb. 12) The Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA) introduced A Homeowner’s Guide to Solar Financing: Leases, Loans and PPAs, a guide to help homeowners understand and choose the best sola...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/cesa_guide_to_solar_home_financing_options_021215
Yesterday (Jan. 21) the U.S. International Trade Commission today upheld the tariffs it imposed on Chinese and Taiwanese solar panels for unfair Chinese trade practices. Some see them as good som...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/us_trade_commission_upholds_tariffs_chinese_solar_panels_012215
That’s according to the results of a Solar Washington survey released last month. Basically the survey found that for each dollar the state invested in solar incentives offered by the state in ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_incentives_generate_revenue_washington_state_020315
A new report out from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBL) “Selling Into the Sun” shows that solar arrays add value to homes. The new report takes on a serious question for homeown...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/study_shows_solar_homes_better_price_012115
In the last few weeks President Obama (D) has stepped up his efforts to fight climate change and support renewable energy like solar and wind. Now in the 2016 budget he’s proposed something the...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/obama_proposes_permanent_solar_tax_credits_020215
Today (Jan. 20) the Solar Impulse team unveiled their plans for circumnavigating the globe on a 35,000 kilometer (21,748 mile) trip, a journey which they will begin at the end of March when they ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_impulse_preps_for_world_trip_012015
Yesterday (Jan. 29) the DOE offered a number of innovative projects with a total of $59 million. The funds are intended to help reduce the cost of solar and speed new technologies to market.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/doe_invests_$59m_solar_innovation_013015
The U.S. economy has largely recovered, but few sectors of the economy have seen the success of the solar—and it’s got the jobs to show it. Last year alone the solar industry created more tha...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_jobs_census_solar_jobs_blow_up_011514
This year the battle on the gridiron will be decided by two teams that have gone solar on their their respective stadiums. This spurred the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) to attempt t...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_super_bowl_seia_report_sports_stadiums_012915
Residential solar is continuing to attract more funds, showing that the residential solar industry will remain hot in 2015. Last week two of the nation’s largest home solar companies separately...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_companies_raise_over_500m_financing_011314
Florida’s largest utility, Florida Power & Light Co. (FPL) announced a plan earlier this week to invest a lot of money—$400 million—in solar power. Unfortunately it’s all focussed on util...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/florida_fpl_invest_3_solar_power_plants_012715
Last year the world spent more on solar than on any other energy technology. That’s according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF), which found that funding for many types of clean energy gre...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_nearly_half_energy_spending_2014_010914
Yesterday (Jan. 26) President Barak Obama met with India Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Dehli. There they discussed, among other things, clean energy and Modi’s ambitious goals to grow the...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/obama_supports_india_solar_cleand_energy_012715
Solar power, with help from the solar industry, made an appearance in the annual “State of American Energy Report” from no less than the American Petroleum Institute (API). The report shows t...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_in_oil_report_010715
Last week Hawaiian Electric Companies (HECO) announced its plan to triple the amount of rooftop solar in its service area on Maui, Oahu and the Big Island. At the same time however, it proposed g...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/hawaii_utility_end_net-metering_triple_rooftop_solar_012615
Apple just announced the biggest commercial solar agreement to date for a company’s use. Apple signed an $848 million power-purchase agreement with First Solar for 130 megawatts of solar from t...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/apple_first_solar_130mws_solar_farm_021015
Earlier this month the National Hockey League announced that it partnered with Constellation Energy as its energy provider with a focus on reducing energy use and embracing clean energy.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nhl_first_sports_league_clean_energy_constellation_123014
A number of financial experts—not just solar advocates—are already predicting that 2015 will be a great year for solar power in U.S. As solar power technologies continue to drop in price and ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/experts_predict_great_solar_2015_123114
Photovoltaic solar cells using multiple layers to absorb more sunlight is nothing new. But these are expensive devices that use rarer, expensive materials, making them too expensive for more comm...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/mit_stanford_silicon_solar_cell_sandwhich_032415
Legislators teamed up with conservation organization Environment North Carolina to support solar power policies in the state as legislators come back from the summer recess in the state. They tou...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/north_carolina_ready_solar_power_091115
When Rio Tinto Stadium’s solar array is completed this fall the 2 megawatt system will provide 73 percent of the Major League Soccer teams Real Salt Lake USL Real Monarchs power needs. That’s...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/utah_rio_tinto_stadium_most_power_from_solar_040915
Last month Florida Power and Light’s solar hot water rebate program ended with an abrupt notice, earlier than anticipated. FlaSEIA protested the cancellation, alleging that funds in the program...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_hot_water_florida_090214
Among the jobs and industries most threatened by power are coal jobs. However researchers are showing that coal workers could find jobs in, well, solar power—the very thing that may have taken ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/michigan-tech-osu-coal-workers-placement-solar-070516
Today the largest part of the solar industry in the U.S. is on the residential solar side. Within the residential solar market the largest part of the market is comprised of third-party ownership...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/homeowners-options-solar-2014-beyond-062514
Solar-powered breweries are giving bar patrons and consumers one more reason to enjoy a tasty brew – the feeling they’re saving the planet, one sip at a time.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-powered-beer-lets-you-drink-responsibly
NPD Solarbuzz now anticipates the global demand for new solar power will will exceed more than 50 gigawatts for the first time ever. IHS’ report anticipated that solar would reach 46 gigawatts ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-demand-50gw-2015-041014
While the solar industry isn’t the first concern as the U.S. government stalemate continues, it may be affected in a number of ways – from research to incentives to regulating the electric gr...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/us-shutdown-solar-effects-100113
The University of California (UC) is making the largest purchase of solar energy by a higher education institution. Earlier this week it announced that it signed agreements to supply 206,000 mega...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/university_california_signs_80mw_contract_091214
Mission Solar Energy, LLC. officially opened the doors on its new, 240,000 square-foot facility in San Antonio’s Brooks City-Base. The new facility is the result of a collaboration between CPS ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/san_antonio_mission_solar_pv_manufacturing_092414
Today (Sept. 18) the Obama Administration announced a series of steps to increase solar in the U.S. and promote energy efficiency. The new steps are partly a result of a Solar Summit the administ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/white_house_solar_actions_091824
Yesterday (Oct. 9) Wunder, a Boulder, Col.-based company launched a new type of solar fund that makes it easier for investors to well, invest in solar power. The company promises investors a 7 pe...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/wunder_7percent_annual_return_solar_101014
Everybody wants to keep up with the proverbial Jones’ and now that they’ve installed solar on their home maybe its time for you to do so, too. This weekend towns and cities across the U.S. ar...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/national_solar_tour_2014_100114
Department of Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) spoke up for solar at the Solar Power International (SPI) conference at Las Vegas calling it critical to the ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/moniz_reid_speak_up_for_solar_itc_102214
In the past most large funds that solar installers or financiers have announced have been made with banks. Now a new partnership with Digital Federal Credit Union (DCU) in Massachusetts and Sunga...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sungage_fiancial_launches_100m_solar_fund_101614
A new report out from the Advanced Energy Economy shows that clean energy, like solar and wind, energy efficiency and some advanced fuels are providing 431,800 jobs in California—5 percent more...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/advanced_energy_solar_employ_430k_california_120414
Soitec has broken the world record for PV cells once again. On Monday (Dec. 1) the company announced that its newest champion PV cell was able to convert fully 46 percent of the sun’s energy in...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/soitec_new_solar_pv_record_46_percent_120214
Solar energy is one of the most ancient forms of energy, and has embraced a myriad of technological incarnations. What will it take for solar to continue to advance and achieve widespread adoptio...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ancient-form-of-clean-energy-becomes-increasingly-valuable-092713
As 2014 comes to a close as well as the third quarter earnings season companies are getting a glimpse into how solar manufactures are performing in terms of sales. Over the past few years Chinese...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/china_dominates_pv_manufacturing_120514
Over the past few years the amount of new solar power coming online continues to eclipse previous growth. In keeping with what will hopefully remain a tradition the U.S. again surpassed the previ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/us_solar_booms_1345mws_installed_3q-14-seia,%20gtm_120914
RMI and the NREL announced a new report that shows a roadmap of how to reduce the soft costs of solar over the next eight years.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/rmi-nrel-how-to-reduce-soft-costs-solar-092513
New York has introduced a new standardized solar permitting process that municipalities across the state can adopt to help reduce the soft costs of going solar, while facilitating growth within t...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new-york-unified-solar-permit-cut-solar-costs-092413
Following New York’s simplification of solar incentives for residents and businesses the state unveiled a new plan last week, K-Solar, to help New York’s schools go solar. Already 40 of the s...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new_york_k_solar_schools_launched_090814
Jackie Chan might be taking on his biggest challenge yet—and he doesn’t even have to act. That’s because researchers at Northwestern University exploring how to increase the performance of ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/jackie_can_solar_better_120114
Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Ernest Moniz said the federal government would support continued research into reducing the costs of solar further through more than $53 million in grants, wh...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/doe_50m_solar_research_grants_102414
On and off Colorado’s been one of the best states for solar power. But it has suffered from a boom-bust solar industry cycle. Now the state's utility commission is offering more stability.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/colorado_utility_commission_supports_solar_112814
The cost of energy may be going up just about anywhere. But while that’s happening the cost of locally sourced solar power—read solar rooftops or distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) systems�...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_prices_continue_to_drop_102014
This is big. The Topaz Solar Farm, a 550 megawatt behemoth of a photovoltaic solar farm in San Luis Obispo County, Calif., is now fully online. It’s the largest PV plant online in the world. It...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/topaz_solar_farm_worlds_largest_now_online_112714
SunEdison said today (Oct. 14) that it is announcing a new technology that will help increase the efficiency of its solar photovoltaic modules while decreasing total system cost. The company is c...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunedison_new_solar_pv_technologies_101414
A new report out from the Climate Policy Initiative finds that international investment in climate change reduction technologies fell in 2013 to $331 billion from $359 billion the year before. Bu...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/climate_change_investment_shrink_lower_solar_costs_112614
By the end of 2014 there will be roughly 200 gigawatts of solar installed across the world. For the full year of 2014 roughly 50 gigawatts of solar photovoltaic power will come online. In the fou...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/record_year_quarter_solar_power_100714
SolarCity and SunEdison signed agreements with Walmart to install up to 400 solar projects on its stores and facilities across the U.S. over the next four years. The new installations will help t...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunedison_solarcity_400_solar_projects_walmart_112514
The IRS is evaluating the negative tax implications of Value of Solar Tariffs (VOSTs). The issue came about because an Austin homeowner filed an Information Letter Request about VOSTs in Austin, ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/irs_steps_in_on_solar_net-metering-092614
Today Colorado’s Ascent Solar and Navarre, a business unit of WYNIT Distribution announced a new distribution agreement for Ascent Solar, under which its EnerPlex line of products will see expa...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ascent_solar_retail_distrubution_portable_solar_112414
Earlier this year Google, IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) and partners announced the Little Box Challenge, an attempt to help create a much more efficient and power-dense...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/little_box_challenge_inverters_nrel_092214
A new report out this week from the Environment America found that the U.S. could reach 10 percent solar power by 2030—and maybe even surpass that figure. The report used National Renewable Ene...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/report_finds_us_set_for_10_percent_solar_2030_112014
SunPower announced yesterday (Sept. 15) that it surpassed a significant milestone in photovoltaic (PV) production, manufacturing its 1 billionth solar cell. While just a number, it represents sig...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunpower_passes_1_billion_pv_cells_produced_091614
Hawaii is the furthest state from the continental U.S. as such its power generation sources are more limited than in the rest of the U.S. As such solar is becoming a big player in the state, and ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/hawaii_hec_nrel_solarcity_solar_112014
Google has invested $145 million in SunEdison’s 82 megawatt Regulus solar project, which is being built on a 743-acre southeast of Bakersfield, Calif. The site formerly hosted up to 30 oil well...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/google_solar_project_investment_oil_gas_conversion_091914
The day of the solar microinverter may be at hand. In the past two weeks two solar companies in the U.S. SolarWorld and SunPower have both increased their interest in microinverters. SunPower bou...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_manufacturers_microinverter_interest_grow_111914
Working together five New England States in the Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA) have produced "Planning and Implementing a Solarize Initiative: A Guide for State Program Managers” to help s...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/cesa_solar_group_purchasing_guide_introduced_090414
NRG Home Solar, the residential solar arm of NRG Energy, is expanding in California. The parent company has repeatedly illustrated its goals to be one of the most renewable energy suppliers in th...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nrg_home_solar_expansion_california_111814
Solar Power Rocks, which tracks state solar incentives and rebates for homeowners across the U.S., released its 2015 Solar Power Rankings earlier this week. Some of the top 10 states were previou...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ny_tops_solar_power_rocks_2015_list_102314
As promised during Solar Power International this year Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) has launched a new website called The 51st State designed to help reimagine the U.S.’s energy infr...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sepa_launches_51st_state_solar_111714
Mosaic, which launched by crowd funding commercial-scale solar projects at schools and community centers is quickly moving into residential solar financing. Yesterday (Oct. 21) the company announ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/mosaic_partnerre_residential_solar_fund_100m_102114
Under a new agreement with SolarCity and Lincoln Military Housing Navy and Marine residences in the San Diego region could see 20 megawatts of solar installed on their roofs. The agreement is par...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/navy_installing_solar_6000_homes_California_111414
Earlier this week the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) introduced the third version of its annual Solar Means Business report finding that for the second straight more than 1, 000 megaw...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/more_than_1000_mws_solar_installed_commerical_101714
The Department of Energy’s loan program for new solar and clean energy technologies is proving more successful than ever imagined. The DOE has loaned $34.2 billion under the program. It has alr...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/does_solar_clean_energy_loans_successful_111314
Outdoor gear manufacturer and environmental champion, Patagonia, announced that it’s making a $13 million tax equity investment in solar power in Hawaii. The investment is part of a $27 million...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/patagonia_funds_solar_hawaii_101514
In a first of its kind agreement for the U.S. and China both of the world’s superpowers have agreed to reduce carbon emissions significantly. Under new agreement between the two countries, made...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/obama_china_agree_emission_reduction_111214
A new Pew Report and white paper looks at how North Carolina has become a solar leader in the Southeastern U.S. The report from the research company found that the state’s policies and institut...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/pew_report_north_carolina_solar_leader_101314
Oncor Electric Delivery Co. commissioned a study that looked into deploying energy storage for the grid in Texas. The cost of deployment could reach $2 billion but found that deploying energy sto...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/5_gigawatts_energy_storage_texas_111114
Former Green Bay Packer offensive tackle Mark Tauscher signed up to tackle for solar in Wisconsin as the state’s utilities are teaming up to increase fees on all customers for and at least one ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/green_bay_packer_tackles_for_solar_100914
Ford announced that will install wind and solar-powered systems at four of its dealerships under a new pilot program with partner Wind Energy. Under the partnership the Ford dealerships in Michig...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ford_wind_solar_dealerships_111014
Ohio State University published new research in the journal Nature Communications demonstrating a new solar battery. The solar battery is able to produce and store electricity from the sun.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ohio_state_solar_battery_100614
The U.S. Export-Import Bank said that it anticipates investing $200 million in fiscal year 2014 to support renewable energy projects—like wind and solar industry projects—using U.S. companies...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ex-im_bank_200m_renewable_energy_exports_110714
On the heels of New York’s ground-breaking for SolarCity’s GigaFactory in Buffalo, N.Y., Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) last week, the governor announced new awards to support 214 megawatts of commerc...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ny-sun_214mws_new_solar_projects_093014
This week’s mid-term elections saw a dramatic but somewhat anticipated shift across the nation to a more conservative political nature. During campaign season many conservatives espoused suppor...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/elections_pose_new_challenges_opportunities_for_solar_110614
Earlier this week N.Y. Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) broke ground on the new SolarCity GigaFactory at Riverbend in South Buffalo. The new GigaFactory will make 1 gigawatt of solar PV modules annually, us...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarcity_cuomo_solar_gigafactory_092514
Perhaps in no other market has a large solar incentive program been as successful as in California. As the program’s successive incentive offerings were fulfilled incentives were reduced until ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/celebrating_califorina_solar_initiative_end_110514
Perhaps it’s fitting that the decedents of John Rockefeller are turning away from oil and fossil fuels in favor of clean energy. When Rockefeller became the world's richest man by investing in ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/rockefeller_abandon_fossil_fuel_renewable_energy_092314
Today (Nov. 4) SunPower Corp. announced plans to build out a new a solar photovoltaic (PV) panel manufacturing facility in Cape Town, South Africa. The new facility, which will start producing PV...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunpower_160mw_solar_pv_plant_south_africa_110414
One of the dirtiest pieces of land in the U.S., Sullivan’s Ledge, in New Bedford, Mass., is now remediated and generating solar power. That’s thanks to a 1.8 megawatt PV array installed by Su...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunedison_solar_array_landfill_mass_091914
Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories are looking into using metal-organic framework (MOF) materials, which are likened to chemists’ tinkertoys, as part of developing a new generation of ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sandia_tinkertoy_solar_cells_110314
New reports from the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory find that the price of solar continues to decline across all categories but perhaps most surprisingly in the re...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sola_continues_price_drops_091714
SolarWorld, the stalwart PV manufacturer with a long history of manufacturing in Oregon, is expanding production to 530 megawatts and hiring 200 people in 2015. SolarWorld, which made the announc...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarworld_hire_200_expands_manufacturing_103114
Duke Energy announced $500 million in new solar projects and purchases totaling 278 megawatts of solar power. The investments are for large solar projects and not businesses and rooftops.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/duke_energy_500m_solar_projects_091514
SunEdison’s TerraForm Made a big purchase today when it bought Capital Dynamics’ U.S. solar portfolio For $250 million. The purchase consists of 39 solar projects across the U.S., totaling 77...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunedison_terraform_buys_capital_dynamics_portfolio_103014
Solar3D’s SUNworks division is now offering battery storage systems to its solar power customers. It joins a growing number of solar installers that are starting to offer energy storage systems...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunworks_offering_solar_energy_storage_091114
SunPower held its third-quarter 2014 earnings call today (Oct. 29), surpassing all its anticipated results despite a relatively soft margin. The results were enough for at least one analyst to re...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunpower_3q14_earnings_102914
Getting solar into more people’s lives is easier where utilities are public but in places where utilities are co-operatives it hasn’t been as easy. Hence the co-ops and their partners launche...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/scoop_celebrates_first_anniversary_rural_solar_090914
While the overwhelming majority of solar panels today are shades of black or blue, numerous companies are working to make a new generation of solar cells and modules that aren’t black. These in...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/future_of_solar-clear_colorful_102814
The U.S. now has 15,900 megawatts of solar power installed. Fully 1,133 MWs of photovoltaics were installed in the second quarter of 2014. It’s the third consecutive quarter when more than 1 gi...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/us_16_gigawatts_solar_installed_090514
The first manned solar-powered plane designed to navigate the globe solely on the power of the sun, Solar Impulse 2, is complete! The new plane was unveiled today (April 9).
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-impulse-2-unveiled-040914
In addition to conservation measures, people can begin taking powerful actions to address climate change with their money. Here are four new opportunities for you to take powerful action right no...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/four-ways-to-save-money-and-the-planet-121513
The majority of silicon solar photovoltaics use silver to conduct electricity but thanks in part to help from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, TetraSun is using copper as a conductor ins...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/tetrasun-solar-pennies-nrel-111113
Michigan Technological University’s Keweenaw Research Center (KRC) is now a part of a two-year study that aims to gauge how snow affects solar panels’ power generation and determine the best ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/researchers-analyze-solar-panel-performance-in-cold-climates
A report from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that a new photovoltaic installation on a home leads to a $5,911 price boost per kilowatt installed. The report is a sign that solar ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/go-solar-add-home-value-121613
The U.S. gives away billions of dollars annually to rich coal, oil and gas companies. Five of top oil companies made $1 trillion over the last decade. “The End Polluter Welfare Act of 2013” w...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-competitive-fossil-fuel-subsidy-cuts-112513
In Obama’s previous State of the Union (SOTU) addresses he put out ambitious plans for moving the U.S. to more renewable energy. He didn’t offer any significant new programs for solar or wind...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/obama-state-of-the-union-renewables-013014
An administrative law judge in Minnesota has ruled that a solar proposal is a better deal for Minnesotans than a competing natural gas proposal. The proposal by Geronimo Energy would include up t...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-beats-natural-gas-minnesota-010714
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) anticipates that rooftop solar power will be at parity with local retail electric prices by 2017 in more than half of the states across the U.S. This is a ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ucs_home_solar_cheap_utility_2017_082014
Sol Systems launched a new $100 million fund to support commercial and large-scale solar projects. Under the new fund Sol Systems will support projects between 750 kilowatts and 20 megawatts in s...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sol-systems-100-million-commercial-solar-fund-021814
A company called JPods is planning to build what might be the first solar-powered personal rapid transport (PRT) network in Secaucus and the Meadowlands in New Jersey. The system will consist of ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/secaucus_nj_solar_skyway_082214
Has Michigan State University (MSU) cracked the see-through solar debacle? Maybe. Companies and universities have been working for years to develop see-through or transparent solar panels.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/michigan_see_through_solar_082114
New York is making it easier for companies and residents to go solar—and for the government to help them go solar by simplifying the state’s solar incentive programs into a statewide NY-Sun I...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new_york_simplifies_solar_082514
California’s Solar Permitting Efficiency Act (A.B. 2188) is awaiting Gov. Jerry Brown’s (D) signature. The legislation could reduce the time and costs of installing solar in California.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/california-bill-simplify-home-solar-082614
As expected Vivint Solar has filed a form S-1 for its $200 million initial public offering. If approved, the IPO will allow the company to raise funds through public offering of common stock on t...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/vivint_solar_files_200m_ipo_082714
Sidewalks aren’t usually thought of as revolutionary but the latest sidewalk at George Washington University’s Virginia Science and Technology Campus is. It’s the world’s first sidewalk m...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/gwu-first-pv-sidewalk-100813
Car batteries, not the fancy lithium-ion batteries in today’s electric vehicles, are usually of the lead-acid variety and if improperly disposed can leach lead. One of the most promising techno...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/car_batteries_perovskite_solar_panels_081914
One of the key markets for solar is residential solar. While most people think about adding solar to an existing home, an increasing number of builders and states are offering solar as a standard...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new-homes-solar-part-1-022814
As solar manufacturers ramped up volume production over the past few years, in an attempt to compete on the lowest cost per watt, something was lost, an emphasis on research and development that ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-companies-higher-efficiency-pv-081814
One of solar power’s biggest enemies is—not surprisingly—when the sun’s not shining. Not just at night, but also on cloudy days. But energy storage technologies can make solar a more reli...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-energy-storage-020714
Through a partnership with DTE Energy Ford’s headquarters in Detroit will soon have a solar-powered carport that will cover 360 parking spaces. The solar array will also have 30 charging statio...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ford-largest-solar-michigan-081514
Spanish scientists at the Universitat Jaume I in Castelló’s Group of Photovoltaic and Optoelectronic Devices (DFO) and the University of Oxford published research showing that they created a g...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/spainish-solar-graphene-efficient-011714
NRG Energy is taking solar to the people, their backpacks and gadget covers with the purchase of Goal Zero, which offers personal solar products and batteries. NRG is one of the most aggressive e...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nrg-takes-solar-people-goal-zero-081414
Principal Solar got a nice Christmas present in the form of a new partnership with Carlyle Capital Markets which will serve as Principal’s financial consultant as the solar energy company pursu...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/principal-solar-bid-solar-utility-122713
Today (Aug. 12) the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) Administrator Adam Sieminski announced that renewable electric generation including wind, solar and biomass, has outpaced the amou...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/renewables-outpace-hydroelectric-081214
President Barack Obama has issued a Presidential Memorandum directing the federal government and all its entities to source 20 percent of their energy from renewable energy by 2020.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/obama-orders-government-clean-energy-solar-2020
As the Volkswagen family of automobiles enters their new hybrid and electric vehicles to the U.S. they’ve already started partnering with companies to offer a more sustainable driving experienc...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/volkswagen_audi_sunpower_hybrids081114
The Georgia Public Services Commission and Georgia Power, the state’s monopoly utility, chose to not impose a $22 monthly fee on solar installations Nov. 18. In addition, the preliminary ruling...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/no-solar-fee-georgia-111913
Rumors are swirling that Vivint Solar, the second largest residential solar installer in theU.S., has filed for an IPO (initial public offering) that could happen as soon as fall 2014. The compan...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/vivint-planning-fall-ipo-080614
Two bills calling on the U.S. to create a renewable energy standard (RES) have been introduced in the Senate. Both bills would require the U.S. to source 25 percent of its energy from renewable s...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/us-renewable-energy-standard-103113
Last night (July 31) Massachusetts’ House didn’t pass HB 4185, which would instate sweeping reforms in the state’s solar program. The legislation fell short of Gov. Duval Patrick’s hopes ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ma-leg-passes-solar-bill-080114
New England Clean Energy has installed the largest residential solar PV system in Central Massachusetts, and one of the largest in the state. The 45.9 KW ground-mounted system installed on land i...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/largest-residential-solar-pv-system-in-central-ma-completed-101613
The University of Michigan won the solar-powered vehicle. The team bested eight teams in the eight-day, 1,700 mile race from Austin to Minneapolis in their three-wheeled Quantum vehicle—it was ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/u-michigan-car-wins-american-solar-challenge-073114
The Hawaiian Electric Companies (HECO) plans to source 65 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2030 and nearly triple the amount of rooftop solar it has in its network—all while redu...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/hawaii_largest_utility_triple_rooftop_solar_2030_082814
Every great once in a while a bad apple pops up, even in the world of solar power where competition among installers and developers helps keep people honest. That’s the case yesterday when the ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sec-stops-solar-farm-scheme-073014
The net-metering battle is raging in increasingly more of the U.S. Now it looks like a new hotspot for solar, North Carolina, is also a new hotspot for the net-metering fight.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/net-metering-heats-up-north-carolina-022414
It’s no secret that APS Energy, Arizona’s largest utility has battled with solar installers in the state over net-metering policies. But now the utility is proposing to install solar on 3,000...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/arizona-aps-energy-solar-3000-homes-072914
The U.S. Energy Department said that utility-scale solar photovoltaic is now more than 60 percent cost-competitive with other energy sources. The news comes just three years into President Obama�...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-60-percent-utility-goal-021214
Inverters are sort of the nerve-center of a solar power array. But inverters are still big and clunky. That’s why Google and IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) introduced ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/google-little-box-inverter-challenge-072814
Sunrun purchased Mainstream Energy Corp.’s residential division of REC Solar, AEE Solar and SnapNrack. The purchase will allow Sunrun, which primarily operated as a residential solar financing ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunrun-buys-rec-solar-020414
Clean Edge and Ceres introduced a first of its kind report looking at how much clean energy utilities are buying and which have bought the most clean energy like solar power and taken the most st...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/report-utilities-clean-energy-buys-0722514
Residential solar installer Vivint Solar announced Jan. 23 that it acquired Solmetric Corp., a developer of photovoltaic installation instruments and software products. The strategic acquisition ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/vivint-solar-solmetric-buy-012414
Colorado’s Public Utilities Commission took up the debate over the future of net-metered solar rooftops in the state. At the same time SunEdison announced that it purchased the state’s larges...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/colorado-net-metering-rooftop-solar-xcel--comanche-072414
MidAmerican Solar and SunPower said that the first part of the 579-megawatt Solar Star development, the two co-located projects in California’s Kern and Los Angeles counties, is now online in C...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-star-coming-online-011314
They didn’t get 49 points out of the 51 possible LEED points, but with a respectable 41 points (5 touchdowns and 3 two-point conversions) the San Francisco 49ers' new Levi's Stadium became the ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/49ers-levis-stadium-leed-gold-072314
Happy new year. 2013 is done and gone. It was a pretty good year for solar, the best yet. If you thought solar power was slowing down, it’s just getting warmed up.
Suniva announced that it is opening up a new photovoltaic manufacturing facility in Saginaw, Mich. Construction at the new facility is slated to begin in August and Suniva plans to start manufact...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/suniva-expands-solar-manufacturing-us-072214
A new poll shows that now 67 percent of all voters in Massachusetts believe that the solar industry is important to the commonwealth’s economy, up from 57 percent in June 2013. The polls come a...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-popularity-massachusetts-grows-121913
SunEdison and its subsidiary TerraForm Power introduced their initial public offering today of more than 20 million shares at $25.00 per share. The shares will be used to repay debt and fund more...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunedison-terraform-ipo-solar-projects-071814
DOE said it is supporting solar manufacturing in the U.S. by investing a total of $13 million in five solar companies across the country. The funds are matched by $14 million in private funding a...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-manufacturing-13-million-DOE-121113
A new report, the PV Module Reliability Scorecard 2014, by GTM Research and PV Evolution Labs, now DNV GL, found that PV manufacturer’s solar panels performed relatively well across all metrics...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/pv-scorecard-solar-panels-reliable-071714
The soft costs of solar photovoltaics—the non-hardware costs related to solar panels and inverters—now comprise the majority of solar energy's costs; even though they’ve always represented ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/soft-costs-more-than-solar-costs-120213
The Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) released its seventh annual U.S. Solar Market Trends Report which finds that, among other things, solar is an increasingly vital part of the U.S. ec...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-second-largest-energy-source-071614
Whether it’s pigeons nesting underneath your solar array, cooing and scurrying around on your roof, or a family of squirrels who spend their days chewing on your system’s wiring—animals can...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/rodents-wreak-havoc-on-rooftop-solar
A new study by GlobalData found that solar Photovoltaics (PVs) are already leading the world in the distributed power market consisting of 48 percent of the total distributed power capacity insta...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/globaldata-study-solar-leads-distributed-growth-071514
The residential solar industry is entering new boundary waters with a subtle sploosh. SolarCity announced that it planned to offer $54.4 million in securities. Doesn’t sound too exciting? It is...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarcity-offers-solar-securities-111413
World Trade Organization (WTO) judges found today (July 14) that the United States violated global trade rules in 2012 when it implemented duties on Chinese-made solar panels. The rulings could r...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/wto-us-solar-tariff-china-071414
In Pennsylvania there’s a whole area of solar, community solar gardens, that still aren’t even allowed. But that may be changing as a number of organizations are trying to find a way around c...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/community-solar-pennsylvania-110613
The Iowa Supreme Court ruled that power purchase agreements (PPAs) do not violate state law or utilities’ monopoly status and exclusive rights to sell energy to consumers in their service areas...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/iowa-supreme-court-solar-071114
In remote areas of the U.S., solar-powered webcams are helping biologists monitor the activity of endangered species, and help them preserve declining populations.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-powered-webcams-help-protect-endangered-species
A new study commissioned by the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada found that distributed solar is having very little impact on electric prices in the state and may actually help reduce electr...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nevada-net-metering-study-071014
Two new reports attest to the popularity of solar among homeowners across the U.S. The studies suggest that utilities, policymakers and regulators should consider this as they consider current an...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/us-homeowners-want-solar-102113
Chicago really kicked off its Solar Chicago program, a partnership between the city, The Vote Solar Initiative and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The program uses group purchasing to reduce the c...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/chicago-unleashes-25-percent-solar-discount-070914
Two giant concentrating solar power (CSP) plants have been racing to completion and commercial operation testing. Now, Abengoa Solar’s Solana system has taken the lead, passing commercial opera...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/abengoa-solar-first-csp-operational-us-101113
Apple, which is already powering its data centers with 100 percent renewable energy, is apparently not done with green energy yet. The City of Claremont in North Carolina agreed to annex land, al...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/apple-third-solar-farm-north-carolina-070814
One of the most important solar events is occurring Oct. 5, the National Solar Tour. The tour, now in its 18th year, isn’t a stuffy conference in some far flung place or city, rather it allows ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/national-solar-tour-100413
Perhaps it got overshadowed by the holiday weekend, but on July 3 the Department of Energy introduced a new, potentially $ billion round of loan guarantees to support the development of clean ene...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/doe-launches4b-loan-guarantee-opportunity-040714
That’s right, not one, but two thin-film solar photovoltaic (PV) technologies broke efficiency records this week. Both technologies put their thin-film PV within much closer range of silicon-ba...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/two-thin-film-solar-records-broken-022814
Believe it or not we don’t totally understand how solar cells work, particularly organic thin-film photovoltaics. But scientists Canada, London and Cyprus have recently used lasers to shed some...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/lasers-solar-cell-research-070414
More than 13,000 U.S. Veterans are already working in the solar industry, and the number is growing. That’s almost 10 percent of the workforce in the solar industry.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/vets-10-percent-solar-workforce-022614
Earlier this week the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill announced that it received a $10.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Basic Energy Sciences to contin...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-fuel-research-unc-grant-070314
Recently PV Solar Report ran a piece extolling Angie’s List’s ranking of residential solar installers. That’s great. As PV Solar Report points outresidential solar is becoming more mainstre...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/why-reviewing-solar-installers-matters-021914
Car racing, with it’s gas-guzzling, fume spewing super cars buzzing around tracks is actually kind of beacon of environmentalism. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway for instance, just completed a ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/indianapolis-motor-speedway-9-mw-solar-farm-070214
The U.S. International Trade Commission preliminary sided with complainant SolarWorld to impose tariffs on imported solar products from Taiwan in addition to the Chinese solar import tariffs. The...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/itc-ruling-raise-solar-price-us-021414
This is what utilities are really afraid of. SunPower and KB Homes partnered on a pilot program to incorporate battery backups to solar-powered homes.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/uh-oh-utilities-sunpower-kb-homes-solar-batteries-070114
Concentrating solar power (CSP) facilities with thermal energy storage are proving more valuable since they can serve as more of a base-load solar power plant than a photovoltaic array. That’s ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/concentrating-solar-power-energy-storage-value-021114
On Saturday (June 28) Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn (D) signed into law H.B. 2427, which requires the Illinois Power Agency (IPA) to use up to $30 million to purchase solar power to meet the state’s ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/illinois-30-million-solar-boost-063014
Mosaic announced that it partnered with Connecticut’s green bank, the Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority (CEFIA) and Sungage Financial to fund $5 million in crowdsourced loans for so...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/mosaic-crowdsourcing-residential-solar-020614
Demeter Power Group announced that it signed a Commitment to Action at the Clinton Global Initiative to launch its Feed-Out solar funding program for small-scale solar installations.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/clinton-global-initiative-demeter-feed-out-solar-062714
New Mexico, home to the Painted Desert, and countless days of sunshine a year. As such it’s no surprise the state should be a bastion for solar energy.companies like Positive Energy Solar are g...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/positive-energy-solar-leads-new-medico-013114
At the Clinton Global Initiative in Denver this week more than 20 companies announced they will support the adoption of the truSolar Initiative’s standards. The standards offer the solar indust...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/companies-sign-trusolar-initiative-for-financing-062614
The U.S. now has 142,698 employees working in the solar sector—up nearly 20 percent from the year before. Overall the growth rate eclipsed that of the national employment growth rate by about 1...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/us-142000-solar-employees-012714
One argument against wind and solar is that they cause fossil fuel plants to release more emissions as they cycle electric production up and down to balance the load of electricity on the grid. T...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-wind-reduce-emmisions-NREL-092713
Japan has now joined the 10 gigawatt photovoltaics gang, installing 4 gigawatts of PV last year alone. By October 31 that brought the country up to 11.3 gigawatts of installed solar. Meanwhile, I...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/japan-india-solar-boom-012114
Under a new partnership the 52 megawatt Capital Partners Solar Project in North Carolina will power George Washington University (GW), American University (AU) and the George Washington Universit...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/dc-universities-hospital-go-solar-062414
Colorado-based community solar developer Clean Energy Collective (CEC) announced that it will enter the state of Massachusetts, making solar energy available to more people than ever before.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/clean-energy-collective-solar-garden-massachusetts-011514
One of the biggest issues in installing residential solar in the U.S. is the permitting process. Now the country’s biggest supporter of solar, California my be set to do something about it.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/california-bill-speed-home-solar-062314
California is still the dominant market for solar. New Jersey was the second largest state solar for a long time and occasionally displaced California in terms of the number of new solar installa...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/north-carolina-second-for-solar-010914
A new report out from GTM Research looks into the overall effect of the U.S. Commerce Department’s (DOC) June 2 ruling imposing new tariffs on imports of Chinese PV modules. The new report find...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-pv-costs-may-rise-commerce-062014
A couple of years ago New Jersey lawmakers passed the Solar Act of 2012, which was intended to encourage more solar development in the state. Instead the state’s Board of Public Utilities (BPU)...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new-jersey-lawmakers-solar-move-forward-010314
The solar industry shook with a thunderclap earlier this week when Elon Musk announced that SolarCity purchased solar PV manufacturer Silevo for $350 million. The purchase sent a shockwave throug...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarcity-buys-silevo-350M-061914
As of 2013, ten states and Washington DC have enacted some form of virtual net metering legislation. Will the future of community solar depend on virtual net metering laws or will creative models...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/virtual-net-metering-and-the-future-of-community-solar
At a time when some other states, like Ohio, are abandoning or reducing their renewable energy goals at least one state, Massachusetts, is forging ahead. Today (June 18) the state introduced legi...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/massachusetts-considers-net-metering-solar-061814
It’s close to the end of the year. While children are waiting to hear the sound of reindeer on rooftops, businesspeople are looking forward to 2014. Among them the solar industry, which is hopi...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-reach-49GW-2014-122413
SunPower and Admirals Bank partnered today (June 16) on a new, $200 million loan program to support thousands of rooftop solar systems. The new partnership will allow homeowners—across the U.S....
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunpower-partners-admirals-061614
According to a report by Fitch Ratings, net energy metering (NEM) will experience strong growth in the U.S. as federal and state governments seek to further renewable energy goals.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/net-metering-expected-to-grow-in-the-us
Today (June 13) Forbes published a piece that falls largely among talking points supported by utilities and fossil fuel energy companies that attacks net-metering as a policy that puts a burden o...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/poor-dont-bear-burden-solar-061314
‘Tis the holiday season, starting with Hanukkah and Thanksgiving and stretching through to New Year’s Eve. While you might not be thinking about putting solar on your roof during the shortest...
Mosaic, which made a splash in the solar industry in the past few years through its unique crowdsourcing platform for investing in commercial-scale solar projects, is stepping into the residentia...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/mosaic-residential-solar-loans-061214
Last week DuPont announced the completion of a new, 548 kilowatt solar array, which on its own, wouldn’t be too amazing. But the chemical company completed the array using its own modules on it...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/dupont-solar-superfund-site-120913
Last week Business Insider published an article titled “How Solar Will Destroy The Power Companies, In 5 Easy Steps.” Yesterday ACEEE Executive Director Steven Nadel responded in a blog “Ut...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-wont-destroy-utilities-061114
When the talk turns to renewable energy sources and lessening our dependency on fossil fuels, good old solar power always gets brought up.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-power-goes-mainstream-in-europe
“The Oracle of Omaha”, Warren Buffett, appears ready to double his investments in the wind and solar industries. Through Berkshire Hathaway and its companies like MidAmerican Energy, Buffett ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/midamerican-buffett-double-renewable-investment-061014
This year, as we head into the holiday season, solar power has become an increasingly large part of our lives. While still making up a small, small percentage of the U.S.’s power needs, it’s ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/thankful-for-solar-43-gw-pipeline-112813
A new report out from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) today (June 9) finds that utility-scale concentrated solar projects add up to 6 cents per kilowatt hour in value, particularl...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nrel-report-csp-value-060914
SunEdison is one of the world’s largest solar companies, installing residential and commercial solar power across the world. Now it may raise capital to support new projects by spinning off som...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunedison-spin-off-ipos-300m-fund-112513
Just about seven years ago less than 10 gigawatts of solar was installed worldwide. Now it’s booming with more than 150 gigawatts installed and operational, according to NPD Solarbuzz Quarterly...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/200gw-solar-end-of-2014-060614
The cost of solar energy has been on the decline in recent years, largely due to low-cost photovoltaic modules. But as the market stabilizes and PV modules become scarcer, experts predict the cos...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/global-pv-market-stabilizes-module-prices-expected-to-rise
Soon the world’s skies will know another traveler—Solar Impulse 2, the first plane designed to fly across the world for days at a time using only the power of the sun. Earlier this week the p...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-impulse-2-first-flight-060514
Arizona’s largest utility Arizona Public Service Co. (APS) won a small victory on Nov. 14 when the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) allowed the utility to impose a fee on solar power users....
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ape-wins-solar-fee-battle-111513
Today Sungveity announced that it partnered with E.ON in Amsterdam to expand its business model in the Netherlands on a co-branded basis before expanding into other countries.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sungevity-hops-pond-europe-060414
Women make most purchasing decisions in the home—upwards of 80 percent of them, including home improvement decisions. In addition, women are also often the bill payers in the home. Yet it seems...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/marketing-solar-to-women-111213
Today (June 3) the U.S. Commerce Department immediately imposed countervailing duty tariffs on solar panels made in China ranging from 18.56 percent to 35.21 percent, including on PV panels made ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/commerce-imposes-tariffs-china-pv-imports-060314
How can we use energy more efficiently? That’s the central question behind the Department of Energy’s American Energy Data Challenge launched this week. Using energy more efficiently means (h...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/doe-american-energy-data-challenge-110813
It's a big “Yes!” for the environment, clean energy and, well, everyone. Yesterday (June 2) the Environmental Protection Agency announced sweeping new plans designed to reduce the amount of a...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/epa-air-regulations-060314
Energy Trust of Oregon has now helped 5,000 homeowners go solar. Anbu Varatharajan, Durga Nallathambi and their 4-month-old daughter didn’t win a sweepstakes for being the 5,000th household to ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/energy-trust-oregon-5000-solar-homes-110113
On the heels of the Solar Energy Industries Association’s (SEIA’s) and GTM Research’s release of the first quarter results for new solar installations across the U.S. the Center for America...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/middle-class-drives-rooftop-solar-atlantic-053014
Ikea announced an ambitious making inexpensive flat-packed, solar-powered refugee shelters. The master of flat-packing has shipped its Refugee Housing Units (RHUs) to Ethiopia and Syria where ref...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ikea-refugee-solar-housing-102913
Fully 232 megawatts of residential PV were installed in the first three months of 2014 compared to 225 megawatts of commercial solar installed in the same period. It’s the first time that’s e...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/home-solar-outpaces-commercial-1q-14-052914
Sites identified as Solar Energy Zones are already part of some energy projects in California, BLM hasn’t held an auction of the sites until now. The first of these auctions is happened in Colo...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/blm-colorado-solar-zone-auctions-102413
With upcoming tougher federal regulations on emissions on coal and natural gas-fired power plants you’d think it might be a good time to support cleaner, alternative forms of energy like solar ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ohio-turns-clean-energy-052914
A somewhat unlikely organization has jumped into the crowdfunding fray, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), which is aiming to install solar on schools as soon as January 2014 through a...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nrdc-solar-schools-campaign-102213
Colorado’s Xcel Energy has said time and again that it supports solar when it makes sense. Apparently a new proposal from SunPower did. Today (May 28) the companies announced an agreement for a...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunpower-colorado-solar-farm-xcel-052814
A new report from The Solar Foundation and the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (COSEIA) finds that the solar industry has brought $1.42 billion in benefits to Colorado, from job crea...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-brings-1-billion-to-colorado-101713
Ahead of the Environmental Protection Agency’s introduction of new air quality standards for fossil-fueled power plants on June 2 the SEIA introduced a report advocating for solar as cost-effec...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/siea-report-solar-reduces-carbon-dioxide-052714
This past Saturday, the DOE announced that Team Austria of the Vienna University of Technology beat out the other 18 teams to win the Solar Decathlon of 2013. It was also closest and highest scor...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/vienna-wins-solar-decathlon-101413
The Koch brothers have an awful lot of money and they don’t like clean energy, in fact they've been fighting it, hard. Now the other side’s fighting back. through NextGen Climate.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/billionaires-battle-for-solar-052314
A solar project aimed at making women in Ghana both entrepreneurs and engineers will get rural parts of the African country on the grid.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-revolution-in-africa-puts-rural-villages-on-the-grid-100913
Two things happened this week showing that California and the U.S. Southwest are no longer the only bastions for solar power and they were in the sister states of the Carolinas—states dominated...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/carolinas-solar-hotspot-052214
Not all solar installers can provide the expertise, high-quality workmanship, and reliable customer service to ensure your system performs efficiently to ensure the highest return on investment. ...
What makes people go solar? Is it the incentives, the price drops in solar, a feeling of environmental responsibility, etc.? Those are the questions that Sandia National Laboratories are trying t...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sandia-model-solar-influencer-predictive-modeling-052114
Kansas City, Mo., will soon be gleaming with new solar arrays, thanks to a new partnership between engineering, procurement, construction company Black & Veatch and commercial solar installer Bri...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/black-veatch-brightery-100m-pv-rooftops-100213
Last July the U.S. surpassed an important threshold in installed solar photovoltaics with 10 gigawatts of PV online. That’s all good but this year is expected to blow that out of the water as t...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/us-solar-to-rise-to-20gws-052014
With the county’s eyes on Colorado’s marijuana law, growers are looking for opportunities to better use their profits while still dealing with federal roadblocks. One potential is investing i...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-power-marijuana-030314
Today (May 19) Connecticut’s Green Bank, the Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority (CEFIA), announced that it and the the Clean Fund securitized $30 million of commercial solar projects...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/connecticut-pace-bonds-051914
One of the key markets for solar is residential solar. While most people think about adding solar to an existing home, an increasing number of builders and states are offering solar as a standard...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new-homes-solar-part-2-022814
The army is going green and we’re not just talking about soldiers’ fatigues. Yesterday (May 15) Georgia Power announced that Forts Stewart, Benning and Gordon will each house roughly 30 megaw...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/georgia-army-bases-90-mw-solar-051614
A new report out from the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) looks into what solar policies at the state level are most effective at supporting solar PV installa...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nrel-solar-policy-report-022714
Chula Vista, Calif., introduced Clean Energy Chula Vista, its new PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) program. The PACE program allows homeowners to finance their solar or energy retrofits thro...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/chula-vista-pace-california-051514
“I’m of the perspective that I want to pull the Band-Aid off and end all incentives for solar,” said Blake Jones, president and co-owner of Namaste Solar.“Including the ITC. I’m actuall...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-installers-incentive-end-COSIEA-022514
Utilities are pushing for taxes and fees on residential solar. It shouldn’t be a surprise since utilities are in the practice of billing customers, not crediting or paying them for energy but t...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/utilities-push-solar-taxes-051414
Net-metering is still under attack in much of the U.S. and Colorado continues being one of the major battlegrounds. Advocates increased their efforts to support net-metering with a new site, Colo...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/colorado-solar-advocates-defend-net-metering-022114
50 residents and businesses in Rutland, Vt., bought into a new, 150 kilowatt, community solar garden with no up-front costs through Green Mountain Power, the local utility. The project is among e...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/rutland-community-solar-garden-nrg-green-mountain-051314
Solar power makes headlines almost everyday. The biggest headlines are grabbed by the biggest projects. But perhaps it’s the sheer amount of commercial and utility photovoltaic (PV) projects pl...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/majority-new-solar-under-20-mws-021914
North American Solar partnered with Clean Power Finance (CPF) to add a residential solar financing option for its customers. North American Power has more than 320,000 electric and gas customers ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/clean-power-finance-north-american-solar-partner-home-solar-051214
Last Friday Duke Energy, one of North Carolina’s largest power companies called for 300 more megawatts of solar energy in a new request for proposals (RFP) to be installed by the end of 2015—...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/duke-300-mws-solar-north-carolina-021714
Banks are more ready than ever to invest in solar, according to Obama. “We’ve got banks like Connecticut’s Green Bank and private banks like Goldman Sachs ready to invest billions of dollar...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/obama-invest-tomorrow-solar-projects-workforce-3-050914
Solar is coming into a new age of financing arrangements. Even prior to MidAmerican Energy Holdings’ issuance of bonds to support the 550 megawatt Topaz Solar Farm in California, the U.S. solar...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/mercatus-platform-solar-bonds-021314
“Today more than 300 organizations from homebuilders to affordable housing owners to companies like Home Depot and Apple announced that they are going to expand the use of solar energy, thereby...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/obama-touts-solar-energy-use-businesses-2-050914
The Solar Foundation (TSF) introduced its latest round of reports including a state-by-state breakdown of the National Solar Jobs Census 2013, showing how states’ solar energy employment is goi...
In perhaps his strongest wording to support and promote solar power, clean energy and energy efficiency since announcing the recovery act and his first State of the Union address President Barack...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/obama-promotes-solar-energy-efficiency-1-050914
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) filed a complaint against India to the World Trade Organization (WTO) over the country’s domestic content requirements for solar syst...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/us-files-wto-India-solar-021014
BMW unveiled its newest piece of sustainable equipment, a sleek, carbon-fiber and bamboo, glass-on-glass solar canopy charger for its new i3 and i8 line of electric vehicles.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/bmw-unveils-solar-carport-i3-i8-050814
The Annual Solar Power Generation USA Congress announced this year’s SPG USA ’14 Awards, which awarded projects for best solar collaboration, best solar project and most innovative solar comp...
Colorado’s largest utility and solar advocates including the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (COSEIA) have reached an agreement t...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/xcel-solar-advocates-keep-solar-going-colorado-050714
Last year, one of the headline stories in U.S.’s solar world was net-metering. It looks like this will continue to be a hot topic in 2014 in some markets, including Colorado.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/colorado-net-metering-xcel-020514
the U.S. Global Change Research Program released its third National Climate Assessment (NCA) report. The report is the most dire and comprehensive report in the U.S. showing that climate change i...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/national-climate-assessment-dire-climate-change-040614
There are plenty of rumors out there about new gadgets and gear and none are usually more tantalizing than those that come out around Apple. Apple has filed numerous patents related to photovolta...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/apple-to-use-solar-first-020314
Silicon PV has dominated the solar industry for decades. But there are a number of competing technologies out there that are trying to give traditional crystalline silicon-based PV a run for its ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/lead-out-perovskite-solar-040514
This year Super Bowl XLVIII is being called a lot of things, the Stoner Bowl, the Green Bowl, etc. But perhaps we should call it the Green Bowl for another reason, the teams are playing at solar-...
While some utilities are trying to gut their residential solar programs and focus instead on large-scale solar projects or not even going after solar at all, Houston’s Reliant Energy and its pa...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/reliant-solar-rooftop-energy-050214
hen people think about clean energy and wind or solar power Kansas doesn’t come to mind first, but the state’s residents strongly support more renewable energy in the largely agrarian state, ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/kansas-renewable-energy-support-012814
Solar power is booming across the U.S. That’s scaring the Koch brothers, whose American Legislative exchange Council supported legislation in states across the U.S. that make it harder for peop...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/clouds-home-solar-oklahoma-arizona-040114
The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) launched the national “Shout Out For Solar Day” and the accompanying America Supports Solar social media campaign. To celebrate the day, SEIA is...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/seia-shout-out-solar-012414
Zero-Energy homes are becoming part of the vernacular—finally! Such homes are designed to be highly energy efficient, needing no more energy than they can produce via solar arrays and other ene...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/zero-energy-home-challenge-winner-042914
In Colorado rooftop solar has become popular. In part because of the state’s net-metering rules. Now the utility is trying to change the way it calculates the reimbursement to net-metered custo...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/colorado-energy-office-net-metering-xcel-012214
It’s being called the largest single photovoltaic power plant in the world and NRG Energy, Inc. and partner MidAmerican Solar said the 290 megawatt Agua Caliente Solar Photovoltaic Facility is ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/agua-caliente-online-worlds-largest-solar-pv-042914
Non-profits cannot take advantage of most solar leasing initiatives, power purchase agreements, or financing programs that make the adoption of solar power easier. The solution may be somewhat st...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/crowdfunding-may-bring-solar-energy-to-non-profits
The amount of solar installed in the U.S. and the world last year easily dwarfed previous years’ records but new data out from the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) shows that the majorit...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/10-utilities-install-82-percent-solar-042814
SolarCity, the U.S.’s largest residential solar installer just made it easier for the public to invest in solar power—even if it’s for their neighbor! Yesterday (Jan. 15) the company announ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarcity-open-solar-investing-public-011614
There aren’t that many “Rosie the Riveters” on rooftops installing solar these days but that may change. Grid Alternatives and SunEdison announced earlier this year that they were partnerin...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunedison-grid-alternatives-women-solar-042514
Germany’s Conergy, which like SunPower, both manufactures and installs soar arrays, today announced (Jan. 14) that it launched the Conergy Fund I program, a $100 million fund to support the dev...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ocnergy-launches-100M-fund-in-US-011414
SolarMart has opened its first retail solar and energy efficiency store for home and business owners in Denver. The SolarMart is part of solar contractor Colorado Energy Experts and the company a...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/denver-solar-store-solarmart-042414
Over the past few years New York, under Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) has made solar a priority. Under that leadership the state has installed nearly 300 megawatts of solar—since 2012. Now the governor...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ny-gov-solar-agenda-011014
The EIA reported that since 2010 the number of solar installations has grown 418 percent to 12,057 megawatts (1.3 percent of the nation’s energy capacity) by February 2014 from 2,326 megawatts ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-installations-up-420-042314
In 2013 California installed 1 gigawatt of rooftop solar. In 2014 the U.S. is anticipated to install 5 gigawatts of solar. So last year California installed about 20 percent of what the whole nat...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/california-solar-rooftops-top-1GW-2013-010814
This morning (April 23) SunPower and Google announced that they partnered on a new, $250 million fund to finance rooftop solar arrays on homes across the U.S. While the tech giant has supported h...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/google-sunpower-250m-residential-solar-042314
The solar sector drew almost $10 billion in venture capital, debt and public market financing in 2013, up 25 percent from the $8 billion it raised in 2012. That’s according to clean energy cons...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-10-billion-financing-2013-010614
Atop a skyscraper in New York City utility Con Edison is using solar to power its headquarters. The company said today (April 21) that it installed a 40 kilowatt solar array using more than 200 S...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/con-edison-solar-headquarters-042114
Solar panels on cars are nothing new. The Toyota Prius has has offered solar panels on its roof for a number of years.Ford’s doing something different with solar this year the CES next week—i...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ford-solar-car-ces-c-max-010214
Yesterday the White House held a solar summit where it called on businesses and non-profits to support more solar power throughout the U.S. At the summit the President awarded members of the sola...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/white-house-solar-summit-041714
Any list that claims “the biggest” of anything is up for speculation unless you’re talking about the award-winning hog at the local 4-H contest. That said 2013 has been a great year for sol...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/biggest-solar-stories-2013-123113
The Department of Energy launched its Solar Market Pathways effort to support community solar projects earlier this year, but today (April 17) the department is offering $15 million to support co...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/doe-community-solar-funding-041714
People love creating fun holiday cards and videos around this time of year. While some of the zaniest holiday videos this year included a guy named Paul and a family rapping to Will Smith’s Mia...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-power-video-holiday-card-123013
Hannon Armstrong Sustainable Infrastructure Capital partnered with Sol Systems to launch a fund of up to $100 million to to support distributed solar projects. The fund will support commercial, i...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-systems-hannon-armstrong-100M-solar-fund-041614
Last week the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association (NCSEA) released a new report which found that the majority of more than 1,300 solar rooftop and 1,000 geothermal system were highly sa...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/north-carolina-homeowners-satisfied-solar-122613
Maybe that sounds dramatic, but it’s true. Soon unmanned ariel drones will be coursing the skies with laser beams. And there’s likely an ensuing a battle in the skies, a battle of connectedne...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/cloud-based-isp-solar-war-041514
The Breezy Point Green Committee has launched the Breezy Solar Bank. every homeowner that goes solar through the offering in Breezy Point, Rockaway Point, and Roxbury, EmPower Solar will add $200...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/breezy-point-solar-bank-funding-122313
Between 2007 and 2013 clean energy development in North Carolina has generated $4.7 billion in the state.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/clean-energy-generates-billions-north-carolina-041414
Texas is known for going big. In a state with so much land and so much sun it’s no wonder that with the 400 megawatt Alamo Solar Project the state is starting to warm to solar.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-big-texas-alamo-400mw-pv-121813
With 132 megawatts of solar installed within its city limits Los Angeles is the city with the highest amount of installed solar in the U.S., according to the Environment California. It's a compar...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/la-top-city-for-solar-report-041114
Want to get that special someone on your list something that reflects their love of the sun and solar power? Thankfully there are all sorts of great gift ideas out there to get a little more use ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-christmas-present-ideas-121713
Some utility companies see solar energy growth as a threat to their business model and are doing their best to stop it. Others recognize the opportunities that solar presents and are promoting th...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/not-always-the-bad-guy-how-utilities-can-help-solar-energy
The 250 megawatt solar farm that the Moapa Band of Paiutes are building on tribal property was purchased by First Solar last week from K Road Power Holdings. The project is the first utility-scal...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/250-mw-moapa-solar-first-solar-093013
Throughout April Meritage Homes is offering SunPower photovoltaic arrays to purchasers of yet to be built homes in certain of its California communities—for free. The companies announced the pa...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/free-pv-new-homes-california-041014
Hundreds gathered in Denver's chilly noon chanting “Fair credit!” and other slogans as they delivered a petition with nearly 30,000 signatures to Xcel’s Colorado headquarters calling for Xc...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/protest-xcel-net-metering-cuts-121213
SolarReviews, the largest customer reviews website in the solar industry, has formally launched the Pre-Screened Solar Pro accreditation, the first customer driven accreditation specific to the s...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarreviews-launches-pre-screened-solar-pro-accreditation
It’s the second time that GTM Research and SEIA have had to say that it’s the second best quarter for solar in the U.S. and it’s a good sign for the solar industry as 2013 comes to a close....
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/best-US-residential-solar-quarter-12-10=13
The Moapa Band of Paiute continue to show their faith in the power of the sun. The tribe is building the first giant PV array on Native American land but today announced that it completed the ins...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/moapa-paiute-252-kw-cpv-solar-040814
ACORE released the Northeastern portion of the 6th annual Renewable Energy in the 50 States report. It anticipated that by the end of 2021 the distributed solar power market (rooftops, small sola...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/rooftop-solar-northeast-us-growth-120613
Colorado, one the nation’s solar hotbeds, has seen numerous attacks on net-metering and other provisions that make it easier and less costly for homeowners in the state to go solar. It faces ne...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/colorado-net-metering-events-xcel-040714
SunEdison and financier De Lage Landen announced that they were expanding their previous partnership to support commercial and municipal solar installations with more $100 million in new funding.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunedison-de-lage-landen-solar-fund-100m-120413
Sungevity announced a $70 million round of new equity financing. While bigger pots of money to support companies’ expansion in the retail solar market, the new pot of cash for the company comes...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sungevity-eon-ge-ventures-investment-040414
The idea of parity for solar power, the day when power from solar panels costs as much as other electric generation sources, like coal or natural gas, is coming closer. But when exactly will we h...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/parity-solar-projections-12313
This morning the National Solar Schools Consortium launched at the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) Conference in Boston. The goal of the newly formed organization is to put solar on ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/national-solar-schools-consortium-launches-040314
VIA Motors unveiled SölTRUX, a photovoltaic truck bed cover. The company will first offer the PV-powered charger on its modified Silverado trucks as an accessory, but the company plans to offer ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/via-motors-solar-truck-112913
The near-ubiquitous cloud is changing how we do all sorts of things as people and companies transition from hosting information on their own computers and into the vast data centers across the U....
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/greenpeace-tech-report-clean-energy-solar-040214
Ascent Solar is selling its consumer line of mobile friendly, flexible CIGS (Copper indium gallium selenide) products a kiosks in Colorado and California and coming soon to Nevada.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ascent-retail-locations-california-112713
Florida Light & Power (FPL) announced a plan to offer customers a chance to join in a pilot community solar program. Under the pilot FPL could install up to 2.4 megawatts of solar power if the Fl...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/florida-utility-community-solar-pilot-040214
Today, 1.3 billion people are living without electricity and rely on dangerous kerosene lamps to provide light. New Vision Renewable Energy has developed portable solar lights to replace lethal k...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-brightens-rooms-and-spirits-in-underprivileged-communities
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) took action to give California homeowners with solar arrays and those who install solar under the current net-energy metering (NEM) program assur...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/california-protects-net-metering-040114
The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has partnered with the Department of Defense (DOD) to develop guidelines for renewable energy deployment. The guidelines address appropriate developm...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/dod-nrdc-partner-clean-energy-112213
Fully 79 percent of U.S. residents now support solar energy, according to the latest consumer Energy and Environment Consumer Survey from Navigant Research. The survey found that of 10 clean ener...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/80-percent-americans-support-solar-033114
The most important factor for homeowners considering solar is payback time or ROI -- the shorter the payback the better. So in this particular top 10 ranking, the states with the shortest payback...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/top-states-for-solar-fall-2013
This past week NRG Energy, one of the most forward looking energy companies, made two big announcements. First it announced yesterday (March 28) that it purchased Roof Diagnostics Solar, a reside...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nrg-buys-roof-diagnostic-solar-1200mws-032814
A new study from Austin’s Pecan Street Research Institute finds that residential solar PV panels facing west may be more beneficial than those facing south -- at least in the summer in Austin, ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-panels-west-austin-112013
Today Mark Zuckerberg announced on—where else, Facebook—that his company is indeed looking to spread the Internet via drones, laser beams and other space-aged stuff.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/facebook-solar-internet-laser-032714
Next Step Living is running multiple campaigns tapering down over the holiday season to both do good and reduce the cost of solar in Massachusetts. For instance, it created the Waltham Solar Chal...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/next-step-living-solar-campaigns-111813
PetersenDean a roofing company that expanded into solar a number of years ago is reaching its 30 year anniversary this year—and its planning big things. Starting in May the company will start r...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/petersendean-expanding-5-new-offices-032714
What would it take to turn Providence, Rhode Island into an urban solar field? Here are some ideas.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/can-providence-ri-be-transformed-into-an-urban-solar-field
That’s a take-away from the Clean Edge’s “Clean Energy Trends 2014” report released today (March 26). The report found that just in terms in photovoltaics the world installed 36.5 gigawat...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-passes-wind-2013-032614
$4.7 million. That’s an estimate of how much money was spent on advertising campaigns by rooftop solar opponents and advocates in Arizona as the state’s largest utility, Arizona Public Servic...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/arizona-aps-net-metering-debate-111313
SolarCity and BofA Merrill Lynch are launching the first large-scale aggregated fund to support residential rooftop solar. Today the companies announced that SolarCity received all commitments to...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarcity-rooftop-securitization-$250-032514
A report released by Mercom Capital Group reveals that the funding solar energy has received from private investors throughout the past year has been on the rise. In fact, the third quarter of 20...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-energy-attracts-more-investors
Last Friday (March 21) the Moapa Band of Paiutes were joined by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) and representatives from First Solar and the LADWP in breaking ground on the first giant...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/moapa-reid-break-ground-first-solar-032414
Solar Panels and Home Energy Efficiency
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nfl-stadiums-will-soon-buzz-with-solar-electricity-110813
The world of solar is shifting. Overall the amount of solar energy installed is growing a rapid pace with Mercom Capital predicting 2014 will 46 GWs of new solar. However where the solar is being...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-demand-46gws-2014-032114
The Department of Energy’s Rooftop Solar Challenge is tackling the soft costs of solar and yesterday (Nov. 6) it announced a new round of award winners that will use the awards to reduce the so...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/doe-rooftop-solar-challenge-ii-110713
In 2018 the annual deployment of photovoltaics is anticipated to grow to 100 gigawatts a year. That’s according to NPD Solarbuzz’ latest Marketbuzz report, which said that by then PV will be ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-pv-industry-grow-2018-032014
The California National Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA) has partnered with Wirsol Solar to see how solar power can reduce the cost of energy for gaming facilities and rural reservations that do...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/california-native-american-wirsol-solar-110513
Net-metering policies are continuing to come under fire from the utility industry and its allies. In established markets and in new markets, like Utah and Washington state. But over the past two ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-wins-alec-eei-net-metering-031914
Google is investing $103 million into the new Mount Signal Solar project in California. This is the 13th utility-scale renewable energy project that Google has invested in, and it won't be the co...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/google-invests-103-million-dollars-in-CA-solar-power-plant-103113
The most efficient form of solar power, concentrated photovoltaic (CPV), is the least commonly used right now. Last year the U.S. alone saw multiple gigawatts PV installed. The whole world is lik...
Imagine a photovoltaic cell or module that actually stores as well as produces energy, acting as a battery and producing power even after dark. New research into silicon-based supercapacitors at ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/vanderbilt-supercapacitor-solar-cell-103013
Last year around June California’s large-scale solar arrays started breaking records—big records of generation. But this year the state’s giant solar arrays are already producing more than ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/california-solar-breaks-records-031714
The 377 megawatt Ivanpah Solar Energy Generating System is a star among the solar community, the project recently got to be a star in another way. The Denver-based rock band The Fray used the mon...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ivanpah-the-fray-solar-video-102813
Minnesota Public Utilities Commission’s chose the methodology to calculate a value-of-solar tariff—a first for the U.S. Solar advocates have fought for such a rule across the nation because s...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/minnesota-approves-first-value-of-solar-tariff-031414
Arizona Public Service (APS) is coming under fire for its efforts to gut net-metering. Now the Arizona Solar Energy Industries Association (AriSEIA) and the Alliance for Solar Choice are calling ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ape-under-fire-rooftop-solar-102513
Complete Solar Solution announced earlier this week (March 10) that the venture capital fund Ecosystem Integrity Fund (EIF) led a $5 million investment in the company and its HelioQuote software....
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/eif-venture-invests-complete-solar-solution-031314
The Department of Energy will award $60 million to support solar energy research and development. But will the research efforts easily translate to commercialization to make solar cost-competitiv...
Yup. At least that’s what’s rumored to be in the works under a pending deal between Austin Energy and SunEdison. However no one will really know until the final paperwork is signed, which is ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-lower-utility-austin-031314
Georgia Power introduced a rate increase request to the state’s Public Service Commission, asking to impose a solar tariff of roughly $22 per month ($262 a year) for customers with solar homes.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/georgia-power-solar-tariff-draws-ire-102313
Are solar panels becoming consumer electronics? While the majority of devices at the local Best Buy suck more and more of the energy in your home the store is starting to offer solar arrays so ho...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-best-buy-gift-certificates-031214
After two and half years of debate, the California Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has decided that the state’s investor-owned utilities must begin buying a combined 200MW of energy storage t...
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon is becoming an event that rivals the Olympics in international appeal. Yesterday (March 11) the DOE announced that in late 2015 Latin America and...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-decathlon-latin-america-columbia-041214
Ths sun is providing power for the University of Maryland’s Robo Raven III, a PV-powered robotic bird that help future micro air vehicles endure longer flights.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/umd-solar-powered-bird-101813
8minutenergy Renewables and Gestamp signed a 20 year power-purchase agreement (PPA) for the 50 megawatt Midway Solar Farm project in Imperial County, Calif. The project will be located on 486 acr...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/8minutenergy-gestamp-ppa-midway-031114
The World Solar Challenge, the biennial, PV-powered race across Australia was dominated by the Dutch this year. Teams from the Netherlands won both the overall challenge in the Electric Challenge...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/netherlands-wins-world-solar-challenge-101613
Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s (D) office announced $28.6 million in NY-Sun Initiative investments and $1.4 million in energy storage investments as New York continues to prepare for its energy future. Th...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new-york-boosts-solar-energy-storage-investments-031014
Among the top 25 corporate users of distributed solar energy use increased by 33 percent in just one year, with the top 25 users of local solar having more than 445 megawatts of solar in action, ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/corporate-solar-use-increase-101513
With nearly 80% of rooftops in the US unfit for solar panels, alternative options are needed. Community solar allows condo owners, renters, and those with shaded or improperly-positioned rooftops...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/overcoming-the-obstacles-to-rooftop-solar-systems-030814
Innovative approaches to photovoltaic greenhouses allow crops and PV panels to co-exist without threatening the livelihood of crops, while creating energy to power greenhouse operations.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-panels-sustain-indoor-crops-create-electricity-101413
Illinois’ cornfields aren’t the only green thing in the state, nearly 100 communities in the the state are 100 percent powered by renewable electricity. That’s according to Leading from the...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/illinois-green-powered-communities-030714
Solar leases and power-purchase agreements (PPAs). have dominated residential solar growth. But now a small, but increasing number of companies are starting to offer another alternative—loans. ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/oneroof-energy-solar-home-loans-101013
GlobalData issued a number of reports this week that projecting future solar photovoltaics (PV) growth across the world through 2030. Among the key findings are that that solar power in the Ameri...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/americas-solar-growth-europe-wane-030614
Florida Power & Light Co. (FPL), Florida’s largest utility is introducing a new, $9 million round of solar incentives—but if you’re a home or business owner in Florida, hurry! The rebates b...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/fpl-offers-9m-solar-rebates-100913
A rumor’s been swirling around the Internet this week that Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook are interested in acquiring solar-powered drone maker Titan Aerospace. The social media giant is interest...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/facebook-drones-solar-030614
Vivint Solar opened its newest office in Santa Anna, Calif., as the company continues its rocket-paced expansion. Brendon Merkley, Vivint Solar’s chief operating officer, discusses the expansio...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/vivint-solar-exec-santa-anna-office-biggest-installer-100813
The U.S. installed 4.75 gigawatts of photovoltaics (PV) and brought 410 megawatts of concentrating solar power (CSP) online. That’s according to the Solar Market Insight Report 2013 Year in Rev...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/siea-gtm-research-5gws-solar-2013-030514
Solar rebates, especially in California, have helped get the ball rolling on the solar energy movement. Looking into a future without rebates, how will the solar industry adapt?
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/what-does-a-solar-future-without-rebates-look-like-100413
Mosaic and RGS Energy announced the launch of the Mosaic Home Solar Loan, a new alternative in the solar financing space. Under the loan offering Mosaic and RGS Energy will allow homeowners to go...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/mosaic-rgs-solar-home-loan-040514
Over the past few weeks, collegiate teams the world over have furiously toiled to rebuild their solar-powered homes at Orange County Great Park in preparation the Solar Decathlon. On Oct. 3, the ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-decathlon-opens-100313
The bulk of new solar power coming online in Colorado in the next few years will come from one new project, Community Energy’s 120 megawatt Comanche Solar project.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/xcel-community-energy-pv-project-030414
When going solar, it is important to weigh the pros and cons of grid-tied solar power systems and off-grid systems, in order to select the solar power option that is right for you.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/benefits-of-grid-tied-and-off-grid-solar-power-systems
Based on the falling costs of solar and rising electric prices, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), one of the largest utilities in the country, which serves northern California, may not be able to co...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Solar-Could-Upend-Major-California-Utility-5-6-13
First Solar reported its results for the first quarter of 2013 yesterday (May 6) and while the company’s results were positive with diluted earnings per share of 66 cents, the results did not l...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/First-Solar-1Q-2013-results-underwhelm-5-7-13
Clean Power Finance, a white label solar financing company and software as a service provider for solar installers, has just signed up another equity investor in Duke Energy, bringing the total r...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/clean-ower-finance-investor-duke-energy-062813
Customer-owned distributed solar power is changing the utility model. As a result, some utility experts predict the demise of electric utilities. But if utility companies can't beat clean energy,...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/electric-utilities-if-you-cant-beat-renewables-join-them
In essence, net metering sets the buyback rate at the customer’s retail rate. But now that solar PV is growing, utilities and regulators are struggling to determine what is or is not a fair way...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/net-metering-a-net-benefit-or-a-net-cost-092513
Solar San Antonio, a local solar advocacy organization operating in and near San Antonio, Texas, is raffling off a 4.8 kilowatt solar photovoltaic array. The organization is raffling off 250, $75...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/San-Antonio-Get-a-Nearly-Free-PV-system-5-7-13
The new VISOR “Vision to Integrate Solar in Oregon” report finds that large-scale solar installations are now cost competitive with some other forms of energy, like fossil fuel. But the repor...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Large-Solar-Cost-Competitive-Oregon-5-8-13
The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has proposed a compromise between the U.S. and China, to encourage both parties to reach an agreement to end their heated photovoltaic (PV) trade wa...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/seia-compromise-end-us-china-pv-trade-war-092313
Environment California examined how net-metering policies could impact the state's solar industry. Without the passing of AB 327, California's net-metering policy faced extinction. But the bill c...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/environment-california-solar-incentives-growth-092613
As solar power becomes increasingly popular, so do the misconceptions surrounding this form of clean energy. Here are some common myths and their facts about harnessing the power of the sun.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/common-misconceptions-about-going-solar
Considering how many people are deciding to go solar, it’s important to take a closer look at the industry’s language to understand what common solar acronyms really mean.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/what-do-all-these-solar-acronyms-mean-082213
Since the U.S. first start subsidizing nuclear power in 1963 it has received more support in California on an annual basis than solar has. Since the modern era of federal solar incentives began i...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/california-nukes-get-more-subsidies-solar-082713
Last year renewable energy—largely wind and solar—accounted for nearly 50 percent of all new electric generation put on the U.S. grid last year. That totals about 13.1 GWs of wind and 3.3 GWs...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/almost-50-new-us-energy-2012-renewable-082313
Vivint Solar’s residential solar leasing program just got a $200 million vote of confidence. The Utah-based company, an offshoot of home services company Vivint, is the latest company to create...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/vivint-solar-200m-residential-solar-leases-080713
Throughout the United States and the world, solar-powered travel is taking off.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-powered-travel-takes-off-082813
Vine Fresh Produce in Ontario, Canada has installed a 2.3 megawatt solar rooftop array on its greenhouse using Enphase microinverters. Most solar photovoltaic systems convert the DC electricity p...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/enphase-microinverters-installed-canadian-081613
Writer and environmental geologist Stacy Clark reviews Sungevity CEO Danny Kennedy's book, Rooftop Revolution.
In the waning hours of California’s legislative session, the state’s lawmakers have passed solar bills, one changes electric rate structures in California remove the net-metering cap. The oth...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/california-passes-solar-bills-091613
Despite their benefits, a number of long-standing misconceptions about the capabilities, cost, and reliability of home solar panels have inhibited the growth of this game-changing technology. Rea...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/popular-myths-and-truths-about-home-solar-panels-091313
As demand continues to influence innovation, solar energy will likely experience an increase of innovative improvements in the near future.
SolarWorld has jumped into the fray of companies that offer solar under a third-party ownership (TPO) arrangement through its new Freedom Plan. The company is now introducing the plan in the Hawa...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarworld-financing-hawaiian-solar-091713
China has imposed preliminary anti-subsidy tariffs on polysilicon imports (used in photovoltaic production) from select manufacturers in the U.S. This is the latest move in a solar trade war that...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/china-polysilicon-tariffs-upped-to-64
Energy efficiency is the first step in making the planet cleaner and also makes additional sustainability steps—like going solar—easier and less costly. This year, Boston topped the charts as...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/boston-tops-us-city-energy-efficiency-091913
Rhode Island can now measure its solar projects in acres, as the state’s largest solar installation broke ground Aug. 14. When finished, the Forbes Street Landfill project will cover 14 acres w...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/rhode-island-landfill-receives-a-solar-makeover-902013
The Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office (LPO) loaned $16 billion for renewable energy projects. After the recession, 90% of the loan loss reserve remains intact, revealing that the progra...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/lpo-financed-16-billion-renewables-more-coming-082113
Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz visited NREL on Sept. 11 and announced a trio of efforts to increase the amount of clean energy in America with a new research facility -- Energy Systems Integration...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/moniz-interoduces-nrel-facility-091313
A new poll reveals that 80% of the Latino community believes net metering is a priority in Southern California.
In the second quarter of 2013 the U.S. saw 832 megawatts of photovoltaics installed in the 28 leading states, making it the second-largest quarter for solar in the U.S.—ever. It’s also over 1...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/us-solar-second-best-quarter-091213
Almost three years after President Obama announced that solar panels will be installed on the White House roof, the installation is now underway. The move will improve overall energy efficiency o...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/white-house-solar-panels-make-long-awaited-return-081513
As more rooftop solar arrays are installed on residential and commercial buildings, firefighters are faced with new challenges when a blaze erupts. But with the proper training and preparation, t...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-panels-in-the-line-of-fire-091213
Residents of New Orleans can now get a 4.5 kilowatt Stealth Solar Kit, thanks to a partnership between GOES and Stion.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-new-orleans-stion-goes-080913
In an effort to create its own utility, powered by renewable energy, Boulder, Colo., is reaching out to the solar industry to explore how the city will transition from its current electric supply...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/boulder-looks-solar-debates-utility-091113
Mosaic and its project partner Pristine Sun signed a power-purchase agreement (PPA) for a 322 kilowatt PV array with Pacific Gas & Electric under its feed-in tariff program. The PPA allows invest...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/pge-signs-ppa-mosaic-solar-5-percent-return-082913
The solar industry is growing drastically every year, while fossil fuels continue to be phased out. And now, solar is already ahead of coal in some aspects. Here are the top five reasons why.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/top-5-reasons-why-solar-is-already-beating-fossil-fuels-091013
As the U.S. Army continues to modernize, it’s showing a lot of interest in something black, shiny, metallic and non-lethal—solar. The Army issued up to $7 billion to support solar projects.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/army-issues-request-7-billion-solar-projects-082713
The nonprofits GRID Alternatives and Homeboy Industries have partnered with SunEdison to install solar on six homes in California. Most recently (Sept. 10) they installed a 2 kilowatt PV array on...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/homeboy-industries-installs-solar-LA-091013
By 2025 wind and solar electric generation could be cost-competitive new natural-fired electric generation without federal subsidies in the U.S. West, according to a new report from the National ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-wind-compete-us-west-2025-082613
An effort to bring group purchasing discounts to Connecticut, CT Solar Challenge, has gone statewide after a successful pilot in a number of communities earlier this year.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ft-solar-challenge-goes-statewide-090913
GTM Research held a webinar discussing how low the costs of silicon-based PV will go by 2017. The company is forecasting a base case scenario where Chinese PV modules cost .36 per watt in 2017, d...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/how-low-will-solar-costs-go-082213
The spirit of environmental advocate Randy Udall lived on at this year’s Colorado Renewable Energy Conference—from the triumph of passing SB 252 to the theme of collaboration to achieve a bet...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/collaborating-and-moving-forward-with-renewable-energy-090913
GRID Alternatives brings together volunteers and solar job trainees to help low-income families, such as Bobby and Rick Lopez of Denver, reduce their electricity bills and become ambassadors for ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/low-income-families-become-ambassadors-for-solar-energy-082113
Two great opportunities to learn more about solar are coming up: the National Solar Tour that invites homeowners across the U.S. to showcase their solar systems; and the Solar Decathlon, where un...
Just over a month ago Georgia’s Public Services Commission (PSC) voted to approve Georgia Power’s plans to add in 525 megawatts of solar. Now companies are moving forward with plans to start ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/georgia-moves-forward-solar-projects-082013
When it comes to lowering the costs of photovoltaic (PV) production in China, production scale (not lower labor costs or government subsidies) is the key driver, according to a new MIT/NREL repor...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/production-bringing-down-solar-costs-090513
The latest version of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s annual Tracking the Sun found that overall the lowest cost of solar was in Texas, followed by Colorado and the trend is likely to c...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/texas-colorado-lowest-solar-costs-081813
AB 327 was proposed to fundamentally change how residents in California are charged for electricity and how utilities set up their net metering policies. The bill was maligned by many solar advoc...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/california-bill-gets-rooftop-solar-friendly-090413
Residential leasing giant SolarCity announced plans earlier this week to purchase Paramount Solar. The purchase was made as the third-party ownership company announced that it plans to have 1 mil...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarcity-buys-paramount-solar-081513
As climate trends continue, the Department of Energy expects the energy sector to become increasingly vulnerable – ultimately restricting the supply of secure, sustainable and affordable energy...
The Moapa Band of Paiutes in Nevada announced that it has partnered with Herbst Energy and Stronghold (the largest minority woman-owned EPC in the U.S.) to develop up to 1.5 gigawatts of clean en...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/moapa-develop-gws-clean-energy-081413
California has long been the nation’s largest market for solar. But this past quarter the state really blew the rest of the nation away, installing 53 percent of the 976 megawatts of PV install...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/california-installs-521-mw-solar-2q13-080313
As the number of coal mining jobs continues to decline throughout the U.S., more unemployed miners are finding work above ground—in the clean energy industry.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/moving-above-ground-from-coal-mines-to-clean-energy
This year, the U.S. has seen an increasing battle over net-metering, which has helped make solar economically feasible for homeowners across the U.S. The question now is: can we find a happy medi...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/seia-net-metering-principles-083013
SolarCity is showing that the residential solar third-party ownership model is viable for a company. However, even though the results were above the Wall Street consensus, SolarCity still posted ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarcity-beats-2Q-expectations-080813
In Part 3 of Financing Commercial Solar, we explore commercial PACE, crowdfunding and overall financing limitations.
Colorado Speaker Mark Ferrandino (D), representatives from Environment Colorado, Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association and solar installers were on hand at an active solar installation nea...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/million-solar-roofs-colorado-062613
Conergy says it's now installing solar projects in New Mexico at parity with the grid. Through its global Start It! campaign, which focuses on installing PV projects at parity with grid-based ele...
SolarStrong, a $1 billion partnership between SolarCity, Bank of America Merrill Lynch to build out 300 megawatts of solar photovoltaics at military housing across the U.S. broke ground on its la...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/SolarStrong-Takes-24MWs-Hawaii-5-10-13
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced that the state will support the deployment of 64 megawatts (MWs) of solar under the NY-Sun Initiative’s NY-Sun Competitive PV Program. The state will su...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ny-greenlights-64-megawatts-big-solar-071113
This year’s World Solar Challenge will feature 47 teams from 26 countries and new classes—the Cruiser Class and the Adventure Class—in addition to the popular Challenger class.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/world-solar-challenge-expands-classes-07-10-13
Georgia’s Public Services Commission (PSC) voted 4-to-1 to add 525 MW of solar throughout state by 2016.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/georgia-votes-525-mws-solar-071513
Normally when we think of the sun, we think about light and maybe about heat. But there are those who have come up with some truly unique applications to use the sun’s power.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/unique-uses-for-solar-power-071213
Based on the success of last year, the Boston, Mass.-based Admirals Bank is participating in both Solarize Connecticut and Solarize Massachusetts.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Admirals-Bank-Expands-Support-Solar-New-Lending-Solarize-5-8-13
Paramount Equity’s subsidiary Paramount Solar has partnered with US Bank to create a new fund to support solar leases with Clean Power Finance. The new fund, the Paramount Energy Fund, allows h...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/paramount-equit-solar-fund-clean-power-finance-071613
After imposing preliminary duties on Chinese PV imports for unsavory trade practices, the European Union Trade Commission largely caved instating a price undertaking agreement rather than an outr...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/eu-trade-commission-punts-chinese-pv-duties-072913
In theory, the idea of using solar panels to charge electric cars seems a perfect combination. The sun is the planet’s greatest source of free energy and anyone with the capacity to harness it ...
Some have charged that solar power isn’t feasible because it takes up too much land. That’s not really true, finds a new report from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The new r...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-doesnt-take-much-land-nrel-073113
Researchers at UCLA have doubled the efficiency of see-through photovoltaic devices by creating a two-layered solar film. The new device can convert 7.3 percent of sunlight to electric power.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ucla-researchers-double-see-through-solar-073013
Constructing solar power plants on desert land is appealing, but the logistics and political hurdles complicate the allure. Still, some experts are optimistic that, despite the challenges, more d...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/can-the-challenges-of-desert-solar-be-overcome
SunPower has released positive second quarter 2013 results, and plans to launch a new residential solar loan program that will allow homeowners to get a SunPower solar array with a loan instead o...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/sunpower-solar-home-loan-program-080113
For the solar industry to maintain growth, it is necessary to reduce the costs of balancing system components, inverters, sales and installation or to innovate in other areas. One area open for i...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/three-investment-vehicles-that-could-revolutionize-solar
NPD Solarbuzz is reporting that the U.S. now has more than 10 gigawatts (GWs) of photovoltaic power installed. Moreover, it joins just three other countries that have surpassed that mark: Germany...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/us-surpasses-10-gw-solar-photovoltiacs-0709-13
Through PACE you can install solar on your home for no money down and start saving immediately on monthly energy costs.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/pace-programs-for-solar-energy
Apple’s newest datacenter, under construction in Reno, Nev., plans to take advantage of the sun with an 18 megawatt to 20 megawatt SunPower C7 Tracker photovoltaic array.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/apple-datacenter-reno-sun-powered-070513
By harnessing the sun’s rays, solar panels can be generate emission-free electricity to power central air, and solar air conditioning units are gaining popularity for homeowners who aren’t re...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/using-the-sun-to-keep-cool
A Chevron station in Salt Lake City is the first solar-powered gas station in the state of Utah. With over 125 solar panels, owner Tammy Reid expects to cut her energy bill in half.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-powered-gas-station-debuts-in-salt-lake-city
The distributed generation industry, which includes systems below 1 megawatt in size—like solar installed on rooftops and commercial buildings—will grow to an annual $112 billion market by 20...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/rooftop-solar-112-billion-2018-072613
Volvo’s new diesel hybrid EV car may have a nondescript name (V60) but the hybrid, which is being introduced in Italy in September already has the world’s sexiest solar charger design.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/volvo-hybrid-foldable-solar-charger-071713
Assurant is putting its weight behind Connecticut’s new $60 million residential solar lease program, CT Solar Lease II, offered through the Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority (CEFIA)...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/assurant-insures-connecticut-solar-lease-program-072513
The cost of solar panels continues to plummet, but as concerns with panel quality have begun to surface, more consumers are seeking efficiency and reliability over low prices. This threatens the ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-panel-quality-trumps-price-china-will-be-forced-to-fold
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) reveal that solar energy, which aims to improve human health and reduce pollution by phasing out coal plants, is the most beneficial in the cloudy ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/overlooked-areas-for-solar-provide-greatest-benefit
How much do you know about Renewable Energy Credits (RECs)? This article discusses common points of confusion regarding California RECs.
More new wind and solar projects were installed in the developing world in 2011 than in developed economies. Over time, the developing world may become the leader in driving renewables forward. F...
OnBeat Solar Headphones incorporate a flexible solar panel to charge batteries placed in each ear cup to keep mobile phones, tablets and mp3 players charged.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-headphones-keep-mobile-devices-charged
Arizona has some of the best solar resources in the world, so it shouldn’t be much of a surprise that the state has the most solar power per capita. That’s according to a new report from Envi...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/arizona-tops-states-with-solar-072413
Ranchers are herding more than sheep and cattle—they’re rounding up the power of the sun. Farmers too are harvesting the sun's rays to increase their energy independence and power their farmi...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ranchers-roundup-the-power-of-the-sun
The Rocky Mountain Institute introduced a new report that discusses the values that distributed photovoltaics (DPV) provides to utilities and consumers.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/rmi-values-distributed-solar-report-072313
Going solar is a big commitment. How can you tell if solar energy is right for you? Here are some guidelines.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/how-to-know-if-solar-is-right-for-your-home
Peru may be best known for Machu Picchu and other Incan and Aztec treasures, but the nation is looking to its future with new plans to use solar to provide electricity for about 2 million of it p...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/peru-pursues-solar-masses-072213
It was something of a Hollywood ending, a successful flight despite difficulties that could have ended Solar Impulse’s historic journey across the U.S. early. Fabric covering the lumbering sola...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-powered-plane-completes-us-flight-0708013
Arizona Public Service, Arizona’s largest utility is trying to gut its support of net-metering, and recently they got a boost from two swift-boat style attack ads, which may or may not be tied ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/fight-against-solar-arizona-gets-support-071913
SolarStrong strikes again, and it’s a good thing. SolarCity’s partnership with U.S. Renewables Group Renewable Finance and Bank of America Merrill Lynch to install solar on military housing u...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/600-homes-nm-holloman-solar-solarstrong-070313
Normally when people think about renewable energy and who supports it, most think it’s primarily championed by liberals and Democrats. But a growing number of conservatives and Republicans—ev...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/conservatives-solar-really-071813
Connecticut’s Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority (CEFIA)—also called the CT Green Bank—has leveraged $9.5 million in ratepayer funds into a $50 million private capital investment...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/connecticut-solar-leasing-070213
Solar power is a convenient and effective way to green your landscape, from adding solar lights and solar-powered fountains to using solar lawn care equipment and even solar gardening robots.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/greening-your-landscape-with-solar-power
Last week Texas A&M University-Central Texas announced ambitious plans to build a $600 million solar testing facility, which it said would be the largest in the world. The university is partnerin...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/texas-AM-university-builds-solar-testing-facility-070113
In 13 states, including the most populous ones like California and New York, solar offers a better return on investment than investing in the S&P 500.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-outperforms-S-P-500-13-States-080513
Lux Research anticipates the market for PV materials will grow to $27.2 billion by 2015. That’s a 52 percent increase in spending over last year. The anticipated increase in materials spending ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Growing-PV-Materials-Demand-Latest-Market-Recovery-6-13-13
Ford Motor Co. signed an agreement with Sonora80M to purchase 3 megawatts of one of the largest PV farms being built in Mexico, Sonora80M’s 20 megawatt PV farm in Hermosillo in the Mexican stat...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Ford-Buying-3MWs-of-Mexican-PV-Project-6-4-13
A new GTM Research white paper looks around the corner to discuss how the market is changing and how rate structures can help ensure that the solar industry doesn’t disappear when today’s inc...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Rates-Keep-Solar-Going-After-Incentives-End-5-13-13
Goal Zero partnered with AT&T and design studio Pensa to develop Street Charge, a solar-powered mobile device charger that the partners began deploying in 25 locations in the Big Apple today.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/street-charge-keeping-your-mobile-juiced-sun-6-17-13
A new documentary, “Who Are My People?,” is stirring controversy around some of the giant, utility-scale solar projects that are emerging in the southwest U.S. desert. The film examines these...
Clean Power Finance received a $3 million grant to launch SolarPermit.org, which hosts information about the permitting process in localities across the U.S.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/permitting-solar-project-check-SolarPermit-6-19-13
Solar energy is ideal in crisis situations, with off-grid generators to provide power when the grid fails. Severe weather is also causing residential PV owners to consider storage options so they...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-energys-role-in-crisis-situations
PV modules can pose a shock hazard. PV makers are aware and are designing systems to be as resilient as possible, but thus far, there are few if any PV modules that are designed to stop operating...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Bosch-Develops-Safer-PV-Technology-6-12-13
It’s a new turn on concentrating photovoltaics (CPV). Cool Earth Solar’s inflated, tubular CPV system encases PV cells in a a lightweight tube of thin plastic films, which concentrates the su...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Cool-Earth-Solar-Testing-Tubular-Plastic-CPV-6-14-13
Lousiaana HB 705 would phase out the state’s solar and wind tax credits by 2020 has moved forward. While that bill might make some sense, other bills, like a bill to eliminate tax credits immed...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Solar-under-assault-Louisiana-5-10-13
Public schools in Campbell County, Tenn., are going solar in a bid to make $960,000 over 20 years, without raising any additional taxes. That’s under a new partnership with residential and comm...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/campbell-county-TN-schools-generate-1m-solar-06-24-13
During the last several months a number of new battery technologies have been proposed by different research institutions, from developing a better lithium ion battery to help give EVs a broader ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/recent-advances-in-battery-technology
President Barack Obama (D) announced the White House’s new Climate Action Plan to curb carbon and other pollutants in the air. During a speech announcing the plan he called for more solar and w...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/obama-calls-for-more-solar-renewables-climate-plan-062513
Net zero energy homes are houses that produce more energy than they consume. More people are turning to these energy efficient homes, as builders strive to design these green homes at market pric...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/net-zero-energy-homes-gain-momentum-and-affordability
Part Two of this financing commercial solar series focuses on solar leasing and power-purchase agreements (PPAs).
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/financing-commercial-solar-leasing-and-ppas-(part-2)
If you’re thinking about going solar and own a business or commercial building in LA, get ready fast. The LADWP's feed-in tariff incentive program is only accepting applications July 8 to 12.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/la-prepare-for-solar-feed-in-tariff-062613
Online customer reviews are the second most trusted form of advertising. With a majority of customers demanding to see reviews before doing business, solar installers would be wise to collect and...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/consumer-reviews-the-solar-industry-is-falling-behind
Google puts the Internet in the sky with balloons to keep the antennas aloft, and solar panels to provide power. The Internet giant has launched a series of these prototype Internet stations 12 m...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Google-Project-Loon-Makes-Cloud-Real-Solar-Power-Balloons-6-17-13
In Part 1 of Financing Commercial Solar, we examine the pros and cons of cash purchases and loans. Stay tuned for Part 2, which discusses Power Purchase Agreements.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/financing-commercial-solar-the-basics-(part-1)
Student teams are preparing to race their solar cars, powered only by the Texas sun, in this year’s Formula Sun Grand Prix in Austin, Texas starting on June 24.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/student-teams-rev-up-for-solar-grand-prix
Hybrid wind and solar energy systems complement each other's peak energy production and can help maintain power if the energy grid fails.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-energy-with-a-side-of-wind
Like rooftop solar, distributed (small-scale) solar continues to become cheaper for home and business owners. As utilities grow increasingly worried, SunRun CEO Ed Fenster says utilities should t...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/SunRun-Utilities-Pick-up-Phone-Innovate-Rooftop-Solar-6-14-13
In Solar Power Rocks' State Solar Power Rankings, Massachusetts took the top spot for its solar-friendly policies and incentive system.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/massachusetts-tops-solar-power-rocks-list-6-21-13
Solar Roast Coffee utilizes solar energy to roast coffee beans and produce a unique, smooth flavor that never burns the beans.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-roasted-coffee-creates-buzz
The technology breakthroughs that are helping solar cells reach 50 percent efficiency levels are encouraging, but everyday applications are still years away.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-cell-efficiency-levels-what-does-it-mean-for-me
SolarCity will finance the arrays on new homes with no up-front costs for the homebuilders, or even to the homebuyer.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/SolarCity-Offers-Homebuilders-Install-Solar-For-Free-6-12-13
SolarCity Alleges Treasury Paying Less Than Promised Following Demise of 1603
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/SolarCity-Sues-Treasury-Over-1603-Payments-5-9-13
Palo Alto is making it easier than ever for residents of the California city to go solar. Besides launching a feed-in tariff last year to support the expansion of rooftop solar, it's now streamli...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Palo-Alto-Streamlines-Permitting-Process-Solar-6-3-13
Solar and renewable energy standards in general have come under increasing attack in the past year. Few places have seen such vicious attacks as North Carolina, where Republican legislators pushe...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/North-Carolina-fights-anti-solar-bills-5-27-13
There’s no shortage of solar chargers for hikers or adventurers, but a new crowdfunding campaign is supporting a new tablet designed specifically for outdoors adventure and it’s got solar bak...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Earl-Solar-Wanderlust-Hiker-Technophile-5-15-13
The attacks on net-metering and other provisions that make it easier for home and business owners are increasing. To push back against this a group of solar rooftop installers have come together ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Solar-installers-fight-IOU-with-TASC-5-13-13
A report released by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBL) looks at how the permitting process can impact the costs and time it takes to install solar. The report shows that city-level ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Permitting-Processes-can-Reduce-home-solar-Costs-5-17-13
New technology may increase the efficiency of photovoltaic solar cells.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/increasing-solar-efficiency-new-solar-technology-on-the-horizon
Colorado’s pine and spruce forests are being devastated by beetles that bore under their bark, reproducing and spreading tree-killing fungi offering ready fuel for wildfires—or perhaps electr...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Xcel-Tackles-Beetle-Kill-Trees-Colorado-Biogas-5-22-13
The US Department of Commerce imposed antidumping and countervailing duties on Chinese silicon photovoltaic imports. The EU is on the eve of establishing tariffs on Chinese imports, China, the EU...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/US-EU-China-Solar-PV-Trade-Disputes-5-21-13
Love ‘em or hate ‘em homeowner associations HOAs can either help or hinder solar. Now The Solar Foundation and the SunShot Initiative’s Solar Outreach Partnership have introduced a new guid...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/HOAs-Get-Help-With-Solar-From-New-Guide-6-6-13
U.S. soldiers, sailors, airmen and marine personnel who are interested in solar energy can receive full tuition assistance for renewable energy career training from Solar Energy International (SE...
Solar renewable energy credits (SRECs) are used in a number of US states. But the question is: Does the US need higher SREC requirements and more markets, or are SRECs creating boom and bust cycl...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/SRECs-Good-Way-Incentivize-Solar-or-Boom-Bust-6-7-13
CAUSE is increasing efforts to support clean energy. The organization joined the American Lung Association to petition the California Energy Commission (CEC) to study the air and economic benefit...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/CAUSE-Amps-up-Net-Metering-Flowing-6-7-13
If a rooftop solar installation isn't feasible, think outside the rooftop. There are other creative and aesthetically-pleasing options for installing solar on your home or business.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/thinking-outside-the-rooftop
Thanks to solar’s resiliency, falling prices and capacity for helping out in disasters, New York is anticipating more solar installed in 2013 than ever before in the Empire state and in New Yor...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Big-Apple-Anticipates-Solar-Explosion-2013-6-10-13
California’s utility-scale solar installations—including concentrating solar power and photovoltaics—pumped more than 2.1 gigawatts of electricity to the grid for the first time today.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/California-Utility-Solar-Now-Over-2100-MWs-6-10-13
The use of solar power on battlefields can save soldiers’ lives by reducing the need for fuel resupply missions and reducing the chance of enemy attacks on fuel convoys.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-energy-can-save-soldiers-lives
Starting this weekend Stellar Solar’s Mobile Solar Station will start powering events throughout San Diego County this weekend—for free! Already three events—Encinitas Environment Day, KPRi...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/San-Diego-Events-Get-Free-Electricity-Thanks-Sun-6-6-13
Solar photovoltaic manufacturers must be starting to breathe again. A growing body of evidence shows that the tide is changing. Case in point, a new report from Lux Research anticipates that the ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Solar-PV-Market-Recovering-2015-Booming-2018-Lux-5-23-13
The European Union decided to impose provisional anti-dumping tariffs of nearly 50 percent on Chinese photovoltaic solar modules. But there’s a silver lining for Chinese PV manufacturers, they ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/China-PV-Makers-Slapped-EU-Tariffs-China-Wines-6-5-13
Across the globe, GM has already installed 37 MW of solar, and plans to reach 60 MW by 2015. After joining the SEIA in February, the auto manufacturer's commitment to solar is stronger than ever ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/gms-commitment-to-solar-going-strong
SunPower prepares to install its 10,000th residential system, the company says that it anticipates that solar will be on 20 percent of all new homes built in California this year. That’s based ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Solar-on-20-Percent-New-Homes-California-2013-6-5-13
Green Mountain Power (GMP) and NRG Residential Solar Solutions have announced a new partnership to develop two community solar projects in Rutland, Vermont.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/GMP-NRG-to-develop-Community-Solar-Rutland-5-20-13
After a New York Times article discusses solar installations that have high failure rates, many people are left wondering whether or not quality solar panels sell.
The U.S. Senate confirmed his replacement, Professor Ernest Moniz, a former Energy Department undersecretary Ernest Moniz, who has led MIT’s Energy Initiative. The unanimous confirmation vote S...
IKEA completed its 39th and final solar project on its Charlotte, N.C. store, making progress towards its goal of energy independence by 2020.
The name SunCredit sounds like it should be a solar-friendly policy. But sun-loving denizens of San Antonio, Texas, apparently weren’t happy with it and, led by Solar San Antonio, forced the lo...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/San-Antonio-Solar-Fans-Delay-SunCredit-5-16-13
Solar Impulse—the purely solar PV-powered plane—has landed in St. Louis, Missouri; the ravaged heart of tornado alley.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Solar-Impulse-Lands-in-Hurricane-Alley-6-4-13
By this summer at least three town governments in Massachusetts will be getting cheaper electric old landfills as stinky eyesores to money savers since they’ve decided to convert them to photov...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Massachusetts-Towns-Lower-Costs-With-PV-5-14-13
Fracking has been widely criticized by environmentalists for its water pollution and methane leakage. But some clean energy experts say fracking is a bridge to our clean energy future, and even e...
The US has smashed past the previous record for solar installations in the first quarter of the year, installing 723 megawatts of new photovoltaics in the first quarter of 2013. In fact only thre...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Already-Record-Breaking-Year-for-Solar-6-11-13
Besides watching how much money your solar array is saving you, system monitoring can uncover problems quickly and ensure your system is reliable and on track to meet its return on investment goa...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-system-monitoring-offers-more-than-personal-gratification
The DOE will help three Native American tribes go solar this year through its START program. The effort is part of a larger undertaking to bring renewable energy technologies to tribes, who often...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Tribes-go-Solar-With-DOE-5-24-13
The amount of solar installed in the U.S. in 2013 will blow past previous growth records. The newest issue of report anticipates that 4.3 gigawatts of PV will be installed in the U.S. in 2013. Th...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/US-PV-Market-4GWs-2013-5GWs-2014
Earlier this week the Harrisonburg Redevelopment and Housing Authority and Secure Futures, LLC, said they partnered to install a 34 kilowatt solar photovoltaic array at the Polly Lineweaver low-i...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Low-Income-Residents-Harrisonburg-get-Solar-Makeover-5-24-13
While the St. Louis fire department chief said the solar panels installed on Webster Grove High School could have caused the school fire, the reality is that there is a very low risk of fire actu...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-panels-and-fire-risk
Homeowners in Massachusetts are going solar in a big way. The commonwealth’s solar market is moving along at a good clip and the state’s already looking at its renewable energy goals in the r...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Home-Solar-Installations-Massachusetts-Quadruple-Two-Years-5-23-13
New Jersey’s utilities board approved Public Service Electric and Gas Company’s solar expansion proposals. Under the approval PSE&G will allocate a significant amount of the $447 million it p...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/PSEG-Solar-Plans-Reinvigorates-Solar-NJ-5-31-13
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., which owns over 1,100 high-end hotels and resorts including the W, Sheraton and Westin brands, has partnered with NRG Energy to install solar. Already, ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Starwood-Starts-Solar-Evolution-Virgin-Islands-5-22-13
A group of business and industry leaders are coming together to create a task force with Agrion to help reduce the cost of financing for smaller solar arrays, like those on homes and businesses.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Agrion-Partners-Launch-Solar-Financing-Task-Force-5-31-13
Rooftop solar is taking off across the US, and it’s starting to scare the utilities. SunRun Vice President Bryan Miller discusses with SolarReviews how and why utilities feel threatened by net-...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/SunRun-VP-Net-Metering-Attacks-Rooftop-Solar-Fighting-5-21-13
On May 18, PlanetSolar broke its own world for solar-powered transatlantic crossing by four days. The ship traveled almost 2,870 miles in 22 days, 12 hours and 32 minutes. This summer, it will he...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/planetsolar-breaks-world-record-cleans-up-ocean-trash
As soccer-loving Brazil preps for hosting FIFA’s World Cup in 2014 at least seven of its stadiums are incorporating solar arrays to provide on-site power generation for one of the world’s lar...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Brazil-Prepares-2014-World-Cup-7-Solar-Stadiums-5-20-13
PowerOptions, a power-purchasing consortium in Massachusetts has partnered with third-party ownership and installing giant SunEdison to offer its nonprofit customers a solar option for the first ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/PowerOptions-Massachusetts-Solar-5-30-13
Students from Southern California high schools compete in the nation's largest solar-powered boat competition.
Kansas City recently signed agreements to install PV at 80 of its buildings, which will make it one of the most solar friendly cities in the Midwest.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Kansas-City-Goes-Solar-80-Buildings-5-29-13
Rooftop solar photovoltaics go a step beyond electricity, offering a means for collecting rainwater.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/beyond-electricity-photovoltaics-harvest-sun-and-rain
There are many factors to consider when choosing the size of your solar PV system: the cost-per-kwh, your panel efficiency depending on your sunlight exposure, your state's net-metering capacity ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/selecting-the-size-of-your-solar-pv-system
Los Angeles has tremendous, untapped potential for solar growth; the rooftops in LA alone could support some 5,500 MW of solar power.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/tapping-las-solar-potential
The US is again the most attractive place in world for renewable energy, supplanting China, which held the top spot in 2012’s index. The annual report ranks 40 of the most active countries for ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/US-Most-Attractive-Market-Renewables-5-29-13
SolarCity and Goldman Sachs have upped the game, with a new record for rooftop solar financing.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/SolarCity-Goldman-Sachs-Launch-500M-Fund-Rooftop-Solar-5-16-13
The US Army is getting big on green—on more than just its green uniforms. The Department of Defense unit recently issued (May 22) its “Net Zero Progress Report”, an update on the Army’s e...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Army-Marches-Forward-Solar-Renewable-Energy-5-29-13
Rockland Capital has raised $120 million in financing to support solar installations in nine towns along Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts. The financing will allow Broadway Elect...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Marthas-Vineyard-Cape-Cod-Going-Solar-5-15-13
The theoretical efficiency limit of a conventional silicon-based photovoltaic cell is 33.7 percent. However, Soitec says its new cell, which debuted at 43.6 percent efficiency, could reach effici...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Soitec-Debuts-4-Junction-PV-Cell-5-28-13
As opposed to oil spills and nuclear accidents, the worst consequence of a solar energy spill is radio interference—and an impressive display of the Northern lights.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-energy-spills-cause-impressive-light-shows
Under a proposal from New Jersey’s largest utility, Public Service Gas & Electric (PSE&G), it could invest an additional $447 million to expand its use of solar in the state. With much of the i...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/NJ-Utilities-Board-Vote-PSEGs-447M-Solar-5-28-13
SolarCity reported its first-ever first quarter earnings report since becoming publicly traded in late 2012. Overall, the company had a net loss of $31 million on $30 million in revenue for the q...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/SolarCity-Reports-First-Ever-First-Quarter-5-14-13
The giant Ivanpah solar electric generating system (SEGS) in the California desert is more than 92 percent complete as BrightSource continues construction on the behemoth concentrating solar powe...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Ivanpah-Steams-Ahead-5-27-13
New, preliminary research from GTM Research found that fully 59 gigawatts of solar photovoltaic power was installed across the world in 2015. That’s a 34 percent increase over 2014 and 2016 is ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/59gws_soalr_installed_2015_64gws_2016_012516
Los Angeles’ popular Green LA solar feed-in tariff program, which already aims to install 150 megawatts of PV on Los Angeles’ commercial rooftops and parking structures. However, the city’s...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/LAs-FiT-Under-New-Mayor-Ratepayer-Advocate-Reservations-6-11-13
Colorado’s largest utility, Xcel Energy, filed with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to extend its Solar*Rewards program, which is good. But at the same time it would gut its sup...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/colorado-advocates-fight-xcel-solar-net-metering-080513
For the first time utility-scale solar power has surpassed wind power in The Golden State, which has the highest amount of connected clean power and solar power in the country.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/california-more-solar-than-wind-042816
Silicon wafer manufacturers are increasing production by 19 percent in 2013 compared to last year. The anticipated growth is coming even though a glut in PV modules still exists.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Silicon-Wafers-PV-to-Grow-2013-5-9-13
British designer Ross Kemp built a solar-powered watercraft to assist lifeguards during water rescues. The vessel acts like a cross between a jet ski and a surfboard and costs three times less th...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-powered-watercraft-designed-for-rescue-missions-080713
PermaCity will build a new, 16.4 megawatt project on warehouses on roofs of Westmont Drive. Covering 2 million square feet, it will be the largest rooftop solar array in the U.S., if not the worl...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/lis-angeles-warehouses-16megawatt-rooftop-solar-042916
The International City/County Management Association and The Solar Foundation (TSF) have launched SolSmart, a new program that recognizes solar cities and counties and empowers other communities ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solsmart-solar-cummunities-initiative-launches-042716
A new report out from GTM Research reaffirms that 2016 will be a record year for solar power across the world. In its quarterly Global Solar Demand Monitor: Q2 2016 the firm anticipated that 66 n...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/world-will-add-66gws-solar-2016-gtm-research-050216
A new report out from The Center of Biologic Diversity introduced a new report, Throwing Shade: 10 Sunny States Blocking Distributed Solar Development. The report looked at how a number of states...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/10-sunny-states-block-rooftop-solar-progress-042916
More than 10 gigawatts of solar, 10,649 megawatts, to be precise, were operational in California as of the end of the first quarter of 2015. That’s more than 10 percent of the state’s nearly ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/califorinia_more_than_10gws_solar_power_061615
An increasing body of evidence shows that utilities are signing deals with solar project developers for an average 5 cents per kilowatt-hour. This puts solar power within the realm of parity, whi...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar_energy_falls_5_cents_per_kilowatthour_093015
As posted on SolarReviews Facebook page, Warren Buffet recently announced that his company would be investing $2.5 billion on solar projects in the U.S.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/baffling-reaction-to-buffets-big-solar-buy
As more organizations realize the benefits of solar energy, they're finding creative ways to incorporate solar systems into their infrastructure—even among lions, elephants and giraffes.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-powered-zoos-gain-popularity,-increase-solar-visibility
Georgia’s legislature introduced a new bill, HB 657, The Rural Georgia Economic Recovery and Solar Resource Act of 2013 on Friday. The bill would allow third-party ownership of solar in the Pea...
Many companies have started to see how solar power can benefit their businesses in ways beyond simply powering their facilities.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-power-and-other-green-industries-form-marketing-partnerships
Walgreens and SolarCity will join forces to install solar systems at 22 drugstores across Colorado, the equivalent of planting more than 25,000 trees over the next two decades.
The cost of solar panels continues to fall, while incentives and financing options make solar power easier and more affordable for consumers.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/is-solar-power-a-dying-industry
NRG Residential Solar plans to offer photovoltaic (PV) systems with battery backups, allowing consumers to use their own energy during blackouts—or even at night.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nrg-introducing-solar-with-battery-storage-for-homeowners-4-5-13
Amonix, which makes concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) systems, has once again broke a world record for real world efficiency testing. In real-world testing the company’s latest CPV technology re...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Amonix-Pushes-CPV-Efficiency-Record-Higher-5-1-13
Learn a few tips about how to choose the best brand of solar panels for your home.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/the-best-type-of-solar-panels-to-use-in-your-home
Massachusetts now has 250 megawatts of solar energy installed, according to Gov. Deval Patrick. It’s a significant number for such a small state, particularly a northeastern one, and even more ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Massachusetts-Passes-Solar-Goalssets-new-ones-5-2-13
Colorado’s set to expand the amount of renewable energy in the state once again now that Colorado Senate Bill 252 passed Colorado’s House of Representatives. The bill passed through the House...
The EPA's Re-Powering America's Lands initiative has resulted in 217 megawatts of clean energy on landfills and brownfield sites. The proposed 2,700 megawatt Westlands Solar Park in California ho...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/contaminated-lands-become-more-attractive-for-solar-projects
SunPower’s first quarter 2013 results were much better than expected. The company's $635 million in revenue for the first quarter far surpassed its revenue of $494.1 million in the first quarte...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/SunPower-First-Quarter-Outshines-5-3-13
In a forthcoming report Citigroup is naming what it’s calling the top 10 disruptive technologies. This year solar makes the list for its “Moore's-law-esque cost decline rate.”
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Solar-A-Top-10-Disruptive-Technology-5-3-13
Despite its growing market, the solar panel industry experienced its first price increase since 2010, leaving consumers to wonder if this is an indication of things to come.
Clean Energy Collective’s 500 kilowatt community solar garden, the Boulder Cowdery Meadows Solar Array in South Boulder County, CO, is now switched on and providing energy for its subscribers.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Boulder-first-community-solar-project-up-5-1-13
Every now and then we see startling examples of how things can fail when things are done wrong. Sometimes it takes a windstorm to reveal how things fail – sometimes with truly catastrophic cons...
Xcel's SolarRewards program for small solar systems is fully subscribed for 2013. Xcel's working with SEIA and COSEIA to expand it through the rest of the year and into 2014.
Cumulative global installed solar PV capacity has topped the 100 GW milestone. Read more to see stats on the adoption of solar worldwide.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/100-gw-of-solar-pv-now-installed-in-the-world-today
Verizon will add in more than 10 megawatts of solar photovoltaics (PVs) and fuel cells to its energy mix at 19 locations across the US, by the end of 2013. The effort is part of the company’s w...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Verizon-adds-solar-and-fuel-cells-to-power-mix-4-30-13
Solar leasing and financing company Clean Power Finance (CPF) announced on April 8 that it closed a $37 million round of investments in the company from new and former investors.
Colored PV solar panels made in Ventura, California perform between 15 and 16 percent efficiency with textured designs to blend into hillsides and a variety of rooftop shingles.
Interest in electric cars and vehicles, often called EVs is growing as is interest in solar and photovoltaics for homeowners, and at least two recent studies show that an owner of one is more lik...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/evs-and-pvs-a-match-made-for-each-other-4-4-13
A recent Navigant Research report anticipates that the world will add 220 new gigawatts of distributed solar photovoltaics by 2018 as solar comes into parity with other energy sources, creating $...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Report-Anticipates-220-Gigawatts-Distributed-Solar-by-2018-4-29-13
A new poll by Gallup finds that across the US more citizens want more emphasis on domestically produced solar, wind and natural-gas fired electricity. Guess which option was the most popular—so...
SolarPower, MidAmerican Renewables and Southern California Edison held a ground-breaking ceremony this past Friday (April 26) for the Antelope Valley Solar Projects in California. Together they c...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/First-megawatt-AVSP-worlds-largest-installed
Solar San Antonio is hosting a solar tour in April. The tour features installations by 15 local solar installers who will showcase a total of 18 installations in the greater San Antonio area.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/san-antonio-gears-up-for-solar-tour-in-april-32913
Jon Wellinghoff, chairman of the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) proclaims that the growing adoption of distributed power generation (DG) — like rooftop solar — is making the g...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/ferc-says-solar-protects-grid-from-attack
By the end of 2013, solar power is expected to add more electricity to the U.S. grid than all other power sources except natural gas
IBM partnered with Airlight Energy, ETH Zurich and Interstate University of Applied Sciences Buchs NTB. The group recently won a three-year, $2.4 million grant to develop low-cost high-concentrat...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/IBM-concentrating-solar-desalinization-Swiss-4-26-13
A quickly growing number of cities along Colorado’s Front Range are attaining the status of “Solar Friendly Community.” The most recent is Lakewood, which achieved the silver-level certific...
Mosaic launched its biggest public solar investment opportunity yet. It opened up a nearly $700,000 round of financing to Californians to support its 487 kilowatt project at the Wildwoods Convent...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Mosaic-Solar-Project-Funds-From-Golden-State-Garden-State-4-26-13
Over the past few weeks, several prominent organizations around the world have issued reports determining that solar is becoming an increasingly competitive energy source and is coming into parit...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-reaching-parity-with-other-energy-sources-say-new-reports
Walmart cashed in on Earth Day when it released its global responsibility report following on the announcement last week that the company would increase it’s procurement or production of renewa...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Walmart-expand-solar-wind-bottom-line-4-25-13
It might seem obvious, but summertime means that solar power production will likely increase. You may think that this is because a hot, sunny climate is the ideal place for solar panels, but that...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/why-is-solar-power-production-higher-in-the-summertime
Greenpeace unveiled its sixth Cool IT Leaderboard. It evaluates companies based on their efforts to reduce climate change both within their own power and by using their influence to advocate for ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Google-Cisco-Coolest-IT-Companies-Greenpeace-4-25-13
DIY solar may seem like a great, cost effective way to go, but here are six reasons why you shouldn't go that route along with recommended next steps!
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/six-reasons-why-diy-solar-is-not-recommended
Google introduced a new white paper on establishing renewable energy tariffs for large businesses, it also announced plans to expand its Lenoir, NC, datacenter, where it is working with Duke Ener...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Google-New-Way-Buy-Clean-Energy-Expands-NC-Facility-4-24-13
Learn how to properly analyze and calculate your return when investing in a home solar power system.
SunEdison, one of the companies that sparked the third-party ownership revolution with businesses, announced yesterday that it partnered with Foxconn Technology to produce photovoltaics (PV) in J...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/SunEdison-Foxconn-Manufacture-PV-Mexico-4-24-13
A contested bill in North Carolina that would repeal the state’s renewable portfolio standard is moving forward despite what appeared to be committee that voted against it. The bill was moved o...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Anti-Solar-Bill-North-Carolina-Moves-Forward-5-6-13
Native American tribe marches 16 miles on Earth Day to raise awareness for the solar energy plant that will replace the current coal-fired power plant that has plagued their community for nearly ...
A new bill, SB 252, would require some of Colorado’s largest rural cooperatives to obtain 25 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2020.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new-bill-would-expand-clean-energy-in-rural-colorado-areas
By the end of 2012, the amount of rooftop solar photovoltaic installations in New York City had boomed to 14 megawatts from 5.5 megawatts at the end of 2011—an increase of 8.5 megawatts in a ye...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/NYC-Solar-Rooftop-Growth-Explosion-4-23-13
As conventional solar manufacturers—be they panel (Suntech) or inverter (Satcon)—become less attractive investments, more smart money is moving toward energy storage.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/smart-money-swings-to-storage
Every year more and more businesses are using solar, wind and other green energy sources to offset their carbon footprint as much as possible, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agenc...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/EPA-Updates-Top-50-Green-Energy-Users-4-23-13
Individuals who are interested in solar energy to lower their electric bills and offset their carbon impact need information they can understand. Smart solar companies are putting customers' need...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-companies-focus-on-customers-first,-technology-second
Vermont Hard Cider Company’s new solar orchard, features 26 of AllEarth Renewable’s AllSun Trackers. The roughly 147 kilowatt array will allow Woodchuck to source around 40 percent of its ove...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Woodchuck-Solar-Orchard-4-22-13
Georgia’s rural homes and businesses have a better opportunity than ever before to install photovoltaics. The whole Peach State is starting to realize the importance of solar as shown by the ra...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/georgia-moves-forward-with-asi-to-add-210-mws-of-solar-4-3-13
A string of late snowstorms prompted Denver’s Earth Day Fair to move indoors, and featured a bustling smorgasbord of visitors and exhibitors ranging from solar-powered, locally owned food truck...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Denver-Earth-Day-Perfectly-Soggy-4-22-13
Gov. Andrew Cuomo announces $46 million for solar photovoltaic projects. The awards support 76 solar photovoltaic projects totaling 52 megawatts of new solar power in the state. The awards were m...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/new-york-installing-solar-at-a-rapid-pace-4-1-13
Across the nation, HOAs are fighting solar on the grounds of aesthetics, and even suing homeowners for installing solar and forcing them to remove their systems. New laws are now limiting the HOA...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/hoas-fight-solar-and-homeowners-fight-back
As teachers' jobs are in jeopardy and classroom sizes increase, school districts are looking for creative ways to tackle budget cuts. Some schools have turned to solar power, and their future is ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/saving-teachers-jobs-one-solar-panel-at-a-time
One of the best ways to go solar for less is by first reducing energy use. That’s the thinking behind the successful EnergySmart program in Boulder County, CO, which earlier this week, which an...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Boulder-EnergySmart-helps-10000-residents-reduce-electric-4-19-13
Solar Impulse, the first manned airplane to fly 24 hours on solar power alone, and to make a multi-national journey, has met the press in the US as it prepares to fly across the U.S. in May.
'Solar fairies' anonymously fund solar projects at K-12 schools, universities and municipalities across the nation.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/anonymous-donors-fund-solar-projects-across-the-U.S.
Photovoltaics mimic photosynthesis in a way by making power from the sun, so why shouldn’t they imitate the forms they borrowed their purpose from—plants. That may by the thinking behind Mona...
Thanks to The Solar Foundation (TSF) people can now learn more about the solar industry in the their backyard. Today (April 18) TSF introduced a new interactive map that showcases the nearly 120,...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/New-Map-Shows-Solar-Jobs-Growing-4-18-13
NRG Energy, which is building some of the largest solar power plants in the world in the U.S., is also looking at solar on a much smaller scale. Rather quietly last year, the company started offe...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nrg-brings-solar-to-rooftops
The world’s first Solar Decathlon was held in Washington, DC, on the National Mall, nation’s front yard, in 2002. Now the US Solar Decathlon is taking its first road trip, landing in Orange C...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/uss-solar-decathlon-readies-for-its-first-road-trip-4-17-13
Part 2 of 'How Things Fail' discusses great-looking commercial solar power system that is actually a disaster waiting to happen.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/how-things-fail-(part-2):-a-commercial-disaster-waiting-to-happen
Kiva is increasing its support of renewable energy microfinance programs where people can invest as little as $25 to support citizens in some of the 67 countries that the nonprofit serves.
San Rafael’s City Council unanimously decided to become the lead agency for a three-county group-purchasing project, allowing Marin, Napa and Sonoma counties to obtain discounts on solar for mu...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/san-rafael-leads-three-counties-in-solar-group-purchasing-project
Solar systems will be required on new single-family homes in Lancaster, California starting in January of 2014. The mandate could help accelerate the adoption of solar energy across the U.S. if m...
In 2012 according to the recent U.S. Solar Market Insight: Year-in-Review 2012, California installed 1,033 megawatts of solar, surpassing the 1 gigawatt mark. Not far behind were Arizona with 710...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/three-states-now-have-more-than-1-gigawatt-of-solar-installed
An increasing number of America's national parks are looking to the sun to provide their electricity, and as park budgets get tighter, more may consider the long-term energy cost protection that ...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/national-parks-turn-to-the-sun-for-power-needs-4-15-13
From 2011 to 2012, the US experienced a 76% growth in both photovoltaic and concentrating solar power (CSP) for a total of 3.3 gigawatts of installed solar capacity.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/Solars-Momentum-Faces-Opposition-from-Fossil-Fueled-Legislation
A survey of Massachusetts homeowners revealed that 70 percent believe solar is a better investment than home improvements and buying a car.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/investing-in-solar-trumps-home-improvements-buying-a-car
The federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) offers a personal tax credit of 30 percent of the costs of consumer energy efficiency products, including solar energy systems, on principal residences, se...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/information-and-education-about-the-rebates-for-solar-energy
For the first time ever, solar accounted for all new utility electricity capacity added to the U.S. grid during the month of March.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/march-milestone-for-solar-energy
Solar Installers get a lot of calls from consumers who are unsure how to work out how much their solar power system is saving them. This article offers tips on how to best calculate the amount of...
Across the US, a growing number of houses of worship are putting their faith in the sun and going solar. Most recently Solis Partners in New Jersey finished a 77 kilowatt PV array on Our Lady of ...
Can your solar panels survive the snow, hail, rain and fog? Get the facts on SolarReviews.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/how-the-weather-affects-solar-panel-performance
President Barack Obama sent his proposed budget for the fiscal year 2014. In it he called for nearly $1 billion ($989 million) in spending to support deployment and long-term development in the c...
Is solar power the new standard way of living? Read more on how solar power makes a difference.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/solar-power:-a-new-standard-of-living
Solar energy is on the brink of a mainstream breakthrough. But what will it ultimately take to catapult solar from an alternative energy source into the mainstream energy sector?
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/what-will-it-take-for-solar-power-to-become-mainstream
By lowering the burden of regulation, which keeps the cost of solar installations artificially high, the solar industry can continue to expand… Read more.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/paperwork-a-drag-on-the-adoption-of-home-solar-power-systems
NREL has introduced the Open Solar Performance and Reliability Clearinghouse (O-SPaRC). The initiative will create an open-source database that shows the real-world performance data from solar fa...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/nrel-building-confidence-in-solar-pv-with-new-database-4-10-13
The real reason Germany dominates in solar (and wind) is their commitment to democratizing energy.
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/germany-has-more-solar-power-because-everyone-wins
The past few years have seen some spectacular flameouts in the solar energy industry. Many of these companies were casualties of market glutted with more modules than demand, forcing them to slas...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/the-solar-shakeout-is-the-industry-ready-4-9-13
Hospital Lumiere, a primary care and medical-surgical facility located in Bon Fin, Haiti will now get its electricity from the sun, thanks to a new 50 kilowatt (kW) solar array with a battery bac...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/haiti-hospital-lumiere-solar-solarwaorld-061616
The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA), a group with more than 6,000 banks across the country, recently announced its 2016 ICBA National Community Bank Service Awards, with a solar p...
https://www.solarreviews.com/news/community-banks-org-awards-community-solar-project-080316