US utilities discuss advanced conductors to enable 764 GW of solar by 2035
Replacing existing transmission lines, known as conductors, with advanced conductors could enable 764 GW of transmission-connected solar by 2035. However, some US utilities are slow to adopt this technology. In a recent webinar, two utilities that have used advanced conductors for years shared their experiences.
US solar factories: From announcements to reality
Now that incentives from the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) are well understood, global manufacturers are announcing factories in the United States to constitute much of the solar supply chain. While some plans have been scrapped already, and more cancellations are expected, the broader trend is unprecedented growth.
The Hydrogen Stream: Statkraft advances green H2 plans in Germany
Statkraft says it is progressing with its 200 MW electrolysis plant in Germany, while Neste says it will not invest in its 120 MW electrolyzer project in Finland.
Borderline La Niña may brighten winter for U.S, Mexico, Brazil
In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, forecasts drier and sunnier conditions in the forthcoming winter across key solar areas in the southern United States, Mexico and Brazil, driven by borderline La Niña conditions.
Sunrun, New York utility embark on residential virtual power plant
Sunrun and Orange and Rockland Utilities have launched a residential virtual power plant (VPP) program that provides 300 solar-plus-storage systems to enhance grid stability.
New US rules support solar supply chain, manufacturing
New US incentives support solar manufacturers and encourage the domestic build-out of the earlier stages of the solar supply chain.
Solving the UV problem of n-type solar
Laboratory testing has revealed that some negatively-doped, “n-type” tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) and heterojunction (HJT) solar modules are susceptible to ultraviolet (UV) light-related damage and degradation. That could mean trouble down the line, if modules in the field begin to show UV-related performance loss. Manufacturers are implementing solutions at cell and module level.
The Hydrogen Stream: US researchers explore trapped geologic hydrogen
US researchers have started studying hydrogen formation in the Midcontinent Rift in the United States, while Dutch scientists have discovered that hydrogen emissions from industrial complexes are higher than previously estimated.
General Motors launches residential storage system
The US-based automotive manufacturing company said its new storage system offers the option of integrating with PV systems. It can be scaled to reach a capacity of up to 35.4 kWh, which the company said would enable approximately 20 hours of storage.
Powering restaurants with rooftop PV, reversible fuel cells
Researchers have simulated the operation of bifacial PV and proton exchange membrane reversible fuel cells across restaurants in five different US states. Taking into account varying rates of bifacial PV’s rearside gains, they found that LCOE was as low as $0.029 per kWh.
