The transition to net-zero carbon pollution is now fully underway, making renewables a compelling investment proposition. Now, ambitious ESG goals announced by major companies and institutions are forcing investors to migrate from traditional fossil fuels to renewable energy investments, such as solar. Sixty-five percent of respondents to Investcorp’s Global Investors Trends Survey 2021 cited the …
Category Archives: Utility
4 Recommendations to Help Developers Win Utility-Scale Solar Bids
Utility-scale solar is one of the hottest markets in the energy sector right now. Despite a slump due to the pandemic early in the year, 2020 saw nearly 14 GWdc of utility-scale projects installed, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie. During Q4 2020 alone, developers installed 6.3 GWdc of utility …
New DNV GL Assessment: Trinasolar’s Vertex Modules Offer Lowest LCOE
As the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for solar continues to drop, Trina Solar remains committed to finding innovative ways to achieve grid parity. This includes the release of the high-power, high-efficiency Vertex bifacial dual-glass modules for residential, commercial and utility-scale PV installations. In addition, Trina Solar’s ground-breaking “low voltage, high string power ” design concept has drawn …
How the Solar Industry Stands Heading into the New Year
2020 US solar expansion forecast to be the highest annual increase to date As we approach the end of 2020, we wanted to reflect on the state of the solar industry. Despite a tumultuous year, solar has remained resilient, with growing appeal and plunging costs. Although there’s still plenty of work to do to bring …
Why Bifacial Modules Are on the Rise for Utility-Scale Solar Installations
Solar module manufacturers are continually innovating their products to provide project stakeholders with more value for utility-scale PV installations. Bifacial modules represent one of the latest examples of this innovation in action. Bifacial modules collect light on both sides of a PV panel, instead of just the front. The rear facing monocrystalline cells also collect …
How to Avoid Unexpected Long-Term O&M Costs With A Smart Solar Solution
A successful solar power installation requires more than just PV modules and the associated balance of system (BOS), it also needs effective operations and maintenance (O&M) management. Maintaining good O&M practices is an important, and often overlooked, aspect of ensuring that a PV system operates efficiently. This, in turn, helps ensure maximum power production and …
Hawaii Poised to Become Solar Powerhouse
Just as the U.S. operates like 50 different experiments in democracy, so too are the states acting as 50 diverse tests for solar energy. Nowhere is this better exemplified than in Hawaii. With 71 percent average annual sunshine, Hawaii makes for an ideal location for solar PV installations. The Aloha State currently sits at 14th …
Is COVID-19 Changing the Solar Duck Curve?
The current stay-at-home orders in effect across the country have done more than shuttered non-essential businesses and schools, they’re also shifting energy-use patterns. This changing use pattern means utilities and grid operators have had to reassess how to plan for new load forecasting frameworks. One area where this paradigm shift is most noticeable is known …
What’s in the roadmap for the SEIA’s Solar+ Decade initiative?
With a new decade upon us, the Solar Energy Industry Association (SEIA) recently announced its vision to make 2020 to 2030 the Solar+ Decade. One of the primary goals of this mission revolves around an ambitious yet achievable goal of greatly increasing the U.S. solar generation and usage. Currently, solar energy and storage account for …
Solar Project Financing 101
One of the first steps to starting any commercial or utility-scale solar project involves obtaining financing. While cash will always be king, solar projects require a significant upfront investment, which makes financing more appealing for most developers. In fact, 90 percent of the U.S. solar installations are financed. Looking ahead to 2020 and beyond, project …
