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Guest column: Solar projects need decommissioning guarantees

Josh Carson, Vice President and Partner, Axcess Surety Bonds — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 12:05:38 +0000

While the world pushes for more clean energy, much has been written about the U.S. problem with reclaiming abandoned oil wells. But a lack of decommissioning regulations for the renewable energy industry could create a future cleanup headache for taxpayers too. Nothing lasts forever, and solar projects are no exception. The expected lifespan of most…

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Red flags for green energy: What to look out for in supply chains and projects

Jake Edie, VP of marketing, Clean Energy Associates — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 12:02:49 +0000

The past few years have been a sellers’ market in the solar and energy storage market. That dynamic is changing quickly, however, as global supply chains ramp up quickly. Clean Energy Associates (CEA) recently forecasted an 18% reduction in battery energy storage system (BESS) pricing in 2024. On the solar side, massive production overcapacity and…

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Carbon reduction orgs identify where solar is needed most

Billy Ludt — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 12:00:06 +0000

Renewable energy sources reduce carbon production when they replace power plants using fossil fuels, but it’s possible for something like a solar array to have a measurably larger impact when built in a region with more carbon emissions and less renewable energy proliferation. Clearloop, a carbon reduction subsidiary of solar developer Silicon Ranch, and WattTime,…

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Utility-scale may make all the news, but DG solar is incredibly important

Dan Smith, VP of markets, DSD Renewables — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 13:13:27 +0000

The United States reached a milestone in its energy journey last year when, for the first time, solar power accounted for more than half of all new electricity-generating capacity added to the grid. It’s no surprise that the utility-scale segment contributed a majority of the solar capacity with a record 22.5 GW. Nor is it…

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Questions to ask ground-mount system partners to increase project profitability

John Goetz, senior product manager - ground mount, Terrasmart — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 20:06:03 +0000

One thing solar project developers, EPCs and investors have in common – everyone wants their project to be as profitable as possible. Understanding what influences a solar development’s financial value is key to maximizing profitability over the lifecycle of a project. Of course, due diligence in the planning phase minimizes risk and ensures a project…

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How to choose safer string harnesses for solar projects

Nathan Wilson, Project Engineer, Amphenol TPI — Thu, 23 May 2024 12:45:13 +0000

Improperly implemented PV string harnesses can cause down time, delays and replacement hassles. At their worst, they can present dire safety risks. Here’s what you should know to maximize their performance and safety. Pressured by project economics, many folks try to cut solar power system costs where they can. Often overlooked, photovoltaic (PV) wiring string…

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LONGi explains its latest module innovation in the face of extreme weather

Alyssa Huang, Product Solutions Manager, LONGi Solar — Tue, 21 May 2024 13:31:42 +0000

From skyrocketing premiums to a lack of coverage in flood, hurricane and fire-prone locations, the insurance industry has become the canary in the coal mine for the climate crisis. In 2023, there was a record-breaking number of natural disasters that caused over $1 billion in insurance losses. While often a scapegoat, insurance companies have both…

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Contractor’s Corner: Radiance Solar Nationwide DG installer prioritizes data analytics and quality control.

Kelsey Misbrener — Mon, 20 May 2024 12:00:20 +0000

The solar industry often talks about ways to cut the soft costs of running a business — the behind-the-scenes project management software, training processes and data analytics that keep projects on schedule and up to quality. But one EPC says now is instead the time for investment into these areas to meet IRA requirements and…

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Nationwide DG installer prioritizes data analytics and quality control. appeared first on Solar Power World.

A day in the life of a renewables technician

Dr. Ahmed El-Rasheed, Renewables Industry Director, Megger — Thu, 16 May 2024 12:00:49 +0000

More new solar was installed last year than any other electricity source. All those systems will require periodic maintenance to ensure they’re performing as promised. Solar energy technicians use their field experience and the latest tools to keep projects on track. A solar technician’s duties include reading blueprints and schematics; testing and troubleshooting inverters and…

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Nextracker expands Pennsylvania plant to meet new solar demand in the region

Billy Ludt — Wed, 15 May 2024 12:00:53 +0000

Despite writing about solar for more than five years, I rarely have the chance to stand up from my office chair, hop in my car and drive somewhere to see something in person. We solar editors attend a couple tradeshows a year and see the latest products in PV on display in tidy booths in…

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Accurate solar resource assessment: Paving the way for profitable projects

Rémy Parmentier, Head of Solar and Hybrid, Vaisala Renewable Energy — Tue, 14 May 2024 13:11:25 +0000

The solar energy industry in the United States is booming, with the U.S. Energy Information Administration projecting that the percentage of electric capacity additions from solar will grow to 71% in 2025 (51 GWAC). However, before constructing a new solar power plant, the site’s resources must be thoroughly assessed for feasibility, bankability and operational excellence.…

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8 reasons why third-party warehousing can help solar EPCs

Eric Burdette, COO, BroadRange Logistics — Thu, 09 May 2024 12:00:55 +0000

U.S. solar supply chains were under more scrutiny in the past four years than ever before. Successive administrations have imposed significant tariffs on the import of solar array components. The steep tariffs imposed on solar module imports threaten to drive up prices for the components to potentially unsustainable levels. When the Biden Administration postponed the…

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Op-ed: Excess solar inventory can advance energy justice

Jessica Fishman, Director of Renewable Energy, Kiterocket — Mon, 06 May 2024 14:14:40 +0000

At the beginning of the year, it was reported that there was a 45-GW inventory buildup of solar modules in the United States, which caused prices to be slashed by nearly half in 2023. In addition, there has been a reported backlog of other solar components, such as inverters, and even more recently a plummeting…

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Inverter insights: Repowering older solar projects

Kelsey Misbrener — Wed, 01 May 2024 12:10:28 +0000

While solar panels generally come with 25-year warranties and can continue generating power well beyond three decades, the technology behind inverters and other balance of system components may become outdated much more quickly. The easiest fix to ensure solar projects are working at their peak is to replace inverters in a repowering situation. Solar Power…

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Harmonizing conflicts: Using mediation to resolve residential solar disputes

Roger Freeman, attorney, AB Conflict Resolution Services — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 12:00:54 +0000

Making customers happy is one of the many joys of the solar and storage business. But consumer, business or other conflicts do occasionally arise, and then the goal is to quickly reach a solution that is fair to both sides, keeping time, hassle and legal costs to a minimum. This is one of many reasons…

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