Solar power

SunEdison Completes Construction of New Hampshire's Largest Solar Power Plant

SunEdison completed construction on New Hampshire's largest solar power plant, a 942-KW solar power plant for the town of Peterborough. SunEdison will supply solar energy generated by this system to the town over the next 20 years. SunEdison collaborated with Borrego Solar to complete the project after acquiring it from Borrego Solar earlier in 2015. The system was funded in part by a grant from the New Hampshire Public Utility Commission.

NRG Home Solar Expands Operations in California

NRG Home Solar opened two new California offices in Merced and San Diego, adding to the NRG footprint in the state. These offices will add to existing presence and further build on the company’s energy operations around the state including the recent expansion of the NRG eVgo electric vehicle charging network. NRG Home Solar is offering solar loans for the first time to homeowners starting in California and expanding to other states.

EEPCo Approves 300 MW Solar Project in partnership with two U.S. Firms

Global Trade & Development Consulting Group together with its project development partner, Energy Ventures, both Maryland-based companies, have been awarded the contract by the Ethiopian Ministry of Water and Energy and the board of directors of the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) to build, operate, and transfer three, 100 MW solar sites, in the eastern region of Ethiopia.

Canadian Solar Complete Three Utility-scale Solar Power Projects in North Carolina

Canadian Solar completed construction on three utility-scale solar power projects in North Carolina. The projects, named "Lenoir 1, Lenoir 2 and Wilson 1," total 18 MW and are part of a 15-project portfolio totaling 85MW being jointly developed with Strata Solar. In total, the latest three solar power projects use approximately 40,608 Canadian Solar CS6P-P 245 and 19,896 CS6P-P 250 watt solar modules.

Making Solar Grid-Friendly

If made fully “grid-friendly,” utility-scale solar ought to be able to act like a traditional power plant — aiding voltage stability and supporting grid integrity during transmission system disturbances.

The world’s power generation systems continue to transition to cleaner, more renewable and sustainable sources. That effort will be greatly aided by integrated and comprehensive grid interconnection solutions. Utility-scale, grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV), as well as wind, has become increasingly attractive as a generation resource, both in terms of economics and operational fl exibility. The technology needed to interconnect these renewable power sources is now well proven in the field.

 

Solar Emergence

Models are evolving for utility-scale solar development.

During the next few years, the biggest growth in the solar energy market will happen in the form of utility-scale projects, mostly driven by state renewable portfolio mandates. But financing such projects has become more difficult, with a smaller pool of equity capital and an evolving set of regulatory requirements.

Biocoal Options

A new future for small coal-fired plants.

Small coal-fired plants are particularly vulnerable to economic and environmental pressures, putting some plant owners in what seems like a no-win position. But an emerging option—biocoal from crop wastes—might give small coal units a new lease on life.

Solar Expansion

Technologies are scaling up quickly to meet industry needs.

Like other California electric utilities, San Francisco-based Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) has been scrambling to meet the state’s renewable portfolio standard (RPS), which requires suppliers to obtain at least 20 percent of their power from renewable energy sources by 2010. Though the RPS includes a variety of technologies, renewables developers are choosing utility-scale solar power more than any other resource, says Hal La Flash, PG&E’s director of emerging clean technologies.