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Solar Power
Extreme weather pushing consumers to solar and residential storage
Workers lift a solar panel onto a roof during a residential solar installation in Scripps Ranch, San Diego, California, U.S. October 14, 2016. Picture taken October 14, 2016.
Mike Blake | Reuters
Extreme weather events across the U.S. – from wildfires and drought in the West, to deep freezes and floods in the South and Southeast – have disrupted the electric grid this year. As a result, homeowners are buying home solar and energy storage systems as never before, according to data from solar web site SolarReviews.com.
Data from SolarReviews.com clearly demonstrates the link between extreme weather events and interest in solar systems. As California faces devastating wildfires and record drought, the website saw a 358% year-over-year jump in solar estimate quotes requested by California residents between June 30 and August 6.
The state has also faced numerous power outages over the last year. PG&E has cut the power on several occasions when dry conditions and high winds increase the risk of sparking a fire. The state has also had trouble on the power supply side, and the California ISO has issued flex alerts calling on customers to cut usage when demand is expected to peak. In some cases, rolling blackouts have been implemented when power availability comes up short.
A similar phenomenon played out earlier this summer in Oregon, when Portland hit an all-time high of 116 degrees. SolarReviews said that between June 25 and June 30 the website saw a 919% increase in solar estimate requests from the state compared to the same period in 2020.
It’s not only happening in the West. The deep-freeze that hit Texas and the South in February, leading to multi-day power cuts for millions of customers and more than 150 deaths, fueled interest in on-site energy systems. SolarReviews said it saw an 850% jump in quote requests between Feb. 13 and Feb. 17 in Texas.
“These folks that experience environmental difficulty gain a whole different perspective on what solar and batteries are,” said SolarReviews founder and president Andy Sendy.
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Launched in 2012, SolarReviews has had more than 25 million unique visitors across its platform of websites that offer information on solar power, as well as highly localized quotes. The website has an option for visitors to request a quote, and SolarReviews makes money by then selling that data to companies that operate in the consumer’s location.
Growing sophistication
Sendy said customers’ questions about solar have become increasingly sophisticated. At first queries included things like “do solar panels work?” Now, people will ask questions about the type of solar system they should get if they also want to hook up electric vehicles.
Sendy attributes much of this shift to word-of-mouth: Many people know someone who’s gotten solar panels, so their efficacy is now accepted.
But the potential saving on electricity bills has consistently remained the predominant driving force.
“[Customers] make the decision based on the economic benefits,” he said. “The bottom line is it makes money. So whether your motivation is environmental or financial you sort of come to the same decision.”
Sendy has also noticed another shift. At first, customers were interested in systems with the fastest payback. But in the last few years, more people are looking for systems that offer maximum power reliability.
In order for a solar system to operate normally when the central grid goes down, there also needs to be on-site battery storage at each house or building. Rooftop panels won’t function by themselves if service is cut, since to protect utility workers repairing wires, power can’t be flowing back into the grid.
A recent survey from SolarReviews found that battery storage installations have been growing since 2016, with nearly three-quarters of installations over the last five years taking place in 2020.
Installers with a national footprint such as Sunrun, Sunnova and SunPower all offer storage options, using products from Enphase Energy and SolarEdge, among others. Goldman Sachs predicts the market for home energy storage will hit $1 billion for the first time in 2022.
A separate survey from SunPower showed similar trends, with a third of homeowners considering changing to solar citing power outages as a driving force. Nearly two-thirds of homeowners with energy storage said outages were a reason for their purchase.
“Against the backdrop of high-profile power outages, the next wave of solar owners view battery storage as a vital component of their solar energy system,” the study said.
Sophisticated software systems also allow customers to use their batteries even while the grid is running as normal. In states where there’s time-of-use pricing, for example, the battery can be charged when electricity prices are low, and it can then power the home when prices are high. Additionally, in some states net metering — where solar energy owners are credited for power they add to the grid — can make having a solar system with storage a particularly attractive option.
While the companies in the solar space that grab headlines are typically those with a national footprint, Sendy said that he believes the best solar companies are the small, local ones, given the needed urgency when there are power problems.
“I believe solar is inherently a localized service business. I don’t believe in corporate solar,” he said. “They really haven’t gotten good at the after-sales service.”
Malaysian utility agrees to buy power from 500 MW of solar plants – pv magazine International
Ten 50 MW projects will be developed in four states after a tender held last year.
Malaysian state-owned electric company Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) has signed 21-year power purchase agreements (PPAs) with 10 solar power plants to be commissioned across four states.
The solar projects, each with a generation capacity of 50 MWac, were awarded under the fourth-round tender of the national Large Scale Solar procurement program held by regulator Surchanjaya Tenaga in the second half of last year, according to an article in Malaysian newspaper The Star, which reported the signing of the first nine PPAs after an announcement by TNB to the Bursa Malaysia.
With all the the project capacity due to start generating in 2023, the states of Pahang and Perak will each host three solar farms, Kedah will feature two and there will be one in each of Penang and Selangor.
The first solar plant due to be commissioned, on March 30, 2023, will be constructed by Selangor-based energy company subsidiary JAKS Solar Power, at southern Seberang Perai in Pulau Pinang, Penang.
September 29 will be the start date for a project planned by energy company Uzma Environergy at Sungai Petani, Kedah state. A plant being jointly developed by state-owned economic development body Perbadanan Kemjuan Negeri Pahang and Kuala Lumpur-based renewables company KPower Bhd, at Pekan, in Pahang state, is due to come online a day later.
Selangor construction business Ragawang Corp has agreed a start date of November 30, 2023, for its solar plant at Pekan, and developer Classic Solar Farm will commission its site, also at Pekan, on December 20 that year. Construction firm Asiabina Properties will commission its site, at Kevian, in Perak state, on December 30, 2023, and the final day of that year will mark the start of operations at another four facilities.
Real estate and palm oil company Gopeng Bhd will construct a site in Gopeng, Perak state; water and power company Ranhill Utilities will install a plant at Batang Padang, in Perak; TNB subsidiary TNB Renewables will complete a site at Kuala Muda, Kedah state; and Sharp Ventures Solar is due to commission a project at Klang, in Selangor Darul Ehsan, with the signing of the latter PPA announced separately by TNB on Monday.
The electric company did not reveal how much it would pay for the solar electricity to be generated at the sites but pv magazine reported in March the bids lodged by shortlisted developers in the appropriate section of the tender had ranged from MYR0.1768-0.1970/kWh (US$0.0419-0.0466).
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Alliant Energy explores solar energy facilities in Town of Beloit, hosts community dialogue | Local News
BELOIT — As multiple solar energy projects are moving forward, Alliant Energy officials say their top priorities are to expand upon renewable energy sources while providing reliable and affordable power for customers.
Representatives for Alliant held an open house Tuesday afternoon to meet with Town of Beloit officials and community members and answer questions about some projects they are exploring in the area, including solar power projects.
“Part of our goal is to diversify the grid. No one is going to be kept in the dark on this, and we want to work with the community,” said Chase Coleman, a communications partner with Alliant.
Construction on Alliant’s Paddock Solar Project is expected to begin in 2022 and wrap up towards the end of 2023. The project will provide about $260,000 in shared revenue for the township and Rock County, offer income for participating landowners and create a couple hundred new jobs.
The solar project, located off Highway 213 in the Town of Beloit, will generate enough power to sustain 16,900 homes in Wisconsin. The solar panels will be installed on about 468 acres and generate an estimated 65 megawatts of electricity.
Coleman said Alliant is pushing to invest more in solar power and other sources of renewable energy in an effort to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The company looks to retire all of its remaining coal-fired facilities in Wisconsin by 2024.
By the end of 2023, Alliant aims to add 1,089 megawatts of solar energy production throughout Wisconsin. This effort includes 12 different projects across nine counties.
Coleman said in addition to environmental and economic benefits, the cost to build solar facilities is also becoming more affordable for companies.
Senior project manager Rick Zimmerman said they plan to share data, maps and hold dialogue with residents at various steps along the way, in an effort to keep community members informed and educate the public on the benefits of solar energy.
He added that when choosing locations for solar projects, one factor to consider is existing transmission lines and whether certain plots of land can properly handle the amount of energy generated. In southern Wisconsin, Zimmerman said there are multiple ideal locations for solar farms.
Town of Beloit Community Development Director Tim Kienbaum said he and other town officials welcomed the dialogue with Alliant Energy. He added that the company continues to be cooperative and is providing several benefits for the community.
Town Finance Director John Malizio said the shared revenues from Alliant’s West Riverside Energy Center have been directed towards capital projects by the town board, which represents a significant economic benefit that also serves to help keep tax dollars lower.
Bob Newell, Senior Manager of Strategic Projects, said the West Riverside Energy Center’s own solar farm has been operational since June.
The solar panels adjacent to the natural gas-fired plant on the township’s west side have consistently been producing more than 4 megawatts of electricity, which has helped provide auxiliary power for the main facility.
“It’s a really cost-effective way to save money for our customers,” Newell said. “We have a lot of solar being added.”
Additionally, a brand new visitors center on-site has been completed, along with an extension of a nearby biking trail that allows residents to bicycle past the facility and see it for themselves.
Newell said overall, the continued focus on renewable energy sources is helping to build stronger communities while offering a secure and safe supply of power for customers.
Fact or fiction: Breaking down popular misconceptions about solar energy
We’re breaking down the facts vs. the fiction of solar energy with SolFarm Solar Co. | Photo provided
Stat: 2.3%. In 2020, that’s how much of the total electricity in the US was produced by solar energy. (And 39% of all new 2021 generating capacity will be solar energy.)
Have you considered going solar? It’s natural to have questions, so we teamed up with the local pros at SolFarm Solar Co. to break down some popular misconceptions + separate the facts from the fiction.
Solar is too expensive.
If you’re interested in solar panel installation, financing options are available + can reduce monthly energy bills. Some customers also consider personal loans or second mortgages to cover the cost and save in the long run. National electricity rates climb, on average, ~4% every year. Takeaway: As the price of electricity continues to inflate, investing in solar energy can save customers money now + in the future.
Production of renewable energy products is bad for the environment.
Like most things humans manufacture, producing items like solar panels does come at a cost to the environment. However, the environmental impact of building solar energy is far less than fossil fuel power plants, and solar energy components themselves become carbon negative (read: produce more energy than it took to manufacture them) just a few years after being installed.
A quick comparison:
All solar equipment is made in *insert country here*.
While many products are indeed manufactured overseas, there are great components produced right here in the US and Canada by solar panel manufacturers and racking companies. The local pros at SolFarm install as many made-in-the-USA products as possible. If a customer’s preference is to use locally-sourced and American-made components, they can make that happen.
Solar will provide power to my home during a blackout.
Here’s the thing: Not all solar energy systems are designed to provide power during a blackout. Backup power requires additional equipment and batteries to be installed. The large majority of solar energy systems for homes and businesses are installed to offset the power consumed from the grid utility. The pros: By producing your own power, you can reduce your utility bills and save money. By producing clean, renewable energy, your home or business is also reducing its carbon footprint.
Solar panels cause roof leaks.
Local companies like SolFarm understand that customers may be worried about mounting equipment to their roof. Good news: Roof leaks are not at all common after a SolFarm installation. SolFarm offers service for not only systems they have installed, but also for any system installed by a competitor. They do see roof leaks from time to time, mostly caused by poor installation methods — but their combo of great materials + expert installation gives SolFarm the confidence to provide warranties against any roof leaks for years after installation. #ProTip: When considering a roof-mounted system, ask your installer about the attachment methods they will be using and what warranties they + the manufacturer offer.
Interested in learning more about SolFarm’s offerings? Contact them for a quote. Ⓟ
Poll:
‘Very disruptive’ direct solar-to-hydrogen commercially viable by 2030, says oil group Repsol
Oil & gas firm Repsol by 2024 plans to build a demonstrator plant at its Puertollano industrial complex in Spain for the production of renewable hydrogen by directly tapping solar energy, a process it claims could be commercially viable by the end of the decade.
The Spanish group said it is aiming for the novel technology – which doesn’t need the intermediate step of electrolysis crucial to other green H2 production methods – to reach “commercial maturity” by 2030. Repsol is developing the process, called photoelectrocatalysis, together with Spanish gas grid operator Enagas.
The demo plant is slated to occupy close to half a hectare and have a production of 100 kilogrammes of renewable H2 per day. It is planned to be followed by 2028 by the installation of an industrial-scale plant of about 60ha and with a production capacity of up to 10 tonnes of the green gas per day.
“It will allow us on the one hand to store renewable energy on a large scale, and on the other to use it as fuel in different sectors such as mobility, in the residential and industrial fields and also as a raw material in industry,” Repsol Technology Lab researcher Ana Martinez said.
While during electrolysis solar or other renewable power is first converted into electricity, and then transported to an electrolyser where the water molecule is separated into H2 and oxygen, photoelectrocatalysis integrates the two steps into a single process.
Scientists have been investigating using sunlight to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.
“The device receives direct solar radiation and using photoactive material generates electrical charges that cause the separation,” said María Dolores Hernández, co-leader of the project.
That avoids losses associated with the transport and transformation of electricity, which means that “the photoelectrocatalysis technology improves the efficiency of the process of converting solar energy into hydrogen, with respect to electrolysis.”
Hernandez added that the project’s roadmap foresees that by 2030 the hydrogen generated directly from solar power will be able to compete in terms of cost with conventional processes using fossil gas, or electrolysis to produce low-carbon hydrogen.
Enagas hydrogen coordinator Monica Sanches adds: “It is a very disruptive technology.
“It is part of our commitment to renewable gases, particularly hydrogen and biomethane, as keys to achieving the carbon neutrality that we want to reach at a European level and as a company by 2040.”
Research institutes such as the Catalan Institute for Energy Research, the University of Alicante, and the Aragon Hydrogen Foundation are also involved in the project.
The research has grown from the first concept test of the photoelectrochemical cell of no more than one square centimetre to the start-up in November 2020 of a pilot plant at the Repsol Technology Lab.
Repsol said the renewable hydrogen from the new plant will be applied in refining and chemical processes.
There are other photoelectrocatalysis initiatives in Europe, the US, or Japan, Repsol said.
“But in global terms, we are sure of the great potential of this technology. It will permit the decarbonisation of hydrogen production on an industrial scale, optimising efficiency and costs,” Hernández claimed.
From costs to incentives, questions to ask
While the use of solar energy is growing in popularity and use across the U.S., it is still a complicated matter to understand.
Here are five things to know about the legislation and what solar could mean for you.
Arkansas solar power stats
Arkansas ranks 30th in solar usage so far in 2021, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. The state ranked 23rd in 2020.
There are currently 28 solar companies in Arkansas, according to the SEIA.
Six of those companies are manufacturers, 13 are installers or developers, and there are nine others in the solar-related business.
Arkansas receives an average amount of sunlight that is equivalent to 4.5-5.0 peak sun-hours per day throughout the year, according to Solar Nation. This means that for every kilowatt of solar panels installed, people can expect to get up to 5 kWh of electricity per day.
An average household can be supported using a 5 kW solar photovoltaic (PV) system, according to Solar Panels Network. The price of a 5 kW system in Arkansas is $21,000 upfront, according to their estimates.
The Arkansas Solar Access Act
Legislation passed in 2019 unlocked the solar market in Arkansas, said John Coleman, regional director for Entegrity Partners, a Little Rocked-based solar firm.
The Arkansas Solar Access Act of 2019 was designed to remove Arkansas’ ban on solar leasing and power purchase arrangements.
It allows businesses like Entegrity to go in and do all the investments needed, Coleman said. The company works with a mix of private and public institutions including the Booneville School District and the University of Arkansas system.
“We build the array,” Coleman said. “We bring all of the funds to do that, we can buy the land if we need to. And then we simply sell that service back to our clients.”
Clients are charged a kilowatt-hour rate, similar to their electricity bill, except the rate is lower, Coleman said.
“They don’t have to incur any debt,” Coleman said. “They don’t have to come up with any money to do the project.
For those at the home level, the process is different.
Understanding solar in your home or business
“I think there’s still a big learning curve,” said David Stitt, chief executive officer of Stitt Solar in Rogers. “I think people are still trying to figure out what does it cost and how does it benefit them.”
Stitt said the company’s approach to solar and homeowners or businesses owners is, “knowledge is power.”
When customers are connected to a traditional power company, they do not necessarily have to understand the ins and outs of their bills and what they are paying for, Stitt said. With solar, understanding their systems and what they need to compensate for their electric bill is important.
Once potential customers understand the process, the next step is models and figuring out costs.
Customers can submit a past electricity bill to the company and they will create a virtual system for their business or home that models what their power needs would be, Stitt said. Once the company has that, they can tell customers how much it would cost and offer up payment options.
Most people choose to buy solar monthly, Stitt said.
The cost of solar in your home
Solar panel systems are expected to have a payback period of 18 years once tax cuts and rebates are factored in, according to Solar Panels Network.
The payback period is calculated by dividing the initial cost of the solar PV and the savings generated after cutting spending on utility bills. Solar Panels Network estimates that homeowners will save $600 a year on electricity costs.
Stitt said that number is on the lower end of potential savings.
The average system size is around 7,000-8,000 kW and the average install cost is around $25,000-$35,000 before incentives, Stitt said.
Solar loans and financing options are a big thing, Stitt said. Most people who are financing a system are paying it off in seven years, Stitt said.
There are no state-level incentives, tax breaks or rebates for solar power available to Arkansans. The Investment Tax Credit is currently a 26% federal tax credit available to residential, commercial and utility investors in solar energy property.
Introduced in 2005, the credit was originally a 30% tax credit that is now in the process of phasing out. Projects starting construction in 2021 and 2022 will receive a 26% credit and those starting 2023 will receive a 22% credit. The residential credit expires after 2023, while the commercial credit drops to a permanent 10%, according to the SEIA.
A rise in solar
Both Stitt and Coleman expect to see a continued interest in solar in the coming years.
“I think there are a higher number of people interested in not only saving money and energy but truly concerned about the environmental impact and they want to contribute,” Stitt said. “They want to do something and solar is an exciting thing right now.”
Solar accounted for 58% of all new electricity-generating capacity added in the U.S. in Quarter 1 2021, according to the SEIA.
“We certainly expect solar to continue to grow in the state,” Coleman said.
There are a lot of people waiting and watching others do it first before they jump in, Coleman said.
Gateway Region Grow Solar Programs Reach Third Goal: 300kW Benchmark
UK to use ex-DeepMind scientist’s cloud predicting AI to boost solar
LONDON – The U.K. is planning to use artificial intelligence software to try to better predict when cloud movements will affect solar power generation.
National Grid Electricity System Operator, or ESO, which moves electricity around the country, has signed a deal with non-profit Open Climate Fix to create an AI-powered tracking system that matches cloud movements with the exact locations of solar panels.
The grid operator said that the software, which is set to be used in the national control room, could help it to forecast cloud movements in minutes and hours instead of days.
Open Climate Fix’s “nowcasting” technology has the potential to improve solar forecasting accuracy by up to 50%, a spokesperson for National Grid ESO told CNBC.
The project, which commenced in August, is set to last 18 months and it is being funded by U.K. energy regulator Ofgem with £500,000 ($683,100).
The solar dilemma
Natonal Grid ESO is responsible for maintaining the balance of supply and demand for the U.K. electricity grid down to the second.
This is challenging with fossil fuels and nuclear power, but the unpredictable nature of solar and wind makes the task even more complex.
To help address the issue, London-headquartered Open Climate Fix says it has trained a machine-learning model to read satellite images and understand how and where clouds are moving in relation to solar panels on the ground.
“Accurate forecasts for weather-dependent generation like solar and wind are vital for us in operating a low carbon electricity system,” said Carolina Tortora, head of innovation strategy and digital transformation at National Grid ESO, in a statement last week.
“The more confidence we have in our forecasts, the less we’ll have to cover for uncertainty by keeping traditional, more controllable fossil fuel plants ticking over,” she added.
Google backing
Co-founded by former DeepMind employee Jack Kelly in 2018, Open Climate Fix was backed by Google’s philanthropic arm, Google.org, with £500,000 in April.
At one point, DeepMind wanted to use its own AI technology to optimize National Grid. However, last March, it emerged that talks had broken down between DeepMind and National Grid.
While DeepMind denies it has shifted its focus from climate change to other areas of science, several key climate change researchers that were part of the company’s energy unit have left the company over the last two years, and it has made few climate change-related announcements.
Solar power in Australia outstrips coal-fired electricity for first time | Energy
The national electricity market reached a new milestone on Sunday, with solar power outstripping energy generation from coal for the first time since the market was set up two decades ago.
The crossover point lasted for only a few minutes, as low demand and sunny skies on Sunday meant the contribution from coal dropped to a record low of 9,315MW just after noon, while solar provided the dominant share with 9,427MW.
Dylan McConnell, a research fellow at the University of Melbourne’s climate and energy college, said that for a brief moment solar represented 57% of national electricity generation.
“This is what I unofficially call ‘record season’,” McConnell said. “It’s actually still pretty early in the season [to get these numbers] but in spring or the shoulder seasons you have the combination of low demand, because there’s no heating or cooling, and then nice weather on the weekend.
“Those factors combine, and you get these giant shares of renewable energy that generally push out coal.”
While McConnell said it was only “fleeting” and that “Australia was a long way from peak renewable energy”, energy prices also went negative on Sunday from 8.30am through to 5pm.
Though the exact price differed by jurisdiction, it means producers were getting paid to consume, or energy producers were paying to keep running.
Unlike more nimble solar and wind producers, coal generators are particularly hurt when prices turn negative. The costs associated with shutting down and restarting coal generators are prohibitive, meaning operators will choose to keep running even at a loss.
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According to datalogger NEMlog, South Australia had 100% of its energy needs met by wind and solar while Victoria would have met 102% of state demand had operators not been forced to switch off during the period of negative prices.
Energy analyst Simon Holmes à Court said the overall proportion of renewable energy – solar, wind and hydro – would have been higher in the energy mix but wind producers chose to shut down to avoid the price hit.
“There was a significant amount of curtailment,” he said. “What it shows is that there’s already more renewables that could have gone into the grid if the coal plants were more flexible and transmission was upgraded.”
The development coincides with calls from the Clean Energy Investor Group (CEIG) – an 18-member body that advocates for investors in large-scale renewable energy projects – for financial reforms to “align Australia with international markets” and “unlock” new investment.
Modelling conducted for the group by Rennie Partners found that Australia needs 51GW of renewable energy generation by 2042 if it is to meet its commitments under the Paris Climate Change agreement but that only 3GW of new wind and solar projects have been committed, leaving a 48GW shortfall.
Simon Corbell, the chief executive of CEIG, said governments and regulators should bring Australia’s investment guidelines into line with global markets.
“Clean energy investors currently face significant risks in the NEM, which is holding back the capital needed,’’ Corbell said.
“To unlock an investment pipeline worth $70bn we need effective market reforms and policy certainty, which could also save up to $7bn in capital costs, or up to 10% of the cost of Australia’s clean energy transition.”
