With the announcement today of continued growth in residential and utility-scale installations in the third quarter and a forecast of a robust fourth quarter, the leading American solar industry group said new capacity additions in the U.S. in 2013 will likely exceed those in Germany for the first time in 15 years. In a way, this isn’t… Keep reading →
The 2013 Chinese Year of the Snake (i.e., smart people who use others to achieve their goals) saw disappointing results from an industry smart grid strategy of convincing customers to change their behavior to mitigate inadequacies of the existing grid. Clearly, the demand response approach, while having some benefit, will not by itself ensure an… Keep reading →
In our recent interview with Solar Reserve CEO Kevin Smith, he filled us in on the company’s global ambitions, but was particularly proud of the Crescent Dunes concentrated solar power (CSP) project currently being constructed in the Nevada desert. This is the second video in a two-part series that provides an up-close look at the… Keep reading →
In our recent interview with Solar Reserve CEO Kevin Smith, he filled us in on the company’s global ambitions, but was particularly proud of the Crescent Dunes concentrated solar power (CSP) project currently being constructed in the Nevada desert. The project is unique because it’s being billed as the first CSP plant with integrated energy… Keep reading →
Modernizing the US power grid while incorporating increasing volumes of intermittent renewable energy is the electrical engineering challenge of our time. And there’s a lot at stake from costly blackouts to highly profitable energy storage solutions. Fragmented and often outdated regulations enforced by competing government agencies from local to national levels compound the problem. These… Keep reading →
A timely question That is among the questions being asked not just in the US but nearly in any country where self-generation, in one form or another, already is or is likely to become cost-effective. It is also a key question in the context of the net energy metering (NEM) debate in the US or… Keep reading →
Quick Take: If you’ve been following the residential solar net metering controversy, you know it’s a hot issue. And a lot of the heat has been concentrated in Arizona where utility Arizona Public Service Company filed a request with state regulators to lower the above-market prices they pay for electricity generated by privately owned rooftop… Keep reading →
Natural gas, the enemy of many frack-fearing greens, is the very thing that will allow California to more than double the amount of renewable energy on its grid by 2020. So says the man who runs the California Independent System Operator, which oversees the vast bulk of power distribution in the Golden State. The assertion from… Keep reading →
Opinions vary on how serious are the challenges facing the industry. For some time now, everybody and his brother, as the saying goes, is talking about the rapid changes taking place within the electric power sector and the potential impact of these on the future of the industry. This newsletter has had its own share… Keep reading →
A Brave New World Powered by Distributed Energy
By David CraneIn just a few years, Americans will soon produce the majority of the power they consume at their home or office, primarily through distributed solar arrays on their roof or over their driveways or parking lots. If they come up short, they can tap the battery in their electric car or an energy converting appliance… Keep reading →