Solar

Solar

Maxeon’s world-leading solar tech faces hard road ahead

The U.S.-born firm makes the most efficient solar panels, but its finances are a wreck and the company — and its IP — are now majority-owned by a Chinese company.

By Eric Wesoff . 22 October 2024
Solar

Puerto Rico closes $861M DOE loan guarantee for huge solar-battery project

The island has ambitious climate goals and a ton of rooftop solar, but has so far built few large-scale clean energy projects. Project Marahu could change that.

By Akielly Hu . 15 October 2024
Solar

This farmer was skeptical about solar — until he began grazing sheep

Illinois farmer Trent Gerlach had misgivings about solar panels taking up cropland, but he saw a chance to try agrivoltaics, a practice catching on around the US.

By Kari Lydersen . 15 October 2024
Solar

New Hampshire’s low-income community solar program finally moves forward

The state energy department is reviewing seven proposals for community solar arrays that will allocate a portion of their bill credits to low-income households.

By Sarah Shemkus . 9 October 2024
Solar

Coal-to-solar developer BrightNight lands $440M investment

The funding from Goldman Sachs will help BrightNight to advance its 31-GW pipeline of renewables projects, including the Starfire solar farm in Kentucky.

By Maria Gallucci . 8 October 2024
Solar

Solar farms don't hurt nearby property values, new research finds

In fact, utility-scale solar projects can modestly boost property values, according to data from the Midwest.

By Kari Lydersen . 7 October 2024
Energy storage

Chart: More and more rooftop solar buyers are adding home batteries

The uptick in home battery installations is yet another sign that the era of battery storage has arrived in the U.S.

By Dan McCarthy . 4 October 2024
Transmission

Why won’t PJM let batteries and clean power bolster a stressed-out grid?

The country’s biggest grid operator is preventing developers from adding batteries to existing projects that have extra grid space, in defiance of a federal mandate.

By Jeff St. John . 3 October 2024
Policy & regulation

The $20B US ‘green bank’ program just funded its first project

An Inflation Reduction Act program meant to expand climate investment in underserved markets has its first target — a $31 million commercial solar effort in Arkansas.

By Jeff St. John . 1 October 2024
Solar

California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoes school solar bill

SB 1374 would have let public schools follow the more lucrative rooftop solar rules for single-family homes. Without it, schools can’t afford solar, advocates say.

By Jeff St. John . 30 September 2024