Focus
Scientific 'breakthrough' in nuclear fusion could launch new era of clean energy
ABC News – December 13
The Department of Energy on Tuesday announced a scientific breakthrough in nuclear fusion at a national lab in California, marking a major step toward developing a new, sustainable form of energy that releases virtually no carbon dioxide or other types of air pollution. Scientists at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory successfully generated a fusion reaction between two hydrogen atoms and maintained that reaction in a controlled setting, marking the potential to use such reactions to generate huge amounts of energy without burning fuels.
News
Senate bill introduced to incentivize solar carport deployment in California
Solar Power World – December 6
California Senator Josh Becker introduced Senate Bill 49, a bill incentivizing solar carport development, last week. The bill would create a tax incentive for companies to build solar canopies in large parking lots to boost the local clean electricity generation, avoiding more solar development on land. According to a report from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, pavement makes up 35%-50% of the total surface area in cities, and 40% of that pavement is parking lots. SB 49 will be assigned to a Senate policy committee where it will be heard in early 2023.
Wood Mackenzie: Investment pours in for long-duration energy storage, but scale remains challenge
Energy Storage News – December 8
Enough money has been invested into long-duration energy storage technologies and projects over the past three years to result in 57 GW of deployments, according to a new Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables report, which found that $58 billion in commitments have poured into the sector since 2019. Along with those investment commitments, made by a mix of governments and private companies, $30 billion of long-duration projects – defined broadly as those capable of storing and discharging energy for 8 to 100 hours – are in operation or under construction. However, Wood Mackenzie estimates it is unlikely that developers of long-duration energy storage technologies will be able to scale cost-effectively before the end of this decade.
California wildfires in 2020 dimmed solar panels production by 10-30%, according to NCAR study
PV-Tech – December 9
The intense wildfires that ravaged California in 2020 were responsible for substantial solar energy forecast errors, according to a study led by scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). The smoke slashed the state’s solar power production during peak hours between 10-30% in comparison with similar days in previous years. The study concludes that including the effect of wildfire smoke emissions would improve the day-ahead solar energy bias forecast for both global horizontal irradiance and direct normal irradiance by almost 50%.
Projects
100 MW Texas solar farm will have panels mounted directly on the ground
Canary Media – December 8
The 100 MW utility-scale solar project in Texas just announced by Erthos is not even close to the largest solar project currently being developed in the U.S., but it will be the only large solar farm with panels installed directly on the ground, without elevated steel racking or trackers. Erthos signed an agreement with project developer Industrial Sun for the project. According to Erthos’ founders and funders, this approach will lower the rising costs of solar installations.
SRP to develop utility-scale advanced solar generation in Arizona
T&D World – December 12
The Salt River Project (SRP) recently approved the second phase of continued development at the Copper Crossing Energy and Research Center in Florence, Arizona, which includes a utility-scale advanced solar generation facility capable of generating up to 55 MW of solar energy, or enough to power approximately 12,000 homes. A third proposed phase for small-scale, long-duration energy storage technologies, is expected to go to the SRP Board for approval in 2023.
Microsoft, Nike, and Common Energy partner to back Standard Solar project in Oregon
Solar Builder Magazine – December 13
Microsoft, Nike, and Common Energy have partnered to subscribe Standard Solar’s first community solar project in Oregon. The Skyward Community Solar project, located in Clackamas County, Oregon, will generate 3.6 million kWh of energy each year, which will be fed into the broader electrical grid. Microsoft will make up the commercial allocation, and approximately 100 Nike employees have subscribed the residential portion of the project.
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