Crunch time for community solar

A major test for community solar, perovskite cell advance, and Wyoming's largest solar project.

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Solar Dispatch
May 30, 2024

Good morning. In today’s newsletter we’re covering an important decision in California on community solar, a scientific advance in perovskite cells, and Wyoming’s largest solar project.

Today’s newsletter is 937 words for a reading time of 4½ minutes. Let’s jump in.

THE ESSENTIALS

California regulator to decide on community solar

  • The California Public Utilities Commission is set to vote later today on a proposal for regulating community solar projects that critics say would make them financially unviable.

  • Community solar projects are small-scale solar installations that local residents (who often live in apartments and so can’t access rooftop solar) can buy into.

  • The proposal is backed by the state’s private utilities and does not include changes to community solar regulations that advocates say are needed to make projects pencil. (The utilities argue community solar isn’t cost-effective.)

  • A coalition of solar developers, ratepayers, and climate groups backed an alternative proposal that would have created incentives for developers and ratepayers to adopt community solar, which has not been popular in the state because of low returns and volatile pricing.

Why this matters: The decision could reverberate outside California. Neil Chatterjee, who ran the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission under former President Donald Trump, said the proposal could create a legal basis for undermining community solar programs elsewhere.

Scientists claim advance in perovskite cells

  • Researchers in China say they have made more efficient and stable perovskite cells by using a “self-disintegrating seed” that reduces defects in the cell.

  • The technique involves using a material that helps the perovskite grains in the cell grow larger and better, leading to improved performance.

  • The researchers claim their perovskite solar cells achieved a power conversion efficiency of 23.73%, a fill factor of 83.64 %, and retained much of their efficiency even after 2000h of exposure.

Why it matters: This looks to be a jump in the stability of perovskite cells, one of the main problems that has to be solved before they can be used commercially.

P.S. Want to learn more about perovskite cells and why many see them as the next frontier in PV tech? This video is a good intro.

Wyoming approves $1.2B solar farm

  • Enbridge received a siting permit to build the state’s largest-ever solar project in Laramie County, Wyoming.

  • The project includes two solar farms with 771MW of combined capacity plus 269MW of battery storage.

  • Enbridge says the project will be complete by the summer of 2027, at which point it will be able to power 771,000 homes — 3x more than are in Wyoming.

Why this matters: Wyoming is the second-biggest net energy supplier in the country after Texas, and most of that comes from coal. This project is a major switch for the fossil fuel-friendly state.

A MESSAGE FROM SOLAR DISPATCH

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All we need you to do is fill out this 3-minute long survey and let us know a bit more about you (we don’t need your personal details — this is just to get to know our readers better so we can improve the newsletter).

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WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING

➡️ Louisiana to add 3GW of solar to grid. The Louisiana Public Service Commission greenlit a plan by Entergy Louisiana to add up to 3GW of solar capacity to its energy portfolio. The approval marks the largest expansion of renewable energy in the state’s history. The utility currently has 2.8GW of solar in its pipeline. (More)

➡️ Ørsted to invest $680m in U.S. solar. The Danish power company secured financing from JP Morgan for two US solar projects: Eleven Mile Solar Center (300MW solar, 300MW/1,200MWh storage) in Arizona (most of which will be used by a Meta data center) and Sparta solar farm (250MW) in Texas. (More)

➡️ Meta strikes deal with Pine Gate. Pine Gate Renewables will supply the tech company with 204MW from its Temple, Texas, solar project for Meta’s nearby data center. (More)

AROUND THE WORLD

Australia’s largest solar farm moves forward. Genex, developer of the Bulli Creek Solar Project, selected Arup as the Owner’s Engineer for the PV project. Once complete, Bulli Creek will deliver 2GW of solar and battery storage capacity. The first phase of construction is due to be completed in 2026. (More)

India’s solar capacity jumps 400% in Q1. Solar installations in the country surged to start the year, adding a record 10GW of capacity. Large-scale projects comprised 9.7GW of this growth. The country's total solar capacity reached 82GW by March 2024. (More)

Google signs first PPAs in Japan. The tech giant signed power purchase agreements with two Japanese companies to deliver 60MW of electricity from solar. The supply will be provided by a 20MW utility-scale solar project along with around 800 small-scale solar plants. (More)

ONE BIG NUMBER
A MESSAGE FROM SOLAR DISPATCH

We have a $100 gift card with your name on it

All we need you to do is fill out this 3-minute long survey and let us know a bit more about you (we don’t need your personal details — this is just to get to know our readers better so we can improve the newsletter).

We’ll draw one winner at the end of the month and send them a $100 Amazon gift card.

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