By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent Texas is one of the sleeping giants of the solar industry. With it high isolation rates, it’s been predicted that given its way, solar from Texas could actually power the entire country. In other words, it’s a powerhouse waiting to happen. And now homeowners in the state have the opportunity to put solar + storage at their homes thanks to an expansion by a homegrown solar company that is slowly expanding its national footprint. Sunnova Energy Corporation announced today the expansion of its Sunnova SunSafe solar plus battery storage service offering to homeowners in the … Read More →

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent California has the most aggressive solar plans in the nation. This is no surprise. Between the 100% renewable portfolio standard (RPS) (which in the Golden State means solar) to its mandating that all new construction must have solar panels on them starting in 2020, it’s clear the legislature and the people of California have gone all in on the Solar Revolution. But that would mean nothing if there is no one to serve the burgeoning market. Which is why the most recent announcement from Vivint Solar is so exciting that they are expanding their solar … Read More →

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent Once the money is gone, it really is gone. That’s the news out of Washington state care of the Tri-City Herald, where an article warns potential solar consumers that they must get their applications in now if they want the full solar incentives available to them. As the article notes: Some home or business owners in Richland planning to install solar panels likely are facing a drop in rates in the city program that buys electricity from small solar systems. And now a state tax incentive program is expected to run out of money soon, … Read More →

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent With just six days left until SolarWakeup Live! New Jersey, the topics are set – but attendees might be forgiven if they have a few off-topic questions that they might decide need to be addressed. Take, for example, the announcement by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities that Rutgers University will be studying the state’s energy-storage needs as the regulatory board prepares to shepherd through Governor Phil Murphy’s aggressive plans to have 2 GW of energy storage by 2030. The contract with Rutgers, announced yesterday and covered by the Press of Atlantic City, will … Read More →

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent Maryland residents will soon have the opportunity to marry clean energy and battery storage, thanks to a partnership between CleanChoice Energy and Swell Energy. As power outages become more prevalent as violent, climate-change induced storms rock the U.S. mainland, home battery storage is increasingly becoming a necessity, not a luxury. Thanks to CleanChoice and Swell, Marylanders can install home energy backup and perhaps qualify a state tax credit of up to $5,000.* Last year, more than 36.7 million people – including 88,000 Marylanders – were affected by 3,526 reported power outages across the country. [wds … Read More →

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent How do you know the solar industry is now a serious player in the economy of the United States? More money is flowing from the government into research on how to develop the workforce that is necessary to fill the jobs it’s creating. Following news that The Solar Foundation received a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) to foster training for veterans (among others) comes news that the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) has received a grant from the office for $6 million – three times as … Read More →

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent In an effort to bring 1 MW of commercial solar development to the Carolinas, Duke Energy has unveiled a solar leasing program to serve those consumers. Their application to be a solar lessor needs to be approved by the North Carolina Public Utilities Commission (NCPUC). Duke Energy Clean Energy Resources (DECER), a non-regulated affiliate of the company, will build, own and operate on-site solar facilities that will allow customers to access renewable energy without a large upfront investment. [wds id=”3″] “Customers want more solar power for their operations, but the large upfront investment can be … Read More →

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent New England is one of the hottest solar areas of the country, with New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts getting all the attention. Unfortunately, New Hampshire may not be joining them after their governor vetoed a bill designed to raise an arbitrary 1 MW cap on net metering. The Concord (N.H.) Monitor reports on the turmoil into which the veto has thrown the rooftop solar industry. As David Brooks writes: Not surprisingly, the governor’s veto of a bill to make large solar projects more profitable has put a number of municipal solar projects on hold, … Read More →

The Energy Show: By Barry Cinnamon The Energy Show: By Barry Cinnamon Solar combined with battery storage seems like magic to many residential and commercial customers. With a million and a half systems installed in the U.S., the question is no longer: “does solar work?” Instead, customers want to know how much money they will save with a system. And commercial customers are even more diligent about accurate savings predictions. There are a plethora of “solar calculators” on websites all over the internet. But these crude calculators do not take into account detailed weather data, shading, orientation, equipment parameters and … Read More →

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent North Carolina has rapidly shot up the list of top solar states in the United States in the past several years as measured by the amount of solar capacity installed. And that’s a huge accomplishment for a state that 10 years ago wasn’t on anyone’s radar as having a significant solar market. Most of that growth, however, has been through utility-scale solar until recently, when changes in state laws have now encouraged the development of residential and commercial solar. As those markets expand, at least one advocacy group is trying to deal ahead of time … Read More →