Category: Solar Sales and Services

(PRESS RELEASE) YELLOWKNIFE, CA — Rio Tinto’s Diavik Diamond Mine has completed installation of its 3.5 megawatt capacity solar power plant in Canada’s Northwest Territories. The project represents the largest off-grid solar power plant across Canada’s territories. The 6,620-panel facility is expected to generate 4.2 million kilowatt-hours of solar energy annually, reducing diesel consumption at Diavik by one million liters per year and cutting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2,900 tonnes of CO2 equivalent. This is comparable to removing 630 cars from the road each year. The solar power plant…

In June 2024, solar cell prices plummeted to 4 cents per watt, a drastic drop from their peak of 16-17 cents per watt in December 2022. Similarly, prices for mono PERC modules, known for their high efficiency, hit a historic low of 10-11 cents per watt, down from 27-28 cents per watt in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2022. ICRA Research attributes this price decline to improved supplies throughout the value chain, US restrictions on Chinese imports, and reduced demand from Europe. This development bodes well for Indian solar developers…

The research group led by Professor Martin Green has published Version 64 of the solar cell efficiency tables. There are 19 new results reported in the new version. July 3, 2024 Emiliano Bellini The international research group led by Professor Martin Green from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Australia has published Version 64 of the “solar cell efficiency tables” in Progress in Photovoltaics. The scientists said they have added 19 new results to the new tables since December. Strong progress was reported across the whole range of solar cell technologies including…

The Romanian Photovoltaic Industry Association (RPIA) and the Romanian Wind Energy Association (RWEA) representing producers, developers, service providers, and equipment suppliers in the renewable energy sector, asked the Romanian government to provide more predictability in the allocation of public support for their projects.  The joint statement of the associations comes after government officials hinted that the distribution of the CfD (Contract for Difference) support scheme between wind and solar energy will be revised to the benefit of the wind farms as a large number of solar projects are already financed…

Representational image. Credit: Canva The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is inviting public input for the development of an environmental assessment for the proposed Socorro Solar Energy project in southeastern La Paz County. The project, proposed by EDF Renewables in October 2021, aims to produce up to 350 MW of solar energy and includes battery energy storage. Following a solar variance review process, the BLM Arizona State Office determined it appropriate to continue processing the Socorro Solar Project application. The next step involves public concurrence on the State Director’s Socorro…

DETROIT (WXYZ) — A step in Detroit’s plan to create solar farms took a pause Tuesday as city council delayed a vote on creating a fund for the Solar Neighborhood program. “We had an opportunity to speak to the administration,” Councilman Coleman. A Young III read during the meeting. “Other council members have questions regarding this and there are subsequent bills that are in public health and safety. Therefore, we will be asking for a one-week postponement.” “The challenge is we need to know what questions to ask,” City Council…

Developers of solar farms are offering higher and higher annual lease rates — often above $1,500 an acre — with escalator clauses to sweeten the deal, said farmers in a Purdue University survey released on Tuesday. Some 27% of farmers who spoke to developers said they were offered at least $1,500 an acre, according to the monthly Ag Economy Barometer. A minority of farmers, 16%, have discussed solar leasing in the past six months. In 2021, only 27% of farmers reported a lease offer of $1,000 an acre or higher.…

Sign up for our free newsletter to have Evanston news delivered directly to your inbox every weekday! If you live in Evanston and get an electric bill from ComEd, there Is an easy way to go solar and contribute to a shift away from climate-heating carbon emissions in Illinois. There are no upfront costs. You don’t need a sunny rooftop. You can live in a condo, and you can even rent.  How is that possible? Subscribe to a solar farm. There are now 625 residential ComEd customers in Evanston who…

Harnessing solar energy for cooling is a game-changer. Solar-powered A/C units use photovoltaic panels to convert sunlight into electricity, significantly reducing reliance on the grid and lowering electric bills. July 2, 2024 by EarthTalk Leave a Comment By Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss Dear EarthTalk:  What’s the latest in residential air conditioning? How can I stay cool but stay green this summer? —Jackie B., Reno, NV The environmental impact of traditional air conditioning systems is significant. Fortunately, there are several advancements in A/C technology that allow you to stay cool…