Is the Battery Rush Distracting Us From Better Energy Storage Options for the Grid? Batteries are helping the grid everywhere from Aliso Canyon to South Australia. But some are concerned that battery-based storage might not be the universal panacea that evangelists believe. Launching the Tesla Powerwall in 2015, for example, Elon Musk claimed: “The size … Read more
An electric utility will pay EV owners 5 cent per kWh of charging during off-peak hours Electrek, April 17, 2017 We previously reported on several reward programs for electric vehicles owners charging during off-peak hours, like BMW’s program in California and the Netherlands is trying to make it a nationwide standard for EVs, but now we … Read more
Elon Musk: Tesla’s Solar Roofs Will Be Cheaper Than Regular Roofs & Have “Infinity Warranty” Futurism, May 11, 2017 Last night, Elon Musk announced via Twitter that orders would begin today (May 10th, 2017) for his revolutionary solar roof hardware. In another tweet, he promised that ordering would be available in most countries throughout the world. … Read more
How Batteries Could Revolutionize Renewable Energy Time, May 1, 2017 All over California, there’s evidence of the state’s goal to lead the country in renewable energy. Enormous farms of shiny solar panels have popped up across southern California, and gigantic wind turbines dot the landscape outside nearly all the major cities. There are less flashy—and … Read more
New York Public Service Commission scraps net metering and approves new rates structure to value DER PV Tech, March 10, 2017 The New York Public Service Commission (PSC) has approved a new rate structure for distributed energy resources (DER) that is set to more accurately value and compensate for solar, while also boosting energy storage … Read more
Syracuse Microgrid Forecasts Positive Return Leveraging Waste-to-Energy Microgrid Knowledge, April 11, 2017 The Syracuse microgrid, one of 11 NY Prize Stage 2 winners, is forecasting a strong financial return using waste-to-energy generation that eases pressure on local landfills. Led by the Central NY Regional Planning and Development Board (CNYRPDB), the project is the only Stage … Read more
Stephen Wagner, ERS, for Zondits Question: Is there a way to harness solar power where the sun don’t shine? Zondits: Yes, there is a way. With a complex system of 100% efficient mirrors as reported by Zondits on April1, 2016, light can be stored and moved to any location. Question: If a Peak Load Reduction were … Read more
Katie Robinson, ERS, for Zondits Despite the growing solar panel installation rates throughout the country, there are still many factors holding homeowners back from installing solar rooftop panels. Some fear that their roof doesn’t see enough sunlight or that inevitable roof repairs will be much more complicated (and costly) with solar panels sitting on top. … Read more
Ryan Pollin, ERS, for Zondits Coober Pedy is currently playing out a worst-case scenario for energy transition, and it behooves us all to understand what led them there. The South Australian mining town currently operates a very costly 3.9 MW diesel power plant to supply power to the region. After making the seemingly wise choice … Read more
This Week in Batteries: Sifting Through Two Big Bankruptcies GTM², March 15, 2017 The past week was a tough one for cleantech. We had a double feature of bankruptcies — saltwater battery maker Aquion and top-five residential solar installer Sungevity. With so much destruction around us, it needs to be said: This doesn’t mean the whole sector is … Read more