| From: Eric | 7/29/2024 4:33:05 PM | | | | | | U.S. clean energy tax credit market to reach $25 billion in 2024
A mid-year report from tax credit marketplace Crux showed that deal volume is expected to come in higher than previously expected at $20 to $25 billion this year.
July 29, 2024 Ryan Kennedy
Image: Crux
Share
    
A flourishing new market has grown out of the key policy changes set forth by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022, making more capital available for clean energy developers. The IRA created a pathway for clean energy developers to sell their federal tax credits to third parties in exchange for cash, thereby accelerating investment. The first transactions under this new provision occurred in January 2023.
Tax credit transfer marketplace operator Crux released a mid-year Market Intelligence Report, noting a larger-than-expected market for tax credit sales in 2024. Crux tracked $6.8 billion specific transactions in the first half of 2024, corresponding to an estimated $9 billion to $11 billion of transactions closed so far this year nationwide.
Crux said that by year’s end, U.S. clean energy tax credit transactions will total $20 billion to $25 billion.
The marketplace operator said that established technologies accounted for most of the transactions this year, with wind, utility-scale solar, energy storage, and advanced manufacturing credits accounting for 95% of the reported deals. Crux said that in the second half of 2024, distributed generation, residential solar projects, additional 45X manufacturing credits, and “renewable” natural gas (RNG) may participate and contribute to an even larger market size.
Solar had the largest share in supply of tax credits available, representing about 41% of the total. Solar and storage hybrid projects represented another 9% of total tax credit supply.
Pricing for the first half was “strong” according to Crux, with average Production Tax Credit (PTC) deals fetching $0.95 per dollar of tax credit value, $0.925 for Investment Tax Credit (ITC). This compares to $0.94 and $0.92 respectively in 2023.
Average deal size reported by Crux was $55 million for ITC deals and $85 million for spot PTC deals. In 2023 average deal sizes were $20 million and $60 million, respectively. Despite this, pv magazine USA has reported on smaller tax credit deals being made, suggesting that there is an appetite for tax credit sales of all sizes.
Crux said that deal size and insurance continue to play dominant roles in market pricing. Small to mid-sized deals valued between $5 million and $25 million saw lower average pricing than the market overall with $0.937 for PTC and $0.918 for ITC on average. It said the use of insurance in ITC deals, though common, tends to be correlated with lower pricing compared to deals with parent indemnification, especially for deals lower than $25 million.
The marketplace provider said buyers are now beginning to look out to 2025 tax credit deals, with data indicating that forward commitments tend to transact at a one to three cent discount to 2024 deals. About 25% of 2024 reported deals included a forward component, including a full or partial purchase of future year tax credits, said Crux.
“This market has continued to grow in size, technological diversity, and depth, driving billions of dollars of new private sector investments into energy infrastructure and domestic manufacturing,” said Alfred Johnson, co-founder and chief executive officer of Crux. “These investments have created jobs and driven a new wave of American technological innovation. We are seeing new participants enter the market every month, market standards taking shape, and all facets of the market becoming more transparent and efficient.”
pv-magazine-usa.com |
| | Solar Power | Pastime Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last Read |
|
| From: Eric | 7/29/2024 4:34:42 PM | | | | | | U.S. Bureau of Land Management advances over 6 GW of solar projects
Once complete, the projects would generate enough electricity to power roughly 2 million homes.
July 29, 2024 Ryan Kennedy
Bureau of Land Management public land in Arizona.
Image: Secretary Deb Haaland
Share
The U.S. Department of the Interior announced that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is advancing nine solar projects on public lands that would add over 6 GW of combined electric generation capacity to the grid. Together, the projects would generate enough electricity to power roughly 2 million U.S. homes.
The BLM manages over 245 million acres of public land mainly in 12 western states, including Alaska. To date, the BLM has permitted more than 25 GW of clean energy projects, enough to power about 12 million homes. This includes solar, wind, and geothermal projects as well as gen-tie lines on public lands that are essential for connecting clean energy generation projects on both federal and non-federal lands to the grid.
“As we continue to review clean energy projects, we are committed to collaborating with states, Tribes and stakeholders to ensure that we are building lasting opportunities to create jobs and stimulate the clean energy economy,” said BLM director Tracey Stone-Manning.
The latest round of BLM project advancements include the Esmerelda 7 solar project, among the largest solar projects in the world. Esmerelda 7 is a set of seven proposed utility-scale solar facilities with battery energy storage systems near Tonopah, Nevada. The projects are proposed to be developed on 118,000 acres of BLM managed land.
BLM is now opening a 45-day public comment period on the draft environmental impact statement and resource management plan for Esmerelda 7. The environmental impact statement will provide the foundation for individual environmental analyses of each project, after which the BLM will decide whether to grant rights-of-way for some or all of the projects.
If all Esmerelda 7 projects are approved, the portfolio would add 5.35 GW of electricity, or enough to power about 1.6 million homes.
Along with the BLM-supported Esmerelda 7 is the Libra Solar project, a 700 MW solar and 700 MW battery energy storage project with a 24-mile generation tie-line, planned for development in Mineral and Lyon Counties in Nevada.
The BLM is also opening a 30-day public comment period for the Elisabeth Solar Project near Dateland, Arizona. The project would add 270 MW of solar and 300 MW of battery energy storage.
“With today’s advancement of nine solar energy projects on public lands, we are taking a significant step towards these efforts and President Biden’s ambitious clean energy goals,” said principal deputy assistant secretary for Land and Minerals management, Dr. Steve Feldgus.
As of?July 2024, an additional?70?utility-scale clean energy projects are in process by the BLM throughout the Western United States. These projects have the potential to produce almost 32 GW of renewable energy. In addition, BLM has begun the preliminary review of approximately 166 applications for solar and wind development, as well as more than?40?applications for solar and wind energy site testing.?
The Biden-Harris administration has set a goal to achieve a carbon pollution free power sector by 2035.
pv-magazine-usa.com |
| | Solar Power | Pastime Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last Read |
|
| From: Eric | 7/29/2024 4:40:56 PM | | | | | | 
So much electricity! Solar industry stakeholders are prepping for the next wave of community solar development spurred by lower costs, agrivoltaic opportunities, and financial benefits for property owners.
Community Solar Beats Scary Headlines About Electricity Any Day Of The Week
4 hours ago
Tina Casey 1 Comment
Sign up for daily news updates from CleanTechnica on email. Or follow us on Google News!
The past six months have seen a spike in anxiety-provoking headlines about electricity demand in the US. Even the Republican nominee for president, Donald J. Trump, has gotten the message. Of course, building new gas power plants is one widely touted solution. Nuclear energy fans also want a piece of the pie. However, a quick look at the community solar movement demonstrates that clean energy solutions are in abundance.
So Much Electricity…From Community Solar
CleanTechnica’s Jennifer Sensiba was among those drawing attention to Trump’s take on electricity demand over the weekend. She pointed out that he was speaking at the 2024 Bitcoin Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, where the attendees were presumably focused like a thousand points of light on the looming electricity crisis whether or not one actually exists.
“We will be creating so much electricity that you’ll be saying, please, please, president, we don’t want any more electricity. We can’t stand it. You’ll be begging me. No more electricity, sir. We have enough. We have enough,” Trump said in a transcription and video clip provided by the political news organization MeidasTouch via social media.
Bitcoin or not, electricity demand is up in the US. The spurt in demand would have been unremarkable back in the 20th century, given the close link between economic activity and power generation under a fossil energy scenario. The 21st century is a different kettle of fish. The energy efficiency movement was been among the factors putting a damper on demand in the earlier 2000s. However, now that the electrification movement is in full swing and economic activity is roaring along, once again the race is on between electricity demand and power generation.
That’s where the community solar movement comes in. The community solar sector still accounts for a vanishingly small amount of solar industry activity in the US, but it is poised to step in where other clean energy projects will not or cannot venture.
“Over the past 10 years, community solar has experienced an average annual growth rate of 80%, reaching approximately 6.49 GW at the end of 2023,” noted the commercial real estate services firm CBRE in a report earlier this year.
“Looking ahead, community solar is forecast to double by 2028, reaching 14 GW,” CBRE added.
That’s still a relatively small amount compared to the 200-plus gigawatts of solar capacity expected by the end of this year, but neither is it peanuts.
Community Solar Meets Agrivoltaics
Community solar is a concept that emerged around 2010. It’s a clean energy solution for ratepayers who want zero emission electricity but don’t have the opportunity or desire to install solar panels on their own property. The solar developer finds some local acreage to construct a solar array, and nearby ratepayers can subscribe to it.
Ratepayers still get their electricity from a local distribution grid that can include other sources. However, they can take credit for supporting the addition of more clean kilowatts to their local energy profile.
In the early days of community solar, ratepayers had to shell out extra bucks for clean kilowatts, due to the relatively high cost of solar technology. Nowadays the script has flipped. Ratepayers expect to save money on their electricity bills through community projects.
The money-saving opportunity is one important driver of the community solar trend. New money-making opportunities for farmers and other local businesses are also beginning to emerge through a connection with the agrivoltaics movement (see more agrivoltaic background here).
That agrivoltaic connection is still in the early stages, but the Biden-Harris administration is already counting on agrivoltaics to help overcome resistance to rural solar development. Combining agrivoltaics withe the money-saving potential of community solar would also help neutralize the national-level campaign being waged against rural solar development by groups with links to fossil energy stakeholders.
The Unstoppable Force Of Community Solar
Farmland is not the only opportunity for new community solar development. Circling back to that CBRE report, the commercial real estate industry is another area ripe with opportunity for expansion.
“Community solar installations generally allow a solar developer and real estate owner to maximize the PV system size, further increasing the economic opportunity for the property owner,” CBRE observes. “Community solar enables these property owners to generate renewable energy while also creating additional income streams through underutilized spaces.”
CBRE notes that solar projects can also provide additional benefits to a commercial property, by supporting more resilience and reliability in the local grid.
In an interesting twist, CBRE makes the case for community solar on commercial property as a relatively hassle-free, beneficial alternative for owners and their tenants, compared to installing on-site solar for exclusive use on the property. “With community solar, the clean power generated is put into the electricity grid and multiple community members are able to purchase the energy, often at a discount, without needing site control,” CBRE explains.
“Community solar projects promote sustainability by increasing the adoption of renewable energy, reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and decreasing dependence on fossil fuels—a leading contributor to climate change,” the firm emphasizes.
Heads Explode As 2022 Inflation Reduction Act Kicks In
As for where community solar developers expect to get all the new solar panels they’ll need, stakeholders are already leveraging the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act to scale up rapidly.
Last year, the US solar technology firm Heliene inked a massive five-year, 1.5 gigawatt solar module deal with the leading community solar developer Nexamp, which expects to get enough solar panels out of the arrangement to construct 400 new projects around the US.
“This partnership wouldn’t be possible without the Inflation Reduction Act, and is proof that this historic piece of legislation is continuing to encourage renewable energy production and help drive the energy transition,” emphasized Nexamp CEO and Chairman Zaid Ashai in a press statement.
In a press release dated August 31, 2023, Heliene also credited the IRA with enabling it to expand its solar module factory in Minnesota. “Heliene expanded its facility in November 2022 and has additional expansions planned for September 2023 to increase manufacturing capacity of domestic solar modules, which was made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act through the extension and expansion of investment tax credits for clean energy resources,” the company explained.
If you’re wondering where all the solar cells for all those new solar modules will come from, that’s a good question. Heliene disclosed the answer last week, when it announced a new solar cell manufacturing joint venture with a leading Indian firm Premier Energies.
The new venture builds on a longstanding relationship between the two companies. They plan to set up shop in the US, most likely in the area of Heliene’s existing operations in Minnesota.
“With this joint venture and new cell plant, the Companies are investing in the growing U.S. solar industry and capitalizing on important incentives and tax credits for domestic clean energy manufacturing introduced under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022,” Heliene explains.
The two companies expect an annual output an annual capacity of 1 gigawatt, which should be more than enough to accommodate Nexamp and any other community solar developer who happens along.
Follow me via LinkTree, or @tinamcasey on Threads, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
Photo (cropped): So much electricity! Solar industry stakeholders are prepping for the next wave of community solar development spurred by lower costs, agrivoltaic opportunities, and financial benefits for property owners (courtesy of Heliene).
cleantechnica.com |
| | Solar Power | Pastime Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last Read |
|
| From: Eric | 7/30/2024 3:58:05 PM | | | | | | Green Energy
Electrek Green Energy Brief
EGEB
Solar power
Wind power
In a first, wind and solar overtake fossil fuels in the EU in 1H 2024
Michelle Lewis | Jul 30 2024 - 7:40 am PT
9 Comments
Image: BASF
Wind and solar generated more electricity than fossil fuels in the EU during the first six months of 2024 for the first time ever in a half-year period.
New analysis from independent energy think tank Ember reveals that wind and solar grew to an all-time high of 30% of the EU’s electricity in the first half of 2024. This compared to 27% from fossil fuels, which fell by 17%.
The fall in fossil fuels happened even as electricity demand rose 0.7% compared to 2023, the result of recovery from the pandemic and the gas price crisis. Despite this, coal saw a sharp drop by nearly a quarter (-24%), and gas fell by 14%. Growth in renewables, particularly wind and solar, was the primary reason for this as their growth outpaced the rebound in demand to replace fossil fuel power as well.
“With wind and solar on the rise, the role of fossil fuel power is narrowing,” said Ember analyst Dr. Chris Rosslowe. “We are witnessing a historic shift in the power sector, and it is happening rapidly.”
Ember’s analysis found that mild weather and good hydro performance also contributed to the large fall in fossil generation, but wind and solar growth was the largest single factor.
This reflects a longer-term shift, following record-breaking capacity additions for both wind and solar in 2023. In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the EU and many Member States have introduced accelerated policies to reduce reliance on gas imports and boost wind and solar. A continued focus on this from the EU is now anticipated following Ursula von der Leyen’s confirmation as president of the European Commission.
Thirteen Member States now generate more electricity from wind and solar than from fossil fuels, with Germany, Belgium, Hungary, and the Netherlands hitting that milestone for the first time.
In May, over 50% of Spain’s electricity generation came from wind and solar for the first time, and Poland hit one-third of generation coming from wind and solar, also a first. Hungary set consecutive monthly records for solar generation in April, May, and June 2024.
Read more: In a first, a German offshore wind farm will use Chinese turbines
electrek.co |
| | Solar Power | Pastime Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last Read |
|
| From: Eric | 7/30/2024 4:22:24 PM | | | | | | Massive 900 MW solar project designed to preserve agricultural land
Brookfield Renewable Partners filed a notice of intent for a 900 MW solar project in Oregon that will be installed in ribbons along the edge of a field to allow for continued agricultural use of the land
July 30, 2024 Ryan Kennedy
Image: Pixabay
Share
Brookfield Renewable Partners announced it has filed a notice of intent to develop a 900 MW solar project in Oregon, making it among the largest solar projects in U.S. history.
The project is located near the Oregon Raceway outside of Grass Valley. It is placed next to existing transmission lines, eliminating the need for additional transmission infrastructure buildout.
Called Speedway Solar and Battery Storage Project, the proposed facility began community outreach efforts in the spring of 2024. Brookfield expects to issue a project order in fall 2024, apply for a site certificate in the winter of 2024, hold a public informational meeting in spring 2025, and deliver a proposed order in fall 2025. If approved, the project would receive a final order and site certificate in Spring 2026, after which the project can be constructed.
The project has a unique design in which the solar array is designed in “ribbons” along the edge of existing agricultural and wildlife corridors, thereby allowing for continued agricultural use of the land. Speedway Solar is expected to occupy about 4,500 to 6,000 acres.
“With Speedway, we want to preserve the county’s legacy of natural resource stewardship,” said John Soininen, vice president of development, Brookfield Renewables U.S. “By working with the landowners, we can reach our twin goals of decarbonizing the grid and maintaining the character of the region.”
During the construction phase, the project is expected to create hundreds of jobs and stimulate local economic activity. Once operational, it will provide ongoing employment opportunities and contribute to the local tax base for shared priorities like firefighters, education and infrastructure.
Find the website for the Sherman County, Oregon proposed project here.
pv-magazine-usa.com |
| | Solar Power | Pastime Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last Read |
|
| From: Eric | 7/31/2024 1:46:17 PM | | | | | | New big battery projects in Australia double in size as storage prices plunge
Collie battery. Image: Neoen.
Giles Parkinson
Jul 31, 2024
13
Share via Email
Battery
Chart of the day
Storage
As new wind and solar projects continue to stall at the gate, battery storage is having another record breaking year, with construction numbers for the 2024 calendar showing the market is on track to beat last year’s number, helped along by a halving in battery storage costs.
According to analysts at Rystad Advisory, close to three gigawatts (GW) and eight gigawatt hours (GWh) of new battery storage capacity has started construction in 2024, and construction starts are expected to exceed 5 GW by the end of the year.
Among the projects are the second stage of the Eraring battery, that will add 240 MW and more than four hours of storage (1030 MWh) to the first stage, which was a two hour battery sized at 460 MW and 920 MWh.
A whole series of four hour batteries have started construction in Western Australia too, where projects are being specifically contracted to time shift solar from the middle to the day to the evening peaks.
“Four hours in now the new two hours,” Rystad’s David Dixon notes in a LinkedIn post, referring to the fact that the new batteries are focused on longer storage and arbitrage, while earlier batteries were focused on system services and grid support, which the focus is on capacity and less on storage duration.
Dixon also notes that battery storage costs are falling significantly, highlighted by the cost reveal from Origin Energy when it announced the second stage of the Eraring battery last week.
“The project cost of around $A437 a kilowatt hour (kWh) is the cheapest we’ve seen in the Australia market,” Dixon notes, although he says that is partly due to the fact that the second stage will piggy back on the civil construction and other works of the first stage.
“It does reflect the fall in prices for utility scale batteries over the past 12 months, with greenfield project capex expected to near or below $A600/kWh, depending on size and hours of storage.”
Dixon says prices for battery storage projects have fallen dramatically from around $A900-$A1,000/kWh in the middle of 2024 to $A650 to $A750/kWh at the start of 2024 and $A500 to $A625/kWh now.
In a separate report, BloombergNEF also notes that storage is growing rapidly, with 7.8 GW of new grid scale batteries under construction (it did not provide a GWh figure). This is nearly as much as the capacity of new wind and solar under construction, which currently stands at 8.9 GW of new wind and solar being built across the country.
Share on Twitter
Share on Facebook
Share on Pinterest
Share on LinkedIn
Share on Reddit
reneweconomy.com.au |
| | Solar Power | Pastime Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last Read |
|
| From: Eric | 7/31/2024 3:53:18 PM | | | | | | Paris’ solar-powered Olympic village to become collective self-consumption hub
After the end of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the 15 solar power plants installed by EDF ENR on the roofs of buildings in the athletes’ village will be integrated into a collective self-consumption operation once the future residents of the district have taken possession of the premises.
July 31, 2024 Francois Puthod
Installations
Markets
Markets & Policy
Residential PV
Europe
France
Western Europe
The solar roofs will cover 20% of the Belvédères district's electricity needs.
Image: Solideo
Share
    
From pv magazine France
EDF ENR, the winner of a tender launched by Solideo — the public entity behind the creation of France's Olympic Village in Paris — has installed 15 PV arrays on the roofs of buildings currently occupied by athletes taking part in the Olympic Games.
Located in the Belvédères district, just outside the northern Paris suburbs of Saint-Ouen and Saint-Denis, the village buildings are fitted with panels manufactured by Photowatt, a subsidiary of EDF ENR. They provide a total output of 450 kWp, covering 20% of the district's electricity needs. They have been integrated in a number of different ways: in shade structures to allow residents free access to the roof, by overlaying vegetation or, more traditionally, on concrete terraces.
With a power output of 130 kWp, the PV array installed on the only commercial building in the village is the result of an innovation: flow-cast, a system that allows the building's peak consumption to be capped. How does this work? By storing the maximum amount of electricity produced by the solar roof in a 70 kWp static battery and in seven multi-directional charging points for electric vehicles. The stored electricity can then be rapidly re-injected to meet the building's needs.
Predictive algorithm
The system works thanks to an algorithm developed by EDF ENR, a predictive tool, capable of optimizing the building's electricity consumption mode over several days, learning how it lives and adapting constantly. It's similar to what RTE, France's transmission system operator, is doing on a national scale as part of its 24-hour production forecasts.
“Thanks to this innovation, we are demonstrating that the coupling of electric mobility and photovoltaics makes it possible to overcome consumption peaks on a large scale,” said Franck Chauveau, EDF ENR's director of development of major projects in the Île-de-France region, speaking to pv magazine France. “With this means of on-site storage, the issue of the intermittency of solar production is resolved!” Not to mention the savings induced by this load shedding system — they are estimated at 15% in terms of absolute power and of the same order in terms of electricity consumption.
Already commissioned, the 15 solar installations will, from the end of the games, form part of a collective self-consumption operation, offered by EDF ENR to property developers and currently supported by the energy company via Communitiz, its digital platform that monitors and manages collective self-consumption projects. In the meantime, an organizing legal entity will be set up in the near future to manage the sharing of energy between future consumers. “The implementation of collective self-consumption should be effective early next year, six months before the arrival of the first residents of the district, scheduled for the summer of 2025,” Chauveau said.
pv-magazine.com |
| | Solar Power | Pastime Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last Read |
|
| From: Eric | 7/31/2024 3:58:29 PM | | | | | | Renewables “cheaper and faster” than methane, says nation’s largest utility
NextEra’s Q2 2024 quarterly earnings report shows significant growth in the company’s renewable pipeline. However, the group, which is typically exacting, refused to put a hard number on their future demand growth expectations.
July 31, 2024 John Fitzgerald Weaver
Markets
Markets & Policy
United States
A trio of U.S. veterans unite alongside a sea of solar panels glistening in the bright Florida sun.
Image: NextEra Energy
Share
There has been considerable discussion recently about the growth in power grid demand in the United States, following roughly two decades of relatively minimal growth. This anticipated increase in demand is largely driven by electricity-hungry artificial intelligence chips. The conversation about the resources required to power these data warehouses varies by region; in the southeast U.S., it primarily centers around new methane facilities, whereas Texas is focused on expanding solar, wind, and battery storage, supplemented by substantial existing gas resources. In contrast, California is actively pursuing new clean energy deals.
In NextEra’s second-quarter earnings call, the company reported its second-best renewable energy origination quarter ever, with the addition of more than 3 GW of renewables and storage projects to their project backlog. When including wind repowering alongside new wind, solar, and storage projects, the company expects to deploy between 36.5 and 46.5 GW of new capacity from 2024 to 2027.
As the nation’s largest clean energy developer, NextEra generates revenue from methane, pipelines, wind, solar, storage, nuclear, and coal, with approximately half of their revenue coming from fossil fuels. However, the company’s strategic discussions indicate a shift towards prioritizing solar plus storage over methane for future generation leadership.
John Ketchum, the company’s President and CEO, stated:
This marks our second best origination quarter ever. These results support our belief that the bulk of the growth demand will be met by a combination of renewables and battery storage…we also are well aware of the realities of new build gas-fired generation, it’s more expensive in most states, is subject to fuel price volatility and takes considerable time to deploy given the need to get gas delivered to the generating unit and the three to four year waiting period for gas turbines.
The company, known for its meticulous attention to detail and a dedicated mathematics department, has been reluctant to provide specific growth projections. Some analysts believe that the actual increase in electricity demand will be much less pronounced than what headlines may imply. The ambiguous statements from NextEra may also indicate that the company anticipates more moderate growth rates.
For example, instead of specifying the anticipated growth, the company stated, “NextEra expects power demand to grow four times faster over the next decades compared to the prior 20 years.” This statement raises questions, particularly regarding the company’s definition of “next decades” and the baseline of minimal demand growth over the past two decades.
Source: Statista
Regarding the total renewables to be deployed, NextEra is a bit more exacting, and optimistic. The company highlighted the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s projections, which suggest that renewable and storage additions will deploy three times faster in the next seven years compared to the previous seven. Additionally, NextEra noted that their overall project pipeline has reached 300 GW of capacity, representing a 20% increase over last year’s figure of 250 GW.
The company expects to deploy 7.1 GW of solar power in 2024-2025, followed by an additional 6.1 GW in 2026-2027. Over a third of this capacity will be deployed in the southeast, with Florida driving much of that growth. The Midwest region will represent nearly another third of the solar deployment capacity during the same period.
pv-magazine-usa.com |
| | Solar Power | Pastime Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last Read |
|
| From: Eric | 7/31/2024 4:25:45 PM | | | | | |
| | The evolving art and science of agrivoltaics |
At Bluewave, integrating solar technology with traditional farming practices isn’t just a concept, it’s the new standard. Jesse Robertson-DuBois, director of sustainable solar development, shares insights on the transformative journey of agrivoltaics within the industry.
July 31, 2024 John Fitzgerald Weaver
Markets
Markets & Policy
Massachusetts
United States
Image: Bluewave
Share
“We’ve dug in deep on agrivoltaics, it’s now our default option for land use in our solar arrays,” Jesse Robertson-DuBois, Director of Sustainable Development at Bluewave, told pv magazine USA.
“The first approach on a project is ‘How can we accommodate agrivoltaics?’ It’s the first thing we do in development. Sometimes that turns out to be cropping, sometimes it’s sheep grazing, sometimes cattle – and sometimes we won’t have a good food related option, so we go to pollinators,” Robertson-DuBois explained.
Agrivoltaic solar power energy facilities are beginning to deliver on their promise. Despite organized public opposition to large solar plants, projects spanning 1,000 acres are successfully being integrated into regional agricultural practices. Polling indicates that public dissatisfaction tends to increase with solar facilities larger than 100 megawatts, while even smaller installations around 50 acres, or approximately 10 megawatts, can also attract negative attention.
Robertson-DuBois has a rich background in agriculture and farmland policy. He owns a farm in western Massachusetts where his daughter grazes sheep. Engaged in diversified agriculture for most of his life, he recently shared his enthusiasm for spending a weekend working with hay and vegetables on a farm near his home.
In the early stages of developing a new facility, Robertson-DuBois prioritizes building a trusting relationship with the farmer. This mutual trust is crucial as they navigate the evolving aspects of the project. A key part of their discussions involves identifying which pieces of farm equipment are essential for ongoing operations and which can be replaced or modified as project details are finalized.
For instance, in a project in Western Massachusetts, Bluewave opted to replace a tractor and a hay machine rather than modifying the entire array. The driveline of the Array Technologies solar tracking system (similar to a vehicle’s driveshaft and circled in red in the image above) was initially positioned lower than the height of those machines. Although it had already been raised to 10 feet above the ground to comply with Massachusetts agrivoltaic regulations, further elevating it to accommodate the farm equipment would have quadrupled the steel costs. This expense far exceeded the cost of replacing the machines.
From the collection of five agrivoltaic projects in Massachusetts, for which Bluewave raised $91 million, one is fully operational both agriculturally and in terms of solar power generation. The site supports cattle grazing, which has shown minimal impact on the animals. “They started grazing this spring, the grass growth and productivity are good. The cattle are loving the shade. They graze in one area, then move back under the modules, then move to the next grazing area,” noted Robertson-DuBois, before reminding us that the American Solar Grazing Association reports that over 100,000 acres of solar installations are grazed by various animals.
Wikipedia – Closeup of High Oleic Soybeans
State programs are increasingly supporting agrivoltaic power plants. The SMART program in Massachusetts, initiated in 2018, offers up to six cents per kilowatt-hour for agrivoltaic projects. Meanwhile, newcomers like New Jersey and New York are exploring their own initiatives. Notably, the New York agrivoltaic pilot program is focusing on more challenging farming opportunities. Unlike ‘standard’ agrivoltaic technologies like sheep grazing or supporting pollinators, New York’s program is incentivizing the integration of agrivoltaics with livestock such as cows and even cannabis cultivation.
Robertson-DuBois explained in the Northeast U.S., designing solar trackers to withstand heavy snow loads typically results in a structure robust enough to accommodate cattle using them as scratching posts. The key, he noted, is to move certain less rugged pieces of hardware like wiring and combiner boxes out of reach.
When discussing the integration of solar power with soy cultivation – America’s second largest crop – Robertson-DuBois delved into the specifics:
Soy [has] absolutely, huge potential. It’s a bush crop, where the outer leaves on the plant are really there to protect the inside leaves. Soy has what is called what is a long photoresponse period; when exposed to too much light, the stomata close, shutting off photosynthesis. Then the soybeans kinda sit there saying ‘I don’t know if I’m ready yet’. At Bluewave, we’ve been funding research to reduce this photoresponse time and increase photosynthesis.
Robertson-DuBois also noted the viability of other grains like wheat, barley, and oats. While grain corn, which can easily grow over 12 feet in height, presents more challenges, sweet corn, intended for human consumption, is considerably shorter at 7-8 feet and might be more suitable.
Robertson-DuBois says that focusing on the farm and the farmer’s needs, as well as the impact on the local community, is crucial for advancing projects. When deploying solar on a hundred year old wild blueberry farm, Jesse and his team practiced building techniques that preserved the existing vegetation.
At Bluewave’s Deighton, Massachusetts facility, where grazing and vegetable cultivation are combined, Bluewave implemented careful construction practices to protect the soil from compaction and preserve organic material.
“Building trust with the community, understanding the farm, and putting real projects in the field – with real challenges being solved – that are [spread over] tens of acres is how Bluewave is moving forward in agrivoltaics,” Robertson-DuBois stated.
pv-magazine-usa.com |
| | Solar Power | Pastime Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last Read |
|
| From: Eric | 7/31/2024 4:35:14 PM | | | | | | Libra reveals plans for giant 3.4 GWh Bremer battery project
Libra Energy has unveiled its first major Australian renewables project, announcing plans to build an 850 MW / 3,400 MWh battery energy storage system in southeast Queensland to help soak up excess solar energy and stabilise the grid supply and demand during peak hours.
July 31, 2024 David Carroll
Image: Libra Energy
Share
    
Queensland-based Libra Energy has announced the development applications for the Bremer Battery Project – an 850 MW, four-hour battery energy storage system being developed near Ipswich in the state’s southeast – have been submitted to planning authorities for approval.
The Bremer project originally included plans for a 150 MW solar farm but Libra has shelved that proposal, saying “it is not economical to proceed with a solar project at this time.”
The focus has instead narrowed to delivering a standalone battery energy storage system that Libra said will serve as a critical tool to soak up excess solar and enhance the security and reliability of the grid in the region.
Queensland is home to more than one million rooftop solar installations and the state government is targeting 70% renewables energy by 2032 and 80% by 2035 as it transitions from a reliance on coal-fired power.
Libra Chairman Rod Stephenson said with so much solar power being generated in Queensland, it is essential to proceed with a large battery to soak up the excess generation.
“We need initiatives that help boost storage capacity in the energy grid,” he said. “Queenslanders have installed rooftop solar with the expectation of reducing the cost of their own energy usage and selling excess generation into the grid.”
“Grid-scale batteries are necessary to ensure Queenslanders can continue to sell their excess energy into the grid.”
The Bremer battery is being developed on an estimated 15-hectare site near Rosewood, about 20 kilometres west of Ipswich, and Libra said the facility has been “designed to integrate seamlessly into the energy grid.”
The project site will connect to the National Electricity Market via existing Powerlink transmission lines that travel near the site.
Libra, which according to company website has until now focused on developing solar and wind projects in Africa and Asia, said it has completed the project scoping study for the Bremer battery and received the green light from the grid operator.
The Brisbane-headquartered company said it is now working on the pre-feasibility study and connection application and, subject to approvals, the battery could commence operations in 2027.
pv-magazine-australia.com |
| | Solar Power | Pastime Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last Read |
|
| |
