Sunrun has received about 1,000 orders for its recently launched BrightBox solar plus energy storage solution in California and Hawaii, Sunrun co-founder and CEO Lynn Jurich said during a March 8 4Q16 company earnings call.   [...]

Within the past decade or two, the solar industry has experienced a great deal of evolution and expansion. In the U.S., one of the largest shakeups was in 2010 when PV panel prices dropped. The inverter market has also been subjected to changes, especially in terms of new topologies and increased functionalities. [...]

NREL Director Martin Keller kicked off the first full day at Solar Power Colorado in front of a standing room-only audience. In a provocative keynote address he presented the successful history of solar research, which has been accompanied for decades by a dizzying descent in solar costs. Combine that with the way the solar industry improves environmental conditions and creates high-quality jobs – and you have an important good-news story to tell. But, said Keller, the solar industry needs [...]

Former Colorado Governor Bill Ritter opened the Solar Power Colorado conference Wednesday, March 15th with an overview of solar initiatives nationwide. While there may be policy uncertainty at the national level Ritter said, looking at solar initiatives at the state, local and corporate level is more promising. Ritter described the bipartisan support for solar energy among governors, indicating that while there are fewer of them, GOP governors in renewable energy resource-rich states are becomin [...]

Sungevity, which last week laid off more than two-thirds of its Kansas City staff, received only a fraction of the $11.8 million in potential tax breaks that were offered to attract the company here. The solar panel marketing company opened a sales office in downtown Kansas City in early 2015. [...]

Contracts to sell electricity directly to corporate users are among the key demand drivers for wind and solar power, while the influence of state mandates wanes, according to a report Friday by Moody’s Investors Service.  [...]

Distributed energy resources are fast becoming cost competitive with traditionally generated electricity. According to Rocky Mountain Institute, grid-connected solar-plus-battery systems will reach economic parity with grid electricity within the next 10-15 years. Despite near-term technical and financial challenges, more and more business will adopt on- and off-site generation, storage, community and wholesale projects.   [...]

Please Listen Up to this week’s Energy Show as Tom Kimbis, the Executive Vice President of the Solar Energy Industries Association, talks about SEIA’s Consumer Protection and Ethics Committees, as well as SEIA’s “Consumer Guide to Solar Power” and Residential Disclosure Forms. [...]

Supercritical carbon dioxide power cycles have the potential to reduce the cost of concentrating solar power by substantially improving the efficiency of converting high temperature solar heat into electricity. Through three SunShot Initiative-funded projects and six years of steady progress, GE Global Research and Southwest Research Institute have taken major steps toward commercializing the technology.   [...]

A group of energy executives actively involved in solar C&I development in the Middle East and Africa talked at a Solarplaza conference... [...]

Today’s topics include how utilities are crying foul about the price of PPAs - is this the beginning of a big backlash against solar? In addition, we'll discuss blockchain technology and diversity in the solar industry. Check it out! [...]

Job Title: Project Manager Location: Carbondale, CO Application Deadline: March 11 To Apply: Please send resume and cover letter to *protected email*Download Job Description*protected email* Sunsense has an immediate opening for a Project Manager (including Operations & Logistics) to work from our Carbondale office. This position entails full engagement with all Sunsense departments (Sales, Design, Procurement, Accounting and Service) and requires a skill set capable of growth within the com [...]

Post Date: February 24, 2017 Job Title: Lead Solar Installer Location:  Carbondale, CO Target Hire Date: Immediate To Apply: Please submit cover letter and resume to *protected email* Sunsense has an immediate opening for a Lead Solar Installer to work from our Carbondale office. You must be a mechanically minded individual to work in the field installing residential and light commercial grid-tied photovoltaic (PV) systems. The Lead Solar Installer will be responsible for managing and install [...]

First Solar Inc. slumped the most in three months after reporting its biggest-ever loss and cutting its earnings forecast.  [...]

A funny thing happened recently: We wrote an article suggesting that a lower cost of capital, driven by increased debt in project finance transactions, would help to mitigate some of the new risk the solar industry faces in 2017. We didn’t anticipate that this would be a particularly controversial viewpoint. After all, paying a lower cost of capital is like paying off old credit card debt. Who could disagree with that? [...]

Record low Indian solar tariffs tendered at a groundbreaking auction may catalyze green investments and help tip the balance of new power to renewables and away from fossil fuels.   [...]

Incorporating drones into daily operations could turn out to be one of the most beneficial decisions a solar firm can make in 2017. [...]

Each year solar analysts take stock of the industry's accomplishments with the annual Solar Market Insight Report (SMI) and each time the performance numbers impress. This year, however, is jaw-dropping. TerraSmart is passionate about all things solar, and we couldn't wait to share the latest insights with this SMI preview. [...]

In the modern age of solar 4.5 MW is not a big power plant, generally occupying less than 50 acres of land. But from the perspective of a field technician, size is all relative. [...]

SunPower CEO Thomas Werner yesterday said that while long-term growth prospects for the solar power industry are compelling, the near-term conditions “remain challenging.”     [...]

Jenn Runyon, Chief Editor of Renewable Energy World and Paula Mints, Chief Market Research Analyst with SPV Market Research discuss three hot topics in the global solar industry for three minutes each. Today’s topics include the official numbers for China's annual installed capacity for 2016, how the solar industry deceives itself with "alternative facts," and some of the changes already underway with the new U.S. government in place. Check it out. [...]

Sandia National Laboratories last week said that its researchers are studying corrosion on solar panels to help industry develop long-lasting PV panels and increase PV system reliability.   [...]

When Kristin moved to a historic home in New England, she wanted to save money on her electric bill by going solar. Her biggest concern was how panels on her roof might change the look of her home, which was built in the 1800s. But what the installer was even more concerned about were the trees surrounding her home. Aesthetically pleasing to her but potentially a hindrance to solar production – especially in New England where once a year the trees turn beautiful colors and shed all their leave [...]

On Jan. 19, the IRS released Revenue Procedure 2017-19 (Rev. Proc.) providing a safe harbor for certain alternative energy sales contracts with federal agencies to be treated as service contracts under Section 7701(e)(3). [...]