Get the latest on solar energy, photovoltaic news and learn about all things under the sun across the country.
Almost Unnoticed, Solar Energy Starting to Make Big Strides Across Midwest
With more than 8,000 companies now operating nationwide, solar energy has become one of the fastest-growing industries in America — thanks, in large part, to remarkable growth on both the West and East coasts. California, as expected, continues to lead the way with nearly 10 gigawatts (GW) of installed solar capacity, but on the other side of the country, five Eastern states — New Jersey, North Carolina, Massachusetts, New York and Connecticut — are now closing in on a total of 4 GW of installed capacity.
With so much solar activity taking place on both sides of our nation, what’s happening in the heartland is going almost unnoticed. But it shouldn’t. Solar is beginning to grow like a prairie fire across the Midwest.
Record Quarter For Residential And Commercial Solar
Residential and commercial solar funds set the pace in the first quarter financing. This was a record quarter and a huge rise in debt financing saw total investment in solar almost double in the first three months of the year compared to the previous quarter.
New Kind Of ‘Tandem’ Solar Cell: Two Types Of Photovoltaic Material Combined To Make A Cell That Harnesses More Sunlight
Researchers have developed a new kind of solar cell that combines two different layers of sunlight-absorbing material in order to harvest a broader range of the sun’s energy. The new cell uses a layer of silicon — which forms the basis for most of today’s solar panels — but adds a semi-transparent layer of a material called perovskite, which can absorb higher-energy particles of light.
How Utilities and Solar Developers Can Deploy PV as a Grid Resource
There are clear pathways to using distributed solar as a grid resource to benefit the grid and society. But to realize — and maximize — the value that distributed PV provides to the grid, it will be important for utilities and solar companies to collaborate as they fine-tune new solar business models. Ultimately, distributed PV can be used to operate the grid more efficiently, reducing the cost to operate the system and benefiting everyone.
Facebook To Test Its Enormous Internet-Beaming Solar Drone This Summer
As part of their ambitious plan to bring internet connectivity to the estimated 5 billion people who are currently unable to access the internet, Facebook plans to conduct tests of a solar-powered drone that is the size of a commercial airliner. The drone is designed to beam internet signal to communities currently outside the reach of conventional cellular data networks, and could ultimately stay aloft for months, if not years, at a time.
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