North America

PacifiCorp released a draft of its long-term energy plan that continues investments in new wind generation and transmission, while adding significant new solar and storage resources. The plan, which is the result of a comprehensive data analysis and stakeholder input process, demonstrates the company’s adoption of additional lower-cost renewable resources to meet customer needs and support for its phased coal transition.

Sunnova Energy Corporation is collaborating, through the Solar Foundation’s “Solar Saves Lives” program, with non-profit organizations in Puerto Rico to support critical energy projects on the island.

US solar firm SunPower is to deploy 3.7MW of solar carports across 10 locations in Contra Costa County, California, with some of the sites using energy storage.

The Norwegian polysilicon and silane gas producer has announced it will listen to offers for its production facility in Butte Montana after mothballing its other manufacturing operation – at Moses Lake, Washington – in the summer.

A U.S. microgrid specialist will draw up proposals for an independent solar-plus-storage system to ensure a remotely-situated cannabis farm in California can get the energy it needs to power cultivation.

LevelTen claims its online platform offers small companies the chance to band together to buy green energy and connects renewable energy producers and consumers in such an effective manner it has already driven $1 billion of green energy supply in its homeland.

An accelerated transition to renewables could go either way, regarding the United States’ unique geopolitical strength. According to Indra Overland – head of the Center for Energy Research at the Norwegian Institute for International Affairs – the U.S. could surrender a major advantage if it abandons fossil fuel. The nation could, however, remain dominant in the global energy sector if it continues to lead on innovation and clean energy tech-related intellectual property.

One of the top solar projects supported under Mexico’s now-paralysed auction scheme has been powered up, around two years after development got underway.

Google has signed a deal for 250MW of solar energy from installations planned in Texas by Chicago-based developer Hecate Energy.

Ranger Power will search for a buyer of its 230 million dollar solar site in eastern Lincoln.

The 24th Annual National Solar Tour is coming to San Diego and Orange counties on Saturday, organized locally by Sullivan Solar Power in conjunction with the nonprofit groups American Solar Energy Society and Solar United Neighbors.

Xcel Energy has announced an agreement with Lightsource BP and EVRAZ North America to develop a $250-million, 240-MW solar power facility in Pueblo, Colorado. The plant will provide power to the EVRAZ Rocky Mountain Steel facility in Pueblo. Xcel said the plant will be the largest on-site solar facility dedicated to a single company.

Investors are afraid of solar energy right now, but the long-term prospects of the industry are improving.

California is backpedaling to regulate the way solar is sold to potential buyers. Starting October 1, contractors are required to include the Solar Protection Guide to their contracts.

Sun Exchange powers solar projects at schools such as Sacred Heart College in Johannesburg