USA

Next year’s first major solar-plus-storage trade show on the calendar announced a new partnership with NABCEP to increase attendee numbers. Eligible PV professionals will be able to attend the Intersolar North America expo hall for free at the San Diego Convention Center from February 4-6, 2020, and can register for NABCEP-approved continuing education classes to receive up to nine Continuing Education Units (CEUs) they can use toward Board Certification and recertification requirements.

First-half losses that ballooned to $85.3 million saw the share price of the Texan third-party solar company fall 8% according to San Diego law firm Robbins Arroyo LLP. The legal business says it is investigating ‘potential violations of federal securities laws’ in connection with last month’s IPO.

International data suggests that fires caused by rooftop solar power systems are rare; however, the United States doesn’t centrally track this information – with the National Fire Data Center classifying them in the “other” category.

Three different retail electricity providers in the United States have announced new programs to provide customers the option to buy 100% renewably sourced electricity, with one of the three even coming at no additional cost.

Two reports have described how the world’s largest renewable energy market is moving towards maturity. According to the Brookings Institution, the Chinese clean energy market could become more open to Western investors and tech. A report by Fitch claims projects are moving back to inland provinces from coastal regions.

Cypress Creek Renewables and Cubico Sustainable Investments have commissioned the Palmetto Plains PV installation, South Carolina’s largest solar project in operation.

Solar is to leapfrog wind to become the undisputed top renewable energy source for US corporates greening their supply through 2030, according to Wood Mackenzie and US wind body AWEA.

A new report by Wood Mackenzie and the American Wind Energy Association shows solar taking the favor of corporate renewable purchasers in 2021 and holding that crown to infinity and beyond.

Traditional solar cookers concentrate sunlight on mirrored surfaces and convert it into heat. But this summer, Sunspot unveiled Sunspot Solar Electric Cooking, a new cooker based on PV technology. The system relies on two PV modules, a lead-carbon battery, an inverter, and an induction cooktop.

US asset manager Ares Management Corporation announced on Monday that it has “made an investment” in US utility-scale solar investor Heelstone Energy.

Walmart has linked a string of store fires in recent years to Tesla’s alleged mismanagement of solar panel installation and maintenance, taking Elon Musk’s outfit to court.

US residential solar installer Sunnova reported a growing dealer network, more customers, new solar products and a larger geographical footprint in its first earnings release since going public.

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers has signed off on Executive Order 38, a motion that will create an Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy within the state, with the office tasked with achieving the goal of ensuring all electricity consumed within the State of Wisconsin is 100% carbon-free by 2050.

Existing solar power policies in North Carolina will go under review as part of the state’s draft Clean Energy Plan. Published last week, it includes the retirement of 4GW of coal and the proposal of measures to drive renewable energy more broadly as well as boosting EV adoption in the US state.

Lightsource BP is days away from launching construction works for a utility-scale solar pipeline it will deploy for a US university, set to go live next year.