Solar

How solar microgrids are bringing power (and quiet) to North Carolina

In areas hit by Hurricane Helene, the nonprofit Footprint Project is replacing noisy and polluting generators with solar panels and batteries.

By Elizabeth Ouzts . 28 October 2024

Solar panels on the ground with people around — Workers installing a solar microgrid in Marshall, North Carolina. (Footprint Project)

Solar

Can solar for low-income families work in Georgia's tough market?

The state is among the least favorable toward rooftop solar. A new program thinks it’s cracked the code on making it accessible to low-income residents anyway.

By Jeff St. John . 12 February 2024
Climatetech finance

Swell Energy acquires Renu to help build virtual power plants

The startup aims to combine privately owned batteries into grid resources. Renu, a regional battery installer, will help Swell access new markets.

By Eric Wesoff . 7 February 2024
Solar

The biggest solar-plus-storage project in the US just came online

The new California installation has nearly 2 million solar panels, more than 120,000 batteries, and an enormous amount of clean energy capacity.

By Eric Wesoff . 25 January 2024
Clean energy

Chart: The world is building renewable energy faster than ever before

Renewable energy installations jumped nearly 50% last year, the most rapid growth rate in two decades.

By Maria Virginia Olano . 19 January 2024
Energy storage

Hawaii used rooftop solar to shore up the grid. New rules threaten that

A nation-leading virtual power plant program helped keep the lights on when Oahu's coal plant shut down. But rule changes may drive away future customers, advocates say.

By Julian Spector . 18 January 2024
Solar

The fight over US solar tariffs hasn't gone away — it's just hibernating

A new lawsuit from Auxin Solar is an important reminder that the threat of destabilizing tariffs remains very real for the U.S. solar industry.

By Eric Wesoff . 11 January 2024
Climatetech finance

First Solar cashes in with sale of IRA tax credits worth up to $700M

The Ohio-based solar giant says it's the first major deal to use new tax-credit transfer provisions, which help firms maximize the value of clean energy subsidies.

By Eric Wesoff . 3 January 2024
Solar

Chart: The US installed more solar in 2023 than ever before

The industry saw 55% growth over 2022, according to forecasts — but headwinds threaten to temper the momentum in the years ahead.

By Maria Virginia Olano . 15 December 2023
Solar

Innovative solar tracker startup Sunfolding has folded

Sources say the 11-year-old startup is winding down after struggling to gain a foothold in the multibillion-dollar solar tracker market.

By Eric Wesoff . 8 December 2023
Marine transport

Is solar the future of boating? This engineer turned boat-builder says yes

David Borton is on a mission to make solar-electric boats mainstream. The Solaris, the first-ever Coast Guard–approved solar boat, offers a window into his vision.

By Dan McCarthy . 5 December 2023