Colin Scott

First Solar opened its new $1.1 billion fully integrated thin-film solar factory in Lawrence County, Alabama. This move adds a substantial 3.5 gigawatts (GW) of solar manufacturing capacity to the US market and is anticipated to generate more than 800 jobs. Supported by the #InflationReductionAct, this initiative marks a significant step towards bolstering the country's renewable energy sector. One key feature that sets First Solar apart is its full vertical integration in thin-film PV solar panel manufacturing. With the capability to transform glass into a functional solar panel in just four hours, the company relies heavily on US-sourced materials, including locally-sourced glass and steel within a 25-mile radius of the factory. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey (R-AL) expressed optimism, stating that this production facility is poised to make a substantial impact in the US #renewableenergy landscape. #solarenergy

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The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has gone public with its official framework for vehicle-to-grid integration. In our last post, we outlined four of the five pillars that will hold up this new plan. > https://lnkd.in/e2ruBkZb But it’s the final pillar that we’re most excited about.   That’s because it’s all about the #customer. This is what counts for the average EV owner, because it’s the part of VGI they’ll be dealing with every day.   According to the DOE, consumers need a choice of charging options, providers and rates — and all those options should be clear and accessible. They need to be able to decide how to interface with the grid so they can make the most money in a way that is convenient to them. That compensation needs to be commensurate with value provided to the grid.   And above all, things should be simple and straightforward. “Implementation complexity is invisible to customers and reduces the participation burden,” notes the report. “Technology eases the customer’s ability to respond to dynamic rates or signals that optimize charging or discharging based on grid or market conditions. Customer set preferences ensure that EV drivers do not need to continually manage and respond to signals themselves.” What are your thoughts on the DOE's #VGI roadmap?

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On June 6, 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) announced the FY24 Solar Energy Supply Chain Incubator funding opportunity. Up to $38 million is available for RD&D projects aimed at de-risking solar hardware, manufacturing processes, and software products across various solar technologies. This funding seeks to boost U.S. solar manufacturing, expand private investment, and drive down domestic energy costs, placing the U.S. at the forefront of solar advancements. Key areas of interest include PV, systems integration, CSP technologies, solar with storage or EVs, and dual-use applications like agrivoltaics. Topic Areas: Solar Research and Technology Development: 5-10 projects, $1-2 million each Solar Technology Demonstration: 5-10 projects, $1-5 million each Solar Permitting Software Outreach, Education, and Development: 1-3 projects, $1-5 million each Learn more about this fantastic opportunity to advance solar energy innovation and manufacturing in the U.S.! 🌍🔋 https://lnkd.in/eRMQuVrj #SolarEnergy #Innovation #SustainableFuture #CleanEnergy #RenewableEnergy #USManufacturing #SETO #FundingOpportunity

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As #utilities begin to embrace the benefits of deploying #distributedenergyresources, different models are emerging for how utilities and their customers can participate. Programs from Sunrun and Sparkfund are two examples. #microgrids Pier LaFarge Chris Rauscher, J.D. https://lnkd.in/gkA2C-KR

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Agrivoltaics make business sense and hopefully will reduce NIMBYISM among many rural communities that host these projects which then often send the energy to more densely populated communities. Our incoming CGO Rob Davis has been at the forefront and we are excited what his experience will do to open more doors for M-RETS to track opportunities beyond the megawatt Clean Energy Buyers Association (CEBA), The Nature Conservancy, Salesforce ( Megan Lorenzen , WWF (Marty Spitzer), Connexus® Energy (sorry for taking Rob away), and from this article I learned that Alliant Energy is also working on this, and Meta are all early and current leaders in this space. https://lnkd.in/gJjN8tsH

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✨ Breaking: Halogen Ventures Announces New Fund.- Halogen Ventures Halogen Ventures focuses on early-stage consumer technology startups with at least one woman on the founding team. The fund announced a $10 million investment to support female founders in Alabama. https://halogenvc.com/ Please share to let other #Founders know For the ❤️ of Startups #Fusion42 #Startups #Venturecapital

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Want to learn more about the North Carolina Utilities Commission’s latest Carbon Plan Order issued earlier this month? Join NCSEA for a deep dive webinar covering the order and what it means for the electricity sector in North Carolina on Wednesday, November 20, from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET. We’ll cover various facets of the order and highlight what’s next as we look to usher in the next era of electricity generation in North Carolina. https://bit.ly/3Cyyfue

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While clean #electricity generation points clearly toward renewable sources, the other end of the lever—efficient energy consumption—will be equally critical to meet decarbonization goals. This would mean designing smart and effective systems that consume the lowest power as well as minimizing loss through every #powerconversion stage in these same systems. The latter challenge, the focus of this article, has been successfully managed by silicon-based power semiconductors over the past several decades. But thanks to advances in power semiconductor technology in recent years, #widebandgap materials (WBG) including silicon carbide and #galliumnitride have entered the market to provide unique and significant efficiency and power density advantages across an array of applications. Infineon Technologies Nihit Bajaj Download PEN ebook: https://lnkd.in/gNScYM_T #powerelectronics

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An example of the energy transition is the transition from local local local to local local micro grid when describing a desirable place to live.

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The National Renewable Energy’s Lab’s Community Microgrid Assistance Partnership is focused on microgrid energy systems serving the needs of underserved and Indigenous communities. #Finance #MarketsPolicy #Microgrid

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Here's how we evolve and save ourselves.⚡️ ☀️ 🌍 "According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), electricity’s share in energy demand will need to increase by 4 percent per year, and generation of that energy needs to come primarily from renewable resources to meet net-zero goals by 2050." The Answer Is Micro ⚡️ Microgrids can support local reliability and renewable integration – AND reduce the dependency on new transmission lines. ⚡️ A microgrid can connect and disconnect from the power grid during power outages, increasing the resiliency of critical infrastructure during energy failures and shortfalls. ⚡️ Microgrids allow for a seamless transition to more reliable, clean energy sources. 💫 "In practice, microgrids can scale hundreds to thousands of megawatts in a way that provides local resiliency value and can support the grid by mitigating peak demand impacts. This dual purpose of local resiliency for critical infrastructure coupled with dispatchable capacity to reduce peak period demand earns microgrids a role in transmission and generation capacity planning." Are you ready to explore designing your custom-made microgrid? Contact our experts and learn more about how you can build your microgrid to fit your needs. ☀️ contact@cleanh2now.com Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gQfiz8Cd #energymicrogrid #cleanenergy #renewableenergy #sustainability #solarenergy #windenergy

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