Electrek Green Energy Brief

The global wind industry installed 117 gigawatts (GW) of new capacity in 2023, making it the best year ever for new wind energy – here’s what happened and where. 

The US Department of Energy has just released its first-ever roadmap to speed up the connection of more clean energy to the grid.

In a major clean energy benchmark, wind, solar, and hydro exceeded 100% of demand on California’s main grid for 30 of the past 38 days.

A 605 megawatt (MW) project in Germany has claimed the title of Europe’s largest solar farm, bumping a PV plant in Spain out of the top spot.

The US Department of the Interior has now permitted more than 25 gigawatts (GW) of clean energy projects – surpassing its original 25 GW by 2025 goal.

Avangrid (NYSE: AGR), one of the US’s largest clean energy operators, has begun construction on its first solar farm in California.

Solar is forecast to displace natural gas in the middle of the day and in the summer on the Texas grid, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).

A total solar eclipse will bring complete darkness to 12 US states today – watch live to see its effect on solar power and the grid across all 50 US states. 

An old wind farm in Texas just got a second life, and its capacity has gone from 160 megawatts (MW) to 182 MW.

Solar topped coal’s output in Texas for the first time in any month, sending 3.26 million megawatt-hours (MWh) onto the grid vs. coal’s 2.96 million MWh in March.

Boston-based Alsym Energy, which is developing a nonflammable rechargeable battery that’s cobalt and lithium-free, has announced a $78 million funding round.

Norway’s WindSpider has designed a lightweight crane system that builds offshore wind turbines virtually on its own once the tower is up.

Virginia has approved over a dozen new solar projects that will significantly boost Dominion Energy’s clean energy capacity.

Solar capacity additions hit the ground running in 2024, pushing renewables’ installed generating capacity past coal, according to new US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) data. 

Both of New Hampshire’s coal plants are shutting, making New England the second coal-free region in the US.

All US-made solar panels featured only imported solar cells until now, but two US manufacturers just struck a three-year, $400 million deal. 

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is a “free electric bank account with your name on it.” It’s packed with rebates and tax credits that will help Americans purchase everything from EVs to solar and electrical appliances to heat pumps. Check out this easy-to-use IRA savings calculator from Rewiring America that tells you what you get – and when.

Walmart is investing in 19 solar projects under development across the US, including 15 community solar projects. 

Ohio has green-lit what will be the state’s largest solar farm – and the US’s largest agrivoltaics project.

Alcoholic drinks giant Diageo will replace natural gas-fired heat with Rondo Energy’s Heat Batteries at its production sites in Kentucky and Illinois.

Power-hungry Texas needs solar and battery storage to help meet demand and balance the grid, so its largest utility-scale storage operator is delivering.