Solar Energy

Largest US solar energy storage project begins in Nevada OilPrice.com

Peru records 115.5 MW of new solar power in H1 pv magazine International

Georgia utilities earned high marks this year in their annual report on the state of solar energy in the south.

In its Solar in the Southeast report, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy notes that Georgia Power ranks fourth among 14 major regional electricity providers in a key measure: solar energy produced per customer, or W/C.

As a state, Georgia trails only Florida in solar energy in this metric.

But the report cites the growth of data centers as a major challenge to the pace of deployment of new solar energy. This is driving energy demand growth to unprecedented levels, making carbon-emitting natural gas more attractive to utilities in the short term.

This was evident when Georgia Power made an extraordinary change to its approved generation mix this year.

But the SACE report still predicts that Georgia’s solar generation will double by 2025 with NextEra Energy’s 260-megawatt project in Wadley, southwest of Augusta, and more projects from Georgia Power expected in the next Integrated Resource Plan.

If this projected doubling holds true for Georgia Power, it would mean the company would generate about half as much solar power in 2025 as the nuclear-powered Vogtle Plant.

Avangrid said the project is the largest solar power plant in its portfolio and the first solar project in Texas.

Last year, Avangrid began construction of this solar PV plant and signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with social media and data giant Meta, securing one of Meta’s new data centers in Temple City, Texas.

Meta has a number of PPAs, particularly in Texas, and has committed to run its operations entirely on renewable energy from 2020. For example, Pine Gate Renewables signed an environmental asset purchase agreement (EAPA) with Meta for a 204 MW solar PV project. Temple, Texas, in May 2024.

In addition to the True North Solar project, Avangrid recently installed the first modules at the 202MWdc/150MWac Powell Creek PV project in Putnam County, Ohio. Construction on the project began in late 2023, and Avangrid said the site would be operational “in approximately 14 to 18 months.” That would put the operational date in the spring of 2025.

Avangrid is a subsidiary of the Spanish utility company Iberdrola, since it was fully acquired by the latter in May 2024. Iberdrola took full ownership of Avangrid for a total of US$2.551 billion after acquiring the 18.4% minority stake it no longer held in Avangrid for the US. $35.75 per share. After the deal closes, Iberdrola will request that the shares in Avangrid be delisted from the New York Stock Exchange.

Don’t overload solar users

Orlando’s 100% renewable energy goal by 2050 is in jeopardy. As chair of the Orange County League of Women Voters’ Clean Energy Caucus, I urge the Orlando Public Utilities Commission to protect our future by maintaining its current policy on net metering for customer-owned solar systems and recognize other concerns. from the proposed plan.

OUC should review the new rates it offers for residential customers and introduce fair policies for all.

Net metering is important for both individual consumers and community sustainability. Solar customers feed excess electricity into the grid, which improves energy reliability and helps offset the costs of building new transmission lines.

OUC’s proposed time-of-use rate would unfairly burden residents who cannot easily shift their energy use to off-peak hours. Consumers vulnerable to high energy costs include working families, low-income families, and 24-hour operations such as nursing homes and hospitals.

The OUC should promote tariffs that encourage energy conservation without undue financial strain.

In addition, the proposed new demand payment poses a problem. These charges penalize users who exceed the power consumption limit in any 15-minute increment by dropping them into a more expensive category for the next 12 months. Since most residential customers do not have the knowledge to avoid high charges, few electric utilities use demand charges with residential customers.

We urge the commission to listen to community members and stakeholders. To meet our renewable energy goals, we need to continue policies that promote solar adoption and fair practices.

Mary Dipboye Winter park

Florida is not a free state

Once again, Ron DeSantis is using taxpayer money for false advertising. “Free State of Florida” signs now welcome drivers to the Sunshine State. It is not a free state when books are banned, history/climate change is whitewashed, districts are annexed, politicians are for politics rather than the people, the homeless and immigrants are demonized, white children are blasphemed, rents are out of control, and conspiracies abound. , incompetent puppets are employed, science/critical thinking is obsolete, authoritarian ideology is embraced over democracy, and guns are more important than life itself. No, this is not a free state, but a state of desolate and hateful people.

Katie Sanchez Orlando

The debate about climate change continues

Some points in the climate debate have been disputed: It’s a hoax. False news! The evidence is inconclusive. The models are faulty. Climate is cyclical. Earth’s climate has always changed. It has just snowed (in the city). This time it’s bad, but it has nothing to do with people. Well, people play a role. Well, it’s mostly our fault, but it’s too late/expensive to fix. Scientists will find something. We don’t have to do anything because God will take care of it.

Florida’s latest move on textbooks sounds like a bad parody of a Disney movie: “We’re not talking about climate. No, no, no!” Less than 400 years ago, people were imprisoned for claiming that the Earth revolved around the Sun. I hope that students will learn about our era in 400 years.

Jack Crimmins DeBary