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Portugal extends deadline for solar power auction on strong demand

Portugal has extended the deadline for a mega-auction of new solar energy capacity by a week to July 7 due to a strong interest by about 300 investors, Environment and Energy Transition Minister Joao Pedro Matos Fernandes said on Tuesday. The auction, for 1,400 MW of solar energy, is the largest licensing auction of any kind of energy launched in Portugal and represents more than double the current installed capacity of solar energy in the country. “The main reason for the extension of the deadline is that the competition (between interested bidders) is very big,” Matos Fernandes told Reuters on the sidelines of a conference. “In fact we have about 300 interested (investors) on the (online bidding) platform and we want to be certain we get the best proposals.” Portugal’s government is aiming to reach about 9,000 MW of installed solar energy capacity by 2027. The minister said the large number of bidders implies lower electricity rates, benefiting consumers.

Spotlight

Xcel Energy Inc.

Xcel Energy (NYSE: XEL) provides the energy that powers millions of homes and businesses across eight Western and Midwestern states. Headquartered in Minneapolis, the company is an industry leader in responsibly reducing carbon emissions and producing and delivering clean energy solutions from a variety of renewable sources at competitive prices.

OTHER ARTICLES
Strategy and Best Practices, Energy

5 New Solar Power Technologies in 2021

Article | July 27, 2022

In the last forty years, there has been a dynamic increase in the use of solar energy in the United States. As recently as 2018, an additional 10.6 GW of solar power was harnessed, bringing the country's total use up to 64.2 GW. Yet this apparently successful addition still only contributes 1.6% of the total electricity used across the States. However, with many new solar power technologies on the horizon, the increase could soon be much greater.

Read More
Strategy and Best Practices

ClearVue Solar Glass Greenhouse Officially Opened

Article | July 8, 2022

A high-tech greenhouse comprised mainly of solar glass generating electricity to help run it was officially opened yesterday in Western Australia. ClearVue Technologies Limited’s solar glass involves a nanoparticle interlayer and spectral-selective coating on the rear external surface that enables 70% of natural light to pass through while redirecting infrared and UV light converted to infrared to the edge where it is harvested by solar cells. ClearVue says each 1m2 of its window product is currently rated to generate 30 watts-peak of electric power, but also mentions a new-generation product with the proven ability to generate 40 watts peak per m2 to be available sometime this year.

Read More
Energy, Industry Updates

Solar Panel Direction, Orientation and Tilt Factors

Article | July 29, 2022

For anyone who has owned solar panels in the past, or even many considering solar power installation in the near future, it’s generally understood that direction is important in this field. Specifically, the ability of solar panels to point south, where they will receive the maximum possible sunlight and therefore create the maximum amount of energy, is vital for many solar panel installations – but it’s important to realize that the simple direction of the panels is not the only important variable here. At Intermountain Wind & Solar, we’re happy to offer both commercial and residential solar panel installation services, including the utilization of the Tesla Powerwall battery backup. We assist our clients with every part of solar panel installation, including important directional and related themes that will play a role in how much sunlight your panels are able to soak up. Today we’ll focus on some of the important variables here, including why south-facing panels are the optimal approach plus several other basic factors to keep in mind when it comes to maximizing panel positioning and direction.

Read More
Energy

How viable is Underground Hydrogen Storage?

Article | December 23, 2021

Cleaner energy resources are the dire need of the hour and this is a known fact. While scientists and experts across the planet are striving hard to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, our energy needs have never faced a downfall- thanks to rapid industrialization and urbanization. Although renewable resources like solar, wind, and hydro-electric power are the most popular alternatives, these are seasonal energy sources and the energy production from the same will not be similar all around the year. The fluctuations in production hence cannot always meet the energy demand of the population, and this makes the renewable energy sources not completely reliable. Solar Production v/s Demand of the same in a year What and How H2 is produced? Now, this is where Hydrogen- the first element of the periodic table comes to the spotlight with a solution. Being a gas, hydrogen fuel can very well cater to our energy needs and is produced from techniques including Thermochemical, Solar-Water splitting, electrolytic and biological processes. While the production of this cleaner energy source leaves a carbon footprint of about 830 million tonnes in the form of CO2 annually, the result being a zero-emission fuel is what makes H2’s future bright. Storage of H2 – the million-dollar question: Having almost cleared the need and methods of producing hydrogen fuel, we will be looking at an area that is usually not given much thought about and that is the storage of H2. As already mentioned, for time being let us consider hydrogen as an alternative to renewable resources which is utilized when the energy demand increases drastically. While producing the fuel in the nick of time is obviously undoable, sufficient storage of H2 anticipating the demand is the best choice. Like Natural Gas, Hydrogen is also compressed before storing to achieve lower volume and also because liquid hydrogen demands a 64% higher amount of energy for storage than its compressed gaseous counterpart. Storage tanks v/s Geological landforms: Compressed Hydrogen can be stored in surface storage vessels (like steel composite concrete vessels and in wind turbine towers) or in geological landforms like (salt caverns, depleted O&G reservoirs, and aquifers). Nevertheless, unlike the underground geological landforms which offer huge storage capacity owing to their sheer scale, the storage tanks which can range in size from a small bottle to a huge tank require high amounts of pressure to store an appreciable amount of H2 in it. Since these storage tanks are usually constructed on the surface, the pressure conditions in these tanks need to be artificially stimulated and thereby mount huge upfront costs when compared to their geological storage counterpart. H2 storage prices in Geological Landforms v/s Storage Vessels (in $/kg) The above is a table comparing the prices of Hydrogen storage in Geological landforms and Storage Vessels at different pressure conditions. It is visible from the table that it's about 218 times cheaper to store the same amount of hydrogen in Geological landforms than in storage vessels. Is geological storage truly a better option? Like any other storage option geological storage too has its pros and cons. From the erosion of pipelines to the tedious task of injecting the gas and maintaining it at apt pressure conditions, geological storage has its limitations. However, the important prerequisite is the availability of the suitable landform itself. While most of the Depleted O&G Reservoirs have already met all the requirements for a suitable Underground Hydrogen Storage (UHS) system, the presence of unrecoverable remnant fluids in it makes it both a boon and a bane. This is because the presence of remnant fluids like oil and gas satisfies the cushion gas need for efficient storage of H2 in the reservoir, chances of contamination of H2 by the same is also high. This is the reason why Aquifers too aren’t favorable underground landforms when it comes to hydrogen storage. Salt Caverns- the best UHS System? The problem of Hydrogen contamination in Depleted Oil & Gas reservoirs and aquifers leaves us to the next big suitable subsurface landform- salt caverns. Unlike the other two landforms, the problem of contamination can be prevented in these dome-like structures formed due to the upliftment of salt deposits and it is also found that about 98% of its storage efficiency can be used to store Hydrogen here. The reason behind its relatively expensive nature when compared to its other two counterparts is due to the process of salt removing or leaching that must be done before storing to ensure that the contamination of the gas is unheard of at least here. Suitable Conditions of UHS: As per Stefan Iglauer, the maximum amount of H2 can be stored at a depth of 1100m beneath the Earth’s surface and the capacity gradually decreases up until 3700 m depth beyond which the wettability of the gas increases as it percolates through the rocks and hence cannot be permanently immobilized. Conclusively it is found that suitable landforms formed at 1km depth can store up to 2.0 Mt of H2. Comparing this 2 MT storage capacity of Salt Caverns with the currently available storage tanks which can store about 800 kg of H2 in it, it is visible that geological landforms have a clear upper hand at least when it comes to storage capacity. Future of UHS: With demands for Hydrogen fuel estimated to grow at 5.48 % annually and the need for a suitable storage system of the same at 5.8% annually, the field of Underground Hydrogen Storage systems indeed has a bright scope. Moreover, to meet the large-scale needs of Industries, there is an imminent need to level up the storage capacity of H2 and by exploring suitable geological landforms across the globe, the estimated industrial need of 1200 kT/ year in 2050 can be met.

Read More
Strategy and Best Practices, Energy

How Does Employing Energy Management Systems Helps Businesses?

Article | July 27, 2022

In the last forty years, there has been a dynamic increase in the use of solar energy in the United States. As recently as 2018, an additional 10.6 GW of solar power was harnessed, bringing the country's total use up to 64.2 GW. Yet this apparently successful addition still only contributes 1.6% of the total electricity used across the States. However, with many new solar power technologies on the horizon, the increase could soon be much greater.

Read More
Strategy and Best Practices

Technologies Shaping the Future of Renewable Energy

Article | July 8, 2022

A high-tech greenhouse comprised mainly of solar glass generating electricity to help run it was officially opened yesterday in Western Australia. ClearVue Technologies Limited’s solar glass involves a nanoparticle interlayer and spectral-selective coating on the rear external surface that enables 70% of natural light to pass through while redirecting infrared and UV light converted to infrared to the edge where it is harvested by solar cells. ClearVue says each 1m2 of its window product is currently rated to generate 30 watts-peak of electric power, but also mentions a new-generation product with the proven ability to generate 40 watts peak per m2 to be available sometime this year.

Read More
Energy, Industry Updates

Energy Management: An Energy Strategy for the C-Suite

Article | July 29, 2022

For anyone who has owned solar panels in the past, or even many considering solar power installation in the near future, it’s generally understood that direction is important in this field. Specifically, the ability of solar panels to point south, where they will receive the maximum possible sunlight and therefore create the maximum amount of energy, is vital for many solar panel installations – but it’s important to realize that the simple direction of the panels is not the only important variable here. At Intermountain Wind & Solar, we’re happy to offer both commercial and residential solar panel installation services, including the utilization of the Tesla Powerwall battery backup. We assist our clients with every part of solar panel installation, including important directional and related themes that will play a role in how much sunlight your panels are able to soak up. Today we’ll focus on some of the important variables here, including why south-facing panels are the optimal approach plus several other basic factors to keep in mind when it comes to maximizing panel positioning and direction.

Read More
Energy

How viable is Underground Hydrogen Storage?

Article | December 23, 2021

Cleaner energy resources are the dire need of the hour and this is a known fact. While scientists and experts across the planet are striving hard to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, our energy needs have never faced a downfall- thanks to rapid industrialization and urbanization. Although renewable resources like solar, wind, and hydro-electric power are the most popular alternatives, these are seasonal energy sources and the energy production from the same will not be similar all around the year. The fluctuations in production hence cannot always meet the energy demand of the population, and this makes the renewable energy sources not completely reliable. Solar Production v/s Demand of the same in a year What and How H2 is produced? Now, this is where Hydrogen- the first element of the periodic table comes to the spotlight with a solution. Being a gas, hydrogen fuel can very well cater to our energy needs and is produced from techniques including Thermochemical, Solar-Water splitting, electrolytic and biological processes. While the production of this cleaner energy source leaves a carbon footprint of about 830 million tonnes in the form of CO2 annually, the result being a zero-emission fuel is what makes H2’s future bright. Storage of H2 – the million-dollar question: Having almost cleared the need and methods of producing hydrogen fuel, we will be looking at an area that is usually not given much thought about and that is the storage of H2. As already mentioned, for time being let us consider hydrogen as an alternative to renewable resources which is utilized when the energy demand increases drastically. While producing the fuel in the nick of time is obviously undoable, sufficient storage of H2 anticipating the demand is the best choice. Like Natural Gas, Hydrogen is also compressed before storing to achieve lower volume and also because liquid hydrogen demands a 64% higher amount of energy for storage than its compressed gaseous counterpart. Storage tanks v/s Geological landforms: Compressed Hydrogen can be stored in surface storage vessels (like steel composite concrete vessels and in wind turbine towers) or in geological landforms like (salt caverns, depleted O&G reservoirs, and aquifers). Nevertheless, unlike the underground geological landforms which offer huge storage capacity owing to their sheer scale, the storage tanks which can range in size from a small bottle to a huge tank require high amounts of pressure to store an appreciable amount of H2 in it. Since these storage tanks are usually constructed on the surface, the pressure conditions in these tanks need to be artificially stimulated and thereby mount huge upfront costs when compared to their geological storage counterpart. H2 storage prices in Geological Landforms v/s Storage Vessels (in $/kg) The above is a table comparing the prices of Hydrogen storage in Geological landforms and Storage Vessels at different pressure conditions. It is visible from the table that it's about 218 times cheaper to store the same amount of hydrogen in Geological landforms than in storage vessels. Is geological storage truly a better option? Like any other storage option geological storage too has its pros and cons. From the erosion of pipelines to the tedious task of injecting the gas and maintaining it at apt pressure conditions, geological storage has its limitations. However, the important prerequisite is the availability of the suitable landform itself. While most of the Depleted O&G Reservoirs have already met all the requirements for a suitable Underground Hydrogen Storage (UHS) system, the presence of unrecoverable remnant fluids in it makes it both a boon and a bane. This is because the presence of remnant fluids like oil and gas satisfies the cushion gas need for efficient storage of H2 in the reservoir, chances of contamination of H2 by the same is also high. This is the reason why Aquifers too aren’t favorable underground landforms when it comes to hydrogen storage. Salt Caverns- the best UHS System? The problem of Hydrogen contamination in Depleted Oil & Gas reservoirs and aquifers leaves us to the next big suitable subsurface landform- salt caverns. Unlike the other two landforms, the problem of contamination can be prevented in these dome-like structures formed due to the upliftment of salt deposits and it is also found that about 98% of its storage efficiency can be used to store Hydrogen here. The reason behind its relatively expensive nature when compared to its other two counterparts is due to the process of salt removing or leaching that must be done before storing to ensure that the contamination of the gas is unheard of at least here. Suitable Conditions of UHS: As per Stefan Iglauer, the maximum amount of H2 can be stored at a depth of 1100m beneath the Earth’s surface and the capacity gradually decreases up until 3700 m depth beyond which the wettability of the gas increases as it percolates through the rocks and hence cannot be permanently immobilized. Conclusively it is found that suitable landforms formed at 1km depth can store up to 2.0 Mt of H2. Comparing this 2 MT storage capacity of Salt Caverns with the currently available storage tanks which can store about 800 kg of H2 in it, it is visible that geological landforms have a clear upper hand at least when it comes to storage capacity. Future of UHS: With demands for Hydrogen fuel estimated to grow at 5.48 % annually and the need for a suitable storage system of the same at 5.8% annually, the field of Underground Hydrogen Storage systems indeed has a bright scope. Moreover, to meet the large-scale needs of Industries, there is an imminent need to level up the storage capacity of H2 and by exploring suitable geological landforms across the globe, the estimated industrial need of 1200 kT/ year in 2050 can be met.

Read More
MORE ARTICLES

Spotlight

Xcel Energy Inc.

Xcel Energy (NYSE: XEL) provides the energy that powers millions of homes and businesses across eight Western and Midwestern states. Headquartered in Minneapolis, the company is an industry leader in responsibly reducing carbon emissions and producing and delivering clean energy solutions from a variety of renewable sources at competitive prices.

Related News

Solar+Storage

Bidgely and GridX Partner to Optimize Electricity Costs for a Clean Energy Future

businesswire | August 02, 2023

Bidgely, the leading provider of AI-powered energy intelligence solutions, and GridX, the leading enterprise rate platform provider to modern utilities, have announced a partnership to deliver enhanced energy cost accuracy and control for utilities and their customers. By combining behind-the-meter consumption insights with highly accurate cost insights, utilities can implement grid management initiatives, such as cost-based load shifting and time-varying rates, that keep energy reliable and affordable for consumers. "Motivating consumers to make smarter energy decisions is paramount to achieving utility decarbonization goals,” said Chris Black, CEO of GridX. “Through our partnership with Bidgely, we are further reducing the mystery of how a consumer's energy choices correspond to their energy bills or grid impact. This results in a win for everyone. Customers get lower bills, utilities get more life out of their existing infrastructure, and customers and utilities are in sync in achieving their decarbonization goals.” Bidgely’s UtilityAI™ Platform, which provides hour-by-hour energy insights into customers’ usage patterns at the appliance level, combined with GridX’s industry-leading rate engine enables utilities to execute demand-side management strategies critical for supporting decarbonization and electrification goals. This integration enables utilities to: Improve rate analytics for tailoring new and existing plans to customer needs and utility objectives. Give customers rate comparisons that project the detailed impact to their bill across different rate options. Personalize cost simulations that inform customers on how potential changes impact future bills, for example: EV purchases, HVAC upgrades, solar PV and Time-of-Use enrollment. Deliver accurate appliance-level cost breakdowns across the bill cycle and hourly levels. Unlocking behind-the-meter cost savings opportunities also bolsters satisfaction and trust among utility customers. Through highly precise bill projections, rate comparisons and energy efficiency recommendations, consumers can understand how their individual usage affects bill statements and better control their energy costs. “Restructuring rate plans for better load shifting has become an imperative utility initiative, especially as electric vehicles, appliance electrification and weather-related grid strains become more prolific. By partnering with GridX, we are teaching consumers that when they use energy is as important as how much energy is used, and we are giving every kilowatt-hour consumed a dollar value to help drive simple and actionable behavioral changes,” said Abhay Gupta, CEO of Bidgely. About Bidgely Bidgely is an AI-powered SaaS Company accelerating a clean energy future by enabling energy companies and consumers to make data-driven energy-related decisions. Powered by our unique patented technology, Bidgely's UtilityAI™ Platform transforms multiple dimensions of customer data - such as energy consumption, demographic, and interactions - into deeply accurate and actionable consumer energy insights. We leverage these insights to empower each customer with personalized recommendations, tailored to their individual personality and lifestyle, usage attributes, behavioral patterns, purchase propensity, and beyond. From a Distributed Energy Resources (DER) and Grid Edge perspective, Bidgely is advancing smart meter innovation with data-driven solutions for solar PVs, EV detection, EV behavioral load shifting and managed charging, energy theft, short-term load forecasting, grid analytics, and TOU rate designs. Bidgely’s UtilityAI™ energy analytics provides deep visibility into generation, consumption for better peak load shaping and grid planning, and delivers targeted recommendations for new value-added products and services. With roots in Silicon Valley, Bidgely has over 17 energy patents, $75M+ in funding, retains 30+ data scientists, and brings a passion for AI to utilities serving residential and commercial customers around the world. About GridX, Inc GridX partners with utilities and energy suppliers to transform their businesses and accelerate the clean energy transition. The company’s Enterprise Rate Platform helps these organizations to develop new products and business models to achieve their clean energy goals; quickly operationalize new offerings in their billing and settlement processes; and better engage with their customers for broader program adoption. GridX’s platform is used by leading utilities, retail energy suppliers and energy ecosystem OEMs to serve more than 25 million homes and businesses.

Read More

Solar+Storage, Energy

Babcock & Wilcox Solar Energy, Inc. Awarded Community Solar Contracts Totaling $20 Million

Businesswire | August 01, 2023

Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, Inc. (B&W) (NYSE: BW) announced today that its subsidiary, Babcock & Wilcox Solar Energy, Inc., has been awarded contracts totaling more than $20 million by Summit Ridge Energy, LLC, for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of 25 megawatts of community solar energy projects in Illinois. B&W has successfully executed multiple projects for Summit Ridge Energy, including a $15 million community solar project announced in March 2023 and a $20 million project announced in 2022. “We value our strong, ongoing relationship with Summit Ridge Energy and are excited to develop more projects in the future as we look to grow and expand B&W’s presence in the community solar industry,” said Jimmy Morgan, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, B&W. “We appreciate the confidence Summit Ridge Energy has shown in B&W’s installation, site coordination and project management expertise and look forward to continuing to work together.” B&W will engineer, procure and construct the six photovoltaic solar projects, with completion scheduled for 2024. “As Summit Ridge Energy continues to expand our solar leadership in Illinois, we’re pleased to partner with B&W on another EPC contract,” said Raj Soi, Executive Vice President of Operations, Summit Ridge Energy. “We are proud of our work to create new jobs in Illinois, invest in the local economy and provide solar power savings to more than 20,000 households and businesses.” With more than 100 solar projects installed, B&W offers reliable system design, construction and optimized system integration. B&W is committed to providing forward-thinking solar solutions, outstanding service, and quality construction with safety as a top priority. Summit Ridge Energy is the largest commercial solar developer and owner-operator in Illinois, with an energy portfolio of more than 250 megawatts across the state. Summit Ridge Energy has invested over $900 million in Illinois through the development and acquisition of 116 individual solar farms, located across 35 counties. These projects have employed more than 3,500 construction workers and provide solar power savings to more than 20,000 Illinois ratepayers. About Babcock & Wilcox Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, Inc. is a leader in energy and environmental products and services for power and industrial markets worldwide. About Summit Ridge Energy Launched in 2017, Summit Ridge Energy is the nation’s leading commercial solar company. Through its strategic partnerships and project financing expertise, the company develops and acquires pre-operational projects within the rapidly growing solar energy and battery storage sectors. In the past six years, Summit Ridge Energy has deployed over $1.6B USD into clean energy assets. With a development pipeline of more than 2 GW, Summit Ridge Energy will have more than 400 MW of PV online by the end of 2023, providing solar power to 50,000 homes.

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Energy

Nexamp Named #1 Community Solar Company by Solar Power World Magazine

prnewswire | July 31, 2023

Nexamp, a leading clean energy solutions provider, has been awarded the prestigious title of "#1 Community Solar Company" by Solar Power World magazine. This recognition highlights Nexamp's foundational commitment to advancing renewable energy accessibility, environmental stewardship, and community empowerment. Since its inception, Nexamp has set out to transform the way individuals, businesses, and communities access and utilize solar energy. By developing innovative solar projects nationwide, the company has consistently broken barriers and created opportunities for a greener future. The company's extensive portfolio of community solar installations stands as a testament to its vision of a cleaner, more sustainable grid. The Solar Power World list is developed each year to honor the work of solar companies in the United States. Solar firms in the utility, community solar, and residential markets are ranked by the number of kilowatts they installed in the previous year. Companies are grouped and listed by specific services, markets, and states. "Earning the top spot on this list is an honor," said Zaid Ashai, CEO of Nexamp, "and as always, it shows our commitment to our mission. With an industry-leading community solar program and our growing suite of decarbonization services, we are proud of the way we continue to revolutionize the grid by developing, building, owning, and operating the solar and storage solutions of tomorrow." 2023 so far has been one of the busiest in Nexamp's history, surpassing the company's previous single-year record for megawatts of new projects turned on in just the first two quarters. Since its founding in 2007, Nexamp has installed more than a gigawatt of solar capacity. "Renewable energy accounts for a quarter of U.S. electrical generation, now far exceeding electricity produced by burning coal," said Kelsey Misbrener, managing editor of Solar Power World. "Solar power is an important member of that renewable makeup, and companies on the Top Solar Contractors List are all contributing to our country's shift to cleaner electricity. We are honored to recognize them each year for their necessary work putting green kilowatts on roofs, over parking lots, in desert locations, and across water reservoirs. Every project is making a difference." The United States reported its strongest first-quarter ever in Q1 2023 for solar installed, and industry analysts expect the solar market to triple in size over the next five years. The industry will continue to lead the way in rebuilding our infrastructure to ensure a cleaner grid. AboutNexamp Nexamp is leading the transformation to the new energy economy with proven solutions for the deployment and operation of solar energy assets. Our comprehensive capabilities span the entire solar project lifecycle – from project development, design and construction, through financing, operations, and maintenance. Our integrated, best-in-class solutions make solar energy simple and profitable for our clients and partners and make an impact every day. With a rapidly expanding network of property owners, businesses, communities, and residents benefitting from our growing portfolio of solar assets across the US, Nexamp is laying the groundwork for a cleaner, more secure energy future.

Read More

Solar+Storage

Bidgely and GridX Partner to Optimize Electricity Costs for a Clean Energy Future

businesswire | August 02, 2023

Bidgely, the leading provider of AI-powered energy intelligence solutions, and GridX, the leading enterprise rate platform provider to modern utilities, have announced a partnership to deliver enhanced energy cost accuracy and control for utilities and their customers. By combining behind-the-meter consumption insights with highly accurate cost insights, utilities can implement grid management initiatives, such as cost-based load shifting and time-varying rates, that keep energy reliable and affordable for consumers. "Motivating consumers to make smarter energy decisions is paramount to achieving utility decarbonization goals,” said Chris Black, CEO of GridX. “Through our partnership with Bidgely, we are further reducing the mystery of how a consumer's energy choices correspond to their energy bills or grid impact. This results in a win for everyone. Customers get lower bills, utilities get more life out of their existing infrastructure, and customers and utilities are in sync in achieving their decarbonization goals.” Bidgely’s UtilityAI™ Platform, which provides hour-by-hour energy insights into customers’ usage patterns at the appliance level, combined with GridX’s industry-leading rate engine enables utilities to execute demand-side management strategies critical for supporting decarbonization and electrification goals. This integration enables utilities to: Improve rate analytics for tailoring new and existing plans to customer needs and utility objectives. Give customers rate comparisons that project the detailed impact to their bill across different rate options. Personalize cost simulations that inform customers on how potential changes impact future bills, for example: EV purchases, HVAC upgrades, solar PV and Time-of-Use enrollment. Deliver accurate appliance-level cost breakdowns across the bill cycle and hourly levels. Unlocking behind-the-meter cost savings opportunities also bolsters satisfaction and trust among utility customers. Through highly precise bill projections, rate comparisons and energy efficiency recommendations, consumers can understand how their individual usage affects bill statements and better control their energy costs. “Restructuring rate plans for better load shifting has become an imperative utility initiative, especially as electric vehicles, appliance electrification and weather-related grid strains become more prolific. By partnering with GridX, we are teaching consumers that when they use energy is as important as how much energy is used, and we are giving every kilowatt-hour consumed a dollar value to help drive simple and actionable behavioral changes,” said Abhay Gupta, CEO of Bidgely. About Bidgely Bidgely is an AI-powered SaaS Company accelerating a clean energy future by enabling energy companies and consumers to make data-driven energy-related decisions. Powered by our unique patented technology, Bidgely's UtilityAI™ Platform transforms multiple dimensions of customer data - such as energy consumption, demographic, and interactions - into deeply accurate and actionable consumer energy insights. We leverage these insights to empower each customer with personalized recommendations, tailored to their individual personality and lifestyle, usage attributes, behavioral patterns, purchase propensity, and beyond. From a Distributed Energy Resources (DER) and Grid Edge perspective, Bidgely is advancing smart meter innovation with data-driven solutions for solar PVs, EV detection, EV behavioral load shifting and managed charging, energy theft, short-term load forecasting, grid analytics, and TOU rate designs. Bidgely’s UtilityAI™ energy analytics provides deep visibility into generation, consumption for better peak load shaping and grid planning, and delivers targeted recommendations for new value-added products and services. With roots in Silicon Valley, Bidgely has over 17 energy patents, $75M+ in funding, retains 30+ data scientists, and brings a passion for AI to utilities serving residential and commercial customers around the world. About GridX, Inc GridX partners with utilities and energy suppliers to transform their businesses and accelerate the clean energy transition. The company’s Enterprise Rate Platform helps these organizations to develop new products and business models to achieve their clean energy goals; quickly operationalize new offerings in their billing and settlement processes; and better engage with their customers for broader program adoption. GridX’s platform is used by leading utilities, retail energy suppliers and energy ecosystem OEMs to serve more than 25 million homes and businesses.

Read More

Solar+Storage, Energy

Babcock & Wilcox Solar Energy, Inc. Awarded Community Solar Contracts Totaling $20 Million

Businesswire | August 01, 2023

Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, Inc. (B&W) (NYSE: BW) announced today that its subsidiary, Babcock & Wilcox Solar Energy, Inc., has been awarded contracts totaling more than $20 million by Summit Ridge Energy, LLC, for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of 25 megawatts of community solar energy projects in Illinois. B&W has successfully executed multiple projects for Summit Ridge Energy, including a $15 million community solar project announced in March 2023 and a $20 million project announced in 2022. “We value our strong, ongoing relationship with Summit Ridge Energy and are excited to develop more projects in the future as we look to grow and expand B&W’s presence in the community solar industry,” said Jimmy Morgan, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, B&W. “We appreciate the confidence Summit Ridge Energy has shown in B&W’s installation, site coordination and project management expertise and look forward to continuing to work together.” B&W will engineer, procure and construct the six photovoltaic solar projects, with completion scheduled for 2024. “As Summit Ridge Energy continues to expand our solar leadership in Illinois, we’re pleased to partner with B&W on another EPC contract,” said Raj Soi, Executive Vice President of Operations, Summit Ridge Energy. “We are proud of our work to create new jobs in Illinois, invest in the local economy and provide solar power savings to more than 20,000 households and businesses.” With more than 100 solar projects installed, B&W offers reliable system design, construction and optimized system integration. B&W is committed to providing forward-thinking solar solutions, outstanding service, and quality construction with safety as a top priority. Summit Ridge Energy is the largest commercial solar developer and owner-operator in Illinois, with an energy portfolio of more than 250 megawatts across the state. Summit Ridge Energy has invested over $900 million in Illinois through the development and acquisition of 116 individual solar farms, located across 35 counties. These projects have employed more than 3,500 construction workers and provide solar power savings to more than 20,000 Illinois ratepayers. About Babcock & Wilcox Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, Inc. is a leader in energy and environmental products and services for power and industrial markets worldwide. About Summit Ridge Energy Launched in 2017, Summit Ridge Energy is the nation’s leading commercial solar company. Through its strategic partnerships and project financing expertise, the company develops and acquires pre-operational projects within the rapidly growing solar energy and battery storage sectors. In the past six years, Summit Ridge Energy has deployed over $1.6B USD into clean energy assets. With a development pipeline of more than 2 GW, Summit Ridge Energy will have more than 400 MW of PV online by the end of 2023, providing solar power to 50,000 homes.

Read More

Energy

Nexamp Named #1 Community Solar Company by Solar Power World Magazine

prnewswire | July 31, 2023

Nexamp, a leading clean energy solutions provider, has been awarded the prestigious title of "#1 Community Solar Company" by Solar Power World magazine. This recognition highlights Nexamp's foundational commitment to advancing renewable energy accessibility, environmental stewardship, and community empowerment. Since its inception, Nexamp has set out to transform the way individuals, businesses, and communities access and utilize solar energy. By developing innovative solar projects nationwide, the company has consistently broken barriers and created opportunities for a greener future. The company's extensive portfolio of community solar installations stands as a testament to its vision of a cleaner, more sustainable grid. The Solar Power World list is developed each year to honor the work of solar companies in the United States. Solar firms in the utility, community solar, and residential markets are ranked by the number of kilowatts they installed in the previous year. Companies are grouped and listed by specific services, markets, and states. "Earning the top spot on this list is an honor," said Zaid Ashai, CEO of Nexamp, "and as always, it shows our commitment to our mission. With an industry-leading community solar program and our growing suite of decarbonization services, we are proud of the way we continue to revolutionize the grid by developing, building, owning, and operating the solar and storage solutions of tomorrow." 2023 so far has been one of the busiest in Nexamp's history, surpassing the company's previous single-year record for megawatts of new projects turned on in just the first two quarters. Since its founding in 2007, Nexamp has installed more than a gigawatt of solar capacity. "Renewable energy accounts for a quarter of U.S. electrical generation, now far exceeding electricity produced by burning coal," said Kelsey Misbrener, managing editor of Solar Power World. "Solar power is an important member of that renewable makeup, and companies on the Top Solar Contractors List are all contributing to our country's shift to cleaner electricity. We are honored to recognize them each year for their necessary work putting green kilowatts on roofs, over parking lots, in desert locations, and across water reservoirs. Every project is making a difference." The United States reported its strongest first-quarter ever in Q1 2023 for solar installed, and industry analysts expect the solar market to triple in size over the next five years. The industry will continue to lead the way in rebuilding our infrastructure to ensure a cleaner grid. AboutNexamp Nexamp is leading the transformation to the new energy economy with proven solutions for the deployment and operation of solar energy assets. Our comprehensive capabilities span the entire solar project lifecycle – from project development, design and construction, through financing, operations, and maintenance. Our integrated, best-in-class solutions make solar energy simple and profitable for our clients and partners and make an impact every day. With a rapidly expanding network of property owners, businesses, communities, and residents benefitting from our growing portfolio of solar assets across the US, Nexamp is laying the groundwork for a cleaner, more secure energy future.

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