The U.S. solar market installed 3.5 gigawatts (GW) of new solar PV capacity in Q2 2020, only a drop of 6% from Q1 installations, but that’s propped up by utility-scale projects (71% of total capacity brought online). The U.S. Solar Market Insight Q3 2020 report, released today by the SolarRead More

Solar and storage technology has come a long way, and now it’s time for the permitting process catch up. Clear and comprehensive procedures defining permitting, inspection and other requirements for solar and solar-plus-storage projects are essential to ensure the safety and quality of installed systems. A newly launched, three-year project,Read More

The U.S. solar market installed 3.6 gigawatts (GW) of new solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in Q1 2020, according to the U.S. Solar Market Insight Q2 2020 report from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie — which makes it the best first quarter total in history by nearlyRead More

Within a decade, it is possible (likely?) that more than half of the electricity generated in the U.S. will come from renewable resources supported by energy storage. Seeing this carrot dangling in the distance, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), National Hydropower Association (NHA), andRead More

Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), issued a statement on racial injustices and the group’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion: “Following the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and too many other brown and black colleagues, friends, and family, weRead More

New guidance from the Treasury Department confirms that the safe harbor provisions for the solar Investment Tax Credit will be extended until Oct. 15 as a result of the pandemic, giving solar companies more time to qualify for the important credit. IRS Notice 2020-41 provides an additional year for renewableRead More

We reported last week that clean energy jobs have fallen off a cliff, and now the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) tells us solar specifically is nearing 2014 employment levels. This is an expected workforce of 188,000 people as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, compared to the 302,000 the tradeRead More

The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) released emergency regulations that expand and update the Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target Program (SMART), the state’s main incentive program for solar. The expansion will help drive enough solar to power the equivalent of more than 250,000 homes. “Amidst the COVID-19 crisis, the Baker-PolitoRead More

Here’s something helpful: New York State leaders enacted critical, pro-solar provisions as part of the New York state budget this week. David Gahl, senior director of state affairs, northeast for the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), had this to say about it: “We commend Governor Cuomo, Speaker Heastie, and MajorityRead More

Sheesh. The COVID-19 pandemic has left little time for the Solar Builder editorial staff (me) to keep up with and report on solar industry fallout and impacts while also keeping the rest of our editorial plans on the tracks (from home, of course) and launching a wacky new video idea.Read More