- Imergy Power Systems has announced the Global Academy of Technology (GAT) College, an engineering education institution in Bangalore, India, has installed a 30 kW, 120 kilowatt hour (kWh) ESP30 vanadium flow battery at the school’s SunEdison-GAT solar research and testing center. The long-duration battery (four hours at nominal power) will reduce the need for GAT College to run diesel-fueled generators when there are power outages at night. The battery will store energy generated by a SunEdison 50 kW photovoltaic (PV) solar power system.
- SunEdison, Inc. has signed a definitive agreement to acquire 100 percent of Globeleq Mesoamerica Energy (GME), Central America’s leading renewable energy company. SunEdison will acquire a 70 percent interest in GME from Actis, a global pan-emerging market private equity investor focused on the energy sector, and a 30 percent interest from Mesoamerica Power Limited. The acquisition will solidify SunEdison’s position as the largest renewable energy developer in Central America as it expands its presence in the global renewable energy market.
- U.S.-based Rayton Solar Inc is en route to revolutionize the world – by making solar energy cheaper than energy produced by fossil fuels. To date they have raised over one million dollars in seed funding. Rayton is using 1/50 to 1/100 less silicon (the most expensive component of a solar panel) than the industry standard. They are only utilizing 4 microns of silicon with zero waste in the manufacturing process. Conventional wafers are over 200 microns thick and waste more than 60% of the raw material. Additionally, Rayton is the only commercial solar manufacturer capable of using Float Zone Silicon; a higher grade silicon that is 25% more efficient than the industry standard.
- SunShare has launched one of the largest residential Community Solar campaigns in the country, with a goal to enroll up to 5,000 homes by December. For an average house, purchasing energy from 20 panels would eliminate the entire electric bill. The electricity produced at the solar gardens will flow into Xcel Energy’s grid and Xcel Energy will credit customers’ bills with the energy the panels produce. Participants simply pay for their solar energy every month, just as they do with their utility bill. If a customer’s share of the garden generates more power than they use, the energy credits will carry over to future bills. All participants stay connected to Xcel Energy’s electric system and remain customers of Xcel Energy.