Alternative Energy White Papers

More than 90 U.S. cities and 140 large corporations have established 100% clean, carbon-free and/or renewable energy goals in recent years. California, with its new mandate that 100% of its energy power must come from non-carbon sources such as solar and wind by 2045, joins Hawaii, which previously established a similar goal. In several other states, newly seated governors campaigned in 2018 on goals of 100% renewable energy, and congressional representatives were sent to Washington positioning for a like-minded national proposal. Setting 100% clean energy or renewable goals is a significant step, but the question remains: what really has to happen to get from here to there, and what are the benefits such a transition will bring?

The frameworks in this slide deck can help those in the power sector understand and analyze key power system design criteria, different constructs for future utility business models, and evaluation criteria for the different utility business model constructs. SEPA developed a set of frameworks to help synthesize the collective insights gathered from Phase III of the 51st State Initiative

Dive into the three phases of the 51st State Initiative that initiated the creation of novel ideas for a better energy future. As a capstone to the 51st State Initiative, this paper captures the evolution of thinking through the initiative’s phases.

HiveMind sequestered 135 metric tons of CO2e in four inches of soil on a 500 square feet green roof at Cummin’s Huddersfield diesel plant. Our data from over a dozen sites in the US give an average of 100 tons CO2E sequestered per 1,000 square feet on a standard sedum roof of four inches. There are 43,560 square feet in an acre, so it’s possible to sequester 4,300 tons of CO2e over ten years on acres of land. Central Park is 840 acres so it’s possible to sequester 3.6 million tons of CO2e in a space the park’s size. That’s the carbon footprint of 180,600 Americans. We believe that’s a better solution than a park full of giant air sucking fans.

Developed by the SEIA Quality Assurance Working Group, this document was designed to update installation best practices originally developed by the Solar Access to Public Capital (SAPC) working group organized by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and is intended to be updated as proper protocol dictates. The primary intention of this document is to provide recommended best practices to facilitate high-quality and consistent residential solar projects. The broader objective in developing and maintaining this document is to build confidence among potential solar customers, regulators, investors, rating agencies, and other stakeholders in the concept that residential solar systems are a valuable home improvement, a consistent and long-term electric generating resource, and credit-worthy investment asset class.

Key data highlighted in the white paper includes more than five years of outdoor weathering at 3M’s state-of-the-art, geographically diverse test locations (3 outdoor sites representing 3 distinct climates). The data shows virtually no film degradation and most importantly, consistent optical performance of the film and electrical output of the test modules.

Find solutions to enhance energy efficiency of smart grids, HEV/EV, e-mobility, and more. Sustainable energy technology is driving our future lifestyle, from vehicle electrification to home energy management systems. See how Keysight solutions can help with solar grid energy efficiency, emulate high-power, high-voltage electric vehicle battery testing, cell self-discharge characterization, and power device modeling.

Global energy demand is expected to increase by 30 percent between 2018 and 2040, the equivalent of adding another China and India to our planet.1 Renewable energy sources will help meet that demand and will require not one, but a robust mix of energy storage technologies to lower the planet’s carbon footprint, create efficient energy models and stabilize the grid.

Lightweight, durable plastic composites are continuing to replace steel, aluminum, and fiberglass in the manufacturing of outdoor products. Innovative new developments and refinements have further expanded the performance spectrum of plastics in recent years, particularly for use in electrical and electronic components. Consequently, plastic components are becoming more common in PV solar mounting systems.

In this white paper, you'll learn the value of drone data; practical use cases for the drone for each energy sector - Transmission & Distribution, Wind, and Solar; value propositions of the drone for each energy sector, how to address current shortcomings of drone technology and regulation; and how to bring it all together to sell your energy organization on using drones

Across the entire energy sector, companies are utilizing drones to provide accurate site and asset inspections in a fraction of the time. How can your company start taking advantage of their benefits today? The Quick Start Guide to Drones in Energy assembles the best knowledge available on drone use in oil and gas, solar, wind, and utilities and puts it at your fingertips.

Dropping investment costs are causing new companies to sprout up every day and lower energy pricing is putting even more pressure on renewable energy asset managers to squeeze every dollar out of their budgets and save their margins. Renewable asset management software can help asset owners and operators grow their portfolios in an increasingly complex environment. This guide will walk readers through the essentials of renewable asset management software including misconceptions about asset management, the benefits of software, and how to recognize when you need it. The guide will also give common renewable asset management scenarios and workflows that can be automated or benefit from an asset management software solution.

With billions of dollars invested and gigawatts of solar installed every month, savvy investors and owners understand that to maximize financial returns and optimize solar power plant performance, a well-thought-out plan for a complete operations and maintenance (O&M) program must be baked into the economics of any project before the first boots hit the ground. Single-axis trackers (SATs) have become increasingly popular because of the higher energy yield they produce compared to fixed-tilt systems. This white paper discusses and analyzes the factors to consider when evaluating tracker technologies from an O&M perspective.

With so many competing interests and limited time, fulfilling the responsibilities of a solar energy professional is becoming more challenging. With those increasing pressures in mind, we partnered with experts and technicians across the country to collect resources that colleagues in your industry are using to make their lives easier. We compiled this list and want to share these resources with you.

The addition of energy storage to an existing or new utility-scale PV installation allows system owners and operators the opportunity to capture additional revenues. Traditional storage plus solar applications have involved the coupling of independent storage and PV inverters at an AC bus or the use of multi-input hybrid inverters. An alternative approach – coupling energy storage to PV arrays with a DC-to-DC converter – can help maximize production and profits for existing and new utility-scale installations. DC-Coupled Utility-Scale Solar Plus Storage leads to higher round-trip efficiencies and lower cost of integration with existing PV arrays and at the same time, opens up new revenue streams not possible with traditional AC-coupled storage, including clipping recapture and low voltage harvesting, while being eligible for valuable tax incentives.

Key highlights from the report include: • Long-duration storage is now commonly viewed as having an energy delivery time of at least four hours, and the need for it is growing. • Renewable energy self-consumption is seen as the most promising application for long-duration storage. • A Levelized Cost of Storage (LCOS) calculation is considered the most reputable selection criterion in determining which long-duration storage technology to deploy. • The most promising technology for long-duration storage is flow batteries and the key criterion for selecting a given asset is cost, particularly the capital expense required.

After a decade of explosive growth in the residential solar photovoltaic (PV) market, in 2017 California saw its first decrease in annual residential solar installations. This paper suggests that the most probable cause of this downturn is the beginning of market saturation in the residential retrofit market (as differentiated from the new construction market). It also illustrates how the new construction market, which is growing rather than declining, can mitigate a downturn in the retrofit market when sufficient housing growth and aggressive new construction policies or initiatives exist. The analysis suggests that 15 - 20,000 jobs are at risk in California if steps are not taken to mitigate the downturn.

Most forms of infrastructure are being transformed with modern monitoring, data communication, data analysis, and remote control systems. The electric transmission system is poised to be the next sector. A number of proven, advanced technologies exist which can help optimize the existing transmission grid. These technologies can variously allow hidden transmission capacity to be identified and utilized, reduce power flow on overburdened lines, and/or reconfigure existing grid elements to optimize various operational scenarios. These advanced technologies can be applied singly or in combination.

Together with 3E - provider of consultancy services and software for sustainable energy systems - we have analyzed highly accurate irradiation data of more than 200 weather stations with state-of-the-art satellite derived data. How these compare and differ is described in the whitepaper.

Researchers from NREL and Clean Energy Group found that placing a monetary value on the ability of solar+storage to avoid losses during grid outages can significantly impact project economics and system design. Using data from Southern California Edison, researchers analyzed the economic case for solar+storage for three customer types (school, office building, and hotel) in Anaheim, California. In each case analyzed, larger PV and battery storage systems were found to be economical when the value of resilience is accounted for.

Solar fastener leader HellermannTyton has developed a white paper to address one of the most frequently asked questions regarding solar wire management: Which is better – plastic or metal? “Plastic or Metal? How Wire Management Materials Impact the Lifespan of Solar PV Installations” will help solar designers and installers make informed decisions that result in safer, longer lasting solar installations. The report includes a primer on different plastic compounds that demonstrate longer life in the menacing solar environment.