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Interesting Technology Updates -Click on a title below

  • - A radical idea to get a high-renewable electric grid

    This is an interesting approach to optaining very high penetration of renewables such as photovoltaics and wind.  At present most large installations operate under Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) wherein the economics are based on a sell all output at predetermined prices. This contrasts with standalone systems wherein the system size Read More
  • - Breakthrough Batteries Powering the Era of Clean Electrification

    - Breakthrough Batteries Powering the Era of Clean Electrification Battery Storage Costs Drop Dramatically, Making Way to a New Era. A recent Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) report continues to confirm that clean electrification through batteries is advancing at impressive rates. Very interesting report: Breakthrough Batteries- Powering the Era of Clean Electrification Read More
  • - Interesting Technology

    An assortment of links to interesting information   Semiconductor Nanowires Could Double the Efficiency of Silicon Solar Cells A p/n semiconductor junction is not the only way of converting sunshine into useful electrical energy.  Light consists of a flow of photons of various energy levels (colors).  See this article-Solar Cells.  Nanowires Read More
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Interesting Videos

Hanwha plans to Build a large Solar Plant in LaPaz County, Arizona

Hanwha 800MW location

174 Power Global, Corp., a California-based subsidiary of South Korean company Hanwha, plans to construct, operate, maintain, and decommission a utility-scale photovoltaic solar facility (800 megawatts) on 4,654 acres of BLM-administered public land in southeastern La Paz County.  While the proposed site is likely within view of I-10 about midway between the Phoenix metro area and the California border, it is not near any sizable community.  The BLM held a public meeting in Quartzsite, West of the map image above, on February 19th.

The site, just south of Interstate 10, is close to a recently approved but still-to-be-constructed substation and a new 'Ten West Link' transmission line. The proposed project is still in the early stages. It must be approved by the BLM, then go through an environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act process, before it can be fully approved and construction can begin.  The location is ideal for selling the energy into both the Arizona and California markets.

Hanwha Q Cells recently opened the largest solar factory in the Western Hemisphere. The 300,000 square foot factory in Dalton, Georgia has the capacity to produce 12,000 PV modules per day, or 1.7 GW annually – the same peak generating capacity as the Hoover Dam. This project will use about half the annual production of the new plant.

APS- Residential Battery Pilot Program (Now completed)

Arizona Public Service Co. has introduced a Residential Battery Pilot Program.

The pilot is now available to APS residential customers who install residential battery systems, enroll in a TOU (Time of Use) or TOU-plus-demand service plan and commit to discharging their batteries during on-peak periods. (Note: Rate requirements are waived for customers on grandfathered solar rates.) The pilot will help APS learn about battery performance in a variety of conditions and how batteries may create value for customers through improved management of energy demand at their residence and help reduce stress on the electric grid. Customers will have two options to participate in the pilot: Data Only or Data and Battery Management.

With the Data Only option, the customer will agree to allow APS to access data associated with the battery system. The customer is eligible for an incentive of $500 per installed kWh for installed battery capacity, with a maximum incentive of $2,500 per home.

With the Data and Battery Management option, the customer will agree to allow APS access to data associated with the battery system and share up to 80% of the system’s capacity for a maximum of 100 events a year. The customer is eligible for an incentive of $500 per installed kWh for installed battery capacity plus an additional $1,250 per home, with a maximum combined incentive of $3,750 per home.

The customer incentive will be payable directly to the APS customer, with the exception that the APS customer may assign his or her incentive to an approved third party. In cases in which the customer assigns the incentive to the approved third party, the third party must demonstrate through documentation that they have compensated the customer for the full amount of the paid incentive amount approved by the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC). This documentation is required before the incentive will be paid.

Installers or battery inverter manufacturers will assist customers with pilot enrollment in the resource operating platform as well as submitting an interconnection application to APS. Program started on October 4, 2021.  As of Mid-November 2021 only the SolarEdge EnergyHub system with the new SolarEdge Energy Bank 10kWh Battery is covered and some of the Enphase ac batteries. Details at  http://www.aps.com/battery.

More information is available, see the 'Frequently Asked Questions' at this link.

Editorial note (December 2021): Reported that the SolarEdge Energy Bank 10kWh Battery will not be available until about March 2022.  The installer must be SolarEdge trained.

APS- Now Available: Residential Battery Pilot Program

Arizona Public Service Co. has introduced a Residential Battery Pilot Program, starting October 4, 2021.

The pilot will be available to APS residential customers who install residential battery systems, enroll in a TOU (Time of Use) or TOU-plus-demand service plan and commit to discharging their batteries during on-peak periods. (Note: Rate requirements are waived for customers on grandfathered solar rates.) The pilot will help APS learn about battery performance in a variety of conditions and how batteries may create value for customers through improved management of energy demand at their residence and help reduce stress on the electric grid.

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  • Welcome to the Arizona Solar Center

     This is your source for solar and renewable energy information in Arizona. Explore various technologies, including photovoltaics, solar water heating, solar architecture, solar cooking and wind power. Keep up to date on the latest industry news. Follow relevant lectures, expositions and tours. Whether you are a homeowner looking to become more energy efficient, a student learning the science behind the technologies or an industry professional, you will find valuable information here.
  • About The Arizona Solar Center

    About The Arizona Solar Center Arizona Solar Center Mission- The mission of the Arizona Solar Center is to enhance the utilization of renewable energy, educate Arizona's residents on solar technology developments, support commerce and industry in the development of solar and other sustainable technologies and coordinate these efforts throughout the state of Arizona. About the Arizona Solar Center- The Arizona Solar Center (AzSC) provides a broad-based understanding of solar energy, especially as it pertains to Arizona. Registered Read More
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