The hottest Solar energy Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Technology Topics

Some consequences of solar on the electricity markets

GEM Energy Analytics • 899 implied HN points • 08 Jul 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Solar energy Electricity Markets Energy Policy
  1. Solar energy is growing quickly and changing the electricity market. As solar power is cheaper to produce, it often leads to lower prices during sunny times.
  2. The value of solar energy isn’t highest when the sun is shining most. It’s more valuable during peak demand times like morning and evening.
  3. As more solar energy is used, the need for traditional power sources is decreasing, which is affecting imports, exports, and the costs of maintaining power reserves.

On incentives for rooftop and utility-scale solar

GEM Energy Analytics • 299 implied HN points • 04 Mar 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Solar energy Renewable Energy Energy Policy Market Dynamics Incentives
  1. Rooftop solar and utility-scale solar are quite different, even though they both use the same technology. Rooftop solar is small and connected to homes, while utility-scale solar is large and functions like a power plant.
  2. Incentives play a big role in how these solar systems behave in the market. Rooftop solar often lacks good incentives to respond to price changes, whereas utility-scale solar can better react to market prices.
  3. Both types of solar can be improved by better support schemes and incentives. It's important not just to generate energy but also to maximize its value in the market, ensuring more efficient and responsive use of solar power.

Updates on Spain (as of April 2024)

GEM Energy Analytics • 179 implied HN points • 22 Apr 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Energy Renewables Market Trends Solar energy
  1. Spain is currently experiencing negative prices in the energy market, meaning they pay less than zero for electricity. This is a first for the country and has happened multiple times in April 2024.
  2. There is a record amount of energy stored in Spanish hydro reservoirs, which is leading to very low electricity prices. These reservoirs have more energy than has been seen in the past ten years.
  3. The capture rates for solar energy are extremely low, with some months showing just 20%. This indicates that solar power is not being used efficiently, especially when prices are so low.

Limits to growth: solar edition

GEM Energy Analytics • 599 implied HN points • 10 Oct 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Renewable Energy Solar energy Sustainability Environmental Policy
  1. Solar energy is growing quickly, but it has limits. Even though many people are excited about its future, there are economic reasons that might slow its growth.
  2. The value of solar electricity is decreasing as more solar power is added to the system. This means that while solar may be cheap to produce, its market value might drop, making it less profitable.
  3. Government support, like subsidies, could help solar energy continue to grow despite these challenges. However, it's unclear how committed governments will be to supporting solar if its market value drops significantly.
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Solar capture price in Germany: details on 2023 and prospects for 2024

GEM Energy Analytics • 339 implied HN points • 22 Nov 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Solar energy Renewable Energy Energy Policy Sustainability
  1. Solar energy in Germany shows strong seasonal patterns, with the best month generating up to 12 times more power than the worst month. This means energy production is not consistent throughout the year.
  2. The average solar capture price in 2023 is 72 €/MWh, which is a capture rate of 75%. However, this rate is expected to decline in 2024 due to the increase in solar capacity.
  3. Germany is rapidly expanding its solar capacity, aiming for 215 GW by 2030. This increased capacity can lead to lower energy prices, especially during times of high solar generation.

The Solar Buildout

Syncretica • 314 implied HN points • 25 Sep 23
🔬 Science Solar energy Renewables Energy Policy
  1. Building solar power in regions with high sun hours is more economical and efficient.
  2. Solar power can be strategically placed based on demand, like in coastal regions with high air conditioning demand.
  3. Transitioning to solar power impacts traditional energy sources like gas and coal, potentially leading to energy independence.

Solar cannibalization: more details

GEM Energy Analytics • 399 implied HN points • 17 Jun 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Renewable Energy Solar energy Market Dynamics Energy Policy Sustainability
  1. Solar energy is growing rapidly, but it faces a challenge called solar cannibalization, where high production leads to lower market prices. This means that when solar output is high, producers earn less money.
  2. The effect of solar cannibalization is expected to increase as more solar capacity comes online, especially during sunny months when energy supply exceeds demand. This could result in financial strain for solar power projects.
  3. Solutions that help manage electricity demand, like flexible uses of power and smart technology, may not be enough to balance the market. Policymakers need to better understand these dynamics as solar capacity expands.

The solar cannibalization effect

GEM Energy Analytics • 359 implied HN points • 24 Mar 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Solar energy Energy Policy Market Dynamics Environmental Impact
  1. Solar energy is growing quickly in Europe, with expectations to reach significant capacity by 2030. This could lead to solar generation being a large part of the electricity supply.
  2. As more solar energy is produced, captured prices for electricity are decreasing because solar generates more when prices are lower. This is called the cannibalization effect.
  3. To deal with the challenges of lower prices and a high concentration of solar power, solutions like energy storage and flexible systems are needed, but the necessary regulations are still catching up.

How cheap will solar projects get?

GEM Energy Analytics • 159 implied HN points • 23 Jun 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Solar energy Renewable Energy Sustainability Environmental Policy
  1. The cost of solar projects has gone down a lot over the last decade, but it is expected to decrease by only about a third in the next decade. This is still good, but not as impressive as before.
  2. Solar module prices were dropping fast, but that trend is slowing down. Improvements in manufacturing are now changing more slowly and the costs of projects could squeeze profits for developers.
  3. Oversizing solar projects, where the installed capacity is greater than the inverter capacity, might become common. This is partly because transmission costs aren’t increasing as quickly as module prices.

Exploring Personal Solar Energy Data

Solar Powered Data • 19 implied HN points • 01 Jul 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Solar energy Energy Production Energy consumption
  1. Exploring personal solar energy data can start with simple steps like getting quotes from platforms like EnergySage.
  2. Solar panel energy production can vary due to factors like weather conditions and time of year, impacting electricity consumption offset and savings.
  3. Net metering and understanding energy consumption patterns are crucial for optimizing the benefits of residential solar energy systems.

Projecting Solar Production with Weather Data

Solar Powered Data • 0 implied HN points • 09 Jul 23
🔬 Science Solar energy Energy Production Forecasting Data Analysis
  1. The correlation between weather data like solar radiation and solar energy with solar production is high, indicating a predictive relationship.
  2. By using historical and forecasted weather data, it's possible to project solar energy production up to two weeks in advance, offering insights for planning.
  3. Accuracy of solar energy predictions from sources like Visual Crossing is crucial for reliable projected energy production outcomes.

Carbon Reduction of Residential Solar (Part 1)

Solar Powered Data • 0 implied HN points • 26 Nov 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Solar energy Renewable Energy
  1. Electricity from the grid is largely generated by burning fossil fuels, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. Using residential solar panels can help shift to clean, renewable energy from the sun.
  2. Even with solar panels, the production and consumption of electricity are not always aligned, leading to times when homes pull from the grid. Solar tends to overproduce during the day and underproduce at night.
  3. The demand for electricity varies by time of day and year, affecting the carbon intensity of the overall grid. Cheap renewable energy can reduce the use of dirtier coal and gas plants, making the grid cleaner.

Tomorrow - RSS Women in Robotics and AMC Solar Prize info session

Robots & Startups • 0 implied HN points • 13 Jul 21
🕹 Technology Robotics Solar energy Events
  1. Tomorrow, there are two events to look out for: A Women in Robotics event as part of Inclusion@RSS2021 and a Solar Prize Round 5 Informational Webinar.
  2. The Women in Robotics event will take place on 7/13 at 11:00-12:00 ET, while the Solar Prize webinar is scheduled for July 13 at 3 p.m. ET, with applications open until Oct. 5, 2021.
  3. Consider attending these events to learn more about the latest in robotics and solar energy challenges.

Today’s Top 5 HN posts

Top 5 HN Posts of the day • 0 implied HN points • 14 Apr 24
🕹 Technology News Software Solar energy
  1. Today's top 5 HackerNews posts cover a range of topics like obituary writing, challenges faced by doctors, and inflation rates.
  2. Readers can find posts on specific subjects like PostgreSQL index strategy and constructing solar backups for renters.
  3. The HackerNews posts discussed provide valuable insights on various trending topics and projects.

Why Elon Musks new strategy makes sense

Joshua Gans' Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 25 Jul 16
🕹 Technology Electric Vehicles Solar energy Autonomous Vehicles Clean Energy Business strategy
  1. Elon Musk's new strategy for Tesla involves moving beyond the traditional car market and focusing on reconfiguring cities, energy systems, and environmental impact.
  2. Tesla's approach to building electric cars involved designing the vehicles from a clean slate, integrating software and hardware in a new architecture.
  3. Musk's plan to merge Tesla with SolarCity aims to create an integrated company that can innovate in clean energy solutions, including combining electric cars with solar power for reduced carbon footprint.