2017 is another year in the history books. At the close of
every year, most of us sit back and reminisce about all of the new beginnings,
losses, and successes of the preceding year. This year is no different. Since
we’ve been bringing you tidbits of solar news throughout the year, we’d like to
take a moment to recap some of the most exciting things that 2017 brought to
the solar arena.
Less Expensive Solar:
Every year, solar prices are declining due to new
manufacturing techniques, better technology, and greater accessibility around
the world. 2017 was no different. In fact, fixed-tilt
utility-scale systems have dropped under the $1/watt barrier for the first time
in history. This is a big deal for commercial and large scale systems, and is
also a great indicator that large scale commercial solar power plants will
start popping up more frequently. Total installed U.S. solar PV capacity is
expected to nearly triple over the next five years. According to
EnergyInformative.com, the cheapest solar panels currently cost about $.75 USD
per watt. This is considerably cheaper than what solar cost a decade or even a
few years ago.
Notable Projects:
The Kamuthi Solar
Power Plant, located in India (648MW) is now the largest solar plant in the
world. This super-sized plant became operational in 2017, an exciting
development for Asia. Kamuthi dethroned the Topaz Solar Farm in California,
which has an operating capacity of 500MW, as well as the Longyangxia Dam Solar
Park – 850MW, located in China. Perhaps most surprisingly, this plant was built
in only 8 months time and can power 150,000 homes at full capacity. Although
the USA and China are the top solar markets in the world, India is quickly
becoming the third largest market. India is also ambitiously aiming to
generate nearly 60% of its electricity rom non-fossil sources by 2027. Can
we all follow India’s solar plans?
Fastest Growing Renewable Energy:
Solar is now the fastest growing renewable energy sector. In
fact, it has outstripped the growth of all other forms of power generation for
the first time. In 2017, solar use grew more than coal, pointing to falling
prices and less restrictions worldwide. Solar
is also being used to manage power needs during peak times, reducing reliance
on traditional energy. Wind is currently the second most popular renewable, as
it is also a relatively low-cost option. Both solar and wind are becoming
comparable in cost to fossil fuels, making them a competitive option during
project bidding. This trend may have been set in 2017, but it is expected to
continue through 2022.
Notable Solar
Innovations:
A team of scientists at MIT have developed a new kind of
“hot” solar cell. These new cells turn sunlight into heat, and then convert it
back to light to capture more energy. This new method is known as
“thermovoltaics,” a new take on traditional solar that allows the cell to
absorb more energy. Traditional solar cells cannot turn more than 32% of
sunlight into electricity, limiting its efficiency. The MIT prototype is only
6.8% efficient, but through various enhancements is expected to be twice as
efficient as a traditional solar cell. Don’t get too excited, as the final
product is still 10-15 years away.
Clear solar panels are also a new innovation that was
introduced in 2017. Clear solar panels are ideal for homes, as they can be
substituted for glass windows. Alternatively, they can serve as skylights or
building windows. Glass panels are more durable, less flammable, and less prone
to erosion than their traditional counterparts. Glass panels will also likely
be built into a structure rather than incorporated after; builders will include
them on new homes and buildings. Along the same lines are the new frameless
solar panels (clear panels are also frameless). Many homeowners find the
framing of the panel to be the least appealing feature. Frameless solar panels
will create a more aesthetically pleasing PV system.
Tesla Solar Tiles are another great innovation. Like
frameless and glass panels, solar tiles give a cleaner, more polished look to a
solar project. Tesla started accepting deposits for solar roof tiles in 2017,
and the installations began in California. These solar tiles cost somewhere
around $21.85 per square foot of roofing. Surprisingly, these solar tiles are
more durable than traditional roofing, giving an added bonus. The tiles will be
available in Tuscan glass, slate glass, textured glass, and smooth glass.
Nationwide construction may begin in 2018.
