Category: Clean Energy

Clean Energy

  • Five Steps to Conquering Account-Based Marketing for Commercial Solar

    Five Steps to Conquering Account-Based Marketing for Commercial Solar

    Throughout industries, COVID-19 has made in-person selling difficult, and commercial solar sales is no various. As we re-enter this brave new world of doing organization, we are also redefining what it implies to produce and cultivate meaningful connections with consumers.

    Source: superoffice.com

    Even before the pandemic, account-based marketing (ABM) was acquiring traction as a much better method to target and support industrial solar leads. In the COVID world, ABM can move your marketing efforts forward in a manner that considerably affects sales.

    So what is Account-Based Marketing and why should you do it?

    For the solar industry, ABM is an excellent method to discover qualified targets for commercial solar and support those leads with material that serves their information requirements and speaks with their market context. The benefits? Shorter sales cycles, much better sales and marketing alignment, and eventually much better marketing ROI.

    In brief, Account Based Marketing combines the efforts of your sales and marketing teams to collectively concentrate on clearly specified target accounts. Your marketing group can then release projects that personally resonate with the ideal contacts at these targeted accounts, at the correct time in your sales cycle.

    According to Forrester, by 2019, 55% of online marketers rated their ABM technique as “established” compared to just 43% in 2018, suggesting ABM is here to remain.

    Heres a fast guide to ABM for industrial solar in five easy steps:

    There are a range of methods to measure the success of your ABM utilizing recognized KPIs (Revenue Won being the most essential!). Once you have actually developed your KPIs, use them to show on what works for your vertical, and what requires to be fine-tuned. Offer your teams sufficient time to generate outcomes and then adjust your method as necessary, which can take 3-6 months.

    Lets not sugarcoat things: The objective of ABM is to remove “batch and blast” forms of outreach in favor of more quality interactions. Your leads can see through generic projects, so do not waste their time, or yours. Your engagement should be individualized and individualized, even if that implies fewer leads on your list that could be certified.

    Step 3: Develop your Campaign( s).

    The crucial very first action for your ABM strategy is to recognize your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) for your business. Drill down to discover your target accounts within these markets.

    To optimize your ABM project, we strongly suggest producing content that you can likewise use for a more comprehensive incoming marketing project. This can allow you to change content from your ABM campaign to engage a broader audience, beginning with your Tier 2 accounts.

    Step 5: Measure, Reflect, & & Refine.

    Lets state a target account in your Tier 1 is a school district that want to solarize a number of its schools. The decision-makers at this target account might rest on the District School Board, however influerncers might consist of Facilities Managers, Energy Managers, or perhaps principals at the schools. You can identify the ideal individuals by means of the district directory or website, and even call the District workplace and inquire directly.

    By Zubin Segal & & Nancy Edwards.

    Desire to know if ABM is the right fit for your solar business? Do you have another marketing strategy that you want ABM to be a part of?

    How it works: Once you have recognized your target accounts, youll prioritize them into 2 “tiers” based on your ICP. Tier 1 accounts fit all requirements of your ICP, and you will spend the bulk of your effort on this list (generally 5 to 50 accounts).

    Action 1: Identify your ideal consumer profile & & target accounts.

    Perform your campaign attentively– otherwise actions 1 to 3 will have been a waste of time. Guarantee your outreach links with your decision-maker through tailored messages. If you have actually been creating inbound marketing material such as a case study or white papers, tailor it for your recipient and sum up the crucial points in e-mail marketing. If the lead is even more along, a webinar might remain in order.

    You could compose case studies particular to your target vertical, and then develop a customized presentation or webinar customized to the decision-maker, therefore directly linking the research studies to your Tier 1 target account. Once the prospect fills out a lead kind, this could likewise be gated material on an exclusive landing page that is just offered through access you offer. (Keep the info asked for quick, however essential to your qualifying procedure, such as size of service.).

    From there, youll need to identify who the decision-makers are at these target accounts. You may require to do some direct email/calls to these entities to discover. LinkedIn can be a vital source as well.

    Action 2: Research and prioritize your target accounts and their choice makers.

    In the business solar market, going solar is a group decision, but there typically is one key decision-maker and 1-3 influencers.

    Step 4: Launch your campaigns.

    Dont stop there: ABM prospers on preserving an individual touch to cultivate the lead, so follow up consistently, but respectfully. As most of us are now working from home, there is a higher opportunity that a follow-up call or Zoom meeting can be rather reliable.

    How it works: Once you have recognized your target accounts, youll prioritize them into two “tiers” based on your ICP. Tier 1 accounts fit all criteria of your ICP, and you will invest the bulk of your effort on this list (usually 5 to 50 accounts). Lets state a target account in your Tier 1 is a school district that desire to solarize a number of its schools. The decision-makers at this target account might sit on the District School Board, but influerncers may consist of Facilities Managers, Energy Managers, or even principals at the schools. You might write case studies specific to your target vertical, and then develop a personalized discussion or webinar tailored to the decision-maker, thus straight connecting the research studies to your Tier 1 target account.

    Now its time to put your research study to utilize with personalized material that speaks directly to these target accounts and their decision-makers. Your content should clearly appeal to a target accounts pain points and resolve how you can solve them.

    There are a variety of ways to prioritize your accounts. Nevertheless, if this is your first effort at ABM, we recommend a two-tier structure. Its simple and can easily be embraced by your sales and marketing teams.

    Keep in mind that the appeal of ABM is that its personalized to these companies; this is why your content requires to speak specifically to them.

    ABM has to do with quality over quantity.

  • New Research Shows Public Concern for Climate Change Is Holding Strong During Pandemic

    New Research Shows Public Concern for Climate Change Is Holding Strong During Pandemic

    Can Great Objectives Develop Into Action?

    September 21-27 is Climate Week, and every day well be taking a look at public perceptions on climate modification, new environment options, and advancements revealed at the virtual occasion collaborated by the United Nations and city of New York. Find out more and sign up with the discussion reside on Facebook.

    How has COVID-19 affected customer mindsets toward environment?

    Lowering water and food waste is a location where customers are able to align their intentions with actions fairly quickly: 70% of customers say they decrease water or food waste “most or all of the time.”.

    Other sustainable behaviors are not acted upon so easily. Being “energy clever” ranked as the most affordable sustainable habits in the study: Only 44% of those surveyed state they conserve energy or have thought about changing to sustainable energy, while 65% say they plan to do so. Thats a space of 21 points– and it represents a big opportunity for sustainability and clean energy online marketers.

    ” Standing together, 6 feet apart” has become an everyday pointer of how our actions affect each other. In a current Harris Poll by Sustainable Brands, 70% of those surveyed said COVID-19 has actually made them more mindful of worldwide problems.

    Possibly most motivating was a study by the Futerra Group, carried out in May, in which 77% of Americans said they believed we ought to “make as numerous huge lifestyle changes to stop climate change as we are making to stop COVID-19.”.

    COVID-19 is taking a toll on our lives, nevertheless, and that includes our attention to sustainability: 73% feared leaving their house for personal errands, while 56% worry individual death. On Maslows hierarchy of requirements, it would seem, practicing sustainable habits is far down the list.

    Regardless of whatever occurring around us (or possibly due to the fact that of it), the general public remains concerned about climate change. But how will we react?

    Looking at Sustainable Brands 9 essential sustainable habits below (those considered most impactful from a climate perspective), consumers are still making progress. Not surprisingly, we live out our sustainable intents in some locations more than others. This might be described because some actions are simply simpler to take.

    As any great marketer understands, meaning to act on environment modification by living more sustainably is greatly different than really living out those intents. The Sustainable Brands Survey pointed out above, which was conducted in late July/early August 2020, found that more than 95% of Americans say they attempt to live sustainable way of lives at least some of the time.

    Mind the (Solutions) Gap.

    A Yale research study carried out in April, at the height of sheltering in location, revealed that Americans concern about climate modification has not waned at all. 73% of Americans believe environment change is happening, constant with the exact same research studys findings six months prior.

    Main Street no longer requires to be persuaded of the realities of the environment crisis. With fires raving in the West, cyclones bearing down on the South and a worldwide pandemic still in our middle, brand-new research recommends that Americans have actually not ignored climate modification– and are maybe a lot more knowledgeable about their function in resolving it.

    How sustainably are we behaving?.

    ( AP Photo/Noah Berger).

    If our intentions are so great, why do we stop working to act upon them?

    We are less specified by our demographics than we are by our mental makeup, in spite of the expectation to the contrary. The research study discovered that sustainable habits do not vary extremely by age group and even throughout political parties. Conservatives are nearly as likely as liberals to participate in sustainable behavior.

    Lets take a better look at energy. Across all sustainable habits, “being energy clever” stands apart as one of the least acted-upon objectives. A variety of wise energy alternatives are readily offered, from smart thermostats to solar energy for homes and businesses.

    Customers reluctance to act is typically blamed on inertia, or even worse, lethargy. We simply do not care enough to be energy wise. However this explanation fails when thinking about the effort required by other sustainable habits. Composting food waste requires a considerable effort to build and consistently tend to a compost heap. One might argue that this is a lot more hard than turning or purchasing a programmable thermostat up the thermostat on a hot day.

    So what makes us do something about it?

    Some of us might be inspired by monetary security, while others might be trying to assuage regret, make reparations for their past bad behaviors, or earn appreciation from our neighbors.

    The response depends on identifying the motivations that drive individuals to cross the chasm between intent and action.

    With all of this brand-new information available now, are we fizzling on solar marketing?

    Marketing sustainable services– whether its solar energy or natural soap– needs us to dig deep into the soul of the consumer to discover out whats actually inspiring them. When we do this, we might discover entirely new audiences for our products– and completely various methods of talking to them.

    Looking at Sustainable Brands 9 essential sustainable behaviors below (those considered most impactful from a climate viewpoint), customers are still making development. Being “energy wise” ranked as the lowest sustainable habits in the survey: Only 44% of those surveyed say they conserve energy or have considered changing to eco-friendly energy, while 65% state they mean to do so. Across all sustainable habits, “being energy clever” stands out as one of the least acted-upon intentions. The study found that sustainable habits do not differ wildly by age group or even throughout political parties. Conservatives are almost as likely as liberals to engage in sustainable behavior.

    Even if your audience reacts to these hard-sale strategies, theres a likelihood a specific portion of them will never ever close. Because theyre not inspired, its not. Since weve neglected the emotional and social chauffeurs that make individuals trust your organization enough to take the leap on solar, its.

    Dealing with solar as the sustainable action it is.

    COVID-19 may be frustrating customers, but its likewise made them more knowledgeable about the actions they can require to manage what they can. Going solar is one of those actions. We have to recognize that their factors may be more complicated than we thought.

    In the rush to close more offers before the ITC expires at the end of this year, solar business have actually been pushing the financial message above all others.

    This is a silo-value proposition that misses the mark for a big portion of the audience. Without pairing this bottom-line benefit with emotional and social advantages, you may be losing out on two-thirds of your audience.

    Solar power is generally marketed to consumers and businesses in plain, quantifiable terms: Go solar to conserve cash. Get solar for no money down!

    As we move into preparing our solar marketing techniques for 2021, can we concur that its time to start treating our clients like the diverse individuals they are?

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  • Planning a Solar Marketing Strategy in an Unpredictable Year

    Planning a Solar Marketing Strategy in an Unpredictable Year

    Credit: JoeBiden.com/ climateplan.

    Companies are still attempting to determine how to calibrate their operations as the economy recovers. At the same time, theres terrific momentum behind climate action.

    This leaves solar companies– whether regional installers, regional solar designers or manufacturers of tidy energy technologies– with significant obstacles for marketing their services.

    In the U.S., the brand-new Administration is offering the renewables industry a much-needed factor to exhale. President Biden has actually currently started making good on his pledge to make climate a leading concern, with executive actions to minimize greenhouse gases, reassert our location in the Paris Agreement, and accelerate the shift to eco-friendly energy.

    As the renewable energy market progresses with purpose into 2021, there is factor to be positive. However with Covid still ravaging communities, the future for numerous is still unsure. How can you plan your solar marketing method in such a volatile environment?

    For the solar market, the extension of the federal ITC guarantees that solar development will be supported by coherent national policy, at least for the next 4 years. But there is still a great deal of unpredictability at the state and local levels, with a raft of challenges to renewable policy and a rough economic healing ahead.

    The huge concern is: How can you maximize this minute?

    Brand-Building in a Post-Covid World.

    Not remarkably, social media ended up being a lot more vital to marketing. According to a Special Covid-19 Edition of The CMO Survey, social networks spending increased 74% from February to June of 2020. This trend is most likely to continue.

    Revealing clients that youre respectful of their challenges and wish to assist them find solutions will go a long way toward developing your brand name.

    Chief marketing officers in every market found their worlds rocked to the core, as an enormous health crisis, social unrest and political and economic turmoil disabled the country. Digitization– which in lots of industries was currently well in progress– grew out of control as every element of service operations crossed the gorge to digital. Solar marketing was no exception.

    The value of building a direct, individual relationship with your clients can not be overstated as we move through 2021.

    Finding out to Pivot.

    The task description of anyone took part in the rollicking world of solar marketing has actually always consisted of equivalent steps of flexibility and resilience, however the events of 2020 made marketing solar a particularly perilous undertaking. We were not alone.

    In the solar world, the transition to 100% digital marketing was a truth whose time had actually come. Ensuring the customer journey is as basic and enticing as possible is still an obstacle.

    Marketing in 2021 wont just have to do with the channels and methods business use, but more about the values, personality and stories companies share. Brand names that increase above the digital noise are those who share their authentic selves, which naturally come from their workers and management.

    Is your brand name up to the difficulty?

    Individuals get in touch with individuals, not corporate entities.

    With most options in the renewable resource industry being physical, videos can help not just showcase your products, they can reflect your businesss services, along with its character, culture and worths, all of which are absolutely crucial to constructing a relationship with your consumer.

    In the absence of in-person conferences and tradeshows, lots of events have effectively rotated online, broadening their reach. For brand-new product intros, virtual roadshows can be particularly effective, even in the extremely tactile solar world.

    Concentrate on the Customers ChallengesOn the item side of solar, there is a predisposition toward overexplaining: Focusing on an items features instead of its advantages. A recent research study by Forrester emphasizes the need to move away from tech speak, to be laser-focused on client needs:.

    Expanding the Reach of Solar with Online Platforms and Video.

    Empathy and transparency will be crucial in the coming year, as both B2C and B2C clients will engage with brands based upon shared values. As a business it will be very important to develop a significant discussion with clients and connect with them in an authentic method.

    ” B2B marketers require to step far from producing material that concentrates on what they do and step up to showing consumers that they comprehend their problems and can assist resolve them.” Laura Ramos, VP, Principal Analyst, Forrester Research.

    With the best marketing partner, you can move through 2021 with grace and ease, even as the only consistent continues to be modification.

    Solar companies have actually been fairly advanced users of social media, and in 2020 the industry learned how vital it was to speak straight with their consumers throughout digital platforms, keeping them approximately date on Covid company practices and answering concerns. The need for sincere, two-way discussions will carry over into 2021.

    In Texas, Willie Nelson has actually been an advocate for solar and was a representative for an advertisement for SunPower by Freedom Solar. Many regional celebs would be more than going to put in a plug for solar nowadays.

    Dealing with the best brand name ambassador can highlight your businesss worths as well. An example of this is Mercedes cooperation with The Weeknd on the Video Ad of its very first totally electrical SUV, which interested a large range of consumers, not just ecologically conscious ones, in an imaginative yet genuine way.

    In spite of our Zoom exhaustion, for many, webinars and digital meeting platforms have actually become a great method to broaden an audience that otherwise might not or would not make the trek to a physical occasion.

    For creative ideas and on-point execution of your 2021 marketing strategy, drop us a line.

    Even before the pandemic, people were looking for change– in organization, in their lives and in their community. Solar can be a huge part of the discussion as we reconstruct our economy and certainly, our world. While the silver linings from 2020 are couple of, having environment modification and clean energy at the top of our nationwide discussion must be primary amongst them.

    Willie Nelson has been an outspoken proponent of clean energy. (Photo Credit: “Willie Nelson 2” by Rob Tilden is certified under CC BY 2.0).

    Silver Linings: Solar Is Top of Mind.

    One of the best ways to connect with commercial solar prospects is through case studies. The very best ones focus first on the consumers challenges, with services expressed in terms of business advantages.

    Research study reveals that 70% of B2B buyers are enjoying videos throughout the purchasing journey to help them make purchase decisions.

    Credibility is the Key.

    Given, not all business have a Mercedes spending plan. But you can still find crucial influencers in your neighborhood.

    How can you plan your solar marketing technique in such a volatile environment?

    Chief marketing officers in every industry found their worlds rocked to the core, as a huge health crisis, social discontent and financial and political turmoil incapacitated the nation. Solar marketing was no exception.

    Not surprisingly, social media ended up being even more crucial to marketing. Solar can be a huge part of the conversation as we reconstruct our economy and indeed, our world.

  • Are Your Commercial Solar Prospects Getting Bored?

    Are Your Commercial Solar Prospects Getting Bored?

    Six Ways to Keep Stakeholders Interested (and Seal The Deal)

    When salespeople discovered potential customers by driving around looking for big rooftops, industrial solar lead generation has come a long way from. (True story!).

    .

    Lots of business desire to transition to renewable resource. They actually do. However the problem is, individuals in charge of the decision have day tasks. And if their job description doesnt state something like “make the switch to solar and be a hero,” its shortly before prospects lose their interest.

    However one thing hasnt changed: the frustratingly long sales cycle of industrial solar..

    How can you keep your potential customers engaged and eager for solar throughout the sales process?

    To assist debunk the procedure of taking commercial solar leads all the method from that thrilled first point of contact through to final commissioning, were sharing 6 cant- miss suggestions from our own industrial solar marketing experience:.
    Determine the Right Commercial Solar Stakeholders Every business solar sale involves several stakeholders. Find out who they are. Possible suspects for smaller business are the owner( s) of the structure and its occupants.
    Find Each Stakeholders Hot ButtonsFor each of your stakeholders, theres something about their existing scenario that theyre not pleased with, and that they think solar might fix. As in Step 1, focus on meeting with your sales team to discover out more about the potential customers industries, and their own particular obstacles and discomfort points. For the CFO, financial motorists come first, while the sustainability director is likely more interested in raising the companys Environmental, Social and Governance score (but also comprehends the importance of financial savings).
    The centers supervisor, the owner of the structure, the sustainability leader, and the renters all will have different motivations, questions, and obstacles to rise in the decision-making process. Thats why its important to map each stakeholders journey from preliminary awareness to purchase and eventually, advocacy.

    Tap into each stakeholders pain points.
    Inform potential customers on how going solar with your business will deal with those issues..
    Keep potential customers moving along till close.

    When it pertains to content marketing for renewable energy, there are 3 basic goals:.

    Basic enough? As a marketing director, you know these simple goals can get difficult with a complex, multi-stakeholder procedure like business solar..

    4. Press their Hot Buttons with Informative– and Entertaining– ContentWith individualized maps of each stakeholders consumer journey and motivations, you have the blueprint to keep your stakeholders interest during the intricate sales cycle. Now its time to bring your campaign to life with efficient content.So what does efficient material do? Educate BeginnersIn the beginning stages of awareness and discovery, the extremely idea of putting solar on a center roof can seem overwhelming to your prospects. So for this stage, eduational material that clearly lays out the procedure will bring them much-needed clarity and self-confidence. Of academic business solar material, look through our customer SunPowers blog. Beginner-friendly posts such as Top 5 FAQs Businesses Want to Know About Solar and 7 Questions Solar Companies Ask Businesses help prepare stakeholders for the procedure of going solar, but more significantly, they assist them feel ready. And that confidence can turn a prospect into a customer.Guide Each Stage Once your stakeholders have the fundamentals of business solar down, do not stop educating them– you desire to remain their trusted source of all things solar. As they recognize suppliers, methods, and funding, theyll desire to understand how to examine these alternatives. And youll be all set, with material that speaks to their needs every action of the method. Funding one-pagers, product explainer videos, and customer reviews all assist move prospects along their own consumer journey.
    Mix It Up! We humans enjoy range, and the recent surge of content marketing types shows it. Rather than get slowed down using one type of material, keep your potential customers interest with a myriad of material (always tracked for effectiveness):.

    Blog site posts.
    Videos.
    Webinars.
    Podcasts.
    Interactive tests.
    White Papers.
    And, most of all, customer success stories (more on this in the next pointer).

    5. Engage Your Customers In Your ContentLets say youve got a pipes problem at your home. Which would make a bigger impression on you as you decide who to call: a plumbing technician informing you hes terrific, or an excellent buddys story about the plumbing professional who fixed a significant leakage at a sensible rate? Many people will listen to a pal over a complete stranger any day. Thats why social evidence is so important. In the B2B world, social evidence comes through proxy– a relied on advisor, coworker and even a rival who speaks about their experience. This is why the case study is one of the most efficient kinds of B2B marketing material there is. If your prospect sees other customers (particularly in their own industry) praising your professionalism, stability, and premium work, theyll understand your marketing claims have truth to them.When done right, success stories assist to show, in detail, what going solar requires, and more notably, what its like with your company. So its crucial to generate as many success stories as you can from a broad variety of consumers from different markets, along with nonprofits, federal government institutions, schools, and more. This substantial library of case research studies and success stories will be invaluable to your marketing. They build organic SEO, and can be used at tactical points in the sales cycle to press a possibility to the next action– and even help close a deal.
    Any great salesperson with a fondness for account-based solar marketing will understand the best minute to send out each individual the right material that addresses the right concerns at the best time. Your role as the marketing director is to be the material expert and strategist.
    From Awareness to Final Approval.

    Whats Next?

    Armed with these six techniques, you and your sales team will have a plan to target the right individuals, at the right time, with the right message. Rather of getting disappointed or bored, your potential customers will feel informed and become positive advocates for going solar with your company..

    Not sure where to start? For a complete assessment of your lead nurturing and material marketing process, Contact us for a totally free 30-minute assessment.
    P.S. You can also Check out our Case Studies page for a quickly, easy way to produce customer success stories and case studies. CPMG assists business throughout the U.S. incorporate satisfied consumers into their B2B marketing efforts to engage more prospects and win more company

    Find Each Stakeholders Hot ButtonsFor each of your stakeholders, theres something about their existing situation that theyre not satisfied with, and that they believe solar might solve. Of academic business solar material, look through our customer SunPowers blog site. And that self-confidence can turn a possibility into a customer.Guide Each Stage Once your stakeholders have the essentials of business solar down, dont stop informing them– you desire to stay their relied on source of all things solar. If your prospect sees other consumers (particularly in their own market) applauding your professionalism, integrity, and high-quality work, theyll know your marketing claims have fact to them.When done right, success stories assist to show, in information, what going solar involves, and more importantly, what its like with your business. Any good salesperson with a fondness for account-based solar marketing will know the right moment to send out each individual the ideal material that resolves the right concerns at the best time.

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  • The DOE Announces $125 Million In New Solar Funding

    The DOE Announces $125 Million In New Solar Funding

    The U.S. Department of Energy made an announcement today, the 5th of February, that it is investing $125.5 million in support of further enhancements in solar power and other renewable resource technologies.

    Energy.gov

    ” Were thrilled about these brand-new financing opportunities for eco-friendly power, transportation, energy effectiveness, and manufacturing. We look forward to working with the National Labs and personal sector partners to advance clean, economical, and trusted energy for American households and services.”– Daniel R. Simmons– Assistant Secretary of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

    This financial investment will, more specifically, go towards improving the dependability of the countrys grid, creating a more robust American manufacturing environment, and helping to further reduce the cost of solar.

    The essential goals consist of:

    The big picture is that the solar market is ripe for enormous expansion as it is right now. Numerous just are still not aware of how much it makes sense to go solar right now.

    Photovoltaics (PV) Hardware Research– $15 million for 8-12 projects that intend to extend PV system lifetimes and lower hardware expenses of planetary systems made of silicon solar cells, as well as brand-new technologies like thin-film, tandem, and perovskite solar cells.Integrated Thermal Energy Storage and Brayton Cycle Equipment Demonstration (Integrated TESTBED)– $39 million for 1-2 jobs that will develop a test website to speed up the commercialization of supercritical co2 power cycles, a key part of affordable concentrating solar power plants.Solar Energy Evolution and Diffusion Studies 3 (SEEDS 3)– $10 million for 6-8 jobs that will analyze how information flows to stakeholders to make it possible for more effective decision-making about solar and other emerging innovations, such as energy storage.Innovations in Manufacturing: Hardware Incubator– $14 million for 7-9 tasks that will advance ingenious product ideas from a model to a pre-commercial phase, with a go for items that support a strong U.S. solar manufacturing sector and supply chain.Systems Integration– $30 million for 7-11 projects that will develop durable neighborhood microgrids to keep power throughout and restore power after man-made or natural disasters, enhance cybersecurity for PV inverters and power systems, and develop innovative hybrid plants that run collaboratively with other resources for enhanced dependability and resilience.Solar and Agriculture: System Design, Value Frameworks, and Impacts Analysis– $6.5 million for 4-6 jobs that will advance the innovations, research study, and practices required for farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural enterprises to co-locate solar and agriculture.Artificial Intelligence Applications in Solar Energy with Emphasis on Machine Learning– $6 million for 8-12 jobs that motivate collaborations between professionals in AI and solar market stakeholders to establish disruptive solutions across the value chain of the solar industry.Small Innovative Projects in Solar (SIPS): PV and Concentrated Solar Power (CSP)– $5 million for 15-20 projects that advance innovative and unique ideas in PV and CSP that can produce substantial outcomes within the first year of efficiency..

    While an initial reaction to this announcement must be favorable, its likewise worth keeping in mind that the current administration has not exactly been the most encouraging of the renewable resource industry. They are big advocates of trying to bring back coal (which will not occur) and being generally beneficial to the fossil fuel market. It can likewise be said that $125 million is a very percentage considering the overall annual readily available budget plan.

    Heres to additional support for the solar market, and more importantly, the execution of solar tasks today!

    The huge image is that the solar industry is ripe for huge expansion as it is right now. Lots of simply are still not aware of how much it makes sense to go solar right now.

    — Daniel R. Simmons– Assistant Secretary of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

  • Solar Industry Sets Records For 2020

    Solar Industry Sets Records For 2020

    Despite the Covid 19 Pandemic, the U.S. solar market experienced considerable development in 2020.

    According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the industry grew by 43 percent and set up more than 19 gigawatts of solar electric capability in 2020. Notable is the reality that, for the 2nd year in a row, solar power was the biggest source of brand-new electric-generating capability.

    SEIA– Past 10 Years New Electric Capacity Trend

    ” After a downturn in Q2 due to the pandemic, the solar market innovated and came roaring back to continue our trajectory as Americas leading source of new energy,” — SEIA president Abigail Ross Hopper. Case in point is the fact that 4th quarter of 2020 saw the most solar set up compared to any previous quarter on record. 2020 beats the previous best year for solar, 2016, by nearly 5 gigawatts.

    Some of the key figures from SEIAs report consist of;

    The final quarter of company in 2020 saw an impressive 6 gigawatts of commercial scale solar set up. This is part of a considerable 69 gigawatts of energy scale solar projects presently in the pipeline.Residential solar saw an increase of 11 percent over 2019 with 3.1 gigawatts set up.

    This amazing growth pattern is predicted to continue over the next 10 years. It is anticipated that because period, the U.S. will include 324 gigawatts of solar capacity, bringing the overall total installed capability to 419 gigawatts. To put this into perspective, this predicted growth will have the upcoming decade responsible for almost 80 percent of total set up solar by 2030.

    Now, more than ever, word is beginning to spread that solar power truly is budget-friendly. Not just is it very inexpensive, however house owners everywhere are starting to understand how much they can save by going solar. This news is a huge part of the incredible year that we simply saw for solar power in the U.S. Its likewise why the SEIA and many other solar organizations are anticipating a sped up adoption of solar at all scales in the coming years.

    The last quarter of business in 2020 saw an impressive 6 gigawatts of commercial scale solar set up. It is expected that in that time period, the U.S. will add 324 gigawatts of solar capacity, bringing the general total installed capacity to 419 gigawatts. This news is a very big part of the amazing year that we just saw for solar energy in the U.S. Its also why the SEIA and numerous other solar organizations are expecting an accelerated adoption of solar at all scales in the coming years.

  • DOE Announces Plan To Further Cut Cost Of Solar

    DOE Announces Plan To Further Cut Cost Of Solar

    There will be $40 million invested in Perovskite R&D. Perovskites are a newer kind of materials that reveal pledge in making thin-film solar batteries that have high performance rankings. The funding will be dispersed among 22 various projects.Another $33 million will be allocated to increased reliability in Concentrated Solar Power innovations. This kind of solar power is developed by a big array of mirrors reflecting light at a receiver on a tower. The subsequent heat is used to drive a steam turbine to develop electricity. A special advantage and function of CSP plants is that they can use molten salt to save power for use at a later time.Further developments in CSP plants will be possible through an extra $25 million in funding. Researches will have the ability to utilize this money to establish the next generation of CSP plants.$ 20 million will be used for increased developments in CdTe thin movie technologies. CdTe is brief for Cadmium telluride. This crystalline substance has actually already revealed its capability to produce exceptionally cost effective solar batteries. The financing will increase the amount of CdTe solar panels produced in the U.S which already stands at about 20 percent of the market.$ 7 million will be used to increase the longevity of photovoltaic panel systems. The objective is to make the new basic 50 years rather of the existing anticipated helpful life of 30 years.Finally another $3 million will be assigned to a Perovskite Startup Prize. This will take the type of seed capital for companies aiming to use this specific solar innovation to develop an organization.

    To assist make this possible, the D.O.E. is looking to lower the cost of energy scale solar electricity from 4.6 cents per kilowatt-hour to 2 cents per-kilowatt hour by 2030. The funding will be distributed amongst 22 different projects.Another $33 million will be allocated to increased reliability in Concentrated Solar Power innovations. Expense reductions in solar power have actually various trajectories based on the scale involved. Sure, costs for solar parts will continue to reduce, though by much lower amounts and there are various expenses include for house solar.

    The bottom line is that while this is excellent news for our overall transition to a tidy energy society, this will not have a remarkable impact on residential solar. Homeowners who start conserving with solar power now will actually save more cash over the long term than by waiting for more price decreases.

    The plan includes $128 million in funding to speed up the adoption of solar, improve solar panel efficiency, and lower the total costs of executing solar. “This burst of financing will help us include even more affordable clean energy to the grid, jobs to neighborhoods throughout the country, and will put us on the quick track toward President Bidens goal of 100% tidy electrical energy by 2035”– Jennifer M. Granholm (Secretary of Energy).

    This strategy is a crucial element of the nations goal of accomplishing a 100 percent tidy electricity grid by 2035. To help make this possible, the D.O.E. is aiming to reduce the cost of energy scale solar electricity from 4.6 cents per kilowatt-hour to 2 cents per-kilowatt hour by 2030. This decrease in the rate of solar energy has considerable ramifications. This will help make it possible for between 30 and 50 percent of the nations electricity requires to be satisfied by solar power alone by 2035.

    The U.S. Department of Energy has actually simply revealed a strategy to cut the expense of solar power 60 percent by 2030.

    Property owners who begin conserving with solar power now will in fact conserve more money over the long term than by waiting for further price decreases.

    Expense decreases in solar power have actually various trajectories based on the scale involved. Sure, prices for solar components will continue to decrease, though by much lower amounts and there are various expenses involve for house solar.

    Heres a breakdown of the main methods in which the funding will be spent–.

  • Apple To Use Tesla Batteries At Solar Plant

    Apple To Use Tesla Batteries At Solar Plant

    California Flats Solar Project. Courtesy– Apple

    The solar farm is called The California Flats Solar Project. Its located in southeastern Monterey County. Developed by a subsidiary of First Solar, this solar power plant boasts a remarkable size of 280 Megawatts and was finished in 2019. The power generated by this farm is purchased by both Apple and Pacific Gas and Electric.

    While it has actually not yet been publicly revealed that Apple is buying battery systems from Tesla for this job, this details leak comes from files sent to the Monterey County Board of Supervisors. More particularly, Tesla is offering their “Megapack” battery system.

    Apple has just recently revealed that it is preparing a large battery setup job at its solar farm in Northern California.

    Tesla Megapack: Courtesy– Tesla

    The solar farm is called The California Flats Solar Project. While it has actually not yet been openly announced that Apple is acquiring battery systems from Tesla for this project, this info leak comes from documents sent to the Monterey County Board of Supervisors. Thats certainly substantial organization that Apple is providing Tesla regardless of their continuous skill acquisition rivalry. Like Apple VP Mrs. Jackson mentioned, this is excellent PR for the business and reveals the business taking the lead on actions that other business can now more with confidence take.

    This is definitely a wise and crucial project for Apple. The business understands that not only is battery storage an important part of the shift to sustainable energy, but it also simply makes great service sense. Theyve done the mathematics and have seen the savings they will recognize over the long term. Like Apple VP Mrs. Jackson discussed, this is excellent PR for the company and reveals the company taking the lead on actions that other companies can now more confidently take.

    It has actually been estimated that monetary value of this battery storage task is more than $50 million. Thats definitely significant organization that Apple is giving Tesla regardless of their ongoing talent acquisition competition. Its likewise a sign that Tesla is still the leader in the energy storage market, and most likely will be for some time to come.

    ” The challenge with clean energy– solar and wind– is that its by definition intermittent,”– Apple VP Lisa Jackson said “If we can do it, and we can show that it works for us, it takes away the issues about intermittency and it assists the grid in terms of stabilization. Its something that can be mimicked or built on by other business.”