Top five terms in solar November 2019

Power Technology lists the top five terms tweeted in solar in November 2019, based on data from GlobalData’s Influencer Platform.

The top tweeted terms are the trending industry discussions happening on Twitter. GlobalData uses proprietary algorithms to analyse keywords and key individuals and perform a deeper analysis of what the key individuals in the industry are discussing on Twitter.

1. Renewable energy – 200 mentions

The growing share of renewable energy in electricity generation and renewable energy projects being implemented across the world were among the most trending topics discussed on Twitter during November. Iceland, Paraguay, Norway, and Costa Rica source majority of their electricity from renewable sources, according to a video shared by Mike Hudema, a climate campaigner and activist. Iceland generates majority of its power from geothermal and hydropower sources, while Paraguay, Norway, and Costa Rica use hydroelectric projects for their power needs.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission of the US forecasts that renewables will comprise one fourth of the country’s electricity capacity by 2022, according to an article tweeted by Mark Z. Jacobson, a professor at Stanford University. The article further adds that the electricity generated by oil, coal, and gas will be reduced by 2.2GW and that of nuclear by 4.85GW by 2022.

2. PV – 80 mentions

Photo voltaic (PV) modules, their projected growth and decrease in cost, as well as PV capacity factor were some of the top topics discussed on PV in November. The capacity of distributed PV is projected to grow to more than 600GW by 2024, according to the International Energy Agency, as shared by the Dr Thomas Hillig, founder of THEnergy, an energy consultancy. The projected growth, however, forms just 6% of the technical potential held by distributed PV, Hillig noted.

Growth in PV is also attributed to the reduction in the price of PV modules and improvement in capacity factors. A graph shared by Brian Bartholomew, power analyst at BloombergNEF, shows that PV capacity factors averaged at more than 80% during August in the regions served by Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT).

3. Storage – 71 mentions

Solar power projects integrated with storage facilities were widely discussed across Twitter. The Los Angeles City Council approved a 400MW solar PV plant planned to be developed in the Mojave Desert, according to an article shared by Mark Z. Jacobson. The plant, known as Eland solar and storage facility, will include 1,200MWh of storage capacity and will be capable of supplying power to 280,000 homes in Los Angeles.

The Andasol solar power station in Spain was another solar plus storage project shared by Arik Ring, a power generation and energy systems consultant. Arik also shared an article about Tesla’s latest product, solar roof tiles, which can be integrated into the roof and used for charging electric vehicles.

4. Sustainability – 51 mentions

Sustainable living through renewable sources such as solar and wind was discussed popularly during the month. Mark Z. Jacobson shared an article detailing how the Princess Elisabeth Antarctica Research Station in East Antarctica is operating completely on solar and wind energy. The research station sources power from solar panels installed above snow-covered ground and wind turbines installed into the granite ridge below the snow and ice, the article adds.

Mike Hudema tweeted about another sustainable project implemented using solar panels at the Copenhagen International School in Denmark, which boasts of featuring one of the largest solar panel facades in the world that is installed with 12,000 solar glass panels.

5. Rooftop solar – 48 mentions

Plans for installation of rooftop solar systems were among the trending topics discussed during the month. The state of California announced in 2018 that all new homes would need to be installed with rooftop solar systems. It also gave an option to builders to supply power from an off-site community solar facility.

The Sacramento Municipal Utility District, a public utility, submitted a proposal to use this option and supply homeowners with centrally generated solar energy, according to an article shared by Scott Wiener, state senator representing District 11 of the California State Senate. The proposal was, however, rejected and a decision on the same was postponed.

The City of New York announced new laws requiring all new buildings to be installed with green roof and solar photovoltaic systems, according to an article shared by the City of New York. The new requirements are aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving a carbon-neutral city by 2050.