Solar Speaks Live 2016

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Hawaiian solar often makes headlines, but no one knows it quite like Dora Nakafuji. As direct of renewable energy planning at Hawaiian Electric Company, Nakafuji and her team have developed utility programs that are being studied and replicated across the country. During a 2016 Solar Speaks Live interview, she shares her perspective on Hawaiian solar and how a utility built on collaboration and understanding how customers use energy is the best for solar.

Creating A New Type Of Utility For Solar

Mark Begert has been with Austin-based solar contractor Meridian Solar for almost 10 years. During that time he helped the company move from a residential and commercial solar installer, to an EPC company focusing on the commercial, public and utility-scale markets. During a Solar Speaks Live interview at Solar Power International 2016, Meridian's executive vice president shares his best business practices and why non-profit work is also important to his company.

Shifting To The C&I Solar Space

The Solar Ready Vets program is expertly described by program director Tenley Ann Dalstrom at Solar Speaks Live 2016. The solar job training program recently expanded to more military bases and helps match skilled veterans with nationwide solar installation companies.

Training Military Veterans For Solar Careers

Unirac CEO Peter Lorenz discusses why he got into the renewable-energy business and provides advice for contractors on how to use the best equipment, even if it costs a little more, in this Solar Speaks Live video, filmed on the tradeshow floor at Solar Power International 2016.

Unirac CEO Peter Lorenz Offers Insight On The Business Of Solar Mounting

Tim Drappi, procurement manager with solar module manufacturer SolarTech Universal, talks about the latest trends in solar panels (PERC, bifacial and more) with Solar Power World at Solar Speaks Live 2016.

What's Trending In Solar Panels

For months, clean energy advocates have been anxiously awaiting the results of a contest of sorts. It was a request for proposals by the three Southern New England states, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, to build new project that would help the region meet both its greenhouse gas emissions goals – and overall energy needs.

When the winners were unveiled, there were some big surprises. First, the mix of wind and solar projects, totaling 460 megawatts, are largely located in southern New England. That means large wind farms proposed in northern Maine, and a transmission project for Canadian Hydro-Power lost out.

The other big surprise was that the state of Connecticut pulled the plug on another plan, to construct more natural gas pipelines in the state. It was prompted by previous decisions in Massachusetts and New Hampshire that said it was unconstitutional to pass along the cost of building pipelines to electric customers. That would have left Connecticut ratepayers on the hook – without help from their regional neighbors.

his might mean the end of big pipeline projects like “Access Northeast.” And, it raises questions about the need for more gas-fired power plants, including those that have met with local opposition in Connecticut and Rhode Island.

But Connecticut officials are saying, “not so fast.” Right now, New England gets more than 50 percent of it’s power from gas, and state regulatory commissioner Katie Dykes says the fuel is necessary for the region to provide reliable, year-round power – even as it invests more in renewable energy.

Dykes been part of this process in her previous role as Connecticut’s Deputy Commissioner for Energy. She told us that the decision to halt the pipelines was done to protect ratepayers in her state.

More from this episode of NEXT: http://nenc.news/podcast/episode-14-trail/

Can New England Move Forward with Renewables without Leaning on Natural Gas?

Solar Power World spoke with Vincent Ambrose, Canadian Solar’s general manager for North America, about the company’s manufacturing past, plans for O&M and new products coming to market in 2017.

Read more: http://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2017/03/qa-canadian-solar-outlook-2017/

Solar Speaks special edition: 2017 Q&A with Canadian Solar

We were very excited to hear about SunWork's nonprofit solar model this month. The company uses volunteers to install solar on California homes, saving labor costs and building a sense of community in the process. Just like Habitat for Humanity, but for solar!

Read our story: https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2017/05/contractors-corner-sunwork/

Contractors Corner

Contractors Corner: SunWork Renewable Energy Projects

Building a $14 million solar farm is an expensive way to send a message about electricity prices, but Doug and Lyn Scouller said they were left with few options.

In Normanton, 500 kilometres north of Mount Isa in north-west Queensland, the Scoullers built a solar farm big enough to provide power to the towns of Normanton and Karumba, and the cattle stations of the Carpentaria Shire, in a move to prove to stakeholders the benefit of positioning power generation sites at the end of the grid.

Outback couple build solar farm to prove fringe-of-grid power generation need

Contractor's Corner is part of the Solar Power World network of podcasts. Solar Power World is the premier media outlet for the U.S. solar market and has the largest solar installer, contractor and developer audience in the industry.  In this podcast series, Solar Power World editors talk with the U.S. solar industry’s biggest newsmakers.

Creating A New Type Of Utility For Solar

Contractor's Corner by Solar Power World