solar energy

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Utah produced more power from solar than any other source in May, a new first
2 months ago
- In May 2026, solar power became the leading source of electricity in Utah for the first time.
- Wind and solar generation are growing rapidly in Utah's energy mix.
- Experts expect this trend to continue despite reductions in federal clean energy incentives.
Tesla buys the output of a new 140 MW Texas solar farm
2 months ago
- Tesla signed a long-term PPA to buy the full output of a 140-MWac solar farm in Texas, built by EQT-backed Zelestra.
- Construction starts in 2027 with operations by 2029; no pricing disclosed; power likely for Gigafactory Texas and AI compute.
- This is the second deal between Tesla and Zelestra — first in the U.S. after a 57-MWac PPA in Spain in 2024.
- Zelestra ranks among top global renewable sellers; also supplies solar to Meta in Texas via multiple PPAs.
- Tesla now competes with hyperscalers for Texas solar, driven by surging electricity demand.
- Tesla could have built the solar farm itself but relies on external supply due to decades of neglect of its solar business.
- SolarCity acquisition ($2.6 billion) saw deployment drop from 870 MW to a fraction; Tesla is now rebuilding with leasing, U.S. panels, and a Houston factory.
Open versus Proprietary: (re)calculating Dutch solar power generation - Bert Hubert's writings
2 months ago
- The Netherlands fails to report solar power generation to ENTSO-E, despite EU regulations requiring such data.
- A proprietary model by the Entrance institute estimates Dutch solar output, but lacks public documentation or validation.
- The author developed a simple alternative method using ENTSO-E data on total generation, imports, and exports to estimate solar production.
- The simple model yielded plausible results comparable to the Entrance model for a sunny week in March 2022.
- The author stresses the importance of transparency and open, validated models for influential energy data.
Idaho just switched on a big solar farm and a much larger one is next
2 months ago
- Idaho's 125-megawatt solar farm, Pleasant Valley Solar 2, has come online, and construction has started on the larger 400 MW Blacks Creek Energy Center.
- rPlus Energies has now developed over 1 GW of solar and storage in Idaho, including operating, under construction, or under contract projects.
- Idaho, though a hydropower state, has 1,301 MW of installed solar as of June 2026, supplying 9.01% of its electricity and attracting $2 billion in investment.
- The two projects represent a combined investment of over $750 million, creating hundreds of construction jobs and permanent onsite jobs upon completion.
- The projects will generate ongoing revenue via Idaho's 3.5% solar energy tax and support local businesses through construction and operations spending.
- Pleasant Valley Solar 2's partners contributed $375,000 in workforce development scholarships for students at Boise State University and College of Western Idaho.
Syria's solar boom is redefining Middle East's energy model
3 months ago
- Damascus has become highly solarised due to a broken grid from civil war and cheap Chinese panels, with solar capacity growing rapidly from 249 MW in 2022 to 2,060 MW in 2025.
- Solar power in Syria is driven by individual adoption rather than government projects, providing basic electricity but struggling with heating and cooling demands despite high costs relative to income.
- Other crisis-hit countries like Lebanon, Yemen, and Pakistan have also turned to rooftop solar, while Libya and Iraq lag due to fuel subsidies that could be redirected to solarisation.
- Global cities with extensive rooftop solar, such as Honolulu and San Diego, benefit from sunny climates and incentives, with grids complementing solar output, whereas Syria lacks such grid support.
- For Gulf nations, large-scale solar plants are preferred due to lower costs, but distributed solar with batteries can reduce grid strain and improve resilience, especially in urban areas.
- Distributed solar is crucial in conflict zones, aiding rebuilding, saving fuel, reducing pollution, and empowering people, while also supporting remote sites and fostering local solar industries.
Solar rail could become common in Europe after successful trial in Switzerland
3 months ago
- Successful trial in Switzerland: 100 meters of solar panels installed on railway tracks produced 16,000 kWh in one year.
- Efficiency and potential: Solar railway panels have only ~10% production loss; covering all Swiss tracks could generate 1 TWh/year, about 2% of national energy consumption.
- Safety measures: Panels are designed with anti-reflection filters, built-in sensors, and cleaning brushes to address risks like cracks, fires, and distractions.
- Expansion plans: Sun-Ways signed contracts in Italy and South Korea, with discussions ongoing in the Netherlands, China, India, and Singapore.

solar energy

Utah produced more power from solar than any other source in May, a new first

Tesla buys the output of a new 140 MW Texas solar farm

Open versus Proprietary: (re)calculating Dutch solar power generation - Bert Hubert's writings

Idaho just switched on a big solar farm and a much larger one is next

Syria's solar boom is redefining Middle East's energy model

Solar rail could become common in Europe after successful trial in Switzerland