What is thermal runaway? As more renewable energy projects are developed and come online, there is an increasing need for large-scale energy storage development. A battery energy storage system (BESS) is able to store excess electricity generated by certain renewable energy sources (such as solar and wind) and when needed, quickly inject that electricity back
To address and reverse global effects caused by a rapidly changing climate, various industries have emerged that are leading efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions though alternative energy production. However, sometimes alternative energy projects which are focused on issues global in scale, run into issues protecting sensitive narrow endemic plant species at the local scale
California is a prime location for offshore wind development for two reasons: first, it has some of the strongest and steadiest wind anywhere in the world and second, there is high demand for renewable energy in the California Independent Systems Operator (CAISO) market. In addition, technological advances for floating offshore wind turbines make the depths
From 2015–2019, total installed solar energy capacity in the United States nearly tripled from 23.44 gigawatts (GW) to 62.3 GW. While this solar energy boom is a positive sign of the country’s transition to green energy, it requires increased understanding of the hazards associated with solar energy project construction. Many contractors must contend with the
Glare from solar panels can potentially impact sensitive receptors, such as aircraft pilots, air traffic controllers, motorists, residents, and recreationists. So, glint/glare analysis is increasingly becoming a required component of solar development applications at the local and federal levels. Additionally, depending on complexity, project components can be difficult for the public and decision-makers to conceptualize
Virginia recently passed the Virginia Clean Economy Act, which includes a renewable portfolio standard that will require all of its utility companies to source 100% of their electricity from renewable sources by 2050. As such, the demand for permitting and constructing renewable energy facilities is now stronger than ever. Successful solar permitting in Virginia requires
Powin Energy’s 2-megawatt (MW)/8-MW-hour battery energy storage system (BESS) recently went online fewer than six months after the project was awarded, marking an energy industry first for the speed of battery energy storage permitting, manufacturing, installing, and commissioning of an asset of this size on a distribution feeder. Located in Irvine, California, the system provides
Ten million acres of public land in California deserts are under a new management blueprint with the U.S. Department of the Interior’s approval of the Record of Decision for the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP) in September. The new landscape-level plan being implemented includes designation of use zones and management directives for renewable energy,
The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) recently completed a complex, nearly 4-year process to craft an EIR/EIS that addresses the combined issuance of 70 separate permits for SDG&E’s electric facilities located in the 800-square-mile Cleveland National Forest (CNF) within San Diego and Orange Counties. The document also analyzes the combined
Soitec’s proposed utility-scale solar facilities in San Diego County are the third project in California to be certified by Governor Brown for fast-tracked judicial and legislative review under the terms of the Jobs and Economic Improvement Act of 2011, commonly known as AB 900. Apple’s new Cupertino campus and the McCoy solar project in Riverside
