Solar News of the Week 3.20

In this week's edition we're highlighting American farmers and their switch to solar. We'll also unpack China's solar dominance. Plus, the U.S. set another solar record in 2023, but can the grid keep up?

FEATURED STORY

U.S. Farmers Turn to Solar

Solar Panels Spread Across America's Heartland as Farmers Chase Stable Returns

Bloomberg

“We would prefer not to have any solar, but if we don’t have it, we won’t have the ability to keep this farm going.” – Stuart Woolf, California Farmer??

Thanks to a boost from the Inflation Reduction Act more American farmers are turning to solar power as a buffer against volatile crop prices. Solar provides a more stable profit stream giving many the ability to earn more than they ever would with crops alone.?Read More

How China Came to Dominate the World in Solar Energy

The New York Times

China’s solar power industry is expanding rapidly. Last week Chinese legislators announced big investments in solar, hydroelectric, and wind farms – a bet on emerging technology. It’s a big move at a time when both the U.S. and European solar markets are struggling to manufacture equipment and install enough capacity to meet climate goals. Read More

It's Official: America is Experiencing a Solar Power Explosion Unmatched in History

Popular Mechanics

The U.S. just hit another solar milestone, but it wasn’t the first time renewables outpaced fossil fuel deployment. During World War II, the nation experienced a hydropower boom. In 2023 thanks to the added capacity of 32.4 MW of solar, the U.S. added more renewable capacity than fossil fuels for the first time in over 90 years. Read More

Amid Explosive Demand, America is Running Out of Power

The Washington Post

As the U.S. grapples with an aging power grid, emerging technology from AI to cryptocurrency to data centers is driving up energy costs – and consumption. Can the U.S. grid handle a new onslaught of electrification???Read More

Solar-Powered Farming is Quickly Depleting the World's Groundwater Supply

Wired

Thanks to solar powered irrigation pumps, farmers across India, Africa, and Yemen ended their dependence on costly fossil fuels for one aspect of their operations. But the innovation came with an unexpected consequence: shrinking groundwater reserves and “an environmental time bomb.”?Read More

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