The solar industry is beginning to experience whiplash due to a recent flurry of regulatory changes, according to the law firm Sheppard Mullin, rendering solar tariffs among the most intricate in the history of U.S. imports. Homeowners are wondering about the extent of the tariffs' cost impact. Surprisingly, the cost may be minimal.

Solar Washington Board Member Richard Hartung, along with several Solar Washington members, attended the first-ever Bloomberg Green Festival, held in Seattle in early July, and reports for the Solar Washingtonian on this incredible opportunity for hundreds of people interested in solving the climate crisis to hear from a multitude of insightful speakers.

The vast majority of speakers and participants had similar mindsets and models about the need for action, so participants at the event were able to learn from their insights on how to build effective approaches and solutions for resolving climate change from that focused perspective.

While the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on solar draws far less notice that what it does for tech or banking, it turns out that AI can provide massive benefits for everything from solar energy system design and maintenance to system optimization and the entire electricity grid.

Designing the Solar System

Once business or residential customers decide to install solar energy, AI can help with designing the right system. AI can tailor the design of solar systems based on the customer’s priorities, such as maximum net metering income or lowest cost installation.

AI could help to design the solar system and analyze the property, CNET noted, as well as to optimize a home battery and even predict maintenance costs after the panels are installed. AI promises to make solar installations faster and potentially cheaper while also improving the performance of a home energy system over time.

AI algorithms can be used to optimize the positioning of solar panels and reduce shading, according to Omdena, which improves solar energy production. AI algorithms can also analyze very localized weather patterns and solar radiation levels to predict future solar energy production, which improves planning.

The quest for sustainable green energy and the changes in energy costs have led us to the doorstep of localized solar energy storage - a solution that promises a future powered by clean, renewable energy right at your location. As we delve into the intricacies of the technologies behind this, we uncover the challenges and opportunities it presents, particularly in the context of expected Net Energy Metering (NEM) changes in Washington State.

Starting with last month's post on electrical panels, Solar Washington is exploring how improvements to and within the residential building envelope can elevate living standards and contribute to meeting climate goals.  Here, we consider the general concept of home electrification.

Solar power provides a clean alternative to fossil fuels and its scalability allows for a wide range of applications, from small residential setups to large-scale solar farms.  Solar energy plays a pivotal role in the global efforts towards electrification and decarbonization, acting as a cornerstone in the transition to a clean energy future.  As more and more homeowners in Washington are switching to solar panels, it's important to reconsider how we use electricity in our home and look for opportunities to scale down or eliminate fossil fuel-based energy consumption.

Electrification benefits both individuals and the environment by promoting cleaner energy, improving overall well-being, and reducing emissions. According to EnergySage, a net-zero economy in 2050 calls for 300 million personal electric vehicles on the road, up from about 2 million in 2021, and 120 million residences with air source heat pumps, or a jump to 80% of housing stock from approximately 10% in 2021.

The Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at the Columbia Law School provides the legal profession and the public with up-to-date resources on key topics in climate law and regulation. It works closely with the scientists at Columbia University’s Climate School and with a wide range of governmental, non-governmental and academic organizations. Recognizing that broad public support exists for climate policies, but that “misinformation and coordinated disinformation” can undermine support for renewable energy projects, a team led by Matthew Eisenson at the Sabin Center for Climate Change reviewed a series of false solar power claims in its document, “Rebutting 33 False Claims About Solar, Wind, and Electric Vehicles,” published in April 2024. Among other claims, the report identifies and examines 14 of the most pervasive misconceptions about solar energy.

When homeowners and businesses think about installing solar energy, they often focus on the solar panels. More than just solar panels may be necessary, though, as homes and buildings need the right electrical panel and more. This is the first in a series of articles that reflect Solar Washington's new focus on building electrification: Here’s how to go beyond the solar panel.

Most solar energy comes from single-sided panels laid flat or at an angle on a roof or in a field. However, vertical bifacial solar panels are starting to make their way onto farms and other places. These new panels use less space and can generate more energy, making them attractive.

A vertical bifacial solar panel is, simply, a panel with photovoltaic (PV) cells on both sides that is installed upright rather than horizontally to face east and west, so they generate electricity with sunlight that reaches one side in the morning and the other in the afternoon.

Research Shows Higher Output

Producing energy on both sides appears to lead to higher output. A 2018 study by LONGi, for instance, showed that vertical bifacial solar modules can increase energy yield by 5-30 percent, depending on factors such as the region, ground surface reflectivity, installation height, mounting, and inverter choices. Vertical bifacial solar panels have two energy peaks, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Because they do not face south, bifacial PVs mounted vertically tend to stay cooler and that also adds to their productivity.

In addition, bifacial panels can benefit from the albedo effect when sunlight hitting the ground on a light surface is reflected back toward the panels, contributing to the energy generation, so they also perform best on ground surface with high reflectivity (high albedo), such as flat white roofs or sand.
Vertical panels also are less likely to be affected by snowstorms and hail.

While inverters clearly do not get the attention solar panels do, and they’re often almost unknown to solar energy users, they are critical to system performance and even grid reliability. New technologies are enabling far better performance.

How Inverters Work

At a fundamental level, inverters convert direct current (DC) electricity generated by solar panels or other renewable energy sources into the alternating current (AC) electricity that homes and businesses use. AC and DC are two types of electric current that differ in the direction of the flow of electrons. AC alternates its direction periodically, while DC flows in one direction only. AC is more efficient for transmitting power over long distances, while DC is more stable. Historically, electrical power has been predominantly generated by burning fuel and creating steam, which spins a turbine generator to creates AC power. Home appliances were designed to use AC voltage from the local grid and cannot run on the DC provided by solar panels.

Solar inverters are DC-to-AC power conversion devices, so they can solve this problem. Inverters are thus one of the most important pieces of equipment in a solar energy system.

A key reason why buildings are so important for decarbonization is that, according to the Washington Department of Commerce, “buildings represent approximately one-fifth of Washington’s greenhouse gas emissions. This includes emissions related to electric generation. The greatest portion of the sector’s emissions come from the direct combustion of natural gas and other fossil fuels in buildings for space heating, water heating and cooking.” Moreover, the World Economic Forum (WEF) wrote, buildings offer more energy-saving potential than industry or transport.

Energy-efficient buildings create comfortable living conditions with the least possible amount of energy consumption, researchers Janamejay Gupta and Manjari Chakraborty explained. 

The growing impacts of climate change have also made the decarbonization of buildings essential. Making buildings “net zero”, whereby greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions are reduced as close to zero as possible and any remaining emissions are offset, is a key strategy. For houses, Efficiency Vermont said, net zero is the balance between the power a home needs and the renewable energy homeowners can generate to match the need. “With new heating technology and lower-cost renewable energy systems, any home can get to net zero”. Solar is currently the most affordable way to generate energy, while air sealing yields the greatest energy savings and weatherization as well as usage of smart devices establish also reduce energy waste.