The Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians and OATI are partnering to develop two microgrids for the tribal community in Northern California, bringing renewable energy onto tribal lands for energy independence and cost reduction. The project includes a 4.5 MWac solar power array and 21 MWh battery energy storage system, with funding from the California Energy Commission and FEMA. The microgrid will power on-reservation facilities and sell excess electricity to the grid, providing resiliency and substantial energy cost savings for the Paskenta community. This initiative will allow Paskenta to self-generate a significant amount of electricity, leading to significant cost savings and a more sustainable energy future.
Category: Transportation
Cut emissions:
– Enhance Efficiency
– Shift to Alternatives
– Electrify Vehicles
– Switch Fuels
-
Penumbra-aware irradiance modeling for agrivoltaic orchards
Researchers at Delft University of Technology have developed a Python framework to improve light-simulation workflows for agrivoltaics, focusing on realistic representations of atmospheric conditions and crop geometry. This advancement enhances predictions for crop yield and solar energy production in shared land-use systems, reducing design uncertainty and supporting sustainable food-energy integration. The framework includes site-specific sun and sky spectra across the entire solar spectrum, rendering soft shadows efficiently for crops under semi-transparent PV modules. A new model for agrivoltaic orchards was also developed to optimize sunlight penetration for both crops and solar panels, resulting in a 16% increase in energy production compared to traditional setups. This research, published in the journal Applied Energy, highlights the importance of accurate canopy representation for optimizing light levels and mitigating suboptimal conditions in agrivoltaic systems.
https://www.pv-magazine.com/2026/06/23/penumbra-aware-irradiance-modeling-for-agrivoltaic-orchards/
-
Climate crisis: UN chief lays out solutions blueprint for clean energy transition
The UN Secretary-General emphasized the interconnectedness of protecting nature, shifting to renewable energy, and addressing climate change for the well-being of both humanity and the environment. He called for managing the transition to a sustainable future to avoid chaos and inequality, highlighting the need for fair finance to support developing countries in phasing out fossil fuels and transitioning to green energy. Additionally, the Secretary-General urged support for science, truth, and early warning systems to combat climate misinformation and delay tactics, while also emphasizing the importance of investing in nature-based solutions to address the climate crisis and protect those most at risk from climate change.
-
Powering resilience: How Indonesia is building a more secure energy future
In Indonesia, United Nations agencies are collaborating with the Government to modernize the electricity grid, improve energy efficiency, and reduce energy-intensive industries. Efforts include identifying solar energy potential, conducting energy audits, and supporting eco-industrial parks. The UN is also assisting Indonesia in unlocking finance for renewable energy projects and supporting workers through the energy transition. Additionally, UNDP is bringing cleaner energy technologies to coastal communities to reduce fuel consumption and support livelihoods, while UN Women and UNEP are empowering women entrepreneurs to access green finance and adopt climate-smart technologies. These initiatives aim to empower women, expand economic opportunities, and ensure that the benefits of the energy transition reach more people in Indonesia.
-
The EV Battery Call Is Coming From Inside The House
The US energy storage startup QuantumScape is making strides in solid-state lithium-metal EV battery technology, partnering with companies like Ford, Honda, Volkswagen, and Corning for advancements in battery manufacturing. Former Tesla Motors co-founder JB Straubel has joined QuantumScape to accelerate the transition to solid-state batteries, while Mark Marbury brings defense application experience to the company's Strategic Advisory Board. Despite setbacks in domestic EV battery manufacturing, companies like Anthro Energy, Dragonfly Energy, and Factorial Energy are pushing forward with their plans. QuantumScape's progress represents a significant step towards commercial-level production of solid-state batteries for electric vehicles, aligning with the shift towards federal electrification technology.
-
ComEd, Metropolitan Mayors Caucus Honor 9 Communities Advancing EV Readiness Across Northern Illinois
ComEd, in partnership with the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, recognized nine communities in northern Illinois for graduating from the 2026 EV Readiness Program, aimed at preparing municipalities for the growth of electric vehicles through improved policies, permitting, and first-responder readiness. The state of Illinois has a goal of having one million electric vehicles on the road by 2030 under the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, with the EV Readiness Program supporting communities in updating zoning codes, streamlining processes, and training first responders to support EV adoption. ComEd has invested over $200M in EV incentive and rebate funding to support the transition to electric transportation, focusing on equity investment eligible communities and low-income customers to drive investment and promote long-term sustainability in the region.
-
Huawei’s FusionSolar9.0 solution aims to redefine optimal LCOE for utility-scale solar projects
Huawei's FusionSolar 9.0 solution addresses key challenges facing utility-scale solar PV projects by improving LCOE through minimizing BOS costs, increasing power density, boosting energy yield, and enhancing reliability with features like self-cleaning and anti-icing technologies. The solution also includes grid forming capabilities that enable the generation of reactive power within 10 ms to cope with transient voltage instability. Smart Virtual Inertia technology can further enhance frequency stability and increase the short-circuit-ratio of PV plants, improving renewable energy transmission capability. Grid-forming inverters not only automatically recover reactive power at night but also provide off-grid power supply during the commissioning phase of a solar farm, using self-generated PV power for equipment testing. These advancements are cost-saving, environmentally friendly, and enable faster grid-connection compared to diesel generators.
-
Solar With Firming Now Beating Gas In Asia, & EVs Could Save Region $350 Billion A Year
A new report highlights the potential for Asia to save $350 billion annually on oil imports by electrifying its fleets, with China leading the way in plugin vehicle sales. The importance of switching to electric transport to reduce oil import dependence is emphasized, alongside the increasing use of solar and wind power in the region. Solar plus batteries are shown to outcompete LNG on price across Asia, with the cost of round-the-clock solar-plus-battery power now below $100/MWh in most areas. This shift to clean energy will not only keep money within Asian economies but also reduce pollution and health problems, emphasizing the rapid deployment of electrotech as a climate solution.
-
Agrivoltaics Gets A Huge Thumbs-Up With Bipartisan Support
Agrivoltaics, the practice of combining crops with solar panels, is gaining traction in Virginia with the introduction of legislation such as SB 340/HB 508 to support and accelerate this transition. The bill defines agrivoltaics as co-locating agricultural production and solar energy generation, emphasizing the need for projects to complement existing farm businesses. Supported by the PEC and passed with bipartisan support, the legislation also promotes on-farm energy storage and virtual power plants to enable farmers to collaborate with local utilities. The Community Farm at Roundabout Meadows serves as a model for small-scale, distributed generation and storage opportunities, showcasing the benefits of crop-based agrivoltaics systems in achieving energy independence and sustainability.
https://cleantechnica.com/2026/06/18/agrivoltaics-virginia-solar-energy-storage-conserve-farmland/
-
“Electro-tech super-levers:” How solar, batteries and EVs are beating out gas and oil across Asia
Ember's report highlights how firmed solar is now cheaper than new gas power capacity in Asia, and electrifying road transport could save $US300 billion in oil imports. Asia's dependence on fossil fuel imports costs $US1.1 trillion annually, despite having vast solar and wind resources. The region's manufacturing dominance in solar panels, batteries, and wind turbines positions it to transition to electrotech and reduce fuel import dependency. Solar plus batteries are already cheaper than LNG in most of Asia, with predictions that they will outcompete LNG everywhere in Asia by 2030. With solar plus battery power addressing the supply side and EVs solving the demand side, Asia could save over $300 billion a year in oil imports and halve its oil imports within twenty years by electrifying its fleet.