Fluke Clean Energy Newsletter: Dec. 2023
Happy holidays, everyone! As 2023 draws to a close, I wish you a joyful season and a prosperous new year.
My New Year is filling up already, and I’m looking forward to starting it with some San Diego sunshine at Intersolar North America and Energy Storage in January. Stop by the Fluke booth #1227 to say hello – and if I don’t catch you there, I hope to see you at the NABCEP conference, Summit Asset Management North America, and RE later in 2024!
Before the holiday festivities begin, check out my latest webinar about safely conducting tests on solar installations. "Best Practices in Solar Testing and Measurement” covers essential topics, including electrical safety considerations, picking the right tools, and staying safe while working on solar equipment. Hopefully, nothing you learn will shock you!
Now, let's dive into the latest solar developments and clean energy news:
Solar News
At COP23, world leaders from over 100 countries agreed to triple global renewable energy capacity by 2030. Solar analyst Jenny Chase breaks down just what needs to happen to achieve that ambitious goal.
The U.S. is off to a good start: US utility-scale solar deployments jumped 107% year over year in Q3.
State by state, the solar industry shone in 2023
The Solar Policy Scoop for December 2023 is a perfect bite-size summary to keep up with recent developments, including Michigan’s new commitment to working towards 100% clean energy.
2023 has also seen oil and coal-heavy states turn to solar:
A West Virginia school system will soon become the first in the state to run entirely on solar power.
Which state produces the most solar energy? Surprise: it’s Texas! Here’s how oil country became a renewable energy leader.
In Illinois, a boost in clean energy has brought more union jobs and solar training in the Chicago area.
The growing renewables industry is a pathway to many stable, meaningful jobs and careers – as long as job seekers receive the right training and education to thrive. One place to start is Fluke’s library of training videos and our NABCEP-approved solar training.
Across the nation, Native Americans are now building their own solar farms.
Many reservations have historically struggled for access to electricity. Now, solar energy is changing the game.
Renewable energy provides opportunities for tribes to create jobs, energy independence, and new revenue streams.
“Indigenous people have been embracing the Sun for eons,” notes solar advocate John Red Cloud of the Oglala Lakota nation. “It's in our culture, our ceremony, our song, our dance. So we're taking this new way to honor the old way, and then become sustainable in every aspect.”
On a practical note, here's an excellent overview of IEC 62446-1 and its application in the U.S.
Happy to see Fluke’s SMFT-1000 featured as a way to conduct all the tests required by IEC 62446-1 with a single piece of test equipment.
Fluke now also offers Solmetric’s high-wattage solar panel I-V curve tracer tool, which can be safely used for utility-scale solar arrays.
Clean Transportation News
Soon, you may be able to drive and charge your EV at the same time: Detroit recently unveiled the U.S.’ first public EV-charging roadway.
As EV sales climb and are on track to be 9% of US new car purchases in 2023, reliable EV charging is more important than ever.
Proper charging station maintenance and training are essential to providing good EV charging service.
The EV market may grow even faster next year, as falling battery prices accelerate EV sales.
That’s a wrap for 2023 – have a safe, healthy holiday season, and see you in 2024!