The results are in. Japan’s Kaneka has set a new energy conversion efficiency level for the first photovoltaic (PV) silicon solar cell to exceed 26 percent efficiency in converting sunlight into electricity. The company’s commercial-sized solar cell was able to convert 26.3 percent of sunlight into electricity, besting the previous record level of 25.6 percent efficiency. 

Today (March 23) the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) said it will extend the state’s Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC 2) program—for now. The move is a short-term fix as the state prepares to implement a long-term plan to incentivize rooftop solar on homes that makes customers and utilities happy.

GE’s Current has announced 13 new projects in the US northeast that will blend solar power and energy efficiency. The startup within GE will install solar and other equipment at GE facilities and other companies’ facilities across six northeast states.

Wind power is blowing strong across the US. Most recently rights to develop the Kitty Hawk Wind Energy Area (WEA) were sold for $9.1 million. It’s the latest offshore wind farm lease sold and comes shortly after the US’s first offshore wind farm came online in Rhode Island last year. Meanwhile a regional grid in southwestern US has generated more than 52 percent of its energy from wind power without no problems showing the future for more is bright. 

Community solar power is the next big thing in solar power and distributed energy. The latest evidence of this is the first Community Solar Summit, which was announced today (March 21) and will take place in Denver on July 26-28. 

A cheap, effective means of producing hydrogen gas as a fuel has been a longtime goal for researchers since it could replace other fuels like gasoline with a clean burning alternative. Now, researchers at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom think they’ve found a way to produce hydrogen cheaply using biomass and the sun and recently published their research in Nature Energy. 

Of all the cities in the US Houston has the most untapped potential for rooftop solar power. When Google announced the expansion of its Project Sunroof last week it estimated that the city could produce 18,940 gigawatt-hours of electricity via its untapped rooftops. As such it has a better opportunity to increase locally produced energy than other cities in the US, including Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Antonio, and New York.

Last week President Donald Trump (R) introduced a new budget proposal which would slash environmental protections and the energy department. That’s even as reports are showing that renewable energy is less expensive than natural gas power. At the same time some more challenges are coming to rooftop across the country. Meanwhile the first utility-scale solar project on Native American lands came online in Nevada. 

The Moapa Band of Paiutes have a new, giant solar plant to celebrate—as well as the retirement of a coal plant that had led to increased pollution near tribal lands. That’s thanks to the commissioning of the 250 megawatt (MW) Moapa Southern Paiute Solar Project near Las Vegas, which was commissioned today (March 17). It’s the first utility-scale solar project built on tribal land. 

Over the last few years Minnesota, already a big state for wind energy, has added a lot more solar power. Now a bill passed by both houses of the state’s legislature could reduce the state’s ability to regulate electric co-ops and the fees (that currently range from $7 to $83 a month) they impose on customers’ renewable energy. The solar industry is urging Gov. Mark Dayton (D) to veto the legislation.