Last week Atlanta’s City Council unanimously approved a plan that would lower energy costs while moving the whole city to 100 percent renewable energy. Meanwhile the SOLAR Act in Iowa got support from MidAmerican Energy, but might add fees for solar rooftop owners. And Mitsubishi introduced a new solar home electric vehicle concept. 

The next step in home energy systems are homes that integrate solar power with energy storage, electric vehicle charging and a vehicle that can also provide backup energy to the home If needed. Mitsubishi has introduced its take on this with the new Dendo Drive House concept. 

Earlier this week Atlanta’s city council unanimously approved the “Clean Energy Atlanta” plan to transition the city to 100 percent renewable energy. The plan will also lower electric costs for residents by at least 25 percent and up to 95 percent for some residents, while creating 8,000 new jobs, the council said. 

Hanwha Q Cells, the photovoltaic solar panel manufacturing arm of South Korea’s Hanwha Group, is suing JinkoSolar, LONGi Solar, and REC Group over patent infringements in the US and in Germany. The manufacturer is alleging the Chinese competitors’ are using its patented passivation technology unlawfully and seeks to ban the import of its competitors’ products in both markets. 

Iowa, already a major stronghold for wind power, may soon see a jump in solar power as legislators consider the SOLAR Act, which would expand solar power in the state and has the support of Warren Buffet controlled MidAmerican Energy Co. However, the legislation, House Study Bill 185 would impose fees on new rooftop solar owners, which could slow rooftop solar growth in the state down. 

Last week JinkoSolar announced that its now producing solar panels at its facility in Jacksonville, FL. Meanwhile Home Depot patterned with Sunrun and Vivint Solar to sell rooftop solar and energy storage in stores in more than 20 states. One of the world’s biggest manufacturers, 3M, is also going 100 percent renewable.

Home Depot will once again offer rooftop solar in store in at least 23 states, thanks to new partnerships with Sunrun and Vivint Solar. The partnerships expand the home supply giant’s relationship with Sunrun and introduces Vivint Solar’s services in store for the first time. 

Today (Feb. 28) 3M, best known for Scotch tape and Stickies, announced that its global headquarters in Minnesota will be powered by 100 percent renewable energy starting tomorrow and that it will transition to 100 percent renewable energy across its entire worldwide operations. The company also has joined RE100 and partnered with Xcel Energy in Minnesota to start moving to renewable energy there. 

Last year the Hawaiian Electric Companies (HECO) generated fully 27 percent of its electricity from renewable energy resources. That’s despite loosing the ability to generate power from a geothermal power plant for most of the year.

China-based JinkoSolar is now producing solar panels at its facility in Jacksonville, FL. The company will make solar panels at the facility for the US market to avoid tariffs imposed on solar panels imported from China by President Trump.