In a follow-up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in December 2015 scientists from around the world recently convened for the first meeting of the Global Alliance of Solar Energy Research Institutes (GA-SERI). The meeting of 50 leading international experts discussed GA-SERI discussed reaching 3 terawatts of solar power by 2030 and 20 terawatts by 2040. 

While some states have gigawatts of solar power installed (California, Arizona, North Carolina, for example), some don’t. Case in point, Iowa. The Central Iowa Power Cooperative (CIPCO) and its member cooperatives just announced that they will build a total of 5.5 megawatts of new solar farms across six sites. 

Earlier this month Marathon Capital updated its white paper on solar securitization claiming that the age of solar securitization has arrived. The financing company observed, among other things that already in 2015 more than $235 million in rooftop solar securities have closed—more than closed in the entire year of 2015. 

As researchers seek the new, next best thing in solar power, they’re exploring new materials and new ways to capture the sun’s energy. Case in point perovskite crystals and recycling light. That’s what new research recently published by the University of Cambridge proposes for a new generation of solar cells. 

The U.S. could generate nearly 40 percent of its electrical sales via its rooftops according the latest analysis from the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). That’s almost double its previous analysis!

South Carolina’s Santee Cooper utility celebrated the start of spring with its approval of what will be South Carolina’s first community solar project at the same time as it renewed rebates for rooftop solar projects. Both programs begin on April 1. 

Just earlier this month the future looked bleak for Vivint Solar, which ended its flailing merger agreement with SunEdison citing breach of contract. Now the company is seeing the sun with a new, $200 million funding round to support building solar rooftops across the U.S.

Massachusetts is in a solar conundrum. The state’s solar policies have been successful, very successful. They’ve created over 10 thousand jobs and are helping to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, but they’ve been so successful, they’re already set to sunset. 

Earlier this week the Center for Social Inclusion, GRID Alternatives and Vote Solar introduced the Low-Income Solar Policy Guide. The new guide is an online tool designed to expand access to solar power and solar jobs. 

A new report out from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), REmap: Roadmap for a Renewable Energy Future, shows that doubling the use of renewable energy like solar power throughout the world over the next 15 years will save trillions thanks to avoided costs of air pollution and climate change.