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The solar industry is among many sectors feeling the pinch of higher prices, according to a report released Tuesday by the Solar Energy Industries Association and Wood Mackenzie.

Prices rose quarter over quarter and year over year across every solar segment during the period. It’s the first time that residential, commercial and utility solar costs have risen in tandem since the energy consultancy began tracking prices in 2014.

The most-significant cost pressures came from a jump in prices for raw materials, including steel and aluminum. Elevated shipping costs also played a role. The bulk of these impacts will likely start to show in 2022, since many companies have enough inventory to see them through the end of the year, according to the report.

Overall, the U.S. added 5.7 gigawatts of solar capacity during the period, a record for second-quarter installations. That also marks a 45% jump over 2020’s level as the pandemic roiled the industry.

“The solar industry continues to demonstrate strong quarterly growth, and demand is high across every segment,” Wood Mackenzie principal solar analyst Michelle Davis said. “But the industry is now bumping up against multiple challenges. … Addressing these challenges will be critical to expanding the industry’s growth and meeting clean energy targets.”

A separate report from Rystad Energy released Friday said global solar panel prices have jumped 16% this year compared to 2020’s levels. Overall costs, which include soft costs like labor, are up 12% in 2021. Rystad said this could potentially hurt the demand outlook for the next few years.

In the U.S., the industry is also facing regulatory overhangs and policy uncertainty. In June, U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued a Withhold Release Order on silica-based products from Hoshine Silicon Industry due to forced labor concerns in China’s Xinjiang region. Separately, some U.S.-based companies have filed a petition with the Department of Commerce asking that tariffs on imported solar goods be extended to Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand, according to SEIA.

All this comes as lawmakers debate the $3.5 trillion spending package, which will have significant implications for the solar industry.

“What the industry needs is certainty,” SEIA President and CEO Abigail Ross Hopper said. She believes the most-important provision is an extension of the Investment Tax Credit, which has been instrumental to solar’s growth. The ITC, which was extended in December 2020, was included in The American Jobs Plan, but did not make it into the infrastructure bill’s final iteration.

Hopper said support for domestic manufacturing is another priority for the trade group, noting that incentives around U.S.-based production could alleviate some of the supply chain bottlenecks the solar industry is currently facing.

Rising costs and a lack of clarity for the industry could harm President Joe Biden’s ambitious climate goals. Solar costs have dropped more than 70% over the last decade, according to the Department of Energy, but they need to decline further for increased adoption.

The department issued Wednesday a blueprint detailing how solar could go from around 3% of electricity generation today to 45% by 2050, but it will be nearly impossible without supportive policies. The study said the U.S. installed a record 15 gigawatts of solar during 2020.

Installations will need to double each year through 2025, before quadrupling from 2020’s levels annually between 2025 and 2030 if the U.S.’ climate goals are to be met.

“This is a critical moment for our climate future but price increases, supply chain disruptions and a series of trade risks are threatening our ability to decarbonize the electric grid,” Hopper said.

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Archer Aviation is planning an air taxi network around the Miami metro area including airports

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Archer Aviation is planning an air taxi network around the Miami metro area including airports

Archer Aviation has announced partnerships in the Miami metropolitan area to establish a new air taxi network to support travelers around several key areas in Southern Florida, including local airports.

As you probably alrready know at this point. Archer Aviation ($ACHR) is a California-based developer of eVTOL and eCTOL aircraft that it continues to work toward implementing into commercial air taxi rides in the future. The plans for its network of sustainable aircraft have expanded to cities like New York and Chicago, as well as other countries like Japan and the United Arab Emirates.

In California, south of its headquarters, Archer intends to take to the skies above Los Angeles with a proposed air taxi network announced in August 2024. Building upon that network, Archer shared earlier this year that it had become the exclusive air taxi provider of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

On the other southern coast of the United States, Archer is planning another exciting air taxi network that includes the option of quiet, sustainable air travel around Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and several other key landmarks.

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Air taxi Miami
Source: Archer Aviation

Archer partners up to establish Miami air taxi network

Archer Aviation shared details of its new air taxi network plans for Miami in a press release early this morning. If and when it comes to friuition, the proposed air taxi network will be a result of several new partnerships established by Archer in the Miami metropolitan area.

Some of those partnerships include real estate company Related Ross, Apogee Golf Club, Hard Rock Stadium – where existing heliports will be configured for eVTOLs and/or new air taxi vertiports will be erected. Stephen Ross, CEO and Chairman of Related Ross and Owner of the Miami Dolphins:

Our partnership with Archer marks a pivotal step in expanding South Florida’s regional connectivity through cutting-edge technology. We are integrating Archer’s electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft into our flagship locations across South Florida, including the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Related Ross developments in West Palm Beach, and Apogee Club in Hobe Sound. We’re excited to embrace a forward-thinking vision that transforms how people and businesses move across the region.

According to Archer, the new air taxi network will connect passengers to populated areas around Miami Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton and West Palm Beach, offering 10 to 20 minute flights. Plans also include easier travel to major airports around Southern Florida, including Miami International Airport (MIA), Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport (FLL), and Palm Beach International Airport (PBI), plus several general aviation airports. Miami Mayor, Francis Suarez, also spoke:

Miami has never been afraid to bet on the future. We’re a city that attracts visionaries, embraces breakthrough technology, and turns bold ideas into real impact. For years, I’ve worked with Archer as they’ve advanced a vision for an air-taxi network that will elevate Miami’s position as a global capital for innovation and mobility. What they’re building isn’t just transformational transportation, it embodies the Miami mindset: we lead, we innovate, and we redefine what’s possible.

Archer did not share a timeline on when this air taxi network may be operational around Miami, but we’d wager it’s still at least a couple of years away given the need for additional eVTOl development and FAA certifications in order to begin commercial operations in the US.

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Germany’s largest offshore wind farm fires up its first turbine

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Germany’s largest offshore wind farm fires up its first turbine

Germany’s largest offshore wind farm hit a big milestone: The first turbine at EnBW’s He Dreiht project has produced its first kilowatt-hour of electricity and sent it into the grid.

More turbines are expected to come online over the coming weeks. European energy provider EnBW has already installed 27 of the wind farm’s 64 turbines, all of which are scheduled to be commissioned by summer 2026.

Peter Heydecker, EnBW board member for Sustainable Generation Infrastructure, described the November 25 milestone as a “significant moment for EnBW.” With 960 megawatts (MW) of total capacity, He Dreiht is now Germany’s largest offshore wind farm.

Vestas supplied the 15 MW turbines, marking their world debut. Nils de Baar, president of Vestas Northern and Central Europe, said the giant turbine’s technology sets a new standard for offshore wind. “Its efficiency and performance enable a significant increase in energy yield per turbine.”

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Just one rotation of the 15 MW turbine’s rotor can power the equivalent of four households for a day. The hub stands 142 meters (466 feet) tall, and the rotor’s 236-meter (774-foot) diameter sweeps a 43,742-square-meter (10.8-acre) area — roughly the size of six football fields. To put the scale into perspective, EnBW’s first offshore project, Baltic 1 in 2010, used 2.3 MW turbines.

EnBW wrapped up the wind farm’s internal cabling in August. Those lines connect all the turbines and feed into a converter platform operated by transmission system operator TenneT. That’s where the power is collected, converted from AC to DC, and sent to shore through two high-voltage DC cables.

Once complete, He Dreiht will generate enough electricity to power about 1.1 million households. The project is being built without state funding and sits roughly 85 kilometers (53 miles) northwest of Borkum and 110 kilometers (68 miles) west of Heligoland. EnBW’s offshore office in Hamburg is coordinating the build.

A partner group made up of Allianz Capital Partners, AIP, and Norges Bank Investment Management owns 49.9% of the project. Total investment comes in at around €2.4 billion.

Read more: China’s surge pushes global wind toward fastest growth ever


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BYD tried crushing its $180K luxury SUV with a 2-ton tree and it barely left a mark [Video]

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BYD tried crushing its $180K luxury SUV with a 2-ton tree and it barely left a mark [Video]

The Yangwang U8L is among the most expensive Chinese vehicles, starting at about $180,000. To prove it’s built for just about anything, BYD dropped a 2-ton tree on it, three times, and the ultra-luxury pretty much brushed it off.

BYD drops a tree on its ultra-luxury SUV during testing

BYD launched the Yangwang U8L in September, a long-wheelbase version of the U8 off-road SUV. The U8 was first introduced in September 2023 as the first vehicle from BYD’s ultra-luxury sub-brand, Yangwang.

Yangwang is a new energy vehicle (NEV) brand that sells high-end plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and 100% battery electric (BEV) vehicles as BYD expands into new segments.

The U8L is Yangwang’s fourth vehicle, following the U8, U9, and U7. It’s available in China with a quad-motor extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) system, delivering a CLTC range of 200 km (124 miles) on battery power alone.

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A 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine serves as a generator, delivering a combined CLTC range of 1,160 km (720 miles).

Measuring 5,400 mm in length, 2,049 mm in width, and 1,921 mm in height, the Yangwang U8L is even bigger than the Rolls-Royce Cullinan and Range Rover Long Wheelbase.

BYD-luxury-SUV-tree-drop

BYD’s ultra-luxury SUV is priced from 1.28 million yuan ($180,000), making it one of the most expensive models from a Chinese brand.

It may look pretty, but the Yangwang U8L is built for far more than just good looks. Like the U8, the long-wheelbase version is equipped with advanced features such as emergency float mode, which allows it to float on water for up to 30 minutes, tank turns, crab walking, and more.

To prove its durability, BYD engineers put the luxury SUV through the paces, dropping a massive 2-ton tree on it, not once, but three times.

During the final drop, the company said the maximum impact energy reached 50.4 kJ, or about 37,200 lb-ft. After three consecutive drops, the Yangwang U8L barely even got a scratch. The body structure remained intact, the door still opened, the columns didn’t bend, and the vehicle could even drive like normal.

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