Though shadowed by a reputation of haze and gloomy clouds, the United Kingdom and its renewable sector received some bright news recently. 

The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has released a series of articles and studies last month that look at the rise of solar energy in American K-12 schools. “There are now 5,489 K-12 schools in the United States that use solar energy, nearly double the total solar capacity that was installed at schools in 2014” say SEIA. The movement to solar is most likely due to the 67% reduction is cost in solar installations over the past 10 years. This reduction in installation cost is from the government tax and incentive programs that have encourage individuals, commercial businesses as well as government municipality to install solar panels. The Department of Energy’s Sunshot Initiative Program is one example of a federal initiative to reduce the cost of solar by 75% to make it a competitive source of energy in the market.

In the wake of Hurricane Maria, many Puerto Ricans have been left in the dark. The massive storm left the island’s electrical grid in ruins, and three weeks later, the vast majority of its population remains without electricity. It can be difficult to rebuild in the aftermath of such a large natural disaster, but solar energy has the potential to bring new light to the territory.

Some of the most successful corporations are finding themselves investing in solar, decreasing their use of oil and gas, in an effort. to stop global warming and the many harmful causes and effects of climate change.

The opening of this year’s Climate Week NYC was punctuated by the arrival of the latest wave of participants in a growing trend: Bank of America, General Motors, Wells Fargo & Co, VF Corp, and Apple joined The Climate Group’s RE100, an international coalition of corporations committed to adopting 100% renewable electricity. 

Historically dependent on fossil fuels, Israel’s past efforts to adopt alternatives have been hindered largely by incongruent policy and bureaucratic complications. While solar water heaters are common, the sunny nation has yet to harness the energy source for utility-scale use. But it seems the new year has brought with it new prospects and promising projects.

Indian officials have recently released photos and updates declaring the completion of what is now the world’s largest solar power plant. The project replaces the former global frontrunner, California’s 550 MW Topaz Solar Farm.  

Photo from Washington Post.

Information originating from the National Energy Administration (NEA) showed that in 2016 alone, China implemented 34.24 gigawatts (GW) of additional solar energy. With a confirmed goal of 110 GW by 2020, project deployment is centered predominantly in the east, with large-scale endeavors overshadowing a previously-planned carve-out for distributed generation. Industry experts believe that the figure is likely to be exceeded by the final date, and may soon eclipse the American market for clean energy.

In an official news release by the nation’s Treasury Board Secretariat, Canada has pledged to power all of its government buildings and operations using renewable energy by 2025.