PODCAST: The year’s biggest stories in solar and energy storage and looking ahead to 2021

December 22, 2020
LinkedIn
Twitter
Reddit
Facebook
Email
Image: Iberdrola.

In this final episode of the Solar Media Podcast for 2020, Liam Stoker and Andy Colthorpe reflect on the biggest stories of the year and gaze into their crystal balls for 2021.

We reflect on how capacity expansion announcements and new technologies took the upstream solar sector into a new era, how the net zero movement spread and, yes, what impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on the industry supply chain. In energy storage, we discuss why California was rarely out of the headlines, some of the world’s biggest projects and a ‘mysterious’ new contender in the long-duration space.

There’s also time to reflect on some of the lighter stories of 2020, and both Liam and Andy provide their predictions for 2021.

The podcast can be streamed below:

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

Alternatively, you can subscribe and listen to the podcast on the Solar Media Editor’s Channel, which is now on all popular audio channels, including;

Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Google Podcasts

The Solar Media Podcast will be back in January for an entirely new season, but Andy, Liam and the rest of the Solar Media editorial team wish all of our listeners a happy holidays and a prosperous new year.

Read Next

December 5, 2025
Battery energy storage systems (BESS) equipped with grid-forming inverters have emerged as essential components for maintaining system stability in Australia’s National Electricity Market (NEM) as renewable energy penetration increases.
December 4, 2025
PJM has awarded 23 battery energy storage system (BESS) resources, totalling 2.2GW, with interconnection agreements (IAs) in its first transition cycle (TC1) of the reformed interconnection process.
December 4, 2025
Zenith secures 25-year PPA with Northern Star for 532MW hybrid project featuring a 138MW/300MWh BESS at Kalgoorlie gold mine in Australia.
December 3, 2025
ABB has acquired the solar PV and wind inverter and battery storage power conversion system (PCS) businesses of Gamesa Electric.
December 3, 2025
Stanwell bags rights to Quinbrook’s 6.24GWh Gladstone Energy Hub, combining 780MW battery energy storage with gas generation in Queensland.