Coming Up. Catch me in New York as I host SolarWakeup Live! on January 31st though I will be in town for a few days before and after. Two weeks later, I will be in DC for some solar startup activities. Where should the SolarWakeup Live! after New York go? Best ideas please.
Who’s Coming To Jacksonville. Last week the news came out that a manufacturer was looking to build a factory and hire 1,000 Floridians. A local Jacksonville outlet has it reported that the manufacturer could be Jinko Solar. I’ve been asked by many if this is due to the trade case but I generally remain skeptical that the trade case is causing a 20 year investment. Jacksonville is a strategic port for Europe and has daily arrivals from China as well. Land and labor in Florida is pentiful but the Speaker of the House is on a crusade against economic development and is running for Governor. I would like to see the manufacturer opine on the JEA net metering pullback however, that would be a great incentive for the local community.
SEIA Trade Case. The pro-solar members of the 201 testimony met with Secretary Wilbur Ross of the Commerce Department yesterday in DC. The amount of time that some executives have devoted to helping thousands of solar jobs is commendable and I hope to give you a behind the scenes of the entire process at SolarWakeup Live New York with one of the folks that has been at every meeting from the start. Ross is said to have asked good questions and listened to the solar industry make their case. Ross is a capitalist, dubbed the king of bankruptcy, who is likely to read right through Suniva/SolarWorld attempts to screw over the American public based on the financial state of those companies.
Cause of NOpr. The no on the NOPR came from the audacity of the ask. This wasn’t about policy but about political payback for a few donor companies. Case in point is the pushback by Corey Lewandowski who called the FERC commissioners part of the deep state.
Blame Anyone. I don’t publish much from the Washington Examiner but they have a somewhat entertaining editorial about the 201 case. They call for Trump to reject the tariff (I agree) because SolarWorld is backed by a Democratic megadonor. Much like the Hannity ad, I don’t care what the argument is that gets through to Trump. I only care that the right side prevails, which is no tariffs.
NJ SREC Bill. With the NJ solar market reaching its solar goal a decade early, the legislature pushed for bigger goals in a bill that has now passed the legislature. While Phil Murphy will be inaugurated on January 16th, solar advocates are asked Chris Christie to sign the bill ASAP.
Presented by Mintz Levin. Mintz Levin is an Am Law 100 law firm with a nationally recognized Energy & Sustainability Practice that has completed more than 500 transactions across energy sectors totaling over $7.5 billion since 2006.
- Jax Daily Record: Why is Chinese solar energy giant now considering Jacksonville? Solar growth, tariff threat
- SolarWakeup: The View On Solar From A Reporter’s Desk
- Bloomberg: What Killed Trump’s Cockamamie Coal Plan
- Washington Examiner: ‘Drain the swamp’ means not giving in to a Democratic megadonor’s demands
- Solar Power World: New Jersey bill would raise the state’s solar goal
- Midwest Energy News: In Michigan, solar growth meets uncertainty with end of net metering
- Utility Dive: MIT – Cheap gas, not renewables, caused nuclear woes
- Reuters: Tesla says solar roof production has started in Buffalo
Opinion
Have a great day!
Yann