Happy News First. Every day there is one article that is read the most. By noon my time, I can tell what you are reading as individuals and figure out what the is driving the days conversations in the solar industry. With SolarWakeup View, you’ll get my thoughts on that event and some more info if we have it. I hope you enjoy this additional memo that can help your business prosper. Check out the article from yesterday’s news.
Daily Tariff Update. Several reporters have Trump receiving the recommendation from his advisors next week. Word has it that the import license is off the table and the question remains what they will be set at. Is it per watt or a percentage? Will there be quotas that hinder import volumes? I am honestly surprised that we are here today and it makes me question what more I could have done. I will refute today, tomorrow and next week that this was based on Trump’s request for tariffs. There is a both sides aspect to this that leaves me uncomfortable but remain hopeful that advisors will keep it under 20%.
Help Michigan Manufacturing Jobs. The grand settlement was my biggest hope in the trade process. When bankrupt SolarWorld filed the first trade complaint and received tariffs, China responded by taxing US polysilicon. Amongst other things Hemlock had to close a $1.2billion plant in Tennessee and shed hundreds of jobs, things at REC Silicon weren’t much different in Washington State. So if Trump cared about jobs more than politics, the argument would be to get rid of all tariffs and make US a silicon powerhouse and grow the solar industry even faster than it has to date.
National Security Threat. Admiral James Stavridis is the current Dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. His resume includes Commander of Southern Command and NATO Supreme Allied Commander of Europe. He writes now that climate change is the greatest threat to America. Have a great day everyone!
Massachusetts Update. Your top article yesterday was the news of the DPU decision in MA and you can find our SolarWakeup View here. At the same time, MA DOER released the block 1 tariffs for the SMART program which came in higher than I expected and with the multipliers from energy storage these should be great deals even with interconnection upgrades. Are you doing one of these projects? Let me know.
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- SolarWakeup Podcast: E-Mobility & Energy Storage with Mercedes Energy Americas CEO & Yann’s Views
- Time: A Coal Executive Switched to Building Solar Plants. Now He’s Worried Trump Will Hurt His Business
- Bloomberg: America’s Most Pressing Threat? Climate Change
- mLive: Hemlock Semiconductor workers ask Trump for help in Chinese trade dispute
- SolarWakeup: Massachusetts DPU Adds over $4,000 in Charges To Residential Solar Customers
- Washington Post: Coal executive’s ‘action plan’ finds success under Trump
- GreenBiz: What the new tax law means for renewables
- Utility Dive: AES-Siemens joint venture unveils new solar+storage platform
Opinion
Have a great day!
Yann