A Trade Fight Day. The ITC (trade commission) held their mid-year review for the 201 tariffs to see if they should continue declining or otherwise. Suniva’s Matt Card, apparently still employed by the company, spoke on behalf of the tariffs without giving an update on Suniva’s return to the market. Hanwha Q-Cells also spoke publicly in favor of the 201 tariffs. SEIA, contractors and others spoke in favor of the American solar jobs that are impacted or lost because of the counterproductive tariffs. Meanwhile a court struck down the White House attempt to rescind the bifacial tariff exemption and Bloomberg interviewed Sunpower’s CEO on the topic of tariffs.
BP Gets In Deeper. BP has struck a deal to offer renewable energy from wind and solar farms for Amazon’s data centers in Europe. The deal also announced that BP increased their stake in Lightsource, the developer active in both European and US markets.
Corporate Storage Deal. Not that kind of deal. GM and LG Chem announced a JV to build a $2.3billion battery manufacturing plant in Ohio. In combination with the First Solar Youngstown plant, Ohio may want to revisit their anti-RPS stance given the manufacturing hub they’ve created in the state.
Speaking Of Storage. At GTM’s storage event in Denver, Colorado’s Governor showed up and spoke about his bullish position on energy storage and how it will help get Colorado to 100% renewable energy.
But The Workforce Needs. While we are all bullish on the growth of the market, we need to continue thinking about how we create a bigger labor force for our industry. Now that markets are getting geographically closer to the impacted coal markets, I wonder when installers start hiring labor that is trained in solar installations and travel to solar projects.
1 Million Solar Roofs. Speaking of amazing things, CALSSA will be having a big event next Thursday in Clovis, CA to commemorate 1 million solar roofs, an ambitious goal set during Governor Schwarzenegger’s time in Sacramento. The hallmark legislation sparked an industry that benefits us all and we’d love to have you in Clovis. If you can make it and travel there next Thursday, your support is needed and appreciated. More info to come including big names at the event.
- Utility Dive: Solar developers, manufacturers clash on Trump tariff impacts as trade commission poised to reevaluate
- KFGO: Judge blocks higher White House tariffs on imported solar panels
- Bloomberg: Sunpower CEO – Solar Panel Tariffs Are Doing What They Intended to Do
- Axios: BP to provide Amazon with renewable electricity for European data centers
- CNBC: GM, LG Chem to create $2.3 billion battery cell venture for electric vehicles, to create 1,100 jobs in Ohio
- Greentech Media: Gov. Polis on Colorado’s Quest for a Clean Grid — and Where Storage Fits In
- GreenBiz: The coal industry is shrinking — here’s what miners need for a just transition
Opinion
- PV-Magazine: Elon Musk calls for an ‘immediate’ and ‘significant increase’ in Tesla’s solar installs
Best, Yann