This is your SolarWakeup for January 8th, 2018

Presented By Pfister Energy – Your only source for turnkey design-build renewable energy system solutions. We provide world-class power solutions for the commercial, industrial, and utility sectors with an emphasis on energy efficiency and energy management. Visit us at www.pfisterenergy.com.

SolarWakeup ViewA few times a week, find SolarWakeup View executive memos to give you the information you need to know about the news. Nobody has time to read the fluff so we’ll give you the news and our viewpoint on a topic with background info if you want to know more. Check out EEI’s movement on Puerto Rico (finally).

Charging By US. Didi, China’s Uber, is now operating an astonishing 260,000 electric vehicles. This comes on the back of the news of an entire 17,000 bus fleet going electric while policies in China are drastically increasing access to EV charging (at every parking spot). Battery manufacturing capacity is also increasing at a rapid pace. The US is being left behind on several lanes here, from fleets to individual cars, just look at how many Uber cars are electric here.

Pigs and Hogs. I am not shocked to see coal, oil and gas companies arguing with each other to get as much as possible from the Trump White House. The energy market is often argued by politicians to not pick winners and losers but with the imminent trade tariff on solar modules, it is clear that the current administration has picked winners and is just focused on making them a fat as possible while the trough is open.

Cut The Permit Fat. Sungevity’s former CEO, Andrew Birch, whom I recently had the pleasure of meeting highlights the issue with solar in the US. There is too much time and cost in the permitting process which makes everything more expensive and less profitable for solar companies. Seems like he may be highlighting a market problem.

SEIA Docs. SEIA is out with some more standard documents, last week releasing two sets focused on C&I solar. One gives building owners an understanding of the value of solar and the other provides the documentation needed for solar companies to leverage PACE with 3rd party ownership. Solving credit in C&I is complicated and one way is to do it with PACE. Check them out.

Tickets. Get your SolarWakeup Live! NYC tickets.

Opinion

Have a great day!

Yann