This is your SolarWakeup for August 28th, 2020

Solar Market Survey.  Please take 3 minutes and fill out our survey looking at the current state of the solar market. Take The Survey Survey ends on Monday, your participation is valuable. 

Dream Job In Solar. HR pros in solar that want to work for a great team while tackling the issues of our times like climate and inequality. Vote Solar is hiring a director of talent and culture, you can see the job description and apply here.

The SunPower Spin. SunPower and Maxeon have completed their spin-off and are now separate companies trading on the public markets, SPWR and MAXN. Now SunPower starts its path to competing in the Sunrun, Sunnova and Vivint Solar track of public companies, best of luck to the SunPower team in the new era.

Bailey Bridge Of Gas. It seems that we are acknowledging the end of coal and moving to a discussion about the future of gas. Here is the CEO of ConEd Wednesday, “We made those investments five to seven years ago, and at that time we — and frankly many others — viewed natural gas as having a fairly large role in the transition to the clean energy economy,” McAvoy said. “That view has largely changed, and natural gas, while it can provide emissions reductions, is no longer … part of the longer-term view,” particularly in the U.S. Northeast where state regulators have blocked pipeline projects.” Add the report out of LA that the single gas plant has been leaking methane for several years at the rate of 30,000 cars. The discussion of gas as part of the future portfolio is upon us.

Climate And A Second Term. This is meant to be inflammatory and a single issue discussion that I’d like to have someone take the opposite side of. What happens to the fight against climate change under a second Trump term? We’ve seen the FERC policies that were pushed to prop up coal and nuclear in the MOPR. An ITC extension squashed by this White House. We’ve seen environmental rules challenged or removed. A push to drill in ANWR and off the coast of Florida. In solar, the market has grown in spite of tariff on tariff that has doubled the cost of solar modules, increased the cost on inverters and racking. Meanwhile racking manufacturing is leaving the US not coming back and inverter factories are just moving to a different offshore Country. As I said yesterday, solar should be supported by both parties but that is not the case and is not, in my opinion, something that Trump wants to see more of. When it comes to fighting climate change and creating millions of jobs in our sectors, a second Trump term will be troubling.

Have a great weekend!

Buyer’s Group Price Challenge. Installers across the Country are saving money with the Buyer’s Group, like modules under $0.40/watt. Take the price challenge today and discover your savings. 

Opinion

Best, Yann