On Tuesday, the former CEO of Duke (largest utility in the Country) gave this quote to a reporters when asked what he would do if he got into business today.

“I would come into the industry as someone who is an attacker, not a defender. I’d want the solar on the rooftop. I’d want to run that. I’d want the ability to deploy new technologies that lead to productivity gains to the use of electricity in homes and businesses. I would go after the monopoly that I see weakened over the last 25 years. My goal would be to take customers away from utilities as fast as I could, because I think they’re vulnerable. Regulations will not be changed fast enough to protect them. The business model will not be changed fast enough.”

Last night at the Charlotte Business Energy Awards he mentioned that he has another “run in him.” Who is calling him first?

News

• Bain & Co: Be right more often: How utilities can make better bets
• CleanTechnica: TASC Open Letter To Former Duke Energy CEO Jim Rogers
• GTM: Rumor: Sunrun Joins With REC to Bulk Up in Residential Solar Fray
• Motley Fool: The Issue Lurking Behind Utility Solar
• Politico: White House taps Norman Bay to head FERC
• RE World: Renewable Finance Outlook for 2014: Where Will the Cash Flow?
• Think Progress: Georgia Republican Is Working To Increase Access To Solar
• Forbes: Obama’s ‘All-The-Above’ Energy Becomes A Strategy Of One

Opinions

• Dept. of Energy: #YearofAction: Growing the Clean Energy Economy

Have a great day!

Yann

Time for some Thursday Feedback from you: In the solar version of chicken and the egg.  Are there more solar projects looking for funding or funding looking for projects? Where does the industry need to be more efficient, hit reply or click here and let me know your thoughts.

News

• BizJournals: CO regulators will take more time settling solar power debate
• EarthTechling: State Leadership In Financing A Greener Future
• Forbes: Germany’s Proposal To Tax Self-Consumption Of Solar Could Hurt
• Fox: Buy vs. Lease: Solar Panels on Your Home
• GTM: California PUC President: The Utility Death Spiral Is ‘Last Year’s Hype’
• RE World: Why the New Jersey Solar Market Just Got Hot Again
• Solar Power World: Solar Leases Are Encouraging Owners to Choose Solar
• RE World: Net Metering in 2014: Where the First Battles Will Be Fought

Opinions

• Solar Novus: Why Traditional Investors are Banking on Solar

Have a great day!

Yann

Today’s Wakeup Thoughts come from President Obama’s State of the Union Speech:

“We’re becoming a global leader in solar too. Every four minutes another American home or business goes solar, every panel pounded into place by a worker whose job can’t be outsourced. Let’s continue that progress with a smarter tax policy that stops giving $4 billion a year to fossil fuel industries that don’t need it so we can invest more in fuels of the future that do.”

News

• HuffPost: Obama Praises ‘All-Of-The-Above’ Energy Strategy
• GTM: 5 Facts You Should Know About America’s Solar Jobs Market
• Forbes: Sun Sets On Solar In Germany; Industry Slashes 50% Of Jobs
• EnergyBiz: Duke Energy CEO, Jim Rogers, Industry Farewell
• SolarPowerWorld: A Public Service Message: Don’t Lie To Your Customers
• GreenBiz: Why is Hawaii scaling back on solar?
• GTM: How Will Renewable Energy Be Financed in 2014?

Opinions

• TASC: Utilities Neglect To Mention Billions In Fossil Fuel Subsidies
• Gov. Ritter: Powering Forward on Clean Energy

Have a great day!

Yann