California PUC Commissioner, Mark Ferron, resigned last week for health resigns.  In his last report as a Commissioner, Mr. Ferron warns the utilities about trying to strangle rooftop solar and kill net metering.  Having commented sufficiently last week about the importance of utility commissions, we have to ensure that Governor Brown puts a strong solar voice on the CPUC to replace Commissioner Ferron.

News

• GTM: Peering Over the 2017 Horizon for Solar: Securitization
• Motley Fool: Utilities, Stop Worrying About Distributed and Worry About This
• CPUC: Final Commissioner Report by Mark Ferron
• CleanTechnica: Top Solar Startups In 2013 VC Funding & Top Projects
• Solar Novus: A Turning Point for the Japanese PV Market
• GTM: New Solar Tariff Threatens American PV Firm Suniva
• UT San Diego: Solar energy and the ‘poisoned chalice’
• IV Press: Cost of rooftop solar panels disproportionally impacts the poor

Opinions

• Slate: Clean Tech Is Not Dead

Have a great day!

Yann

The Fox News non-story of the day.  A Uranium Enrichment company (from Ohio) has received billions in subsidies over the past few decades and filed for bankruptcy last month. Of course this is a case of national importance so Speaker Boehner included tens of millions in bailout money for USEC. I wonder what insight Jonathan Silver formerly from DOE has to say about this.

News

• Elon Musk: Five Insights Into Solar Energy
• GTM: Is the Mega-Module the Future of Rooftop Solar?
• CNN: Nuclear Company Announces Bankruptcy, Rakes In Millions In Spending Bill
• NY Times: Sluggish Economy Prompts Europe to Reconsider Its Climate Intentions
• CleanTechnica: US Comes Out Top In Utility-Scale Solar For 2013
• Forbes: John Hancock Signs Off On Distributed Solar
• Wash Post: Solar on a grand scale: Big power plants coming online in the West
• RE World: Sun Still Rising on Residential Solar

Opinions

• RMI: Solar Securitization

Have a great day!

Yann

The support this week has been fantastic, but there are very important events happening over the next week.  This week is voting day for the SEIA Board.  There are some great candidates running, some of whom are good friends and partners of mine.  Take the time to vote if you are a member.  Next week, on January 24th, is National “Shout Out For Solar” Day.  Print out a solar support tag and take a picture.  Put it on Twitter or email it to me if you don’t have Twitter.

News

• National “Shout Out For Solar” Day: I Support Solar Posters (Print One)
• GTM: These Charts Show How Solar Demand Has Shifted Around the World
• Solar Industry: Solar Power Adds A Premium To A Home’s Resale Value
• PV-Tech: UK solar homes hit half a million milestone
• Energy Collective: Cleantech Investing: Ten Predictions for 2014
• Bloomberg: Clean Energy Support Falls Again to $254 Billion in 2013
• GigaOm: With acquisition, SolarCity will open up solar investing to individuals
• Breaking Energy: New Energy.gov Series Highlights Women in STEM fields

Opinions

• NRDC: CA, step aside: NY’s solar industry is on the rise

Have a great day!

Yann