I see your solar panel and I raise you a bottle of wine, let the trade wars commence!  NY is about to see a huge solar bill through to the end, but the solar industry needs to make its voice heard.  Vote Solar is looking for 300 more signature.  If 25% of SolarWakeup readers click the petition now, we can put them over the edge today…LET’s DO IT!

News

• NY Times: China Aims at Europe’s Wines After Solar Panel Action
• Bloomberg: EU Solar Duty May Spur Short-Term Imports as Deal Sought
• Greentech Media: Major NY Solar Bill Close to Becoming Law
• TreeHugger: Solar Brings Reliable Energy to New Haitian Hospital
• RE World: Solar and Utilities: Large-Scale, Self-Ownership, and Net Metering
• TreeHugger: MIT creates super accurate solar potential map of Cambridge
• RE World: Approval of PSE&G’s Solar Plans Reinvigorates Solar in New Jersey

Opinions

• Global Times: Solar dispute has long-term repercussions
• Solar Power World: The Benefits Of Distributed Generation

Have a great day!

Yann

If you enjoy reading SolarWakeup, please tell your colleagues by forwarding this email to 2 of them right now.  Also, click here and tell me why you enjoy SolarWakeup.

News

• News&Observer: Gov. Pat McCrory embraces solar power
• USA Today: Solar energy future in Ariz. being debated
• EarthTechling: Buffett Buy A Green Energy Feast For Nevada?
• Greentech Media: TruSolar’s “Market-Driven Solution for Industry Growth”
• Bloomberg: Japan Set to Overtake Germany as World’s Largest Solar Market
• Deutsche Welle: Solar tariffs on China are ‘counter-productive’ say experts
• CNN Money: EU slaps tariffs on Chinese solar panels

Opinions

• John Farrell: Why MLPs are a Lousy Policy for Solar, Wind, and Taxpayers
• Barry Goldwater Jr.: What’s Good for APS Is Not Necessarily Good for AZ(or Solar)

Have a great day!

Yann

A day after the USA Today piece on DOE loan guarantees, comes a great look at the man behind the Obama administration loan guarantees.  Fortune writer, Dan Primack, interviews Jonathan Silver who led the loan guarantee program for several years.  I agree with Mr. Silver, that energy, especially solar, has problems attracting venture capital for new ideas that do not involve technology.  Also of interest is the continued theme on MLPs and REITs.

News

• Fortune: Ex-head of clean energy loan program breaks silence
• Reuters: Premier Li says solar trade dispute touches China’s major interests
• Greentech Media: How to Settle the US-China Solar War
• Greentech Media: Why Chinese Solar Inverters Are Half the Cost of American
• Denver Post: The South finds the solar energy, but it looks to be waning in Colorado
• Philly Inquirer: Yes to solar, but not on farmland
• Business Week: U.S. Approves 520 Megawatts of Solar Energy Projects

Opinions

• HuffPost: Obama Should Lift U.S. Solar Tariffs During His China Meeting
• Solar Power World: Why Haven’t Americans Embraced Solar? 

Have a great day!

Yann

Great viewpoints from both sides in the USA Today with regard to DOE loans.  In my opinion, both viewpoints can be correct.  In both Fisker’s and Solyndra’s case, significant private capital was invested alongside taxpayers.  Unfortunately the capital lost on a several large transaction has pushed capital away from smaller deals today in downstream development/financing companies.  That money should come back because the opportunity is large and lucrative.

News

• Forbes: On Solar Wars, Even Germany Pro-China
• Bloomberg: In EU-China Solar Panel Slapdown, No One Wins
• Atlanta JC: GOP push Georgia Power to embrace solar energy
• Fool.com: Is Your State a Top Solar Energy Producer?
• CS Monitor: Will solar power kill utility companies? They think so.
• LA Times: An end-run with clean energy funds

Opinions

• The National: Masdar chief urges US on renewables
• USA Today: Energy loans drive a bad bargain: Our view
• USA Today: DOE loans drive innovation: Opposing view

Have a great day!

Yann