Wakeup Thoughts: The State of the Union is strong, and the jobs in solar have not been lost on President Obama.  In arguably the strongest policy push of the night, the President says he will act on climate change if Congress will not.  I encourage the President to pursue strong action, maybe it will move everyone past Solyndra (even my Honorable Florida Senator)

News

• Gigaom – President: If Congress won’t act on climate change, I will
• CNN – Full text: President Obama’s 2013 State of the Union
• USAToday – Obama seeks oil-funded research to tackle climate change
• Solar Industry – CA Governor Names Two To CA Energy Commission
• Greentech Media – Energy Intensity of Buildings Down More Than 40%
• CS Monitor – Apple iPhone: Could it run on solar power?
• NY Times – Mayor Seeks Storm Protection More Suitable for Buildings

Opinions

• Solar Power World – An Interview With Rhone Resch and Julia Hamm
• Greentech Media – Solar 2.0: The Next Business Cycle in PV
• NY Times – When E.T. And I.T. Meet ID

Have a great day!

Yann

Wakeup Thoughts: Congratulations to a great solar advocate, Tor ‘SolarFred’ Valenza on reaching over 1million views of his blog.  Tor represents what we need in the solar industry.  His posts are informative and never self serving to his own business ventures.  As Tor writes, content is king.  The first key to the rule is to create it!  Follow him on Twitter @SolarFred

News

• Forbes – Solar Leases Will Drive Solar Home Growth to $5.7B
• RE World – Solar Trade Battles Brewing Between India, US, China
• Bloomberg – Global Solar Capacity Tops 100 GW on Asian Markets
• PV – Tech – Schwarzenegger and Stern hail solar’s role in climate war
• Fierce Energy – TX legislation addresses PACE financing
• KCET – What Happens When A Developer Abandons A Solar Project
• DailyMail – Drug barons going green as police raid solar factory

Opinions

• Tor Valenza – After a Million Page Views on RE World – Thanks
• John Farrell – Germany Has More Solar Power Because Everyone Wins

Have a great day!

Yann

Wakeup Thoughts: We have heard much about the upcoming solar consolidation.  One part of the solar value chain that is quickly moving from 1.0 to 2.0 is downstream IPPs.  We are hearing that some of the first IPPs to enter the solar space to invest in PPAs are being marketed for acquisition.  I hope that this transition is smooth for everyone involved so that we all come out stronger in solar 2.0.

News

• Gigaom – This is how touch and go the SolarCity IPO was
• NY Times – It’s Not Easy Being Green
• The Hindu – The solar war heats up
• ABC – Renewables will shift the global superpowers
• CleanTechnica – Value Of Solar Tariffs — The Way To Go?
• Greentech Media – Solar Outside the Sunbelt: Minnesota
• ABC – Solar Industry Grapples With Hazardous Wastes
• CleanTechnica – Germans Love Their Solar & Wind

Opinions

• NY Times – In the Rockies, Growing Support for Renewables
• Columbus Dispatch – Don’t put limits on solar power

Have a great day!

Yann

These are your top stories of the week! See what your colleagues read the most this week.

A very newsworthy SolarWakeup exclusive.  According to a loyal reader, the Solyndra sign in front of their former Fremont HQ has been removed.  Maybe that marks the end of the story, maybe it means that Fox News was correct about Germany being sunnier than the US.

#1 @TheOnion – Hungover DoE Secretary Wakes Up Next To Solar Panel

#2 @PhillyInquirer – Pennsylvania is reactivating a solar program

#3 @GreentechMedia – Chinese Will Produce Solar Panels for 42 Cents

#4 @Slate – Fox News Claims Solar Won’t Work in America

#5 @FoxNews – Solar subsidies dim, putting future of industry in doubt

#6 @PlattsPower – US solar manufacturers sues Obama administration

#7 @TheHill – Coal, solar claim Super Bowl outage makes their case

#8 @CBJEnergy – NC proves Southeastern powerhouse for solar

#9 @CleanTechnica – Thin-Film Solar To Be Sold For Less Than Coal

#10 @CarterLavin – 4 Free Ways To Get Your Message Out About Solar

Have a great weekend!

Yann