News of the day include the public IPO filing by Vivint Solar. The preliminary release has the raise at $200million for the SolarCity and SunRun competitor. This also represents a big win for Blackstone which bought Vivint Security and Solar for around $2billion. We will see how the IPO plays out but if the retained values receive similar treatment as SolarCity and Vivint has about a 3rd of the SCTY market share, well you do the math. Blackstone is doing well.

News

• Reuters: Blackstone-backed Vivint Solar files for IPO
• PV Magazine: Latin America: Eager for an industry
• Cleantechnica: Chinese PV Module Suppliers Dominate Market Again
• AZ Central: APS plan to offer free solar faces critics
• SolarServer: Global solar PV Market will grow to 65.6 GW in 2019
• PV-Tech: Trina Solar looking at sites for first overseas manufacturing base
• RE World: Six Reasons Solar Needs to Learn to Live with the Tariffs
• Think Progress: New Bill Could Make Residential Solar In California A Lot Cheaper

Opinions

• Solar Power World: What Will Be The Best Way In 2015 To Fund Solar Projects?

Have a great day!

Yann

Today is voting day! Make sure to get your vote counted, your next Governor may decide the PSC commissioners and therefore the future of solar in your State. A public service announcement for anyone that lives in Arizona, or if you have a parent or grandparent that decided to retire to Arizona. GO VOTE! Vote for Lucy Mason and Vernon Parker for the Arizona Corporation Commission. Tomorrow in Arizona we see the future of solar advocacy and how utilities behave in solar politics. On Wednesday, call your friend that works in advocacy and say thank you.

News

• Renew Economy: Solar riddle: Saving money, the planet, or independence?
• RE World: Can Open Standards Accelerate Community Shared Solar?
• PV Magazine: New York merges solar programs under NY-Sun initiative
• CleanTechnica: The Most Solar Man In The World — Brilliant 1-Minute Short Films
• Forbes: Disconnect Between Claims For Solar And Reality
• Bloomberg: Why Verizon Is Ramping Up Solar Investment (Video)
• CS Monitor: In race for solar power, China is winning
• Solar Power World: Which Generating Technology Has The Greatest Advantage?

Opinions

• Energy Collective: Who Says Solar Energy Doesn’t Make Sense in Virginia?

Have a great day!

Yann

It’s a testy Monday. As we grow, there are more partnerships and acquisitions but also some elbows. I have no problem with elbows as long as they come with facts and opinions that are well reasoned and measured. Feel free to have a disagreement with ‘experts’ and share it with the class anytime. To lead off tonight, our good friend Chip Martin gives us his view of the ongoing SolarWorld trade cases.

News

• SolarWakeup: Oh, For God’s Sake, SolarWorld, Shut The Hell Up
• Solarlove: Sunpower CEO Says Grid Independence Is Naive
• PV-Tech: SolarCity expects Silevo 1GW fab to cost up to US$450 million
• Energy Collective: Finally, Good News Out of Washington
• PV Magazine: SolarWorld points to installation errors in product recall
• Forbes: Why Countervailing Trade Duties And Tariffs Are Immoral
• LA Times: DWP is still slow to turn on home solar energy systems
• Motley Fool: What You Need to Know Before You Invest in Solar Energy

Opinions

• Forbes: Solar Executive Tries to Intimidate Bill Gates Into Opposing Fossil Fuels

Have a great day!

Yann