A great week in the books with Intersolar wrapping up. Some interesting news coming from the show which we will share with you next week. One overarching theme is apparent, solar is not alone anymore. We are interconnected within our own value chain and other industries like storage, home automation and efficiency. Above all, the energy sector remains a finance industry, with so many attendees once again wearing the suit and tie (except the team at Shoals!)

News

• GTM: What You Need to Know About How Clean Energy YieldCos Work
• CleanTechnica: Top 5 Solar Countries To Account For ~80% of Global Solar 
• Solar Industry: CPUC Report Highlights California’s Continued Solar Success
• RE World: The United States Midwest: A Leader in Clean Energy
• Scientific America: Hard Road Ahead for Solar Freakin’ Roadways
• Breaking Energy: How Indianapolis (of All Places) Became a Solar Powerhouse
• Think Progress: Watch How Solar Power Is Transforming Rural India
• Gigaom: Solar startup Sungevity using laser beam data to sell solar roofs

Opinions

• GTM: What Was He Smoking? How a Solar Pioneer’s Big Dreams Came True

Have a great day!

Yann

I think we need to continue to look at the role of grid operators (utilities) play in the solar business. Intersolar is an interesting place to look at that because the show promoter is not directly tied to the money coming from utilities. I think EDF is right in today’s opinion story that utilities need to change, mostly on the fact that solving their solar non-problem is to own solar (behind the meter) assets as ratepayer cost recovered. UOG (utility owned generation) HAS to be focused on centralized solar farms, controlling behind the meter assets means controlling the market growth and that is bad for everyone in solar, including the bands that battled tonight at Intersolar.

News

• Toledo Blade: Solar-panel maker shuts down
• Business Insider: CEO Of Sunrun: Solar Energy Is On The Rise
• GTM: Costs of Solar Were Not Passed Along to Ratepayers in Nevada
• Las Vegas News: Balancing solar, environment
• RE World: Solar’s Year of Action in the US
• BGR: Rooftop solar power is making coal obsolete in Australia
• Chicago Tribune: Chicago unveils new rooftop solar discount program
• SF Chronicle: Sungevity shows how solar panels will look on your house

Opinions

• EDF: Dear Utilities, Change or Get Dumped

Have a great day!

Yann

The 1st day of Intersolar is behind us and things are looking good. Lots of news coming on partnerships, innovation and victories that will grow markets and opportunities for solar companies. More coverage coming from areas that currently have little solar like Florida and that worked to stop solar like Maine. Solar is working on a 50 State strategy and it will be in effect in no time at all.

News

• Portland Press: CMP’s new rate plan would add $3 to bills
• CleanTechnica: Florida Utilities Working To Crush Nascent Solar Industry
• Solar Industry: Indiana Michigan Power Wants To Give Solar A Chance
• GTM: 4 Residential Solar Trends to Watch in the Second Half of 2014
• Bloomberg: Mosaic and Enphase Packaging Solar Loans With O&M
• CNBC: Could your next car be solar powered?
• Solar Industry: Charts The Top Solar Deals Of The Second Quarter
• Motley Fool: Which of These 3 Solar Companies Can Make You Rich?

Opinions

• Grist: “It’s raining renewable loans!” shrieks DOE, racing to the dance floor

Have a great day!

Yann