GTM has put a price tag on the newest set of tariffs levied on Chinese modules. While the tariffs are unfortunate and blatantly dumb there is no greater threat to solar than the fights happening in State regulatory commissions across the Country. It used to be the big fights about net metering at the legislature. Incumbent monopolies have no desire allow property owners to exercise their rights to generate their own solar energy. And they will go to extraordinary lengths to keep our economy in the last century.

News

• RE World: Plug-and-Play Solar Systems: Automating the Permitting
• Bloomberg: Solar Tariffs to Boost Prices for Chinese Panels by 14%
• Solar Industry: MA Group Unhappy With Proposed Incentive Changes
• NY Times: Buying Into Solar Power, No Roof Access Needed
• Nation Swell: How Burning Man Spawned a Solar ‘Gold Rush’
• PV-Tech: Italy’s proposed retroactive FiT cuts ‘illegitimate’
• CleanTechnica: Socio-economic Benefits of Solar and Wind Energy
• Solar-USA: Interview With Georgia PSC Commissioner Bubba McDonald

Opinions

• GTM: Why Jim Rubens Stands Out From All Republicans Running for Senate

Have a great day! Yann

The politics of climate change continues to evolve. Former Vice-President Gore writes a compelling piece in Rolling Stone about where we stand today. As the President continues to rely on EPA rules to stem the tide of climate change, power plants and therefore solar is impacted. If you are particularly fond of climate change debate, look up yesterday’s speech from Senator Bernie Sanders on the issue.

News

• Al Gore: The Turning Point: New Hope for the Climate
• Solar Industry: U.S. Codes And Standards Reflect Solar’s Rising Importance
• Business Week: AES Selling Solar-Power Venture Stake to SunEdison
• Biz Journals: Strong N.C. solar industry lags in private installations
• LA Times: L.A. councilman wants to put ground-based solar on pause
• Biz Journals: Xcel to reopen its solar incentive program in Colorado
• PV-Tech: PV equipment bookings in recovery mode
• SJ News: SolarCity follows Tesla’s ‘Gigafactory’ path, builds panel factory

Opinions

• RE World: Tip of the Iceberg: The Huge Potential of Energy Storage

Have a great day! Yann

The big news of the day (besides the Pledge reaching all 50 States and over 1,200 signatures) is that SolarCity is building a solar panel factory. Buying Silevo for up to $350million, SolarCity also announced a 1GW panel factory near Buffalo. The NY connection probably means a good incentive by NYSERDA and StartupNY. In broader terms, it means that SCTY sees an annual operational run rate in excess of 1GW post 2016. Takes a minute to digest but that is a LOT of solar…

News

• GTM: Here’s Why SolarCity Plans to Build a 1GW Solar Factory
• Forbes: Understanding Solar Yieldcos
• NY Times: SolarCity Is Acquiring a Start-Up, Silevo, to Build Panels
• USA Today: U.S. solar projects get lift from online tool
• RE World: Utility Profits Linked to Gender Diversity
• Think Progress: Texas Utility Doubles Solar, Says It Will Be Coal-Free
• Wash Post: HUD nominee seeks end to Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac

Opinions

• Rob Day: The State of Cleantech Entrepreneurship in 2014
• Energy Collective: Is the City of Angels Becoming the City of Solar Energy?

Have a great day! Yann

This Saturday the 21st is the longest day of the year and it happens to be a solar action day. #PutSolarOnIt is an effort that allows solar workers, solar fans and anyone else that loves solar to ‘nominate’ a place that should get solar. Use the hashtag #PutSolarOnIt and this site to promote a new solar place. With so many great solar supporters including President Obama’s Organizing For America, #PutSolarOnIt is a great action day this Saturday, June 21st.

News

• CleanTechnica: How One Town Keeps Fighting for Control of Their Energy
• GTM: Will Batteries and PV Create an Unstoppable Hybrid Force?
• Grist: Kochs are cooking up a new dirty-energy political scheme
• RE World: Los Angeles Ready to Add 300 MW of New Solar Capacity
• Cap Times: MGE eyes price hike on smaller customers
• Energy Collective: Report Shows That Policies, Solar Can Boost Economy
• Biz Journals: Solar Industry, utilities reach accord on revamp of MA’s solar 
• Solar Novus: A Solar Wafer for the Next Generation

Opinions

• Daily Finance: How Will Residential Solar Play Out in the U.S.?

Have a great day! Yann