New Boots on the Ground Podcast. The most fun episode to date and some good commentary about massive valuations in the transactions, what drove them and how getting involved politically is a clear business strategy, especially as you read the commentary below. Subscribe on your podcast app or go to YouTube. solarwakeup.com/boots for all the links and post about it on Linkedin.
Big Domestic Cell Money. Suniva has raised $835million to expand its cell manufacturing capacity. As many of you know, Suniva has been around for a long time. I can trace my time around Suniva back to the days of ARRA and Navy solar procurement work. Just the term ARRA will date me and Suniva alike. The company went into what I would call, regulatory capture mode, that culminated in the 232 proclamation and now the funding to build domestic cells. In some ways, Suniva and EPC Power have some commonality that could tell a story about solar’s future. More on that in my commentary in Wakeup Premium.
News
1 PV-Magazine:
Suniva raises $835 million to drive 4.5 GW in new domestic cell capacity
2 Politico Pro:
Solar sector launches new PAC as clean energy groups sharpen their political attacks
3 Utility Dive:
Front-of-meter solar, storage could serve 32% of California’s 2032 peak load
4 PV-Tech:
FTC Solar begins solar tracker shipments for 330MW PV project
5 Solar Power World:
GameChange Energy responds to Nextpower lawsuit with another lawsuit
6 Axios:
Scoop - Best states for EV charging
7 Reuters:
Thailand to provide $1.5 billion for rooftop solar scheme starting mid-October, finance minister says
8 Energy Storage News:
CATL, EVE Energy lead Chinese manufacturers’ battery storage cell price hikes
9 Canary Media:
Virginia kept its climate law. Dominion sees a loophole.
Opinions:
10 BLoomberg:
EU Warned Failure to End Russian Energy Ties Risks Fresh Crisis
Have a great day!
Yann
Subscribe to Boots. Head to solarwakeup.com/boots for where to find the podcast. Your support is appreciated and we would love your Linkedin post about the podcast. If you post about the podcast on your Linkedin, I’ll throw in a week of Wakeup premium, just tag me and I’ll send you a link.
Full Rundown. Podcast top story coming out tomorrow is about all things valuations and exits in our sector but the second story is about local opposition that we see against projects. You’ll enjoy that insight and work needed to help with both.
News
1 Sabin Center:
New Sabin Center Reports Find Widespread Restrictions and Misinformation Are Hampering Renewable Energy Development
2 New York Times:
Summer Has Gotten Much Hotter. See How Bad It Is
3 Bloomberg:
Intense Los Angeles Heat to Send State’s Power Demand Soaring
4 Reuters:
South Korea's power demand set to soar on AI boom as nation weighs expanding nuclear energy
5 Utility Dive:
ERCOT load continues to reach record highs
6 Axios:
Bluecore raises $50 million for port-powering nuclear barges
7 Canary Media:
Shuttered nuclear plant in Iowa gets $1.9B federal loan to restart
8 Solar Builder:
Cypress Creek energizes Washington project with Microsoft PPA
9 PV-Tech:
Enerparc files for insolvency
10 Energy Storage New:
Pan-European battery storage and renewable energy platform Aukera closes €460 million credit facility
Opinions:
11 PV-Magazine:
Inside the U.S. solar inverter ban
Have a great day!
Yann
Subscribe to Boots. Head to solarwakeup.com/boots for where to find the podcast. Your support is appreciated and we would love your Linkedin post about the podcast.
Goldman Private Equity Win. EPC Power was acquired by Goldman Sachs private equity a few years ago, scaled their backlog and sold to Flex for a whopping price. Major win for the banks investment side in clean energy.
News
1 Canary Media:
Solar-plus-storage is having a global growth spurt
2 Solar Power World:
Flex to purchase inverter brand EPC Power for $4.4 billion
3 Bloomberg:
Spain Got a Head Start on Renewables — Now It Needs a Battery Revolution
4 Reuters:
Southeast Asia emerges as a crucial driver of China's clean-tech exports
5 Solar Builder:
DeltaX chooses Georgia for North American BESS headquarters
6 PV-Tech:
European PV module prices and demand fall in August
7 Energy Storage News:
Under the hood
8 PV-Magazine:
PG&E and Rewiring America announce Google-funded virtual power plant program
Opinions:
9 New York Times:
Why States Are Cutting Back on Their Climate Goals
Have a great day!
Yann
New Pod. Listen to the latest Boots on the Ground at solarwakeup.com/boots. If you’re interested in sponsoring the podcast series, reach out.
EPC Powers Up The Piggy Bank. Acquired for 4.4billion by Flex. Couple times more than the $330million they paid for NEXTracker in 2015 (now NextPower) and new competitor in the inverter space. In case you needed motivation to do advocacy in DC, I wonder what EPC power was worth before the FCC rule?
News
1 Investing.com:
Flex to acquire EPC Power for $4.4 billion
2 Utility Dive:
CISA scraps 6 free cybersecurity assessments for critical infrastructure operators
3 PV-Magazine:
Hecate Energy targets Q1 2027 for $1.2 billion Nasdaq listing
4 Bloomberg:
Almost Anyone Can Make Money Selling Electricity With AI and Batteries
5 Heatmap:
How to Get Data Centers to Fund the Grid of the Future
6 Washington post:
Can balcony solar meaningfully lower your electricity bill?
7 PV-Tech:
PV Chart of the Week - All eyes on HJT in announced US cell and module manufacturing capacity
8 Energy Storage News:
Google partners with MN8 Energy and Eos on West Virginia solar-plus-LDES project
9 Canary Media:
This novel power line could link 3 grids across 3 time zones
Opinions:
10 Reuters:
Emmitt Smith accused of cheating solar investor out of $2.5M
Have a great day!
Yann
