But Why? In an unfortunate and entirely predictable move, the DNC voted to not host a climate debate. This will change, of course, because people are angry that they are not getting the discussion they want. I don’t understand why people don’t do the obviously right thing before people get up in arms.
A Bold Plan. Senator Sanders has his climate plan and it doesn’t lack ambition. 100% carbon free energy by 2030 and carbon neutral economy by 2050. One of the interesting ideas is doing it all on the Federal government’s balance sheet and selling the electricity through the market. Essentially, this is a national feed in tariff or PPA plan which should go a long way to lowering capital costs. Also interesting is this is all prefaced with calling climate change a national emergency therefore giving the President broad authority to act.
New Tweak To Green Tariffs. Separately but in similar fashion, North Carolina and Virginia is allowing large users to negotiate directly with generators. Not all is settled on the rules and dispute since you can imagine how Dominion feels about this.
Checking In On TV. Sunpower’s CEO is interviewed about the solar market and the impact of tariffs on the market. Good use of 5 of your minutes today.
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Inslee Drops Out. Governor Inslee announced last night that he was ending his presidential campaign. The short story is that his campaign ran out of money faster than it ran out of ideas. Just a few hours before announcing the end, Inslee’s campaign rolled out the 6th plan focused on climate change with a focus on rural land optimization. This comes on the heels of a troubling report of the impact on land due to climate change.
The Legacy Continues. If Inslee had one main impact on the politics of today it was the climate debate. He pushed for it and fought for it and while he won’t be on the stage, it has become politically impossible for frontrunners to stay off the stage. After initially having a scheduling conflict, Senator Harris’ campaign found the political blowback untenable and made the schedule work. The Inslee plans are also alive and well, plans that other campaigns can take on in whole or parts.
Painting A Picture. Some solar folks have been reading the Walmart complaint about the fires and I appreciate the many emails I received on the topic yesterday. There is little doubt that this had a lot to do with procedures and shortcuts on the electrical side. Not playing solar defense attorney but if a house were wired with similar craftsmanship, it likely wouldn’t make it to the end of the mortgage either. That being said, I’ve been vocal about solar’s need to get better quality out there, this is a mainstream media reminder that now is the time.
A Plan To Focus On. When the New York Times ran a headline about flooding in Hamburg, Iowa and the mayor clearly stating that this is the living effect of climate change, the world changed in some ways. As an industry we need to tell the story of solar in farming communities, benefits of job creation, financial reward and community benefits. If I had a staff of reporters that’s the story I would want to tell. On the ground in rural communities because there is a solar overlap somewhere.
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Yann
Not A Great Headline. Yesterday Walmart filed suit against Tesla. The suit is based centered around the portfolio of projects that SolarCity installed on over 200 locations over the past decade and 7 sites that caught on fire since 2012. Project financing aside and I haven’t seen the specific power purchase agreements, this isn’t a good look for solar installation, commissioning and maintenance. The pictures tell the story of near misses and fires starting when the sites were de-energized. More importantly, how did no-one know that the portfolio has been turned off for so long if the facts of the article are correct? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. We have to care about building better solar, not only do we need to keep each other honest but we also need to hold ourselves accountable. Saving a dollar and doing it the wrong way shouldn’t be an option for your business. This also provides a highlight for asset owners that try to go cheap on commissioning or send day labor to do electrical O&M. I am not going to let the customers off the hook either, don’t make solar developers and installers get into the dirt because you will get what you pay for. If you like that 50% savings PPA then expect the corresponding installation quality. Hire consultants and advisors that will make sure the longevity of the system is taken care of no matter how many times the SPV changes hands.
Would You Fly Electric? I drive an electric car and would love for every bus to be electric. I’m all aboard the electric trains and ferries. Not sure how I feel about a Boeing 777EV though. Love the concept but someone else needs to fly it first. At least we know the space shuttle won’t be electric anytime soon! (Physics majors stay out of my inbox)
The Microgrid C&I Future. Microgrids are great and have awesome potential but that industry is going to learn some painful lessons that C&I solar worked on for the last 20 years. It’s hard, it’s slow and you better learn to underwrite credit in a way that is more efficient than solar.
Rent The Panels. I don’t want to double your Tesla stories but renting the panels seems like a crappier marketing tool than the original no term contract financing/lease that was presented a few days ago. It also highlights what I would consider a fatal flaw in the offering. Solar panels will be better in 5 years. Elon said that buying is better and he’s right in a sense but he’s wrong because you’re better off doing solar in this structure for 5 years, pay the $1,500 and then replace them with newer and better widgets. Find me the clause that will cover Tesla from mass removals down the road.
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Yann
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