What You Missed. While you were recovering from your turkey coma, the Trump administration dumped volume II of the National Climate Assessment on black Friday. In the hopes that no-one would see it, it caused quite the weekend on Twitter. On Thursday I was wondering why Trump was busy tweeting twice about the climate change hoax and how cold it was on Thanksgiving. Obviously this was in anticipation of the release the following day. Today is a day to talk about climate change, the reality being that solar is so bipartisan that neither side wants to make it an issue to debate in an election and until solar makes politicians pay for voting against solar, climate change is the issue that will lead us. I’m not saying this is the best path for solar but it is the political reality. 
The Friday Dump. In 1990, Congress passed a law requiring the executive branch to release a climate change assessment every 4 years, volume II of which was released in the proverbial Friday trash. You can read the full report here. The report comes a month after the dire warnings of the IPCC and is no less dire in the wording and impact to the economy. If America and the world don’t start acting on climate change the world will be a different place and any legislator that ignores it will likely be thrown out of office over time (how much time is the question). 
The Takeaways. Vox gives you the three biggest takeaways in of the 1,500+ page report below. Moreover, the New York Times gave two columns on the front page on the issue. 
Right’s Reaction. Climate change made the top issues on the Sunday shows. Senator Mike Lee and conservative talking head, Danielle Pletka, knocked down the report with “I’m not a scientist” and doing something about climate change would be “harmful to the economy.” You no longer need to be a scientist, you can simply believe the Trump administration’s report and their warnings about the impacts of climate change. On the other hand dealing with climate change not only isn’t harmful to the economy, it is helpful as the report says that failing to deal with climate change is a 10% drag on the US GDP. 
Left’s Reaction. The loudest voice online, in my timeline, was Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota. Senator Klobuchar was on the Sunday shows and lightly dodged the questions about running for President, it’s not a no but no decision is made. Klobuchar rightfully highlighted the impacts to the midwest and how climate change will hurt farmers across America. Politicizing the impacts is the right step forward for politicians that find issues that they care about and their opponents do not. 
From The Author. There are many authors but I urge you to read the Katharine Hayoe’s twitter feed on the topic. She is well versed as a climate scientist and speaks clearly about the issue ahead and what your takeaway should be. If you’re not planning on reading the National Climate Change Assessment, read this tweet story. 
Political Next Steps. As I mentioned above, climate change is the political reality for everything within solving climate change. Solar should politicize 100% RPS across the Country and talk about clean energy job creation. But when it comes to the political reality, don’t expect solar to be the wedge issue that makes politicians do pro-solar on both sides and ignoring this fact would be political negligence by our trade associations, (i.e. no more solar awards to republicans for now). Don’t take this is as a negative however, the report also broke down the demographics of who is most concerned about climate change. Hispanic Catholics, who have been historically hard to rally for the left, are most concerned about climate change. More than anything, climate change now created a wedge issue for a key political demographic.

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Yann

Today is the last newsletter before the Thanksgiving break as I once again look to escape the smoke and hunker down for the first rain of my Bay area living. I am thankful for your continued support and readership and hope that I am able to give you valued content every day. 
What Is The Value Of Solar? Every time this happens, a PSC looking to understand the value of solar that is, the report comes back showing that solar is worth more than the retail rate offered by net metering. This is the fundamental argument against calling NEM a subsidy. So you may ask yourself why solar never asks for a NEM rate above even credit and the answer to that is simplicity. Homeowners understand what they pay and they understand that it doesn’t matter when they produce versus when they consumer. Simplicity is the face of solar the utilities look to break in their opposition to our industry. 
The Fate Of PG&E (Once Again). There was a non-solar policy battle in California this summer centered around the liability (and ability to charge consumers for) the cost impact caused by fires in 2017. Before the fires in Paradise and Malibu are even put out, the issue is coming up again. The camp fire is the worst fire in California history and early news reports appear to question what caused the fire to spark. Look for PG&E to look at ratepayers to bail the company out which makes one wonder whether PG&E wouldn’t be better post restructuring as a wires company focused on transmission and get out of the generation and retail side of the business. I do expect that Wall Street is paying close attention and ready to make a move. 
A Green New Deal. I don’t want to debate the Green New Deal. I want to talk about the political strategy of the Select Committee on Climate Change and Green New Deal. I think America will view both of those ideas as partisan. How about the Select Committee On Clean Energy Jobs and a Wind and Solar New Deal instead? 
Get That Load. An offer to municipalities and other fleet operators to sign up for special rate schedules for their electric vehicle fleet. This is a direct attack on the oil customers and make it easier and cheaper for fleets to electrify. This is going to be copied across the Country by every utility desperately looking to growth their base load of consumption. 
Make It Easy. The New York PSC is right, “if you want people to do something, make it easy.” 

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Yann

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent

Maryland's status as a solar state has waxed and waned over the years. Under Governor Larry Hogan, the ups and downs have been rather violent. On at least two occasions - most notably the Clean Jobs Act in 2016 - Hogan has vetoed legislation that would have encouraged solar and other clean energy development. And unfortunately, the legislature lacked the votes necessary to overturn them - at least in the Senate. But if Hogan decides to stand in the way now, he'll have his own Public Utilities Commission with which to contend. After all, the Commission released a report two weeks ago that focused on putting a value on solar and, to no one's shock, the value of solar is good. Like most value of solar reports that have been commissioned around the country, the independent report says solar is a good way to develop Maryland's new electricity infrastructure, based on three different categories of measurement:

• bulk power system and emission reduction benefits (utility-scale solar)
• macroeconomic benefits (jobs); and
• distribution system benefits (behind the meter solar).

In all three cases, the Commission's report suggests that not only is solar a net benefit to everyone in the state, but more solar should be developed posthaste. The final paragraph of the executive summary states this clearly:

The large potential for additional BTM and utility scale solar development and the significant value that solar can bring to the bulk power system, distribution system, and to the residents of Maryland through macroeconomic and health benefits represent a considerable opportunity for the state. The state and investor owned utilities should consider developing policies and enhancing utility system planning processes to encourage additional cost-effective solar development.

In recent years, Hogan has stood in the way of solar and said it wasn't worth developing. Now his own Public Utilities Commission says otherwise. Only time will tell whether Hogan comes around and allows Maryland to become the leading solar state it has the potential to be. Read the whole report here: [pdf-embedder url="http://www.solarwakeup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/MDVoSReportFinal11-2-2018.pdf"]

Escaping Smoke. No column this morning as the family and I have escaped the smoke that has enveloped the Bay area from the Camp Fire in Paradise, CA. We are now busy in Tahoe raking up the leaves. 

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Yann