Opening Salvo, Permanent ITCs. Senator Schumer is making an opening statement to the Trump administration and it is both interesting and relevant to our work. Schumer may be in the minority but in order to pass any legislation over the next two years, Trump will have to negotiate with Schumer and Pelosi to get it done. Schumer is calling for a massive infrastructure bill with a heavy emphasis on clean energy. One of the specific issues is to make the solar and wind ITCs permanent, which is exactly what I’ve been calling for on SolarWakeup for a decade. More importantly this drives a legislative process where solar tax writers should allow for the ITC to taken against active income, exactly like oil and gas credits. Don’t get excited, this isn’t a bill yet but it means that New York, which is trying to get off the ground with renewables is telling their senior Senator that the ITC is important to them. (Hello from Wall Street)
Looking At Exxon. This is an interesting write up on the solar and wind deal that Exxon executed for their Texan operations. It digs into the ability to get enough renewable on a constrained grid and the competition between gas and coal.
The Chevy Volt. In many ways, the Chevy Volt was the introduction of electric cars to the masses. I know this because it was my first electric car and I dreaded any day that I was driving more than 38 miles and would have to turn on the small engine. Last week, GM announced it was halting the production of the Volt as it is ending its entry level stance for electric vehicles. Yes, the Volt was the right car at the right time but now it’s time for GM to lean in and produce all electric vehicles and they should start with the Ford Explorer. Not all EVs need to be electric looking, let’s put a big skateboard of batteries under the existing chassis and give people what they want.
Dominion Must Try Again. Dominion has been told by Virginia regulators that they need to resubmit their IRP after producing a filing that overestimated load and didn’t consider the impacts of State legislation. As you will hear in a podcast recording this week with the NJ BPU President, regulators are no longer rubber stamping the filings by monopolies and making sure that the policies are well implemented.
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Yann
By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent
By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent
Community solar is one of the fastest growing segments of the solar industry right now despite only 19 states having active governmental support through policies and incentives to encourage community solar projects. Massachusetts is one of those states, however, with its SMART incentive program having specific enticements to bring community solar to the Bay State - and it's attracted one of the strongest national firms in the country to build a series of projects there.By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent
By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent
While the rest of the world was trying to solve global climate change last week at the COP24 talks, the United States held a forum to discuss how the rest of the world should use more "clean coal" and nuclear energy. To say the current U.S. administration is skeptical of climate science (even when it's produced by its own scientists) would understate the case by a factor of 200. But to date, the record on funding clean energy research appeared to continue apace. The Sunshot Initiative continues to release funds to research projects both on new technology on the solar and the energy storage front. So it seemed that despite their public feud with the solar industry, behind the scenes cooler heads would prevail. Or so we thought. The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), however, begs to differ.Specifically, the NRDC points to the following shortfalls to support its point:The world needs clean energy research now more than ever. If the NRDC numbers are correct - and there's no reason to think they're not - then they're right. Congress needs to investigate and examine why on Earth the Trump Administration is defying its will. They must demand that they follow the law and spend the money appropriated to these programs.
- DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) office – which the Trump administration tried twice to eliminate – has not spent more than 79% of its $353 million FY18 research budget ($280 million); and
- The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) – which the Trump administration tried to gut by about 70% - has failed to spend more than $319 million (14%) of its $2.32 billion FY18 research budget.
2019. I’ve decided that you’re early Christmas present is a binging of the SolarWakeup Live Jersey City conversations which will drop at some point this week. All 7 conversations will be available on the SolarWakeup Live podcast this week. More importantly, in 2019 I will be mixing my day job and SolarWakeup a bit more by opening the studio for conversations at the Quick Mount offices. I’ve been spending the past 6 months inviting solar leaders to our manufacturing plant and many are coming in the new year. At the same time we plan on recording those conversations on site. This is an exciting combination of both of my passions and look forward to hearing about the good ideas you have to discuss. Come visit me in Walnut Creek, California!
You Are Not Welcome. The US joined Russia, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia not to join the UN climate report at COP24. This is a statement of the era we are in that is hoping to return to the 20th century as opposed to the reality that is required for the rest of the 21st Century.
No Clean Air For You. Newly situated EPA administrator, Andrew Wheeler, is doing the important work of lifting environmental regulations for coal plants. This is part of the Trump plan to bring coal back to life but in reality will do absolutely nothing to do such a thing given that the cost to operate coal plants is no longer viable. The EPA should ask this question to the VP’s staff with contacts in Indiana.
GM Blowback. Trump tweeted last week that GM should lose its EV tax credits for closing the manufacturing plants. Last night, Elon Musk told 60 Minutes that he may be interested in acquiring those plants. Elon also spoke some hard truth to the SEC in this clip.
PG&E Legislative Forecast. It is almost certain that PG&E will be in Sacramento this year asking for a bailout for the fires in Paradise/Chico which also caused my kids to visit the doctor. The more relevant question is what will the solar industry be asking for when PG&E advances their bailout bill. Our job isn’t to have a feeling for their ask but to put a price on the legislation for the solar industry. I have my price, would be interested to hear what you would ask for.
Labor In Solar. Minnesota (and other States) solar companies are restricted in growth by their ability to hire qualified labor. It is a great opportunity to open the solar industry to others that are training or can be trained to be helpful to the solar industry.
Facebook Not Building Community. Another sample of the corporate Facebook focus on their data center energy supply without growing the market where they are investing. More importantly, their employees aren’t increasing their ability to go solar while working at the local building either.
Huawei Situation. Don’t under appreciate the impact of the Huawei CFO situation as it pertains to the trade negotiations between the US and China. There are very real tariffs on the table that are increasing the cost of your racking, inverter and modules supply.
Diversify Now. Abby Hopper of SEIA is leaning in on diversity with good reason. While solar is doing a good job on diversity and veteran hiring, it could be doing so much better. More importantly, we are more open to being better than the status quo. I go back to the Vote Solar Equinox event in DC when a very non-diverse room welcomed speakers on the environmental justice topic. As the solar industry diversities it will also grow the market, both are undoubtedly linked.
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Yann