SGIP Extended, SB700 Signed. You did it! You made the calls, you visited, and donated your time and money so that the industry led by CALSSA and so many other organizations were able to convince the legislators and the Governor to invest nearly $1billion to move energy storage farther into the future. This wasn’t easy, there were postponements, lost speeches and lastly the outcome we all wanted. You may not be in the California market but do not forget that the volume that will drive the innovation and cost decreases here will come into all other markets. SB700 is a bill for all of us and I couldn’t be happier for everyone. This is an example of the grassroots
Get More Solar Jobs. SEIA released a new membership level system with a lower barrier of entry to the trade organization. I think this is a good step forward in the path to be a bit more democratic. Keep in mind that this does not replace the work done by other entities so don’t think you can be one and done but all the work is important. On another note, it appears that SEIA members largely outnumbered others at the SPI registration desk.
Consumer Choice. A poll that comes back at 88% means everyone in my opinion. The poll in this case says that voters don’t want their access to solar reduced by their utilities. Any action, like changing net metering, increasing fees or placing other barriers on consumer choice should be viewed by politicians and regulators as a bad idea for the market as well as politically.
Earn Your Ratebase. Oklahoma is going to a performance based review system for the rate base but until the fuel costs are guaranteed by the shareholders, we have not accomplished the real goal.
Give Me A Nuclear Break. Vogtle nuclear power plant is going to continue on after a multiple day negotiation but I am fairly certain that it will never be completed. That being said, the future of energy isn’t going to be saved by modular nuclear reactors either.
Weekend Updates. solarwakeuplive.com for your registration to join us on November 6th in Jersey City. We have a great day and happy hour lined up and will be excited to talk about the great New Jersey solar market. I hope you all enjoyed SPI this year and made it back home in one piece.

Have a great day!

News

 

Have a great day!
Yann

By Yann Brandt, Managing Editor

By Yann Brandt, Managing Editor

Governor Jerry Brown has signed SB700, the bill also known as the 'Sun Shines at Night'. The bill, which had passed the legislature in early September, will extend and fund the popular energy storage incentive called SGIP. “If we are going to get to 100% clean energy, we need to be using solar power every hour of the day, not just when the sun is shining,” said Senator Scott Wiener, author of SB 700. “This bill will protect clean energy jobs while also protecting consumers from ever rising energy bills.” The California Solar and Storage Association (CALSSA) backed SB700 as the signature legislation for 2018 and with over 200 solar professionals pushed for its passing at the annual lobby day. Yesterday, CALSSA called for emergency outreach to the Governor's office to ask for the bill to be signed. “By signing this bill, the governor is making the sun shine at night!” said Bernadette Del Chiaro, executive director of the California Solar and Storage Association, the 500-member clean energy business group that championed SB 700 for the past two years. ”Energy storage is critical to achieving our ambitious climate change goals by allowing massive deployment of solar energy and giving everyday consumers another reason to be green.” SB 700 re-authorizes the Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) for five years, extending rebates for consumers through 2025. It would add up to $800 million for storage and other emerging clean energy technologies, resulting in a total investment of $1.2 billion for customer sited energy storage. Boosting energy storage will help California achieve its goal of generating 100% of its electricity from renewable resources, as called for in SB 100 (de Leon), which was signed into law on September 10th. A summary of SB 700 with more details about the SGIP program can be found here. SB 700 won broad, bipartisan support in the California legislature in August with a 25-12 vote in the Senate and a 57-18 vote in the Assembly. It was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown on September 27, 2018. The new law will take effect January 1, 2019.

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent

New York has found itself behind its fellow Northeastern states when it comes to joining the solar revolution. New Jersey took the early lead, but now Vermont and Massachusetts are coming on strong, and the Empire State has found itself struggling to make news on its own. Well, at least outside of its ... exuberant governor who is always talking a good game but has little to show for it to date. That may, however, be changing, as Key Capture Energy and NEC Energy Solutions announced they are teaming up on a 20 MW battery storage project in Saratoga County. The project, called KCE NY 1 is a key part of the next generation of the state's electric grid and will enhance the power grid’s performance and reliability with reduced carbon emissions, while promoting economic and job growth in upstate New York. KCE’s NY 1 project is the largest lithium-ion battery storage project in New York State and supports Governor Cuomo’s commitment for New York State to reach 1,500 MW of energy storage by 2025. In Governor Cuomo’s 2018 State of State Address, it was recognized that in addition to providing roughly $2 billion in gross benefits and avoiding more than one million metric tons of CO2 emissions, by 2030 New York’s energy storage industry could employ approximately 30,000. It also supports New York State’s Energy Storage Roadmap, which was released in June and developed by the Department of Public Service (DPS) and New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) with input from numerous stakeholders such as Key Capture Energy. The Roadmap identifies near-term recommendations for how energy storage can deliver value to New York electricity consumers and cost-effectively address the needs and demands of the grid. Additionally, energy storage can help achieve the aggressive Clean Energy Standard goal of getting 50% of the state's electricity from renewable sources by 2030, while at the same time ensuring that carbon is reduced by 40% compared to 1990 levels. This announcement marks an important example of the ever evolving energy landscape in New York State.

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent

In the past, some installers have grumbled that the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) is in thrall to installers and manufacturers who have big money to spend and that it didn't care about the little guy. They would then point to the dues structure and suggest one of the reasons they refused to join was the expense was beyond what their bottom lines could handle. Well, I'm here to say that SEIA must have heard the criticism, and it's making changes to accommodate more of the rank-and-file installers that said they couldn't join before. SEIA announced the roll out of an updated membership structure, that introduces a Basic level membership for just $750 per year, and a new Premium level of membership – Watt membership – for $4,500 per year. These changes lower the barriers to join SEIA for smaller companies and for those just entering the industry, aiding SEIA’s advocacy efforts as the voice of the entire U.S. solar industry. “By expanding our offerings, we can bring more solar companies into the SEIA fold, ultimately strengthening our voice in Washington, D.C. and in state capitals across the country,” said Abigail Ross Hopper, SEIA’s president and CEO. “This is a significant shift in strategy for SEIA that will not only help us boost our influence, but also make us work more democratically, creating opportunity for companies of all kinds to engage in their own advocacy.” The new structure provides Basic level members with access to valuable tools and materials, including SEIA’s Federal Tax Manual, webinars, the SEIA Sphere, and Division calls and meetings. Additionally, SEIA is introducing a new online form on its website to make it quicker and easier to join the association. The “Join SEIA” landing page has also been updated with key information to make it more streamlined and easier to access. These updates are effective immediately for new members. For current members, the new membership structure will take effect upon their 2019 renewal date. This change also includes new Membership Referral and Ambassador Programs, which allow SEIA members to earn discounts on their dues, event tickets, sponsorship opportunities and more, by recruiting new companies to join SEIA.