By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent What Happened:A recent Vote Solar note on Nevada revealed that the industry has come roaring back after legislative fixes in 2017 cleaned up the mess that lawmakers and the Public Utilities Commission created in 2016.

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent What Happened:A recent Vote Solar note on Nevada revealed that the industry has come roaring back after legislative fixes in 2017 cleaned up the mess that lawmakers and the Public Utilities Commission created in 2016.

Most specifically, Assembly Bill (AB) 405 went into law and caused applications for NV Energy's SolarGenerations program to spike 11-fold in just one year.

The bill also provided the right atmosphere to encourage solar installers to hire more workers, including one company that increased its workforce 300%.

[caption id="attachment_9811" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Once state legislators stopped gambling with the future of solar in the state, Nevada's industry has come roaring back.[/caption] SolarWakeup’s View:  Well, better late than never, right? After the Nevada Public Utilities Commission threw the state's solar market into disarray with its precipitous decision to eliminate net metering in 2016, the rooftop solar industry all but stopped in the state. National companies like Vivint, Sunrun and (then) SolarCity fled the market in protest. Two years later, advocacy group Vote Solar says legislative fixes have helped the industry rebound and thrive once again. As Rosalind Jackson of Vote solar writes:

(NV Energy's) SolarGenerations applications went from 287 in 2016 to 3,308 in 2017, with most applications coming in the second half of the year, after AB405 was signed into law. This represents an 11-fold year-over-year increase and early monthly data from 2018 indicates continued growth.

Perhaps the best news from Vote Solar's note is the reports of significant hiring in a state that needs jobs. Here's what Larry Cohen, branch manager for Sunrun, a national solar installation firm with offices in Las Vegas, told Jackson:

Before the ink was dry on AB 405 - Nevada's landmark Solar Bill of Rights - I started rehiring dozens of our workers who I was forced to lay off just 18 months earlier because of anti-solar net metering changes. We hope legislators across the country look to Nevada and see that there is incredible voter demand for solar choice. All states should take strong steps to protect access to clean, affordable local energy.

It's a great thing to see the state with some of the highest insolation rates in the country getting its act together again on solar. Other states should see Nevada's lost two years as a cautionary tale against changing solar policy recklessly without looking at all of the potential cosequences. Like I said, better late than never - but those are two years of growth that Nevada solar industry won't ever get back. And that's a shame. More: Nevada Solar Applications Through the Roof Following Passage of Net Metering Bill

By Nathan Arbitman, Contributor

By Nathan Arbitman, Contributor

Like many of you, I’ve committed my career to the cleantech industry because of the moral imperative to accelerate the clean energy revolution, as well as the unprecedented wealth creation opportunity this transformation brings. And I’m always asking myself, how we can make this transition happen even faster? Last December, my business, DSM Advanced Solar, announced the outcome of the latest SunRISE TechBridge Challenge, in which we partnered with a leading cleantech accelerator (Greentown Labs) and PV science institute (Fraunhofer CSE), to find and accelerate cutting-edge solar startups. Through this program, DSM has invested in four of the winning companies:

Leading Edge Crystal Technologies (Cambridge, MA). Novel manufacturing process to make high performance silicon wafers at a fraction of the cost.

NOMADD Desert Solar Solutions (Saudi Arabia). Low-cost waterless automated solar panel cleaning device, which significantly reduces yield losses due to dust.

QD Solar (Toronto, Canada). Next generation photovoltaic cells using colloidal quantum dot cell technology.

WattGlass Inc. (Fayatteville, AR). Anti-Reflective glass coatings that also have self-cleaning and anti-fogging properties.

(For any other fans out there, this episode of the Energy Gang was recorded live at our December event.) This is one way that we drive innovation faster - by bringing together entrepreneurs, corporates, scientists and other key stakeholders to spark novel connections and trigger needed investments. I joined DSM Advanced Solar to create opportunities just like this, because I believe that building provocative and powerful partnerships is one of the best ways to accelerate value creation from advanced technology. Two market enablers have struck me over my years in the solar space: 1) The key role of science-based innovations to reduce the cost of generating PV electricity and create value for downstream players; and 2) The glaring need for partnerships to make these innovations a reality. DSM is driving both. The stunning cost reduction of solar panels has been largely enabled by billions of dollars of investment and advancement in cells and module materials. As a science-based player with a 100-year track record, DSM develops sustainable materials that increase the efficiency of solar modules, bringing down the cost of solar energy and creating value for customers throughout the value chain. DSM materials are featured in over 200 million PV modules installed worldwide, representing over 50GW of power. Our first breakthrough was an Anti-Reflective coating for glass, where we remain the industry leader. We also provide a unique Anti-Soiling coating for hot, dry environments that reduces the soiling rate of PV modules and increases returns for investors; and our Endurance backsheets can enable more power generation than alternative products. Next we’ll launch a novel coating for older solar parks that can immediately increase energy yield by 3%. Commercializing these technologies requires a long-term commitment to investing in the solar space, a phenomenal team, and capable partners with a shared vision of success. Innovative partnerships are critical to accelerate value creation in this market—now more than ever. We all know that no one company can do this alone. That’s why we routinely work across oceans with companies large and small, from module makers to project developers to asset owners, to bring our innovations—and those of our partners—to life. DSM has been operating for over 116 years, but we’re just getting started. If you share our appreciation of the power of science-based innovation to create competitive advantage, then we should talk. To learn more about DSM and our offerings, contact me via LinkedIn or visit www.dsm.com/solar Nathan Arbitman is the Director of Strategy & Innovation for DSM Advanced Solar.

First The Good News. In what could be the biggest solar news in a long time, California is going to require the 65,000 new homes per year in the State to include solar. This could mean between 200MW to 400MW of additional capacity per year of distributed generation that will save consumers money and lower the infrastructure investments that utilities have to do. There is a debate on the cost of the mandate, but as California becomes the 5th largest economy in the world you have to believe that they are doing something correctly.
Talking Heads In Solar. Hats off to Kelly Knutchen from California Solar & Storage Association for joining the 2 on 1 panel on CNBC. The moderator and think tank speaker were big on the mandate talking point. The think tanker clearly threw Kelly for a loop by asking how a homeowner is going to pay for solar upfront if they take a 30 year loan. huh? Watch the 4 minute interview and watch Kelly do a great job representing solar. This is part of the problem in the universe, CNBC still views solar as a subsidized energy source and never mentioned subsidies when covering oil, gas, or utilities.
Losing a NEM Battle. I am not used to writing about NEM battles we, as an industry lose. We lost, temporarily, in Nevada and settled in Arizona. Things in South Carolina looked bad, then good, then bad, now better. In most cases, we had a republican Governor pushing against our industry. I never expected Connecticut to be truly in play but when it comes down to it, solar is a political bargaining chip that Governors will use if they need to and you saw it in play here. After some late night chaos, because solar pros know how to play politics, the State House voted to gut net metering in CT. The question now is what political prize the legislators have to play and what message the Governor gets tainted with when he pitches his environmental bill. This also reminds us all that utilities will sponsor legislators of every size, shape and color to protect their ridiculous monopoly schemes.
Solar Knows No Parties. I don’t know if I buy into this but one study says solar is installed by republicans 5 times more often than democrats. What do you think? Frank’s coverage below.
Resi Solar. Are you a successful residential installer? Is your business growing? I am building out a small group of residential installers to help me keep a pulse on the market and identify the things that matter to you. Of course you will be recognized on the platform and we can enjoy getting to know each other. Let me know if you are interested in this informal advisory council.

Opinion

News

 

Have a great day!
Yann

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent What Happened:A recent study by an outfit called Priceonomics reports that Republicans in California have installed more solar than Democrats.

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent What Happened:A recent study by an outfit called Priceonomics reports that Republicans in California have installed more solar than Democrats.

While the study found that Republicans in the state have installed solar at a 5 to 1 ratio may surprise some, the study itself has some methodological flaws that make it impossible to generalize its findings beyond California.

It also has a couple of "Well, duh" conclusions, too.

SolarWakeup’s View:  When you're deciding what conclusions you can draw from any given set of data, one of the first questions you should ask yourself is: "Is this data generalizable?" If not, it may not invalidate the study - but you should be hesitant about making any grand claims about it, either. Such is the case with a study touted by Priceomomics, which reaches the conclusion that despite what you might think, Republicans install more solar than Democrats. OMG if true, right (not really, but you've already gone this far on the journey with me, so let's keep going)? Well, the truth, as it often is, is far more complex and complicated than the study would have you believe. While the data is interesting, here are some cautions:

Are CALIFORNIA Republicans really representative of Republicans across the country at this point? Isn't it fair to say they are their own brand, much like California Solar & Storage Association is no longer associated with the national lobbying group? If so, it might make sense that there's more solar in this group than is applicable across the country.

Solar used to be the province of the well-to-do. While that's certainly changed in the past five years, it makes sense that those with more money have solar while those with less money do not. (Wait until community solar really takes off over the next five years and then call me.)

The idea that solar is a Republican or Democratic issue is a bit silly in any case, given that around nine out of every 10 Americans say they support more solar development.

And then there's this:

Our analysis shows that households’ decision to go solar is not driven by political affiliation. Instead, people who live in areas that are sunny, dry, and less dense tend to install solar panels at higher rates. And in California, the country’s top state for solar, that means you’re more likely to see solar panels in Republican bastions than Democratic strongholds.

Really? That's your conclusion? That's a lot of words to spend on a conclusion I could have told you without doing a lick of study. I mean....for reals. One out of one authors of this piece say go ahead and read the study, but don't leave your skepticism at its mother's house, especially if you're trying to spot national solar trends. More: Are Republicans or Democrats More Likely to Go Solar? Americans Tell Gallup: Develop More Solar, Please