By Frank Andorka, Senior CorrespondentWhat Happened: The Solar Foundation released its follow-up to the National Solar Jobs Census 2017 in the form of its interactive state map, which:
By Frank Andorka, Senior CorrespondentWhat Happened: The Solar Foundation released its follow-up to the National Solar Jobs Census 2017 in the form of its interactive state map, which:
provides a remarkably detailed look at how solar is affecting the lives of people in your Congressional District.
offers a historical look at the data for the same area.
gives more granular detail on how solar is providing jobs and economic impacts on people - which can be used to inform lobbying efforts.
SolarWakeup’s View: Well, I know how I'll be spending every waking moment this weekend - looking at The Solar Foundation's (TSF) state-level solar data on their interactive state solar map (hey, I'm practically an elderly shut-in, don't judge).
I remember the first time they released this information. I literally spent hours looking at Cuyahoga County, where I live in Ohio. Specifically, I looked at the 11th District (which in The Hunger Gamesproduced the fruit of Panem, which is clearly not happening in Cleveland, though I live across from an area that USED to be an apple orchard and is now a medical center ... but I digress) and poured over the numbers so I'd be better prepared to talk solar with my state and federal representatives on the subject.
Look, I've talked about this before, but the solar industry does an incredibly poor job of mobilizing the general public to fight its fights on the state and local level. But when I look at this map, I'm confounded by why that is.
This could be such a powerful tool to mobilize the Solar Army I've written about before. The information from this map proves solar is having tangible, real-life effects in almost every Congressional district in the country, and if you don't think politicians will listen to their constituents if their offices are flooded with pro-solar calls, you're mistaken. We've already seen it work on other issues in the country. It can work for solar, too.
(If you're listening, Andrea Luecke, the only thing that would make this map even MORE spectacular is if, when you clicked on your Congressional District, it provided you the opportunity to contact your U.S. Representative from that page. Oh, and Senators, too. Get on that for next year, would you?)
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get my time sucked right out of my day. I've got a new shiny state-level solar data map from TSF with which to play.
More:State-Level Solar Data MapNational Solar Jobs CensusThe Solar Foundation
Proterra Electric Buses, Podcast. Sometimes a 30 minute interview goes an hour, and it could go another 3 hours. That’s when you know you have the right conversation on track. This is what happened when I interviewed Ryan Popple, the former Kleiner Perkins partner and CEO of Proterra. Proterra makes electric buses, which if you think about it, has the potential of changing transportation. Buses are the most predictable vehicle in the Country, same routes every day. Engineer them to perfection and you have a golden ticket to removing idling diesel vehicles from this segment. Frank breaks down the conversation and I hope you enjoy this episode.
What’s New At Suniva? Filings are fun, sometimes tidbits are dropped about issues that impact our industry. SQN Capital gave a cryptic update that could give some hints as to what is next for the Suniva assets. Frank has the story and we’re keeping a close eye on for you.
Postcard From Down Under. When Audrey Zibelman left NYSERDA to head to Australia, I was hopeful that this day would come, and her point is spot on. She says it makes no sense that a grid built before the internet would have the right rules for the grid of tomorrow. In the 90’s it was okay to use a dial-up modem and have rolls of fax papers while using trunk mounted cell phones. Now is time to create rules that enable today’s technologies from using their full potential.
Come On AZ. If you ever think our industry is without really powerful adversaries, you are mistaken. Our adversaries are embedded all over the place, legislatures and Governor’s mansions. That’s why nuance matters and why legitimizing opposition is something I call out. When I see someone posting on LinkedIn that sitting on a panel with EEI’s Tom Kuhn is an honor since he’s an icon, I cringe. Especially when this person is supposed to look out for the best of the solar industry. It’s important to remember these aren’t peace times in policy, solar, storage and renewables are threatening an industry worth trillions of dollars and have been untouched for a century.
There Will Be Opposition. Why are EVs bad for unions? The Hyundai union head has some harsh words about the disaster they represent to the existing workforce. Labor that builds transmissions and engines are going to find themselves looking for new parts of the supply chain to work on. Good prospect is that we can see this coming and it won’t be abrupt from one year to another.
By Frank Andorka, Senior CorrespondentWhat Happened: In this edition of the SolarWakeup Live! podcast, Yann Brandt sat down with Ryan Popple, CEO of Proterra, an electric vehicle manufacturer currently focused on building buses and driving and discussed:
By Frank Andorka, Senior CorrespondentWhat Happened: In this edition of the SolarWakeup Live! podcast, Yann Brandt sat down with Ryan Popple, CEO of Proterra, an electric vehicle manufacturer currently focused on building buses and driving and discussed:
why China is so far ahead of the United States in EV development,
how Tesla made it from being a small startup to the electric vehicle behemoth it is today (Popple was present at the creation), and
how soon will there be an EV in every driveway (OK, that last one's made up, but they do talk about how quickly mass-transit EVs will be adopted)
SolarWakeup’s View: I will never tire of listening to energy visionaries describe the future in terms that I, with my limited understanding of my day-to-day life let alone the FUTURE, haven't even conceived of yet. And so I listened with great interest to Managing Editor Yann Brandt's podcast interview with Ryan Popple from Proterra, an electric vehicle (EV) company dedicated to putting electric, mass transit buses in all U.S. cities in the near future.
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The whole interview is worth listening to, but as you can see from the bullets above, three things really captured my imagination:
First, Popple talks about what it was like to be present at the creation (or at least the early years) at Tesla. What I was most interested in, honestly, was his contention that you don't necessarily have to have the best technology when you first start a business as long as you have the top intellectual talent throughout the company to get you there eventually.
It's a sentiment Popple shares with Jim Collins, former Stanford Business School professor and best-selling author of the book Good to Great: Put the best people you can hire in key positions first; then the products will follow.
Second, Popple talks about why China is so far ahead of the United States in EV development. His explanation will be obvious to anyone who ever sat in their college dorms at 2 a.m. discussing the merits of communism vs capitalism and coming to the conclusion that ultimately, capitalism wins - eventually.
Third, Yann asks Popple when he thinks EV development, at least on the mass transit front that Proterra serves, will hit 50% of all the purchases of those types of vehicles. Your jaw may well drop when you hear his answer (I know mine did).
Oh, and he has a prediction of what long-haul trucking will look like in 20 years that will blow your mind.
More:Can EVs Save The Utility Model?Proterra
By Frank Andorka, Senior CorrespondentWhat Happened:Remember Suniva? The company whose bankruptcy last April set off the swirling cesspool that became the solar tariffs this January? Well, there have been some interesting developments with its bankruptcy lately, to wit:
By Frank Andorka, Senior CorrespondentWhat Happened:Remember Suniva? The company whose bankruptcy last April set off the swirling cesspool that became the solar tariffs this January? Well, there have been some interesting developments with its bankruptcy lately, to wit:
The company's biggest creditor, SQN Financial, has asked the judge to extend its exclusive right to Suniva's assets, and
the reasons they give could be an indication that the creditor is close to negotiating a final dissolution of the company.
It should be noted that SQN tried to dump Suniva one month into their bankruptcy to make the tariff case go away, requesting a $55 million payment from the Chinese Chamber of Commerce to make Suniva disappear. Think of all the headaches that could have been saved if only SQN had thrown a 6th Round draft pick into the deal.
SolarWakeup’s View: Will no one rid me of this troublesome solar company? Well, hold on, folks, because there could be a deal in the works to rid the solar industry of Suniva for good.
In the last year, I've become far too adept at reading solar companies' bankruptcy filings, but when someone suggested I look at Suniva's filings again, I thought, "Do I have to?" It's not an overstatement to say I'm so sick of talking about Suniva I can't even with this.
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But I pulled myself together and dived back into the muck of Suniva's bankruptcy and found a few interesting notes I think may mean our long national nightmare could soon be over.
A flurry of filings by the bankrupt module manufacturer's biggest creditor (and all around bad actor in this tariff drama) indicate they are trying to procure a clean title for all of the former company's assets because they have had, according to the filings, multiple companies inquire about purchasing them. SQN, however, doesn't currently have a clean title to the assets, which makes negotiating a final purchase...difficult to say the least.
I checked again this morning and there doesn't seem to have been activity since last week. But I think the filings bear watching - Suniva might be no more very soon.
(It should, of course, be noted that if Suniva is sold as it appears increasingly likely it will, it means almost the entirety of the whole stupid, idiotic tariff decision was for naught. After all, wasn't the whole craven thing an attempt to save THIS company's skin? You know what? I was right.....I can't even with this.)More:The Section 201 Trade Case: Suniva’s Tangled Web (Renewable Energy World)The Section 201 Trade Case, Part II: In the Hands of DIPs (Renewable Energy World)The Section 201 Trade Case, Part III: Will Any Americans Benefit? (Renewable Energy World)As They Sowed, So Shall We Reap (SolarWakeup)Bonus:
Have some Peter O'Toole, will you?
https://youtu.be/LLclchSYtN4?t=3m25s
SolarWakeup’s View: Well, I know how I'll be spending every waking moment this weekend - looking at The Solar Foundation's (TSF) state-level solar data on their interactive state solar map (hey, I'm practically an elderly shut-in, don't judge).