Corporate, Startup, Research Partners. Great coverage of a corporate incubator being run by Wells Fargo. Wells was one of the first and remains an active tax equity investor in the solar space. It’s a quiet group but they get their MW done year after year. This incubator has an interesting tweak. It provides a grant to startups, most of which is used to leverage the team at NREL to provide research to the startup. No equity exchanges hands and the side effect is revenue to NREL which is always suffering from potential budget cuts.

Net Metering Works?! During net metering fights, we present studies and engineering reports that show distributed generation helps lower costs to all ratepayers. Studies are one thing, reality is another. CAISO is canceling over $2.5billion in transmission based on efficiency and distributed resources like solar. This saves all consumers money and proves our point. This also shows by net metering is fought against because it stops utilities from investing more into the rate base.

States And Cities. You can make the case that even when the Federal government is on your side, the States make the markets. Within the States you can argue that the Cities decide how good the market can be. Whether the market is within an IOU or a City owned municipal power company. If the muni is pro-solar or decides to go the opposite route. That is why I always argue that solar needs to focus on legislators that go from County boards to State seats, or attempt to. If they get away with being anti-solar at the local level to make friends with corporate influencers, they’ll do it even bigger. I’ve mentioned reaching out to your legislator, this doesn’t have to be your Congressman. Go meet with your City council member or County Commissioner, they’re very accessible to you and love to learn about local businesses, your issues and how they can help.

Gas, A Hope Or Pattern? Sometimes I write based on personal thesis especially when the headlines match my macro themes. Taking a step back, when facts fall into place several times over a pattern emerges. Everything around natural gas is moving so quickly, California pushes back on replacing peakers, Arizona moratorium, and suits moving forward. This isn’t about making a prediction around timing but I’d be hard pressed to see a future where gas isn’t replaced by renewables. I hope the regulators pause and review the trends.

Have a great day!

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Have a great day!
Yann

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent What Happened:Our friends at the Environmental Defense Fund penned a fascinating blog post on the future of energy production in the Northeast, with particular focus on:

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent What Happened:Our friends at the Environmental Defense Fund penned a fascinating blog post on the future of energy production in the Northeast, with particular focus on:

• whether the lack of natural gas pipelines in the area will harm fuel stability in the region, and
• outlines the challenges for regulators in the region as they look to keep their energy supplies stable.

SolarWakeup’s View:  The central question facing the Northeast, at least according to N. Jonathan Peress of the Environmental Defense Fund is how the Northeast will continue to keep its fuel supplies secure if it uses natural gas as its transition energy from fossil fuels to renewables. Peress does an admirable job of laying out some of the myths surrounding the building of natural gas pipelines in the Northeast and then goes on to explain how these challenges might be overcome with the right regulatory framework. Here's the thing, though: As recent examples in Arizona and California indicate, renewables may have already lapped natural gas as a transition energy. Let's review: In California, the Public Utilities Commission has become far more unwilling to allow its utilities to build or fix natural gas plants and is insisting far more often that they produce grid support through the use of solar + storage instead. And in Arizona, the Corporation Commission (its public utilities commission - if I were king for a day, I would insist these bodies be called by a consistent name) told Arizona Public Service (the state's largest utility) to throttle back its plans to build 5.3 GW of natural gas plants in its latest integrated resource plan and instead resubmit it with more renewables (read: solar) in it. Energy storage is the key. As the technology gets better and the prices come down, the need for a transition energy like natural gas becomes increasingly less important. So while N. Jonathan Peress' analysis may well be spot on, it may also become increasingly irrelevant as renewables + storage become more prevalent in the generation mix. More: New England's energy future lies in the balance Natural Gas Plans Hit Snag For Arizona Utility

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent What Happened:Thanks in part to solar penetration in Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) territories, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) proposed canceling $2.6 billion in transmission projects.

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent What Happened:Thanks in part to solar penetration in Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) territories, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) proposed canceling $2.6 billion in transmission projects.

• The 39 cancelled projects in the two utilities' service areas include transmission projects rendered unnecessary in part because of solar's increased penetration in those areas.
• The 2017-2018 plan also includes special studies on the impact of a 50% renewable resources policy, the early retirement risks of the gas fleet and updates to previous studies on the benefits of large-scale storage. C

SolarWakeup’s View:  One of my favorite songs from the musical Cabaret is called "Money," in which Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey sing passionately about how money makes the world go around (or as Grey pronounces it "vorld go around."). If that's true, then at least in California the Earth is spinning off its axis thanks to the potential savings solar (in part) will provide the CAISO. In its 2017-2018 Transmission Plan, the electrical grid operator for the state has recommended canceling at least 39 transmission projects that it says will avoid long-term costs to the tune of $2.6 billion, due to energy efficiency programs and increased solar penetration in PG&E and SDG&E service territories. That kind of money, even in the form of savings, talks. And with residential solar expansion in the state continuing, those savings only stand to go up. So look for these savings to become a central argument in California solar advocates' continued push for residential solar policies. Additionally, CAISO also requested a study on the long-term effects of a 50% RPS (although that ship may be sailing if the state's legislature has its way in producing a 100% RPS in the near future) and updates to studies on large-scale energy storage. The good news for California's solar industry continues apace, and the rest of the country best be paying attention. More: CAISO Board approves 2017-18 Transmission Plan, CRR rule changes Bonus (you're welcome): https://youtu.be/I8P80A8vy9I

In a rude turn of events, I have taken the lead in the SolarWakeup March Madness challenge. GE’s Ian Manchester and kWh Analytics’ Jason Kaminsky had a tough break with Duke’s loss. I am trailed closely by DSM Advanced Solar’s Nathan Arbitman and we have differing national champion selections.

Capital And Projects. Now that the uncertainty has been lifted from our industry from 201 and tax reform, I’ve been getting a lot of questions from you about project deal flow and seeking capital. Putting projects and capital together is the main way that this platform is able to sustain itself. If you are in the market for projects, some completely papered, or have projects looking for capital, then send me an email so I can try to connect the right people together.

SolarWakeup Live. Having met with the speakers from SolarWakeup Live! San Francisco last week, I am excited for the conversation. Marin Clean Energy is seeking more solar energy as well as storage contracts. CalCEF continues to create markets for innovative startups and giving them access to capital. Of course, CalSSA is hard at work to drive solar and storage policy forward in California. This is going to be a intimate gathering with California solar leaders that you don’t want to miss. Use WAKEUP20 as a way to get your ticket for 20% off. Register Here.

Are You In Illinois? Frank covers some of the Illinois news from Friday and I have the follow up. What are you focused on in Illinois? Grabbing land and securing interconnects? Working on the regulations for community solar? Or something altogether different? Help us guide the discussion about the market by letting us know.

EV Future. Most of the EV news have been positive, endless growth and investments. BMW is delaying their output however, which is likely just a bit of honesty in the cutthroat world of auto. Stay tuned for more podcast talk this week about electric vehicles.

A Right To Store. Congrats to the policy folks in Colorado for what I can only call the net metering of storage. More breakdown from Frank in the rundown.

Have a great day!

News

 

Have a great day!
Yann