New Pod. I am joined by Boris von Bormann, the CEO of Mercedes Benz Energy Americas, in the latest episode of EnergyWakeup. His role oversees the current initial roll out of the Mercedes storage systems for homes but Mercedes also makes cars that you may have heard of. The combination of the two markets intrigues me and we talk about it in this episode. Catch it here.

Last Minute Efforts. Tom Werner from SunPower has an oped The Hill today that pushes back against tariffs and praising Trump in equal parts. I get the sentiment, everything out of DC today shows the need to praise in order to drive the conversation. My larger concern is that Trump’s advisors have treated both sides of the tariff debate equally and this is in no way an equal debate. Most folks expect news to happen this week, I’ll start writing two template emails to send you I guess.

Taking On Gas. In one week, Vote Solar has taken on an anti-solar decision and at the same time a pro-gas decision. The latter is interesting. The argument against DTE Energy’s request to build a $1.2billion natural gas plan is that renewables would be a better deal for customers and DTE should show its analysis to make its case for gas. This is an offensive maneuver by Vote Solar in a State that under Governor Granholm was working hard to be a clean energy leader.

Crypto. ACWA Power is joining the crypto movement with the currency, SolarCoin. I’m going to ask some questions about coins and blockchain during our New York event to the CEO of LO3 Energy, a blockchain expert. This could come up in that conversation.

NYC Agenda Set. We’ve got our agenda set with 5 amazing conversations. I’ll be catching up with NY Green Bank’s CEO, one of the most innovative and successful green banks in the Country. The other conversations are with the manufacturer of the largest solar plus storage integrator in the world, breaking down the REV policy, blockchain in energy and future of community solar in New York. All of the conversations in a great theater setting in midtown. Please consider joining us for this event, discounts for multi tickets if you want to send your team. Here are the tickets.

Opinion

News

 

Have a great day!
Yann

Happy News First. Every day there is one article that is read the most. By noon my time, I can tell what you are reading as individuals and figure out what the is driving the days conversations in the solar industry. With SolarWakeup View, you’ll get my thoughts on that event and some more info if we have it. I hope you enjoy this additional memo that can help your business prosper. Check out the article from yesterday’s news.

Daily Tariff Update. Several reporters have Trump receiving the recommendation from his advisors next week. Word has it that the import license is off the table and the question remains what they will be set at. Is it per watt or a percentage? Will there be quotas that hinder import volumes? I am honestly surprised that we are here today and it makes me question what more I could have done. I will refute today, tomorrow and next week that this was based on Trump’s request for tariffs. There is a both sides aspect to this that leaves me uncomfortable but remain hopeful that advisors will keep it under 20%.

Help Michigan Manufacturing Jobs. The grand settlement was my biggest hope in the trade process. When bankrupt SolarWorld filed the first trade complaint and received tariffs, China responded by taxing US polysilicon. Amongst other things Hemlock had to close a $1.2billion plant in Tennessee and shed hundreds of jobs, things at REC Silicon weren’t much different in Washington State. So if Trump cared about jobs more than politics, the argument would be to get rid of all tariffs and make US a silicon powerhouse and grow the solar industry even faster than it has to date.

National Security Threat. Admiral James Stavridis is the current Dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. His resume includes Commander of Southern Command and NATO Supreme Allied Commander of Europe. He writes now that climate change is the greatest threat to America. Have a great day everyone!

Massachusetts Update. Your top article yesterday was the news of the DPU decision in MA and you can find our SolarWakeup View here. At the same time, MA DOER released the block 1 tariffs for the SMART program which came in higher than I expected and with the multipliers from energy storage these should be great deals even with interconnection upgrades. Are you doing one of these projects? Let me know.

Presented By Panasonic. When you install Panasonic HIT® high-efficiency solar panels, you’ll provide homeowners with what we believe are the most efficient solar modules available today. Let’s take your business to profitable new levels together. 

Opinion

News

 

Have a great day!
Yann

By Yann Brandt

What: Massachusetts DPU Adds over $4,000 in Charges To Residential Solar Customers In Eversource Rate Hike

Summary: The MA DPU, currently in the process of creating the SMART rules, raised rates and created drastic uncertainty for solar customers in the Eversource area. The monopoly had requested increase rates and charges for its residential customers, requiring solar customers to pay as much as $9,400 over the life of the solar asset. The decision is being appealed by Vote Solar through its representative, Earthjustice.

By Yann Brandt

What: Massachusetts DPU Adds over $4,000 in Charges To Residential Solar Customers In Eversource Rate Hike

Summary: The MA DPU, currently in the process of creating the SMART rules, raised rates and created drastic uncertainty for solar customers in the Eversource area. The monopoly had requested increase rates and charges for its residential customers, requiring solar customers to pay as much as $9,400 over the life of the solar asset. The decision is being appealed by Vote Solar through its representative, Earthjustice.

SolarWakeup View: Not only is this bad for Eversource customers, it seems to go against the spirit of the energy future in Massachusetts. The DPU is deep in the docket to decide the next generation of solar under the SMART program and is now signaling a worrisome anti-solar direction. I asked Vote Solar’s Northeast Senior Director, Sean Garren, about this and he said,

"The future of solar in Massachusetts has been damaged by the Eversource decision, and the hope for SMART solar policy has been dimmed with it. 1,600 MW of new solar just got a whole lot harder."

A day later, the MA DOER released solid results for the first block of the SMART program which still requires the program to become a tariff within the DPU. Rates for the first block averaged well about $0.15/kWh and went as high as $0.17 for the NSTAR region.

Related:

Vote Solar’s Response To Eversource Decision

MA DOER SMART Program RFP Results

 

By Yann Brandt

What: Interview with Mercedes Benz Energy Americas CEO, Future of e-mobility and Yann’s View On The Topic

Summary: In this interview, Yann speaks with the CEO of Mercedes Benz Energy Americas, Boris von Bormann. Boris was previously the CEO of Sonnen in the US and has a background in solar prior to that. The conversation includes information about how the energy and transportation sectors converge going forward. What is the value of solar to the storage industry and how does it relate to the EV sector. This is a fast paced interview with a ton of information.

By Yann Brandt

What: Interview with Mercedes Benz Energy Americas CEO, Future of e-mobility and Yann’s View On The Topic

Summary: In this interview, Yann speaks with the CEO of Mercedes Benz Energy Americas, Boris von Bormann. Boris was previously the CEO of Sonnen in the US and has a background in solar prior to that. The conversation includes information about how the energy and transportation sectors converge going forward. What is the value of solar to the storage industry and how does it relate to the EV sector. This is a fast paced interview with a ton of information.

SolarWakeup View: Prior to the interview you can hear Yann’s extended view on e-mobility and where it has become. Now that utilities and oil companies are competitors, you see both of them getting into solar. This isn’t an accident. Both trillion dollar sectors (oil/fuels and utilities) recognize solar and storage to be the cheapest and most valuable energy going forward.

Related:

EnergyWakeup Episode 033 - Future of Energy Storage With Mercedes Benz Energy Americas CEO, Yann’s Thoughts

EnergyWakeup 029 - Engie Executive Sees The End Of Coal, Gas and Nuclear Power – Interview with Thierry Lepercq

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