The biggest problem with public companies is that they fail to see the future because everyone is just worried about the next 3 months. Sometimes when the future is actually already here, CEOs make decisions that are only good for themselves. Let me explain with a quote: "I think in the future, renewables will become a bigger part of the industry, and it will become a bigger part of …” Solar and energy choice are clearly the leading part of the energy sector and growing exponentially every year. So why is the new CEO of NRG giving such a ridiculous quote to the New York Times? My guess is that he thinks that the shareholders want to hear backwards thinking from him so he can get a bigger bonus, or worse, not get fired.
Opinion
News
1 New York Times:
NRG Shifts Focus Away From Empowering Consumers
2 Grist:
John Kerry just cannot with Donald Trump’s climate plan
3 Utility Dive:
FERC - Rooftop solar, battery storage could pose threats to reliability
4 CleanTechnica:
Two Former Australian Brown Coal Bosses Switch To Solar & Clean Tech
5 PV-Tech:
Global PV manufacturing capacity expansion announcements in April close to 9GW
6 Greentech Media:
Solar Will Replace Nearly All Retiring Coal in Texas
7 MIT:
Finally in Sight $1-a-Watt Solar Milestone Shows Long Road Ahead
8 The Guardian:
Greens want 'fair price' for solar power and access to grid for all
Opinions:
9 Motley Fool:
The Next Solar Shakeup - Death of the Solar Lease
Have a great day!
Yann
These are the top 10 most read solar articles by your peers this week!
News
1 EcoWatch:
This One Chart Says It All for the Future of Solar Energy
2 Vox:
Donald Trump's horrifying gullibility, as revealed in his energy speech
3 Greentech Media:
Which Solar Companies Will Benefit Most From SunEdison’s Bankruptcy?
4 Think Progress:
Job Losses Expected As Maryland Governor Stuns Solar Industry With Clean Energy Veto
5 Rocky Mountain Institute:
Fannie Mae’s Financing for Solar - A Game Changer for the Solar Industry
6 Greentech Media:
SolarCity Relaunches Residential PV Loan With Simpler, Shorter-Term Plan
7 Fortune:
Why Sales of Solar Panels Could Soon Start Booming
8 GreenBiz:
The future of energy in 4 charts
9 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
In GE solar plant closing, a miscalculation of equipment demand
10 PV-Tech:
A solar industry in three parts?... Continued
The Top 10 is ranked by the number of SolarWakeup.com readers that clicked on the news article during the previous week. It is the poll of the most relevant solar news of the week as judged by your colleagues and competitors.
Have a great day!
Yann
Securitization of solar is the current method for the most profitable spread compression. Spread compression is the ownership version of selling an asset without losing title to the long term revenue stream. The long term revenue stream is post contract period. Now that leases are losing ground to loans, solar companies like SolarCity are getting into it after smaller shops have taken market share from them by going contractor direct with fancy IT solutions. Loans are easy to securitize which generates the cash everyone is looking for to pay for the platforms.
Opinion
News
1 Greentech Media:
SolarCity Relaunches Residential PV Loan With Simpler, Shorter-Term Plan
2 PV-Tech:
Concerns mount over China’s weak solar demand leading to overcapacity
3 Think Progress:
The New York Assembly Just Passed The Nation’s Most Ambitious Climate Bill
4 EDF:
New York Takes a Major Step toward Rethinking Utility Economics
5 GreenBiz:
The future of energy in 4 charts
6 Vox:
The western US grid is fragmented. Stitching it together is a no-brainer.
7 Solar Industry:
Community Solar + Demand Response - Three Steps For Utilities To Consider
8 Utility Dive:
The corporate green team - Utilities partner to meet renewables demand from large U.S. firms
Opinions:
9 Bloomberg:
Chile Has So Much Solar Energy It’s Giving It Away for Free
Have a great day!
Yann
The current state of the solar industry can be explained by two numbers. $100/watt and 64GW. Those numbers are relevant because we are at a tipping point in our industry. 40 years ago, modules cost over $100/W and the market globally was 2MW, today modules are sub $0.50/watt and the market is 64GW globally. The tipping point is here because at our levels, margins now matter. Companies need to efficiently build projects, deploy capital and develop projects while keeping growth going. This year, we will shape our industry for the next 10 years. If you happen to be at the Reznick conference tomorrow, make sure to say hello and visit my panel at noon on solar M&A in the US.
Opinion
News
1 EcoWatch:
This One Chart Says It All for the Future of Solar Energy
2 Think Progress:
Led By Solar And Wind, Renewable Energy Grew Like Never Before Last Year
3 CleanTechnica:
Why Energy Democracy Offers A Faster Approach To Clean Energy
4 Renewable Energy World:
Solar PV Module Recycling — Why It's Important
5 PV-Tech:
Shunfeng to sell solar manufacturing operations to property tycoon
6 Rocky Mountain Institute:
Fannie Mae’s Financing for Solar - A Game Changer for the Solar Industry
7 Greentech Media:
Subsidy Cuts Will Cause a ‘Sharp Negative Turn’ in Japan’s Solar Market Through 2020
8 AZ Daily Sun:
APS seeks 8 percent rate boost, solar changes
Opinions:
9 GreenBiz:
Why women are critical to clean energy
Have a great day!
Yann
