Thanks to American Airlines and Texas weather for stranding me in wonderful San Antonio. So let's talk about solar in Texas. Besides the mega deals here and in Austin where solar is breaking cost records. With the open marketplace in ERCOT, what's ahead for consumers that get to choose their energy supply. Will more unilateral deals happen or partnerships with energy retailers? How about a Chile style merchant power plant? In the meantime I will be doing my best to get back to Florida.
Yann
News
1 Think Progress:
Florida Supreme Court Clears Hurdle Out Of The Way For Solar Power To Flourish
2 NBC Sacramento:
Fight over solar heating up in California
3 Huffington Post:
The Solar Entrepreneurs Emerging From Rural Kenya's Cellphone Revolution
4 Oilprice.com:
Is Solar Without Subsidies Now Viable?
5 Bloomberg:
Mexico's Abundant Sunshine No Help for Stalled Solar Industry
6 Business Journal:
Hawaii rooftop solar program could have ended a year ago, PUC chair says
7 New York Times:
Numerous States Prepare Lawsuits Against Obama’s Climate Policy
8 Forbes:
The Electric Energy Storage Industry Feels Like Solar Did Nine Years Ago
Opinions:
9 Breaking Energy:
Trudeau’s Election Victory Could Steer North American Energy In A New Direction
Have a great day!
Yann
New York is a very big State and it uses a lot of energy. Its energy system is also very complicated, congested yet rural at the same time. There are some pending power plant reauthorizations that could significantly reshape the energy landscape in New York. One thing that is already working is the NY Green Bank. A brainchild of Richard Kauffman and led by Alfred Griffin, the NY Green Bank announced three separate transactions today. A warehouse facility, a credit security supplementing private capital and a construction revolver. Good for NY and a growing solar market.
Yann
News
1 Utility Dive:
NY regulators lift solar net metering caps until REV docket sets DER values
2 PV-Magazine:
UK - solar requires 50% less subsidy than Hinkley Point C nuclear plant, STA finds
3 Renew Economy:
Origin says it won’t fight against rooftop solar and storage
4 Breaking Energy:
Energy Department Authorizes Emera CNG, LLC’s Application To Export Compressed Natural Gas
5 Knoxville News Sentinel:
Study finds value of solar power less than what TVA pays
6 Greentech Media:
How Solar, Batteries and Time-of-Use Pricing Can Add Up to Value
7 San Diego Union Tribune:
Solar dreams unravel in San Diego
8 Washington Post:
Apple just announced dramatic new solar plans in China
Opinions:
9 IEEE:
A Tower of Molten Salt Will Deliver Solar Power After Sunset
Have a great day!
Yann
Maybe it's time to have a PUC soap opera. The amount of drama that encircles the solar proceedings at the different filings around the country. The Arizona commission had some temporary positive news around the fees APS is looking for but the better story comes from Hawaii. Just days before the PUC (out of the blue) changed and eliminated the rules for net metering, one of the commissioners applied to put more solar on their home. The rules changed for everyone that didn't already have or apply for the install. The second is the key note here, I wonder if the commissioner's timing was pure coincidence?
Yann
News
1 ABC:
Corporation Commission dismisses APS request to raise rooftop solar fees, votes to hold solar review
2 Civil Beat:
PUC Commissioner Applies for Rooftop Solar Days Before PUC Cut the Credits
3 The Guardian:
Energy minister 'open-minded' about UK solar subsidy cuts
4 PV-Magazine:
UK - Renewables brought down wholesale cost of electricity by GBP 1.55bn in 2014
5 The Street:
SunEdison/Vivint Solar Deal Up in Smoke, Shares Choke
6 Bloomberg:
China Solar Installations Double Despite Delay in Sales to Grid
7 Utility Dive:
Amid ITC concerns, Austin Energy approved for 450 MW of solar by 2019
8 Green Biz:
How China and the U.S. became unlikely climate allies
Opinions:
9 Greentech Media:
Can Liberals Reverse Canada’s Weakened Record on Clean Energy and Climate Action?
Have a great day!
Yann
There are several future markets in solar. You naturally think of new geographies (just look at Chile) but I am more focused on financial innovation. You can’t help but smile at the President pitching a bunch of kids about science on the White House lawn. The unknown unknowns are the reason people pursue science. So applying the same research logic to solar, I like to ask why certain markets aren’t developing, what or who is the roadblock? As community solar continues to grow in demand and popularity, I am also interested to learn about how to make solar more of an energy participant. I will be speaking about the C&I segment as it relates to Utility Scale solar tomorrow in San Diego.
Yann
News
1 Los Angeles Times:
On White House science day, Obama displays his geek-in-chief side
2 Think Progress:
How Canada’s Election Could Change The Course Of The Country’s Climate Policy
3 Forbes:
Renewable Energy Is About To Boom In Africa, And We Need To Pay Attention To It
4 Natural Gas Intelligence:
Report - Solar Could Displace Up to 5 Bcf/d for Power Generation by 2020
5 Green Biz:
How clean energy aggregation empowers neighborhoods
6 The Hill:
Biden touts climate accomplishments
7 PV-Magazine:
2.1 GW-AC of solar PV under construction in Chile
8 PV-Tech:
UK sending ‘perverse’ signals on renewables ahead of COP21, says UN scientist
Opinions:
9 Grist:
Are India’s clean energy investments slowing the march of coal?
Have a great day!
Yann
