I like to think that the SolarWakeup community is pretty successful, I mean you all wake up each day and read the solar news and maybe even glance at my thoughts. My guess is that every reader either has or would like a Tesla. So let’s put the community to the test. One of our readers has been a Tesla Model S driver for a few years, yesterday he received the email from Elon Musk saying that if he gets 10 people to buy a Model S, and is the first one to do so, he gets a free Model X. You get $1000 off your model S, which isn’t too bad as the car keeps getting more affordable with each new edition. Here is the landing page for the referral, let’s win a Tesla for a SolarWakeup friend
Opinions
News
Opinions:
Have a great day!
Yann
A lot going on today that I want to tell you about. First, ever since the IPO of the SunPower/First Solar yieldco, the metric for solar IPPs has been CAFD (cash available for distribution). Yesterday, SolarCity went the non-GAAP route and released a memo on the topic. Second, look at large corporates to continue to be internally conflicted on solar and then trend to being pro-solar because it is good for business. Berkshire Hathaway is the biggest of them all, an owner of some of the worst utilities and coal transporting railroads it is also becoming one of the largest owners of solar asset owners including community solar.
Opinions
News
Opinions:
Have a great day!
Yann
Growth comes in all shapes and sizes. For SolarCity it was the full stack of residential offerings and large corporates with public credit. Now comes the last remaining aspect of the US solar market, small and medium commercial. Reading between the lines, the company is looking to get into unrated and private credits. The press release is heavy on simpler technology and in-house crews but that’s only a cost item. The last SolarCity ABS still had a FICO average in the 700s and the strategy has to be more than lower costs and scale. SolarCity is planning something else to combat the financial structuring, let’s see where it goes.
Opinions
News
Opinions:
Have a great day!
Yann
David Roberts from Vox has the right headline today. Solar (especially rooftop) is booming due to cost declines, more innovative financing structures and fair regulatory policies. With the ITC and net metering being attacked daily (see today’s “ratepayer advocate” from Arizona) you can see how quickly this could go sideways for solar. Just think about how much money is spent by solar companies on public policy and regulatory research. This money isn’t spent for the good of solar. It is spent for the good of the companies that lobby for the policies that drive their business model.
Opinions
News
Opinions:
Have a great day!
Yann