Bill Gates is making headlines again regarding renewables by looking to invest $2billion in new technologies through research and development. While the author of the article argues that we should invest in policy and not technology, I think another route would be more efficient. Bill Gates needs to invest in the deployment of technology that typical investors would not invest in. Moreover, Mr. Gates should invest in projects that are not investment grade to really make a difference. The cost of technology is the factor making the biggest impact today. A small solar panel connected to a lightbulb and cell phone charge do far more than some new revolutionary power plant in many areas around the world. I wrote about this last year here
Yann
News
1 Greentech Media:
US Solar Electricity Production 50% Higher Than Previously Thought
2 Renewable Energy World:
Behavioral Economics and the Solar PV Industry
3 PV-Tech:
UK solar subsidies could be hit by budget overspend, report warns
4 Think Progress:
Bill Gates Plans To Invest $2 Billion In New Renewable Technology. That’s Not A Great Idea.
5 New York Times:
Global Climate Pact Gains Momentum as China, U.S. and Brazil Detail Plans
6 Pacific Standard:
Why Millions of Chinese-Made Solar Panels Sat Unused in Southern California Warehouses
7 Utility Dive:
Despite declaring energy sales illegal, Duke will connect solar array owned by third party
8 Bangor Daily News:
State to study new way to reimburse small-scale solar power generators
Opinions:
9 Michael Bloomberg:
Why Cities Will Be Vital Players at Paris Climate Talks
Have a great day!
Yann
A full circle day for me. One of the very first days in solar, I made a deal with PVPowered to beta test a PVP30 inverter. I visited the PVPowered factory shortly thereafter in Bend, Oregon which was a small steel building, an office trailer and offices on the 2nd floor of a small building. The floor in the ‘factory’ had colored tape which was the result of optimization planning. I recall ordering a container of 30kW inverters in 2008 for about $0.50/watt. Fast forward past the acquisition by Advanced Energy, some really good people still represent the company. With inverters selling for $0.10/watt or so, it is sad to hear that Advanced Energy will be closing the division. My friends will surely land on their feet, I wish them all well.
Yann
News
1 Coloradoan:
AE dumps solar business - layoffs expected
2 New Yorker Magazine:
Power to the People
3 New York Times:
Supreme Court Blocks Obama’s Limits on Power Plants
4 Renewable Energy World:
What Is the Value of Solar Energy + Storage?
5 Renew Economy:
Three out of four new solar households to add battery storage
6 Motley Fool:
Upcoming Solar IPO Could Give Investors Another Residential Solar Play
7 Wall Street Journal:
Solar Boom Raises Doubts on Sale of Australia Power Assets
8 NPR:
Solar-Powered Airplane Begins Long Journey From Japan To Hawaii
Opinions:
9 Forbes:
Can it Get Worse for Spain's Solar Policy? It Just Did
Have a great day!
Yann
Solar is a societal movement. If you doubt that, just take a look at the grassroots support that our industry gets every time we are challenged or attacked. On Friday, the Supreme Court moved an entire nation forward and it was amazing to see how corporate America responded, especially solar companies. For marketing and communication professionals it sometimes presents a dilemma of whether a company should comment on something outside of their industry. On Fridaysome of solar’s largest companies including Conergy, Sunedison, SunPower and NRG Home made social media comments. For a particularly proud moment for my amazing team, we got a shoutout from CNN for our post.
Yann
News
1 Motley Fool:
The Solar Energy Revolution - Past the Point of No Return
2 AZ Central:
200 flip-flops delivered to APS to protest solar fees
3 Fortune:
What Sunrun's IPO says about the solar industry and Silicon Valley
4 CleanTechnica:
Solar Net Metering A Subsidy To Utilities?
5 Solar Power Portal:
Why DECC struggles to keep up with solar PV capacity data…and why we don’t
6 Think Progress:
Scotland Got Half Its Electricity From Renewables In 2014
7 News & Record:
Freedom Act would allow third-party sales of solar power in N.C.
8 Toronto Star:
Ontario solar module makers say duties needed to survive cheap Chinese imports
Opinions:
9 Honolulu Beat:
Hawaii’s New Renewable Energy Law Is ‘Leading By Example’
Have a great day!
Yann
These are the top 10 most read solar articles by your peers this week!
News
1 Fortune:
Sunrun sprints toward an IPO
2 USA Today:
SolarCity reaches out to rival utilities
3 Forbes:
After Decade Of Decline, Solar Panel Prices Are Rising In World's Biggest Solar Market
4 Vox:
Why wind and solar power are such a challenge for energy grids
5 Time:
Should You Put Solar Panels On Your House?
6 Salon:
The energy revolution that has 1 percenters shaking in their boots
7 Energy Collective:
Opening the Small Commercial Solar Market
8 Forbes:
$8B-$16B Investment Could Double Solar Market
9 Bloomberg:
First Solar and SunPower’s 8point3 Energy IPO Nets $420 Million
10 Oil Price:
Why Buffett Bet A Billion On Solar
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
