David Roberts has a great post today about risk in power plants. While I did not go to business school, where I understand that the Alcoa business model is tonight early on, I am convinced that natural gas is "buying" long term ownership of baseload across America. What's going to happen when all of the drillers want to increase their margin? What will stop them from slowing their productive wells until prices rise? Most of all, who is on the hook for the volatility of fuel costs? I'm a strong believer that solar most important energy/financial attribute is the almost non-existent volatility in pricing for many years forward.
Yann
News
1 Grist:
Wind and solar are much less financially risky than other power projects
2 NPR:
Should Homeowners With Solar Panels Pay To Maintain Electrical Grid?
3 NY Times:
Solar Rises in Malaysia During Trade Wars Over Panels
4 Greentech Media:
PJM’s Capacity Market Reforms Could ‘Erase Revenue Streams’ for Utility-Scale Solar
5 Nasdaq:
The Biggest Market in Solar Energy
6 CleanTechnica:
Solar & Wind Power Are Changing Net Load Shapes In California
7 PV Solar Report:
USSMI 2014
8 World Coal:
Solar power at mine sites
Opinions:
9 PV Magazine:
Exxon chief strategist sticks boot in on solar
Have a great day!
Yann
By Haresh Patel
"We all need to come together and fight for solar” is the message from NBA Hall of Famer Bill Walton. I can’t agree more. One of the biggest takeaways from the great GTM conference this week is that success is leading some companies struggling to compete resorting to tactics of hoping for the death of the ITC. One company vowed to fight for a lower 10% of the ITC, with the help of the solar friendly Senator Ted Cruz. If you don’t like the ITC, get out of solar. If you can’t handle the tax equity market, admit the shortcoming and find a partner.
Yann
News
1 CNBC:
No, cheap oil will not kill solar power
2 PV Tech:
Xcel Colorado solar plan rejected
3 Gigaom:
Over one-third of new U.S. electricity came from solar this year
4 PV Magazine:
New strategies and portability may help PV-for-mining solutions cross financing hurdle
5 Greentech Media:
Off-Grid Solar Companies Closed $64M in 2014
6 Forbes:
First Solar Gives U.S. Residential Market Another Try
7 Solar Power World:
Solar Insurance
8 Huffington Post:
Climate Change and Investment in Fossil Fuel Companies
Opinions:
9 RE World:
‘Tis the Season for Winter Solar Marketing Info, Messaging, and Photos
Have a great day!
Yann
Solar is growing (adding another 1.3GW in Q3) and solar is disrupting the utilities (numbers seem overstated). But the best news in what may be the most ironic solar story of the year in 2014 is that the US Department of Commerce and US Department of Energy with BOTH Secretaries are leading a clean energy trade mission to…. (wait for it)…..CHINA! Are you kidding me? The US Government at the behest of select few is imposing tariffs on these guys and we’re going on a trade mission?
Yann
News
1 Greentech Media:
US Solar Growth Continues
2 Breaking Energy:
U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz Announce Business Development Mission to China
3 PV Magazine:
Cleantech disruption to reduce annual utility revenues by up to $123 billion
4 Forbes:
Solar Stocks Fall On Lower Crude Oil Prices, But Selloff Is Overdone
5 Oregonian:
Suppliers criticize proposed expansion of duties on Chinese solar panels
6 Solar Love:
Solar Power Could Replace Oil In The Middle East?
7 Motley Fool:
Solar Players Taking Very Different Paths to Success
8 NY Times:
Copenhagen Lighting the Way to Greener, More Efficient Cities
Opinions:
9 Adam Browning:
What Can Hawaii Expect From NextEra’s Purchase of Hawaiian Electric?
Have a great day!
Yann
