This is your SolarWakeup for December 5th
Pro AI, Anti-Solar. I fully recognize that I hold a megaphone in a very specific echochamber so I often try to say something I believe to be obvious to non-solar professionals. One of those statements is whether or not it is mutually exclusive to be pro-AI build out (rapidly) while also thinking that we need to curb or stop solar deployment/development. It gets a bit more layered when you add electricity cost inflation to the equation but the argument is that you don’t have enough electrons on the grid (per yesterday’s comment about load growth projections) without the solar build out, and quite frankly expansion of the build out. I would go so far that regulators should look at module pricing distortions to accelerate and lower the LCOE of solar even further to enable more AI build out. Meanwhile DC is taking the stop solar approach which seems not to jibe with the overall goal of AI dominance, yet the data center folks seem to be quiet about the impacts.
News
1 Bloomberg:
Trump’s Plan For AI Dominance Threatened by His Own Attacks on Solar, Wind Power
2 Reuters:
Edison CEO says group speeds up green investments, EDF eyes minority stake sale
3 PV-Magazine:
Congress urged to reform “nearly complete moratorium” on U.S. solar projects
4 Utility Dive:
Flexible connections and BYOC could reduce data center burden
6 Reuters:
Morocco to secure 60% of water needs from desalination, minister says
7 PV-Tech:
Australia generates over 5,000GWh of electricity from renewables in November 2025
8 Energy Storage News:
Indiana utility to deliver 1.6GWh BESS for Amazon’s data center expansion, though fossil fuels form major part of package
Opinions:
9 Canary Media:
The grid storage industry set a wild goal for 2025 — and then crushed it
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for December 4th
Data Center Forecast. What forecast for load growth makes the most sense? BNEF in today’s top story says 106GW but ERCOT alone says 25GW by 2031 (overall growth of 70GW though). Yet the rate cases point to potentially much more.
News
1 Utility Dive:
U.S. data center power demand could reach 106 GW by 2035
2 PV-Magazine:
Utilities can manage data center demand with focused tariffs and rate design
3 Bloomberg:
Trump Makes Next Move to Revoke New England Wind Farm
4 Axios:
China blowing past world on renewables and EVs
5 Reuters:
India's clean energy firms seek better weather data as rules tighten
6 Inside Climate News:
Alabama Regulators Approve Two-Year Electric Rate Freeze and Two Solar Projects for a Meta Inc. Data Center
7 Energy Storage News:
ABB acquires Gamesa Electric power electronics division for undisclosed sum
8 Canary Media:
After Ohio’s landmark decisions on HB 6 utility scandal, what’s next?
Opinions:
9 PV-Tech:
Buyers should exercise ‘caution’ as solar component prices rise, says Intertek CEA
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for December 3rd 2025
Opinion
News
1 Solar Power World:
DOE changes name of NREL in continued campaign against renewable energy
2 Axios:
Data centers' power demand surging faster, new analysis shows
3 PV-Tech:
AEMO charts Australia’s rooftop solar boom to 42.5GW by 2036
4 Reuters:
Grid equipment makers invest in US to ease supply shortage
5 Bloomberg:
Canadian Solar Rises on Plan to Reshore to North America
6 Energy Storage News:
Aypa Power to build, own, and operate 1,200MWh South Carolina BESS
7 PV-Magazine:
U.S. battery fleet grows 59% with nearly 14 GW added in 12 months, says EIA
Opinions:
8 Canary Media:
Can the war on coal still be won?
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for December 1st 2025
Opinion
News
1 Bloomberg:
Americans Paying Record Electricity Prices as Gas Costs Climb
2 Utility Dive:
No more PJM data centers unless they can be reliably served
3 New York Times:
Trump Vowed Fewer Regulations and Lots More Oil. He’s Delivered on One.
4 Reuters:
KKR-backed Serentica may raise up to $8 bln for India green energy expansion
5 PV-Tech:
Vikram Solar starts work at 5GW TOPCon module manufacturing facility in India
6 Renewable Energy World:
Most regions have adequate winter supply, NERC says, but tight reserves raise risk during extreme cold
7 Solar Power World:
18 California legislators ask CPUC to address solar interconnection delays
8 Energy Storage News:
EDF joint venture kicks off large-scale BESS and solar-plus-storage projects in Chile
9 Canary media:
Small but mighty grid batteries take root in Virginia amid energy crunch
Opinions:
10 PV-Magazine:
Sodium-ion battery cell cost could drop to $40/kWh, says IRENA
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for November 26th 2025
Be Thankful. It’s that time of the year again, time to buy that Christmas tree and get out the decorations. Fun fact, I put up the lights on my house a few weeks ago because if this year has taught me anything is that we need to just focus on what brings us joy when everything sometimes feels like its falling apart. This year has had its ups and downs for sure, tariffs, OBBB, permitting, State battles all made us look in the mirror and wonder what happened to the power of solar that we’re actually scaring people with our scale. It has also been an amazing year for me leading FTC Solar, launching this amazing product and my first year and first time running a public company. We’re always ready to take on challenges and learn new things. So thank you for all of you that read the newsletter and support me with the dialogue on all things solar and of course as you support my professional endeavors as well. Enjoy this time with you friends and family and we’ll see each other on Monday.
News
1 Bloomberg:
AI Data Centers and the Need for More Electrons
2 Utility Dive:
Natural gas sees ‘largest year-over-year drop’ in California as solar surges
3 Axios:
Russia's oil fire sale
4 Reuters:
PosiGen files for bankruptcy after cuts to solar tax credits
5 PV-Tech:
Germany’s first grid-balancing solar project might be a ‘paradigm shift’ for energy
6 Energy Storage News:
Energy storage ‘significantly underutilised’ in EU despite recent growth and policy support
7 Canary Media:
T1 Energy is betting big on all-American solar, even under Trump
Opinions:
8 PV-Magazine:
FEOC compliance and stranded energy storage assets
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for November 21st 2025
Opinion
News
1 New York Times:
A Trump Overhaul of the Energy Dept. Breaks Up Clean Energy Offices
2 Bloomberg:
What California's Record Shows About Newsom’s Claims to Climate Leadership
3 Axios:
Trump reveals new offshore drilling plan for Florida, California
4 Reuters:
India's top solar state regulator blocks 3.2 GW coal power plan, citing clean energy push
5 Solar Builder:
Global solar energy market to reach $1.6 trillion by 2034 at 15.2% growth rate
6 PV-Tech:
Australia’s solar paradox
7 Energy Storage News:
BESS energy density race creates questions of site logistics and product standardisation
8 Canary Media:
Brookfield inks hydro contract with Microsoft in latest Big Tech deal
9 PV-Magazine:
Ohio House passes 1.5 GW community solar pilot program
Opinions:
10 Utility Dive:
Texas is winning the energy war by ignoring the politics
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for November 20th 2025
Opinion
News
1 Bloomberg:
US to Own Nuclear Reactors Stemming From Japan’s $550 Billion Pledge
3 Mother Jones:
This Ohio County Banned Commercial Wind and Solar. Not So Fast, Residents Said.
5 E&E News:
Solar company to open another US factory. It credits Trump.
6 Energy Storage News:
‘Europe’s fastest-growing clean energy technology’
7 Canary Media:
Trump cites ‘emergency’ to keep Michigan coal plant on line into winter
8 PV-Magazine:
Lawsuit targets FERC approval of SPP capacity evaluation, citing bias against solar
Opinions:
9 Utility Dive:
How renewable energy producers can navigate FERC’s new interconnection rules
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for November 19th 2025
Opinion
News
1 New York Times:
The Future Of Energy Has Arrived - Just Not In The US
2 Reuters:
US data center demand raising power risks this winter, regulator says
3 Canary Media:
Data-center power forecasts climb to unreachable heights
4 Utility Dive:
Consumers Energy to invest more than $13B in renewables, distribution by 2029
5 PV-Tech:
JinkoSolar module shipments, revenue fall in Q3 2025
6 Energy Storage News:
China leads 29% October global BESS deployments increase
7 PV-Magazine:
Over 13 GW, or half of planned Texas solar and storage, at risk to fail to come online next year
Opinions:
8 Bloomberg:
It’s Hard to Make Steel ‘Green.’ Some Companies Are Trying Anyway
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for November 18th 2025
Opinion
News
1 Bloomberg:
Affordability Foils US Power Sector’s AI Party
2 New York Times:
Hydropower Is Getting Less Reliable as the World Needs More Energy
3 Axios:
U.S. should brag on climate progress, GOP senator says
4 Reuters:
India power regulator warns renewable projects of disconnection for grid violations
5 PV-Tech:
Jakson Group begins construction of 6GW integrated solar manufacturing plant in India
6 Canary Media:
Will PJM do what it takes to get data-center costs under control?
7 PV-Magazine:
Over 50 House Republicans urge Trump administration to block Chinese solar inverter imports
Opinions:
8 Utility Dive:
America’s EVs are a $30B grid asset. Let’s not lock it away.
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for November 14th 2025
The Open Window. My role as CEO of FTC Solar is an incredible opportunity to lead a great company where we’ve been launching a 1P tracker for the past year. As a public company there are certain times where I’ve had to take a few days off from the SolarWakeup, for that I am sorry. We did have the pleasure of announcing our Q3 performance on Wednesday and our growth trajectory continues on the right track. I am certainly eager to talk to more of you about putting the FTC Solar tracker on one of your projects so you can also see the benefits of the latest innovation for yourself and I’m on the road to tell that story. Your partnership here and in my professional life is the center of my career and I’m appreciative for the time and opportunity to talk to you about both all the time. Onwards and upwards is the mission for FTC Solar, we’re optimistic that great things lie ahead for us in partnership with you.
News
1 PV-Tech:
FTC Solar acquires Alpha Steel, revenue up 157% in Q3 2025
2 Utility Dive:
Electricity prices to continue rise in 2026
3 Bloomberg:
Goldman Sees China Power Push Giving It Edge Over US in AI Race
4 Axios:
Fewer solar projects are being stalled, Energy Department says
5 PV-Magazine:
U.S. developers have 33 GW of safe-harbored solar and wind through 2028, says LevelTen Energy
6 Reuters:
TotalEnergies weighs sale of some Asian renewable energy assets
7 PV-Tech:
Global solar generation up 31% in first nine months of 2025
8 Energy Storage News:
Acciona Energia retrofits 1GWh battery storage project to solar PV plant in Chile
Opinions:
9 Canary Media:
Trump’s DOE may soon force more coal plants to stay open
Have a great day!
Yann
