This is your SolarWakeup for September 22th 2025
The Climate Week. I must confess, I have never been to New York Climate Week. Not because I have not wanted but because I really have no idea what to do, where to go and how to take in what seems like great events (after the fact). What’s your guide to NYCW?
News
1 Bloomberg:
Bloomberg Green’s Guide to Climate Week NYC
2 Solar Power World:
Clean energy jobs grew 3x faster than rest of U.S. economy in 2024
3 Canary Media:
Solar and batteries had a record-setting, grid-stabilizing summer in Texas
4 Reuters:
Trump policies threaten US clean energy jobs engine, report says
5 Utility Dive:
Residential electricity rates up 6.6% over last year as gas prices rise
6 PV-Tech:
Canada forecast to add up to 26GW of solar PV by 2035
7 PV-Magazine:
A tightened U.S. solar trade environment
Opinions:
8 Yale Climate:
Bill McKibben says cheap solar could topple Big Oil’s power
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for September 19th 2025
Opinion
News
1 Reuters:
US launches effort to speed power grid projects for AI
2 Utility Dive:
Regulators approve demand charge, net metering changes for NV Energy
3 New York Times:
The Trump Administration Is Dismantling Climate Policies
4 Bloomberg:
French Wind-Power Backlash Seen Pushing Capacity Growth to 20-Year Low
5 Axios:
Tom Steyer's Galvanize launches new strategy with $1.3B in tow
6 PV-Tech:
North American VPP capacity grows 13.7% as market ‘broadened more than deepened’
7 Energy Storage News:
How Canada is driving 8-12GW of storage deployments by 2035 – ESC report
8 Canary Media:
The solar industry threw a party in Vegas, and it actually wasn’t sad
9 PV-Magazine:
Startup launches AI-based home solar and electrification customer acquisition platform
Opinions:
10 Economist:
Despite presidential animus, America’s solar industry is buzzing
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for September 18th 2025
Cheap is the new clean. If you haven’t gotten the memo, solar is about to be blamed for the rise in electricity prices and for the lack of resilience, i.e. the side effects of the lack of new generation being built with record demand growth. Every statement about solar, from every company, in every press release needs to include the fact that solar is the cheapest option available and would still be significantly cheaper if paired with storage. This is true with incredible taxation on the cost of solar when compared to what our neighbors in Canada, Mexico and Europe pay for solar components. All the while the industry has lowered costs, built amazing factories in all parts of the United States and responded to legacy price signals. The reality is that solar could be sooo much cheaper if we actually wanted to regulate the power market for cheap, resilient and clean. Don’t take my word for it, capitalism, i.e. corporate procurement is saying this exact thing.
News
1 Canary Media:
Majority of Americans want a big power grid and more cheap, clean energy
2 Solar Power World:
California bill to remove tax on IRA solar benefits now on governor’s desk
3 Reuters:
US power line builders facing multi-state slog without federal help
4 UTility Dive:
Blackstone to pay $1B for 620-MW Pennsylvania natural gas plant
5 Bloomberg:
China Seeks Feedback on Revised Rules for Polysilicon Energy Use
6 PV-Tech:
Nexamp secures US$350 million financing from Macquarie
7 Energy Storage News:
Chinese BESS players still hope to supply US in FEOC policy environment
Opinions:
8 PV-Magazine:
State solar policy on the frontlines
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for September 16th 2025
Opinion
News
1 Utility Dive:
Regional Western electricity market closer to reality following California vote
2 Bloomberg:
How Trump’s Anti-Renewables Push Is Upending US Wind and Solar
3 New York Times:
Young People Suing Trump Over Climate Have Their Day in Federal Court
4 Reuters:
Germany to scrap fixed tariffs for new renewables, pivot to market support
5 PV-Tech:
Sunrun raises US$510 million in securitisation
6 Canary Media:
California’s first solar-covered canal is now fully online
7 PV-Magazine:
Enphase introduces commercial-scale solar microinverter with 97.5% efficiency
Opinions:
8 Solar Power World:
Realistic market outlook emerges after ‘pep rally’ start to RE+
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for September 15th 2025
RE+ Comes To Close. Now the work begins. I appreciate seeing many of you at the show throughout the week, it’s always nice to see old friends and make new ones. Of course, I am thankful to the support that you are showing to help make FTC Solar a success, building on the constructability of the 1P tracker that we launched last week and showcasing at the show as well as our demo center in Austin. I know that there are challenges for the market, both in policy and in the labor force. Many of you shared your policy ideas and I will consolidate those for you in the coming days and of course if you are looking for a tracker solution that helps shave significant time from the construction schedule, don’t hesitate to reach out.
News
1 Wall Street Journal:
Oil Giant Saudi Arabia Is Emerging as a Solar Power
2 Utility Dive:
Amid policy pressures, clean energy investment is diversifying
3 Reuters:
Oil boom conceals a green energy jackpot
4 Bloomberg:
Australia’s Rooftop Solar and Battery Installations Are Surging Despite Broader Lag in Renewables
5 Energy Storage News:
Still too early to see Trump tariffs’ impact on BESS industry finances
6 Axios:
Battles aren't ending over DOE's contrarian climate science
7 Canary Media:
Illinois’ push to train workers for solar industry jobs is paying off
8 PV-Magazine:
It’s easy to announce a battery gigafactory. It’s much harder to build one
Opinions:
9 PV-Tech:
Risk aversion and market pressures
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for September 12th 2025
Opinion
News
1 Axios:
Oil and gas lobby sees AI boost for 2025 permitting overhaul
2 Wall Street Journal:
Oil Giant Saudi Arabia Is Emerging as a Solar Power
3 Politico:
How environmental groups lost Newsom to Big Oil
4 Utility Dive:
Amid policy pressures, clean energy investment is diversifying
5 Bloomberg:
Germany Eyeing Credit Tool to Help Industry to Clean Power Deals
6 Reuters:
EU targets 8 power grid bottlenecks to cut prices, boost security
7 PV-Tech:
Madison Energy secures US$800 million to expand US clean energy portfolio
8 Energy Storage News:
‘Made in America’ and energy density race lead battery storage discussions at RE+ 2025
9 Solar Power World:
Enphase to bring bidirectional EV charger to market next year
10 PV-Magazine:
Making sense of CAISO’s bid cost recovery mechanism and what it means for batteries
Opinions:
11 New York Times:
Climate ‘Ideology’ Hurts Prosperity, Top U.S. Officials Tell Europeans
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for September 8th 2025
Opinion
News
1 Utility Dive:
Utilities could add 147 GW of new large loads, boosting peak demand 20%
2 Politico:
US could be forced to refund ‘about half’ of tariffs if SCOTUS rules against Trump, Bessent says
3 PV-Magazine:
Solaris acquires Sunnova assets, puts SunStrong in control of legacy systems
4 Bloomberg:
Wind Wars Highlight US-China Divergence on Clean Energy
5 New York Times:
Energy Secretary Attacks Offshore Wind and Dismisses Climate Change
6 PV-Tech:
Czech Republic warns of cybersecurity threat from Chinese solar inverters
7 Reuters:
Georgia Power receives approval for 1,068 MW of new solar energy projects
8 Energy Storage News:
Fluence deploys first full product ecosystem at Tilt Renewables’ 200MWh BESS in Victoria, Australia
Opinions:
9 Times:
India’s solar industry, aiming to compete with China, finds strength as U.S. tariffs hit home
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for September 5th 2025
Vegas! I will be arriving on Sunday. If any readers want to plan an informal SolarWakeup get together on Sunday afternoon, let me know! Safe travels to Las Vegas!
News
1 Utility Dive:
FERC in Focus
2 Axios:
House narrowly OKs spending bill backing Trump energy priorities
3 Reuters:
Trump supports nuclear power as it is 'more American' than wind, solar, US official says
4 PV-Tech:
India cuts GST on renewable energy components from 12% to 5%
5 Solar Power World:
Data centers forcing US utilities to plan large load capacity additions very quickly
6 Energy Storage News:
Swift Current Energy closes US$242 million financing for Virginia battery storage project
7 PV-Magazine:
Newsom orders agencies to fast-track clean energy projects before federal tax credits expire
Opinions:
8 Canary Media:
These conservatives want government to stop working against clean energy
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for September 4th 2025
Make It Easier. Part of technology innovation is making it easier to build. Easier being simple to train to new workers and easier so that it’s repeatable while minimizing mistakes. At FTC, we use the term constructibility and explain it with 4 key features that make a tracker installation 5 simple, repeatable steps. That’s why from pile to module, the installation using FTC 1P trackers is much faster and repeatable than anything else in the market. Head to V7655 to see it in person at RE+
News
1 Reuters:
The energy transition is now a national security issue. Just ask India
2 New York Times:
White House Orders Agencies to Escalate Fight Against Offshore Wind
3 Solar Builder:
Nearly 70% of U.S. solar EPCs fall short on quality, HelioVolta report finds
4 UTility Dive:
PJM stakeholders overwhelmingly pan proposal for data center interconnection
5 Bloomberg:
BlackRock's Trans-Atlantic ESG Dilemma
6 Axios:
Clean school bus transition gets clogged up
7 PV-Magazine:
U.S. residential solar averages record-low $29,000 before incentives, says EnergySage
8 PV-Tech:
China’s top four solar manufacturers suffer US$1.54 billion in losses in H1 2025
9 Renewable Energy World:
US Energy Secretary goes viral for misguided solar post
10 Energy Storage News:
CAISO monitoring for ‘detrimental market behaviour’ in BESS Bid Cost Recovery process
Opinions:
11 Wall Street Journal:
Trump’s Anti-Climate Crusade Puts Big Oil in Awkward Spot
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for September 3rd 2025
RE+ Week Out. One week from SPI (I had to get it out of my system), in Las Vegas and everyone’s booth is shipped out and ready to present to the industry. As tumultuous as these times may be, with a wariness of what may lie behind the next corner, the demand for our products, services and capital remain strong. I will be there, of course, representing FTC Solar (V7655) to showcase our incredible tracker technology. If you are in the area, make sure to come by and say hello with a special thanks to all of you that are supporting FTC Solar as customers, it means a ton to be growing with you each morning here and in the tracker field.
News
1 Bloomberg:
Will Trump Tariffs Survive Lawsuits? What to Know About the Legal Battle
2 Utility Dive:
PJM faces possible long-term ‘energy emergency’
3 New York Times:
Donald Trump vs. the Wind Power Industry
4 Axios:
"Mockery of science"
5 Reuters:
India’s NTPC flags risks to coal plant lifespan from reduced load
6 Solar Builder:
Agrivoltaics is on the RISE
7 PV-Tech:
Utility-scale solar and wind hit a record 47.2% electricity share in Australia’s NEM
8 Energy Storage News:
Vertically integrated cell-BESS suppliers lose market share as competition increases
9 Canary Media:
Texas created a $7.2B fund for gas plants. Hardly any are being built.
Opinions:
10 PV-Magazine:
Clean energy transition requires more comprehensive local planning, study says
Have a great day!
Yann
