This is your SolarWakeup for June 17th 2025
First Reaction. Not terrible, not great. I.e., for some of us, it’s as bad as it could get, and for others, you can make it work. It’s not over yet, and I’m sorry that you have to deal with this. Unfortunately, elections have consequences, and the hope for bipartisan support for cheap electricity continues to elude us. The macros are all in favor of deploying all the solar we can, but we have to keep working. There will be a lot of GW of solar built if this is the version of the bill that heads to the White House, and energy storage is a decent upside in this version as well. Resi got shafted, which hurts my core, as many of you know, I have a weakness for advocating for distributed solar. Keep pushing, keep fighting.
News
1 Bloomberg:
Senate Republicans Release Revised Tax Cuts and Debt Limit Bill
2 New York Times:
Many Hoped Senate Republicans Would Save Clean Energy. They Mostly Didn’t.
3 Reuters:
US Senate Republicans change Trump tax-cut bill, setting conflict with House
4 Utility Dive:
Will ERCOT’s streamlined connect-and-manage approach work for other markets?
5 Solar Power World:
Gov. Gianforte vetoes Montana community solar legislation
6 PV-Tech:
India and Saudi Arabia drive 20% global tracker growth in 2024
7 Energy Storage News:
India’s energy storage story
8 Canary Media:
An Illinois bill seeking to supercharge battery storage failed. Now what?
Opinions:
9 PV-Magazine:
Fixing residential solar’s trust problem
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for June 16th 2025
Here’s Johnny. Come lately that is. I’ve spent the weekend tempering my annoyance about something that happens all the time, especially in politics. As many of you know, I’ve largely been on the outside when it comes to policy movements in States and Federal affairs but have worked VERY closely with those that are in the weeds to help with messaging and activation when more people are needed. See, in politics, like in business, relationships matter and how you ask to get what you want depends on where you were when you didn’t need anything but the other side may have. So when, over the past few weeks, lone saviors come into DC to make demands on behalf of the solar industry, I get upset because they have the ability to make us all look bad. I won’t call them out, they are reading this and they know who they are, but if you weren’t going to fundraisers and meeting with staff a year ago, didn’t contribute to trade groups with your time AND MONEY, didn’t have dedicated federal affairs staff and lobbyists prior to this showdown, then stay away and let the professionals do their jobs, please. This is particularly the case if you are a large corporation that has profited handsomely over the past decade and absent on all investments to strengthen the solar industry.
News
1 Axios:
Schumer outlines multi-pronged strategy to save climate law
2 UTility Dive:
GOP lawmakers reiterate asks for clean energy credit tweaks in reconciliation bill
3 Bloomberg:
CATL Shares Clouded by Bleak Outlook After Mega Hong Kong Debut
4 New York Times:
Power Bills Are Squeezing Georgians. Voters Could Do Something About It.
5 Reuters:
China solar industry to address overcapacity challenge but turnaround far off, experts say
6 Solar Builder Magazine:
Ohio Electrical Workers unite to support solar jobs, federal tax credits
7 Canary Media:
Sen. Martin Heinrich of N.M. on trying to save clean energy incentives
8 PV_Magazine:
For rooftop, community solar, ‘we’re all for it,’ ComEd says
9 Time:
What Sunnova’s Bankruptcy Means for the Future of Residential Solar
Opinions:
10 PV-Tech:
25 years to go
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for June 12th 2025
The Gas Goal. There’s an obsession in DC that gas is the only thing that can be built, but with volatile gas markets and drop in oil prices, production is coming down. Reality is that over the next 5 years there are three things that can be built, and the status quo build rate will barely cover the need we have for retirement recovery. The gas plants that are already on order will be built and besides that solar and storage will cover the gap. There is much more solar that could get built, that extra representing the opportunity our Country has to own the AI future.
Who, What, Where, and How Much. Who can build the gas power plants? EPCs are scheduled out well past the end of the decade. What turbines can anyone order? Turbine OEMs are seemingly sold out until 2032 and tariffs are not helping feedstock costs. Where are the turbines made? While there is some domestic manufacturing, more scrutiny of largely offshore gas turbine manufacturing should be discussed. How much will the energy market pay for gas output? And who will pay for the unknown fuel costs for decades to come? Capacity prices will have to rise and energy prices are too low in some market meaning there is significant market signal lacking in order to achieve these goals.
News
1 Financial Times:
US oil output set for first annual drop since pandemic
2 Utility Dive:
US utility-scale energy storage to double, reach 65 GW by 2027
3 BLoomberg:
US Energy Secretary Is Trying to Change Blue-State Minds About Fossil Fuels
4 Reuters:
China, Africa ask US to return to 'right track' on trade differences
5 Energy Storage News:
Growing need for BESS quality control, risk management strategies, insurer kWh Analytics says
6 New York Times:
Why Rooftop Solar Could Crash Under the G.O.P. Tax Bill
7 PV-Tech:
Top ten solar manufacturers ship 500GW modules in 2024
8 PV-Magazine:
Tracking the top states for community solar
Opinions:
9 Canary Media:
Sunnova and Mosaic bankruptcies highlight deepening rooftop solar woes
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for June 11th 2025
Opinion
News
1 PV-Magazine:
Solar risks
2 Reuters:
NextEra CEO says renewables needed as bridge to expanding gas power
3 Bloomberg:
Oil-Rich University of Texas Wants to Cash In on AI, Crypto and Power
4 New York Times:
As Energy Costs Surge, Eastern Governors Blame a Grid Manager
5 PV-Tech:
European buyers remain optimistic, seek to expand module portfolios
6 Canary Media:
Texas finalizes $1.8B to build solar, battery, and gas-powered microgrids
Opinions:
7 Utility Dive:
A collaborative approach for meeting data center power needs and protecting ratepayers
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for June 10th 2025
Opinion
News
1 Reuters:
The path to cheap power will be very expensive
2 Bloomberg:
European Solar Profits Tumble to Record Low on Long Sunny Spring
3 PV-Tech:
Sonnedix, Renfe sign 420GWh PV supply agreement
4 Solar Power World:
Qcells to recycle solar panels in Georgia
5 Energy Storage News:
ERCOT’s projected load growth ‘unrealistic and impossible’, Ascend Analytics says
6 Canary Media:
This startup turns steel and aluminum waste into usable metals
7 PV-Magazine:
Grid operator SPP partners with Hitachi to speed interconnection studies
Opinions:
8 Utility Dive:
Baseload blind spot? Senate should unleash 24/7 clean-energy workhorses
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for June 9th 2025
Please Help Us. That’s the message from several members of Congress to their Senate colleagues regarding the tax credit cuts in the reconciliation bill. Specifically the 13 House members call out the placed in service, transferability and FEOC section of the bill. The reality is that America needs power and if we don’t generate all the solar we can, America will lose jobs and the AI race that sets up the path for the next century.
News
1 Politico:
13 House Republicans urge Senate to save green credits
2 New York Times:
In Georgia, Republicans Vote to Kill Green Jobs but Face Little Fallout
3 Data Center Dynamics:
FlexGen, Rosendin to develop utility-scale BESS solution for data centers
4 Canary Media:
Will Senate Republicans block the climate law rollback?
5 Reuters:
Sunnova Energy to lay off 718 employees
6 Bloomberg:
Warburg Pincus-Backed Solar Mosaic Files for Bankruptcy
7 Energy Storage News:
Eco Stor puts largest BESS in Germany online, former majority owner building Finland project
8 PV-Tech:
Vikram Solar secures SEBI nod for IPO, eyes expansion
Opinions:
9 PV-magazine:
Onyx Renewables secures $260 million financing
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for June 6th 2025
Head Down And Call The Senate. There’s a lot going on in DC but let me reset your mind on the simple task at hand. Call, advocate and lobby your US Senators. They have the bill in their chambers and have the power to make the changes you want to see. The rest is noise that you can’t control.
News
1 Bloomberg:
Elon Musk Aims to ‘Kill’ Trump Tax Bill as He Fails to Save EV Credits
2 NBC News:
Trump and Xi agree to new in-person meeting after phone call amid trade tensions
3 Los Angeles Times:
California broke law in cutting rooftop solar incentives, state Supreme Court is told
4 PV-Magazine:
California’s rooftop solar regulatory war wages on
5 Utility Dive:
Does PJM have a data center problem?
6 Axios:
Global clean-energy investment doubles fossil fuels
7 Reuters:
Sunnova Energy to lay off 718 employees
8 Solar Power World:
Republican senator pens op-ed seeking more measured approach to IRA changes
9 Energy Storage News:
US broke quarterly utility-scale BESS deployment records again in Q1 2025, ACP says
Opinions:
10 New York Times:
In Puerto Rico, a Struggle for Power Comes to Light
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for June 5th 2025
Opinion
News
1 Deseret News:
Opinion - Tax credits with a scalpel — how to boost American energy without killing innovation
2 New York Times:
Electricity Prices Are Surging. The G.O.P. Megabill Could Push Them Higher.
3 Utility Dive:
House budget bill would kill 330K solar, storage jobs
4 BLoomberg:
The Missing Engineers
5 Axios:
What to know about rare earths in the China-U.S. trade dispute
6 Reuters:
Five charts on key US electricity and power generation trends
7 Solar Power World:
Crux tax credit marketplace releases first annual report on clean energy investment dynamics
8 Energy Storage News:
US import tariff analysis spells out extent of challenge facing US battery storage industry
9 Canary Media:
Massachusetts grid breakthrough could benefit customers while boosting solar
10 PV-Magazine:
Automated solar permitting bill sails through New Jersey Assembly
Opinions:
11 Solar Builder:
Future of residential solar at risk
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for June 3rd 2025
Opinion
News
1 BloomBerg:
Senate Begins Putting Its Stamp on Giant Trump Tax, Debt Limit Bill
2 Financial Times:
Chinese battery glut plugs into solar boom to power Pakistan
3 PV-Magazine:
Leading threat to farmland is real estate development, not solar, agricultural analysts say
4 Reuters:
Azerbaijan, BP sign agreements on solar power plant in Karabakh
5 PV-Tech:
National Grid Renewables rebrands to Geronimo Power
6 Energy Storage News:
Powin could cease operations by end of July if ‘present business circumstances do not improve’
7 Canary Media:
In N.C., all eyes on Senator Tillis as IRA tax credits hang in balance
8 Utility Dive:
Why better monitoring of US transformers is a national security imperative
Opinions:
9 New York Times:
Save Us, Senators, From a Very Expensive Mistake
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for June 2nd 2025
Opinion
News
1 Energy Storage News:
Republican Senator praises energy tax credits during visit to Fluence factory in Utah
2 Canary Media:
The quiet demise of Texas’ anti-renewables legislation
3 Utility Dive:
California’s solar, wind curtailment jumped 29% in 2024
4 PV-Magazine:
Residential loan provider Mosaic issues pause on operations
5 Reuters:
Swiss solar panel maker Meyer Burger files for insolvency for German subsidiaries
6 Axios:
Supreme Court narrows key environmental law's scope in 8-0 ruling
7 PV-Tech:
Waaree Energies secures 586MW US solar module supply deal
Opinions:
8 Washington Post:
Trump is forcing this dirty, costly coal plant to stay open
Have a great day!
Yann
