This is your SolarWakeup for November 20th, 2018

Today is the last newsletter before the Thanksgiving break as I once again look to escape the smoke and hunker down for the first rain of my Bay area living. I am thankful for your continued support and readership and hope that I am able to give you valued content every day. 
What Is The Value Of Solar? Every time this happens, a PSC looking to understand the value of solar that is, the report comes back showing that solar is worth more than the retail rate offered by net metering. This is the fundamental argument against calling NEM a subsidy. So you may ask yourself why solar never asks for a NEM rate above even credit and the answer to that is simplicity. Homeowners understand what they pay and they understand that it doesn’t matter when they produce versus when they consumer. Simplicity is the face of solar the utilities look to break in their opposition to our industry. 
The Fate Of PG&E (Once Again). There was a non-solar policy battle in California this summer centered around the liability (and ability to charge consumers for) the cost impact caused by fires in 2017. Before the fires in Paradise and Malibu are even put out, the issue is coming up again. The camp fire is the worst fire in California history and early news reports appear to question what caused the fire to spark. Look for PG&E to look at ratepayers to bail the company out which makes one wonder whether PG&E wouldn’t be better post restructuring as a wires company focused on transmission and get out of the generation and retail side of the business. I do expect that Wall Street is paying close attention and ready to make a move. 
A Green New Deal. I don’t want to debate the Green New Deal. I want to talk about the political strategy of the Select Committee on Climate Change and Green New Deal. I think America will view both of those ideas as partisan. How about the Select Committee On Clean Energy Jobs and a Wind and Solar New Deal instead? 
Get That Load. An offer to municipalities and other fleet operators to sign up for special rate schedules for their electric vehicle fleet. This is a direct attack on the oil customers and make it easier and cheaper for fleets to electrify. This is going to be copied across the Country by every utility desperately looking to growth their base load of consumption. 
Make It Easy. The New York PSC is right, “if you want people to do something, make it easy.” 

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Have a great day!
Yann

Maryland Releases Its Value of Solar Report. SPOILER: Solar Is Good For The State

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent Maryland’s status as a solar state has waxed and waned over the years. Under Governor Larry Hogan, the ups and downs have been rather violent. On at least two occasions – most notably the Clean Jobs Act in 2016 – Hogan has vetoed legislation that would have encouraged solar and other clean energy development. And unfortunately, the legislature lacked the votes necessary to overturn them – at least in the Senate. But if Hogan decides to stand in the way now, he’ll have his own Public Utilities Commission with which to contend. After all, the … Read More →

This is your SolarWakeup for November 19th, 2018

Escaping Smoke. No column this morning as the family and I have escaped the smoke that has enveloped the Bay area from the Camp Fire in Paradise, CA. We are now busy in Tahoe raking up the leaves. 

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Have a great day!
Yann

Illinois’ Commercial Solar Segment Gets Boost From Walmart, Sam’s Club

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent Illinois has been in the news a lot over the past year, touting its solar revolution as started by the Future Energy Jobs Act of 2016. Heck, even SolarWakeup got in on the act, holding one of its prized SolarWakeup Live! events there to celebrate. And while much of the hype has been anticipatory, there are real successes going on, too. And one such success is that 19 Walmart and Sam’s Clubs stores will be adding solar to their rooftops by the end of 2019. For those of you who don’t know, both Walmart and … Read More →

The Energy Show: High Electric Bill? – Consider These Money Saving Tips

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The Energy Show: By Barry Cinnamon People complain about their high electric bill almost as often as they complain about the price of gas. And for two good reasons. First, utilities consistently raise their electric rates — not only for inflation, but also to increase their profits. So even if you don’t change your habits, your electric bills will generally keep increasing (like my waistline). Depending on where you live, these rate increases can average 3% -7% per year. The second reason is that we are using more and more electricity. Our 21st century lifestyle is much more energy intensive: … Read More →

This is your SolarWakeup for November 16th, 2018

Opinion

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Have a great day!
Yann

Education Is The Key To Solar Support

By Tony Clifford, CDO of Standard Solar We often talk about how popular solar is, and poll after poll after poll continues to prove it. Polls consistently show overwhelming popular support for solar, and it’s not even close. The latest survey, a messaging poll by Global Strategy Group on behalf of the Solar Energy Industries Association, adds more fuel to the fire. It turns out that no matter what side of the political divide you are on, you support solar—as long as you are educated about the benefits and strengths of it as an electricity source. For example, the survey … Read More →

Magnificent Minnesota: Study Says 70% Renewables By 2050 Within Reach

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent Most solar observers who look at the Midwest and identify what state leads that group of states almost inevitably settle on Minnesota as the far-and-away leader. (Here’s the obligatory note suggesting that Illinois is hot on Minnesota’s tail and that it had better keep moving forward if it wants to remain the name on everyone’s lips when it comes to a Midwestern solar leader). But the Land of 10,000 Lakes (which is actually closer to 15,000, but who’s counting?) is well known for its progressive solar policy, particularly when it comes to community solar, where … Read More →

GI Energy Files Objection To Confusing New York Energy Storage Rules

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent New York has developed something of an inferiority complex about its renewable energy and storage market. They ceded leadership first to New Jersey, then Vermont (yes, VERMONT, of all places) and now Massachusetts gets the majority of headlines in the Northeast. So New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, no shy retiring flower himself, has made it his life mission to seize back the headlines from his fellow Northeastern states by setting aggressive goals for both renewable energy and storage growth – and he’s not hesitant to tell anyone who is listening how fantastic his plan is … Read More →

This is your SolarWakeup for November 15th, 2018

Let Mayors Help You. Mayors want to do big things because at the city level, big doesn’t take a lot. I’ve passed plenty of policy through the local council and that is where the solar industry should go more often. Let’s get some bright minds in solar together and draft the resolutions that are important in a State, take those resolutions and put them in your hands so that you can show it to your Mayor. Overnight, we’d be on the agenda for hundreds of municipalities and doing some important work at the local level. Solar permitting perhaps?
Be Aware Of Bad Solar. Florida will be ground zero for this, plenty of people want to make money overnight. Having spent the past 4 months talking to installers across the Country, I share their frustration about bad actors in solar because homeowners always call the right contractor after something has gone wrong. I don’t say this with bias, but you can tell a lot about a contractor by what type of solar mounting hardware they use. 
Let’s Make A Deal. Will folks in Arizona make a deal around an RPS type structure? I am surprised at the headline given how handily APS won the ballot amendment, I would have thought they would be entrenched in doing nothing. 
Alanis Would Be Proud. The irony is thick as the oil coming out of the ground. But when the land is available and the sun is shining, why not use solar energy to pull dead dinosaurs from the ground. Obviously add some energy storage to ensure top notch power quality and your solar power oil pump is ready to go!
Here We Go Again. Initial reports are coming in about the cause of the Camp Fire in Paradise, CA. The fire that has claimed more than 8,500 homes and 250 businesses. It has burned over 110,000 acres and is the deadliest fire in California history. According to those reports, power lines could be the reason that the fire initially started, a topic that was loudly debated in the California legislature this summer. 

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Have a great day!
Yann