North Carolina Releases Study On Energy Storage

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent Thanks to an aggressive utility (Duke Energy) and favorable laws, North Carolina has shot up the list of solar states in terms of overall capacity, at least according to the Solar Energy Industries Association’s calculations. Other states have taken notice and are starting to emulate some of North Carolina’s policies in an effort to catch up. Well now, the Tar Heel state is trying to lead again, this time on the subject of energy storage. And to that end, a group of experts just released a report for the state’s General Assembly to use as … Read More →

The Energy Show: Flow Batteries with Matt Harper from Avalon

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The Energy Show: By Barry Cinnamon It’s depressing that lithium batteries get almost all of the focus in the energy storage industry. Lithium batteries have a number of advantages, including high energy density, good longevity, declining costs and established integration with electronics, vehicles and stationary energy storage. Although ideal for residential and commercial storage applications, lithium ion chemistries are not great for long term and high capacity energy storage — which are the characteristics that many utility storage installations require. Flow batteries have the potential to meet these utility storage application needs. Flow batteries use two tanks of liquid electrolyte, … Read More →

This is your SolarWakeup for December 6th, 2018

Home Solar Moves Forward. California has moved the home solar mandate forward as they plan for the implementation. The Building Standards Commission has taken the necessary step to allow the rule to start on January 1, 2020. 
Carbon Free, Not Clean Energy. Looking at the Xcel Energy announcement, my first two thoughts. 100% carbon free doesn’t mean 100% clean energy, Vox should know better to distinguish this. Secondly, what is the plan to execute on this? Is the hope that Xcel will own all of the assets or create an environment for distributed generation to thrive?
Behind the Scenes. Frank goes behind the scenes on the SESA PR and SEIA coming together with a Q&A with PJ Wilson to discuss the news. 
Solar In DC. SEIA is hosting a summit in DC and interviewing members of Congress including Senator Whitehouse (D-RI). Reports from inside the room speak to the support that solar has at the baseline level across demographics and party lines. Many of the quotes do appear to make this a bit of the echo chamber except for the talk that solar should push for the ITC to be expanded to storage. I see this as a potential starting block for the ITC to be extended once again. More on that to come. 
Huawei Breaking News. The news broke late last night that the CFO of Huawei Technologies was detained in Canada, potentially at the request of the US. Reports have it that the US is considering Huawei as a national security risk and could create a sub plot to the tariff talks and newly found truce. This isn’t a solar direct story but has enough potential impact that is a regulatory risk for the solar market participants. 

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Have a great day!
Yann

Q&A With PJ Wilson of the Solar and Energy Storage Association of Puerto Rico

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent Yesterday, the Solar and Energy Storage Association of Puerto Rico (SESA-PR) joined the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) as an affiliate member. We wanted to find out what role solar electricity is playing in rebuilding the island’s electrical infrastructure after it was devastated by Hurricane Maria more than a year ago, and what inspired them to join SEIA as an affiliate. We talked with spokesman PJ Wilson to find out. SolarWakeu0 (SW): What role has solar played in restoring electricity on the island since Maria? PJ Wilson, SESA-PR (Wilson): Solar has played a role in … Read More →

Could Facebook Spread The Solar Gospel Throughout The South?

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent Facebook has had some public relations setbacks lately, but one of the items on its long-term agenda that consistently gets it good press is the fact that it has started demanding clean energy – specifically solar – power its energy-intensive data centers. In Virginia, for example, Dominion Energy had to create an entirely new type of agreement and build several solar farms so the state would be considered as a potential site for one of the data centers. We’ve seen these developments across the country, and it’s one of the unalloyed goods that Facebook has … Read More →

This is your SolarWakeup for December 5th, 2018

SEIA Adds Affiliate. SEIA has joined forces with SESA-PR, the solar and storage association chapter in Puerto Rico, as an official affiliate. This is largely different than many State chapter SEIAs that are not actually affiliated with the national group. Some however have taken strides to get closer to SEIA for various reasons. It makes me wonder if there is a purposeful move to join forces given there has been criticism of the relationship the national SEIA has had with some State chapters. Largely the relationships are fruitful and mutually beneficial but there are outlier cases where an affiliate status would allow some disagreements to be handled internally instead of in a public domain or filing. 
Maersk Abandons Fossil Fuels. The shipping giant is out with a pledge to cut emissions to zero by 2050. This is a giant statement given they transport 20% (1 in 5) sea going containers. Hard to imaging how this will be executed but you could imagine electric ships of some sort cruising the world’s oceans. Maersk’s COO tells the Financial Times, “We will have to abandon fossil fuels. We will have to find a different type of fuel or a different way to power our assets. This is not just another cost-cutting exercise. It’s far from that. It’s an existential exercise, where we as a company need to set ourselves apart.”
Xcel Sets Own RPS. The midwest utility which is known for its major coverage in Colorado and Minnesota is looking to be 100% carbon-free electricity by 2050. Short on details but highlighting the goal is intriguing given the potential for solar growth in Colorado and the hopes that Minnesota continues to grow. Becky Stanfield and Jessica Scott of Vote Solar react, “Showing the region and the nation that 100% carbon free is possible and the right choice for health, jobs and leaving a better world for our children. We look forward to working with Xcel and state regulators to help meet those bold but achievable targets in a way that is affordable, reliable and puts people first."
New Home Solar Means More Solar. Policies like California’s new home solar mandate would triple the residential solar market by 2045. The key is the customer acquisition and scale of construction. A home being built doesn’t have the same hurdle to sell through especially if the home is built with solar before anyone owns it. With homebuilders choosing top quality products and buying at scale, this drives the price down and makes the installation more efficient. Lastly, when the cost is put into a mortgage the payments are significantly lower than when solar is installed at a later date. 
Audi Joins EV Party. The company is investing $16billion to build out its electric and autonomous vehicle fleet. In other words, the company is ensuring survival by making cars that buyers/users will require from OEMs. I’m waiting for one of these firms to reach out of the auto market to invest in a solar type company, I think the day is coming. 

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Have a great day!
Yann

SEIA Welcomes Puerto Rico Into Affiliate Fold As Island Continues To Rebuild From Hurricane

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent Lots of stories have been written in the past year about how solar energy has helped Puerto Rico come back from Hurricane Maria, which devastated the island’s electrical grid. Whether it’s companies like sonnen or Sunnova installing solar electrical systems for island residents or solar-powered community centers becoming the hub for neighborhoods still waiting for power to come back on, solar power has taken on a central role in the slow comeback of the island to some sense of normalcy. Often, this comeback has been slowed by inaction by their fellow citizens on the mainland … Read More →

The Energy Show: Avoiding a Global Warming Disaster

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The Energy Show: By Barry Cinnamon The bad news about global warming continues unabated. This fall the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (fondly referred to as the IPCC) sent up an emergency flare. According to Amjad Abdulla an IPCC board member and chief negotiator for the Alliance of Small Island States, “The report shows that we only have the slimmest of opportunities remaining to avoid unthinkable damage to the climate system that supports life, as we know it.“ Obviously, small island states are at the most immediate risk. But if the earth’s warming trend continues, many populated areas … Read More →

Home Solar Capacity Could Triple If Other States Follow California Mandate

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent A new study from Environment America Research & Policy Center urges other states to follow California’s lead in requiring all new buildings have solar on them. If states would adopt such mandates, which California adopted earlier this year, the home solar market could triple by 2045. It would also cut carbon dioxide emissions from electricity production by more than 9% over the same time. [wds id=”3″] “Every home and structure built without solar is a missed opportunity,” said Bret Fanshaw, Go Solar Campaign director with Environment America Research & Policy Center. “Generating renewable energy from … Read More →

This is your SolarWakeup for December 4th, 2018

Do You Vote Solar? Last evening some of the biggest solar supporters came together to celebrate Vote Solar and the entire team of passionate solar advocates. There are few teams that have done so much, so quietly to advance our market. We had some fun talking about past victories that are the foundation of solar markets across the Country. So I raise my glass for a toast for Vote Solar and all solar advocates that do the policy work that allows installers to sell solar to homeowners and creates the market that creates my job. Without the policies that enable our market, most of us would be doing other work. 
Reality Of Nuclear. Every few months there seems to be a nuclear should make a comeback for the sake of fighting climate change. This storyline seems a bit tired given that it’s been used for years. It is ingrained in so many higher education institutions and think tanks studying the issue. I understand the argument but the political reality is that nobody looking to fight climate change is leaning in on nuclear. I will hear from some of you that the portfolio has to include nuclear but I am here to tell you that the market has moved on. One small pet peeve, calling renewables ‘buoyed by subsidies’ while arguing for nuclear is laughable. Without early cost recovery and government subsidized insurance, water and waste, nuclear would be non-existent. 
Has COP Lost The Luster? COP24 has started and if I wasn’t following the Solar Impulse team on social media, I wouldn’t know. First, it’s in Poland which hasn’t exactly been the leader in climate policy. Second, without the US leading the marketing of it in the US media, it seems to be lacking any coverage at all. As an aside, various forms of renewables shouldn’t put other forms down in order to gain an edge, there are plenty of antagonists to focus on. 
Green New Deal et al. New leaders in Congress have surprised me with the pedestal that the green new deal has been placed on as one of the signature areas of focus going into the new Congress. Ocasio-Cortez, who is humanizing the role of member of Congress in a great way, has been actively pushing for co-sponsors and ignoring the ‘freshmen members stay quiet’ status quo. I look forward to speaking with co-sponsors of the bill and understand how the pivot from macro, big idea like green new deal can leverage the political power that solar has within the voting public.

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Have a great day!
Yann