This is your SolarWakeup for June 22nd, 2016
Elon Musk surely enjoys poetry. He chose the Summer solstice to acquire SolarCity. The deal makes sense for many reasons and we will discuss many of them in due time. With a depressed stock price at SCTY and great access to capital at TSLA but the acquisition is much more in my opinion. The new Tesla would become an end to end consumer energy company. From solar modules to generate power (the factory in Buffalo will use cells from the US, a correction from yesterday’s tariff story), powerwall to store at home and the vehicle to move that energy from one point to another. Let’s see where this goes.
News
1 Vox:
Elon Musk wants to build a clean-energy juggernaut, merging Tesla and SolarCity
2 Greentech Media:
The Benefits and Drawbacks of Tesla’s Plan to Acquire SolarCity
3 Rocky Mountain Institute:
New Ruling Opens Up 400 GW Renewables Market
4 Utility Dive:
How storage can help solve the distributed energy 'death spiral'
5 PV-Tech:
SolarWorld and Hemlock continue last ditch talks as ‘crucial’ court date cancelled
6 US News:
California Utility to Close State's Last Nuclear Plant, Replace it With Solar and Wind
7 CleanTechnica:
How Can India Accelerate Its Rooftop Solar Deployment?
8 The Guardian:
Australians have spent almost $8bn on rooftop solar since 2007, says report
Opinions:
9 Quartz:
A pay-as-you-go solar solution could kickstart renewable energy adoption in Nigeria
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for June 21st, 2016
There are moments in politics that could change things. I have long been pushing for the settlement of the tariffs on modules made in China (and Taiwan, etc) to no avail. Mostly because the $0.15/Watt are just a part of life now and manufacturers have made other accommodations to deal with the tariffs. Now the cells for the SolarCity factory, which is in Buffalo (that is in America!), look like they will be hit with tariffs as well. I still see a way forward to get rid of them but we need the political will to push for it. If $0.15/Watt reduction in your module costs are worthy of your time and phone calls, send me a note so we can organize around this and garner the political will.
News
1 PV-Tech:
SolarCity’s Triex cell to be included in Chinese anti-dumping investigation
2 Renew Economy:
Morgan Stanley - Battery storage to grow four times quicker than market thinks
3 Renewable Energy World:
Obama Administration Moves to Encourage 1.3 GW of Energy Storage Procurement
4 PV-Magazine:
EUPVSEC opens with rallying call to Europe's solar industry
5 Greentech Media:
Deep Politics, Dark Money and Fraud Join the Solar Party
6 EDF:
Valuing Energy Efficiency - The Case for Consensus
7 Forbes:
Distributed Generation Is Disrupting Britain's Power Market, Lawmakers Call For Major Reforms
8 Utility Dive:
EPA proposes CPP state renewable energy incentives despite SCOTUS freeze
Opinions:
9 GreenBiz:
Clues to our bright energy future
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for June 20th, 2016
It seems that Georgia Power (owned by Southern Company) is about as good at signing up solar customer as they are fixing and building new nuclear power plants. Crystal River, in Florida, was supposed to be fixed and recommissioned but instead cost the consumers a whole lot of money that was under early cost-recovery. A few weeks ago TVA also had some nuclear startup issues and Exelon announced that it was closing a few nuclear power stations as well. A Omaha Utility will also shut a nuclear power plant. Let’s note that this is not regulation or wind and solar subsidies. This is all about economics and financial cost of power. Energy markets killed coal and now they are killing nuclear.
News
1 Greentech Media:
Georgia Power’s Rooftop Solar Program Signs Up Only 5 Customers
2 Utility Dive:
Omaha utility to shutter Fort Calhoun nuclear facility
3 Renew Economy:
Battle royale brews over battery storage and control of energy markets
4 Think Progress:
First Family Vacations In National Parks, President Obama Prioritizes Climate Action
5 GreenBiz:
Amazon and utility strike breakthrough renewables deal
6 CleanTechnica:
UK Installed More Than 1.5 GW Of Solar In First Quarter
7 PBS:
Solar plane leaving U.S. for Europe after yearlong stay
8 News&Observer:
Peak Solar? NC’s frenetic pace of solar development faces hurdles
Opinions:
9 Renewable Energy World:
Former Energy CEO David Crane Envisions a Future without Fossils
Have a great day!
Yann
These are the top 10 most read solar articles by your peers this week!
News
1 Grist:
U.S. Chamber of Commerce joins anti-solar crusade
2 Grist:
Why is this liberal congresswoman spreading anti-solar arguments?
3 GreenBiz:
Why Apple's new energy business should scare utilities
4 Techinsider:
SolarCity's CEO told us solar energy will reach a tipping point in just 5 years — here's why
5 PV-Tech:
Apple starts a company to sell excess solar power
6 PV-Magazine:
SunEdison takes on $300 million in new financing
7 CleanTechnica:
US Carbon Tax “Close To Inevitable,” Conservative Leader Proclaims
8 Greentech Media:
Electric Utilities Prepare for a Grid Dominated by Renewable Energy
9 Marketwatch:
Why more people now own their home’s solar panels — instead of lease them
10 New York Times:
Dear Conservatives, You Can Go Green Again
The Top 10 is ranked by the number of SolarWakeup.com readers that clicked on the news article during the previous week. It is the poll of the most relevant solar news of the week as judged by your colleagues and competitors.
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for June 17th, 2016
I wonder how many readers of SolarWakeup are Sunpower dealers. Julia Pyper has been doing a great job covering the EEI annual conference this week and wrote a nice story featured at the top today. What caught my eye was something else though. Apparently, a major sponsor of the EEI convention was Sunpower. Likely to initiate more utility purchases of their solar farms but a terrible move in my opinion. EEI is on a mission to destroy solar net metering. How many Sunpower dealers would go out of business if EEI is successful? Choose your partners carefully…
News
1 Greentech Media:
Electric Utilities Prepare for a Grid Dominated by Renewable Energy
2 Marketwatch:
Why more people now own their home’s solar panels — instead of lease them
3 PV-Magazine:
Trina Solar Chief Financial Officer resigns
4 Renewable Energy World:
Vivint Said to Seek $300 Million for Rooftop Solar Operations
5 Energy Collective:
Total U.S. Electricity Sales Projected to Grow Slowly as Electricity Intensity Declines
6 PV-Tech:
What does ‘restructuring’ mean at Yingli Green?
7 Utility Dive:
California local renewables are getting robbed, but CAISO can help
8 Bloomberg:
Brazil Said to Deny Extensions on First Solar Farms Amid Slump
Opinions:
9 Forbes:
Why Apple Energy Is A Wake-Up Call For Businesses
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for June 16th, 2016
Many of you are probably members of your local Chamber of Commerce and perhaps even the national Chamber. I’ve been a member of the Chamber and even served on the board but I am incredibly disappointed but not surprised in yesterday’s email blast. Solar is one of the fastest growing business segment that lives of capitalism and free markets, stalwarts of the Chamber’s mission. Yet, the Chamber is taking an anti-solar mission on at the hope to accomplish something for someone. The someone is what interests me and I hope that I can figure that out.
News
1 Grist:
U.S. Chamber of Commerce joins anti-solar crusade
2 Vox:
Energy transitions are usually slow. Here’s why the clean energy transition might be faster.
3 Utility Dive:
CPUC approves extra demand response in wake of Aliso Canyon gas leak
4 PV-Magazine:
SunEdison takes on $300 million in new financing
5 Energy Collective:
3 Clean Energy Ideas the Left and Right Agree On
6 Rocky Mountain Institute:
It’s Time to Plan for Electric Vehicles on the Grid
7 GreenBiz:
10 climate change-fighting energy apps to tap
8 CleanTechnica:
Maryland PSC Approves Final Community Solar Regulations
Opinions:
9 OilPrice:
Can Trump Change The Direction Of U.S. Energy?
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for June 15th, 2016
Have you ever checked the properties on a word file? All sorts of information can be tagged into the file including the author’s name. This is particularly awkward if you are a Congresswoman and send a request to a Federal agency and ask them to investigate a matter you find important. In this case, Yvette Clarke (D-NY) from Brooklyn, sent a complaint to the FTC and asked the agency to investigate solar sales tactics. The problem is that the letter was written by EEI, the utility trade association that earlier this year hired a crisis communication firm to fight and rebrand its attack on solar. EEI is clearly showing its intent across the board and a clear dividing line between solar and EEI needs to be drawn.
News
1 Grist:
Why is this liberal congresswoman spreading anti-solar arguments?
2 PV-Tech:
Nevada PUC - Upcoming NEM cost-benefit study ‘won’t win the day’
3 GreenBiz:
Why Apple's new energy business should scare utilities
4 Bloomberg:
Yingli Green Says Some Banks Agree to Modify Loan Payments
5 Energy Collective:
Europe Can Retrieve its Lost Clean Energy Leadership by Moving Away from Subsidizing Renewables
6 Utility Dive:
Hawaii officials plan changes to struggling renewables program
7 Greentech Media:
Will Virtual Net Metered Projects Survive Under Massachusetts’ New Solar Policy Regime?
8 Tech Insider:
SolarCity's CEO told us solar energy will reach a tipping point in just 5 years — here's why
Opinions:
9 MIT:
Virtual Power Plants Get Around Solar Power’s Intermittency Problem
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for June 14th, 2016
News
1 Grist:
Renewables are poised to put global fossil fuel investment to shame
2 Think Progress:
Harvard Study Finds $38 Billion Economic Benefit From EPA’s Carbon Rule
3 Rocky Mountain Institute:
Usage-Based Segmentation Can Create Value in Electricity Markets
4 GreenBiz:
3 reasons the clean energy transition will be a bumpy ride
5 Renewable Energy World:
Energy Storage Market to Equal Rooftop Solar by 2028
6 Bloomberg:
Cheapest Solar in Africa Comes to Zambia Through World Bank Plan
7 Utility Dive:
Net metering talks break down in Arizona
8 The Hill:
Net metering for solar power sounds simple, but is it fair?
Opinions:
9 MIT:
Wind and Solar Will be the Cheapest Way to Generate Power by 2040
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for June 13th, 2016
Apple joins Google to set up a FERC regulated subsidiary meant for renewable power. Being a regulated power company doesn’t mean more than being Apple being able to market its power production beyond the wholesale markets but my guess is that there is so much more where that can go. Google doesn’t appear to have done much with its regulated power company. I do see the potential given that both companies have more consumer data than pretty much anyone (except Facebook perhaps).
News
1 PV-Tech:
Apple starts a company to sell excess solar power
2 CleanTechnica:
US Carbon Tax “Close To Inevitable,” Conservative Leader Proclaims
3 Renew Economy:
Australian solar market rebounds as battery storage interest grows
4 Grist:
Donald Trump once backed urgent climate action. Wait, what?
5 The Verge:
Boeing wants in on the solar airplane craze
6 New York Times:
Dear Conservatives, You Can Go Green Again
7 Greentech Media:
Texas Regulators Saved Customers Billions by Avoiding a Traditional Capacity Market
8 Wired:
The Lonely Transatlantic Journey of a Self-Sailing Solar Ship
Opinions:
9 Motley Fool:
U.S. Solar Industry Sets Record in Q1 2016 but Questions Remain
Have a great day!
Yann
These are the top 10 most read solar articles by your peers this week!
News
1 Business Journals:
The 20 highest-paid Bay Area executives under 40
2 New York Times:
NRG Shifts Focus Away From Empowering Consumers
3 Motley Fool:
The Next Solar Shakeup - Death of the Solar Lease
4 Grist:
John Kerry just cannot with Donald Trump’s climate plan
5 AZ Central:
The bigger electricity subsidy no one talks about
6 Huffington Post:
Why the Next Five Years Will Determine Our Clean Energy Future
7 Greentech Media:
Solar Will Replace Nearly All Retiring Coal in Texas
8 MIT:
Finally in Sight, $1-a-Watt Solar Milestone Shows Long Road Ahead
9 PV-Magazine:
North American solar investors concerned about H2 oversupply
10 Solar Industry:
Groups Call On N.Y. Regulators To ‘Put Community Solar Back On Track’
The Top 10 is ranked by the number of SolarWakeup.com readers that clicked on the news article during the previous week. It is the poll of the most relevant solar news of the week as judged by your colleagues and competitors.
Have a great day!
Yann
