This is your SolarWakeup for June 30th, 2016
M&A is definitely happening in solar right now. Yesterday, Sungevity announced that it is going public through a SPAC, with Easterly Acquisitions renaming and becoming Sungevity Holdings. The company expects to go public by the end of the year. Brookfield Asset Management has taken a 25% stake of Terraform (TERP), potentially opening up new avenues for that vehicle to grow from here. Tesla hosted a conference call to go over its acquisition of SolarCity, some interesting viewpoints and quotes that came out of that.
News
1 New York Times:
Sungevity, a Solar Panel Provider, to Go Public in Merger
2 CleanTechnica:
Quotes From Tesla’s SolarCity Acquisition Press Conference
3 Bloomberg:
‘Tesla Solar’ Wants to Be the Apple Store for Electricity
4 PV-Magazine:
Brazil postpones the July solar auction
5 PV-Tech:
Investment bank ready to bet on US solar duties being dropped
6 Renew Economy:
Mercedes Benz to take on Tesla in home battery storage in Australia
7 Greentech Media:
The End of the Era of Baseload Power Plants
8 Utility Dive:
'Something's got to give'- Why Wall St is uneasy with the renewable energy boom
Opinions:
9 Fast Co Exist:
Is Solar Power Only For The Rich? Sort Of
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for June 29th, 2016
Sometimes MIT lacks some intellectual belief in where technology is and where it is going. After President Obama’s pledge to bring US energy to 50% renewable energy, MIT is saying that it is not possible without growth in nuclear as well. The reality, in my opinion, is that nuclear power capacity is reducing versus increasing given that Watts 2 is the latest plant trying to get started after having been started in the 90’s. Solar and wind plus storage, including storage in EV’s, is much more likely to electrify our renewable grid by 2025 than nuclear power.
News
1 MIT:
Obama’s Ambitious Clean-Energy Goal Will Depend on Nuclear—and the Next President
2 CleanTechnica:
Solar Roadways Coming To Route 66 In Missouri
3 PV-Tech:
Development banks ‘filling the gaps commercial capital won’t’ in Africa’s energy sector
4 Grist:
Sanders and Clinton teams fight over climate language in Democratic platform
5 New York Times:
Climate Change High on Agenda as Obama and Trudeau Meet for Summit
6 The Guardian:
Here comes the sun - US solar power market hits all-time high
7 Utility Dive:
Clean energy groups call on regulators for uniform rate design approach
8 Yale:
Yale Researchers Release Municipal Solar Scorecards for Connecticut
Opinions:
9 GreenBiz:
Want to expand renewable power? Know these states
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for June 28th, 2016
Here is something that Donald Trump will love President Obama for! The President announced a pledge to get 50% of North America’s power from renewable energy by 2025 in collaboration with Canada and Mexico. Currently, the system is at 37% which means that quite a bit of wind and solar needs to be added to the grid in the next 9 years. Canada is already ahead with its expansive hydro and Mexico needs to get moving which should be a positive outlook for the solar market we have all been waiting for. (Anyone have Mexico PPAs?)
News
1 New York Times:
North American Leaders to Pledge More Reliance on Renewables
2 Los Angeles Times:
Gov. Brown & lawmakers announce reorganization of California's energy regulating agency
3 CleanTechnica:
Maryland Scores 3 Out Of 4 On Principles For A Good Community Solar Program
4 EDF:
Maryland Scores 3 Out Of 4 On Principles For A Good Community Solar Program
5 Fortune:
Two SolarCity Board Members Will Consider Tesla Deal
6 Bloomberg:
Abu Dhabi’s Masdar Picked to Build Solar Plant in Dubai
7 Utility Dive:
The new EV playbook - How utilities can gain from the coming boom in electric vehicles
8 Buffalo News:
New York utilities and solar companies compromise on price of solar energy sold to utilities
Opinions:
9 Think Progress:
Even Small Investments In Clean Energy Could Save Millions Of Lives
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for June 27th, 2016
What does Brexit mean for solar? Nobody know because nobody really knows what it means, period. The short term effects are known however because the Pound has dropped over 10% which is an unfortunate turn for anyone that holds a British feed in tariff contract. The UK market was coming to an end from the removal of the feed in tariff but there was hope for the private market. The uncertainty of what the economic and political reality means is yet to come but in a business where we fight to shave 10 basis points off our costs, uncertainty can kill.
News
1 PV-Magazine:
What Brexit means for UK's renewable energy development
2 GreenBiz:
Maui and the energy deregulation debate
3 Greentech Media:
New California Interconnection Ruling Increases Transparency and Limits Costs
4 Motley Fool:
3-Point Checklist for Investing in Solar
5 Denver Post:
Are Hillary Clinton’s clean energy goals achievable?
6 PV-Tech:
Trina Best targets IPO by 2020, vertical integration
7 New York Times:
Apparent Conflicts of Interest May Dog Tesla-SolarCity Deal
8 CleanTechnica:
UK Solar Energy Industry Loses More Than ½ Of Jobs Following Subsidy Cuts
Opinions:
9 Pensacola News Journal:
Viewpoint - Florida should lead in solar production
Have a great day!
Yann
These are the top 10 most read solar articles by your peers this week!
News
1 Greentech Media:
Georgia Power’s Rooftop Solar Program Signs Up Only 5 Customers
2 Vox:
Tesla wants to buy SolarCity, merging Elon Musk’s two big clean energy companies
3 Greentech Media:
The Benefits and Drawbacks of Tesla’s Plan to Acquire SolarCity
4 GreenBiz:
Amazon and utility strike breakthrough renewables deal
5 Renew Economy:
Morgan Stanley - Battery storage to grow four times quicker than market thinks
6 PV-Tech:
SolarCity’s Triex cell to be included in Chinese anti-dumping investigation
7 Fortune:
SunEdison CEO Finally Resigns
8 Greentech Media:
Deep Politics, Dark Money and Fraud Join the Solar Party
9 Rocky Mountain Institute:
New Ruling Opens Up 400 GW Renewables Market
10 Bloomberg:
Solar Power to Grow Sixfold as Sun Becoming Cheapest Resource
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 24th, 2016
Solar projects have deadlines and more often than not, developers push the envelope on those deadlines in the hopes for the maximum profit. One thing I learned trading options was that time kills the premium and it couldn’t be more true in solar projects. Rushing the transaction costs more in lawyers and human resources. Rushing the install costs more on the EPC. It also stops the buyer from being able to put several projects together and get some of that premium back to the developer. Not sure that I resonate with sellers of projects but I hope that I do. I’ve seen this first hand and I can attest that majority of the time, dev fees are highest if time is not yet a factor.
News
1 PV-Tech:
Finance experts criticise US market rush to close deals without compliance protocol
2 New York Times:
Testing the Clean-Energy Logic of a Tesla-SolarCity Merger
3 Think Progress:
India’s Plan To Bring Millions Out Of Poverty & Power Them With Clean Energy
4 GreenBiz:
Why batteries are the 'holy grail' for clean energy
5 Greentech Media:
What Would Tesla’s Solar Strategy Look Like if It Bought SolarCity?
6 Solar Industry:
Montana Governor Releases Energy Blueprint With Solar Goals
7 Motley Fool:
Why Latin America Is Where Solar Investors Will See a Bright Future
8 NPR:
'Beautiful Flight' Across The Atlantic Is Major Milestone For Solar Plane
Opinions:
9 Energy Collective:
EIA Annual Outlook Misses The Mark On Threat To Utilities, Generation Revolution
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for June 23rd, 2016
News
1 PV-Tech:
Finance experts give Tesla-SolarCity deal mixed reviews at Intersolar
2 Renewable Energy World:
Notes from the Solar Underground - Conferences, Conferences Everywhere
3 Breaking Energy:
Corporations Directly Buying Renewable Power On The Rise
4 CNBC:
Musk's big bet on the future of solar
5 Advanced Energy Economy:
Internet of Things Comes to Life at Home
6 CleanTechnica:
Nest Teams Up With SolarCity On ‘Time Of Savings’ Plan
7 Bloomberg:
Solar Power to Grow Sixfold as Sun Becoming Cheapest Resource
Opinions:
8 GreenBiz:
Energy meets security - Can the military scale clean power?
Have a great day!
Yann
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
