These are the top 10 most read solar articles by your peers this week!
News
1 Bloomberg:
Vegas Casinos Plan to Leave Warren Buffett’s Nevada Utility
2 The Hill:
Trump outlines ‘America First’ energy plan
3 Washington Post:
Some states may be making a big mistake about rooftop solar
4 Brookings Institute:
Rooftop solar - Net metering is a net benefit
5 Rocky Mountain Institute:
New York’s Next Steps in the REV-olution
6 Midwest Energy News:
Language in Ohio bill would ‘basically shut down’ solar
7 San Francisco Chronicle:
California’s next frontier - clean electricity for everything
8 Fortune:
Does Rooftop Solar Benefit All? That's the Debate
9 CleanTechnica:
Google’s Project Sunroof Expands To 42 US States
10 EDF:
New Hampshire Just Doubled Its Solar Net Metering Cap – And It Already Needs More
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 May 27th, 2016
I thought I would be able to refrain for a bit longer but the Donald gave his first energy speech yesterday. It couldn’t have been worse and it went exactly as expected. The GOP nominee rattled off the biggest hits: more oil drilling on Federal lands, approval of Keystone XL, and ending the ‘stupid’ climate rule. He did mention solar and wind but that it would be supported at the expense of other sources. Capitalists and libertarians should love what we do, compete against the market and provide benefits to the grid’s consumers.
News
1 The Hill:
Trump outlines ‘America First’ energy plan
2 Washington Post:
Some states may be making a big mistake about rooftop solar
3 New York Post:
Solar-powered airplane makes landing after 17-hour flight
4 CleanTechnica:
More Than 8.1 Million Working For Global Renewable Energy Industry
5 Renewable Energy World:
China Expected to Outperform Germany in Solar PV Capacity
6 Advanced Energy Economy:
New York REV Order Gives Utilities Ways to Make Money in Changing Role
7 Utility Dive:
Hawaiian Electric could hit some rooftop solar caps next month, filing warns
8 The Guardian:
Shell says it will limit solar investment until it proves profitable
Opinions:
9 Rocky Mountain Institute:
Community Solar - A Cost-Effective Bridge away from Net Metering?
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for May 26th, 2016
If there was ever a time to get into solar advocacy, now is the time to make your move. Following Rhone Resch’s resignation at SEIA, Jane Weissman from IREC and Richard Lawrence from NABCEP have also retired from their posts. Thus far only the post at IREC has been filled internally by Larry Sherwood, the current COO. Searches for SEIA and NABCEP are starting to move forward according to sources and I would love to know what your thoughts are on this topic. Next week, we can do a feedback forum on the CEOs of companies that ‘resigned’.
News
1 Solar Power World:
NABCEP starts search for new executive director
2 Fortune:
Does Rooftop Solar Benefit All? That's the Debate
3 Bloomberg:
Saudi Arabia to Revive Its Solar Power Program at Smaller Scale
4 PV-Magazine:
Foxconn commits to sustaining Sharp’s solar business
5 CleanTechnica:
Google’s Project Sunroof Expands To 42 US States
6 EDF:
Hot Topics in Clean Energy this California Legislative Session
7 Utility Dive:
Efficiency, gas plants push PJM capacity auction prices below expectations
8 Greentech Media:
Orange Button - A New Data Standard for Cheaper Solar?
Opinions:
9 Inside Climate News:
America Now Has 27.2 Gigawatts of Solar Energy - What Does That Mean?
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for May 25th, 2016
Newsflash! Net metering is good for consumers. You don’t have to take my word for it, listen to the experts hired by utility commissions and the non-partisan Brookings Institute. Yesterday, another report was put out by SolarCity and NRDC that reiterated the benefit to Nevada consumers. That’s why I started the SolarPledge last year to push for the ITC extension and keeping full net metering in place around the Country. All this talk about rate design and cost shifting is fancy PR talk by EEI and the utilities that feel threatened by solar. Their problem is inaction however, DG solar in NV would have been a minor blip on the radar but NV Energy’s attitude caused MGM to leave and take 5% of its load with it. The other IOUs should be worried about that instead.
News
1 Brookings Institute:
Rooftop solar - Net metering is a net benefit
2 NRDC:
Customer Investments in Solar Energy Benefit All Nevadans - $7 Million–$14 Million Per Year
3 PV-Magazine:
Germany considers new taxes for renewable energy consumers
4 Renewable Energy World:
Viva La Revolución - Giving Power to the People with Distributed Generation
5 Energy Collective:
How Fast Could the Market for Electric Vehicles Grow?
6 PV-Tech:
Solar’s US$400 billion of health and environmental benefits for the US
7 Renew Economy:
Networks discover that rooftop solar is no longer the enemy
8 Utility Dive:
California boasts some of the lowest per-capita energy usage in the US, report says
Opinions:
9 Motley Fool:
2 Reasons Solar Stocks Are Smart Investments
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for May 24th, 2016
Time for some policy rounds ups. In Nevada, the Governor’s solar task force is meeting on Thursday to review the recommendation about grandfather net metering. Ohio continues the destruction of a solar market with great potential beyond the freeze of the RPS, thanks Kasich! New Hampshire doubled the cap from 50mw to 100mw and the cap is about to be reached; one day people will realize that society wants MORE solar. And North Korea loves itself some off-grid solar, or ungrid solar, since they don’t really have a grid or electronics or freedom. Don’t forget that you can send confidential tips anonymously through the front page of the website, it’s an important part of moving our industry forward.
News
1 Midwest Energy News:
Advocates - Language in Ohio bill would ‘basically shut down’ solar
2 EDF:
New Hampshire Just Doubled Its Solar Net Metering Cap – And It Already Needs More
3 Reno Gazette:
The solar battle on Nevada rooftops
4 Los Angeles Times:
Off the (failing) grid in North Korea, where solar energy is a hot commodity
5 PV-Magazine:
Dispute over arbitration location causes stumbling block for PV projects in Egypt
6 CleanTechnica:
Energy Storage Could Break Low Income Rooftop Solar Bottleneck
7 Renewable Energy World:
China’s Solar Prices Could Fall 38 Percent by 2020
8 PV-Tech:
SNEC 2016 - Views on global solar manufacturing
Opinions:
9 Greentech Media:
Germany’s Solar Market Returns to Growth, But Not Leadership
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for May 23rd, 2016
And this is what the future looks like. Late last week, MGM filed with the NV Utility Commission their plan to leave NV Energy as a generation customer. They will pay a one-time $90million departure fee and will go find its own power. The public comment on why is simple: "It is our objective to reduce MGM’s environmental impact by decreasing the use of energy and aggressively pursuing renewable energy sources.” This is another blow to Buffett’s NV Energy which has been using its political clout to kill off solar in the State but becoming a transmission and distribution utility is inevitable.
News
1 Bloomberg:
Vegas Casinos Plan to Leave Warren Buffett’s Nevada Utility
2 Rocky Mountain Institute:
New York’s Next Steps in the REV-olution
3 PV-Magazine:
Nigeria's solar hopes stall
4 Renew Economy:
Household solar + storage to meet most of peak demand, and keep grids stable
5 GreenBiz:
Electricity providers of the future - Not your grandmother's utility
6 New York Times:
New Solar Plants Generate Floating Green Power
7 Deseret News:
Utah aglow with new solar developments, rooftop systems
8 San Francisco Chronicle:
California’s next frontier - clean electricity for everything
Opinions:
9 EDF:
SolSmart - Helping Communities Go Solar by Cutting Costs
Have a great day!
Yann
These are the top 10 most read solar articles by your peers this week!
News
1 Think Progress:
Storing The Sun’s Energy Just Got A Whole Lot Cheaper
2 Forbes:
The Solar Story Is Just Beginning
3 Portland Press Herald:
Big solar worked to kill Maine solar energy bill
4 Greentech Media:
New York’s Full Value Tariff Could Be a Radical Departure From Net Metering
5 USA Today:
Lessons from a solar startup's failure
6 Rocky Mountain Institute:
Moving to Better Rate Design
7 PV-Magazine:
Solar PV can meet 25%+ of annual demand without major intervention
8 Greentech Media:
The Future of Solar, According to 500 Industry Professionals
9 Grist:
Clinton is making coal country a generous offer, but it’s not buying
10 Vox:
Solar power is already saving lives in the US. Here's how
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 May 20th, 2016
Some positive news in Nevada, public perception is making its way to the render the policy makers rational. The Governor’s task force has made the recommendation that existing solar customers should be grandfathered. It still requires the full vote of the task force and then will be presented to the Governor to propose to the legislature. Moreover, the task force needs to figure out a plan for net metering since they are adamant on changing it. Let’s see how this slow, long story plays out.
News
1 Utility Dive:
Nevada governor's task force committee recommends grandfathering rooftop solar customers
2 Vox:
Solar power is already saving lives in the US. Here's how.
3 PV-Magazine:
Argentina sets aside 300 MW for solar in its first auction
4 Renewable Energy World:
GE Looks to Power, Renewable Energy as Oil Slump Crimps Profits
5 Rocky Mountain Insititute:
The Business Value of Demand Flexibility
6 Advanced Energy Economy:
Full D.C. Circuit Hearing of Oral Arguments on Clean Power Plan
7 Greentech Media:
Slideshow - ‘The State of Solar’ From GTM’s Solar Summit
8 CleanTechnica:
Australian Power Purchase Agreements — Diving Into Digital Solar
Opinions:
9 Think Progress:
Trump’s Newest Enemy - Environmentalists
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for May 19th, 2016
The department of energy looked into how much energy demand could be covered by solar while integrating into the grid. The key was to test the grid reliability and maintain solar cost-effectiveness. The report shows that 25% of annual demand could be integrated without “major intervention.” Reports like this do not make grid operators and regulated utilities very happy because their “obligation to serve” continues to be their reasoning for keeping solar low on their priority list.
News
1 PV-Magazine:
U.S. DOE - Solar PV can meet 25%+ of annual demand without major intervention
2 Think Progress:
Storing The Sun’s Energy Just Got A Whole Lot Cheaper
3 Solar Industry:
Report - Renewables + Natural Gas Could Meet All Of Texas’ Power Needs
4 CleanTechnica:
Solar Ready Vets Transforms US Military Into Climate Change Fighters
5 Greentech Media:
The Future of Solar, According to 500 Industry Professionals
6 Grist:
Europe keeps hitting clean energy milestones
7 USA Today:
Lessons from a solar startup's failure
8 News&Observer:
NC bill takes aim at wind power and solar energy
Opinions:
9 Renewable Energy World:
Municipal Solar and Microgrids - A PV Market Outlook
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for May 18th, 2016
At the Solar Summit last week, a panel moderated by Julie Pyper about rate design and net metering was quite eye opening for me. The regulators around the Country have been abundantly clear that there is little reason to change net metering. Quite emphatically, solar has won about 95% of all the rate cases that tried to change solar policies including solar going 10-0 in 2016. Also, demand charges have had a hard time with almost no utilities, especially those regulated by PUCs, being able to push them through. Rate design is a sexy topic, but before we change anything, just take a look at the policies that solar has been winning including states like Oklahoma!
News
1 Rocky Mountain Institute:
Moving to Better Rate Design
2 The Hill:
Department of Energy expands solar training for veterans
3 PV-Magazine:
Argentina to auction 1 GW of renewable energy
4 PV-Tech:
New Brazilian energy minister ‘open for renewables’
5 EDF:
3 Policies Driving Innovation in the Electricity Sector
6 Greentech Media:
It’s a Great Time to Be a Solar Manufacturer—How Did Yingli Stumble So Badly?
7 Utility Dive:
Yieldco problems - systemic or a speed bump?
8 Charlotte Observer:
Green-energy advocates will appeal ruling on solar sales
Opinions:
9 GreenBiz:
5 keys to debunking climate fatalism
Have a great day!
Yann
