This is your SolarWakeup for October 19th, 2015
I am heading to the Utility Solar Summit later today in San Diego where once again the topic of the day will be the ITC. Plenty of subsidy talk in the news today from around the world but I will highlight the Texas story for you to read. I doubt anyone in ERCOT assumes a tax credit exists for solar in 2030 but the operator still sees an enormous growth of solar in the state. I continue to see interesting projects that we would invest in through the step down. The issue about calling the ITC a subsidy is that it assumes no other energy source gets a subsidy. Leaving solar without the ITC would make it the least subsidized energy source in my opinion.
News
1 PV-Magazine:
Texas grid operator predicts 50-fold increase in solar by 2030
2 PV-Tech:
Californians reject roll back of solar net metering in poll
3 Rocky Mountain Institute:
Hawaii just ended net metering for solar. Now what?
4 Forbes:
Solar Trade Dispute Is Turning Nasty In Taiwan
5 Greentech Media:
Two Chinese Billionaires Plan $5B Investment in India’s Solar Market
6 NJ.com:
Stevens wins U.S. Solar Decathlon with hurricane-resistant shore house
7 Worcester Telegram:
Net metering cap slows solar installation for Central Mass. utility
8 Motley Fool:
Solar Subsidies Matter - Where Solar Companies Want Washington's Help
Opinions:
9 The Guardian:
Solar subsidies are slashed, but the sun always seems to shine on nuclear
Have a great day!
Yann
These are the top 10 most read solar articles by your peers this week!
News
1 Greentech Media:
Sunrun - Conservative Support for Solar Puts ITC Deal Within Reach This Year
2 Motley Fool:
The Biggest Threat Residential Solar Has Ever Faced
3 PV-Magazine:
Hawaii shuts down net metering to new customers
4 New York Times:
Oil Exports Should Be Paired With Clean Energy Tax Breaks
5 The Guardian:
Leading solar entrepreneur to put business into liquidation
6 ABC:
The death of solar in Hawaii?
7 Huffington Post:
12 Special Interests Waging Shady Campaigns Against Solar
8 Greentech Media:
Getting to $1.00 per Watt - What Tricks Do Solar EPCs Have Left in the Bag?
9 Tech Insider:
The US is about to hit a big solar energy milestone
10 Rocky Mountain Institute:
The Economics of Battery Energy Storage
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 October 16th, 2015
Let’s review the politics of this week. The House passed a bill that would lift the ban of oil exports. Oil exploration can largely be rooted back to the oil fields of Bakersfield in California. Bakersfield is also the home of Congressman Kevin McCarthy, the majority leader and almost Speaker of the House. Why is all of this important? Kevin McCarthy has more solar in his district than any other congressman. Farmers have been using solar to lower the cost of food for hard working American families. So I say, let’s make a deal. We need more solar, we can make it cheaper for all Americans by extending the ITC.
News
1 Solar Server:
Bakersfield is first U.S. city to pass resolution urging extension of Federal Solar Tax Credit
2 ABC:
The death of solar in Hawaii?
3 Texas Tribune:
Austin Council Votes to Boost Solar Power
4 Christian Science Monitor:
Making cheaper solar panels by making less waste
5 Think Progress:
Even Fossil Fuel Companies Support An International Climate Agreement
6 Renew Economy:
Solar fuels could be Australia’s biggest energy export
7 Breaking Energy:
California’s Clean Energy Bill Could Serve As A Template For National Energy Policy
8 The Guardian:
Government blamed as third UK solar power installer goes bust
Opinions:
9 Grist:
What would President Sanders or Clinton be able to do on climate?
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for October 15th, 2015
First the great news. I will be speaking at the Solar Capital Markets conference today in New York and China is shooting for 20GW per year for the rest of the decade. But here’s the bad news. Regulators have done it again, this time in Hawaii. The Hawaii PUC, without as much as cost hearings with the public and industries, has decided to end net metering. It doesn’t take a genius to know why, the PUC has gone against the legislators and Governor to do what NextEra wants. Just this week, you had the Florida counterpart come out against solar net metering in a State that has no penetration. Time for solar to really get involved in the PUC elections.
News
1 PV-Magazine:
Hawaii shuts down net metering to new customers
2 Huffington Post:
12 Special Interests Waging Shady Campaigns Against Solar
3 Renewable Energy World:
Chinese Solar to Jump Fourfold by 2020, Official Tells Xinhua
4 Rocky Mountain Institute:
Residential Energy+ and Transparency - Making value visible
5 Think Progress:
Want To Know How Sea Level Rise Will Impact Your Hometown? There’s A Map For That
6 Bloomberg:
Barclays to Follow Goldman in Arranging Solar Bonds in Japan
7 Tech Insider:
The US is about to hit a big solar energy milestone
8 Grist:
How solar power can make affordable housing more resilient
Opinions:
9 The Guardian:
Leading solar entrepreneur to put business into liquidation
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for October 14th, 2015
Let’s share a secret amongst each other. Solar is supported by almost ALL Americans. It doesn’t matter if they are democrats, independents or republicans. An overwhelming portion of the citizens in the United States support solar. In a new poll, 83% of the GOP supports ramping up clean energy including solar. Putting solar on your home is a conservative step for families, it lowers their spending, exercises their property rights and only works because of market competition. So after a Democratic Debate that mentioned solar, I think it’s time for the GOP to go with its base on this issue and realize that solar represents their values as well.
News
1 Greentech Media:
Sunrun - Conservative Support for Solar Puts ITC Deal Within Reach This Year
2 Clean Technica:
California Ratepayer Advocates Pushing Failed Arizona Proposals That Could Kill Rooftop Solar
3 PV-Magazine:
Yingli pays off majority of medium-term notes due today
4 Bloomberg:
Chinese Solar to Jump Fourfold by 2020, Official Tells Xinhua
5 Solar Industry:
Attractive PPA Prices Will Keep U.S. Utility-Scale Solar Power Strong
6 Renewable Energy World:
Solar to Play ‘Lead Role’ in Vermont RE Standard Compliance
7 Renew Economy:
Australia’s energy future could be network of renewable micro-grids
8 Utility Dive:
Why battery storage is 'just about ready to take off'
Opinions:
9 Tom Steyer:
G.O.P. and Climate Change
Have a great day!
Yann
These are the top 10 most read solar articles by your peers this week!
News
1 SolarWakeup:
Solar Investment Executives, what your New Year’s resolution should be!
2 The Hill:
Let the sun set on the solar industry subsidy
3 PV-Magazine:
Analyst interview - The rise of distributed solar
4 CleanTechnica:
Largest-Ever Study Quantifies Value Of Rooftop Solar
5 Forbes:
Solar Plus Batteries Unlikely To Threaten Utilities Anytime Soon, Study Says
6 Think Progress:
Meet The New Chevy ‘Bolt' - An Electric Car For The Masses
7 PV-Tech:
Morgan Stanley deal nudges 2015 US residential solar investment towards US$800 million
8 PV-Magazine:
Solar and utilities can co-exist, says Elon Mus
9 Energy Collective:
Net Metering for Rooftop Solar - How to Fix the Problems
10 Greentech Media:
Solar Is Adding Jobs 20 Times Faster Than the Broader Economy, but ‘All Bets Are Off’ in 2017
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 October 13th, 2015
There has been an ongoing debate in Congress on a topic that few realized was even an issue. For the last 40 years, it has been illegal for US crude oil to be exported out of the Country. Of course, domestic producers would like to increase the available consumers for their dirty fuels and export it outside the borders. A bill to remove this ban has passed the US House of Representatives and could present the best opportunity for President Obama to write his climate change ticket including a permanent extension of the ITC. Some environmental movements are against this but let’s watch this closely. My personal opinion coming this week.
News
1 New York Times:
Oil Exports Should Be Paired With Clean Energy Tax Breaks
2 Forbes:
As California Rolls Out More Solar Power, Regulators Could Undercut The Industry
3 Greentech Media:
Getting to $1.00 per Watt - What Tricks Do Solar EPCs Have Left in the Bag?
4 Fast Co Exist:
Could Solar Panels Become The Next Ubiquitous Technology?
5 PV-Magazine:
Bosch exits PV with thin film closure
6 Business Journals:
Colorado power provider to bulk up on solar
7 Utility Dive:
How 'grid neutrality' can build the backbone for the modern grid
8 Consumer Reports:
Solar questions to ask
Opinions:
9 Renew Economy:
Should Australian households quit the electricity grid?
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for October 12th, 2015
My homestate, Florida, is the 3rd largest energy user in the Country. Largely focused on tourism, agriculture and air conditioners, energy consumption per capita is probably the highest in the nation. I use over 3,000kWh per month on average thanks to my A/C running 12-18 hours per day. I have solar but I also have an EV but overall the adoption of both in Florida is essentially non-existent. But the war on solar is now public, CEO of FPL is now out with a tour on the supposed “cost-shift” caused by solar on homes. Instead the solar plants, he says, should be large scale (but only owned by the investor owned utilities). This will not play out well but we shall see.
News
1 St Augustine Record:
Eric Silagy, CEO of FPL, shares thoughts on solar power, emissions compliance
2 PV-Magazine:
New York State plans for solar on 150,000 homes and businesses by 2020
3 Rocky Mountain Institute:
Report Release - The Economics of Battery Energy Storage
4 Breaking Energy:
NREL Report Shows Big Potential For The Future Of Shared Solar
5 Greentech Media:
How Georgia Power’s Solar Service Could Foster a New Utility Business Model
6 Solar Industry Magazine:
Conergy's Move In Solar Asset Ownership Reflects Broader Search For Recurring Revenue
7 New York Times:
As British Solar Industry Loses Subsidies, Big U.S. Backer Pulls Back
8 Athens Herald:
Solar electric generation growing in Georgia, but not nearly fast enough, advocates say
Opinions:
9 Motley Fool:
The Biggest Threat Residential Solar Has Ever Faced
Have a great day!
Yann
These are the top 10 most read solar articles by your peers this week!
News
1 New York Times:
Enemies of the Sun
2 Greentech Media:
Layoffs at SunEdison as Investors Question the Renewable Energy Developer’s Strategy
3 Fortune:
Solar startup to build big factory in upstate New York
4 Forbes:
SolarCity Claims New Solar Efficiency Record, Here Is What That Means
5 Motley Fool:
5 Technologies That Could Drive Solar Energy Growth for Decades
6 CNBC:
Utilities’ newest solar battleground - California
7 Denver Post:
NREL cutting four percent of workforce, lays off solar researchers
8 IEEE:
Arizona Utility Blinks in Bitter Battle Over Rooftop Solar
9 PV-Tech:
SunEdison reduces project completions guidance by 20% and exits UK market
10 EDF:
A Stealth Tool to Modernize the Electric Grid
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 October 9th, 2015
Bill Gates has been pushing pretty hard on clean energy R&D. While I don’t think that is where a billionaire willing to spend it should focus, the news from NREL are disturbing to me. What is the cost of the 15 researchers at NREL to the Federal Government? Their reports and information is clearly NPV positive. Just recently, NREL focused on standardizing PPA contracts for solar which could be a driver towards lowering costs. So Bill Gates should think about funding the positions and more at NREL. Money well spent.
News
1 Washington Post:
The U.S. needs a solar energy revolution. But it’s laying off solar energy researchers
2 EDF:
Citibank - How Investments in Clean Energy can Save Trillions
3 Think Progress:
Now Is The Time For A Carbon Tax, IMF Chief Says
4 Renewable Energy World:
Investment Tax Credit, Clean Power Plan and What Solar Can Learn from Volkswagen
5 PV-Magazine:
UK - First round of solar job losses announced as FIT cuts bite
6 San Diego Union Tribune:
Solar workers rally at utility’s doorstep
7 Orange County Register:
Can a house charge an electric car? At Solar Decathlon it can, with rooftop solar power
8 Arizona Central:
APS estimate - Solar customers underpay significantly
Opinions:
9 Fresno Bee:
Larry Bettencourt - Solar benefits Valley farms
Have a great day!
Yann
