This is your SolarWakeup for March 31st, 2016
Just after market close yesterday, Terraform Global followed suit by delaying its financial earnings release. So the saga continues and a few things in the Sunedison process should happen tomorrow since their earnings release should be due based on their 15 day extension filed on March 16th. In other news, analysts are wondering what is happening at Vivint Solar since their stock has been beaten down quite a bit whereas other players like SolarCity and Sunrun have held their ground since the Sunedison stock price drop. Stay tuned tomorrow for more timely updates, you can always follow on Twitter @SolarWakeup
News
1 Bloomberg:
How Wall Street's Favorite Solar Company Spent Itself to the Brink
2 Power Magazine:
EEI Gets Pushback on Proposed Rebranding of Utility Solar
3 PV-Magazine:
Mexico awards more than 1 GW of solar at US$40.50/MWh
4 Rocky Mountain Institute:
5 Lessons Learned from the Pepco-Exelon Merger Battle in D.C.
5 Grist:
This chart shows the United States’ mind-blowing clean energy potential
6 Utility Dive:
Oklahoma utility pushes demand charge for DG users
7 Vox:
Like the US, China wants a national electricity grid. Unlike the US, China’s just building it.
8 Bangor Daily News:
Energy panel’s dissent darkens prospects for Maine solar power bill
Opinions:
9 Greenbiz:
Centralized or distributed power? We need both (for now)
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for March 30th, 2016
Two blurbs this morning about stories that you cannot miss:
News
1 Greentech Media:
SunEdison Moves Closer to Bankruptcy as Officials Investigate Struggling Solar Company
2 Huffington Post:
This Messaging Guru Is Helping Utilities Clean Up Their Appearance
3 New York Times:
Edison International Starts Energy Consultancy
4 Bloomberg:
Mexico First Power Auction Awards 1,720 Megawatts of Wind, Solar
5 Utility Dive:
Report - ITC extension to boost storage-plus-renewables by 33%
6 Midwest Energy News:
Minnesota co-ops rolling out high fixed charge for solar customers
7 CleanTechnica:
Australian Government Establishes $1 Billion Clean Energy Innovation Fund
8 Desert Sun:
Study - California could get 74% of power from rooftop solar
Opinions:
9 Mass Live:
Solar industry in Massachusetts frustrated by slow pace of legislative action
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for March 29th, 2016
I will be on the E&E News Show with Monica Trauzzi later today. With solar making a dramatic market entry, billions of new capital is looking for a way to participate. The money is not everything however as the politics are also quite clear. Independents in November swing States will support republican candidates that are vocal supporters of solar. Our next step as an industry is to make sure that the investors are educated about the solar support and market size because too many still carry the stigma that we have more regulatory and political risk that is actually the case.
News
1 Benzinga:
Are More Solar Asset-Backed Securities Coming?
2 Greenbiz:
Should clean energy companies be held to a higher standard?
3 Las Vegas Review Journal:
Judge rules rooftop solar measure doesn’t qualify as referendum
4 PV-Tech:
After achieving the impossible, Energiewende must make the impossible affordable
5 Renewable Energy World:
Energy Storage Could be Solution To Solar PV-related Blackouts in The Philippines
6 Energy Collective:
Economics, Not Politics, Is The Real Problem For U.S. Coal-Fired Fleet
7 Forbes:
The Very Odd Idea That Exxon Should Become A Renewable Energy Company
8 Fortune:
This Is Why Shares of SunEdison Probably Shouldn't Be Soaring Today
Opinions:
9 Greentech Media:
How Should We Structure Performance-Based Regulation of Utilities?
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for March 28th, 2016
Last week the UNEP released its 2015 data and it largely corresponds to the BNEF data we saw a few months ago. $286billion was spent globally to build renewable energy, which is more than double the total investment in oil & gas. Renewable energy now accounts for 10.3% of globally energy (excluding large hydro). WaPo makes a good point that we need to move faster because the world still installed 43GW of coal. The last 5 years was a coal replaced by NatGas cycle but hopefully we enter the phase where we skip that step and just go fossil to renewable.
News
1 Vox:
Wind and solar are growing at a stunning pace (just not enough to stop climate change)
2 CleanTechnica:
21% Solar PV Learning Curve To Continue, Report Projects
3 Solar Power World:
7 cool solar installations at U.S. airports
4 Energy Collective:
EIA Reviews and Enhances Data and Projections for Wind and Solar Electricity
5 Greenbiz:
The new clean energy powers
6 Republican Herald:
Rooftop solar becomes political football
7 Wall Street Journal:
Solar-Panel Installers Face Clouded Future
8 San Jose Mercury News:
Stanford Solar Vehicle team reeling over lost VW sponsorship
Opinions:
9 New York Times:
Wall Street’s Retreat From King Coal
Have a great day!
Yann
These are the top 10 most read solar articles by your peers this week!
News
1 Greentech Media:
SunEdison Shares Plunge as News of Debt Restructuring Leaks
2 PV-Tech:
Terraform Global cancels 326MW deal
3 CleanTechnica:
Utility-Scale PV Projects
4 PV-Magazine:
New Jersey Senate passes 80% renewable energy mandate
5 Rocky Mountain Institute:
Market Price Risk and the “Hockey Stick PPA”
6 PV-Tech:
California utility SDG&E responds to protests regarding net metering reversal
7 Washington Post:
Why this new solar market could be set to explode
8 Greentech Media:
The Trump Energy Policy in Tweet Form
9 Las Vegas Sun:
Lawsuit seeks to overturn ruling on rooftop solar rates
10 Miami Herald:
We’ve got the sun — now let’s go solar!
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 March 25th, 2016
The top stories today are about community solar. This market segment is now gaining large amounts of traction from a publicity and development standpoint. Legislators are gearing bills up to allow this practice but there are two points I’d like to point out. As the second story asks, how will regulators ensure that the pricing of credits are done fairly. This is key for the financing of the asset because if the language is nuanced or vague, investors will find themselves having a hard time getting debt or more importantly tax equity. With all of the traction, you’ve seen few get built to this point and the lack of regulatory certainty is probably behind some of the slow growth.
News
1 Vox:
Love solar power but got no rooftop? "Shared solar" is coming for you.
2 Renewable Energy World:
Will Utilities Price Community Solar Subscriptions Fairly?
3 Think Progress:
Worldwide Renewable Energy Investment Hits A New Record
4 EDF:
Boost Investor Confidence and Watch America's Energy Market Transform
5 Greentech Media:
What Drives Utility Solar Growth in a Post-ITC-Extension World?
6 Utility Dive:
How Maine's power players are reacting to its pathbreaking new solar proposal
7 Huffington Post:
Energy Co-ops in America
8 Grist:
How much energy could the U.S. get from solar?
Opinions:
9 Washington Post:
Why this new solar market could be set to explode
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for March 24th, 2016
For independents in swing states, the key metric is “more likely to support.” These voters are the holy grail when it comes to campaigns and a new poll shows that an astounding 27% of independents in swing states are more likely to support a candidate that shows vocal support for solar. Solar is now a meaningful issue, we have already seen the support of subsidies by government but now the politicians that support those subsidies can benefit. This poll comes just a week after the utility group, formerly SEPA, released a push poll that showed that consumers like have robust net metering even after the utility pollster tried to influence their response. See the results here
News
1 Solar Industry:
Poll - Candidates’ Solar Stance Could Sway Independent Voters In Swing States
2 PV-Tech:
Commerce dept. confirms Silevo decision pushed to April
3 Rocky Mountain Institute:
The Many Flavors of Community-Scale Solar
4 Greenbiz:
Despite politics, U.S. ahead of pace on Clean Power Plan goals
5 Utility Dive:
Updated - DC PSC approves Exelon-Pepco merger
6 New York Times:
Nuclear Plant Leak Threatens Drinking Water Wells in Florida
7 MIT:
Solar Is a Booming Business, but It’s Still Not Generating Much of Our Power
8 Seattle Times:
Solar incentives sunset as states grapple with tight budgets
Opinions:
9 The Advocate:
Letters - Nevada a case in what not to do in solar power metering
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for March 23rd, 2016
Let’s call it a rebirth, not a death, of our peer Sunedison. I don’t think that this is good for our sector, it surely isn’t good for our colleagues that are employed there but sometimes a restructuring is what’s best for the company. So as Sunedison goes to negotiate with its creditors, and there are quite a few, the company has to try and keep the pieces together. I am surprised at the staying power of the CEO, still behind on the SEC filings and sitting at the helm of the recent decline.
News
1 Greentech Media:
SunEdison Shares Plunge as News of Debt Restructuring Leaks
2 PV-Tech:
Net metering - Industry slams California grid operator’s ‘economic justice’ attack
3 Bloomberg:
Rooftop Solar Booms in Japan as Market Moves Beyond Rich Nations
4 Grist:
How California got way ahead of the rest of the world in fighting climate change
5 Rocky Mountain Institute:
Increasing Home Value Through Home Energy Upgrades
6 Utility Dive:
5 maps that show where the action is on solar policy
7 Boston Globe:
Newton mayor asks legislators to keep solar incentives
8 Press Herald:
Anti-tax crusader Grover Norquist supports Maine bill to increase solar power
Opinions:
9 Miami Herald:
We’ve got the sun — now let’s go solar!
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for March 22nd, 2016
Those of us in the solar industry know we can get to 100% renewables, and we know solar will play a key role. But how do we get the message to the public, and get people to take action? Look at most any solar company’s website, and the main message you’ll see is how much money you can save. Do we need to focus instead on the benefits to health and the environment? Or the appeal of energy freedom to many demographics? In solar, you don’t have to pick one. In fact, recent research suggests that the most powerful persuasion combines these messages with a focus on leaving a legacy. And when you provide positive solutions like solar power, you have a winner. So let’s work on honing our solar marketing with these principles in mind -- and hasten the transition we all know is coming.
News
1 PV-Tech:
Terraform Global cancels 326MW deal
2 Las Vegas Sun:
Lawsuit seeks to overturn ruling on rooftop solar rates
3 PV-Magazine:
New Jersey Senate passes 80% renewable energy mandate
4 Greentech Media:
Utilities See Growing Opportunity in the Community Solar Market
5 Rocky Mountain Institute:
Market Price Risk and the “Hockey Stick PPA”
6 Bloomberg:
China to More Than Triple Solar Power Capacity in Five Years
7 Utility Dive:
Leading edge - Hawaii utilities push storage, solar integration for 100% renewables mandate
8 Telegraph:
UK solar sector handed stay of execution over VAT threat
Opinions:
9 Forbes:
How Electricity Storage Could Make Or Break Power Utilities
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for March 21st, 2016
I enjoy reading about statistics and admittedly bad at doing it myself. So I have some appreciation for the data breakdown that Lawrence Berkeley Lab did on some utility scale projects. They also provided a neat video explanation which is a handy way of not having to read the actual report. Data is becoming more evident in our sector especially given that we are almost at 1 million systems around the Country.
News
1 Clean Technica:
Utility-Scale PV Projects - First US Statistical Performance Analysis
2 PV-Tech:
California utility SDG&E responds to protests regarding net metering reversal
3 Think Progress:
Solar Advocates Have Their Eyes On Low Income Communities
4 Greentech Media:
The Trump Energy Policy in Tweet Form
5 Rocky Mountain Institute:
5 Reasons Community-Scale Solar is a Multi-GW Market Opportunity
6 Greenbiz:
5 truths about our relationship with energy
7 Bloomberg:
Cameron Faces Rebellion by at Least 16 Tories Over Solar Tax
8 Utility Dive:
Nevada PUC Commish stands by net metering decision
Opinions:
9 Seeking Alpha:
Vivint Solar - Huge Potential After The Broken Deal
Have a great day!
Yann
