This is your SolarWakeup for December 15th, 2015
This year you get to buy your own Christmas present and you better because you will be paying for it. At over $1trillion, the spending bill may have a lift of the oil export ban included but it is what we can get in return that we have to call for. The ITC is a potential offset, politically, that the White House and Democrats could push for. Our job to make sure that they know we care so take the day off and make your calls to every office in DC that you can think of.
News
1 New York Times:
Congress Inches Toward Completed Spending Bill
2 Bloomberg:
Trina Founder Seeks to Take Biggest Solar Company Private
3 Greentech Media:
First Solar’s Cautious 2016 and 2017 Outlook in a ‘Defining’ Year
4 US News:
Yieldcos Offer a Bright Spot for Solar Investors in 2016
5 PV-Magazine:
Paris Agreement heaps pressure on UK solar approach, says industry
6 Grist:
North Carolina town bans solar for fear it will “suck up all the energy from the sun”
7 Zacks:
Why Are Solar Stocks Up Big Today?
8 Quartz:
Nigeria is betting on solar power to reach a million homes without access to the grid
Opinions:
9 Miami Herald:
Sign up for solar choice
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for December 14th, 2015
195 Countries came together and made a deal. What’s in the deal, what’s not, is a bit secondary in my opinion. You will read plenty in the analyst circles including some articles today. Sentiment is sometimes more important that facts, take the stock market as an example of things that are impacted by how people feel. Fossil fuels are clearly falling out of favor and solar is making headway around the world. Somewhat of an economically driven (moreso than morally driven) decision but that doesn’t bother me. This will be a good week.
News
1 Vox:
The world just agreed to a major climate deal in Paris. Now comes the hard part.
2 Greentech Media:
How the Paris Climate Agreement Could Impact the Global Solar Market
3 Wall Street Journal:
Obama Faces Political Fight at Home Over Climate Deal
4 Bloomberg:
Big Oil, Make Way for Big Solar. The Winners and Losers in Paris
5 PV-Magazine:
Chile's new 600km long transmission line can boost renewables
6 PV-Tech:
PV tenders in Germany oversubscribed again
7 Renew Economy:
How rooftop solar is causing big falls in peak demand
8 Herald Tribune:
Major utilities pour money into solar initiative
Opinions:
9 Huffington Post:
Work Starts Tomorrow, But For Today, Congratulations
Have a great day!
Yann
These are the top 10 most read solar articles by your peers this week!
News
1 New York Times:
Lawmakers Near Deal on Billions in Tax Cuts
2 Motley Fool:
Who Wins If Solar Subsidies Plummet in 2017?
3 Think Progress:
Did The Governator Just Come Up With A Republican-Proof Argument On Climate Change?
4 Greentech Media:
US Solar Market Prepares for Biggest Quarter in History
5 The Verge:
Google is now offering solar panel advice in nine states
6 New York Times:
Solar or Wind vs. Nuclear
7 KQED:
With Rooftop Solar Booming, California Utilities Want to Charge More
8 South Carolina Morning News:
Santee Cooper moves to crack down on residential solar users
9 Bloomberg:
Senate Passes Short-Term Bill to Avoid Government Shutdown
10 Reuters:
SunEdison's yieldco to pay less for Vivint Solar's assets
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 December 11th, 2015
It’s Friday and the date that the original $800Billion spending bill was supposed to be done today. It’s not going to happen today and it’s now over $1Trillion but who is counting anyways. Since I have said it every day this week, I will say it again. You can use all of these links to contact your representatives via phone or email. There is no limit to how many times you can do it (as my colleagues can attest to my nonstop badgering of Senate staffers) Click Here or Here.
News
1 KQED:
CPUC Considers Cutting Subsidies for New Residential Solar Customers
2 Washington Post:
Just in time for the Paris talks, the U.S. solar industry is having its biggest year ever
3 Solar Power Portal:
DECC silent over VAT implication on new feed-in tariff rates
4 Greentech Media:
Can the New York C&I Megawatt Block Solar Program Be Fixed?
5 PV-Magazine:
Mexico completes energy reform with passage of the Energy Transition Law
6 New York Times:
California and Germany, Opposites With a Common Energy Goal
7 Money Morning:
What Investors Need to Know About Solar and Renewables in 2016
8 The Verge:
Google is now offering solar panel advice in nine states
Opinions:
9 EDF:
FirstEnergy’s Bailout Isn’t Just Bad Policy – It’s Illegal
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for December 10th, 2015
The solar market in the US is in the last month of the biggest quarter ever. The growth is exponential from where we were the last time the ITC was a discussion point, even with an insane recession in the middle. The dark blue line in the bar graph referencing residential shows the value of monthly savings to homeowners and monthly payments to leasing and loan companies. Congrats to the solar industry and now pick up the phone and get the ITC extended!
News
1 Greentech Media:
US Solar Market Prepares for Biggest Quarter in History
2 Reuters:
SunEdison's yieldco to pay less for Vivint Solar's assets
3 PV-Tech:
SunPower seeks to raise US$350 million to power corporate strategy
4 Rocky Mountain Institute:
7 Reasons Businesses Should Accelerate Their Renewable Energy Strategy Now
5 Wired:
California Marches Into Paris to Fight the Climate Apocalypse
6 CleanTechnica:
COP21 Delegates Review Draft Text, Will Work All Night
7 Las Vegas Review Journal:
Solar company sues Sandoval's office over refusal to release text messages
8 NPR:
To Know the True Meaning Of Solar Energy, Ask A Powerless Rice Farmer
Opinions:
9 Think Progress:
Did The Governator Just Come Up With A Republican-Proof Argument On Climate Change?
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for December 9th, 2015
Here’s your ITC update for today. The spending/tax bill was supposed to get done on Friday but it looks like negotiations will run over the deadline and a short term bill may have to get done first. This will push the ITC decision into next week and gives the solar sector a few more days to make calls. Keep up the pressure, it is working and giving our negotiators the leverage they need to make our case to Congress. Use this link to make it easy, it will connect you directly to the Senator’s office.
News
1 Bloomberg:
Short U.S. Spending Bill Needed to Avoid Shutdown, Ryan Says
2 Latimes:
California members of Congress urge regulators to protect rooftop solar program
3 ScNow:
Santee Cooper moves to crack down on residential solar users
4 Energy Collective:
Horizontal Integration in CleanTech
5 Huffington Post:
Canada's New Prime Minister Signals a Policy Shift on Climate Change at COP21
6 PV-Magazine:
GCL completes disposal of non-solar business
7 Greentech Media:
Mining Could Be a Key Sector for Solar-Plus-Storage in Australia
8 Grist:
The hopeful news about CO2 emissions and climate change
Opinions:
9 NY Times:
Solar or Wind vs. Nuclear
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for December 8th, 2015
Governor Brown took the stage at COP21 with investor/activist Tom Steyer yesterday. During the panel the Governor spoke about the leadership that California has shown to grow the clean energy sector with a large focus on solar. There was plenty of focus about the political rhetoric in DC but no discussion about net metering in California. South Carolina could end up with a better policy than California for solar NEM if utilities have their way and that doesn’t sound like something that Governor Brown wants now or what he wanted in the 70’s during his first term.
News
1 KQED:
With Rooftop Solar Booming, California Utilities Want to Charge More
2 Renew Economy:
Paris, COP21 - Ministers move in, as do the climate deniers
3 Greentech Media:
Mississippi Regulators Strive for Compromise With New Net Metering Rule
4 Energy Collective:
Follow the Money - The Role of Innovation in Climate Finance
5 New York Times:
Sanders Unveils Climate Change Plan, Rails Against Polluters
6 Gloucester Times:
Solar talks turn cold over winter recess
7 Forbes:
How The EU's Extension Of Trade Protections Could Impact Chinese Solar Companies
8 Reuters:
China's rooftops hold power to propel solar into the mass market
Opinions:
9 Arizona Central:
Robb - Burns isn't playing games with APS
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for December 7th, 2015
Time to turn up the pressure. The leaders have left Paris and the COP21 negotiations are in full force, let’s hope that a global agreement comes together that is strong and measurable. Back at home, Congress is trying to pass a massive ($1 Trillion massive) tax bill that has something for everyone, which means everyone wants to vote for it. What is in it for solar is to be determined in the coming days and weeks so now is the time to push. I just sent an email to my colleagues to make the calls and send the emails, you should do the same. Together we can mobilize 100,000 calls to Congress that only the SolarWakeup community could do! Use this tool to make it easy, http://www.weareteamsolar.com/call-your-senator--extend-the-itc.html
News
1 New York Times:
Lawmakers Near Deal on Billions in Tax Cuts
2 Think Progress:
4 Cities That Are Leading The World On Climate Action
3 Bloomberg:
Chinese Solar-Panel Makers Face Possible Renewal of EU Tariffs
4 BBC:
Thailand's finances boosted by lower oil prices
5 Renewable Energy World:
Wind, Solar Projects Find New Buyers, Uncertain Prices
6 PV-Tech:
Investment in Turkish solar at risk from new commercial sector proposals
7 Sydney Morning Herald:
Paris UN Climate Conference 2015 - Solar chief hits out at China over coal
8 Motley Fool:
Who Wins If Solar Subsidies Plummet in 2017?
Opinions:
9 The Guardian:
Debbie Dooley Tea Party Solar Energy Florida Environment
Have a great day!
Yann
These are the top 10 most read solar articles by your peers this week!
News
1 Politico:
Tax deal swelling into $800 billion blowout
2 PV-Tech:
ITC extension back on the cards, says Credit Suisse
3 Reuters:
U.S. solar industry in urgent push to extend tax incentive
4 PBS Newshour:
Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg launch international fund for clean energy tech
5 Greentech Media:
The Mercifully Short List of Fallen Solar Companies - 2015 Edition
6 Financial Times:
COP21 Paris climate talks - US solar tax credit debate heats up
7 Bloomberg:
The Silicon Valley Idea That's Driving Solar Use Worldwide
8 PV-Magazine:
City of Las Vegas to get 100% of its electricity from renewable energy
9 The Atlantic:
How Solar and Wind Got So Cheap, So Fast
10 Motley Fool:
Why Growth Is the Enemy of Solar Stocks
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 December 4th, 2015
David Crane is out at NRG which recently announced it was splitting some of its business units out. The easy assumption would be that the business suffered due to his statements on the utility sector and renewables but that would be a mistake. NRG is going through commodity and deregulated power issues. Central assets are becoming less valuable, just look at nodal pricing throughout the Country, especially with wind and solar complemented by perpetually cheap natural gas. Best of luck to David, if you have his email, pass this on to him. Also, call your Senators and Congressman to extend the ITC!
News
1 PV-Tech:
ITC extension back on the cards, says Credit Suisse
2 Utility Dive:
David Crane steps down as NRG Energy CEO
3 Oilprice.com:
Global Solar Alliance Sets $1 Trillion Investment Goal For 2030
4 PV-Magazine:
COP21 - African Renewable Energy Initiative launched, 300 GW 2030 target
5 Venture Beat:
Google makes ‘largest purchase’ of renewable energy to power data centers - 842 MW in 3 countries
6 Grist:
5 important developments from the Paris climate summit
7 Reuters:
Exclusive - Germany's RWE bets big on wind and solar in corporate overhaul
8 New York Times:
Germany May Offer Model for Reining In Fossil Fuel Use
Opinions:
9 EDF:
2 Ways Solar Energy’s Future in Illinois Just Got Brighter
Have a great day!
Yann
