This is your SolarWakeup for September 10th, 2015
A speedbump is perhaps the right description or perhaps its more like those spikes that I see at the rental car places. The US solar market is growing tremendously and next year will only get bigger before the dreaded ITC cliff. Your help is still needed, in a full court press to your Senators. If you want to see what can happen to a solar industry for lack of regulatory support, look across the pond to the UK where overnight the distributed rooftop market was essentially canceled. See you at SPI next week!
News
1 Vox:
Solar power is still growing rapidly — but it's about to hit a speed bump
2 Think Progress:
The Next Generation Of Solar Panels May Be Inspired By Ancient Japanese Papercraft
3 Energy Collective:
Congress - Extend the Investment Tax Credit for Advanced Energy Technologies
4 Clean Technica:
The Federal Solar Tax Credit Extension - Can We Win if We Lose?
5 PV-Magazine:
Mexico to award longer PPAs under energy auctions, specific scheme for renewables
6 Solar Power Portal:
EU ProSun requests extension of trade duties as old battlelines redrawn
7 Bloomberg:
U.S. Solar Power on Track for Record 2015 as Utilities Lead Way
8 New York Times:
Green Energy for the Poor
Opinions:
9 The Guardian:
Solar industry is being slashed and burned by the Tories
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for September 9th, 2015
I get excited about big deals in solar. Not only about the big projects that make global companies grow, like in Brazil last week, but the corporate deals that make investors wonder why they didn’t invest a bit more like DBL Investors. DBL, as you may know, were early in Tesla, SolarCity and also in NEXTracker. NEXTracker was acquired by manufacturer, Flextronics, this week for a whopping $330million. As the US market adds 1,400MW in Q2 of 2014 and surpasses 20GW of capacity, the market is huge and ready to make investors a ton of money.
News
1 Forbes:
Flextronics - A Quiet Giant In Solar
2 Mass Live:
Massachusetts on target to exceed solar energy goals, amid debate over solar incentives
3 Bloomberg:
Yingli Cuts Outlook, Sees Charge as Solar Panel Sales Drop
4 Reuters:
Disagreements over scope and ownership delay Saudi solar projects
5 Grist:
Massachusetts has a bunch of new roadside solar panels. Too bad they’re so ugly
6 Breaking Energy:
Top 6 Things You Didn’t Know About Solar Energy
7 PV-Magazine:
UK energy secretary defends solar FIT cuts
8 El Paso Times:
El Paso Electric wants to increase charges for solar homes
Opinions:
9 Utility Dive:
Solar face-off taking shape in Michigan as new bill would expand net metering
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for September 8th, 2015
Last week, the Wall Street Journal’s editorial board went after solar and in particular the head of policy at Sunrun. Now he gets to respond to the WSJ and to the readers that think they know, especially the fact that WSJ only highlighted his stint at the Department of Energy. Many in solar just want the ability to compete and not necessarily ask for a leg up on the incumbents. Here is the money line from his response, "Conservatives understand that unilateral disarmament isn’t free markets, it’s big government picking winners and losers at its worst.”
News
1 Wall Street Journal:
Rooftop Solar Means Competition
2 KUER:
Utah Solar Jobs on the Rise, While Oil & Gas Jobs Decline
3 Greentech Media:
Brazil Announces the Winners of Its 833MW Solar Auction
4 Forbes:
Energy Takeaways From The Saudi King's Visit With Obama
5 PV-Tech:
US dominates solar manufacturing capacity expansion announcements in August
6 Bloomberg:
India's Modi Tells Coal Power Plants to Subsidize Solar
7 Solar Industry:
Adding Solar To Mining Operations Can Substantially Decrease Energy Costs
8 Boston Globe:
A bright future for roadside solar farms
Opinions:
9 Renew Economy:
Why solar PV is unstoppable – and renewable targets will cost little
Have a great day!
Yann
These are the top 10 most read solar articles by your peers this week!
News
1 Wall Street Journal:
Big Solar’s Subsidy Bubble
2 Politico:
Warren Buffett vs. the greens
3 EQ-Research:
The Great Guessing Game - How Much Net Metering Capacity is Left?
4 PV-Magazine:
ITC extension will assist solar growth, says US Energy Secretary
5 Bloomberg:
Fossil Fuels Losing Cost Advantage Over Solar, Wind, IEA Says
6 TechCrunch:
How Technology Is Fueling The Push Toward Solar
7 WRAL:
Group says IRS ruling could promote community solar projects
8 Solar Love:
SolarCity Invites Utility Cooperation
9 Solar Industry:
Top 10 Solar States Have Strong Renewable Energy Policies
10 The Guardian:
The government’s efforts to kill off the solar industry and lead us to fracking hell
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 September 4th, 2015
This question always comes out in a conversation about a solar project. Will costs continue to decrease? Should I wait to move on solar? Obviously with a 50GW global market, it’s becoming less of a barrier. But it yields an interesting discussion if you think about it. What did your computer or cell phone look like 10 years ago? 5 years ago? Technology improves and in solar’s case efficiencies will lower prices. Even if costs drop 50% over the next 15 years, solar has become too cost effective to ignore because the savings over time make up for the reductions in costs forthcoming.
News
1 PV-Tech:
PV costs to fall 50% by 2030, rivalling wholesale power prices - EUPVTP
2 News & Observer:
Hijacking conservatism in the renewable energy wars
3 Solar Industry:
Top 10 Solar States Have Strong Renewable Energy Policies
4 Renew Economy:
Victoria cracks down on discrimination against solar households
5 PV-Magazine:
EC to cut two more Chinese producers from minimum price agreement
6 Greentech Media:
The Land of Surf, Sun and Startups - 5 Promising Energy Companies Working in Hawaii
7 Utility Dive:
Florida solar advocates, utility backers face off in court over TPO ballot proposals
8 Zacks:
Why Solar Energy Stocks are Forming YieldCos
Opinions:
9 Huffington Post:
Taking Solar to the Next Level
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for September 3rd, 2015
Money, money, money. Imagine if solar spent more than the remaining energy sector on political wrangling. A phenomenon that is likely not to happen anytime in the near future and quote honestly, is unnecessary. The people are speaking up about it. Whether it is someone from the Tea Party in Georgia or Michigan, an environmentalist in Vermont or simply a capitalist in Arizona. The freedom to choose the enterprise to do business with is part of the debate. So the solar companies have no problem staying out of dark money elections in States like Arizona or fight the ITC battle with grassroots. The people have and continue to speak on the industry’s behalf.
News
1 Arizona Central:
Rooftop-solar group offers to stay out of elections
2 Civil Beat:
NextEra, Hawaiian Electric Make New Commitments in Merger Deal
3 PV-Tech:
Suntech’s solar module sales increasing but ASPs at heavy discount to major rivals
4 Renewable Energy World:
Lithuanian Net Metering Hits Snag from Outset
5 San Diego Union Tribune:
Sunny San Diego fights new utility charges on rooftop solar
6 Bloomberg:
Scott Walker's Record on Wind and Solar Power Leaves Renewables Industry Fuming
7 Grist:
How our screwed-up CEO pay system makes climate change worse
8 EDF:
Three Technologies that will Keep Energy Costs in Check
Opinions:
9 PV-Magazine:
Solar ready to thrive without subsidy, says US Energy Secretary
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for September 2nd, 2015
An interesting report came out yesterday discussing the technical status of net metering programs around the Country. The downside of solar’s success is the fact that NEM caps are coming into play. Even the largest programs in the Country, like California, the programs are at risk. The IOUs continue to make rate proposals like demand charges and time of use pricing to reduce access to solar by homeowners. So the headlines may sound solar friendly, there are details to be concerned about. Not all things pro renewable energy are pro solar, more on this to come.
News
1 EQ-Research:
The Great Guessing Game - How Much Net Metering Capacity is Left?
2 Solar Industry:
Massachusetts' Virtual Net-Metering Policy - Key To Successful Community Solar Development
3 CleanTechnica:
Israel Plans Incentives For Solar Power Producers
4 EDF:
Four Things California Should Consider before Rolling Out Time-of-Use Pricing
5 Utility Dive:
AEP invests $5M in storage software company Greensmith
6 WRAL:
Group says IRS ruling could promote community solar projects
7 Forbes:
How China's Woes Can Hurt Solar Companies In North America And Europe
8 Reuters:
Florida Supreme Court weighs solar energy ballot initiative
Opinions:
9 Grist:
What can a president do to boost renewable energy? A lot
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for September 1st, 2015
This December some 190 Countries will be coming together in Paris to broker a new climate agreement. Paris is set up to be the greatest climate event in recent times especially as agencies like IEA come out with data showing solar and renewables beating out other power sources on cost. We already know this but now new markets, like Brazil, are able to bring solar energy to the grid at under $90/MWh with over 11.2GW of applicants. Imagine if all 190 Countries put a Government backed PPA on the table via an auction and how long until the first solar baseload RFP gets put on the street?
News
1 Bloomberg:
Fossil Fuels Losing Cost Advantage Over Solar, Wind, IEA Says
2 Think Progress:
Big Bank Says It’s Going To Cost A Lot To Do Nothing On Global Warming
3 Energy Collective:
The Paris Talks - Looking Behind the Scenes
4 Renewable Energy World:
Solar Shipments in Japan Drop First Time Since 2012 Incentives
5 PV-Magazine:
Hanergy to cut 2,000 jobs under restructuring plan, posts 90% net loss
6 US News:
In Alaska, Obama depicts stark future without action on climate change by US, other countries
7 Utility Dive:
Iowa co-op withdraws proposed $57.50 fixed fee for solar owners
8 Solar Love:
SolarCity Invites Utility Cooperation
Opinions:
9 EDF:
Finding a Balanced Solar Policy in Kansas
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for August 31st, 2015
As you may have read last week, an IG report did not shed pretty light on the Solyndra management that pushed for the DOE loan guarantee. The interesting turn by the WSJ Editorial Board was to take the IG report on federal lobbying by a corporation and compare that to the non-subsidy of net metering. Apparently, the WSJ does not feel it to be appropriate for solar companies to try and make money, capitalism is apparently reserved for those that deplete resources. NV Energy is obviously not too pleased by their utility commissioners didn’t agree with their lobbying efforts and decide to go after a solar policy pro by name. A badge of honor in my opinion.
News
1 Utility Dive:
Big Solar’s Subsidy Bubble
2 Politico:
Warren Buffett vs. the greens
3 New York Times:
Obama’s Alaska Visit Puts Climate, Not Energy, in Forefront
4 Bloomberg:
Yingli’s Solar Margin Cut in Half by Higher Production Costs
5 Breaking Energy:
Solar Decathlon 2015 - Meet The Teams
6 Las Vegas Sun:
Why NV Energy needs to step up its solar-power game
7 The Guardian:
The government’s efforts to kill off the solar industry and lead us to fracking hell
8 TechCrunch:
How Technology Is Fueling The Push Toward Solar
Opinions:
9 Miami Herald:
Give consumers freedom to choose their solar providers
Have a great day!
Yann
These are the top 10 most read solar articles by your peers this week!
News
1 CleanTechnica:
PACE Will Be Available To US Single-Family Homes
2 Motley Fool:
What's Behind The Fall of Solar Energy Stocks?
3 Wall Street Journal:
Next Texas Energy Boom - Solar
4 New York Times:
Obama Flies to the Nevada Desert to Promote Solar Energy
5 The Olympian:
Nevada regulators vote to keep existing rooftop solar rates
6 PV-Magazine:
Idaho axes PURPA contract lengths in a bid to slow down solar
7 Renew Economy:
Citigroup sees $100 trillion of stranded assets if Paris succeeds
8 WUNC:
Solar's Future In NC Hangs In Balance Over Tax Credit
9 Yale:
In Clash of Greens, a Case for Large-Scale U.S. Solar Projects
10 Fast Company:
Use Google's New Mapping Tool To See How Much Solar Panels Would Benefit Your Home
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
