This is your SolarWakeup for November 19th, 2014
We've talked about it in the past. Solar policies are largely focused on State strategies while SEIA is focused on ITC extension and placed in service. While Wisconsin had a single regulator add a fee on solar, let's remember that solar is 21-1 on State issues. This doesn't happen by accident. These victories are put together by grassroots efforts and leadership offered by groups like TASC. Give them some props for work well done and continued help to move our industry forward.
News
1 GTM:
Wisconsin Regulators Vote to Raise Fixed Charges, Add Solar Fees
2 Nationaljournal:
Solar Energy Advocates Form New Coalition in Massachusetts
3 PV Magazine:
Investors investigating potential securities claims against Vivint Solar
4 Wunc:
Solar Business Is Booming In NC, But For How Long?
5 247wallst:
Is the Solar Industry Really Getting Well?
6 PVSolarReport:
Sungevity Brings Solar Leases to Kansas City, Missouri
7 Cleantechnica:
Negative Impacts of Rooftop Solar Will Fall on Utility Investors
8 PV Tech:
JinkoSolar nears yield-co IPO
Opinions:
9 Americanthinker:
Lower Oil Prices Slow Fracking, but Kill Solar
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for November 18th, 2014
The most common question I get about SolarWakeup is how I pick the articles and get the newsletter out every day. Now that the readership list is officially over 2,000 I thought we could give you a behind the scenes look. Catch it at the top in today’s news. Of course don’t miss the big news from SUNE/TERP with the First Wind acquisition. A function of the yieldco hunger for capital deployment, more to come.
News
1 SolarWakeup:
A Behind the Scenes look at SolarWakeup
2 NY Times:
SunEdison and TerraForm Buy First Wind, Gaining a Toehold in Turbines
3 Idaho Statesman:
PUC approves two solar projects on Idaho Power grid
4 MW Energy:
In Minnesota, community solar market starting to take off
5 BRW:
Ten commandments of solar energy for business
6 ABC:
Huge Solar Plant Lags in Early Production
7 San Diego UT:
Here's who wants to sell you solar, and why
8 EDF:
Clean, Distributed Energy Can Benefit Low-Income Families
Opinions:
9 Climate News:
Worldwide Effort on Clean Energy Is What's Needed, Not a Carbon Price
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for November 17th, 2014
It was bound to happen, unfortunately, at some point. A public service commission, Wisconsin in this case, voted 2-1 to charge a devastating fee on solar users. This means that a single person in Wisconsin has chosen, for the millions of Wisconsinites, that solar shouldn’t be on the same playing field as the power companies. Surely more on this to come, would love to see Elon Musk make a comment about it.
News
1 JS Online:
Regulators agree to increase fixed charge on We Energies electric bills
2 RE World:
Levelized Cost of Electricity Models
3 PV Magazine:
Philae sleeps, hope rests in the sun
4 Grist:
Big Energy has tried to turn people of color against solar power since forever
5 Biz Journals:
Non-industrial users have little clout on electricity prices
6 GTM:
Customers Complain That BP Solar Panels Are Catching Fire and Breaking
7 RenewEconomy:
Solar – the greatest market opportunity world has seen
8 Midland Reporter:
Solar poised to increase market share in Texas
Opinions:
9 CleanTechnica:
What The Joint Climate Policy Announcement From US & China Means
Have a great day!
Yann
These are the top 10 most read solar articles by your peers this week!
News
1 Forbes:
Jimmy Fallon Makes the World's Best Argument Against Solar and Wind
2 Fortune:
Vivint Solar CEO
3 Mother Jones:
Obama's Deal With China Is a Big Win for Solar, Nuclear, and Coal
4 BoldRide:
Amsterdam Gets World’s First Solar Bike Path
5 PV Solar Report:
Which States Have the Strongest Solar Policy?
6 Fox News:
World's largest solar plant applying for federal grant to pay off federal loan
7 Gigaom:
SunPower wants to be the Dell of solar
8 Bloomberg:
First Solar Slides on Decision to Avoid Forming Yieldco
9 KTVU:
Customers complain of dangerous problems from BP Solar panels
10 Guardian:
Drawing back the panel
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 November 13th, 2014
Obviously the big news of the day is the Climate Change compact betweet US and China. In my view the details are almost secondary to the headline, that two incredibly large polluters have made an agreement to do something about it. Is it binding? Probably not. Will it work? Who knows. But it signals that big government is working on climate issues that affect their populations and that is big news.
News
1 Motherjones:
Obama's Deal With China Is a Big Win for Solar, Nuclear, and Clean Coal
2 Grist:
5 more things to celebrate besides the big new climate deal
3 Solarlove:
Solar Panels + Energy Storage For German Market
4 Breakingenergy:
Infographic
5 PV Magazine:
Residential storage market to increase to 900 MW by 2
6 Bloomberg:
China Hunger for Clean Energy to Leave No Rooftop Behind
8 Greentechmedia:
Illinois
Opinions:
9 Forbes:
Jimmy Fallon Makes the World's Best Argument Against Solar and Wind Energy
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for November 12th, 2014
Solar has 143,000 jobs in the US currently and probably 190k or more in 2016. I like the position that Vivint CEO is taking in the interview and it’s great to have solar in the Term Sheet. That being said, I would like solar to be more political because playing the “market condition” is silly. No industry in America sits back and watches Congress do whatever they think is best without lobbying their best interest. On the other hand, some industry players tend to take a back seat on some political discussions.
News
1 PV Tech:
Expanded US solar trade case could cost American jobs, congressman warns
2 Fortune:
Vivint Solar CEO
3 RE World:
The Rise of Retail Clean Energy Investing
4 Jsonline:
Solar executive says We Energies case could cost jobs
6 Solarindustrymag:
Getting Solar Customer Data From Utilities Should Not Be Hide & Seek
8 Theguardian:
Drawing back the panel
Opinions:
9 Forbes:
Thermal Solar Energy - Some Technologies Really Are Dumb
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for November 11th, 2014
Congrats to the team at Solarbridge, with the very deserved good news and acquisition of the company by Sunpower. I was asked why Sunpower may be interested in integrated inverters for their modules. Couple of reasons come to mind. 1. Sunpower needs a tech platform for their high efficiency modules so they can compete. 2. Sunpower dealers do really well in residential and micro inverters do well in residential. 3. You can foresee a sell, install and commission scenario for residential systems with this package. My 2 cents.
News
1 Gigaom:
SunPower snaps up microinverter startup SolarBridge
2 Greentechmedia:
Are Housing Regulators Quietly Dropping Their Opposition to PACE?
4 Huffingtonpost:
How Solar Permitting Reform Can Help in the Fight Against Climate Change
5 Theenergycollective:
Can Buildings Help Regulate the Power Grid and Integrate Renewable Energy?
6 PV Magazine:
French PV market grows during Q3 2014, but new applications slow
7 Berkeley:
Study says California solar boom makes the state a national leader
8 NY Times:
A Tricky Transition From Fossil Fuel
Opinions:
9 Sacbee:
Next PUC chief must be independent advocate for clean energy
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for November 10th, 2014
Solar freakin roadways are making it, at least in Amsterdam on the newest bike path. I know there are plenty of solar as paver haters around, including some SolarWakeup readers but I think it’s awesome. Even if it doesn’t work, people are going to look down and see solar panels. A lot of you have solar tables in your conference room and as wall partitions. I have them on the side of my office building. Solar is awesome and it should be everywhere.
News
1 Boldride:
Amsterdam Gets World’s First Solar Bike Path
2 Gigaom:
Is it boom time ahead (again) for solar panel manufacturing?
3 Greentechmedia:
Arizona Regulatory Staff Give Mixed Reviews to Utility Plans for Owning Rooftop Solar
5 Reneweconomy:
Solar shocker – the network defence against solar PV
6 Latimes:
Will renewable energy ruin an 'irreplaceable' Mojave desert oasis?
7 Bloomberg:
First Solar Slides on Decision to Avoid Forming Yieldco
8 Foxnews:
World's largest solar plant applying for federal grant to pay off federal loan
Opinions:
9 Sandiegofreepress:
Wind and Solar Create More Jobs When They’re Locally Owned, Report Finds
Have a great day!
Yann
These are the top 10 most read solar articles by your peers this week!
News
1 PV Magazine:
5 SPI takeaways
2 Bloomberg:
He Ripped Their House Off the Grid
3 Breaking Energy:
5 Reasons Virtual Net Metering is Better than Plain Ol’ Net Metering
4 Forbes:
Can SolarCity Crack The Code Of Boosting Business Beyond Solar Homes?
5 PV Magazine:
Republican wins in the US Senate bode ill for renewable energy
6 Think Progress:
How The Governor’s Race Could Unleash Solar In The Sunshine State
7 RE World:
6 Renewable Energy Trends to Watch for in 2015
8 GTM:
End of a Solar Era
9 Investopedia:
Solar Is Starting To Win The Price War
10 Grist:
Texas lobbying group busted for phony anti-solar campaign
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 November 7th, 2014
Every day in my car I hear a commercial for 1-800-my-solar (with a jingle). Not so odd if I lived in California but I live in South Florida so I finally cracked and called. I feel a little bit bad because I already have solar on my house but I am intrigued at the concept given that solar isn’t the best financial return in South Florida. I did find out that the company rep was in Oregon so if you know anyone there, let them know that my lead isn’t all too serious but a job well done.
News
1 Forbes:
Can SolarCity Crack The Code Of Boosting Business Beyond Solar Homes?
2 RE World:
US Midyear Elections Offer Opportunities and Challenges for Renewable Energy
3 PV Magazine:
Aussie farmer sends message to G20 attendees
4 Pvsolarreport:
What Will Net Metering Look Like Next Year?
5 Solarindustrymag:
U.K. Utility-Scale Solar Boom On Tap For 2015
6 Cleantechnica:
Solar Manufacturers Doing More Business In-House
7 Reuters:
UPDATE 1-First Solar won't spin off solar assets, stock drops
8 Wwltv:
PSC race pits opposing views on solar power
Opinions:
9 Huffingtonpost:
Tom Steyer Claims Success In Very Expensive Effort To Make Climate Change A 'Wedge Issue'
Have a great day!
Yann
