This is your SolarWakeup for April 22nd, 2015
It’s earth day, so let’s talk about solar and it’s relationship to the climate change discussion. Most of us aren’t scientists, so let’s assume we listen to them and believe that our energy usage affects the earth. What is becoming interesting to me is the fact that solar is a vital part of the climate discussion and of the plans to combat the effects of climate change. Whether we talk about EPA regulations or carbon trading, just a few years ago, solar was not really in the mix due to cost. With solar at very low prices today, there is no reason why the two don’t become a very closely linked partnership. Happy Earth Day!
News
1 KNPR:
Extra Power - The Fight Over Solar In Nevada
2 PV-Magazine:
SEIA rejects call for ITC “phase down”
3 RE World:
How Free Solar Undermines the True Value of PV-Generated Electricity
4 PV Tech:
Deutsche Bank - Solar installs in China could top 20GW in 2015
5 Utility Dive:
New Mexico hearing examiner rejects PNM rate hike, solar fees
6 Greentech Media:
Mexico’s Solar Market in Limbo With Reforms ‘Changing the Rules Mid-Game’
7 Bloomberg:
Here’s Why Apple Is Building Solar Farms in China
8 Breitbart:
Bonfire of Insanities - Solar Panels Start Fire at Green Party-Run Hove Town Hall
Opinions:
9 Seeking Alpha:
The Long-Term Prospects Of Residential Versus Utility-Scale Solar
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for April 21st, 2015
The commercial solar nut cracking is discussed by Cory Honeyman’s 5 numbers that will shape the future. Interestingly, many of his other points stand in the way of commercial in some way, whether it is ITC, net metering values, etc. Why doesn’t commercial solar work? Lack of scale for transaction, one-off documentation, landlord/tenant split incentive, no way of doing underwriting efficiently, and mostly because small and medium private companies have no credit. Crack that nut, and you may become the next solar billionaire…
News
1 Utility Dive:
Hawaii PUC gives HECO, solar advocates until June 30 to resolve net metering dispute
2 Greentech Media:
5 Numbers That Will Shape the Future of US Solar in 2015 and 2016
3 Energy Collective:
2015 State of Solar Financing, Part 2
4 Renew Economy:
What utilities would do if they were serious about exiting coal
5 Washington Post:
Obama to press climate change agenda with trip to Everglades on Earth Day
6 Seeking Alpha:
The Massive Growth Potential Of The Solar PV Industry
7 Wall Street Journal:
China Speeds Up Solar Drive
8 Daily Finance:
How to Know If Solar Energy Is Right for Your House
Opinions:
9 New Times:
Florida's Largest Solar Project Is a Win for Utilities, Loss for Private Industry and Homeowners
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for April 20th, 2015
Greetings from Germany! This market always appears to be at the forefront of energy. Of course, Germany went to the top with solar but now it seems to be leading the energy storage market as well. Since homeowners don’t use a traditional net metering program, solar + storage is becoming much more common place. In the U.S. It is being talked about at every conference as well. So in the debate of grid defection or load defection, I have a question for you. What would a no-upfront cost, grid defection as a service, technology package look like? I.e., how would you take your house off the grid? Let me know.
News
1 SolarWakeup:
Breaking Down The Top Data from GTM Solar Summit 2015
2 NY Times:
Solar Power Battle Puts Hawaii at Forefront of Worldwide Changes
3 PV-Magazine:
Hawaiian utility bids to slash net metering payments
4 Quartz:
Solar power will soon be as cheap as coal
5 MSNBC:
Obama to head to Florida Everglades for Earth Day climate speech
6 RE World:
Mississippi Net Metering Rules Advance
7 CleanTechnica:
Australian Comedian Sums Up Idiocy Of Country’s RET Debate
8 India Times:
Rooftop solar makes sense, but slow in take-off - Experts
Opinions:
9 Greentech Media:
Will Massachusetts’ Net Metering Caps Spoil the Community Solar Party?
Have a great day!
Yann
These are the top 10 most read solar articles by your peers this week!
News
1 Think Progress:
This Is The Most Important Tweet About Hillary’s Announcement And Everyone Pretty Much Ignored It
2 Forbes:
"Winter Is Coming" -- Preparing For A Possible Reduction Of The Solar Investment Tax Credit
3 Greentech Media:
NRG Energy Exec Questions Why Solar Is the ‘Bad Boy,’ While Efficiency Is Good
4 NRDC:
Shared renewables for all, coming soon to New York
5 Energy Collective:
2015 State of Solar Financing, Part I - What is a Yieldco?
6 Solar Love:
The Most Advanced Microgrid In North America
7 Consumerist:
Why Solar Panels Are Suddenly Sprouting On Everyone’s Roofs
8 Greentech Media:
Solar Summit Slide Show - The Evolution of Solar
9 Bloomberg:
Musk’s Cousins Battle Utilities to Make Solar Rooftops Cheap
10 Energy Collective:
And the Winner Is - Distributed Generation
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 April 17th, 2015
Thank you for everyone that made this week’s Solar Summit a blast. It was a great time meeting many of you and getting to talk solar with you. Discussing solar with panelists and seeing the crowd’s answers on the biggest question in solar was a great time, we should do that more often. So to keep on the GTMSS2015 topic, Stephen Lacey interviewed Tom Werner of SunPower but for obvious reasons (I think) couldn’t talk about the SPWR/FSLR yieldco. The question today is, where does Apple fit in? Fresh of 130MW with First Solar in California, Apple announces a 40MW with SunPower in China….
News
1 Forbes:
Apple Goes To China To Build Solar Projects With SunPower
2 PV-Tech:
EIA’s forecast of solar’s death premature, says SEIA
3 Utility Dive:
Controversial bill to open North Carolina solar markets gains traction
4 Solar Love:
Baltimore Residents Form Solar Energy Co-op
5 KTVN:
NV Energy Accused of Stifling Solar
6 CleanTechnica:
Yieldcos On Track To Become $100 Billion Market
7 CBS:
Great-Grandma Says She’s Going Solar For Her Grandchildren
8 Seeking Alpha:
How Far Can The Solar Rally Go?
Opinions:
9 Midwest Energy News:
Critics - Michigan utility aims to ‘monopolize’ community solar
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for April 16th, 2015
Yesterday was a blast at the GTM Solar Summit. The panel I sat on had some great points of view and with audience input. (You can catch it here) Surprisingly, I found myself on the contrarian part of the questions, shocking I know. What I found most surprising was the the majority of the room thought that an ITC decline would have a marginal impact on the solar industry. Wake up folks! We can’t sit here and ignore public policy or hope that someone else is working on it.
News
1 Bloomberg:
California Turning to Solar Amid Decade-Low Hydropower
2 Vox:
Clean energy is growing fast — but it's not yet winning the race against fossil fuels
3 Greentech Media:
Solar Summit Slide Show - The Evolution of Solar
4 Utility Dive:
Maryland lawmakers send community solar bills to governor
5 PV-Tech:
EIA report - How solar will help the US become a net energy exporter
6 KOB-TV:
AG supports motion to dismiss PNM solar fee
7 Indy Star:
Groups sue House GOP over solar bill secrecy
8 KCET:
Did California Just Break Six Gigawatts of Grid Solar?
Opinions:
9 Forbes:
"Winter Is Coming" -- Preparing For A Possible Reduction Of The Solar Investment Tax Credit
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for April 15th, 2015
Later today, I will be on a panel at the GTM Solar Summit here in Arizona. The panel (at 11:15am) is the crowdsourced panel where the panelists respond to the votes of the attendees in real-time. We are covering topics across many different aspects of the market though my fellow speakers are mostly concentrated on residential. So here is my question to you, what do you want to know? You can catch the conference live online or watch one of the many Periscope broadcasts throughout the day.
News
1 Greentech Media:
NRG Energy Exec Questions Why Solar Is the ‘Bad Boy,’ While Efficiency Is Good
2 Bloomberg:
Musk’s Cousins Battle Utilities to Make Solar Rooftops Cheap
3 CleanTechnica:
Vanderbilt Study Questions Effectiveness Of California Solar Incentive
4 Breaking Energy:
The Utah Solar Boomlet - PURPA Lives!
5 Star Advertiser:
Solar industry questions HECO's count of PV approvals
6 RE World:
Assuring Solar Modules Will Last for Decades
7 PV-Magazine:
Investment dries up for Australia's large-scale RE
8 Utility Dive:
Utilities, solar advocates at odds over Missouri net metering bill
Opinions:
9 Seeking Alpha:
Vivint Solar - Why You Should Buy The Second-Largest U.S. Residential Solar Installer
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for April 14th, 2015
No matter which way you lean politically, it is easy to recognize that most republican candidates for their party’s Presidential nomination is going to cater to non-SolarWakeup readers. Solar is such a simple political calculation, 200k jobs, the only energy tax credit that is getting better over time and way above average income potential. That is why Hillary Clinton’s Chief of Staff, John Podesta, included clean energy in the top issues tweet he sent out. So while at the GTM conference this week, think twice before saying some rhetoric about the 2017 cliff, ITC sunset, etc and tell us what you will do to help pass the extension…
News
1 Think Progress:
This Is The Most Important Tweet About Hillary’s Announcement
2 Energy Collective:
2015 State of Solar Financing, Part I - What is a Yieldco?
3 Solar Power World:
Total corporate funding in solar sector for Q1 is $6.4 billion
4 Bloomberg:
California Utility to Make Gas From Solar for Pipeline Storage
5 Desert Sun:
California solar rebates not effective, study finds
6 Telegraph:
The best time to buy solar panels? Five years ago – or right now
7 Consumerist:
Why Solar Panels Are Suddenly Sprouting On Everyone’s Roofs
8 Utility Dive:
NRDC - Low-income Americans will benefit most from Clean Power Plan
Opinions:
9 Forbes:
Want More Wind And Solar Energy? Invest A Lot More In The Grid
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for April 13th, 2015
More than anything, solar is an industry that revolves around people. Many good people, that work to do well and seek the mission of solar at the same time. Later today, I am heading to the GTM conference in Phoenix, not only to learn but to see some 500 people that work in the sector. A good friend of SolarWakeup, Julie Blunden, made some news last week by heading to SunEdison as the Chief Strategy Officer. Quite the gain for the company and we wish her well. For those of you in Phoenix this week, don’t forget to say hello.
News
1 AZ Central:
APS, solar leasing companies debate growth of solar
2 PV-Magazine:
LDK finally exits insolvency
3 Bloomberg:
Nuclear France’s Sun Power Record Leaves Utilities in the Shade
4 NRDC:
Shared renewables for all, coming soon to New York
5 NY Times:
Engaging With Latin America
6 Greentech Media:
Could the First Major Solar PPA Offering in China Drive Even Faster Market Growth?
7 Solar Love:
The Most Advanced Microgrid In North America
8 PBS:
Gridlocked by the power grid - Why Hawaii’s solar energy industry is at a crossroads
Opinions:
9 Energy Collective:
And the Winner Is - Distributed Generation
Have a great day!
Yann
These are the top 10 most read solar articles by your peers this week!
News
1 SolarWakeup:
Solar Asset Management - 4 Best Practices From The Experts
2 Greentech Media:
The Best and Worst Employee Reviews of America’s Top Solar Companies
3 Motley Fool:
The Biggest Challenge Facing SolarCity and Vivint Solar in 2015
4 CNBC:
No oil needed! This solar stock is on fire
5 Quartz:
Utah man sent to ‘casual’ roundtable meeting gets a shock - Obama is sitting there
6 Daily Caller:
Arizona Solar Customers Complain About Deceptive Marketing Practices
7 Forbes:
Solar Eclipses Are Slowly Disappearing, And There's Nothing We Can Do To Stop It
8 Times-Picayune:
Do solar power costs outweigh benefits? New study reignites old debate
9 Tea Party Tribune:
Nevada’s Latest Import? Energy Corruption
10 Standard Examiner:
Report - Big shift from electricity to solar power
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
