This is your SolarWakeup for January 23rd, 2015
This week has been filled with news about votes about Climate Change in the US Senate. I admit to be a quasi-environmentalist (I drive an EV, have solar, recycle etc) and have personally seen the ocean take a piece of Florida with it. I can understand if someone doesn’t believe humans cause climate change (not really) but I honestly don’t understand what it means that climate change is a hoax. Is it a joke or a scam run by some underground greenies? Then again, some US Senators aren’t sure if earth is more than a few thousand years old.
News
1 Bloomberg:
‘Sexy’ No Longer, Solar May See More Consolidation, Hanwha Says
2 PV-Magazine:
WFES Interview-BNEF's Michael Liebriech
3 Forbes:
NRG's Grand Ambition To Dominate The Solar Market
4 Renew Economy:
Graph of the Day-The big boom in solar in world’s biggest energy market
5 Energy Collective:
Living on the Edge-Getting Ready for Distributed Energy Resources
6 Greentech Media:
8 Solar Trends to Follow in 2015
7 Institutional Investor:
Commercial Solar Market Picks Up the PACE
8 RE World:
Are Floating PPAs an Idea Worth Floating to Solar Investors?
Opinions:
9 Utility Dive:
A common confusion over net metering is undermining utilities and the grid
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for January 22nd, 2015
It took forever and a day (after the State of the Union) for the Trade Commission to make the tariffs stick on imported Chinese and Taiwanese modules. A clear victory for SolarWorld (aka Qatar) but in name only. Modules from around the world and from the US are still more cost competitive and higher quality. I have always had a problem with those people that try to elevate themselves by pushing others down. We rise and fall together, build a bridge and don’t burn them is the best way forward…for everyone.
News
1 Breaking Energy:
SolarWorld Wins Final Victory in China, Taiwan Trade Cases
2 Greentech Media:
Hawaii’s Biggest Utility Wants to Ditch Solar Net Metering
3 RE World:
Solar as an Energy Equity Solution
4 CleanTechnica:
“Renewable Energy Has Graduated” & “Opportunity To Revisit Fossil Fuel Subsidies”
5 PV-Tech:
IHS lowers Saudi Arabia’s PV forecast after push-out of renewable energy plans
6 Energy Collective:
Top 10 Utility Commission Issues to Watch in 2015
7 PV-Magazine:
Hanwha Q Cells to shutter production in Germany
8 LA Times:
Column Tom Steyer's green ambitions
Opinions:
9 Grist:
Obama to Republicans-So long, and thanks for nothing
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for January 21st, 2015
President Obama gave the State of the Union last night and didn’t fail to highlight solar once again. Last year we got solar is installed on a home every 4 minutes (today it’s 2.5 minutes), the President gave us “we install as much solar in 3 weeks today as we did in all of 2008”. I can’t fail to highlight that 2008 was a year that the ITC was expiring and uncertainty was a problem, plus the market crashed, so maybe we can make sure 2016 isn’t a repeat from a policy standpoint. Also, oddly missing was solar trade association's online presence to highlight solar and climate change. Not a single original tweet during the SOTU, just weird in my opinion
News
1 Time:
Here’s the Full Text of President Obama’s 2015 State of the Union
2 Greentech Media:
Obama’s Victory Lap-State of the Union Speech Celebrates Domestic Energy Changes
3 MIT:
Hawaii’s Solar Push Strains the Grid
4 Renew Economy:
Why solar costs will fall another 40% in just two years
5 Gigaom:
Special report-How the rise of a mega solar panel farm shows us the future of energy
6 PV-Tech:
‘China on course to miss distributed PV target’
7 RE World:
Soitec To Give Up on Solar CPV
8 Tampa Bay Times:
Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, files bill to reduce taxes on solar power systems
Opinions:
9 PV-Magazine:
'Six-cent energy is not the new normal'
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for January 20th, 2015
In politics, it is usually a good idea to have facts lined up on your side. It is even better to have the right people supporting your cause, especially if those groups resonate with various spectrums of the political arena. Solar has the jobs, it has the environmental, we have the economic development and trade surplus and now solar has the pope. In pretty clear language, the vatican is signaling a renewed sense of urgency around global warming and reducing the use of fossil fuels. Can we get some conservatives on board with that message?
News
1 FOX News:
Pope's statement on climate change-following John Paul II & Benedict XVI, tackling science
2 PV-Magazine:
WFES-Gore confident of climate agreement in Paris
3 NPR:
U.S. Solar Industry Sees Growth, But Also Some Uncertainty
4 CleanTechnica:
Arizona Utility SRP Proposes Rate Changes For Solar Lease Customers
5 PV-Tech:
Saudi Arabia bursts solar energy bubble
6 Energy Collective:
How the Oil Price Slump Helps Renewable Energy
7 Gigaom:
Where the clean energy money flowed last year
8 KSL:
Meeting maps out schedule to study net metering for solar energy
Opinions:
9 RE World:
The Latest Consumer Disconnects About Solar Means More Education is Needed
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for January 19th, 2015
Solar has twice as many jobs as coal. Or the same number? Much like the headlines of the articles we read every day, what people say is influenced by other people or their own perception. Take a look at what caused a dozen US Congressman to write a letter about questionable solar sales. Of course it came from someone with an axe to grind. But take a look at most things that politicians say, it’s pitched by those with access. Don’t be fooled by headlines, read the content.
News
1 AZ Investigative Reporting:
APS employee drafted anti-solar letter signed by AZ congressmen
2 VOX:
There are about as many solar jobs as coal jobs in the US
3 The National:
In the debate over water scarcity, it’s time to think solar
4 PV-Magazine:
Italian PV generates 7.5% of country's electricity in 2014
5 Greentech Media:
First Solar Now Officially in the Silicon PV Production Business
6 The Age:
Solar to power every second home in Victoria
7 KTVB:
Solar power heating up in Idaho
8 National Geographic:
Solar Panels Floating on Water Will Power Japan's Homes
Opinions:
9 Forbes:
Rooftop Solar Shines Light On Bad Business Practices
Have a great day!
Yann
These are the top 10 most read solar articles by your peers this week!
News
1 SolarWakeup:
Solar Investment Executives, what your New Year’s resolution should be!
2 The Hill:
Let the sun set on the solar industry subsidy
3 PV-Magazine:
Analyst interview - The rise of distributed solar
4 CleanTechnica:
Largest-Ever Study Quantifies Value Of Rooftop Solar
5 Forbes:
Solar Plus Batteries Unlikely To Threaten Utilities Anytime Soon, Study Says
6 Think Progress:
Meet The New Chevy ‘Bolt' - An Electric Car For The Masses
7 PV-Tech:
Morgan Stanley deal nudges 2015 US residential solar investment towards US$800 million
8 PV-Magazine:
Solar and utilities can co-exist, says Elon Musk
9 Energy Collective:
Net Metering for Rooftop Solar - How to Fix the Problems
10 Greentech Media:
Solar Is Adding Jobs 20 Times Faster Than the Broader Economy, but ‘All Bets Are Off’ in 2017
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 January 16th, 2015
Boom! Solar grows by another 31,000 jobs to 174,000 total solar workers. Let’s give props to The Solar Foundation led by Andrea Luecke for the continued Solar Jobs Census. Here is the irony, yesterday (while the census was released), oil companies are announcing layoffs to offset the lower oil pricing (due to lower global demand). I know that my company is hiring, and many other solar companies are hiring. Jobs are challenging, located almost everywhere in the world (including Miami!) and are well paying. So join the solar industry and Shout Out for Solar! #GoSolar
News
1 The Solar Foundation:
National Solar Jobs Census
2 Greentech Media:
Solar Is Adding Jobs 20 Times Faster Than the Broader Economy, but ‘All Bets Are Off’ in 2017
3 CleanTechnica:
Largest-Ever Study Quantifies Value Of Rooftop Solar
4 PV-Magazine:
Japan earmarks $1.12 billion for renewable energy
5 Sacramento Bee:
PUC pledges to improve safety, rebuild public trust
6 Forbes:
Solar Alliance In Sunshine State May Be Bad News For Jeb Bush
7 Bloomberg:
Dubai Doubling Size of Power Plant to Make Cheapest Solar Energy
8 RE World:
Renewable Energy and Chilean Mines-A Market Overview
Opinions:
9 PV Solar Report:
Be Heard-Shout Out for Solar Day 2015 Is January 16
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for January 15th, 2015
Let’s elaborate on the topic of the ITC. I have a question for all of you. Do you think that the tax equity scale and profit generated to the banks makes it to the CEO level? If so, do you think that they feel that it important enough to lobby for? What about the law firms? What would project finance teams look like at the major law firms if the ITC steps down to 10%? Remember that you can always get in touch by hitting reply on the email so let me know your thoughts.
News
1 PV-Magazine:
Solar and utilities can co-exist, says Elon Musk
2 NRDC:
Single-Family Solar Power Beats S&P 500 in 46 out of 50 American Cities
3 RE World:
The Year Ahead-Top Clean Energy Trends of 2015
4 Energy Collective:
Net Metering for Rooftop Solar-How to Fix the Problems
5 Bloomberg:
NRG Sees Home Solar Push as Conventional Power Unit Pressured
6 Solar Power Portal:
Energy minister tells SMEs to use the feed-in tariff rather than contracts for difference
7 Grist:
Hillary is hiring John Podesta, and that’s good for climate hawks
8 Tampa Bay Tribune:
Florida solar power proponents launch PAC in push for electricity
Opinions:
9 Forbes:
Could China Become The OPEC Of Solar Manufacturing?
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for January 14th, 2015
It comes up a lot, from solar executives, that the ITC should not be extended. Let’s talk some facts, most courtesy of GTM. A solar project is installed every 2.5 minutes. Which means that about $11k of tax equity is invested EVERY minute. In 2017, that will go down to about $3k if the rates continue. Even more important is to look at what markets will be affected by reduction. Homeowners that BUY solar cash or take a loan get NO tax credit. Utility scale still maintains a huge cost advantage over rooftop. If you want to make the news by being glib about ITC going away, go for it but you are hurting thousands of solar jobs in the process.
News
1 PV-Magazine:
Analyst interview-The rise of distributed solar
2 RE World:
Collaboration Is Key-How Innovative Solar Business Models Can Benefit All
3 PV-Tech:
US duties ‘penalised’ Trina Solar for disability programme
4 Forbes:
Utilities Push Back As Solar Industry Booms In Japan
5 Gigaom:
HelioVolt to finally auction off assets from its solar factory
6 Think Progress:
Report-Forget Stocks, Invest In Solar Panels
7 Greentech Media:
Worries About Consumers Cutting Utility Ties Are Overblown,Say Moody’s Analysts
8 AlJazeera America:
Australia’s rising solar power ‘revolution’
Opinions:
9 Newsday:
Regional thinking will help LI do solar power right
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for January 13th, 2015
Jam packed with trends that you need to follow in 2015. The first is another home security company (Protection 1) getting into residential solar. This is additive to their cash flow business as the race to own the homeowner continues. Any visitor to CES last week can verify the connected home trend. The second is the CPUC allowing utilities to own electric vehicle charging stations. A big win and one I support. For the first time, utilities take new market share from oil/fuel companies. Losing energy sales to solar is nothing compared to what EV charging will add to demand growth, charging stations are a key part of that infrastructure.
News
1 PV-Tech:
Morgan Stanley deal nudges 2015 US residential solar investment towards $800 million
2 Energy Collective:
Electric Vehicles-CPUC Says California Utilities Can Own Charging Infrastructure
4 Forbes:
SunEdison Plans To Build A $4B Mega Solar Factory In India
5 Greentech Media:
A Solar System Is Installed in America Every 2.5 Minutes
6 NBC News:
Who Digs Solar and Wind Power? That's Right-Miners
7 AZ Central:
SRP's proposed solar rate hikes draw ire
8 Think Progress:
Meet The New Chevy ‘Bolt'-An Electric Car For The Masses
Opinions:
9 The Hill:
Let the sun set on the solar industry subsidy
Have a great day!
Yann
