This is your SolarWakeup for February 3rd, 2023
The Lender You Can Depend On. In a market that is full of uncertainty, you can rely on Dividend Finance to bring you white glove service to help you reach your long-term goals. Apply Here
News
1 Utility Dive:
Solar industry group expects some IRS guidance by Feb. 13 on renewable energy tax credits, with more later
2 Time:
The Untapped Solar Power Potential of Big Box Stores
3 Bloomberg:
Why We Shouldn’t Confuse Peak Oil With the Price of Bananas
4 Axios:
The coldest air in the Northern Hemisphere will freeze New England this weekend
5 Reuters:
Big Oil mega-deals would put investors on the spot
6 Solar Builder:
What to see at Intersolar North America 2023
7 PV-Tech:
Top 10 PV module suppliers in 2022 shipped 245GW
8 Energy Storage News:
800MWh of utility-scale energy storage capacity added in the UK during 2022
Opinions:
9 PV-Magazine:
Interest in solar apprenticeship expands in response to IRA
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for February 2nd, 2023
Who’s NEXT? It looks promising that Nextracker’s IPO will come out and look pretty good. Pricing in the range of $20-$23 per share implies a relative discount to the tracker peers already in the public markets. The $500million IPO looks to provide the secondary (liquidity) to Flex, it’s current owner. The TPG Rise fund which invested last year, does not appear to be selling their shares according to analyst reports. As a profitable company, leading in it’s segment, Nextracker looks to unlock the public markets in what has been a dry (read closed) IPO market. This could be exactly what the clean tech markets needs to signal that the IRA is ready to unlock the trillions of project capital and that the companies supporting that investment are ready to be worth billions.
News
1 Reuters:
Solar tech firm Nextracker aims to raise up to $534.9 mln in U.S. IPO
2 Energy Storage News:
Legacy plant and renewables owner Arclight puts US$150 million into energy storage developer Elevate
3 PV-Magazine:
Global energy industry is at an inflection point, said utility representative
4 Utility Dive:
First Solar brings US manufacturing investment to $4B after selling out of panels through 2025
5 Axios:
Ice storm causes power outages, flight delays from Texas to Tennessee
6 PV-Tech:
Earthjustice and SEIA challenge MISO’s ancillary services restriction
7 Canary Media:
Clean energy is cheaper than coal across the whole US, study finds
8 Bloomberg:
Q4 2022 BI Theme Basket Quarterly Series - Solar
Opinions:
9 Forbes:
How Ranching And Solar Co-Exist In Texas
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for February 1, 2023
The Lender You Can Depend On. In a market that is full of uncertainty, you can rely on Dividend Finance to bring you white glove service to help you reach your long-term goals. Apply Here
News
1 Utility Dive:
The urgently needed ‘no regrets’ approach to big batteries, green hydrogen and grid reliability
2 New York Times:
The Shift to Renewable Energy Is Speeding Up. Here’s How.
3 Reuters:
The Shift to Renewable Energy Is Speeding Up. Here’s How.
4 Wall Street Journal:
New China Rule Threatens to Disrupt U.S. Solar Ambitions
5 Axios:
Critical climate thresholds may be nearer than thought - study finds
6 PV-Tech:
How federal and Georgia state support enabled Qcells’ vertically integrated 3.3GW facility
7 Solar Power World:
Duke Energy seeks 4-GW expansion on renewable energy program
8 PV-Magazine:
New Mexico law seeks solar on every roof, and an EV charger in every garage
9 Energy Storage News:
‘We’re not anti-solar’ - California’s controversial NEM 3.0 welcomed by residential ESS providers
Opinions:
10 Bloomberg:
Don’t Let Shein Be the Model for China’s Solar Power Boom
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for January 31st, 2023
The Coming EV Rush. This has the potential to upend the grid transition even faster than previously predicted. There are dozens of brand name models on the market now and a bit of a price war is breaking out. That will only make EV consumers more likely to make a jump over to instant torque. Many of the other barriers to entry have started to be eliminated: charging, range, societal norm and of course operating cost. The EV adoption in the US lags the EU by 3x or more, and this price decrease could become an accelerant. Once this happens, which isn’t a question of if, but when, what will the grid need in terms of build out of new generation and flexibility. We’ll see new rate schedules, pricing signals, infrastructure investments and more. Like I’ve said in the past, the energy transition isn’t about how energy is made but how it’s used.
The Lender You Can Depend On. In a market that is full of uncertainty, you can rely on Dividend Finance to bring you white glove service to help you reach your long-term goals. Apply Here
News
1 Axios:
Ford cuts Mustang Mach-E prices amid EV competition
2 Reuters:
German cabinet approves EU emergency measures to push renewables expansion
3 PV-Magazine:
Building new solar projects is less expensive than operating existing coal plants
4 Bloomberg:
Europe’s Fossil Fuel Use Is Set to Plummet in 2023, Report Says
5 Solar Industry:
Meta In Line for 195 MW of Solar in Texas
6 PV-Tech:
Canadian Solar to add 14GW of wafer and cell manufacturing capacity in China
7 Energy Storage News:
US developer Hecate Energy gets US$550 million credit facility for renewables, energy storage
Opinions:
8 Utility Dive:
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’ public-private collaborative to focus on energy, water
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for January 30th, 2023
The Lender You Can Depend On. In a market that is full of uncertainty, you can rely on Dividend Finance to bring you white glove service to help you reach your long-term goals. Apply Here
News
1 Time:
Clean Energy Investment Sets $1.1 Trillion Record, Matching Fossil Fuels For the First Time
2 PV-Magazine:
Trade policy, supply chain murk waters for utility solar growth
3 Utility Dive:
ISO-NE to begin dispatching growing fleet of ‘front-of-meter’ solar resources in boost to reliability
4 The Hill:
In the wake of hurricane destruction, Biden is supporting Puerto Rico’s clean energy transition
5 Bloomberg:
Even $370 Billion in US Incentives Won’t Solve All of Solar’s Struggles
6 Energy Storage News:
US utility Xcel to put Form Energy’s 100-hour iron-air battery at retiring coal power plant sites
7 PV-Tech:
Tesla 2022 solar installs inched up to 348MW
8 Canary Media:
Green steel startup Boston Metal raises $120M for its fossil-free tech
Opinions:
9 Reuters:
EU must answer U.S. clean energy subsidies, commissioner says on Washington visit
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for January 27th, 2023
Happy Friday. Wrapping up the week that started 2023 with an interesting, and timely, blog post from Bill Gates about the grid and transmission. With trillions of dollars looking to deploy into the transition, we need to get the interconnection and pricing signals done right. Have a great weekend and send me your top news and ideas for next week!
The Lender You Can Depend On. In a market that is full of uncertainty, you can rely on Dividend Finance to bring you white glove service to help you reach your long-term goals. Apply Here
News
1 Bill Gates:
The surprising key to a clean energy future
2 Bloomberg:
Blackstone Sees Inflation Accelerating Pivot Away From Fossil Fuels
3 Energy Storage News:
US battery supply chain investments reach US$92 billion since Biden took office
4 PV-Magazine:
Minnesota voting on 100% clean electricity today, 10% solar by 2030
5 Reuters:
U.S. lawmakers seek repeal of Biden solar tariff waiver
6 Bloomberg:
China Mulls Protecting Solar Tech Dominance With Export Ban
7 Utility Dive:
Demand for Tesla storage products exceeds supply as Q4 deployments rise 152% to 2.5 GWh
8 Solar Builder:
JFK Airport to be home to largest rooftop terminal solar array in the U.S.
Opinions:
9 Canary Media:
Here’s a plan for cutting US demand for lithium by up to 90%
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for January 26th, 2023
Expansion, Contraction. You can read 5 different headlines and they all follow a certain theme. Consumers and businesses are using electricity more than they were before. That usage is consistent in volume but inconsistent on location, i.e. you’re working from home some days. Some of the energy you are using today is no longer liquid but electric, i.e. you now drive an electric car or ride an e-bike. More electricity is coming from wind and solar than ever (and growing). All of this results in a grid that needs to expand in some places at some times, and contract in some places at some times. Our grids today are basically in need of slinkies at every point of interconnection to allow for the flexibility that we all expect as consumers.
The Lender You Can Depend On. In a market that is full of uncertainty, you can rely on Dividend Finance to bring you white glove service to help you reach your long-term goals. Apply Here
News
1 Reuters:
Largest U.S. grid faces tight timeline to curb wind, solar delays
2 Energy Storage News:
Battery storage helping California avoid curtailment, but shedding set to grow further in 2023
3 Utility Dive:
2023 US Power Sector Outlook
4 New York Times:
Climate Change May Usher in a New Era of Trade Wars
5 Axios:
California flooding causes billions in economic losses, estimates show
6 PV-Magazine:
Microsoft to purchase 2.5 GW of Qcells solar
Opinions:
7 Bloomberg:
Georgia Leading US Solar Manufacturing
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for January 25th, 2023
InsureTech. Innovation in insurance isn’t seen often but my friends at kWh Analytics have done it again, launching a property insurance product. Congrats to Jason and team for the launch, definitely check that out.
Energy Transition For Fleets. EV Charging delivered is what it says on the side of the truck that carries a movile EV charger to those that need it. First, it does wonders for those that still feel range anxiety and second, have you ever seen an Amazon delivery truck at a gas station? Most fleets either fuel at a central repository or (get this) the fuel truck comes to them so that they don’t have to waste time doing that. With electrification clearly underway, mobile EV charging is on the way. Proving once again that my definition of the energy transition is correct, we’re swapping from molecules to electrons.
Cool Concept. Centrica is using legacy power infrastructure to replace it with 21st century technology. Development needs land, use permits and interconnection to get a project launched. Guess what every power plant in the US already has…
News
1 Solar Power World:
kWh Analytics launches property insurance for solar projects
2 PV-Magazine:
Mobile charger for electric vehicle fleets
3 Bloomberg:
Centrica Buys Old Gas Plant to Turn It Into Green Energy Site
4 Reuters:
Draft shows EU to back new funding for green industry, but officials urge caution
5 PV-Tech:
Solar and land use in the UK - balancing energy and food security
6 Energy Storage News:
Blackstone-owned energy storage developer Aypa Power secures US$320 million credit
Opinions:
7 Utility Dive:
How US grid operators can defend against the unprecedented surge in power system attacks
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for January 24th, 2023
OpenSolar Fundraise. Fresh on the back of a big year for the folks at OpenSolar, the company recently closed a series B $15m funding round. As you may recall form our prior interview with the CEO birchy, the company provides NREL validated, high quality sales and design software to installers. They rolled out new design automation and advanced new features in 2022 and have grown to over 10% of the US resi design market by their calculations. Now you can begin to see the vision for low cost digital sales in the US in residential solar.
New Fund, Longtime Investor. Congrats to Alokh Sindher on his jump to lead an infrastructure fund with Fifth Wall. Alokh has been a staple at DESRI for more than a decade which has been a behemoth in the market for most of that time.
The Lender You Can Depend On. In a market that is full of uncertainty, you can rely on Dividend Finance to bring you white glove service to help you reach your long-term goals. Apply Here
News
1 Canary Media:
VC firm Fifth Wall to bankroll deployment of carbon-free building tech
2 Startup Daily:
Telstra Ventures backs renewables software startup OpenSolar in $22 million series B
3 Politico:
Big winners from Biden's climate law - Republicans who voted against it
4 Utility Dive:
DOE launches $10M prize to increase community solar in underserved communities
5 Energy Storage News:
New York’s Energy Storage Roadmap will create ‘very, very strong market in the state’
6 NPR:
Solar energy could be key in Puerto Rico's transition to 100% renewables, study says
7 Bloomberg:
Fine Print on Labor in US Climate Bill Complicates Rush for Tax Credits
8 Reuters:
Spain's Iberdrola considers U.S. renewables stake sale, sources say
9 PV-Tech:
Enlight Renewable Energy files for US initial public offering
10 PV-Magazine:
Enlight Renewable Energy to go public on Nasdaq exchange
Opinions:
11 Axios:
Ukraine war upended energy markets forever
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for January 23rd, 2023
The Lender You Can Depend On. In a market that is full of uncertainty, you can rely on Dividend Finance to bring you white glove service to help you reach your long-term goals. Apply Here
News
1 Utility Dive:
Electricity prices surged 14.3% in 2022, double overall inflation - US report
2 Energy Storage News:
Battery storage can help solve Texas’ ‘Super Duck’ challenge of integrating renewable energy
3 E&E News:
House Republicans seek to roll back Biden’s solar policy
4 Los Angeles Times:
California slashed rooftop solar payments. Now opponents want a rehearing
5 Bloomberg:
GOP Attack on IRS Budget Undercuts Clean-Energy Credits, Treasury Says
6 PV-Tech:
Mexico’s government approval for solar-plus-storage plant welcomed as shift in thinking
7 Canary Media:
Chart - Clean energy jobs are booming. What sectors are growing most?
8 PV-Magazine:
New York grid operator advances 3 GW of solar, storage projects
Opinions:
9 New York Times:
In Davos, a Skirmish Over the Role of Oil States at Climate Talks
Have a great day!
Yann
