This is your SolarWakeup for April 26th, 2022
Some Thoughts On Tariffs. One of the saddest parts of the decade of useless solar tariffs, besides increasing the cost of solar to consumers, is the impact it had and continues to have on domestic silicon production. Billions of new factories were coming online when the first duties were retaliated against with silicon tariffs that crushed the domestic market. On the other hand, the vilification of Suniva and Auxin provides the easy antagonist which is with almost 100% certainty, but pure speculation, not the right party to blame. These tariff cases are both complicated and expensive and neither of those firms have the upside to take on that expense on their own. At the end of the day, there are very few winners in this fight, financially, politically or ideologically.
Getting To 2022 COD. Join the Sustainable Capital Finance (SCF) team on May 4th, 10am PST, as they share solutions to industry wide challenges causing project delays. The goal for attending developers and Epcs is to undertake strategies enabling project reach energization in 2022. This free webinar is recommended for solar installers, developers and originators involved or interested in financing C&I, nonprofit & governmental solar as well as electric vehicle charging solutions. To register, simply click here.
News
1 Bloomberg:
Building a Trade Hub for Southern Africa
2 Canary Media:
Will the Biden administration let one company kill US solar?
3 Axios:
COP26's head on the fight after the fight
4 Reuters:
Global coal plant capacity edges up in 2021, hitting climate -report
5 Solar Builder:
The impact of SolarAPP+ streamlined solar permitting one year later
6 PV-Tech:
CPUC adopts action plan to facilitate ‘forward-thinking’ distributed energy resources policy
7 Energy Storage News:
Michigan ready to become 10th US state with an energy storage target
Opinions:
8 PV-Magazine:
PV in the Circular Economy - Modeling tool helps predict
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for April 25th, 2022
On Earth Day, Policy and Tech Get Highlight. Last Friday was Earth Day and most everyone rallied around the need to do more to fight climate change, enable the energy transition and create a better global diplomatic environment. While some protested at the White House and billionaires texted each other over climate philanthropy and capitalism, the Wall Street Journal focused on the next big thing: CSP, concentrating solar power! I enjoyed that moment of levity and thought you may want to read this breaking news about mirrors in the desert. On another note, it’s policy that will really give the energy market the ability to diversify and create opportunity for the electrification to reach its maximum potential.
Focus On What Matters. As a solar installer there are two things that matter most to your bottom line, more approvals and lower dealer fees. Check out SolarWakeup’s preferred solar lending platform, CommonBond, to make sure you’re focused on the bottom line.
News
1 Axios:
Biden adviser optimistic Manchin will help on climate
2 New York Times:
Protesters Amass at White House, Demanding Action on Climate
3 Wall Street Journal:
A Different Kind of Solar Power Attracts Attention
4 CNBC:
This 33-year-old raised $40 million to give rural farmers solar power and help fight climate change
5 Utility Dive:
'Do you like minting money?'
6 Reuters:
U.S. Energy Secretary unsure if Michigan, California nuclear plants will seek subsidies
7 PV-Tech:
Daqo turns attention to expansions after cashing in on polysilicon sales to record ‘best-ever’ quarter
8 Energy Storage News:
Berkeley Lab releases findings from research into solar-storage colocation in the US
9 PV-Magazine:
Catalyze collaborates with Stream Realty Partners to deploy 450 MW of renewable energy on Stream properties
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for April 22nd, 2022
Focus On What Matters. As a solar installer there are two things that matter most to your bottom line, more approvals and lower dealer fees. Check out SolarWakeup’s preferred solar lending platform, CommonBond, to make sure you’re focused on the bottom line.
News
1 PV-Magazine:
FERC takes major step toward transmission reform
2 Bloomberg:
Want Green Energy? Cut Red Tape
3 Axios:
CEOs seen as outpacing leaders on climate action
4 Utility Dive:
Arizona legislature advances bill restricting retail competition in effort to promote reliability
5 Reuters:
NextEra CEO frustrated as solar supplies hit by U.S. probe
6 Energy Storage News:
Corporate funding into battery storage rose to US$12.9 billion in Q1 2022, Mercom says
7 Canary Media:
Smarter design — not novel tech — could be the real climate game-changer, according to Amory Lovins
Opinions:
8 RMI:
This Earth Day, RMI Remembers 40 years of Planet-Saving Action
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for April 21st, 2022
Focus On What Matters. As a solar installer there are two things that matter most to your bottom line, more approvals and lower dealer fees. Check out SolarWakeup’s preferred solar lending platform, CommonBond, to make sure you’re focused on the bottom line.
News
1 Energy Storage News:
Estimated 427GW of energy storage in US interconnection queues alongside nearly 1TW of renewables
2 PV-Magazine:
Survey finds Commerce’s anti-circumvention case cuts Biden’s solar goal in half
3 E&E News:
Biden officials talk solar loans, Congress and Gina McCarthy
4 Utility Dive:
Amazon set to reach 100% renewable goal 5 years ahead of target with 3.5 GW of new energy projects
5 Axios:
Germany will end Russian oil imports by end of year, foreign minister says
6 Reuters:
World needs extra $1.3 trln energy investment by 2030 - JP Morgan
7 Canary Media:
The US has more clean energy projects planned than the grid can handle
Opinions:
8 Bloomberg:
Solar May Generate Half of World’s Power by 2050, Trina CEO Says
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for April 20th, 2022
Permitting Linked To Innovation. It was June of 2018 when I sat in a backyard in Alameda and Andrew Birch talked about the idea I called utopian, a standard permitting process that would allow for solar to get installed the next day. That’s the type of thinking Birchy has also brought to OpenSolar, because getting layouts and proposals to homeowners should be easy and free for installers. Now, 4 years later, 31MW of resi solar has been run through SolarAPP.
Focus On What Matters. As a solar installer there are two things that matter most to your bottom line, more approvals and lower dealer fees. Check out SolarWakeup’s preferred solar lending platform, CommonBond, to make sure you’re focused on the bottom line.
News
1 Utility Dive:
Automated solar permitting program sees 31 MW approved in first year of operation
2 Axios:
First look - The Business Roundtable's new energy agenda
3 The Hill:
Democrats prepare to take second run at Biden spending plan
4 Bloomberg:
Google’s Corio Says Grid Connections Jammed Up - BNEF Update
5 Los Angeles Times:
Angelenos are alarmed by air pollution and extreme heat. Poll finds they want action
6 Reuters:
National Grid announces plan to decarbonize by 2050
7 PV-Tech:
New York launches new framework for distributed solar
8 PV-Magazine:
Solar Superstar cities set the pace for solar development in the US
Opinions:
9 RMI:
You Might Be Paying for a Worthless Gas Plant
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for April 19th, 2022
Opinion
News
1 Wall Street Journal:
Rivian CEO Warns of Looming Electric-Vehicle Battery Shortage
2 Utility Dive:
Capacity prices jump across MISO's central and northern regions, driven by supply shortfall
3 Bloomberg:
Australia Begins Long Road to Retraining Thousands of Coal Workers for Clean Energy Roles
4 Axios:
Biden expanding drilling leases despite climate goals
5 Vox:
How to build a better battery
6 Reuters:
U.S. natgas futures hit 13-year high on cold forecast
7 Canary Media:
DOE backs US battery materials production with $107M loan
Opinions:
8 PV-Magazine:
86% of Florida voters, regardless of political party, want Gov. DeSantis to veto anti-solar bill
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for April 18th, 2022
Focus On What Matters. As a solar installer there are two things that matter most to your bottom line, more approvals and lower dealer fees. Check out SolarWakeup’s preferred solar lending platform, CommonBond, to make sure you’re focused on the bottom line.
News
1 PV-Magazine:
Batteries help solar connect, pricing still strong
2 GreenBiz:
Inside the new $100 million women-led climate tech fund
3 Utility Dive:
California unveils proposed pathway to reach 100% ZEVs by 2035
4 Politico:
How a Determined Congressional Aide Helped Break Open the Biggest Environmental Scandal in U.S. History
5 Albuquerque Journal:
PNM grid congestion locks thousands of New Mexico residents out of solar
6 Bloomberg:
Business Leaders Know the Climate Status Quo Is Untenable
7 Axios:
Study - Atmospheric rivers may cause next Antarctic ice shelf collapse
8 Reuters:
Eyeing green vote, Macron vows to exit oil, coal and gas
Opinions:
9 Canary Media:
The hottest electric vehicles at New York’s auto show have two wheels
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for April 15th, 2022
Opinion
News
1 Bloomberg:
California Ran on Nearly 100% Clean Energy This Month
2 Reuters:
Analysis - Biden plan to aid Europe with LNG poses risk to US climate goals
3 Axios:
Study shows it's still feasible to hold global warming to 2°C
4 Reuters:
Le Pen's renewables ban plan is an 'aberration', Macron says
5 PV-Tech:
Raptor Maps closes US$22m Series B, funds used for hiring and product development
6 PV-Magazine:
NYSERDA launches energy advisory website for low- to moderate-income households
Opinions:
7 Energy Storage News:
Biden’s Defense Production Act intervention ‘won’t solve near term battery supply chain challenges’
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for April 14th, 2022
Opinion
News
1 Vox:
The death of the gas station
2 Time:
In Search of Funding, Tribal Communities Are Turning to Corporate Investment to Embrace Solar Power
3 PV-Magazine:
To speed interconnection, consider public control of grid operators, says law professor
4 Canary Media:
Contract prices for renewable power are up 30%. What’s going on?
5 GreenBiz:
Stripe, Shopify, Alphabet, Meta and McKinsey will spend almost $1 billion on carbon removal
6 Axios:
First look - Climate, environment shape Gen Z life decisions
7 RMI:
Introducing Community Solar+ - the Next Generation of Community Solar
8 Energy Storage News:
Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy and renewables bodies ask EU to recognise storage’s ‘crucial role’ in energy security
Opinions:
9 Philadelphia Inquirer:
The case for renewing the solar tax credit | Opinion
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for April 13th, 2022
Opinion
News
1 Grist:
As utility-scale renewables expand, some Midwest farmers are pushing back
2 Reuters:
U.S. natgas on track for 13-year high on output cut, cold forecast
3 New York Times:
Amid Soaring Demand for Warehouses, an Effort to Make Them Greener
4 Axios:
Pandemic recovery is slightly greener
5 Solar Power World:
Virginia governor signs solar property tax exemption into law
6 PV-Magazine:
Next-gen community solar characterized by resilience, equity, EV charging co-location
7 Energy Storage News:
UK’s latest frequency regulation grid service launched
8 Canary Media:
Maryland just passed one of the most aggressive climate laws in the US
Opinions:
9 RMI:
The SEC Wants More Climate Data. Digital Solutions Can Build on That Goal.
Have a great day!
Yann
