This is your SolarWakeup for August 23rd, 2021
Setting Up Q4 Showdown. Pelosi came out yesterday saying that both infrastructure and budget reconciliation have a target date in the house for October 1st. There is a fine line of whether the bipartisan infrastructure bill can pass the House as progressives argue the lack of depth in those initiatives and want the budget bill to be a package deal.
Warmer Waters, Northern Storms. It’s not secret that many people from the northeast have moved to the sunny shores of South Florida in the past year, under the guise of covid protocols and lower taxes. The climate impact, which used to make you think that Miami folks would move away, is that storms are heading farther and farther north as they chase the warming waters and away from the Florida coast. It’s been awhile since South Florida get a good storm, knock on wood, and even then our infrastructure is built for it. An era of storm resilience will need to come to the northern States now that storms will become more frequent.
DERs Are Part Of Design. A few years ago the CEO of CAISO said we need to learn to not only shape supply but shape demand. The way we used to shape it is with demand response and consumer behavior, flex alerts. Now we have demand side generation and storage that can be called upon but once again we need to figure out how to signal that behavior to match the need to the speed of integration of these resources. You can’t remove consumer incentive to invest dollars into distributed solar and storage while also making them help the grid design free of charge.
News
1 Reuters:
Pelosi sets Oct 1 target for infrastructure, Biden spending bill
2 Axios:
Tropical Storm Henri makes landfall in Rhode Island
3 Utility Dive:
California begins brainstorming approaches to a high-DER grid of the future
4 Wall Street Journal:
Solar Power Booms in Georgia, Where It Isn’t Mandated
5 PV-Tech:
New initiative launched to help support women joining solar workforce
6 Energy Storage News:
Expansion complete at world’s biggest battery storage system in California
7 PV-Magazine:
PNC commits $20b to environmental finance
Opinions:
8 Marketwatch:
ESG investors struggle to find the right balance in doing good – and solar panels show why
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for August 20th, 2021
Act Now For ITC. We have an unprecedented opportunity to enact bold federal policies that decarbonize our electric grid and help us prevent the worst effects of climate change. This is a once-in-a-generation chance to build an equitable clean energy economy, and we must mobilize support for pro solar policies in infrastructure and budget legislation. There is broad, bipartisan support for solar on both sides of the aisle. Even President Biden is calling for clean energy tax credit extensions, but this does not guarantee our success. If we want to meet President Biden’s ambitious goals, we need to quadruple the size of the solar industry today. We can’t do it on our current trajectory, and we need supportive policies that drive business certainty and help us focus on deployment. Please consider signing onto SEIA’s company letter and joining their effort this summer to help us mobilize support for solar policies in budget and infrastructure legislation. The future of our clean energy economy depends on it.
News
1 PV-Tech:
Scale and vertical integration now critical to success in US solar, says Arevon CEO
2 PV-Magazine:
Blackouts and high utility prices are driving solar and storage adoption, SunPower survey says
3 Energy Storage News:
Breakthrough Energy Ventures invests in grid stability and inertia measurement provider Reactive Technologies
4 Bloomberg:
California to Build Temporary Gas Plants to Avoid Blackouts
5 GreenBiz:
How coops could power rural economic development with renewables
6 Axios:
China emissions directive chokes iron ore prices
7 Reuters:
FEATURE-U.S. infrastructure bill aims to cool heat inequity in cities
Opinions:
8 Canary Media:
Economists must grapple with climate tipping points before it's too late
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for August 19th, 2021
Act Now For ITC. We have an unprecedented opportunity to enact bold federal policies that decarbonize our electric grid and help us prevent the worst effects of climate change. This is a once-in-a-generation chance to build an equitable clean energy economy, and we must mobilize support for pro solar policies in infrastructure and budget legislation. There is broad, bipartisan support for solar on both sides of the aisle. Even President Biden is calling for clean energy tax credit extensions, but this does not guarantee our success. If we want to meet President Biden’s ambitious goals, we need to quadruple the size of the solar industry today. We can’t do it on our current trajectory, and we need supportive policies that drive business certainty and help us focus on deployment. Please consider signing onto SEIA’s company letter and joining their effort this summer to help us mobilize support for solar policies in budget and infrastructure legislation. The future of our clean energy economy depends on it.
News
1 Canary Media:
Rep. Sean Casten on Hot FERC Summer and how to prepare the US grid for rapid decarbonization
2 PV-Magazine:
Action urged on alleged solar PV dumping from 3 Southeast Asian countries
3 PV-Tech:
Capital Dynamics spins out clean infrastructure arm to create multi-gigawatt solar and storage platform
4 Reuters:
EU solar power generation hits record high
5 Axios:
California's Caldor Fire forces new evacuations after "unprecedented" growth
6 Solar Builder:
All eyes on lithium - Sizing up a potential U.S.-based lithium battery supply chain
7 RMI:
Banding Together - How Aggregation Helps Cities Buy Renewables at Scale
8 Energy Storage News:
Michigan utilities recognize benefits of energy storage in comments to state regulator
Opinions:
9 Bloomberg:
California Can No Longer Wing It With Power Grid
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for August 18th, 2021
Opinion
News
1 Reuters:
Solar could be 40% of U.S. power by 2035 -Biden administration
2 Energy Storage News:
US utilities set to add 10,000MW of battery storage to the grid by 2023
3 Wall Street Journal:
Generate Capital Invests $240 Million in Solar Developer Nexamp
4 Canary Media:
Infrastructure bill contains less transmission funding than advertised
5 PV-Tech:
Petitions call for US investigation into ‘illegal’ circumvention of solar antidumping measures via Southeast Asian entities
6 Solar Power World:
Biden administration reveals possible intent to extend ITC in new briefing
7 PV-Magazine:
Solar modules are being detained by customs agents, reports suggest
8 GreenBiz:
Behind data center giant Equinix's $3.7 billion investment in green bonds
Opinions:
9 New York Times:
Who Created the Renewable-Energy Miracle?
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for August 17th, 2021
Opinion
News
1 Axios:
Climate change becomes key theme in Q2 corporate earning calls
2 Solar Power World:
California solar contractors must be aware of new licensing, consumer protection rulings
3 PV-Magazine:
Residential solar pricing down 6.3%, hints of greater drops coming
4 Bloomberg:
Elon Musk’s SolarCity Trial Nears Conclusion With $2 Billion at Stake
5 Reuters:
U.S. declares first Western reservoir water shortage, triggering cuts
6 Energy Storage News:
Powin in multi-gigawatt LFP supply deal with EVE, hopes to see more US-made cells in market
7 Utility Dive:
Michigan regulators push for utility pilots to test how energy storage benefits the grid
8 PV-Tech:
FTC Solar turning to alternative shipping methods as losses forecast to mount in third quarter
Opinions:
9 RMI:
Why Aren’t More Grid-Edge Startups Investable?
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for August 16th, 2021
Opinion
News
1 Axios:
July breaks record as world's hottest month
2 Los Angeles Times:
Biden wants to create clean energy jobs. Here’s what they might look like
3 Reuters:
Droughts shrink hydropower, pose risk to global push to clean energy
4 CNBC:
How solar power can become a small part of Big Oil’s future
5 Utility Dive:
PSEG unloads fossil fuel plants for $1.9B in push toward decarbonization
6 PV-Tech:
How solar-backed virtual power plants can displace peaker plants
7 Solar Power World:
Swinerton Renewable Energy expands operations with new San Diego headquarters
8 Energy Storage News:
Sungrow to supply 1GW of battery storage equipment for Broad Reach Power Texas projects
9 Canary Media:
Solar High Rollers - Reasons to be cheerful
10 PV-Magazine:
Report shows strong solar+storage market growth… and plenty of room for improvement
Opinions:
11 Bloomberg:
What Are You Willing to Sacrifice to Stop Climate Change?
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for August 13th, 2021
Have a great weekend!
News
1 CBS:
New Orleans will require COVID vaccines or negative tests for bars, Superdome and more
2 The Hill:
Pelosi breaks bad news to moderates - No vote on infrastructure this month
3 Energy Storage News:
Stem Inc affirms 2021 guidance despite US$100m loss reported in first quarterly results since public listing
4 Utility Dive:
As Senate passes infrastructure bill, Democrats eye opportunity for more energy spending
5 Bloomberg:
Blackstone to Invest as Much as $500 Million in Solar Firm Array
6 Axios:
Bill Gates pledges $1.5B for climate projects with Energy Department
7 Reuters:
RWE CEO - don't believe in renewable megadeals in next years
8 PV-Tech:
US solar manufacturers secure DOE funding to help develop innovative tech
9 Solar Power World:
Nexamp expands into utility-scale solar development market
Opinions:
10 Canary Media:
We need gargantuan investment in EV charging stations. Where will the money come from?
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for August 12th, 2021
A Budget Resolution. The Senate passed their budget framework which sets up the reconciliation path and the House is expected to do their framework week of August 23rd. This sets up for the committees to put their language together in time for Biden’s September 15th deadline. This $3.5trillion spending bill has some goodies in it, we’re talking some real money in this one!
News
1 Politico:
Senate adopts budget that paves way for $3.5T spending plan
2 PV-Magazine:
Solar highlights in the Senate’s $3.5 trillion budget proposal
3 Energy Storage News:
‘Tremendous investment’ - US bipartisan infrastructure legislation puts billions into energy storage
4 Canary Media:
California takes bold steps to make electricity the fuel of choice for new buildings
5 Utility Dive:
California utilities, clean energy groups urge CPUC to move quickly following Newsom's emergency call
6 Axios:
Exclusive - Strange bedfellows come together on EV charging
7 PV-Tech:
Shoals Technologies reports record Q2 revenue despite components
9 CleanTechnica:
U.S. Department Of Energy Awards $45 Million To Advance Solar Manufacturing
Opinions:
10 Reuters:
California's clean grid may lean on oil, gas to avoid summer blackouts
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for August 11th, 2021
Opinion
News
1 Politico:
Biden scores a bipartisan win. Even his team isn’t ‘Pollyannaish’ about more.
2 Utility Dive:
FERC requests more evidence of reliability impacts as Spire STL pipeline seeks temporary approval
3 New York Times:
Biden Finds a Bipartisan Victory, but Democratic Unity May Prove More Elusive
4 Axios:
IPCC's journey from "probable" to "unequivocal" on human-caused warming
5 Reuters:
Canada's Heliene opening its second U.S. solar panel factory
6 Grist:
The Dixie Fire is moving too fast for California’s emergency alert systems
7 PV-Tech:
US Senate passes landmark infrastructure bill as attention turns to solar ITC extension
8 Canary Media:
Ambri's liquid metal battery digs up $144 million in storage investment gold rush
Opinions:
9 PV-Magazine:
Standard Solar installs one of New York’s largest community solar + storage projects
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for August 10th, 2021
IPCC Sounds Climate Alarm. It’s getting hot out there and scientists are saying it’s all coming earlier than previously expected. When my favorite sports podcast starts talking about climate change and rising oceans sinking Miami, you know that climate concerns are getting mainstream. Unfortunately, there is no correlation to the political reality of anyone really giving enough thought to how to actually avoid this outcome. Read the details because I can’t do the scientists justice in how to accurately portray the red alarm.
Budget Bill Timeline. Schumer released the plan for the budget bill and the plan for getting it to the Senate with a goal timeframe of September 15th. This is the target for committees doing their legislative work but largely ignores the House and how they will package the bipartisan infrastructure bill with the budget bill. Will Pelosi sit on the bipartisan bill for 6 weeks or more?
Stranded Not Stranded. Stranded assets is how the market defines coal and gas power plants that are losing their value beyond the current contracts when cost of production exceeds value of generation. I see energy storage being the savior to stranded assets or at least the perceived value of those sites. Land plus interconnection are the two ingredients most crucial to a storage asset, particularly in competitive power markets. Look for those asset owners to make a big run and install storage assets on those sites and unstrand those investments.
Helioscope Acquired. Congrats to Paul and Paul at Folsom Labs. From the empty office in the Genability office to the pioneers of digital layouts, you made your mark on the solar industry for a long time. Getting acquired by Aurora makes sense and I look forward to seeing how you build the next generation with even more resources.
News
1 The Guardian:
Major climate changes inevitable and irreversible – IPCC’s starkest warning yet
2 Vox:
The devastating new UN report on climate change, explained
3 Axios:
World leaders, activists react to "sobering" UN climate report
4 New York Times:
Senate Democrats Begin $3.5 Trillion Push for ‘Big, Bold’ Social Change
5 Utility Dive:
Push for green energy could strand more than $68B in coal and gas assets, S&P says
6 PV-Tech:
ReNew Power signs PPA for ‘India’s first’ round-the-clock renewable energy project
7 RMI:
We Have Solutions to the Climate Crisis. Now We Must Act.
8 Solar Power World:
Aurora Solar acquires Folsom Labs in big solar software move
9 Canary Media:
Why rooftop solar leader Sunrun chose a utility executive as its next CEO
Opinions:
10 PV-Magazine:
Who is working against distributed solar - State campaigns in the East
Have a great day!
Yann
