Presented by ENGIE Storage. (formerly Green Charge) helps power the world more efficiently and sustainably. As the nation’s number one distributed energy storage company, we serve energy producers, distributors, and consumers, including utilities, network operators, and energy consumers in business and government.

Youth Climate Strike Day. My kids are staying in school but they are wearing a shirt in honor of the day that hopefully has an impact across the world. Their shirt is a quote from David Crane that he wrote in a letter to shareholders while the CEO of NRG Energy. “You Knew…and You Didn’t Do Anything About It? Why?” I hope that the kids will have an impact on elected officials to show that their decisions are not only for the next election but for 2 or 3 decades from now. A vote against solar or an RPS may not mean much for the politician but the impact will carry weight for years to come. The kids know what inaction means and today is a day to memorialize it. 

Gary Cohn Tried. On the Freakonomics podcast, former advisor to the President Gary Cohn said that he tried to explain to Trump that solar and not coal was the future. During the tariff debate he showed that solar had hundreds of thousands of jobs, up from nothing ten years ago versus coal which is 50,000 and declining. This is in line with what I’ve been told from meetings with Cohn during the 201 tariff discussion. 

12,000 Interconnections. Who’s ordering a Tesla Model Y? During last night’s unveiling Elon highlighted the company’s success including the vast supercharging network. The number now stands at over 12,000 chargers across the world which means that the team had to site, interconnect and build that many systems. Anyone that has had to deal with interconnections, especially my friends in the charging business can attest that this is no small feat. 

Join Me In Boston. Here’s another chance to get your ticket, this isn’t a big theater and we have a few seats left to network and join me on stage at SolarWakeup Live! Boston. We’re talking policy, SMART, community solar and development. Use code SWLB20 for 20% off as a loyal SolarWakeup readers. 

• Bloomberg: Cohn Says He Tried to Sell Trump on Prospects of Solar Over Coal
• Axios: How GM sees the EV charging landscape
• Utility Dive: As US solar expands, states increasingly tackle compensation and community project complexities
• Grist: The best zingers from Greta Thunberg, 16-year-old Nobel Peace Prize nominee
• Seattle Pi: Democratic stars and solar power — Can candidate Inslee break through?
• CleanTechnica: Money Talks – US Clean Energy Jobs Outnumber Fossil Fuel Jobs 3-to-1
• PV-Tech: Residential flourishes and utility flounders in mixed 2018 for US PV
• GreenBiz: Purchasing local solar power is a win-win for cities

Opinion

• Greentech Media: Open Letter to Developers – How to Navigate Solar-Plus-Storage Project Finance

Have a great day!

Yann

Presented by Pfister Energy. Changing the way energy is generated and delivered. Pfister Energy is a leading turnkey design-build renewable energy solutions company. Servicing C&I, community and utility sectors for solar, storage and O&M. Visit pfisterenergy.com for more information

FERC Denied. The PG&E saga continues, now with a federal court denying FERC the jurisdiction it called for with regard to the PPAs. If you recall, NextEra had filed with FERC that the PPAs should be safe from the bankruptcy. This means that the issue becomes a political problem for Governor Newsom. If PG&E is able to cancel existing PPA contracts, it would create irreparable harm to solar in California and across the Country. The cost of solar would skyrocket and all goals that Newsom had planned for would be endangered. 

Utility Startup Incubator. This is a smart move, a utility in the Midwest is starting a tech startup space to enable young companies to get started. Starting a company in energy is difficult and the funding mechanisms for startups in this space requires some traction before money is likely to come in. In the Northeast, the leader in this space is Greentown Labs led by Emily Reichert. Greentown Labs is the largest clean tech incubator in the Country with over 170 companies incubated that have raised over $320million in funding. Emily is joining me on stage at SolarWakeup Live! Boston to share her experiences and the work it takes to raise money in the space. 

Oil Speaks Up GND. Energy executives at CERAWeek went on the record to talk about the Green New Deal and the fact that investors are asking the energy companies what their plan is to lower carbon emissions. Even Rick Perry agreed that AOC shouldn’t be castigated for wanting clean air and clean water. BP’s CEO said that there is a lack of progress on climate issues that investors are angry about. This continues the trend that will see cash rich companies looking for ways to have an impact, not make headline announcements. Big investments into companies that create a big impact on the overall company’s sustainability.

• Utility Dive: Federal court denies FERC jurisdiction in PG&E bankruptcy case
  
• Solar Builder: The U.S. solar industry survived the Trump tariffs. Here are five stats to prove it
  
• Greentech Media: AEP Launches the Latest Utility Contest for Cleantech Startups
  
• Bloomberg: Champions of Big Oil Extend Olive Branch to Green New Dealers
  
• Axios: Debating the future of electric vehicles in oil country
  
• Hartford Courant: Connecticut’s solar panel industry presses for change in state law it sees as threat to its existence
  
• GreenBiz: Behold, a big-picture view of big-company climate commitments 

Opinion

• Indianapolis Star: Critics fear grid modernization bill would give utilities ‘blank check’

Have a great day!

Yann

Presented by CleanChoice Energy. empowering people and businesses to cut emissions, support renewable energy, and live cleaner lives. Founded in 2012, the company has become one of the fastest growing businesses in America, as ranked on the Inc. 500 and Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500™. CleanChoice Energy is a “Best for the World” Certified B Corporation, a member of the American Sustainable Business Council and the U.S. Green Building Council and is certified with the highest available rating by Green America’s Green Business Network. For more information or to become a customer, visit CleanChoiceEnergy.com

Solar Market Grows. The market data for 2018 is out and the result is another double digit year with 2018 closing at 10.6GW. Residential market grew by 7 percent to 2.4GW while the utility scale had some headwinds from the tariffs. The forecast from Wood MacKenzie for 2019 is over 12GW. 

New Mexico Joins Club. Congratulations to the advocacy teams in New Mexico as the legislature overwhelmingly passes a 100% by 2045 RPS bill. The Governor is eagerly waiting for the bill to arrive for her signature which will happen as quickly as possible. New Mexico joins Hawaii, California and D.C. in the 100% club with bills filed in several other States including Massachusetts. We will be digging into the details in Boston on the 26th to talk about what this means to the solar and storage markets. 

More Name Changes. COSeia, the Colorado solar association, is changing its name. With a recent change in leadership, former SEPA staffer Mike Kruger, is now the President and CEO of the Colorado Solar and Storage Association. COSSA is now your State trade association and my hat goes off to the team for making the change. 

PG&E, CPUC and More. There was a story in yesterday’s wakeup about the California Governor’s look inside the CPUC, potentially replacing one or more commissioners. Vote Solar’s Adam Browning opined on the news in this tweet. Adam is right, commissioners should come with or from the renewable energy or solar industry so that the industry that is tasked with changing the energy landscape has an internal expert. 

Sec’s Pompeo and Perry Come To SPI. Just kidding of course, but that was my first thought when I saw that CNBC was interviewing both members of Trump’s cabinet at an energy conference. CERA Week is the Davos of energy with every major energy executive in Houston (just imagine what the tarmac at the airport looks like). There will be a day when the solar trade show brings major cabinet members to the event. There was on solar panel at CERA Week, some names you will recognize. 

Welcome To Live! Join me and many of your market colleagues as we gather in Boston on March 26th. The speakers are getting ready to have a conversation about the current state of affairs and how SMART will roll out. You can see the full agenda at solarwakeuplive.com 

• Reuters: U.S. solar installations to rebound in 2019 as prices plummet – Woodmac
• Greentech Media: New Mexico Governor to Sign 100% Clean Electricity Bill ‘As Quickly As Possible’
• CNBC: Watch CNBC’s exclusive interview with Mike Pompeo and Rick Perry
• Bloomberg: San Francisco’s Version of a Green New Deal Is Taking Over Its Power Company
• Axios: The future of BP’s venture and low-carbon strategies
• ILSR: The State(s) of Distributed Solar — 2018 Update

Opinion

• Utility Dive: Hungry for green power, tech giants choose between utilities, independent developers

Have a great day!

Yann

Presented by ENGIE Storage. (formerly Green Charge) helps power the world more efficiently and sustainably. As the nation’s number one distributed energy storage company, we serve energy producers, distributors, and consumers, including utilities, network operators, and energy consumers in business and government.

Listening Closely. When it comes to the presidential nomination cycle, the race has begun. Each of the aspiring candidates is talking about their renewable energy platforms and what it means to our industry. Pete Buttigieg, Mayor of South Bend Indiana, is getting a national audience on all of the big platforms including Pod Save America and a town hall on CNN. During his Pod Save America interview he spoke more clearly about renewable energy, climate change and the Green New Deal than anyone else on the circuit. Given that we are the same age, I was discounting his ability to cut through the noise but at least on this issue, I want to hear more from the Mayor from an industrial city in the Midwest. If anyone can get coal miners and factory workers to realize that the future of work includes our industry, I think Mayor Pete has a chance. As he puts the Green New Deal, “It correctly situates this as a major national emergency.” Watch the full Pod Save America interview and let’s start a campaign to have Mayor Pete join me on SolarWakeup Live!

Get Your Tickets. Curious about community solar investments in the Northeast and within the SMART program in MA? We have three of the leading operators and developers  in the business on stage at solarwakeuplive.com 

• Grist: Mayor Pete – 2020’s stealth climate candidate
• Vox: Playing hooky to save the climate – why students are striking on March 15
• Greentech Media: California Lawmakers Grapple With Risks and Uncertainties of PG&E’s Bankruptcy
• Think Progress: Touting clean coal, Wheeler calls climate activists ‘oblivious’
• Utility Dive: Arizona regulators at odds over PURPA implementation
• PV-Tech: LONGi Solar becomes world’s largest module manufacturer with latest expansion
• GreenBiz: 25 badass women shaking up the corporate climate movement

Opinion

• Scientific American: Democrats Want Any Infrastructure Bill to Address Climate Change

Have a great day!

Yann