This is your SolarWakeup for July 30th
Inverter Rule Deployed. Just as I wrote about my concerns on the inverters, the FCC came out with a rule about inverter production. Somewhat going further than I expected in that it ‘bans’ all countries of origin but then limits it to ‘new models’. Having heard some experts on what this could mean and how it rolls out, there is room for interpretation on how bad and impactful this could be. More to come.
News
1 Canary Media:
Trump admin bans ‘new’ foreign-made inverters. What does that mean?
2 PV-Tech:
US government bans foreign-produced inverters
3 Bloomberg:
US Risks Broadening China Clash With Robot, Inverter Curbs
4 New York Times:
Trump Administration Is Repurposing Federal Land for A.I. Data Centers
5 Energy Storage News:
Battery storage is an important growth driver, NextEra CEO says, amid merger to create largest regulated utility in US
6 UTility Dive:
CMS Energy plans to sell renewable assets to focus on regulated utilities
7 PV-Magazine:
Enphase leans into Europe, TPO and new tech as U.S. residential solar slump persists
Opinions:
8 Reuters:
Europe's energy transition is now an economic security race
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for July 29th
Inverter Supply Chains. I worry about this one and worry about the lack of concern from the broader market. Whatever happens at the DC level could range from disruptive to market altering but any situation will cause headaches for the market. The growth of domestic manufacturing will have to come from players that are subpar and not ready for primetime while the larger folks have learned their lessons with scaling power manufacturing. My point being, you should get ahead of this now.
News
1 PV-Tech:
European PV inverter manufacturing
2 Bloomberg:
As US Residential Solar Industry Craters, Florida Bucks Trend
3 Utility Dive:
PJM board proposes backstop capacity auction, data center curtailment plans
4 Reuters:
Big Tech takes on power project risk to avoid forecast jump in prices
5 Energy Storage news:
Inside the container
6 Canary Media:
Solar-powered EV carshare pilot launches in Massachusetts
7 PV-Magazine:
MN8 Energy to acquire Greenbacker for $375 million, creating 6 GW renewable energy platform
Opinions:
8 Solar Power World:
Op-ed
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for July 28th
A Premium Launch. Next month, after 14 years, I’ll be launching a limited size premium distribution of the SolarWakeup commentary. Consider it a micro consulting view of the solar market reserved for those of you that want another voice in your dataset on the most important trend. A two-way conversation to shape the dialogue and get inputs from your competitors and peers to help your decision making. More information coming soon.
News
1 PV-Magazine:
As solar breaks records, its security must catch up
2 Utility Dive:
Trump’s ‘vindictive’ use of energy, other grants sparks backlash
3 Bloomberg:
Backlash Over Data Centers, Power Costs Tests GOP’s Hold on Ohio
4 Axios:
Cracks appear in the vision of off-grid AI data centers
5 Reuters:
Tata Power eyes first solar exports to Europe as EU curbs China reliance
6 PV-Tech:
US DOC starts AD/CVD probe into Ethiopian solar cell producers, Toyo claims it ‘does not use Chinese wafers’
7 Energy Storage News:
Energy storage generates nearly 20% of CATL’s revenues in first half of 2026
Opinions:
8 Solar Power World:
Op-ed
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for July 27th
We’re Back! Heading into the Summer finale, SolarWakeup is back to full-time scheduling, which means 3-4 episodes a week to bring you the meaningful news of the day that affects executives in the solar industry. Please share this with your colleagues who may not be staying up to date. I have some exciting updates for you this week on some new launches within the platform. It’s always great to hear from you, if you have news, tips or ideas of interesting things in solar, you can hit reply to these emails and get right into my inbox.
News
1 Reuters:
BP nears deal to sell solar business to Kuwait-backed group, FT reports
2 Utility Dive:
GE Vernova gas turbine backlog climbs to 116 GW
3 PV-Magazine:
States can pursue 20 strategies to speed low-cost clean energy, says Energy Innovation
4 Axios:
What it's like inside the data centers powering the AI boom
5 Solar Builder:
Canadian investment firm Brookfield agrees to $7B deal for Aypa Power
6 Bloomberg:
China Aims to Boost Renewable Energy Consumption 53% by 2030
7 PV-Tech:
Panamint Capital breaks ground on 1.2GWdc Texas solar project
8 Solar Power World:
SC judge determines solar manufacturing needs ‘heavy industrial’ zoning
9 Energy Storage News:
‘Set it and forget it’
Opinions:
10 Canary Media:
Solar is booming in Indiana. Not everyone is happy about it.
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for July 23rd
Opinion
News
1 Axios:
Robotaxi infrastructure draws investor rush
2 Utility Dive:
US data center electricity use could more than double by 2030 - report
3 Solar Power World:
SEIA publishes report for increasing solar inverter cybersecurity
4 Energy Storage News:
FEOC compliance for BESS is a decade-long obligation
5 PV-Magazine:
Toyo says products made in Texas facility in 2025 expected be eligible for 45X tax credits
6 Bloomberg:
Germany to Slash Renewable Subsidies As Solar Surge Tests Grids
7 Reuters:
Morocco-Germany $30 billion power cable stalled by governance disagreements, sources say
8 Canary Media:
Balcony solar is sweeping the US, but who’s actually selling it?
9 Wall Street Journal:
Heineken Is Trying a Heat Battery to Generate Steam for Its Brewing
Opinions:
10 New York Times:
Why States Are Making It Harder to Save Money With Solar Panels
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for July 20th
Opinion
News
1 Axios:
Pawlenty's theory of the case for solar success
2 Utility Dive:
Renewables remain cheapest lcoe risinglazard
3 Bloomberg:
China to Impose Consumption Tax on Solar and Lithium Batteries
4 Reuters:
Trump cuts to clean energy linked to $83 billion in delayed or canceled projects
5 PV-Tech:
Navigating US solar cell supply
6 Solar Power World:
US will investigate solar cells from Ethiopia for potential tariff circumvention
7 Energy Storage News:
Eos to provide energy storage for US Department of Defense ‘Golden Dome,’ releases preliminary Q2 financials
8 Canary Media:
Google buys power from record-busting solar-battery site in Arkansas
Opinions:
9 PV-Magazine:
Rise in solar module prices comes to a halt
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for July 13th
The Slaughter Precedent. I made some of my viewpoints known about the impacts of the Slaughter decision a few weeks back but now you have the view of a particular expert, the former FERC chair that also happens to work in the solar industry. Worth a read.
News
1 Utility Dive:
Former FERC officials concerned about Supreme Court Slaughter decision impacts
2 PV-Tech:
EU’s Chinese inverter ban could affect 14% of future solar demand, Wood Mackenzie says
3 PV-Magazine:
Palmetto launches standalone residential battery subscription plan
4 Bloomberg:
China’s Top Solar Firm Makes Switch From Silver to Copper
5 Axios:
Microsoft's AI boom collides with its climate goals
6 Reuters:
From curiosity to cornerstone - how batteries went mainstream
7 Energy Storage News:
In the age of AI data centres and electrification, the grid is the real bottleneck
8 Canary Media:
Trump’s clean energy attacks are costing the US jobs
Opinions:
9 New York Times:
Energy Abundance Is Here. Can the U.S. Catch Up?
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for July 9th
Inflationary Loss Of Tax Credits. The loss of the ITC causes the increase of off take cost by something like $20-$30 per MWh depending on where you are. One side will argue that that’s the market cost, i.e. a data center or utility pays for the energy that is produced without influence. On the other hand, if a solar deal goes up by $20, so will the pressure on the wholesale market because the value will levelize across the entire grid. The argument for the ITC extension is straightforward, it lowers the cost to consumers and businesses and spreads that cost, i.e. the cost of the tax credit, across the entire Federal balance sheet.
News
1 Reuters:
Killing wind and solar subsidies will make US electricity more expensive
2 Canary Media:
Data centers use more power in the US than in any other country
3 PV-Magazine:
Qualifying for solar tax credits beyond the July 4th deadline
4 PV-Tech:
US considers ban on Chinese solar inverters
5 New York Times:
Energy Dept. Orders Data Centers to Tap Backup Power
6 Utility Dive:
US wholesale power prices to decline 8% this summer - EIA
7 Axios:
A renewables playbook for the rest of Trump 2.0
8 Solar Power World:
Enphase debuts smart thermostat displaying home solar production
Opinions:
9 Bloomberg:
Renewables Hit Record Share of India Power Mix as Coal Flatlines
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for July 3rd
The Cost Of Inaction. What happens when cost of solar goes up $20-$30/MWh? Does it slow development? Construction? Legal work? All the while reducing more work from the tax equity bankers and their consultants. This is part to the conversation we’re having about the ITC but some headlines in action.
News
1 Utility Dive:
Analysts expect rising PPA prices as clean energy tax credits phase out
2 PV-Tech:
Solar PV LCOE ticks marginally upwards in 2025, reaching US$44/MWh – IRENA
3 New York Times:
Energy Dept. Orders Data Centers to Tap Backup Power
4 Axios:
Polis defends data centers as Colorado juggles energy demands
5 BUsiness Insider:
Autonomous construction bots are building the solar infrastructure behind Meta's massive Hyperion data center
6 Reuters:
Britain scraps planning consultation requirement to speed major infrastructure projects
7 Energy Storage News:
Calculating state of charge (SOC) in BESS
Opinions:
8 PV-Magazine:
U.S. ITC issues limited exclusion order against Voltage in Shoals patent dispute
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for July 2nd
Certainty And Security. This week Shoals won a long fought battle to protect its IP in the eBOS segment at the International Trade Commission. This underpins an important factor that I’ve heard over and over again from IPPs and EPCs alike, the value is in a good product but more importantly for the project execution, it’s the certainty of delivery with minimal risks. Shoals sits at that forefront of having a great product but also mitigated risk in upstream supply chain and delivery given its now expanded domestic manufacturing.
News
1 PV-Tech:
ITC final determination finds Voltage in violation of Shoals trunk bus patents
2 Energy Storage News:
Co-location of solar and BESS still has a long way to go
3 Axios:
Google's AI boom sends emissions, power use soaring
4 Bloomberg:
More Americans Are Installing Home Batteries. Here’s Why
5 New York Times:
Trump Administration Pays Duke Energy $129 Million to Halt Offshore Wind Farm
6 Reuters:
Europe's solar boom is masking a growing strain on power markets
7 Canary Media:
Vermont is boosting new homes that can cut energy use in half
8 PV-Magazine:
New Jersey legislature unanimously passes plug-in solar bill
Opinions:
9 Utility Dive:
Sen. King urges FERC to reject $67B NextEra-Dominion merger
Have a great day!
Yann
