The links are live. Let’s try this out. Starting today, until further notice, the emails will have the links right in the email. That means you don’t have to go to the website to route yourself to the article you find interesting. That means that I am hurting the one metric that would allow me to monetize which is web clicks but I am doing it to improve your experience. What can you do for me? Help me get more subscribers! Tell your friends and make your employees subscribe.
Watch this space! Over 110 actions against solar net metering were taken up by utilities across the US in 2015 and 2016. The losses for solar could be counted on one hand. While for some reason I am in the minority in this thinking, I am convinced that it is because the industry played politics. And it wasn’t SEIA or the State Chapters. It was the controversial funding of non-profits with grey money, the tactics of TASC and the audacity of small business owners picketing the commissions to save their companies. I sincerely hope that we are not descending into the desire to play policy instead of politics but I think I am wrong. Just look at where we are in Arizona and the headline in Maine from yesterday. Someone please tell me I am wrong.
Chasing returns in known knowns. Here is what we know. University endowments had a terrible year, with 805 colleges average a return of negative 1.9%. If public disclosures show us those kinds of returns, I bet the private funds and pension funds didn’t fare much better. With solar returns well above 5% unlevered, you KNOW that you can get some money put to work with nice profits. Always the chicken and the egg because it’s not that easy to put $5billion to work in our industry but they can always send it my way and I’ll point them in the right direction J.
More SunShot love. I will keep praising SunShot because they’ve done great work and continue to with another $30million announcement yesterday. What Minh Le is bringing up is totally valid, there is not political reason to get rid of SunShot but there is a corporate reason, the Kochs just don’t like innovation that threatens them. Is it a big enough fish for the GOP to cut? Yes. Is it a big enough fight for the Dems in the Senate to force it to be funded? 50/50.
- PV-Magazine: Utilities still struggle to win fixed, demand charge
- CleanTechnica: World’s Largest Oil Company, Saudi Aramco,Mulling $5 Billion Renewable Investment
- PV-Tech: Closing Sunshot Initiative would be a back step for Trump Administration, warns former director
- Rocky Mountain Institute: Eight Areas of Electricity Innovation to Watch in 2017
- Recharge News: EU on track to meet 2020 renewable goals but UK lags
- Utility Dive: How behind-the-meter storage could make up 50% of the U.S. market by 2021
- Reuters: Brazil solar energy drive stalled by high costs, strict rules
- Portland Press Herald: Maine regulators seek middle ground in residential solar incentives
Opinion
Have a great day!
Yann