This is your SolarWakeup for May 18th, 2018

A lot is happening in solar and things are coming together after a tough year. Markets like Florida and Illinois are poised to be major going forward and we have to fight to maintain the traction we had in CT and MA. Change is hard for many, we’ll highlight some of that in today’s Wakeup. Remember, if there are stories that need to be covered in your neighborhood, send them this way. Together we make solar stronger. Have a great weekend!

Learn About Illinois. Don’t forget to mark your calendars and book your trip to Chicago. On June 21st the leaders behind the energy policy in this hot market will be giving the insight. If you are an investor looking to make your splash here, we have some great sponsorship opportunities that match you with developers in the market. You can register at solarwakeuplive.com

Corporate Solar America. Frank covers the reports from Deloitte on the attitude coming out of corporate board rooms. With the polled corporations saying that 70% of their customers expect them to drive action on the clean tech issues. That’s why I get excited when a corporate sustainability professional subscribes to SolarWakeup, it shows a level of dedication to solar.

2 Years Of SEIA, 20 Years of SEIA PAC. Let’s put one state’s utility lobbying spend in perspective. In Florida, the investor owned utilities spent $43 million in the past two election cycles. That is an understated amount considering the money that went to lobbyists, internal and external, plus the PR firms to shape the messaging. In comparison, SEIA would have funded more than years of operations and likely over a decade in SEIA PAC spending based on historical numbers. We will never outspend the incumbent market participants but we will outlive and outvote them. Half of the Florida spending went to a ballot initiative that failed due to the grassroots support for the solar industry.

Well Regulated Monopoly. John Grisham is going to move to South Carolina and write a thriller about backroom deals the utility. The plot will include a $9billion blunder and an attempt to hide the information from regulators who oversee the utility in return for double digit returns and a monopoly. Seriously though, how in the world can a regulator do the best for consumers if the corporation it is supposed to oversee refuses to comply with the oversight.

Thou Shall Not? Arizona solar numbers are on the uptick and large scale solar plus storage are coming online at amazing numbers. With the new APS RFP, it seems like APS may be stepping back in time against the sentiments of the corporation commission.

Opinion

Have a great day!

Yann