This is your SolarWakeup for July 18th, 2018

SolarWakeup Is Now Pacific Time. Yesterday I took the one way flight to SF to be here full time. I appreciate the many notes of welcome and look forward to being within the hub of the solar industry. I’ll start most mornings right here in Walnut Creek at the Quick Mount manufacturing facility to serve the residential solar market. These are exciting times and I’m glad to play my part in this role. I look forward to working with many readers and hopefully do some business together along the way.

Political Reality Of Corporate America. Much has been written and said about Elon Musk’s political donations. Most of the comments I’ve received come from outside the solar industry but even within the industry, people are whispering. Yes, Elon gives to the republican party including PACs. The numbers released are in the 10’s of thousands, hardly a dent for a billionaire that has two companies, both of which require legislative action and funding. Just with SpaceX you can imagine the tens of millions that the Government pays to shuttle satellites on top of the access to locations like Cape Canaveral. This is a long way to say that donating to politicians is part of the game and one that even Elon has no choice in participating in. The solar industry isn’t immune, from hiring former republican Senators to lobby or handing out solar champion awards to GOP congressmen.

Blockchain Docket In Arizona. Transactive energy, seems like a fancy way to say that net metering or its equivalent can be handled by a blockchain protocol similar to our discussion with LO3 Energy during SolarWakeup Live! New York. I’m interested to see how the providers engage this discussion and if a pilot program is implemented.

Undermining Net Metering. There is going to be an urgency to change net metering programs across the Country. Infrastructure investments by utilities have a way of stacking on top of each other in a way that the value of solar and solar plus storage increased over time. More solar means less infrastructure spending needed which results in bigger and bigger savings to all energy consumers. The cost shift argument is a talking point, I haven’t heard of utilities trying to ban LED lightbulbs or more efficient refrigerators. Net metering is simple and it gives consumers comfort to make investments, the simplicity is what opponents want to disrupt.

Presented by ENGIE. ENGIE (formerly SoCore Energy) is a market leader in commercial, industrial, and distributed solar and storage portfolio development with installations across some 25 states. ENGIE offers commercial and industrial companies, electric cooperatives, and communities solar and storage solutions that provide energy cost savings, increased resiliency and carbon reduction opportunities.

Opinion

Have a great day!

Yann