Newsom Takes Over, Prediction. The 5th largest economy in the world now has a new Governor, California is now led by Gavin Newsom. Under the leadership of his predecessor, Jerry Brown, CA signed SB100 with the goal to get to 100% carbon free electricity in the next 30 years. Newsom has campaigned on an aggressive continuation to fight climate change, showing his agenda in a series of tweets yesterday. I’m excited to see how the agenda plays out and the support he gets from the legislature. Starting this year, Newsom will have to take a position on the future of PG&E given the horrible wild fires likely caused by power lines. I predict that PG&E will have to pay a steep price if there is a bailout by the ratepayers for a second year in a row. This is the political leverage that Newsom and the legislature could use to push a giant climate agenda.
GOP On The Sidelines. SEIA solar champion, Carlos Curbelo, participated in Meet The Press’s climate change episode and retired GOP congressman, Ryan Costello, is back in DC advocating for a carbon tax. This comes the week that SEIA government relations pro, Brandon Audap, moved to Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions to continue the push for “commonsense solutions for reliable energy while preserving the environment.” The shift could show that there is a future for bipartisan legislation that passes Congress to move clean energy markets forward.
GreenBiz Outlooks. I enjoy reading prediction pieces in the beginning of the year because you get different perspectives. GreenBiz publishes some of the most relevant stories that are deep on topic and the editor’s view of 2019 does show some things that make you ponder the future. From nuclear energy to non-lithium energy storage, the upcoming year may provide some interesting ideas. I do hope that more folks, especially tech billionaires hoping to reverse climate change, would put some focus on the development that the solar market has been able to achieve.
Hear Some Changes. GTM’s Stephen Lacey announced yesterday that he would be pursuing a new venture, a podcast production company called Post Script. Stephen will continue to produce and host The Energy Gang and The Interchange but will leave his post as Editor in Chief. All the best in the new venture and it will be great to hear more clean energy thoughts coming out of this platform.
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- Axios: Former GOP Rep. Ryan Costello pushes carbon tax
- PV-Magazine: #Solar100’s Jenny Chase – Speaker of unpopular solar opinions
- GreenBiz: Potential energy – 7 hopeful power prognostications for 2019
- Think Progress: Supreme Court issues ‘crushing blow’ to Exxon in major climate case, legal experts say
- Renewable Energy World: Notes from the Solar Underground – Is China’s Domestic Solar Industry Too Big To Fail?
- PV-Tech: SunPower shifting to a third party solar panel purchasing strategy in the US
- CleanTechnica: Rooftop Solar Curtailment To Ease With Refocused Hawaii Energy Contracts
Opinion
Have a great day!
Yann