Modernizing Development. The interconnection process is filled with unknowns and utility control especially when it comes to larger distributed and utility scale projects. With the release of the ICA maps by California IOUs, it shows the solar industry what development could look like if the process was made more transparent and standardized. It would be great to overlay additional information if storage was added at nodes that had limited capacity in order to allow solar developers the ability to show customers what would be required for their ideal project to move forward. Farmers have a particular issue with trying to add MW sized projects for energy savings, often having to wait months to learn of the interconnection fate.
Palmetto State, Comeback. South Carolina played legislative tricks on solar last year for the policy initiatives that would have done well for Gamecocks/Tigers throughout South Carolina. With the legislature coming back to work, SEIA and allies are pushing for a bill that includes a solar bill of rights along with market enabling policy. This isn’t a function of incentives, this is a debate about letting the market work for consumers. When it comes to energy choice in South Carolina, consumers can benefit financially from going solar because the free market has made it so. Instead of supporting the incumbent monopoly, South Carolina’s elected officials should do what they believe and let consumers have a choice going forward.
Growing Economy Not Pollution. According to the Rhodium Group, whose partner is Trevor Houser (former energy advisor to the Hillary Clinton campaign), 2018 saw an increase in the carbon emissions in the US. This is the first annual increase in emissions since 2010 and caps the declines that crested in 2015. This is the byproduct of the economic growth we have seen and lower fuel costs caused more people to drive. With business thriving, even with natural gas plants replacing coal, the emissions increased by over 3% last year.
SolarEdge Strategizes, Acquires. SolarEdge is getting beyond the solar sector with the acquisition of Italian e-mobility company SMRE. This goes into the strategy of merging solar, storage and electric vehicles in a distributed setting. SolarEdge had previously acquired Kokam, the energy storage manufacturer.
- Utility Dive: California IOUs provide solar developers with map to grow renewables
- Solar Power World: Solar industry urges South Carolina legislature to pass broad energy market reform bill
- Greentech Media: US Energy-Related Emissions Spike in 2018, Per Rhodium Group
- PV-Tech: SolarEdge makes e-mobility play with latest acquisition
- EDF: Why clean energy investments should be part of your risk management strategy
- Yale: Policy incentives needed to boost clean tech efforts
- PV-Magazine: The birth of the solar + storage peaker
Opinion
Have a great day!
Yann