This is your SolarWakeup for March 13th, 2019

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Solar Market Grows. The market data for 2018 is out and the result is another double digit year with 2018 closing at 10.6GW. Residential market grew by 7 percent to 2.4GW while the utility scale had some headwinds from the tariffs. The forecast from Wood MacKenzie for 2019 is over 12GW. 

New Mexico Joins Club. Congratulations to the advocacy teams in New Mexico as the legislature overwhelmingly passes a 100% by 2045 RPS bill. The Governor is eagerly waiting for the bill to arrive for her signature which will happen as quickly as possible. New Mexico joins Hawaii, California and D.C. in the 100% club with bills filed in several other States including Massachusetts. We will be digging into the details in Boston on the 26th to talk about what this means to the solar and storage markets. 

More Name Changes. COSeia, the Colorado solar association, is changing its name. With a recent change in leadership, former SEPA staffer Mike Kruger, is now the President and CEO of the Colorado Solar and Storage Association. COSSA is now your State trade association and my hat goes off to the team for making the change. 

PG&E, CPUC and More. There was a story in yesterday’s wakeup about the California Governor’s look inside the CPUC, potentially replacing one or more commissioners. Vote Solar’s Adam Browning opined on the news in this tweet. Adam is right, commissioners should come with or from the renewable energy or solar industry so that the industry that is tasked with changing the energy landscape has an internal expert. 

Sec’s Pompeo and Perry Come To SPI. Just kidding of course, but that was my first thought when I saw that CNBC was interviewing both members of Trump’s cabinet at an energy conference. CERA Week is the Davos of energy with every major energy executive in Houston (just imagine what the tarmac at the airport looks like). There will be a day when the solar trade show brings major cabinet members to the event. There was on solar panel at CERA Week, some names you will recognize. 

Welcome To Live! Join me and many of your market colleagues as we gather in Boston on March 26th. The speakers are getting ready to have a conversation about the current state of affairs and how SMART will roll out. You can see the full agenda at solarwakeuplive.com 

Opinion

 

Have a great day!

Yann