Solar Jobs. Launching a new feature in SolarWakeup you will find below. I’ll be looking at job boards to bring you some interesting opportunities in the sector. Connecting job seekers and hiring companies has been one of the best parts of this newsletter and I want to grow that further. If you have interesting jobs, send me the link. This will be a free feature for now but will transition to premium as we gain traction and show how valuable this network is for everyone.
The Solar Race, Visualized. Wood Mackenzie is out with a visualization of the cumulative capacity installed by Country. You can check it out for yourself here and let’s check back in a few years to see how the forecast came to life.
Win, Win, Win? Xcel is going all in on transitioning to 100% clean energy including the shutting of operating coal plants, years ahead of schedule. From a climate and PR perspective this is exactly what Americans are asking for. A win for clean air. At the same time the utility gets to add early retirement costs to the rate base while also increasing it for new generation. A win for the shareholders. The consumers may see a win over time as the transition continues if the regulators mix the renewables added through 3rd party and internal investments. With lower volatility on the renewable mix, I see it as a win as well, one that should be emulated across the Country.
Looking At Cities. Michael Bloomberg and Rocky Mountain Institute are partnering to show cities on how to act for a clean energy future. This is going to cross assumed political spectrums where the cities range from Florida, Idaho to Ohio. At the same time you can look at Santa Monica announcing a major commitment alongside Austin, cities in two States that could not be farther apart on the spectrum.
The British Are Landing. The US business unit of Lightsource BP has signed a 100MW PPA with the Alabama Municipal Electric Authority. Lightsource BP is now led by Kevin Smith, the former CEO of SolarReserve, whose talking points once included why PV can’t compete with concentrating solar. Welcome to PV, Alabama!
- Vox: A major US utility is moving toward 100% clean energy faster than expected
- Rocky Mountain Institute: Cities in Red and Blue States Act for a Clean Energy Future
- Renewable Energy World: Alabama Municipal Electric Authority signs 100-MW solar PPA
- Utility Dive: Santa Monica, CA passes $800M plan to go carbon neutral by 2050
- Think Progress: Austin is proving that cities in conservative states can lead on climate action
- Greentech Media: Schneider Buys Stake in AutoGrid to Tap Its Software for Distributed Energy and Microgrids
- PV-Tech: Canadian Solar secures 1.8GW solar panel supply deal with EDF Renewables North America
Opinion
Have a great day!
Yann