Not A Great Headline. Yesterday Walmart filed suit against Tesla. The suit is based centered around the portfolio of projects that SolarCity installed on over 200 locations over the past decade and 7 sites that caught on fire since 2012. Project financing aside and I haven’t seen the specific power purchase agreements, this isn’t a good look for solar installation, commissioning and maintenance. The pictures tell the story of near misses and fires starting when the sites were de-energized. More importantly, how did no-one know that the portfolio has been turned off for so long if the facts of the article are correct? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. We have to care about building better solar, not only do we need to keep each other honest but we also need to hold ourselves accountable. Saving a dollar and doing it the wrong way shouldn’t be an option for your business. This also provides a highlight for asset owners that try to go cheap on commissioning or send day labor to do electrical O&M. I am not going to let the customers off the hook either, don’t make solar developers and installers get into the dirt because you will get what you pay for. If you like that 50% savings PPA then expect the corresponding installation quality. Hire consultants and advisors that will make sure the longevity of the system is taken care of no matter how many times the SPV changes hands.
Would You Fly Electric? I drive an electric car and would love for every bus to be electric. I’m all aboard the electric trains and ferries. Not sure how I feel about a Boeing 777EV though. Love the concept but someone else needs to fly it first. At least we know the space shuttle won’t be electric anytime soon! (Physics majors stay out of my inbox)
The Microgrid C&I Future. Microgrids are great and have awesome potential but that industry is going to learn some painful lessons that C&I solar worked on for the last 20 years. It’s hard, it’s slow and you better learn to underwrite credit in a way that is more efficient than solar.
Rent The Panels. I don’t want to double your Tesla stories but renting the panels seems like a crappier marketing tool than the original no term contract financing/lease that was presented a few days ago. It also highlights what I would consider a fatal flaw in the offering. Solar panels will be better in 5 years. Elon said that buying is better and he’s right in a sense but he’s wrong because you’re better off doing solar in this structure for 5 years, pay the $1,500 and then replace them with newer and better widgets. Find me the clause that will cover Tesla from mass removals down the road.
- CNBC: Walmart sues Tesla over solar panel fires at seven stores
- GreenBiz: 6 electric aviation companies to watch
- Greentech Media: Ameresco Plots Larger Role for Solar and Storage
- Utility Dive: Tesla relaunches solar division, will rent rooftop systems in 6 states
- Hartford Business: Struggling FuelCell Energy replaces CEO
- PV-Tech: Lightsource BP readying construction of 70MW trio for US university
- Think Progress: Wealthy nations won’t be spared economic climate impacts, new study finds
- EDF: HB 6 – The fight is not over in Ohio
Opinion
Have a great day!
Yann