This is your SolarWakeup for August 22nd, 2019

Inslee Drops Out. Governor Inslee announced last night that he was ending his presidential campaign. The short story is that his campaign ran out of money faster than it ran out of ideas. Just a few hours before announcing the end, Inslee’s campaign rolled out the 6th plan focused on climate change with a focus on rural land optimization. This comes on the heels of a troubling report of the impact on land due to climate change. 

The Legacy Continues. If Inslee had one main impact on the politics of today it was the climate debate. He pushed for it and fought for it and while he won’t be on the stage, it has become politically impossible for frontrunners to stay off the stage. After initially having a scheduling conflict, Senator Harris’ campaign found the political blowback untenable and made the schedule work. The Inslee plans are also alive and well, plans that other campaigns can take on in whole or parts. 

Painting A Picture. Some solar folks have been reading the Walmart complaint about the fires and I appreciate the many emails I received on the topic yesterday. There is little doubt that this had a lot to do with procedures and shortcuts on the electrical side. Not playing solar defense attorney but if a house were wired with similar craftsmanship, it likely wouldn’t make it to the end of the mortgage either. That being said, I’ve been vocal about solar’s need to get better quality out there, this is a mainstream media reminder that now is the time. 

A Plan To Focus On. When the New York Times ran a headline about flooding in Hamburg, Iowa and the mayor clearly stating that this is the living effect of climate change, the world changed in some ways. As an industry we need to tell the story of solar in farming communities, benefits of job creation, financial reward and community benefits. If I had a staff of reporters that’s the story I would want to tell. On the ground in rural communities because there is a solar overlap somewhere. 

Opinion

Have a great day!

Yann