Don’t Forget The Survey. One more day to get your survey response in, it takes 3 minutes and helps the entire industry. Here is the link
Solar Power Power. DC is going to pass a stimulus bill in the coming weeks to deal with the economic effects of corona and the oil price wars. Focusing on the second one, oil producers across the US will either stop production or lose money with the low oil price that’s now in the market. The White House is floating and the Senate will try to push into the stimulus bill a bailout or tax credit for oil companies. This is going to be the moment of truth for solar advocates in DC, does solar have any political influence that translates into results? The analysis of that question will be black and white, either the ITC returns and gets extended or solar is left out of the bill. There will be a bill and the answer will be yes or no when it comes to solar.
The Network Effect. The dealer network is a new battleground in residential solar. Module OEMs and financing companies are battling for the primary value creator for solar installers across the Country. At the same time, those that should have a bigger dealer network are underestimating the value that they can provide and in return receive from the dealers.
The Battle Is On. The original dealer network came from SunPower, so powerful that the company’s partners rebranded to SunPower by. Loan companies followed suit, Mosaic taking the lead and Sunnova quickly joining the network creation which made sense given the financial relationship that exists between the installer, homeowner and loan provider. Module OEMs have a network of platinum or elite installers but the relationship is a bit looser at this point, but don’t sleep on this.
Control Of Sales Levers. Yesterday after market close, Vivint Solar released their fourth quarter earnings and held their conference call. The quote of the call was “we like the control of sales” referring to the company’s direct to consumer sales force that allows the company to decide where and how to sell solar. While Vivint believes that they can grow faster, they don’t want to grow for growth’s sake and keep their focus on markets where they can make money and grow faster than the rest of the market calling out MA, NJ and CA. How do you control your sales levers?
- Axios: White House weighing aid for oil producers amid price collapse
- Chicago Tribune: Shining a light on solar power – How Chicago homeowners — and apartment dwellers — can save with renewable energy
- Greentech Media: New Jersey Finalizes Transitional Solar Incentives, Giving Industry Price Certainty
- Utility Dive: Duke, Dominion, Southern won’t hit clean energy targets at current pace – Report
- Solar Power World: Force majeure – What does the coronavirus mean for your solar contract?
- PV-Tech: Yingli Green hit by resignation of all four independent directors
- Grist: Meet the 2020 Grist 50!
- Reuters: Pattern Energy shareholders approve CPPIB’s $2.63 billion deal
- Rocky Mountain Institute: Implementing Puerto Rico’s Energy Transformation
Opinion
Best, Yann