This is your SolarWakeup for March 17th, 2020

Testing The Impact. The only way we can understand the depth and duration of the coronavirus impact on the solar market is to track the four markers: deals signed, loans closed, permits approved and projects installed. Through the SolarWakeup survey tracker and partnerships with key analytics firms, we will guide you through this. While I can deliver the data, I can’t make it up and your participation is key. We need the collective us to share information so that the data becomes most useful. The goal is to deliver weekly analytics in a way that helps you adjust your metrics. For example, when you have the first good week after the lull, is it just you or the entire market? If you see others are also doing better, you will feel more inclined to get back at it at full strength. That’s the goal, isolate quickly and then get back after it. Here is the link to this week’s tracker

Cities Shelter In Place. You may have heard that cities in and around San Francisco have a public health order to shelter in place. The headline is underpinned by details that are important to the solar industry. Let me preface with, if you can do your job from home, please do so for as long as you can. There is an exclusion for two purposes, essential businesses and minimum business operations for which necessary employees can continue working while maintaining safe distances to stop the spread. For Bay Area solar installers with a backlog of solar plus storage systems, it is up to you to determine the importance you play in advance of the wildfire season. My point is that solar will not stop because the Bay Area is working from home, our work is essential to the future of this Country because while corona may be the now problem, climate change remains as important as ever.

Bullish On Solar. Before the market opens today, there looks to be a nice bounce after yesterday’s massive drop. Losing over 12% and reaching the all-time high on the VIX yesterday, I see positive signs on the horizon after we get through some difficult times. The solar names have been beaten down, some of them trading at 50% of the price of a few weeks ago. Here’s the question you want to ask yourself; 5 years from now, will there be more solar installed on homes, buildings and farmland or less? If you agree with me, get ready to get invested because I’m bullish on solar.

Bailouts Are Coming. The airline trade association is asking for $25billion in grants and $25billion in zero interest loans while the casinos are also in DC ringing the bell. Their direct line to the White House prompted a Trump tweet, “The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before!” I’ve got some asks to attach to the bill.

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Best, Yann