This is your SolarWakeup for June 10th, 2020

May Survey. Transitioning to a monthly survey and looking at the entire month of May for the solar industry. This 3 minute survey will help educate those watching the market and help you see what else is going on in our industry. You can see the full results of previous surveys here and fill out your response for May here

It’s More Than Cost. A new study published by UC Berkeley and Gridlab will be all the talk this week, mainly because the headline tells us what we want to hear. Achieving 90% renewables by 2035 will be cheaper than where we are today. Here are some things to consider that would strengthen and also render it more complicated. While it’s easy to take large scale solar RFP results and extrapolate, it will take an entire system of generation to make it work for the new way of consumption. EVs and home offices will change energy usage across the system. The study is very likely underestimating the speed and depth of cost declines for energy storage, both distributed and large scale.

Fight For Electrification. Electrification of everything is the trend of the decade and if any of you still use a gas stove, you’re missing out on the joys of induction. As I move to my home in Florida, where I designed for hurricane prep, I installed a full home transfer switch for a backup system and a large gas tank to power the likely generator. The only other item I use the gas for is the instant hot water heater because 80A draw for an electric instant hot wasn’t in the cards. I’ll be back with you for advice on solar/batter/generator design and product selection soon. What do you use gas for?

Holding CA On Aliso. Speaking of gas, Governor Newsom wanted Aliso Canyon’s usage to come to a halt but since the environmental disaster a few years ago, the site is producing more than before. It may have faded into the background but activists should hold the Governor on his promise.

Presented by Adani Green Energy. Adani is a fully integrated renewables company, from solar cell and module manufacturing to ownership and operation. The company has a top global operating and contracted pipeline of over 14 GW. Adani is the recipient of the largest solar award ever of 8 GW, which includes a single site project of 2 GW – tied for the world’s largest. No one knows mega-scale projects like Adani. 

Opinion

Best, Yann