This is your SolarWakeup for June 14th, 2024

The 50 Years of Solar. Last night the solar industry filled the atrium of the National Portrait Gallery and celebrated via a Gala the 50-year anniversary of this industry. Some of the founders were there and we’ll include the almost founder Tony Clifford of Standard Solar. It’s always great to see him. I doubt that anyone in 1974 would have imagined 5 million solar installations, 200GW, and $60B of deployment per year in the half century that would follow. SEIA was founded 5 years before President Carter installed solar on the pool house at the White House (Reagan didn’t love them). Congrats and thank you to the 50+ tables at the event, I love seeing the progress.

Trip Down Memory Lane. Some (maybe many) of you have been following this newsletter long enough to know that in some ways we’re the unofficial chronicle of the solar market, both external and internal. In the early days, I recognized that SolarWakeup may have been a thorn in the sides of those who were running SEIA. Things were messy and it wasn’t clear which direction solar should go but like a strong family, we kind of figured it out. Yes, there was a time when we debated whether SEIA should advocate for the ITC or let it go, I was called a welfare queen when I (along with some support) launched the Solar Pledge. Those of you who remember me as a PIA, I’m sorry, I’m glad I consider you friends today. So here’s the message for the next 50 years of SEIA leaders. Let’s take our rightful place to build a better grid, cleaner grid, more equitable and cheaper grid, and ultimately a grid where solar power shines at night. Here’s to the Solar Century!

Opinion

Best, Yann