By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent
By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent
As most of you know, I've long been a crusader for diversity. I helped host the first diversity conference in the hotel industry back in 1998. I took the golf course maintenance industry to task for its lack of diversity in an article headlined, "Why Is This Industry So White?" And I sat on the Minorities in Pest Management committee when I wasn't writing about cockroaches and bed bugs in the pest management industry. So diversity is kinda my thing, which is why I am thrilled with the Solar Energy Industries Association's work on bringing diversity into the solar industry. Abigail Ross Hopper, Andrea Luecke and the teams at SEIA and The Solar Foundation (respectively) have already done more in this industry than any other industry I've been in had accomplished - and the beauty is, they're just getting started. Dusty Baker, erstwhile baseball player and successful manager, is also interested in diversifying solar, which is why he started Baker Energy Team to focus on the solar industry. Specifically, he joined it after attending several cleantech conferences and noticing there weren't a lot of people that looked like him, according to a Bloomberg news article about the startup.He founded Baker Energy Team four years ago, between managerial stints with the Reds and Nationals. He wasn’t considering a second act in solar; he already had an upstart wine business. But he took up a longstanding offer to go pheasant hunting with an investment banker he had met in a Chicago hotel bar, which led him to clean-tech conferences in Newport Beach and Las Vegas. “There were no minorities, very few women,” Baker says. “This is an opening for me.”So far, the business has done a couple of megawatts worth of projects, but Bloomberg reports has has more than 200 MW planned with one of his partners. He's also looking to start mentorships with historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) for engineering students to try and get them into the solar industry, too. This is, of course, a no-brainer. I don't know if anyone at SEIA will read this, but Dusty Baker has to be your keynote speaker at next year's SPI, doesn't he? I mean, with your commitment to diversity and talk of expanding the reach of solar beyond its traditional boundaries, it makes perfect sense. I don't have his phone number, but it's got to be in the public somewhere (heck, try him at Baker Energy Team). Get him on board to make the keynote speech, and show yet again that you are committed to making the solar industry the diverse industry we know it must become. More: Baseball Legend Dusty Baker Wants to Harness the Power of the Sun
By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent
By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent
Washington Governor Jay Inslee announced his aggressive plans to reduce the state's carbon emissions. As part of those plans, he has pledged the state to get to 100% clean energy by 2045, following California and several other states who have decided to decarbonize tehir electrical systems. He talked with SolarWakeup about the decision. SolarWakeup: Where does Washington currently stand in its clean energy development? Washington Governor Jay Inslee: Washington’s electricity is about 75% carbon free, predominantly hydro. You can find more information here and here.Opening Salvo, Permanent ITCs. Senator Schumer is making an opening statement to the Trump administration and it is both interesting and relevant to our work. Schumer may be in the minority but in order to pass any legislation over the next two years, Trump will have to negotiate with Schumer and Pelosi to get it done. Schumer is calling for a massive infrastructure bill with a heavy emphasis on clean energy. One of the specific issues is to make the solar and wind ITCs permanent, which is exactly what I’ve been calling for on SolarWakeup for a decade. More importantly this drives a legislative process where solar tax writers should allow for the ITC to taken against active income, exactly like oil and gas credits. Don’t get excited, this isn’t a bill yet but it means that New York, which is trying to get off the ground with renewables is telling their senior Senator that the ITC is important to them. (Hello from Wall Street)
Looking At Exxon. This is an interesting write up on the solar and wind deal that Exxon executed for their Texan operations. It digs into the ability to get enough renewable on a constrained grid and the competition between gas and coal.
The Chevy Volt. In many ways, the Chevy Volt was the introduction of electric cars to the masses. I know this because it was my first electric car and I dreaded any day that I was driving more than 38 miles and would have to turn on the small engine. Last week, GM announced it was halting the production of the Volt as it is ending its entry level stance for electric vehicles. Yes, the Volt was the right car at the right time but now it’s time for GM to lean in and produce all electric vehicles and they should start with the Ford Explorer. Not all EVs need to be electric looking, let’s put a big skateboard of batteries under the existing chassis and give people what they want.
Dominion Must Try Again. Dominion has been told by Virginia regulators that they need to resubmit their IRP after producing a filing that overestimated load and didn’t consider the impacts of State legislation. As you will hear in a podcast recording this week with the NJ BPU President, regulators are no longer rubber stamping the filings by monopolies and making sure that the policies are well implemented.
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Have a great day!
Yann
By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent
By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent
Community solar is one of the fastest growing segments of the solar industry right now despite only 19 states having active governmental support through policies and incentives to encourage community solar projects. Massachusetts is one of those states, however, with its SMART incentive program having specific enticements to bring community solar to the Bay State - and it's attracted one of the strongest national firms in the country to build a series of projects there.