By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent

Facebook has had some public relations setbacks lately, but one of the items on its long-term agenda that consistently gets it good press is the fact that it has started demanding clean energy - specifically solar - power its energy-intensive data centers. In Virginia, for example, Dominion Energy had to create an entirely new type of agreement and build several solar farms so the state would be considered as a potential site for one of the data centers. We've seen these developments across the country, and it's one of the unalloyed goods that Facebook has done. So the question becomes: Could Facebook spread the solar gospel to other southern states? A recent agreement in Georgia provides some evidence that the answer to the question could be yes. Walton Electric Membership Corporation (EMC), a consumer-owned utility with a reputation for energy innovation, has executed contracts with two solar developers for three new solar projects as part of its agreement to supply 100 percent renewable energy for Facebook's data center in Newton County, Georgia. The collaboration is the largest solar development project in Georgia. Facebook chose Walton EMC as the power supplier for the Newton Data Center when it announced the 970,000 square foot facility in March. Silicon Ranch and Strata Solar will construct world-class solar power plants that will support the new data center. The facilities will be located in Southwest Georgia. "We are thrilled to be working with Walton EMC, Silicon Ranch and Strata Solar to bring more than 200 megawatts (mW) of new solar resources to Georgia," said Rachel Peterson, vice president of data center strategy for Facebook. "We are committed to supporting all of Facebook's operations with 100 percent renewable energy, and these new solar facilities will help us meet that goal for our Newton Data Center. Developing these resources within the same electric grid that supports our data center will bring even more investment to the region." The Newton Data Center is Facebook's ninth such state-of-the-art facility in the country. The centers are among the most advanced, energy-efficient facilities in the world. They use 38 percent less electricity than the average data center.

SEIA Adds Affiliate. SEIA has joined forces with SESA-PR, the solar and storage association chapter in Puerto Rico, as an official affiliate. This is largely different than many State chapter SEIAs that are not actually affiliated with the national group. Some however have taken strides to get closer to SEIA for various reasons. It makes me wonder if there is a purposeful move to join forces given there has been criticism of the relationship the national SEIA has had with some State chapters. Largely the relationships are fruitful and mutually beneficial but there are outlier cases where an affiliate status would allow some disagreements to be handled internally instead of in a public domain or filing. 
Maersk Abandons Fossil Fuels. The shipping giant is out with a pledge to cut emissions to zero by 2050. This is a giant statement given they transport 20% (1 in 5) sea going containers. Hard to imaging how this will be executed but you could imagine electric ships of some sort cruising the world’s oceans. Maersk’s COO tells the Financial Times, “We will have to abandon fossil fuels. We will have to find a different type of fuel or a different way to power our assets. This is not just another cost-cutting exercise. It’s far from that. It’s an existential exercise, where we as a company need to set ourselves apart.”
Xcel Sets Own RPS. The midwest utility which is known for its major coverage in Colorado and Minnesota is looking to be 100% carbon-free electricity by 2050. Short on details but highlighting the goal is intriguing given the potential for solar growth in Colorado and the hopes that Minnesota continues to grow. Becky Stanfield and Jessica Scott of Vote Solar react, “Showing the region and the nation that 100% carbon free is possible and the right choice for health, jobs and leaving a better world for our children. We look forward to working with Xcel and state regulators to help meet those bold but achievable targets in a way that is affordable, reliable and puts people first."
New Home Solar Means More Solar. Policies like California’s new home solar mandate would triple the residential solar market by 2045. The key is the customer acquisition and scale of construction. A home being built doesn’t have the same hurdle to sell through especially if the home is built with solar before anyone owns it. With homebuilders choosing top quality products and buying at scale, this drives the price down and makes the installation more efficient. Lastly, when the cost is put into a mortgage the payments are significantly lower than when solar is installed at a later date. 
Audi Joins EV Party. The company is investing $16billion to build out its electric and autonomous vehicle fleet. In other words, the company is ensuring survival by making cars that buyers/users will require from OEMs. I’m waiting for one of these firms to reach out of the auto market to invest in a solar type company, I think the day is coming. 

Have a great day!

News

 

Have a great day!
Yann

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent

Lots of stories have been written in the past year about how solar energy has helped Puerto Rico come back from Hurricane Maria, which devastated the island's electrical grid. Whether it's companies like sonnen or Sunnova installing solar electrical systems for island residents or solar-powered community centers becoming the hub for neighborhoods still waiting for power to come back on, solar power has taken on a central role in the slow comeback of the island to some sense of normalcy. Often, this comeback has been slowed by inaction by their fellow citizens on the mainland and, in some cases, the plight of the island's citizens has been completely forgotten as other tragedies and natural disasters seized the headlines. But the Solar Energy Industries Association hasn't forgotten, and now it's made it official - it will be working with the on-island solar energy group to make sure solar stays in the island's energy spotlight. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the national trade association of the U.S. solar industry, has announced that the Solar & Energy Storage Association of Puerto Rico (SESA-PR) is now an official SEIA affiliate. “This partnership was a natural outgrowth following the solar industry’s response to last year’s devastating hurricanes,” said Abigail Ross Hopper, SEIA’s president and CEO. “By working together under one umbrella, we will be better able to coordinate resources and promote the vibrant growth of Puerto Rico’s solar market.” “We formed SESA-PR to unite the solar industry’s disaster response efforts following Hurricanes Irma and Maria,” said SESA-PR’s Founder and President, PJ Wilson. “With SEIA’s national resources and our on-the-ground efforts, the Puerto Rico solar and storage markets are poised for rapid growth. SESA-PR works to ensure there’s effective public policy, jobs training and financing mechanisms in place to facilitate the ramp-up needed for rooftop, commercial, and utility scale solar installations.” Today, according to the EIA, Puerto Rico is home to 278 megawatts (MW) of operating or soon-to-be operating solar capacity, approximately 1 percent of the island’s electric generation. Puerto Rico lawmakers are currently considering a bill that would commit Puerto Rico to getting 100 percent of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2050. The Puerto Rico Department of Housing is also requesting $400 million from the federal government to aid the growth of residential and small commercial solar systems with battery storage.

The Energy Show: By Barry Cinnamon

The Energy Show: By Barry Cinnamon

The bad news about global warming continues unabated. This fall the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (fondly referred to as the IPCC) sent up an emergency flare. According to Amjad Abdulla an IPCC board member and chief negotiator for the Alliance of Small Island States, “The report shows that we only have the slimmest of opportunities remaining to avoid unthinkable damage to the climate system that supports life, as we know it.“ Obviously, small island states are at the most immediate risk. But if the earth’s warming trend continues, many populated areas around the globe will essentially be uninhabitable. I read the entire report. It’s complex, dense, hard to understand and full of bureaucratese. There were two conclusions in the report that were especially surprising to me. First, unless the world acts immediately and intensively, there is almost no chance that global warming will be less than 1.5 degrees Celsius. The reason is that there is a lot of inertia in the earth’s climate system — we are already on a rapid warming trend. The second conclusion is that an immediate worldwide investment of roughly $900 billion per year will be required to stay below this 1.5% threshold. On a positive note, I learned a lot of new TLAs (Three Letter Acronyms). My personal belief is that our grandchildren will be saddled with the economic and sociological disruptions that global warming will cause. Nevertheless, there is a large portion of our population that remains skeptical about global warming and its potential impacts. One reason for this global warming divide relates to economics. Some industries — particularly those dependent on fossil fuels — will be negatively impacted (“harmed” is the non-bureaucratic term). On the other hand there will be many industries that will benefit…not only solar and wind, but also from all the jobs created from the transition away from fossil fuels: EVs, heat pumps, more extensive electrical infrastructure, control systems and as yet undeployed new energy technologies. As an solar enthusiast, I’m obviously biased. But the consequences of global warming are so severe that even the skeptics should consider immediate action as a form of an insurance policy. In case the skeptics are wrong about global warming, an investment now can avoid a disaster later. For more about the IPCC’s recommendations to stabilize and reverse global warming, listen to this week’s Energy Show.