Today is the last newsletter before the Thanksgiving break as I once again look to escape the smoke and hunker down for the first rain of my Bay area living. I am thankful for your continued support and readership and hope that I am able to give you valued content every day. 
What Is The Value Of Solar? Every time this happens, a PSC looking to understand the value of solar that is, the report comes back showing that solar is worth more than the retail rate offered by net metering. This is the fundamental argument against calling NEM a subsidy. So you may ask yourself why solar never asks for a NEM rate above even credit and the answer to that is simplicity. Homeowners understand what they pay and they understand that it doesn’t matter when they produce versus when they consumer. Simplicity is the face of solar the utilities look to break in their opposition to our industry. 
The Fate Of PG&E (Once Again). There was a non-solar policy battle in California this summer centered around the liability (and ability to charge consumers for) the cost impact caused by fires in 2017. Before the fires in Paradise and Malibu are even put out, the issue is coming up again. The camp fire is the worst fire in California history and early news reports appear to question what caused the fire to spark. Look for PG&E to look at ratepayers to bail the company out which makes one wonder whether PG&E wouldn’t be better post restructuring as a wires company focused on transmission and get out of the generation and retail side of the business. I do expect that Wall Street is paying close attention and ready to make a move. 
A Green New Deal. I don’t want to debate the Green New Deal. I want to talk about the political strategy of the Select Committee on Climate Change and Green New Deal. I think America will view both of those ideas as partisan. How about the Select Committee On Clean Energy Jobs and a Wind and Solar New Deal instead? 
Get That Load. An offer to municipalities and other fleet operators to sign up for special rate schedules for their electric vehicle fleet. This is a direct attack on the oil customers and make it easier and cheaper for fleets to electrify. This is going to be copied across the Country by every utility desperately looking to growth their base load of consumption. 
Make It Easy. The New York PSC is right, “if you want people to do something, make it easy.” 

Opinion

News

 

Have a great day!
Yann

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent

Maryland's status as a solar state has waxed and waned over the years. Under Governor Larry Hogan, the ups and downs have been rather violent. On at least two occasions - most notably the Clean Jobs Act in 2016 - Hogan has vetoed legislation that would have encouraged solar and other clean energy development. And unfortunately, the legislature lacked the votes necessary to overturn them - at least in the Senate. But if Hogan decides to stand in the way now, he'll have his own Public Utilities Commission with which to contend. After all, the Commission released a report two weeks ago that focused on putting a value on solar and, to no one's shock, the value of solar is good. Like most value of solar reports that have been commissioned around the country, the independent report says solar is a good way to develop Maryland's new electricity infrastructure, based on three different categories of measurement:

• bulk power system and emission reduction benefits (utility-scale solar)
• macroeconomic benefits (jobs); and
• distribution system benefits (behind the meter solar).

In all three cases, the Commission's report suggests that not only is solar a net benefit to everyone in the state, but more solar should be developed posthaste. The final paragraph of the executive summary states this clearly:

The large potential for additional BTM and utility scale solar development and the significant value that solar can bring to the bulk power system, distribution system, and to the residents of Maryland through macroeconomic and health benefits represent a considerable opportunity for the state. The state and investor owned utilities should consider developing policies and enhancing utility system planning processes to encourage additional cost-effective solar development.

In recent years, Hogan has stood in the way of solar and said it wasn't worth developing. Now his own Public Utilities Commission says otherwise. Only time will tell whether Hogan comes around and allows Maryland to become the leading solar state it has the potential to be. Read the whole report here: [pdf-embedder url="http://www.solarwakeup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/MDVoSReportFinal11-2-2018.pdf"]

Escaping Smoke. No column this morning as the family and I have escaped the smoke that has enveloped the Bay area from the Camp Fire in Paradise, CA. We are now busy in Tahoe raking up the leaves. 

Opinion

News

 

Have a great day!
Yann

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent

Illinois has been in the news a lot over the past year, touting its solar revolution as started by the Future Energy Jobs Act of 2016. Heck, even SolarWakeup got in on the act, holding one of its prized SolarWakeup Live! events there to celebrate. And while much of the hype has been anticipatory, there are real successes going on, too. And one such success is that 19 Walmart and Sam's Clubs stores will be adding solar to their rooftops by the end of 2019. For those of you who don't know, both Walmart and Sam's Club are owned by the Walton family out of Bentonville, Arkansas, so it makes sense the two companies are linked when it comes to solar development. It should be noted that Walmart has been one of the most solar-friendly big box stores in the country, regularly trading places with Target as the business with the most installed solar capacity in the Solar Energy Industries Association's annual Solar Means Business report, which ranks businesses in order of installed solar capacity for the year. In case you weren't clear on the connection between Walmart's decision and the new law, the Belleville News-Democrat has the scoop:

The move was prompted by the state’s new Adjustable Block Program, which provides incentives for commercial and residential rooftop solar projects, as well as community solar farms.

A spokesperson from Walmart told the paper the other reason for making the move to solar: The corporation can actually beat its current electricity costs under the new agreement. Between saving money on electricity, freeing themselves from the monopoly utility and the new Illinois law, putting the solar arrays on the 19 stores was an absolute no-brainer. Well, and it can't hurt that such an installation could help them get back to the top of the SEIA list of top solar businesses in the country. We know that's their real motivation. (We may be projecting there, but it could be a consideration, couldn't it?) More: Walmart to install solar panels on 19 of its stores in Illinois, including Belleville