By Yann Brandt, Managing Editor Governor Jerry Brown has signed SB700, the bill also known as the ‘Sun Shines at Night’. The bill, which had passed the legislature in early September, will extend and fund the popular energy storage incentive called SGIP. “If we are going to get to 100% clean energy, we need to be using solar power every hour of the day, not just when the sun is shining,” said Senator Scott Wiener, author of SB 700. “This bill will protect clean energy jobs while also protecting consumers from ever rising energy bills.” The California Solar and Storage … Read More →

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent New York has found itself behind its fellow Northeastern states when it comes to joining the solar revolution. New Jersey took the early lead, but now Vermont and Massachusetts are coming on strong, and the Empire State has found itself struggling to make news on its own. Well, at least outside of its … exuberant governor who is always talking a good game but has little to show for it to date. That may, however, be changing, as Key Capture Energy and NEC Energy Solutions announced they are teaming up on a 20 MW battery … Read More →

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent In the past, some installers have grumbled that the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) is in thrall to installers and manufacturers who have big money to spend and that it didn’t care about the little guy. They would then point to the dues structure and suggest one of the reasons they refused to join was the expense was beyond what their bottom lines could handle. Well, I’m here to say that SEIA must have heard the criticism, and it’s making changes to accommodate more of the rank-and-file installers that said they couldn’t join before. SEIA … Read More →

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent For all of Nevada’s struggles with solar energy – the inexplicable, precipitous shutdown of net metering that destroyed the rooftop industry for almost two years comes to mind – they are trying hard right now to bring about its renaissance. First, they reinstated net metering. Now they’re on the verge of increasing the state’s renewable portfolio standard (RPS) through a well-funded, seemingly popular ballot initiative. And today, the Public Utilities Commission (NPUC) adopted a framework that will require investor-owned utilities (IOUs)to create Distribution Resource Plans (DRP), which will determine what resources and grid upgrades the … Read More →

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent As the battle rages in Arizona over the future of the renewable portfolio standard (RPS), which currently stands at just 15% by 2025, the pro-solar forces aiming to raise that by 35% gained a staunch ally yesterday as the Arizona Solar Energy Industries Association (AriSEIA) has announced its support for Proposition 127, which would increase the amount of Arizona’s power that comes from renewable sources to 50 percent by 2030. Proposition 127 has been the subject of great contention within the state. Proposed by California progressive billionaire Tom Steyer, the proposition received more than the … Read More →

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent As the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. economy, the solar industry is hiring people at an ever-increasing rate – and as solar adoption continues to expand, the need for qualified workers will continue to grow, too. But here’s the challenge: Even though well-paying jobs in the solar industry exist – today – the industry hasn’t yet tackled the challenge of putting the necessary job applicants with the job providers. Until now. [wds id=”3″] At Solar Power International this week, the Solar Training Network announced the launch of AmericanSolarWorkforce.org, a comprehensive online platform to help solar … Read More →

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent For years, the poll everyone cited had 90% of Americans supporting solar. But that poll is now a few years out of date, and the energy source is is more pervasive than ever. So what if you took a poll now – would those numbers remain so high? Well, now we have the the answer from the most recent The Global Strategy Group poll released today at Solar Power International – and the answer is yes. 91% of Americans prefer solar as a source of electricity, and 76% want their utilities to acquire more solar … Read More →