This is your SolarWakeup for May 18th, 2018

A lot is happening in solar and things are coming together after a tough year. Markets like Florida and Illinois are poised to be major going forward and we have to fight to maintain the traction we had in CT and MA. Change is hard for many, we’ll highlight some of that in today’s Wakeup. Remember, if there are stories that need to be covered in your neighborhood, send them this way. Together we make solar stronger. Have a great weekend!
Learn About Illinois. Don’t forget to mark your calendars and book your trip to Chicago. On June 21st the leaders behind the energy policy in this hot market will be giving the insight. If you are an investor looking to make your splash here, we have some great sponsorship opportunities that match you with developers in the market. You can register at solarwakeuplive.com
Corporate Solar America. Frank covers the reports from Deloitte on the attitude coming out of corporate board rooms. With the polled corporations saying that 70% of their customers expect them to drive action on the clean tech issues. That’s why I get excited when a corporate sustainability professional subscribes to SolarWakeup, it shows a level of dedication to solar.
2 Years Of SEIA, 20 Years of SEIA PAC. Let’s put one state’s utility lobbying spend in perspective. In Florida, the investor owned utilities spent $43 million in the past two election cycles. That is an understated amount considering the money that went to lobbyists, internal and external, plus the PR firms to shape the messaging. In comparison, SEIA would have funded more than years of operations and likely over a decade in SEIA PAC spending based on historical numbers. We will never outspend the incumbent market participants but we will outlive and outvote them. Half of the Florida spending went to a ballot initiative that failed due to the grassroots support for the solar industry.
Well Regulated Monopoly. John Grisham is going to move to South Carolina and write a thriller about backroom deals the utility. The plot will include a $9billion blunder and an attempt to hide the information from regulators who oversee the utility in return for double digit returns and a monopoly. Seriously though, how in the world can a regulator do the best for consumers if the corporation it is supposed to oversee refuses to comply with the oversight.
Thou Shall Not? Arizona solar numbers are on the uptick and large scale solar plus storage are coming online at amazing numbers. With the new APS RFP, it seems like APS may be stepping back in time against the sentiments of the corporation commission.

News

Have a great day!
Yann

Solar To Surpass Wind In 18 Months, Become Fourth Largest Energy Capacity In The World

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent Look out, wind – solar is about to catch you. That’s the headline from Frost & Sullivan’s recent analysis Global Power Industry Outlook, 2018, which posits that solar will surpass wind in global energy capacity starting in 2020, making it the fourth largest source of energy generation behind coal, gas and hydro. Less than a year ago, solar surpassed nuclear energy to reach fifth place. The report says increased battery energy storage capabilities, surges in merger and acquisition activities, and disruptive energy start-ups are the primary reasons the renewable energy sector is seeing this surge … Read More →

Deloitte Says Businesses Want To – And Are – Fighting Climate Change

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent Water wet. Pope Catholic. Businesses are trying to fight climate change. Go figure. According to Deloitte’s eighth annual Energy Resources Report, businesses and consumers are moving forward to create what it calls a “virtuous cycle” of sustainability, including moving to cleaner energy sources like solar. But the study also finds what instinct might tell you from watching American behavior over the past 30 years – businesses are leading the charge, and the people are following. [wds id=”3″] The survey questioned more than 1,500 residential consumers and 600 businesses on their energy use patterns and found … Read More →

This is your SolarWakeup for May 17th, 2018

Mainstream Climate Discussions. American Progress held its annual CAP ideas conference. One of the panels included Tom Steyer and Governor Inslee moderated by Axios’ Amy Harder. The entire discussion is available to view but we have your bullet point recap. Inslee has been seen and heard on the national stage selling the climate change opportunity and a carbon fee to solve the problem. Steyer was a bit more wonky, shocking I know. His commentary included a desire for more community solar and the actions he is supporting to increase the RPS in Arizona and Nevada.

Quality, Fast and Cheap. With over 10GW of solar going up every years in the US alone, including more than 200,000 homes, we have to create some introspection about the quality of asset we leave behind. Driving the price down upfront gets more solar in the ground but if the asset doesn’t last 25 or more years, solar is at risk of losing investor confidence in the long term. For residential that also means installing systems that keep the roof watertight for the duration of the life of the asset. I hear too many stories about installations done without quality racking systems with no regard for the quality homeowner’s roof. You can do it the cheap way to cut corners but if you do, you are going to get caught. So just do it the quality way which will make you more money with happy customers providing referrals.

Where Are The Jobs? In the case of Illinois, they are fast approaching. As I prepare for SolarWakeup Live! Chicago, every company I talk to is in the process of hiring and training personnel for all sorts of jobs. On the other hand, MA is losing jobs by adding demand charges to its customers and slowing the market down. In an economy of full employment, we are seeing amazing pay scales for solar professionals that make achieving prevailing wages possible and hopefully track with the diversity in the State. Solar can and should be a market of diversity and inclusivity.

Thermal And Efficiency. A new podcast from solar guru Barry Cinnamon with a solar thermal topic. Last week I announced the formation of the SolarWakeup residential solar advisory council and I’ve spoken to many of you. (You can still join, just send me an email). One of the interesting ideas is that solar installers are adding solar thermal and efficiency to help with savings. What unique tricks are you using to close deals?

News

Have a great day!
Yann

Who’s Behind This Anti-California-Ruling Media Blitz?

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent What Happened: David Roberts, aka Dr. Vox, penned an article that essentially spent 1,000 words arguing for and against California’s “all three-story houses must have solar” ruling, only to end up with a shruggy emoji to say, “Who knows how it will go?” Since the article itself offers little in the way of serious argument (it’s a wordy listicle), I want to focus instead on the media blitz that has produced pieces like this. It will be interesting to see when it comes out – and it will – who is behind the slew of … Read More →

Panel Says We Will Win The Climate Change Battle (Their Mouths To Universe’s Ears)

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent What Happened: The Center for America Progress (CAP) held its IDEAS conference yesterday, and the most interesting discussion with Amy Harder with Washington Governor Jay Inslee, progressive activist Tom Steyer and Senior Vice President of Climate, Environmental Justice & Community Revitalization, Hip Hop Caucus Mustafa Ali. Washington State has one of the most progressive solar policy structures in the United States, and Inslee says he believes that progress will continue in the form of the first carbon tax, which is on the ballot as an initiative in his state. Steyer said – again – that … Read More →

The Energy Show: Best Ways To Heat Hot Water For Your Home

We’re talking about hot water this week. No — I’m not in trouble with my local utility again — just discussing the best ways to heat water for your home. Our focus is on domestic hot water (DHW). This is hot water that you use for your kitchen, bathing and laundry. In the U.S., the average home uses about 68 gallons of hot water a day, with huge variations based on the number and age of occupants in the home. Taking a step back, I counted six basic ways that people have been heating water since humans discovered fire. Deliberate … Read More →

This is your SolarWakeup for May 16th, 2018

Two Sidesisms. There is a pushback on the solar mandate from California. It’s not coming from the solar industry but it is reaching the media and being spun as a solar versus solar fight. Requiring new homes to have solar makes so much sense to me. It eliminates customer acquisition and associated soft costs. Installing 10kW on 100 homes in a neighborhood is a lot cheaper than selling 10kW, 100 times. At the end of the day, homeowners will buy a house with 30 year low cost financing (mortgage) with an installed solar cost below the retrofit market price. The two markets work hand in hand though, because the labor force will be better trained to install solar and lower the market price. I am more worried and upset about the PR tactic that appears to be trying to divide the solar industry. Where is this coming from? How about talking about the tactics of Eversource in MA and CT? Eversource is seeking to increase the cost to ratepayers by lowering solar adoption rates through demand charges and net metering rule changes. That’s a story that the media should cover because readers love to hear about handouts to monopolies. It makes them pretty mad.

Matching Actions With Goals. I think Hawaii has done many things right when it comes to renewables. In general, it has juggled the island effect, growth of solar and utility interaction in a smart way. When it killed net metering, solar folks lost their jobs but the economy was good enough that most were able to find other work. With storage costs coming down, the intention was for the solar market to come back with a combined solar plus storage market for distributed generation. The market needs volume to kickstart, however. Everything on an island is more expensive. Hawaii had a great opportunity, which it missed this year, to drive volumes up for storage with a small incentive the same way it did with the solar tax credit. In order to get to 100% renewables there will be a balance of utility owned assets, 3rd party owners and the distributed generation market. Hawaii should revisit the growth of the DG market which can be incredibly helpful in the network.

Who’s Looking Out For DG? ILSR is all about keeping things local and they’ve got a great DG report out that’s worth looking at. The solar coaster has its ups and downs, but as long as we fight our hardest the future will remain bright. What’s great about distributed generation is that our wins benefit consumers. Every time dg gets cheaper and better, hardworking Americans get to benefit by producing their own energy on their own homes. It also translates to more competition like having the choice to buy retail energy from companies that compete. I like being on the underdog side of this fight, but I also relish winning which is why I often step out of the shadows and say what needs to be said.

Look Out For The Anti-EV Machine. A Tesla crash of any kind creates a news cycle unlike any other. My neighbors warn of risks with electric vehicles and Elon has to tweet about an accident resulting in a broken ankle. Electric cars are a better car and will drive the energy sector forward which is what scares everyone in the traditional markets. Trillions of dollars are going to shift over the coming decade, insurance, auto OEMs, utilities, and oil majors will fight a fight which will involve plenty of nasty PR.

Making Deals In Illinois. I’m excited for the Illinois market but every time I dig into a segment, whether community solar or large procurement, I realize that the regulatory environment leaves some issues resolved. I also talk to many people that are developing projects and looking for capital, whether developer or permanent. That’s why we are setting up a matchmaking network at the Chicago event on June 21st. Learn more here.

News

Have a great day!
Yann

Adjourned Sine Die: Hawaii Storage Incentive Bill Fails To Get A Hearing

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent What Happened: Hawaii’s energy storage incentive legislation – Senate Bill (SB) 2100 – was adjourned “sine die,” or “without a day,” meaning it will get no more hearings in the current session. The bill, which would have replaced the current renewable energy technology systems tax credit with tax credits for solar or wind energy systems and energy storage systems, would have been one of the first laws in the country to create an incentive for storage systems. Without such legislation, it’s fair to ask how Hawaii will reach its mandated goal of reaching 100% clean … Read More →

Low And Behold, GOP Finds Solar Tariffs To Be A Bad Idea

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent What Happened: GOP Senators from solar states like North Carolina have suddenly discovered that President Trump’s tariffs on solar modules are a bad idea (who knew? Everyone. Everyone knew.). Bloomberg reports, “The group of eight senators led by North Carolina’s Thom Tillis urged the administration to waive duties on 72-cell, 1,500-volt panels that are ideal for large ground-mounted “utility-scale” projects.” If they really want to fix this, they should introduce companion legislation to that currently in the House that would remove the tariffs entirely and retroactively pay for the ones already paid. SolarWakeup’s View:  It’s … Read More →