This is your SolarWakeup for March 26th, 2018

In a rude turn of events, I have taken the lead in the SolarWakeup March Madness challenge. GE’s Ian Manchester and kWh Analytics’ Jason Kaminsky had a tough break with Duke’s loss. I am trailed closely by DSM Advanced Solar’s Nathan Arbitman and we have differing national champion selections.

Capital And Projects. Now that the uncertainty has been lifted from our industry from 201 and tax reform, I’ve been getting a lot of questions from you about project deal flow and seeking capital. Putting projects and capital together is the main way that this platform is able to sustain itself. If you are in the market for projects, some completely papered, or have projects looking for capital, then send me an email so I can try to connect the right people together.

SolarWakeup Live. Having met with the speakers from SolarWakeup Live! San Francisco last week, I am excited for the conversation. Marin Clean Energy is seeking more solar energy as well as storage contracts. CalCEF continues to create markets for innovative startups and giving them access to capital. Of course, CalSSA is hard at work to drive solar and storage policy forward in California. This is going to be a intimate gathering with California solar leaders that you don’t want to miss. Use WAKEUP20 as a way to get your ticket for 20% off. Register Here.

Are You In Illinois? Frank covers some of the Illinois news from Friday and I have the follow up. What are you focused on in Illinois? Grabbing land and securing interconnects? Working on the regulations for community solar? Or something altogether different? Help us guide the discussion about the market by letting us know.

EV Future. Most of the EV news have been positive, endless growth and investments. BMW is delaying their output however, which is likely just a bit of honesty in the cutthroat world of auto. Stay tuned for more podcast talk this week about electric vehicles.

A Right To Store. Congrats to the policy folks in Colorado for what I can only call the net metering of storage. More breakdown from Frank in the rundown.

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Have a great day!
Yann

Illinois Is Coming For You, Minnesota

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent What Happened:Illinois is inching closer to finalizing its Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan next month as the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) begins its final deliberations. Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) Manager for Clean Energy Regulatory Implementation Christie Hicks says could jumpstart renewable energy in the state. The Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan arose out of the Future Energy Jobs Act of 2016. Currently before the ICC, the final plan should be approved on April 3. SolarWakeup’s View:  When Illinois lawmakers, utilities and clean energy advocates joined forces in 2016 to sign the Future Energy Jobs Act into … Read More →

New Colorado Law Encourages Energy Storage

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent What Happened: Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper signed into law Senate Bill (SB) 9, which explicitly provides the state’s citizens the right to install energy storage. It also calls on utilities to streamline the interconnection processes for adding storage to existing net-metered systems. It instructs the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to create a regulatory framework surrounding such installations. Under the new legislation, Colorado utilities can’t require the installation of new meters to monitor energy storage. The law will go into effect 90 days after the legislature adjourns, which is expected to be on or about August … Read More →

This is your SolarWakeup for March 23rd, 2018

Get Your SolarWakeup Live! San Francisco Tickets

Vote Solar. Big congrats to the entire team at Vote Solar and thank you for everyone that came to the Equinox fundraiser. The solar champions will continue to speak up for our industry and we are lucky to have such great supporters in and out of our sector. Consider putting more policy in your schedule and budget. Your time and money is needed to achieve the 10 - 10 - 10 efforts that will make our industry sustain itself against all attacks.

Steyer’s Ballot Initiatives. Frank has a great story from Arizona about the RPS ballot initiative. APS is looking to preemptively cut the legs off the voters efforts to make their energy system more sustainable. Always sad to see the will of the voters reduced by a monopoly. Steyer is backing ballot initiatives in three States - NV, AZ and CO. I like this move and the timing is perfect.

All About Illinois. Together we will start the road to learn more about the Illinois market. We will be announcing great SolarWakeup Live! news including plans to head to the Land of Lincoln and site of a solar gold rush. Some news from my friends at EDF on the topic.

Now The 301 Tariffs. I can’t keep up with the near weekly trade tariffs on China from the Oval office. The 301 tariffs could impact the solar industry and I will reserve more comment and detail until an expert has given me the details.

Microsoft Solar Non-Resi Deal. Microsoft has signed a corporate off take agreement for 315MW of solar. Under the new SEIA solar market insight, I guess this is the Virginia version of community solar (the deal is likely under a contract for difference) since it sells energy to a corporate customer. Have a great weekend!

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Have a great day!
Yann

Oregon Solar Installers Back Legend’s Customers

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent What Happened: Oregon solar installers are rallying around the their state’s Legend Solar customers, who could have faced an uncertain future after Utah-based Legend tumbled into financial freefall. Among the companies and organizations coming to the rescue are the Energy Trust of Oregon, the Oregon Solar Energy Industries Association and Elemental Energy. The state’s installers have rushed in to make sure the entire solar industry doesn’t get a black eye from this high-profile bankruptcy. SolarWakeup’s View:  When one solar company stumbles, it’s up to the rest of us to make sure it doesn’t take the rest … Read More →

APS Is Trying To Kill Steyer-Backed RPS Initiative

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent What Happened: Arizona Public Service, the state’s largest utility, is again trying to stifle solar development in the state that has the most insolation in the country, because reasons. The utility behemoth, which wields enormous power in the state’s politics, is trying to kill a ballot initiative backed by progressive billionaire Tom Steyer that would raise the state’s RPS to 50% by 2030. To counter the measure, APS is pushing hard for a bill in the legislature that would make the penalty for not making the RPS goals almost laughably negligible – $1,000-$5000, a penalty APS … Read More →

This is your SolarWakeup for March 22nd, 2018

Short opening today, long day of meetings and jet lag are getting the best of me.

See You Tonight? Make sure you say hello tonight at Vote Solar’s Equinox in San Francisco. This is a great event to celebrate solar and those that fight on the front lines of the regulatory battles for us all. It is not too late to buy your ticket to the event and toast our industry.

Going For 100. Last year, California’s legislators got close to passing a 100% RPS. This year it could actually happen. 27 organizations including Vote Solar have banded together to push for the legislation to become law. Read Frank’s coverage here and look forward to more commentary as discussions begin.

Southeast Solar. The top story yesterday was the headline of more solar in the Southeast. This is the reminder that Florida has massive capacity growth with essentially no market. Only the IOUs are building substantial capacity and ratepayers are footing this bill with no transparency on how much it would cost if this was a competitive process instead of utility owned.

Wakeup Live. Get your tickets to our event. Hear my interview with the contract manager looking for solar projects in California.

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Have a great day!
Yann

Vote Solar Lends Voice To “100% Clean Energy In California” Coalition

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent What Happened: Vote Solar is lending its voice to a coalition of 27 organizations in California that are fighting to move the state to a 100% clean energy future. Yesterday, one of solar’s most active advocacy groups announced the launching of the organized campaign in support of California Senate Bill (SB) 100. If SB 100 passes, it would move the renewable energy goalposts again (in a good way), raising the renewable portfolio standards from 60% to 100%. Besides Vote Solar, the coalition also includes the Union of Concerned Scientists, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Sierra … Read More →

Southeastern States Like Solar. In Other News, Water Is Wet

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent What Happened: Bloomberg looked into southeastern states like Georgia, South Carolina and Florida and discovered, by golly, those states LIKE solar now. In other news, water is wet. According to the report, states have been reluctant to add solar because of the cost was too high. Bloomberg looked at the recent explosion of solar installations in Florida, Virginia and South Carolina to reach its conclusion (and oddly left out North Carolina for some reason). SolarWakeup’s View: OK, I know I should let Bloomberg off the hook for this one. After all, they don’t write about solar full … Read More →

This is your SolarWakeup for March 21st, 2018

Arizona Coverage. Frank has your recent news coverage from Arizona. Don’t forget that you can send tips to frank@solarwakeup.com or by hitting reply here. If you want to stay anonymous, head to solarwakeup.com and click the tips link, you can even upload files without revealing your identity.

Don’t Forget Puerto Rico. It’s been 6 months that Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico and many are still without power. The recovery effort has failed many Puerto Rico that have now had to relocate to other States across America.

Reducing Property Taxes. Florida had a big ballot initiative to eliminate property taxes that could be due after installing solar on commercial properties. An Arizona judge also ruled on this issue this week. Of all the headwinds that face C&I solar, property tax can be one of them and removing it makes it easier. Much like the cost and structure of loans to do solar, C&I solar has to do all it can to overcome cheap energy rates it is offsetting. Speaking of debt for commercial solar, many of you are in Denver for a PACE conference. PACE has lowered the cost of capital quite a bit but more importantly for C&I solar is a better structure for many businesses. Most of the time, the debt is for the property and not the operating business which makes it a better fit for balance sheets.

Equinox 2018. This is your last call to join me and many others at Vote Solar’s important fundraiser on Thursday. You can buy your ticket at equinox2018.splashthat.com.

Presented By ‘You’. Do you want the SolarWakeup community to hear your message? You can sponsor this paragraph for an entire month leading up to our event in San Francisco. Join the many sponsors that were able to message, recruit and gain more exposure on this platform. Email me for more details.

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Have a great day!
Yann