The Energy Show, a podcast by Barry Cinnamon is now available on SolarWakeup We call our power system an electric “grid” because it is composed of a network of wires that move the power around from node to node – basically a combination of power sources (natural gas power plants, solar farms, nukes), wires (long distance transmission lines and local distribution utility poles) and controls. Microgrids are the same concept but on a much smaller scale. One example of a microgrid is a complex of buildings on an island. The power plant on an island has historically been a diesel … Read More →

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent What Happened: Jigar Shah talked with GreenBiz writer Lucy Kessler to discuss how taxes and tariffs are going to affect the future of the solar industry. In the interview, he argues the “sky is falling” mentality the solar industry has surrounding President Trump’s ill-advised tariffs on imported modules is counterproductive and overblown. He also believes that while the tax-code changes may slow tax-equity financing in solar temporarily, the dust will settle once everyone understands the details of the law. SolarWakeup’s View:  Ever since I joined the solar industry in 2011, the name Jigar Shah has … Read More →

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent What Happened: Damn, that was cold – although you have to admire solar’s opponents in South Carolina for employing an obscure legislative sleight of hand to kill a bill that would have eliminated residential net metering caps. After the utilities raised all holy hell about how removing net metering caps would COMPLETELY DESTROY THEIR BUSINESS RIGHT NOW, the cowards in the South Carolina House of Representatives reclassified the bill as a tax increase, which mean it needed a 2/3 majority instead of a simple majority. So…solar advocates in South Carolina can kiss the expected industry … Read More →

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent What Happened: Greentech Media reports that the commercial/industrial (C&I) sector now has $250 million in new money to purchase operational assets, thanks to the efforts of CleanCapital and CarVal Investors, the investment arm of industrial giant Cargill. According to GTM, CleanCapital has purchased mroe than $100 million in distributed generation projects in the past several years. focusing entirely on the C&I sector. The money will also allow CleanCapital to increase its focus on segments such as energy efficiency, storage and new construction solar. SolarWakeup’s View:  OK, I must admit I was mildly confused by Greentech … Read More →

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent What Happened: Sunrun has produced a consumer-friendly report called Affordable, Clean, Reliable Energy, which asks the ever important question: What would consumers choose for their own electrical production? In a delightfully readable format, Sunrun’s CEO Lynn Jurich posits that given a choice between a distributed-generation, renewable-energy based electrical system and the traditional fossil-fuel based one, consumers would choose the former. She also forcefully lays out the case for solar as a job generator and calls for an end to the “war on solar” (now there’s a woman who knows how to use catchy slogans). Lastly, … Read More →

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent What Happened:The Rocky Mountain Institute reports Massachusetts might be on the verge of starting another American Revolution, at least when it comes to promoting transparency in its citizens’ energy use. Governor Charlie Baker has proposed An Act Relative to Consumer Access to Residential Energy Information, which would create energy-use certificates that would be used to record energy-use evaluations for the state’s homes. It would give Massachusetts homeowners information that would allow them to do a serious evaluation of their home’s energy use. And starting in 2021, people trying to sell their homes would be required … Read More →

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent What Happened:Sunrun is now one step closer to being able to operate without unreasonable restrictions after the staff of the Florida Public Utilities Commission (FPUC) has recommended that: Sunrun’s residential solar equipment lease does not constitute a sale of electricity; Offering its solar equipment lease to customers in Florida will not cause Sunrun to be deemed a public utility under Florida law; The residential solar equipment lease described in its petition will not subject Sunrun or Sunrun’s customer-lessees to regulation by the Commission. SolarWakeup’s View:  It’s been a good year for Sunrun so far. Last … Read More →

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent What Happened:Solar electricity wracked up an enormous victory in South Carolina yesterday when the House of Representatives eliminated the prevailing net metering caps on residential installations. But don’t spike the ball too early: The issue now goes before the state’s Senate, where the debate is expected to be just as contentious as it was in the lower chamber. . Yes, the utilities are trotting out the cost-shift fabrication again – but I won’t spend too much time on it right now because I’m in a celebratory mood. SolarWakeup’s View:  Maybe South Carolina is sick and … Read More →

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent What Happened:The New Jersey legislature got about the business of undoing former Governor Chris Christie’s treachery when it came to the solar industry, passing two companion bills out of committees in the House and Senate that would fix Christie’s mischief by increasing the state’s RPS and create a community solar program. On his way out the door, Christie “pocket-vetoed” a bill that would have increased the state’s RPS, a move the state’s solar industry says is desperately needed to maintain its strength as a market. Now, under a governor who has unceasingly pledged his undying … Read More →

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent What Happened:The Maine Legislature, for the second year in a row, failed to override Governor Paul LePage’s veto of LD 1444, which would have, you know, mitigated some of the horrible changes Maine’s Public Utilities Commission is making to net metering in the state. The governor, who has made destroying the solar industry in his state an unseemly crusade, wants to tax solar out of existence so, of course, he supports the draconian rules the PUC is imposing on Maine’s solar users. Thanks to six spineless legislators – who had initially said they would vote … Read More →