This is your SolarWakeup for November 30th, 2021
Market Making For Renewables. As FERC orders 2222 and 841 make its way through rule making, we’ve already seen that energy storage and DERs are providing new revenue streams in the market. In many ways, storage lets asset owners commoditize the generation source and no longer exporting the energy when its made but when its most valuable. If we learned anything during the Texas winter storm is that ancillary services can be incredibly valuable and that hedges for renewables are actually must deliver contracts. From here I expect that we will see more folks opting for merchant over hedges and many more revenue streams for storage to come. Those revenue streams will accelerate renewables development that no longer needs the off take agreement to get the project to NTP.
Best Use Land Value. The Real Deal has land value in upstate New York going up at the best use case for solar development. Seems to me that all of those land owners are then moving to my neighborhood in Florida.
A Job That Never Opens. A few months ago Adam Browning from Vote Solar announced his departure which means we now have a job opening that has never existed in the 17 years that I’ve been in solar. You can apply to be the executive director of Vote Solar which is a great way to earn a living. So if this job is for you, you can read about it and apply here. If you apply and get the job, I expect a board nomination in return!
News
1 PV-Magazine:
Renewables deserve better approaches to resource adequacy - ACORE
2 Axios:
Cautious hope for CO2 capture after "false starts"
3 Utility Dive:
8 states, DC urge FERC to reject EEI, Eversource call to drop competition for transmission projects
4 New York Times:
Can New York Really Get to 100% Clean Energy by 2040?
5 The Hill:
Stacey Abrams nominated to board of solar energy firm
6 The Real Deal:
Manhattan luxury market logs best Thanksgiving week ever
Opinions:
7 RMI:
What We’re Learning about Corporate Climate Ambition
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for November 29th, 2021
Opinion
News
1 PV-Magazine:
ITC says that Section 201 tariffs should be extended
2 Bloomberg:
China Fund Manager Reaping 109% Is a Die-Hard Renewables Fan
3 Axios:
Department of Interior proposes raising cost of drilling on public lands
4 Energy Storage News:
Software and batteries can enable energy industry’s ‘Amazon Prime Plus moment’
5 Utility Dive:
North Carolina regulators give Duke 4 months to craft carbon reduction plan
6 PV-Tech:
DNV aims to boost cyber security in energy sector through Applied Risk acquisition
7 Solar Power World:
Florida legislature considers ending solar net metering
Opinions:
8 Canary Media:
What 24/7 carbon-free energy can achieve over the long term
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for November 22nd, 2021
Happy Thanksgiving! As we enter the homestretch with early holidays this year, today will be the only edition of SolarWakeup this week. Of course, we’re staying tuned with the House passing the Build Back Better Act which makes us all turn to the Senate and see what Manchin and Synema agree to, if anything. Enjoy your holidays and have a great Thanksgiving.
News
1 New York Times:
What’s in the $2.2 Trillion Social Policy and Climate Bill
2 Grist:
The House just passed the biggest climate spending bill ever
3 Axios:
Poll - 52% of Americans say they've experienced effects of global warming
4 Bloomberg:
Texas Plans to Become the Bitcoin Capital, Vulnerable Power Grid and All
5 Utility Dive:
Storage paired with renewables sees highest financial return with 2-hour batteries, Berkeley lab finds
6 Solar Builder:
The market speaks - Corporate energy buyers want 90 percent carbon-free electricity by 2030
7 PV-Tech:
Macquarie to buy majority stake in French solar platform Apex Energies
8 Canary Media:
New transmission tech can easily double clean energy capacity. Will utilities buy it?
Opinions:
9 PV-Magazine:
Here’s why you need to support California net metering
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for November 19th, 2021
Opinion
News
1 Utility Dive:
'The energy storage decade' - Global market poised to reach 1 TWh by 2030, BNEF finds
2 PV-Tech:
Hanwha buys large stake in REC Silicon, looks to restart US polysilicon production
3 Canary Media:
New transmission tech can easily double clean energy capacity.
4 Will utilities buy it?:
5 Politico:
McCarthy derails Dem plans to vote on social spending bill Thursday
6 Bloomberg:
Satire Tells the Real Business of Solar
7 RMI:
Turning Trash into Treasure
8 PV-Magazine:
A promising new design for shingled solar modules
Opinions:
9 BBC:
How Morocco went big on solar energy
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for November 18th, 2021
Last Call For NEM Petition. CALSSA is looking for 2,000 more signatures for the petition to save solar in California. That means if a third of you reading today’s edition click this link and fill out the info, SolarWakeup could save the day. So do it for me and Bill Walton!
News
1 PV-Tech:
US solar module prices expected to normalise following AD/CVD petition verdict
2 Solar Builder:
Solar PV system costs still on the decline in 2021, says NREL
3 Canary Media:
Senate confirms Willie Phillips to FERC, giving Democrats a majority
4 PV-Magazine:
Solar could account for 20% of all U.S. generation by 2050, EIA says
5 Axios:
Extreme weather outruns the world
6 GreenBiz:
The role of private investment in sustainable infrastructure
7 Utility Dive:
California readies $1.4B push to help reach electric vehicle charging, hydrogen refueling goals
Opinions:
8 Bloomberg:
Tesla’s Solar Roof Could Be Headed to a Neighborhood Near You
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for November 17th, 2021
Opinion
News
1 Reuters:
On a New Hampshire bridge, Biden bets infrastructure beats political headwinds
2 PV-Magazine:
Court throws out Trump trade action on bifacial modules
3 WFMZ:
Titan Advanced Energy Solutions Raises $33 Million Series B Led by HG Ventures to Transform Battery Diagnostics and Management
4 GreenBiz:
What Rivian’s riveting IPO says about the heavy-duty EV transition
5 Utility Dive:
EVs hit 1M sold, are now California's top export as energy transition drives economy - CEC chair
6 Axios:
PR giant vows climate focus and defends work with oil giants
7 Solar Builder:
SunPower debuts virtual power plant deal for customers in Eversource, National Grid territory
8 PV-Tech:
MassMutual, Low Carbon unite to form IPP with 20GW renewables target
9 Canary Media:
The top 10 climate commitments from COP26
Opinions:
10 RMI:
Post COP26—Shortcomings, Positive Outcomes, and What’s Next for the Global South
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for November 16th, 2021
It’s Infrastructure Week. In the largest public infrastructure investment since the highway system, Joe Biden has signed the bill which had bipartisan support including $73billion for grid infrastructure and billions more for electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Totaling over $1.2trillion, these funds will now look for projects, reminiscent of the ARRA stimulus times if you remember shovel ready projects. It’s a huge day for those of us in the solar and storage markets which will also benefit consumers for decades to come.
Will Module Supplies Free Up? The secret petitioners that sought higher taxes on solar to be paid by everyday homeowners are choosing to remain in darkness which should open up supply chain a bit and release some of the cargo that could have been taxed even further if the complaint had been successful. Have you seen any opening of supply yet?
Record Markets. BNEF and S&P are forecasting unbelievable, be yet still underestimating, growth in solar and storage markets. Forecasting is a bit like playing Price is Right, get close without going over but it tends to under forecast the real number because of the incredible tailwinds that are in this energy transition. Electrification will hit transportation, homes, businesses and industrials in a way that will bring all fuels to end in the form of electricity and if you want that electricity to be flexible and reliable, you need energy storage at all intersections on the grid.
Dealer Fees. Are you a solar installer that hates dealer fees? Hit reply if the answer is yes.
News
1 Axios:
Biden signs infrastructure bill into law
2 Energy Storage News:
Terawatt-hour of energy storage by 2030
3 Utility Dive:
S&P projects record installation of 71 GW of US wind and solar in 2022 amid rising headwinds
4 Reuters:
Germany's RWE to invest $57 billion as power firms go green
5 RMI:
Colorado’s Role as Climate Leader Hinges on Its Next Steps
6 Canary Media:
Jigar Shah has a new strategy to boost climate tech through DOE loans
Opinions:
7 PV-Magazine:
Solar anti-dumping group said it is weighing options, may refile petitions seeking tariffs
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for November 15th, 2021
Infrastructure Week Czar. Biden has brought in New Orleans Mayor Landrieu to lead the infrastructure bill implementation. The bill included $73billion for the power grid and $47billion for climate resiliency, both of which are close to Landrieu’s life experiences.
News
1 Axios:
COP26 climate deal calls for historic shift from fossil fuels
2 Politico:
Senate likely to take up social spending bill in December as Dem slog continues
3 Reuters:
Insurers plan to up ramp up private market investments, BlackRock says
4 The Hill:
Biden taps former New Orleans mayor Landrieu to spearhead infrastructure
5 PV-Tech:
Array Technologies buys STI Norland in US$652m deal to create ‘world’s largest tracker company’
6 PV-Magazine:
PV distributor Soligent to be acquired by City Electric Supply
7 Canary Media:
Google and others have committed to 24/7 carbon-free energy. What does that mean?
Opinions:
8 Bloomberg:
Forget the Words of This COP26 Deal. Follow the Money
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for November 12th, 2021
Opinion
News
1 Bloomberg:
Solar Firm Array Technologies Agrees to Buy Spain’s STI Norland
2 Solar Power World:
Commerce rejects anonymous petition to tariff solar panels imported from Southeast Asia
3 New York Times:
America Isn’t Ready for the Electric-Vehicle Revolution
4 Utility Dive:
Accelerated renewables deployment, electrification critical to cutting carbon emissions 50% by 2030, EPRI finds
5 Axios:
Rivian completes largest IPO since Alibaba
6 PV-Tech:
Tesla approved to supply retail electricity in Texas
7 Energy Storage News:
Q CELLS’ first step into large-scale battery storage is acquisition of one of Texas’ biggest projects
8 PV-Magazine:
Mississippi utility plans for 1 GW of solar, renewables in five years
9 Solar Builder:
City Electric Supply Co. acquires solar distributor Soligent
Opinions:
10 Canary Media:
How Louisiana can become a clean industry powerhouse
Have a great day!
Yann
This is your SolarWakeup for November 10th, 2021
A New High-water Mark. In a landmark deal, the home alarm company, ADT, acquires Sunpro Solar the southeastern giant that has grown dramatically over the past few years. I may be biased, I’m a big fan of what Marc Jones and his team at Sunpro have done to build that company. Solar isn’t always the easiest business but ask any of his suppliers and manufacturer partners and you’ll find a consistent nod of approval. ADT knows how to sell a tough in-home product and utilities have been sitting on the sidelines worried about alarm companies getting into the energy business. The public markets also liked the deal, rewarding the stock price with over 12% increase on the day. ADT Solar will be knocking on a home near you, with over 100,000 field reps, how will that translate to a change in the solar landscape and what’s next in the market?
How Will The Market React? You’ve got a new benchmark for valuation in the space. Last month, SunPower acquired Blue Raven and now ADT buys Sunpro for a huge number. When you no longer need to sell on the future of a market, folks see over the horizon into the future and know they should be in this space. AAA launched a smart home, home alarm company, a few years ago, will they match ADT in this move? We already saw Vivint do it, but they separated those companies instead of leveraging the smart home environment. Look for new investments in this space now that exit opportunities can be reached, that should make it fun for everyone.
Looking At Generac Again. Last week, Generac acquired Ecobee, which makes not only a thermostat but also smart home products and alarm hardware. They don’t have the in-house sales force like ADT but there’s an overlap that’s becoming more obvious when you look at it on a more holistic level. What it means for consumers is a whole other question…
News
1 Wall Street Journal:
ADT to Buy Solar-Panel Installer Sunpro Solar for About $825 Million
2 Reuters:
GE energy spinoff aims to capture interest in renewables
3 Yahoo:
In Glasgow, Pelosi touts Build Back Better as if it were a done deal
4 Bloomberg:
U.S. Faces Climate Dilemma Over China Solar Bans, Says SolarEdge
5 Utility Dive:
Southeast utilities confront extreme weather, new peak demand patterns to avoid Texas-style blackouts
6 Axios:
Obama's COP26 wake-up call
7 PV-Tech:
Georgia Power issues RFP for 1GW of new renewables
8 Canary Media:
Major firms pledge to start buying low-carbon materials and technologies
Opinions:
9 PV-Magazine:
Shipping problems for First Solar but production line expansion is under way
Have a great day!
Yann
