Spruce closes on $208 million securitization – Spruce Finance has closed on $208 million in financing of its residential solar assets. Our take: The real story here is the shift in the company’s business model from a provider of solar loans to one that buys up and refinances residential solar portfolios. Source: Greentech Media
Bill to prevent Texas towns from barring solar panels – “the industry may be getting some traction to fight municipal restrictions after the Texas Senate passed a bill this week that would prevent cities from placing restrictions on solar panels.” Our take: Texas has not been the greatest state for residential solar in the nation, and this wouldn’t address the roadblocks that utilities put in place, but it’s a good start. Source: Chron.com
1.5 MW for 3 schools in Minnesota – With the official unveiling planned for September, New Energy Equity, Region Five Development Commission (R5DC) and Rural Renewable Energy Alliance have announced their partnership has led to the successful development of six solar projects at three schools, totaling 1.5 MW in capacity. The largest of the projects at 800 kW will offset more than 80% of the school district’s electricity load. Source: New Energy Equity
Duke compromises on on SC Solar Freedom bill – Duke Energy, the lone holdout left before South Carolina’s “Solar Freedom” bill to abolish capped net metering has come to compromise with the state. Per the new amendment added, there is a 10 year minimum contract for qualifying facilities, but requires developers to go to the state’s Public Service Commission to get approval for any power purchase agreement longer than 10 years. Duke argued that longer contracts are bad for ratepayer interests, locking them into longer term rates. Source: Utility Dive
RMI announces 2019 e-Lab Accelerator teams – The sixth annual e-Lab Accelerator, being held in Sundance, Utah, April 30–May 3, 2019, is one of e-Lab’s core events… RMI is welcoming the following 13 project teams, focused on four core topic areas: new business models for utilities and other solutions providers, grid modernization and planning for distributed energy resources (DERs), electrification of buildings and DER adoption at scale.
- Battery Storage Game Plan
- Decarbonizing Minnesota’s Natural Gas End Uses
- Decarbonizing the Evening Peak
- DERs for Wildfire Resilience
- Duke Energy Clean Cities Initiative
- Energy Shift Pilot Project
- Equitable Electrification in Sacramento
- Financial Tools Supporting Coal to Clean in Wisconsin
- GridMod Squad
- Great River Energy Comprehensive Planning
- Promoting Texas Non-Wires Solutions
- Rhode Island’s Building Electrification Strategic Transformation
- Solar and Storage for Disadvantaged Communities
Source: Rocky Mountain Institute
And an international update on solar module and cell pricing:
https://twitter.com/PvInfolink/status/1123164752711012352
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Good start for MN schools. Schools should be an obvious place for solar. Most have flat roofs and no obstructions. And since a lot of schools aren’t being used in the summer the solar can be used to cut the summer load.
Not to mention it can be a learning experience/tool for the schools.