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It’s time to rally together once again, #SolarWarrior! As you’ll hear in today’s #TacticalTuesday (TT), Carter Lavin and the folks at the California Solar & Storage Association need our help to not only get the word out, but to GET out and be present to be heard in this Thursday’s upcoming Rally in California.
Carter is one of the folks I find most knowledgeable and compelling in his ability to explain what’s at stake for the industry. So, in today’s TT, we go into what is the premise of NEM, why it’s so important, and how, exactly, it’s under fire in the CA market.
In January, we put out the call-to-arms for our solar community to get to the rallies in LA and SF, and thousands of you show up. We hope that you’ll rally once more, as the fate of the CA solar industry still hangs very much in the balance.
January’s solar rally was the largest solar rally in history, and it led to Commissioners getting fired & updates to the commission's directive. But the legislative win that followed was only the beginning. This week, the CA Public Utilities Commission (PUC) meets again, and we intend to make a public display that the Solar industry is united and strong.
What are these rallies? Why are they important or happening at all, and when/where are they? That’s covered in today’s discussion w/Carter.
As Carter says, “These discussions at the PUC are deciding the fate of the solar industry…If we want to win, we have to fight.”
Here are a handful of facts from Carter’s discussion:
CA is largest market in the US - >70K employed just in CA
CalSSA has 9 full time employees supporting the industry
The PUC and Regulated Utilities are running million-dollar attack ads focused on [defeating/diminishing] the solar industry
CA is where we have the strongest defense - so if the utilities can steamroll the industry in CA, then it will only embolden other states’ lobbyists and utilities AND those supporting PG&E (and other IOUs) within the state!
“Show up, rally, donate, be loud”, as Carter says.
You see, Solar Warrior, you can be right all day long and still be made illegal or impotent by those who wish to see the Solar industry choked out. Don’t let it happen in CA; soon “they” will be coming for your state.
For over a decade, Carter Lavin has helped renewable energy nonprofits and companies develop, design and execute marketing plans and sales drives, plan networking and educational events, track policy, and connect with media, government officials and community members. Listen in today as he brings the heat on why we need to stand together against this CPUC movement.
If you’re totally unfamiliar with Net Energy Metering, , we’ve covered the California policy market and in particular what’s at stake in this NEM battle extensively in these previous episodes (in particular in the final 3):
Episode 149: Bernadette Del Chiaro, CALSSA’s Solar & Climate Policy Maven
Episode 377: California NEM Crisis! Does Net Energy Metering Future Hang In The Balance?
Episode 437: Andrew Birch, Nem3.0, Save Our Solar Jobs!, Live @Intersolar N.A.’22
Timestamps
(3:08) What is CALSSA
(5:52) What is net metering regulation
(9:05) Rally locations on June 2, 2022
(12:39) What's at stake and how much money is against the solar industry
(17:34) How is this different than the one defeated last year
(21:22) A common assumption
(22:56) Energy is inherently political
(24:3) How to help if your not in California
(26:48) Wrap up
NOTEWORTHY QUOTES:
“What happens in California is going to very much reverberate across the country.”
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SUNGROW focuses on integrated energy storage system solutions, including PCS, lithium-ion batteries and energy management system. Pleae visit https://www.mysuncast.com/sungrow
ABOUT THE HOST OF SUNCAST:
Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, consistently rated a top solar podcast in the clean energy sector. The content of the show is geared towards listeners looking for insights on where the markets are headed, how to position themselves or their companies, and what today's market leaders do to stay ahead of the pack.
Nico is an Investor, Executive Coach, and 15-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy.
You can connect with Nico Johnson on Twitter, LinkedIn or email.
If you’ve been second-guessing your work decisions or maybe trying to reconsider how you "fit" in the renewable energy industry -> grab 20 minutes on Nico's calendar and discuss whether having him as Your personal coach might be the right next step.