THE RENEWABLES ENTREPRENEUR
An online platform featuring articles and commentaries from industry thought leaders on our journey toward a net-zero carbon emissions future.
- Business |
- Clean Technologies |
- Contracts |
- Events |
- Legal |
- Opinion |
- Politics |
- Press Releases |
- Solar |
Check out this Course: Renewable Power Finance for Non-Finance Professionals Posted on Sep 16, 2021
Green Power Academy is offering a 3 day course for non-finance industry professionals that our members might benefit from. The course is advertised as providing an understanding of the common elements of a financial model and the key terminology. ...
Energy Show Podcast - Insights on Battery System Safety Posted on Aug 10, 2021
As storage continues to take a leading position in the cleantech landscape, battery safety and knowledge is key. Listen to this recent podcast on the Energy Show to hear an industry expert's insights and experience on battery safety: Podcast: Ba...
Ideas for CleanTech Contractors to Protect Against Material Cost Increases Posted on Aug 09, 2021
A recent post by the California Construction Law Blog includes some excellent suggestions on ways that contractors can protect against risks from rising material costs. These ideas include using Time & Materials Contracts that make the owner ...
Solar Industry: Report Shows California Government Changes May Risk Solar Growth Posted on Jul 30, 2021
Sharply reducing net metering payments and imposing high, solar-only fixed charges could slow the growth of rooftop solar installations – and, in the most extreme cases, could cause installations to plummet – according to a new report from Enviro...
DOE Announces New $60 Million Investment to Increase Energy Efficiency in Manufacturing Posted on Jul 26, 2021
32 Universities Across 28 States Will Conduct Industrial Assessments to Help Local Manufacturers Reduce Carbon Footprint, Lower Costs, and Train Energy Workforce of Tomorrow WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced $...
U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office: American-Made Solar Prize Round 5 is Open Posted on Jul 23, 2021
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) is launching the American-Made Solar Prize Round 5 Software Track, a part of the American-Made Challenges, to accelerate the development, validation, and commercializatio...
Solar APP+ Is a Step Forward for CleanTech Posted on Jul 23, 2021
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has launched a collaborative effort with key code officials, authorities having jurisdiction, and the solar industry to develop standardized plan review software that can run compliance checks and process ...
New Report: California Ratepayers Can Save $120B with Sustained Local Solar and Storage Growth Posted on Jul 22, 2021
A report released today reveals that enabling the continued growth of distributed energy resources (DERs), like rooftop and community solar and battery storage, would save California ratepayers $120 billion over the next 30 years. According to th...
List of the Worlds Leading CO2 Contributors Posted on Jul 15, 2021
Time for individual and government action. According to current data, China is the world’s largest emitter of carbon dioxide and growing emissions; the U.S. leads the world in cutting carbon emissions, but is the second largest carbon dioxide em...
Excellent New Podcast from Cinnamon Energy: Stop the Utility Profit Grab Posted on Jul 07, 2021
6/30/21 News Story: “PG&E just asked regulators for a $3.6b rate hike to reduce fires from their own power lines.” Listen to the Cinnamon Energy weekly Energy Show to learn more about the specific changes monopoly utilities want, the falsehoo...
California Contractor Update: Public Utility Commission Approves Public List for Contractors Violating Consumer Protection Rules Posted on Jul 01, 2021
For all contractors selling solar, storage and other cleantech installation products and services in California, please be aware that the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) voted in June 2021 to maintain a public list of contractors foun...
Webinar: Local clean energy generation or remote — who wins the battle? Posted on Jun 24, 2021
Check out this excellent webinar hosted by the Clean Coalition on the true components underlying electricity costs from Distributed Generation and remotely located power plants: Webinar: Local clean energy generation or remote — who wins the battl...
Industry Leaders Launch Group to Create a Coordinated Industry Voice for Microgrids in the U.S. Posted on Jun 10, 2021
More than a dozen companies, including HOMER Energy by UL, are leading the way to improve electric reliability with microgrids in the U.S. through a new coalition to represent the industry at the state and federal level.Called “Think Microgrid,” t...
Full Conference Registration is Open! SPI, ESI, and Smart Energy Week September 20-23, 2021 Posted on Jun 10, 2021
Early bird pricing ends next week on June 17th! SPI, ESI & Smart Energy Week is the most comprehensive event in North America for the renewable energy industry, including solar, storage, smart energy, wind, hydrogen & fuel cells, geothe...
U.S. Department of Energy Announces Prize to Accelerate More Equitable Solar Deployment and a New Matchmaking Tool for Clean Tech Innovators Posted on Jun 10, 2021
Tool Connects Makers with Resources to Help Them Address Challenges to Solar Deployment Washington, D.C. — Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $5 million for the American-Made Solar Prize Round 5, a competition designed to accel...
Ongoing Education Opportunity: Overview of California Utility Law Posted on May 19, 2021
For those interested in learning about California utility law, check out the course by Robert Bryson called Overview of California Utility Law that provides an overview of the regulation of public utilities in California. The course covers the de...
Vote NO on AB 1139! Live rally at the capital in Sacramento to OPPOSE AB 1139! Posted on May 19, 2021
Vote NO on AB 1139! https://fb.watch/5B2voIFy87/ via @FacebookWatch
Community Choice Aggregators (“CCAs”) and the California Solar Rights Act Posted on May 18, 2021
This guest blog by Angela Lipanovich, President of Estriatus Law, PC, is also posted on Estriatus Law’s Legal Review. Does the California Solar Rights Act (“Act”) limit actions that can be taken by Community Choice Aggregators (“CCAs”)? Argua...Utility Business Models Are Outdated; Public Utility Commissions Should Update Them Posted on Mar 25, 2021
Our public utility commissions should support the private cleantech industry demanded by voters in the form of laws that protect the right to own private clean energy sources, such as solar and microgrids (“Distributed Energy Resources” or “DERs...
Do You Know When You Are Required to Use Translated Legal Documents? Posted on Jan 26, 2021
Available Now on Our Site: Spanish Language Version of the Residential Solar System Installation Agreement for Use in California; More Translated Documents Coming Soon Many states require that translated legal documents are used when selling to co...
Funding Opportunity Announcement: Solar Energy Technologies Office Fiscal Year 2021 Systems Integration and Hardware Incubator Funding Program Posted on Jan 22, 2021
Office: Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Office Funding Number: DE-FOA-0002437 Funding Amount: $45 million Description On December 16, 2020, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the Solar Ene...
Summary of New California Contracting Laws that Take Effect January 1, 2021 Posted on Dec 10, 2020
Brush-Up on New Contracting Laws that Come into PlayJanuary 1, 2021 SACRAMENTO – As we make our way into the new year, CSLB would like to highlight some construction-related laws that will go into effect January 1. Pay close attention to these cha...
CSLB Audit Reveals Non-Compliance with Contract Law Posted on Dec 09, 2020
As part of the California Public Utility Commissions consumer protection decisions, the California State License Board ("CSLB") now has the ability to review contracts submitted as part of the interconnection process in IOU territories. In July, ...
Globally and Locally, California Energizes Energy Storage Market Posted on Nov 25, 2020
Linda F. Hersey Senior Contributor* The U.S. clean tech sector is on pace in 2020 to regain its status as the world’s largest energy storage market. California, which has surpassed a half-million jobs in the clean tech economy, leads the nation i...
California Contractors State License Board Reminds Licensees about the Importance of Following Home Improvement Contract Requirements for Solar Jobs Posted on Nov 18, 2020
SACRAMENTO – The Contractors State License Board (CSLB) is reminding licensed contractors that it is critically important to follow California law when it comes to contract requirements for solar projects. The installation of a residential solar s...
Biden’s Clean Energy Plan for Economic Recovery and Job Growth Will Make History Posted on Nov 10, 2020
By Linda F. Hersey The amount of funding about to be injected into the cleantech industry in what President-elect Biden calls the “Clean Energy Revolution” is unprecedented. A historic investment in energy and climate research and innovation, as w...
Our Conversation with a Climate Change Denier, Lessons Learned Posted on Oct 05, 2020
This article was co-authored by Angela Lipanovich, Esq., Founder of Estriatus Law, PC and Jan Freiwald, PhD, Executive Director of Reef Check. Ms. Lipanovich is a cleantech attorney with decades of experience in the renewable energy industry. D...
CA: Updated Solar Consumer Protection Guide incorporates new rules on e-signatures Posted on Sep 10, 2020
On Friday, the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) released the 2nd version of their Solar Consumer Protection Guide. Key requirements around electronic signatures are now incorporated in the guide. All California residential contracts si...
California Energy Commission (CEC) Guidance on COVID-19 and Cleantech Industry Posted on Apr 28, 2020
The California Energy Commission (CEC) today clarified that statewide orders in response to COVID-19 identifying essential electricity industry workers includes solar photovoltaic and energy storage installers. The ongoing health ...
Federal Guidance on Essential Services Identifies Renewable Energy Workers as Essential, And They Are Posted on Mar 30, 2020
Over the weekend, the federal Cypersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued an updated “Coronavirus Guidance for America” memo to further clarify essential critical infrastructure workers during COVID-19. The guidance specifically ident...
COVID-19 Essential Services Memo Posted on Mar 22, 2020
Some helpful guidance from the California Solar & Storage Association on COVID-19's impact on cleantech industry services: COVID-19 Essential Services Memo March 21, 2020 at 1:00pm Based on the published guidance available as of the date a...
Event Alert: 2020 Cleantech Forum Europe Posted on Feb 22, 2020
Cleantech Group is putting on an interesting event in Luxembourg from May 18th to 20th. Check it out here: Cleantech Forum Europe. This will be a good chance to network with people and companies that are in the cleantech space. We like the broad ...
CSLB Affirms California’s Restrictions on Lead Generation & Solar Broker Services in the Residential Solar Industry Posted on Jan 10, 2020
Recently, California's Contractors State License Board (CSLB) provided an advisory to affirm California protections for solar energy consumers set forth in existing law. All companies engaged in the sale of solar to residential customers would b...
Welcome 2020: Let's Focus on How to Make Our Biggest Impacts Posted on Jan 07, 2020
In case you are also starting 2020 with the goal of making your biggest impact on stopping a climate catastrophe, here is some data on how to have the biggest potential impact. Project Drawdown’s ranking of the 80 solutions with the greatest po...
New California Contracting Laws Go into Effect January 1, 2020 Posted on Dec 16, 2019
The California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) has summarized the new laws that will go into effect this January. Take note of these laws as they may change the way cleantech contractors need to do business in California. Assembly Bill...
New UL Listing Standard Solves Storage Problem Posted on Oct 29, 2019
An exciting new UL Listing standard solves the problem of long queues to get new meters for storage devices. Many utilities require storage devices have a new meter installed to ensure that solar plus storage customers are not falsely exporting po...
GREENTECH 2019 | OCTOBER 2-3, 2019 | SEATTLE, WA Posted on Jul 16, 2019
Join leaders from some of the world's most innovative companies engaging with policymakers, lawmakers, technologists and NGOs to explore environmental protection in an era of transformative technological change. The inaugural Greentech Conferenc...
New California Consumer Protection Rules Posted on Jul 16, 2019
Today, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) issued its California Solar Consumer Protection Guide – a must read for anyone considering installing solar. On August 30, 2019, the guide will also be available in Chinese, Korean, Spanish,...
Sign-on Letter Regarding Chinese Tariffs Posted on Jun 11, 2019
The Clean Energy Business Network through its parent organization, the Business Council for Sustainable Energy, invites all cleantech businesses to sign-on to a broad energy industry letter to the Office of the United States Trade Representative ...
What Energy Upgrades Should Homeowners Do First? Posted on Jun 03, 2019
Do homeowners get more cost benefit from purchasing energy efficiency retrofits or solar energy generation systems? According to a white paper titled “Reducing Home Energy Costs by Combining Solar and Energy Efficiency”1 after “low hanging fruit”...
What Legal Considerations Should Contractors Keep In Mind When Selling Solar Plus Storage Systems? Posted on Apr 23, 2019
The emerging solar plus storage market is expected to grow exponentially over the next decade. Last year, California’s most active state solar trade association changed its name from the California Solar Energy Industry Association to the Californ...
This Earth Day, Look Inward. Posted on Apr 22, 2019
Every moment of our lives on this precious Earth is a gift. But, we are all in this experience together. There is no escaping that one person’s decisions will affect the whole, and the collective’s impact will affect each individual. This past y...
Consumers Should Not Be Penalized From Buying Less Power From Their Utility Posted on Apr 11, 2019
An important bill just cleared its first major hurdle to becoming law in the State of California. The Solar Bill of Rights (SB 288), a bipartisan bill co-authored by State Senators Weiner (D) and Nielsen (R), was the brainchild of a fairly new no...
Do Developers Need Contractor Licenses to Develop Renewable Energy Projects? Posted on Apr 10, 2019
Each state has a different set of laws governing the licensing of contractors. Developers must navigate these laws to avoid liability under state law. For instance, in California, only licensed contractors can enter into contracts involving const...
What Financing Options Exist for Tax-Exempt Entities that Want to Purchase Solar? Posted on Feb 25, 2019
This guest blog by Angela Lipanovich, President of Estriatus Law, PC, is also posted on Estriatus Law’s Legal Review (February 25, 2019). INTRODUCTION Tax-exempt entities (such as non-profits, schools, and municipalities) frequently ask what fi...
How Can Companies Grow Sales by Hiring Commission Only Sales Employees? Posted on Feb 22, 2019
Many companies find it to be advantageous to pay outside sales employees purely on commission. In order to ensure outside sales employees are financially stable, companies often use a recoverable draw against commission system. Outside sales emp...
Expanding Your Contractor Business: Time & Materials Contracts Posted on Feb 01, 2019
Sometimes contractors desire to take on projects when it is impossible to get an accurate estimate of the total project cost, the schedule cannot be defined or changes are likely to be requested during construction. In these situations, figuring o...AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE
This site contains affiliate links to products and services that we think are helpful to our visitors. We’ve partnered with companies who we think provide our visitors with helpful services and products. We earn from qualifying purchases in the event of a sale from one of these partners. In the event of a sale, we will be awarded a commission at no extra cost to our visitors or customers. These commissions help cover our operational costs and allow us to continue to serve our visitors and customers.
