Francis Hodsoll, Author at SolUnesco

Innovation in Response to Solar Demand

By Francis Hodsoll|2018-08-10T14:16:18-04:00May 30th, 2016|Industry|

Last week SolUnesco presented on a panel at Solar Power Southeast in Atlanta, Georgia (Click here to download presentation). The panel focused on the trajectory for solar after the Supreme Court’s Stay on the Clean Power Plan (CPP) including the legal merits of the suit, and the impact on the economics, policy, and market trends. Does the Supreme Court’s Stay mean a slower pace for the development of renewables going forward? One might think so. However, we point to the

Southeastern Utilities Take the Reins on Solar Development

By Francis Hodsoll|2018-08-10T15:15:12-04:00May 16th, 2016|Southeast|

Utilities in southern states are evolving towards a renewable future by embracing their solar energy potential and developing beyond federal renewable energy requirements. Major utilities are beginning to step up and procure or build solar without the requirements of a state Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) or other incentives. GTM refers to this market trend as ‘voluntary procurement’ (voluntary procurement is defined as the utility either purchasing the energy and environmental attributes from a third-party or owning the solar power plant).

SolUnesco discusses future of renewable energy at Resilient Virginia and Environment Virginia Symposium

By Francis Hodsoll|2018-08-10T13:45:51-04:00April 22nd, 2016|Virginia Solar|

The opportunity for growth in the renewable energy industry is more promising than ever with the combination of the 2014 Clean Power Plan and the 2015 Paris Climate COP 21 agreement. SolUnesco looks to be at the forefront of decarbonizing the current energy system in Virginia by developing large-scale renewable energy projects. Over the last few weeks Francis Hodsoll, SolUnesco President, presented at the Resilient Virginia Conference in Richmond and the VMI Environment Virginia Symposium in Lexington. In both presentations,

The Virginia Solar Market Could Grow 1,000% in 2016 – But There’s a Catch

By Francis Hodsoll|2015-12-14T16:14:04-05:00December 14th, 2015|Virginia Solar|

More than 100 megawatts of projects hang in the balance in the state. In 2016, Virginia’s solar industry could grow more than 1,000 percent compared with 2015 — a 750 percent increase over all the solar ever deployed in the state. As you digest the Paris climate COP 21 agreement – 195 countries reach agreement to hold temperature increase to below 2 degrees Celsius – how will we achieve this ambitious agreement? Clearly we need to dramatically expand clean energy.

The Solar Value Chain: a Study in Competitive Destruction

By Francis Hodsoll|2018-08-10T13:44:39-04:00December 12th, 2015|Company Update|

SolUnesco presented at the New York InfoCast Energy Project Finance conference December 10th. Our presentation the Economics of Renewable Energy Business Models focused on the trends impacting margins along the value chain. If you have earned a living in solar for more than a few years, you have seen innovation, unsustainable margins and then dramatic margin compression. I don’t think anyone is surprised given low barriers to entry and generally commodity like products and services. The presentation (click here) makes

Community solar programs are here…. But where are the projects?

By Francis Hodsoll|2018-08-10T13:29:41-04:00June 1st, 2015|Industry, Policy, Virginia Solar|

Virginia Market No enabling legislation to allow the private market to participate in community solar Pent-up demand for solar in Virginia is creating a specific demand for community solar Community solar options are being pursued by cooperatives and investor owned utilities at various levels Absence of a competitive market will not allow best pricing for consumers of these utility owned options DC Market Final of regulations for Community Renewable Energy Act Rooftop leases Low income segment not being adequately served

MDV-SEIA Tesla Raffle

By Francis Hodsoll|2015-05-29T17:05:04-04:00May 29th, 2015|Uncategorized|

Hello all, I don’t often solicit through emails for donations (I think this is the 3rd time in 20 years) but I feel this is a worthy cause, not just for the industry that I represent (solar), but for our future and the future of our children. The Maryland-DC-Delaware-Virginia Solar Energy Industries Association (MDV-SEIA) is a non-profit trade association that advocates on behalf of its members (solar businesses, environmental organizations, private citizens) to open the market for solar energy in

LET THE VIRGINIA ADVANCE ENERGY INDUSTRIES BUILD IT

By Francis Hodsoll|2018-08-10T13:16:18-04:00March 21st, 2014|Industry|

LET THE VIRGINIA ADVANCE ENERGY INDUSTRIES BUILD IT (not Dominion), AND THEY WILL COME It is a basic desire of all Americans (and Virginians) to live our lives as we wish; working, employing, purchasing goods, real estate, services, and recreating, each in our personal search for fulfillment. For some, this may take the form of owning a small business and relaxing at a mountain cabin. For others, it may be teaching 8th graders how to solve simultaneous equations and scrapbooking

The Anacostia Waterfront Initiative

By Francis Hodsoll|2018-08-10T12:50:31-04:00September 1st, 2013|Uncategorized|

All too often during my 26 years in the roofing and waterproofing business I have seen the commercial real estate and construction industries at odds with environmental activism. LEED certification and increased emphasis on sustainable design has definitely eased this adversarial relationship, but to a large extent, for right or wrong it still does persist. There are moments during our careers, however, when we find that not only do occasionally opposing forces have the same agenda, but should certainly work

Green Roofs and Solar

By Francis Hodsoll|2018-08-10T12:42:27-04:00April 20th, 2013|Industry|

If you are employed in the construction industry, you certainly have heard the first two terms and know what they mean. The third term may not be as familiar, but should be self-explanatory. GRIPV systems integrate solar, or photovoltaic systems, directly into the green roofing on a project. Although not a system prevalent in the US, these systems are being installed in Germany as competition for roof space between these eco-friendly installations increases. The main benefit of a GRIPV system

About Francis Hodsoll