Advanced Energy Perspectives

One story dominated the news here in Washington this week, but we’re not here to talk about it. Beyond Paris and Washington, hidden in the rest of this week’s news an interesting trend emerges: Advanced energy is exceeding expectations, consistently and across the board. From smashed predictions from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) to wildly conservative estimates about efficiency, advanced energy is on the rise, and it’s faster than anyone expected.

This week in the news, we have everything from more affordable electric vehicles driving demand to major investments in wind and solar, as well as a new solar+storage pipeline and blockchain technology changing the game once again. Just an average week in the world of advanced energy.

This week was chock full of advanced energy news. First up, from Fortune, the fastest-growing job in the United States is an advanced energy job! The magazine reported on a study published this week by personal finance company SmartAsset that names solar photovoltaic installer as the fastest-growing job in America between 2012 and 2016. The study used data from the Bureau of Labor statistics and did not take projections into account. SmartAsset found that residential solar panel installers make about $42,500 on average. Then there are the much-anticipated (and still awaited) Tesla solar roofs going on sale, and electric trucks on the move.  

Customers ranging from big box stores to individual homeowners are investing in advanced energy across the country. Also in the news this week: A wind turbine was installed every two and a half hours during the first quarter of 2017, and an AEE member company broke ground on the largest solar plant in the Americas. With record-breaking projects and rapid deployment of advanced energy resources, the industry’s future remains bright.

This week, we have stories from the windy plains of Iowa, where a Berkshire Hathaway-owned utility, MidAmerican Energy, is closing in on 100% of its power from wind and solar; booming electric vehicle sales projections and brand new sunroof technology that could transform the market; and some AEE member news and REV updates out of New York. It’s been a busy week all around!