SolarCity appoints Jon Wellinghoff as chief policy officer

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Wellinghoff joins SolarCity as the former chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and general counsel of the Nevada Public Utilities Comission. Source: Stoel Rives LLP

SolarCity announced yesterday that Jon Wellinghoff, former chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), is joining the company as chief policy officer.

Wellinghoff’s primary responsibilities will revolve around federal and state policy advisory and overseeing the regulatory and legislative affairs of the company. With FERC, which has sole jurisdiction over interstate electricity sales and wholesale rates, Wellinghoff campaigned efforts to transition solar and wind resources into wholesale electric markets.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

SolarCity, one of the chief installers of residential solar systems in the US, continues to observe the ongoing debate over net-metering. The notable controversy in California stems from the state’s new iteration of the scheme which seeks to adequately match load with demand, alongside ratepayers accounting for interconnection fees. Some privately owned utilities have appealed the case to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).

Similarly, the Nevada Public Utilities Commission’s (NPUC) recent decision to triple the fixed charges customers were to pay over the next four years, and reduce the credit received for excess power generation by three-quarters, was met with trepidation.

Wellinghoff himself previously served as general counsel at the NPUC and served two terms as the State of Nevada’s first advocate for customers of public utilities. As a known consumer advocate, he will be able to bring this expertise to SolarCity; allowing the company to seek out opportunities to partner with utilities whilst simultaneously ensuring rooftop PV reaps the full benefits to ratepayers.

Wellinghoff has previously been outspoken about solar and the issue of net metering, including the opinion that net metering should be more closely tied to time-of-use.

In other news, SolarCity also announced yesterday that it had closed the second financing within its renewable energy tax equity investment programme with Bank of America Merrill Lynch and another investor for US$188 million in residential solar projects.

21 May 2024
Napa, USA
PV Tech has been running PV ModuleTech Conferences since 2017. PV ModuleTech USA, on 21-22 May 2024, will be our third PV ModulelTech conference dedicated to the U.S. utility scale solar sector. The event will gather the key stakeholders from solar developers, solar asset owners and investors, PV manufacturing, policy-making and and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out the PV module supply channels to the U.S. out to 2025 and beyond.
8 October 2024
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
PV Tech has been running an annual PV CellTech Conference since 2016. PV CellTech USA, on 8-9 October 2024 is our second PV CellTech conference dedicated to the U.S. manufacturing sector. The event in 2023 was a sell out success and 2024 will once again gather the key stakeholders from PV manufacturing, equipment/materials, policy-making and strategy, capital equipment investment and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out PV manufacturing in the U.S. out to 2030 and beyond.

Read Next

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
April 10, 2024
Dallas, Texas USA
Solar Media Events
April 17, 2024
Lisbon, Portugal
Solar Media Events
May 1, 2024
Dallas, Texas
Solar Media Events
May 21, 2024
Napa, USA