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The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) on Friday officially launched an operations and maintenance (O&M) working group that will be open to the entire association’s membership for the purposes of “standardising O&M contracts and set service expectations”.

Community solar is emerging as an auspicious new source of demand in the US, opening up access to solar among previously excluded groups. Ethical Electric, a Washington-based renewable energy company providing 100% clean electricity to retail customers, recently launched a community solar division under the new name of CleanChoice Energy to get on board with the disruption. Managing director Laura Pagliarulo and chief impact officer Richard Graves discussed with PV Tech the company’s plans, its recent SunShot Initiative award, and how community solar is set to become ‘retail 2.0’.

On Friday, in Arlington, Arizona, the Department of Navy (DON), Department of Energy (DOE), and developer Sempra Energy were joined by the White House Office of Federal Sustainability for the inauguration of a 210MW solar facility that facility represents the federal government’s larges investment in clean energy history.

In this week's Movers & Shakers segment, PV Tech reports on management shuffles in yieldcos and Chinese module manufacturers. In addition, a Canadian energy company continues its US expansion, the REEEAC appoints new members and CleanChoice Energy reveals how community solar can become 'retail 2.0'.

Solar Brokers Canada, a popular Canadian residential solar provider has selected Sungevity as a partner in its foray into the US market.

California’s SolarReserve has announced plans earlier this week to build the world’s largest solar project – an up to 2GW US$5 billion concentrated solar power (CSP) plant in Nevada.

Donald Trump once again shunned solar and other renewables in favour for coal in his characteristic “America first” energy policy, while Hillary Clinton did not fare much better, but did at least reaffirm her commitment to fight climate change, albeit as an afterthought.

After the recent IPO, RWE’s renewable energy subsidiary Innogy has decided to expand into the US market, according to local reports.

Fair-weather solar advocate Arizona Public Service (APS), has become the first utility outside of California to surpass 1GW of solar energy capacity, reaching the milestone this summer.

Global investment in clean energy for Q3 2016 has plummeted 43% year-on-year, sinking to lows not seen since 2013, says Bloomberg New Energy Finance’s (BNEF) latest report.