A big energy player is noticing small solar and opens its checkbook. Seeing rooftop solar surging, Duke Energy, America's largest electricity utility, is exploring going big into the solar installation business.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-28/duke-may-expand-into-rooftop-solar-as-panels-hinder-forecasting.html.
Rooftop or distributed solar is approaching a 2,000 megawatts or about a $8-$10 billion per year business and is cutting demand for grid power provided by Duke Energy and other electricity utilities. Small solar is already big enough to bite utility companies that need growth in demand for earnings. Moreover, demand for small solar systems is surging and its bite out of electricity throughput over lines is skyrocketing.
Jim Rogers can see the dawning of the solar and distributed future that will cannibalize the grid. Sitting still and getting eaten alive is not a smart business strategy. Rogers follows David Crane, who was the first Chief Executive of a big power company to position his company to gain major market share in an energy world that will have its grid foundation broken by small solar systems and possibly fuel cells over the next 20 years.
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