SolarCity leaves TASC, denies split with advocacy partner Sunrun

Dive Brief:

SolarCity, the biggest U.S. installer of rooftop solar, has split from The Alliance for Solar Choice (TASC), one of the leading rooftop solar advocacy organizations. TASC intervenes on behalf of the solar industry in utility regulatory dockets across the country.
TASC's tactics have been controversial, particularly in Hawaii, Nevada, and Maine, but it has given the industry an authoritative voice. SolarCity will work with TASC in ongoing proceedings but has begun to participate in new proceedings through the Energy Freedom Coalition of America (EFCA), a new advocacy group.
EFCA “represents a broad range of distributed energy resources including not only rooftop solar but also battery storage, micro-grids, utility-scale energy solutions, and other demand response applications," SolarCity Communications Director Will Craven told Utility Dive. He denied any disagreement with TASC on tactics.

Dive Insight:

Though still working with TASC in ongoing regulatory proceedings, “SolarCity is no longer involved with TASC advocacy on new matters,” Craven said. “We appreciated the opportunity to be a member of TASC and wish TASC the best of luck.”

Officers of Sunrun, the country’s third leading solar installer, have largely led the TASC effort. Both companies have provided essential financial backing, and SolarCity denied a split with Sunrun or TASC on tactics.

SolarCity has moved its influence and resources to the EFCA because “moving beyond advocacy focusing only on residential solar is a reflection of our business objectives,” Craven told Utility Dive. It’s first official work with EFCA was “an intervention in El Paso Electric’s rate proceeding on October 15, 2015.”

SolarCity’s change in advocacy organizations “is simply a matter of seeking representation on a broader range of interests than residential solar alone,” Craven said.

EFCA “captures more of our interests,” Craven said. “SolarCity is increasingly a multi-sector distributed energy resources provider, delivering advanced integrated energy solutions and we will be participating going forward in proceedings on a broader range of issues.”

SolarCity retained its 34% share of the residential solar market in the first half of 2015, followed by Vivint Solar with 12% and Sunrun with 3% of the market.