Random sampling of one strand of consciousness. Co-Founder & CEO @aurorasolarinc
Los Angeles, CA
Joined June 2009
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Christopher Hopper retweeted
The only logical solution is to tariff copper
If America doesn’t unleash more affordable, reliable, and secure American energy, U.S. grids could experience 100x more blackouts in just 5 years. The Trump Administration recognizes the time to act is now.
foxbusiness.com/economy/trum…
Christopher Hopper retweeted
The Big Not-So-Beautiful Bill has officially passed both chambers. Despite a few conservative provisions, it explodes the deficit in the near term.
This is Washington's MO: short-term politicking over long-term sustainability.
Christopher Hopper retweeted
It’s almost as if it’s a bad idea to do industrial policy via budget reconciliation or something ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Christopher Hopper retweeted
Rep. Thomas Massie R-KY trying to put the nail in the coffin, switches from Yes to No.
That makes 5 'No' votes.
Christopher Hopper retweeted
Republicans are trying locate Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, who delivered a surprising NO vote on the mega bill rule. Likely to try to flip him.
I told a member I saw him bolt out of the chamber & leave the area.
“Smart,” the member said.
Christopher Hopper retweeted
“If solar and wind are the most affordable and fastest to build resources, why do they need tax credits?” A reporter asked me this fair question yesterday. Here's the steelman case, in my view:
1) Market failure correction: Social value of solar and wind (e.g. reduced fuel price volatility, CO2 emissions, air pollution) exceeds private market value; tax credits help internalize these public benefits
2) Offsetting non-price barriers: Solar and wind face significant non-price barriers (e.g. permitting delays, interconnection challenges, transmission constraints) that favor incumbent resources; tax credits help counterbalance
3) Energy security: Solar and wind don’t rely on globally traded fuels, providing insulation from potential actions of adversarial governments while enabling lower-cost fuel export to allies
4) Supporting rapid load growth: With electricity demand rising quickly, tax credits help scale up new generation faster and mitigate backsliding into higher-emission resources
5) Accelerating deployment: Even in regions where solar and wind are cost-competitive, the pace of market-driven adoption may not align with public objectives; tax incentives help close the gap
6) Offsetting tariff impacts: Tariffs have raised costs of a variety of input materials and grid equipment; tax credits help offset these added burdens and keep projects economically viable
7) Addressing uneven economics: While solar and wind are the most affordable new energy sources in many markets, this isn’t universally true, especially in regions with weaker RE resources
8) Consistent w/ historical precedent: Nearly all major energy sources in US history have received federal subsidies; supporting renewables continues that tradition in service of modern priorities
Christopher Hopper retweeted
China is doubling and tripling down on solar. This will allow them to bring their marginal cost of electricity to zero very quickly.
They installed 93GW in May alone.
Christopher Hopper retweeted
"Please don't pass the bill I just voted for" is one of the most maddening recurring features of Congress
Christopher Hopper retweeted
And here are the wraparound changes!
Excise tax out, solar/wind get another year before placed in service goes into effect, FEOC changes
From @SiegelScribe @kelseytam
politico.com/live-updates/20…
Christopher Hopper retweeted
NEW: Senate bill to get vote soon will ease wind and solar phaseout. Excise tax gone and Republican defenders of IRA credits earn other key changes reported here w @kelseytam @jamepdx subscriber.politicopro.com/a…
Christopher Hopper retweeted
"I promise to not raise your taxes" and "I promise to not cut your benefits" are the two popular political promises that are inconsistent with the much more needed promise "I promise to cut the budget deficit to about 3 percent of GDP" that is required to prevent a big debt/dollar crisis. There is no way that the deficit/debt bomb problem can be sustainably dealt with unless there is a mix of tax revenue increases and spending decreases that are determined in a bipartisan way. Our representatives in Washington, DC, both Republicans and Democrats, know this is true. They understand the need to reduce the deficit by having those from both sides chip in a bit (e.g., a 4 percent increase in tax revenue and a 4 percent spending cut) which would lead to a supply/demand balance improvement for US debt which in turn would lower interest rates. Lower interest rates would help reduce the budget deficit as well as help the markets and the economy. But because politics have become so absolutist, they feel they can't go down this obviously best path because both their constituents and their parties will throw them out of office if they explored this more balanced approach. To me, that’s a tragedy.
Christopher Hopper retweeted
In 2025, the “means of production” costs $200 at Best Buy. Anyone who really wants to be productive has it already.
So anyone who talks about “seizing the means of production” is fundamentally dishonest, and really means “I want to control everything.”
nitter.cf/AGHamilton29/status/19…
Christopher Hopper retweeted
Schumer on the floor: “We need more energy [for] AI. And to take away the cheapest, quickest way to get more electrons on the grid – solar – makes no sense other than Trump has an irrational, infantile mania against clean energy. So they all listen to him. It makes no sense.”
Christopher Hopper retweeted
I hate this pattern. Jeff Flake, Bob Corker, Mitt Romney, Ben Sasse, now this. Our Constitutional system only works if Senators are able to occasionally oppose a president from their own party without it being a political death sentence.
