I used to joke that the only change I like is the kind found underneath a couch cushion; however, situational change can often present new opportunities and turn out to be for the better. As you might know by now, this October issue is Solar Industry’s final print magazine. We’ve decided to change with the times and, after a decade in print and online, make the inevitable switch to an all-digital publication.
Joseph Bebon
Michael Bates, our publisher and this magazine’s first editor, recently explained in an announcement, “Although it is difficult to let go of something we worked so hard to build, media is in a very different place than it was 10 years ago. Since that time, print circulation has decreased, while digital readership has boomed.” He added, “It’s not a bad thing. It’s simply the way things have evolved.”
Full disclosure: I’m eating a heaping portion of proverbial crow as I write this. That’s because, not too long ago, I penned an editorial opining about the importance of both print and online media. Bates isn’t lying, though. This is the digital age, and it’s fast and ever-changing. Our team takes pride in the fact that we were printing one of the last-remaining monthly trade pubs in the solar industry, but rather than transition to a bi-monthly or quarterly magazine – as many of our contemporaries had done – we’ve made a strategic decision to skip ahead and go 100% digital.
“This team has been generating strong, timely content for an online audience for a long time, and we will continue that tradition,” wrote Bates. “Our resources are expanding rather than contracting. We recently relaunched our flagship website, solarindustry.news, along with our email newsletter. If you’re a reader, you can expect our coverage to get better and better. If you’re a marketer, you can expect a quality, competitive medium for your messaging.”
In other words, the plan is to continue reporting daily news and provide just as many, if not more, in-depth articles from staff and contributing authors online. We’ll keep covering policy updates, new technologies, project announcements, industry trends and more.
The 10-year success of this magazine was, in large part, the result of great advertisers, a hard-working team and my predecessors, including Bates, Michael Puttré and Jessica Lillian, the latter of whom has graciously contributed her own write-up on page 34 of this issue. I have been privileged to carry the editor’s torch for almost two years now and look forward to continuing my role during the publication’s new, exciting chapter.
Furthermore, each magazine would’ve been nearly empty if not for the helpful contributions from industry insiders. Such working relationships with company execs, organization leaders, market analysts and PR firms have proven invaluable. Notably, one major bonus about an online platform is that it allows us to give contributors longer, more flexible deadlines in order to submit an article. I urge anyone interested to please continue reaching out and pitching story ideas for our digital publication.
Most importantly, you, our valued readers, have kept this magazine successful for the past 10 years! We greatly appreciate your interest, your readership and your loyalty. Amid our move toward 100% digital, please ensure you are signed up for our newsletter and connect with us on Twitter and Facebook for the latest updates.
As we reflect upon Solar Industry’s 10-year history, we thought it might be interesting to let our final print magazine serve as a retrospective look at how the industry, itself, has evolved over the past decade. Therefore, this October issue includes several articles examining the history and future of different solar segments. Unsurprisingly, some may illustrate the ups and downs of the so-called “solar coaster,” a tumultuous ride that continues to this day. In the past, we’ve covered everything from trade wars, bankruptcies and scandals, to landmark laws, business triumphs and record installations. With yet another trade case underway, a new U.S. administration, and myriad promising factors in play, we will work hard to keep you informed of each major drop and rise on the journey toward not only solar growth, but solar domination.
