6 Solar Stocks Reacting To A Changing Market

Solar energy has been harnessed by humans since the beginning of time. Humans first used solar energy to dry food and clothes. The sun has produced energy for billions of years, where a very small part of it reaches the earth. With the Obama administration promising to take on global warming and lessen the country's dependence on foreign oil, renewable energy may be the answer. Wind turbines, geothermal plants and bio-fuel plants will be important contributors. Ultimately, the most abundant form of energy comes from the sun.

A study by the International Energy Agency (IEA) in 2011 revealed that "the development of affordable, inexhaustible and clean solar energy technologies will have huge longer-term benefits. It will increase the energy security of many nations through reliance on an indigenous, inexhaustible and mostly import-independent resource. Furthermore, solar energy will enhance sustainability, reduce pollution, lower the costs of mitigating climate change, and keep fossil fuel prices lower. These advantages are global. Hence, the additional costs of the incentives for early deployment should be considered learning investments. They must be wisely spent and need to be widely shared."

First Solar (FSLR) recently disclosed that it will build two utility-scale plants in Australia, which represents 159 megawatts of production. The next day, shares of First Solar rose by 17%. First Solar also benefited from the announcement that it will delay the plant closing in Frankfurt, Germany, by about three months due to an increase in demand for solar modules in Europe. First Solar's stock value has dropped around 85% over the past year, from a 52-week high of $142 in June 2011. The company's operating cash flow has hovered around -$5.8 million.

Heavily indebted JA Solar Holdings (JASO) also recently announced that it will buy back its shares before the end of September 2012. JA Solar Holdings has lost nearly half its market value in the past five months. The announcement of a buyback program of up to $100 million sent the stock up 25% within the day. Other solar energy companies, such as LDK Solar (LDK), Yingli Green Energy Holding (YGE) and ReneSola (SOL), have also been buying back shares as share prices go down. JA Solar Holdings posted revenue losses for the past year as solar panel prices dropped due to declining subsidies given by different government organizations to renewable energy usage. JA Solar Holdings has 195.8 million shares outstanding, with a market capitalization of $219 million and an enterprise value of $590 million. Its first-quarter revenue declined by 56% year-on-year, which equated to a trailing twelve month (TTM) diluted earnings per share of -$1.15. The current partnership will not make a great impact in the market for the short term, as many investors see buybacks such as this as a band-aid solution to revenue problems.

Trina Solar (TSL) recently presented its new Honey Ultra module, a second-generation model of Trina Solar's Honey technology, which generated 284.7 watts peak power when tested in May. The company also unveiled Trinasmart, a new power optimizer and monitoring solution. System performance can be monitored and controlled in real time with a web-based Trinasmart platform. The new platform can be accessed using a smartphone or an internet connected computer. Additionally, the platform improves the safety of PV systems by automatically shutting down affected PV modules in case of electrical failure or malfunctions. Moreover, in case of an external fire, the modules can be cut off via remote control. Commercial availability of Trinasmart is scheduled for September 2012. Trina Solar has over 70.5 million shares outstanding, a market capitalization of $501 million, and enterprise value of $998 million.

In the first quarter of 2012, developers installed 85% more solar panels than last year in the U.S. alone. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, the total U.S. installations were 506 megawatts and may reach 2,200 megawatts by year end, around 11 percent of the global market.

Schools around the country are one of the many catalysts that turned to solar energy to lower operational cost. More than 500 schools have installed solar panels over the past years. The waning prices of solar panels by almost 35% in the past years made the technology more affordable. Solar power is often cheaper than the retail cost of electricity in most states. Costs have fallen because manufacturers have increased production, creating a surplus of solar panels. With surplus in production and technological advances that increased capability to generate power by almost four times in the past five years, demand for solar power has surged.

India has recently inaugurated its newest solar park in Gujarat. The solar park is expected to produce 214 megawatts, surpassing China's Golmud Park. In 2010, India decided to increase the capacity of solar power from virtually zero to 20,000 megawatts by 2022. The targets are attracting developers around the world as private companies in New Delhi are mandated to source 15% of energy needs from green resources by 2022.

Japan just this morning, June 18, 2012, announced a premium price for solar electricity, which is about three times the conventional power. Analysts say that this could spur at least $10 billion in new installations. The Japanese government desire to bring down the country's reliance on atomic energy will help the solar industry, which is dwindling in the past quarters due to incentive cuts in Europe and over production. Japanese companies such as Kyocera (KYO) and Sharp are gearing up to supply the country, as the government eyes solar energy as an important energy source.

The solar industry has struggled in the recent years, as increased competition created a surplus in the market, which in turn forced the prices lower. The lower prices have prompted a number of U.S. solar companies to limit production or even file for bankruptcy. Last month, the U.S. imposed a 31% duty on solar panel imports to curb the increasing number of cheap Chinese products that are entering the market.

I expect the demand for solar energy in the U.S. and Europe to decline in the second half of the year mainly due to the economy, but growth in India, Japan, China and other areas could prove to be significant in the coming years. I suggest holding onto solar energy stocks.

Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours

Source:http://seekingalpha.com/article/693851-6-solar-stocks-reacting-to-a-changing-market

MCOE installs solar power system

The Monterey County Office of Education officially unveiled its new solar power structures June 20.

The solar panels, which double as shade structures for parked cars, are clearly visible to passing motorists on Blanco Road. The MCOE is at 901 Blanco Circle in Salinas.

“We’re harnessing the sun to support our schools. This project protects taxpayer dollars and allows us to maximize our investment in the future of the students we serve,” said Nancy Kotowski, Monterey County superintendent of schools.

Source:http://www.thecalifornian.com/article/20120629/OFFSIXTYEIGHT01/306290021

Cheap Pay-As-You-Go Solar for Developing Countries (Awesome)

When you switch on a light- you have power! Quite literally. The power to connect, to use modern technology, listen to music, run advance cooking appliances. But the same power also ends itself to some very basic needs like plain and simple light – to read, study, cook. More than half a billion in Africa lack grid power and spend more on fuel than most developed nations in terms of salary percentages. The issue with renewables: upfront costs that the poor cannot afford and Eight19 is solving this problem through an innovative pay-as-you-go solar.

Eight minutes and nineteen seconds is how much time it takes for sunlight to reach the earth. This is the explanation for the unusual name behind Eight19- a consumer electronics company behind products like IndiGo. IndiGo is an affordable solar lighting and battery charging system that brings low-cost energy to off-grid communities.

This pay-as-you-go model makes it a uniquely affordable way to bring power for low-energy (LED) lighting and battery charging to homes, schools and workplaces in emerging markets.

Why Pay-As-You-Go Solar is Relevant in Developing markets?

Renewable energy installations come with an upfront cost that poor communities in Africa and Asia cannot afford. People spend the little that they earn immediately with no real savings, throwing them into a vicious circle of using dirty fuels like kerosene that are costly, inefficient and hazardous to health. Eight19 breaks these barriers to clean energy via this simple solar battery pack that customers can pay as they use. Eight-19′s CEO Simon Bransfield Garth explains,

Source:http://cleantechnica.com/2012/06/28/cheap-pay-as-you-go-solar-developing-countries-awesome/

Solar Power Rises from City Dump

JinkoSolar is going to provide the solar cells for a new 5.75 megawatt solar array that will be built on the site of a former landfill in Canton, Massachusetts. The site had been derelict for more than 20 years, and struggling towns and cities across the U.S. might want to take a look at Canton to see how solar power could help them generate new revenue from abandoned properties.
Clean Energy from Brown Fields

The Canton site is just the tip of the solar iceberg. The U.S. EPA has identified a whopping 14 million acres of abandoned industrial sites (aka brownfields) and Superfund sites that could be put to use generating solar power or wind power.

It’s part of a program called Re-Powering America’s Land, which the Obama Administration rolled out back in 2010.

The initiative gives you a sustainability three-for-one. Aside from generating renewable energy and potentially bringing some revenue into depressed areas, Re-Powering America’s Land is designed to clean up and repurpose local eyesores, and create new green jobs in local communities.
From Landfill to Solar Power

The 15-acre Canton site will be constructed by Gemma Renewable Power. Once completed it will generate revenue for the city to the tune of $16.3 million, representing lease of the property and sale of the electricity.

One interesting aspect of the project is JinkoSolar’s use of a ground-mounted system for the array’s 19,844 solar panels. This kind of “non-invasive” mounting system is needed to reduce the risk of subsurface disruptions that could weaken the integrity of the landfill cap.

It’s also interesting to note that Canton officials considered other options for use of the site. The solar array won out partly because it offered the highest return with a relatively low investment. The fact that it will be up and running within the year is also a plus.

Source: Clean Technica (http://s.tt/1g3kH)

CALSTART, U.S. Leader in Clean Transportation, Unveils SolarWorld Solar Panels at Head Office

CALSTART’s solar array is composed of 338 mono-crystalline silicon solar panels manufactured by SolarWorld in Hillsboro, Ore., and installed by SoCal Solar Energy, a SolarWorld authorized installer based in Mission Viejo, Calif. With 78 solar panels mounted on the headquarters roof and 260 installed on a carport canopy custom-designed by SoCal Solar Energy, the system is expected to generate enough clean power to offset 80 percent of CALSTART’s energy needs at the Pasadena facility, including power to supply the car chargers.

At a ribbon-cutting ceremony today, CALSTART President and CEO John Boesel welcomed dignitaries and CALSTART consortium members, including U.S. Rep. Judy Chu, Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard and Phyllis Currie, general manager of Pasadena Water and Power. The event showcased the solar array and charging stations as well as examples of cutting-edge electric and hybrid vehicles.

“This solar installation is a real-world demonstration of how employers can use solar technology and electric-vehicle charging to meet their triple bottom line: protecting the environment, providing benefit to their employees and saving money on energy costs now and for decades to come,” Boesel said. “We’re especially pleased that the solar panels from SolarWorld are made in the United States, creating high-quality American jobs.”

CALSTART is a member of the Plug-in Electric Vehicle Collaborative, a group of auto manufacturers, suppliers and government agencies working to facilitate deployment of electric vehicle charging stations in California. Moreover, the organization has initiated a program to promote workplace electric-vehicle charging, developing a rapid information-sharing network for employers nationwide to learn from each other how best to integrate chargers.

“SolarWorld welcomes this opportunity to partner with CALSTART, an organization engaged in commercializing clean, efficient technology in the transportation sector,” said Kevin Kilkelly, president of SolarWorld Americas. “CALSTART’s focus on addressing our nation’s air-quality, climate-change and energy-independence challenges dovetails with our own mission to deploy American-made solar technology manufactured according to the highest standards of environmental protection and quality.”

Source:http://www.environmental-expert.com/news/calstart-u-s-leader-in-clean-transportation-unveils-solarworld-solar-panels-at-head-office-301565

Crescent Dunes Concentrated Solar Power project

The Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project is a 110 MW plant located near Tonopah, Nevada. Once constructed, it will power up to 75,000 homes during peak electricity periods.

Project Overview

110 MW solar thermal power tower plant utilizing the advanced molten salt power tower technology with integrated storage. 25-year power purchase agreement with NV Energy to sell 100 percent of the electricity generated by the power plant.

When completed, the facility will supply approximately 500,000 megawatt hours annually of clean, renewable electricity, enough to power 75,000 homes during peak electricity periods.

Bureau of Land Management Record of Decision and Right-of-Way Grants executed December 2010. Closed financing in September 2011, including a $737 million loan from the Department of Energy and private financing from SolarReserve, ACS Cobra and Santander.
Construction began in September 2011.

During construction, the project will employ more than 600 workers on site with a total of more than 4,300 direct, indirect and induced jobs created during the 30-month construction period.

Under the project’s unique development agreement with Nye County, SolarReserve has committed to filling 90 percent of the construction jobs with Nevada residents, utilizing both union and non-union subcontractors.

During operations, the project will expend more than $10 million per year in salaries and operating costs. The concentrated project is expected to be completed in late 2013.

Project Summary

Tonopah Solar Energy, LLC, (TSE) a wholly owned subsidiary of SolarReserve, LLC, will construct, own, and operate the Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project. The project will be a solar generating facility located northwest of Tonopah, Nevada, in Nye County with a nominal net generating capacity of 110 megawatts (MW). When completed, Tonopah Solar Energy’s facility will supply approximately 500,000 megawatt hours annually of clean, renewable electricity – enough to power up to 75,000 homes during peak electricity periods utilizing its innovative energy storage capabilities.

The Cresent Dunes Solar Energy Project will utilize concentrating solar power (CSP) technology, with a central receiver tower and the advanced molten salt system technology developed by Pratt Whitney & Rocketdyne. The project will help meet the increasing demand for clean, renewable electrical energy in the U.S. and help reduce reliance on fossil fuels and associated greenhouse gas emissions.
Key Project Benefits:

Advances U.S. clean energy technology with the most advanced energy storage project providing clean energy, day or night. The energy storage inherent in the technology provides a stable and flexible electricity product to better meet Nevada’s peak demand profile and improve grid stability.

Helps meet growing demand for clean, renewable energy sources. Will significantly reduce the use of water for cooling by using an efficient, low-water hybrid cooling system.

Job Creation

SolarReserve’s construction of the Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project will create approximately 4,300 direct, indirect and induced jobs, including more than 600 construction jobs during a 30-month period. The project will also bring additional tax revenues as well as secondary/induced economic activity to the region. During operations, the project will expend more than $10 million per year in salaries and operating costs, and is forecasted to generate $47 million in total tax revenues through the first 10 years of operation. In addition, the Crescent Dunes Project Development Agreement requires that 90 percent of the project’s construction workforce will be Nevada residents.

Development and construction 600 jobs skilled and semi-skilled labor, 90% Nevada residents Operations phase 45 full-time, permanent jobs.

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne 120 to 130 engineering/technical positions retained. SolarReserve 35 management and engineering jobs. Indirectly induced1 4,300 indirectly induced jobs in the supply chain including manufacturing, value-added services and transport of the equipment.

Domestic Economic Impacts

Tax Revenues: Project forecasted to generate $37 million in total tax revenues over the first ten years of operation. Capital Investment: Project will generate in excess of $750 million private capital cost investment in Nevada. Reliable, Non-Variable Power Generation

Not only is the sun an unlimited fuel source, but it also provides the cleanest form of energy available at any scale. The Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project utilizes energy storage, which provides operating stability for the electricity grid and a cost-effective way to meet Nevada’s peak electricity demand profile.

Clean and Secure Domestic Energy

The Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project will reduce the nation’s reliance on fossil energy supplies, producing enough solar energy in one year equivalent to about one-fourth of the total output of Hoover Dam. The project uses a hybrid cooling power system so that water use is at a strict minimum in this important desert ecosystem. Solar-only energy avoids greenhouse gas emissions produced by a mid-sized fossil-fueled power plant.

Source:http://www.evwind.es/noticias.php?id_not=19376

BrightSource Energy set to buy 500 MW concentrating solar power Palen project

BrightSource Energy submitted a $10 million bid for the 500 MW concentrated solar power plant as part of the court-approved auction of four solar energy projects Solar Trust had in development.

BrightSource Energy set to buy 500 MW concentrating solar power Palen project
A resurgence of large-scale concentrated solar thermal power plants on public and private land east of the Coachella Valley could be underway, with BrightSource Energy’s winning bid for Solar Trust of America’s stalled Palen project in Thursday’s bankruptcy auction.

BrightSource submitted a $10 million bid for the 500-megawatt concentrated solar power plant earlier this month as part of the court-approved auction of four solar energy projects Solar Trust had in development at the time of its April bankruptcy filing. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware still has to approve the sale, which could happen at a hearing set for June 27.

No sales have been announced for the company’s 1,000-megawatt Blythe project 8 miles west of the city of Blythe, or the company’s other two solar energy projects, one near Ridgecrest and one in Nevada.

BrightSource uses concentrated solar tower technology, with thousands of mirrors, or heliostats, reflecting heat onto a boiler at the top of a central solar tower, that can top out at 750 feet. Steam from the boiler is used to power a turbine, which produces electricity.

In addition to its 392-megawatt Ivanpah project now under construction 50 miles northwest of Needles, the company is developing the 500-megawatt Rio Mesa concentrating solar power project on 4,070 acres of mostly private land 13 miles southwest of Blythe. Rio Mesa is in the permitting process with Riverside County.

Solar Trust originally planned Blythe and Palen as concentrating solar thermal projects, though using a parabolic trough technology that does include a central solar tower. But as solar panel prices plummeted last year, both projects were put on hold for a possible transition to panels.

Source:http://www.evwind.es/noticias.php?id_not=19365

BrightSource Energy acquires Palen Concentrated Solar Power project

BrightSource Energy Inc. has been confirmed as the winning bidder for the 484 MW Palen concentrating solar power (CSP) project.

BrightSource Energy acquires Palen Concentrated Solar Power project
BrightSource Energy Inc. has been confirmed as the winning bidder for the 484 MW Palen concentrating solar power (CSP) project during Solar Trust of America's LLC's (Oakland, California, U.S.) bankruptcy auction, held on June 21st, 2012.

BrightSource states that it will work closely with Solar Trust of America to satisfy customer closing conditions on the project. BrightSource also confirmed that it will use concentrating solar power tower technology on the site, which was originally slated for a parabolic trough CSP plant.

"We are pleased to have the opportunity to build a solar thermal power tower plant at the Palen solar site, and to deliver cost-effective and dispatchable clean power to our utility customers," reads a statement by BrightSource.

Solar Trust of America had asked a bankruptcy court to approve BrightSource as a stalking horse bidder in a June 8th, 2012 filing, however more information on this process was not available at press time. Solar Trust auctioned several other projects on June 21st, 2012, however details were not disclosed.

BrightSource Energy’s solar thermal technology provides utilities and industrial customers with reliable and cost-effective clean energy power at a scale that makes a difference.

Source:http://www.evwind.es/noticias.php?id_not=19351

Campbell Dedicates 9.8-Megawatt Solar Power System

BNB Renewable Energy Holdings, Enfinity America Corporation, FirstEnergy Solutions and SunPower Corp. (NASDAQ: SPWR) will today celebrate the completion of a 9.8-megawatt (MW) solar power system at Campbell's manufacturing facility in Napoleon, Ohio. More than 200 jobs were created during construction of the system, which is now generating the equivalent of 15 percent of the facility's annual electricity requirements.

'This system is a milestone achievement that will reduce Campbell's operational expenses while generating clean, renewable power that contributes to the environmental health of our friends and neighbors in Napoleon and across Northeast Ohio,' said Dave Stangis, Campbell's vice president of corporate responsibility and public affairs. 'Campbell is committed to managing our environmental resources with tangible initiatives that produce measurable results.'

BNB Renewable Energy Holdings (BNB) developed the project from its inception in 2009 in partnership with Campbell. A key to the project's success is a power purchase agreement (PPA), which guarantees that Campbell will buy 100 percent of the energy generated by the photovoltaic (PV) array. Additionally, BNB secured an agreement with FirstEnergy Solutions, which contracted to purchase all of the solar renewable energy credits and environmental benefits associated with the project.

Enfinity co-developed the project with BNB, arranging term financing for the project with Wells Fargo and working with BNB to manage the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract with SunPower. With the closing of financing and the completion of the purchase, Enfinity, working with BNB, will provide operating and maintenance services for the life of the system.

Matthew Baird, a principal and founder of BNB said, 'BNB and Enfinity have shown what's possible when focused development expertise meets a ready source of funding. 2012 is going to see more of these solar success stories.'

Enfinity America Corporation CEO Rafael Dobrzynski said, 'Large-scale distributed generation installations like this will be an important part of the way forward for Enfinity, and indeed the solar industry as a whole. More and more commercial and industrial companies are seeing that on-site solar energy is a viable business proposition and a brand-builder, as it shows a commitment to sustainable energy. Importantly, our access to rapidly deployable capital means we can accelerate the pace of development without relying on the federal cash grant.'

At the 60-acre site, SunPower designed and installed the SunPower Oasis™ system using high-efficiency SunPower solar panels with the SunPower® T0 Tracker system. The Tracker follows the sun's movement during the day, increasing sunlight capture by up to 25 percent over conventional fixed-tilt systems, while significantly reducing land use requirements. The 9.8MW array was commissioned December 30, 2011.

'SunPower's proven T0 Tracker delivers the highest energy production per acre for solar power plants, reliably maximizing savings on electricity costs for the next 20 years or more,' said Howard Wenger, SunPower president, regions. 'We applaud the serious commitment made by Campbell and its development partners, which will deliver long-term financial and environmental benefits.'

The solar project in Napoleon is the latest step in Campbell's journey to supporting renewable energy development. By 2020, Campbell aims to reduce energy use by 35 percent per ton of product produced and source 40 percent of the energy used by the company from renewable or alternative energy sources.

Source:http://www.environmental-expert.com/news/campbell-dedicates-98-megawatt-solar-power-system-301028

Middle East's US$6.8 billion investment in solar power creates new industry platform in Dubai

The Middle East's lead role in the growth of the solar power industry will be underlined by a new event in the UAE, creating major opportunities for manufacturers and suppliers worldwide to capitalise on heavy investment by regional governments.

The launch of the three-day Solar Middle East exhibition in Dubai, announced today, reflects a strong regional focus on development of solar power facilities, with at least ten major projects worth a combined US$6.8 billion under way in the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Egypt, Jordan and Morocco.

The UAE continues to lead the way as part of the strategy to reduce its reliance on fossil fueled power generation, spearheaded by the US$600 million Shams 1 in Abu Dhabi, the world's largest concentrated solar power plant which is expected to be completed by August 2012.

In Dubai, where the new exhibition will debut next February, the US$3.2 billion Al Maktoum Solar Park is slated to begin construction in 2014 and will reach a peak of 1,000MW production capacity upon its scheduled completion in 2030.

More planned solar power projects in the region include the US$150 million solar enhanced oil recovery (EOR) Project in Oman, which will begin construction next year, and the US$525 million 100 MW Solar Power Plant in Kom Ombo, Egypt, also set to begin construction in 2013.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has big plans for the future as it looks to attract US$109 billion in investment to create a solar industry generating a third of the nation's electricity - the equivalent of 41 gigawatts - by 2032.

The influx of new and planned solar projects in the region and the business opportunities being created will be spotlighted by the inaugural edition of Solar Middle East, which takes place from 17-19 February, 2013 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The three-day event, co-located with Middle East Electricity exhibition, is expected to attract more than 150 suppliers of solar products from around the world who are looking to tap into a lucrative Middle East North Africa (MENA) market.

According to a recent report by GlobalData, the MENA region is tipped as the upcoming solar power investment destination for major market players, with energy experts predicting the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Algeria and Jordan to be the key countries fueling further growth.

Anita Mathews, Exhibition Director of Solar Middle East said: "The MENA region is perfectly poised to take advantage of solar technology, with a staggering 630,000 terawatt hours of solar energy falling on the region every year. As such, governments are investing heavily in the application of solar technology."

"We decided to introduce Solar Middle East as a dedicated event for the solar power industry in response to a significant increase of exhibitors and visitors at Middle East Electricity that are involved in solar."

"With the regional solar landscape set to expand dramatically in the coming years as new technology enters the market, the timing is perfect to launch Solar Middle East in 2013, and we look forward to a hugely successful first year."

Solar Middle East is officially supported by solar industry partner associations, the Saudi Arabia Solar Industries Association (SASIA), and the Emirates Solar Industry Association (ESIA).

Browning Rockwell, Founder and Chairman of SASIA, said: "Solar energy is poised for rapid growth in Saudi Arabia and the wider MENA region, as a host of public announcements made by regional governments indicate their plans to embrace renewable energy. Saudi, Oman, and Kuwait have all announced plans to produce at least 10 per cent of its energy from solar and renewables by 2020, while Egypt, Jordan, and Algeria have also set similar goals.

"SASIA is looking forward to partnering with the launch of Solar Middle East 2013 in Dubai, and extending the partnership as the growth in the MENA solar industry presents more opportunities for private sector companies in the renewable energy and cleantech space."

Solar Middle East will also feature a dedicated industry conference, addressing key challenges that the Middle East region faces regarding harnessing the infinite resource and integrating it into regional power grids.

For more information about Solar Middle East, or to be involved as an exhibitor, visitor, sponsor, or delegate, go to www.solarmiddleeast.ae or call: +971 4 336 5161 .


Source:http://uk.zawya.com/story/Middle_Easts_USD68bn_investment_in_solar_power_creates_new_industry_platform_in_Dubai-ZAWYA20120620113605/

Summer Solstice Solar Survey: Consumers Around the World Think Their Country Has the Most Solar Power Installed

Applied Materials puts out an interesting Summer Solstice Solar Energy Survey annually. While it covers a range of topics, one of the most interesting findings this year, in my opinion, is that consumers of various countries think their country is the solar leader (when it is not).

“Respondents of each country believed their country has installed the greatest number of solar panels. Almost six in 10 (57%) Americans say the U.S. has installed the most solar panels, 43 percent of Chinese think it is China, and half (52%) of India thinks it is their country,” Applied Materials writes.

Pretty hilarious.

Only 17% of respondents responded that Germany was the world leader.

Of course, as CleanTechnica readers know, the top countries in absolute numbers (MW of installed solar power) as of the end of 2011 were:

Germany — 24678
Italy — 12754
Japan — 4914
Spain — 4400
USA — 4383
China — 3093
France — 2659
Belgium — 2018
Czech Rep. — 1959
Australia — 1298

But those rankings change when you look at installed solar power in relative terms (i.e. per capita, per GDP, and relative to electricity production).

Source: Clean Technica (http://s.tt/1eZub)

Source:http://cleantechnica.com/2012/06/19/summer-solstice-solar-survey-consumers-around-world-think-their-country-has-installed-most-solar-power/

The End of New Jersey's Solar Gold Rush?

New Jersey added more solar panels than any other state last quarter, marking the first time that another state swiped California's crown for the most new installations.

In the first three months of 2012, New Jersey installed just under 16,000 solar projects totaling 174 megawatts, according to a new report by the Solar Energy Industries Association and consulting firm GTM Research, enough to power roughly 26,000 homes. California came in second, at 148 new megawatts.

A third of the solar power installed in the United States in the first quarter was installed in New Jersey.

But according to the report, the Garden State's lead as the fastest-growing solar market could be short-lived. "We're expecting to see a downturn in the New Jersey market" starting in 2013, Shayle Kann, vice president of research at GTM Research, told reporters on a conference call.

Most experts agree on the culprit: New Jersey's incentives system, called the Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC) program, encouraged a brief solar gold rush. Today, the program can no longer guarantee investors sizable profits and is in need of repair, with lessons for other states where similar programs are under way.

At the same time, Massachusetts, New York and Hawaii, have launched new incentives that could help ignite a burst of installations, Kann said. Together, those three states are expected to install about 100 megawatts of commercial-scale solar capacity in 2012, a 40 percent increase over last year.

The rise of solar in those states reflects a larger trend. In the first quarter this year, U.S. installations almost doubled compared to last year at this time, thanks largely to cheap panel prices—which have fallen nearly 50 percent since 2011—and the installation boom in New Jersey's commercial sector, the study found.

New Jersey's SREC Problems

The roots of New Jersey's solar expansion lie in 2005, when it launched its SREC program, then the first such program in the world.

The scheme works like this: For every megawatt-hour of electricity that solar owners generate, they earn a certificate, called an SREC (prounced es-reck). Owners can choose to sell those credits on an exchange market, usually for hundreds of dollars a pop. The state's utilities are obligated to buy a set number of SRECs each year.

The goal was to jump-start the state's solar industry by helping developers earn a profit from setting up the systems.

Before long, a gold-rush mentality took over. The country's solar developers moved to New Jersey in hopes of getting top-dollar for their solar electricity. Solar installations grew from almost nothing in 2005 to about 730 megawatts today.

But by late 2011, the boom created a glut of new projects, souring the economics. The SREC market became flooded with credits, so much so that there are now more credits than utilities are required to buy.

Credits that went for $685 a piece in April 2011 are now selling for $155, after going for less than $100 earlier this year. "This is substantially altering the returns that investors can expect to see from projects in New Jersey," said Andrew Krulewitz, a solar analyst at GTM Research, in an interview.

New Jersey isn't the only state with SREC troubles. Pennsylvania's market, which started shortly after New Jersey's, has faced an oversupply of credits in recent years, with prices dipping to as low as $20. Other states with SREC programs are: California, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, North Carolina and Ohio, along with the District of Columbia.

In the near term, the outlook is good for New Jersey, Krulewitz said, because there are hundreds of megawatts under construction. "It's too late to stop these projects from going online." But low SREC prices will make its solar market less of a draw. The State Senate and Assembly are floating "solar rescue" bills that would boost the price of credits, though they differ on how to do so.

Source:http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20120618/new-jersey-tops-solar-panel-installations-california-srec-prices-new-york-massachusetts-hawaii-seia-gtm-research

Cyprus urged to push wind energy and solar power

A combination of solar energy and wind power would be ideal. Infinia to Supply 25.5 MW Concentrating Solar Power Project in Cyprus.

Cyprus urged to push wind energy and solar power
Danish business pioneer Peer Gelser has said that Cyprus is the “obvious and logical” choice for a solar future during a speech at Green Energy Conference this week.

With Denmark poised to hand over the EU presidency to Nicosia, the conference highlighted Copenhagen’s renewable energy strategy, whilst also discussing the future energy needs for the island, with pitches for both wind and solar power.

Opening the event, Ambassador Kirsten Geelan spoke of Denmark’s drive to reduce carbon targets for 2020, with a new set of goals designed to wean the country off oil and gas.

Copenhagen recently announced that it is aiming to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 34 per cent by 2020 compared to 1990 levels and decrease energy consumption by more than 12 per cent compared to 2006. It also aims to supply 35 per cent of its total energy from renewables, with half of its electricity delivered by wind farms.

Speaking at the conference, Anders Hasselager, senior policy advisor to the Danish Energy Agency said the rapid progress made in Denmark appears to be strongly linked to public attitudes towards green energy.

“Now we are in a climate crisis and an economic crisis, so for Denmark a green future and more jobs are our priorities. I think people are very much in favour for the green future, but of course there has been some reaction because we have to pay up-front for achieving this,” he said.

“But the majority of the Danish people have agreed to pay more now and understand they will save when fossil fuels become more expensive.”

Manthos Mavrommatis, chairman of the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce, says the development of new energy sources will have a major impact in the way the state plans future policy, especially given the soaring costs of electric for consumers, increased climate concerns and ever rising oil prices.

“I strongly believe green energy is important, firstly because it will take many years before gas becomes available here, which can then be used for the production of electricity and secondly because the EU targets for renewable energies are set, so this is the way we have to move.”

Hasselager agreed, praising Cyprus for ‘doing well’ but adding that there could be more room for wind turbines and other renewable sources.

However, it became apparent during discussions with delegates and the audience after the conference that there is a measure of disappointment that the government pumped so much cash at large scale wind farms at the expense of photovoltaics, which some claiming it is proving a colossal waste of the taxpayer’s money.

The majority of funds levied through EAC electricity bills for renewable energy sources go to the wind farms, with three currently producing electricity, but working on average at a paltry 25 per cent of their capacity.

Although Peer Gelser did not openly criticise the wind farms, he pressed the case for Cyprus opting for a future of solar-produced electricity, arguing that the island was already by far the highest user per capita of thermal heating in Europe, with a figure that was double that of its nearest rival.

He said Cyprus was the “obvious and logical” choice for a solar future, with a daily average of 5.4 kilowatt-hours (KWh) production of energy per square metre of land and around 92 per cent of households already being equipped with solar water heaters.

“The state has certainly heard it and they have acknowledged it,” Gelser says. “I find that the governmental institutions are working really well here, but Cyprus needs assistance now - they have acknowledged using solar for water heating, but now it needs to go into the electricity grid - and that really is a must for Cyprus.”

Gelser, who has a vested interest in developing solar power in Cyprus as a consultant for energy developer DanSolar, added solar will create jobs, such as in the local metal production trade and the pre-cast industry.

“We want Cyprus to become the region’s Green-Tech specialist, a solar development centre,” he added, saying that Cyprus could even be in a position to export solar produced energy to countries such as India and Greece.

“I think a combination of solar energy and wind power would be ideal,” Mantos Mavrommatis added, “although because of our location, solar energy has a bigger potential for Cyprus, vis-à-vis wind energy. But, wind energy does have a role to play in Cyprus as well.”

Some time was devoted to a German military report on “peak oil”, which forecasts a world catastrophe when fossil fuels starts to dry up. The document warns of shifts in the global balance of power, of the formation of new relationships based on interdependency, of a decline in importance of the western industrial nations, of the "total collapse of the markets" and of serious political and economic crises.

“It is said that within a few years the world is going to be in a disastrous situation, it is not solely the German report that causes concern, there is also a British report which is just coming out,” Gelser said.

The term "peak oil" is used by energy experts to refer to a point in time when global oil reserves pass their pinnacle and production begins to terminally decline as resources dry up. This would result in a permanent supply crisis and fear of it can trigger turbulence in commodity markets and on stock exchanges. Although the date of the ‘peak oil’ is not known, most analysts agree it will be within the next 10 to 15 years.


Wind energy in Cyprus

2010: 82 MW
2011: 134 MW
2012: 154 MW

Source:http://www.evwind.es/noticias.php?id_not=19229

Va regulators want public comment on Dominion's proposed solar-power incentive program

The State Corporation Commission is seeking public comment on Dominion Virginia Power's solar-power incentive program.

The Richmond energy provider is proposing an incentive to encourage customers to install solar panels and sell the electricity to company.

Dominion is seeking approval to buy solar-generated power from residential and small commercial customers at 15 cents per kilowatt-hour for a five-year demonstration period.

The demonstration project would be limited to a total of 3 megawatts, or 3,000 kilowatts. The typical residential solar installation in the company's Virginia service area is 4 kilowatt hours.

The proposed rate is designed to pay a premium to customers who generate electricity with solar power to defray installation costs.

Comments or a request for a public hearing on the proposal must be submitted by September 14.

Source:http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/b1b5e86734054bf480ddb055d64ff8c6/VA--Dominion-Solar-Power

U.S. Solar Power Shines, Will Increase 75 Percent This Year

A new report on the state of the solar industry in America indicates that despite a global oversupply and a potential trade war with China, the U.S. solar industry had its second-best quarter ever in terms of installations, during the first quarter of 2012.

The number of installations, 506 megawatts worth, enough to power just over 350,000 homes, was bested only by the fourth quarter of 2011, which saw a whopping 708 megawatts worth of solar installed.

On top of that, the report, drafted by clean-energy market analysis firm GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association and released Tuesday, a trade group, forecasts that total U.S. installed solar power will increase 75 percent his year alone, with 3.3 gigawatts-worth of solar power installed, compared to the 4.4 gigawatts that are currently installed in the country and were added over years of development.

“This will be by far the largest year we’ve ever had for solar in the U.S.,” said Shayle Kann, vice president of research at GTM, in a phone interview with TPM. “Relative to expectations, the first quarter was very strong. We saw both the commercial and residential markets grow.”

Indeed, commercial solar installations, those put in place on corporate properties, accounted for the overwhelming majority’s worth of solar power installed in the quarter — 288.8 megawatts, according to the GTM and SEIA U.S. Solar Market Insight report.

Furthermore, residential power installations (those installed on homes) accounted for 93.9 megawatts. The final category, utilities power installations, or solar put in place by power companies, accounted for 123.6 megawatts of installations, but that number was actually a steep decline from both the third and fourth quarters of 2011.

However, as the report points out, “direct comparisons between these two quarters [fourth and first] carry little meaning,” because “construction timelines for a relatively few large projects can cause large swings from quarter to quarter more than any underlying market dynamics.”

In essence: The natural construction cycle for solar projects and other power installations, governed by weather and the fiscal year, means that generally, utilities won’t be installing solar panels in larger numbers until later in the year, so long as they have those projects already lined up, “in the pipeline,” as it were.

“The pipeline is still huge,” Kann told TPM.

Intriguingly, when it came to the state-by-state breakdown for solar installations for the first quarter of 2012, New Jersey lead the nation in solar installations, with a whopping 173.8 megawatts of solar power generation capacity installed in the three month period. California, more commonly associated with solar, was second with 148.4 megawatts.

“New Jersey has been a leader in solar for years thanks to good state level policy,” Kann explained, “That’s the most important thing.”

Kann pointing to the state’s Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SREC) program, which allows solar installation owner to sell credits on a competitive state market, credits earned for every 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity every single project generates. He said that other states were wise to follow in New Jersey’s path.

At the same time, domestic solar manufacturing took a hit as prices for some solar panel arrays plummeted by 47 percent over the same quarter last year.

The manufacturing downturn was taken as proof positive by the Coalition For Solar Manufacturing, a trade grouped formed specifically to petition the U.S. government to slap tariffs on Chinese imports of cheap solar panels, which the group says were illegally subsidized and dumped. The Commerce Department did find some Chinese companies guilty of illegally subsidizing and dumping, and did end up imposing tariffs.

As Gordon Brisner, president of SolarWorld America, the lead company in CASM, said in a statement distributed to reporters this week: “The sharp drop in U.S. solar manufacturing, even as demand in the United States grows, is powerful evidence of injury caused by unfair Chinese trade practices.”

Kann said that just because there was a global oversupply of solar panels driving down the price didn’t mean that China was necessarily dumping, though.

“Manufacturers across the globe didn’t prepare well,” Kann told TPM. “They kept producing even when their inventory was really high, which lead to a drastic market correction,” i.e., the falling price of solar panel modules.

Still, Kann said that the overall picture of the U.S. solar industry remained bright.

“We’re expecting see growth in all three sectors: residential, commercial and utilities,” Kann added.

Source:http://idealab.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/06/report-us-solar-power-shines-will-increase-75-percent-this-year.php

SolarCity and US Bancorp announce $250 million solar project fund

SolarCity and US Bancorp have announced a $250 million fund for residential and commercial solar projects.

The two organisations have been working together for three year and the latest fund is the sixth and largest aimed at homeowners, businesses, schools and government buildings.

The setup allows SolarCity and US Bancorp to provide funding for the solar panels and installation, while customers pay for the electricity at a discount rate on their usual utility rate.

SolarCity manages the entire process of permitting and installing the solar panels, as well as ongoing maintenance and repairs.

US Bancorp says the deal simplifies the process of taking up renewable energy for both homeowners and businesses.

“US Bancorp and SolarCity are providing customers an end-to-end, clean energy service that costs less than a monthly utility bill,” says Zack Boyers, chair and CEO of US Bancorp’s community investment subsidiary.

Meanwhile, the latest figures from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) indicate that solar installations in the US are on an upward trend.

Installations were up 85% in the first three months of the year to 506 MW and could reach 3300 MW by the end of the hear, making the US the fourth largest solar market after Germany, Italy and China.

The country now has a total of 4.4 GW of solar photovoltaic capacity and has 1.1 GW of concentrating solar power (CSP) under construction.

The commercial sector including government and not-for-profit organisations reported the most growth, up 77% from last year to 288 MW installed.

One of the main drivers is the fall in price of solar modules, but this means that the outlook for the future is more uncertain as import levies on cheap imported Chinese panels kick in.

Source:http://www.energyefficiencynews.com/articles/i/5182/?cid=4

Clouds clear for solar power

Researchers at the Newcastle CSIRO Energy Centre are confident the problem of clouds affecting the output of solar panels can be managed, even for large scale power generation.

A year-long, world-first study into solar intermittency has found the extra complexity of managing solar power should not be a barrier to the uptake of the renewable resource.

Team Leader at the Energy Centre, Glenn Platt says with the right forecasting and management plans, the intermittency of solar power can be fixed.

"One way to think about it is, the electricity grid is used to load going up and down as people turn on air conditioners, and things like that," he said.

"At the moment, solar panels look very similar to that, they just look exactly like air conditioners turning on and off."

Mr Platt says Australia has a unique energy market and it is time to ramp up local research, particularly into larger scale solar projects.

"We think that a huge amount of more work needs to be done, particularly in Australia, to find out how these issues are relevant to Australia and we'd love for that work to be happening in Newcastle at our energy centre," he said.

"We have some fairly unique facilities here to be able to help us to do these sorts of investigations."

Source:http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-14/csiro-cloud-cover-solar-panels/4070406/?site=newcastle

First Solar to Provide 159 MW in Solar Power Projects for AGL Energy Under Australia's Solar Flagships Program

First Solar FSLR -0.31% today announced it will design, construct and maintain two utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) power projects totaling 159 megawattsAC (MW) for AGL Energy Limited as part of Australia's Solar Flagships Program. AGL was selected as the successful proponent in the solar PV category of the program and will receive federal and state government funding to help deliver on its commitment to greater investment in renewable electricity generation.

The Australian Government's Solar Flagships Program is one of a number of programs and market mechanisms providing unprecedented support for the development of a broad range and scale of solar energy projects and technologies in Australia. The Solar Flagships Program is offering funding to support the construction and demonstration of large-scale, grid connected solar (PV and thermal) power stations in Australia.

Under the program, AGL will develop a 106 MWAC project in Nyngan and a 53 MWAC project in Broken Hill, both in New South Wales. First Solar will design and construct the integrated PV power plants, using its leading engineering, procurement and construction services and its advanced thin-film PV modules for both projects. First Solar will also maintain both projects for AGL Energy for their first five years of commercial operation. The electricity produced by the projects will be sold under power purchase agreements to AGL Hydro Partnership, a wholly owned subsidiary of AGL.

The projects will be supported with funding provided by the federal government and the state government of New South Wales under separate funding agreements.

"This is a significant step forward for the utility-scale solar industry in Australia--an order of magnitude increase in project size--and a testimony to the confidence our customers have in First Solar technology and its performance in some of the hottest and harshest conditions in the world," said Jim Hughes, First Solar Chief Executive Officer. "These projects demonstrate First Solar's ability to apply its vertically integrated capabilities to deliver competitive, comprehensive, utility-scale solar solutions in future sustainable markets. We look forward to working with AGL on more projects like this in the future."

On an annual basis, the projects will produce enough electricity to meet the needs of at least 30,000 Australian homes. The projects are expected to provide approximately 350 GWh of energy annually.

The projects are expected to create approximately 450 jobs at peak construction. Construction is expected to begin on both projects in 2014, with commercial operation in 2015. AGL will be the majority owner of the project vehicle.

"AGL is delighted to be working with the Commonwealth and New South Wales Governments, the people of Broken Hill and Nyngan, and our project partner First Solar to deliver these significant renewable energy projects. These projects represent a tremendous opportunity for AGL and the broader solar industry to begin the roll-out of solar power as a meaningful source of generation supply in Australia," said Michael Fraser, AGL's Managing Director.

AGL is one of Australia's leading integrated renewable energy companies and is taking action toward creating a sustainable energy future for investors, communities and customers. Drawing on over 175 years of experience, AGL operates retail and merchant energy businesses, power generation assets and an upstream gas portfolio. AGL has Australia's largest dual fuel customer base. AGL has a diverse power generation portfolio including base, peaking and intermediate generation plants, spread across traditional thermal generation as well as renewable sources including hydro, wind, landfill gas and biomass. AGL is Australia's largest private owner and operator of renewable energy assets and is looking to further expand this position by exploring a suite of low emission and renewable energy generation development opportunities.

About First Solar, Inc.

First Solar is a leading global provider of comprehensive photovoltaic (PV) solar systems which use its advanced thin-film modules. The company's integrated power plant solutions deliver an economically attractive alternative to fossil-fuel electricity generation today. From raw material sourcing through end-of-life module collection and recycling, First Solar's renewable energy systems protect and enhance the environment. For more information about First Solar, please visit www.firstsolar.com .

For First Solar Investors

This release contains forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The forward-looking statements in this release do not constitute guarantees of future performance. Those statements involve a number of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, including risks associated with the company's business involving the company's products, their development and distribution, economic and competitive factors and the company's key strategic relationships and other risks detailed in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. First Solar assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information contained in this press release or with respect to the announcements described herein.

SOURCE: First Solar, Inc.

Source:http://www.marketwatch.com/story/first-solar-to-provide-159-mw-in-solar-power-projects-for-agl-energy-under-australias-solar-flagships-program-2012-06-11

Lanco Solar's Rajasthan concentrating solar thermal power will be ready by March

Lanco Solar's 100 MW concentrated solar power plant to be set up with an outlay of Rs 1,800 crore in Rajasthan will be ready by first quarter next year.

Lanco Solar's Rajasthan concentrating solar thermal power will be ready by March
Lanco Solar's 100 MW concentrated solar thermal power plant to be set up with an outlay of Rs 1,800 crore in Rajasthan will be ready by first quarter next year, said Mr V. Saibaba, Chief Executive Officer.

This concentrating solar power project will take the company's EPC contract portfolio to 350 MW. The order book is about Rs 4,200 crore.

The company had bid for a tariff of Rs 10.5 and is at an advanced stage of implementation. Mr Saibaba told Business Line that the company executed about 100 MW of solar photovoltaic plants. These projects include 40 MW of installed capacity of Lanco Solar and 55 MW of installed capacity for other companies.

The company is executing small projects in all of about 35 MW in France, Germany, the US and Canada. Lanco Solar, a subsidiary of Lanco Infratech Ltd, closed the year ended March 31, 2012, with a turnover of Rs 1,870 crore.

Source:http://www.evwind.es/noticias.php?id_not=19055

Lanco Solar’s EPC portfolio up by 350 mw

Lanco Solar’s EPC contract portfolio has crossed 350 mw for solar power farm projects in the country including its own solar photovoltaic plants and a 100 mw solar thermal power project coming up in Rajasthan. The 100 mw solar thermal power plant to be set up with an outlay of Rs. 1800 crore will be ready by first quarter next year, Mr. V.Saibaba, Chief Executive Officer of Lanco Solar, said.

The company had bid for a tariff of Rs. 10.5 and is at an advanced stage of its implementation. The solar EPC order book as of March is about Rs. 4200 crore with 61 per cent of this from external parties. Mr. Saibaba told Business Line that the company executed about 100 mw of solar photovoltaic plants in the country apart from handling smaller project execution work in other countries. These projects in India include 40 mw of installed capacity of Lanco Solar and 55 mw of installed capacity for other companies as an EPC player.

The company is executing small projects in all of about 35 mw in France, Germany, US and Canada. Lanco Solar, a subsidiary of Lanco Infratech Ltd closed the year ended March 31, 2012 with a turnover of Rs. 1870 crore and expects the revenues to cross Rs. 3000 crore this fiscal, he said.

Source:http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/article3509056.ece

Singapore’s Solar-Powered Supertrees: I Want One

Singapore doesn’t apparently have time to wait for real giant trees to grow, so instead they’ve decided to get all high-tech fancy with what’s being called “Supertrees.”

The colossal structures, ranging in height from 82ft to over 164ft, are part of a 250-acre landscaping project focused on the cultivation of natural flora and fauna from foreign lands.

The man-made mechanical forest consists of 18 supertrees that act as vertical gardens, generating solar power, acting as air venting ducts for nearby conservatories, and collecting rainwater. To generate electricity, 11 of the supertrees are fitted with solar photovoltaic systems that convert sunlight into energy, which provides lighting and aids water technology within the conservatories below.”

Each supertree will also act as a kind of massive trellis – allowing tropical vines and other plants the ability to climb and cover the structure. There will also be “skywalks” connecting some of the larger supertrees to each other and offering visitors amazing views of the gardens below. (Ewok village, anyone?)

The entire plan is part of Singpore’s strategy to become a city in a garden and expand its green spaces.

Source:http://www.ecorazzi.com/2012/06/08/singapores-solar-powered-supertrees-i-want-one/

Apoorva Renewable Energy to make solar-electric buses for transport body

Buses in Bangalore may soon be powered by solar energy. The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has placed orders with Apoorva Renewable Energy Products to design solar-electric hybrid buses, the company CEO, Mr Suresh Babu, said on the sidelines of the Global Investors Meet 2012.

“The BMTC has asked us to provide a sample hybrid vehicle and we have accepted the order and will start working on it,” Mr Babu said.

Several other government bodies such as the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) are in talks with the company too, he said.

The company makes three-wheeled vehicles powered by electric and solar power, and customises products for Indian conditions. “Using a common technology, we design products as per customer requirements and outsource the manufacturing,” Mr Babu said.
exports

Currently, the company's vehicles are used in Delhi and parts of Karnataka and it will start exporting in two months from now.

“During the GIM expo, Ministers from Saudi Arabia, Latin America, Ghana and Europe evinced interest in our products,” Mr Babu said, adding that the company already has orders in hand from Thailand for passenger vehicles to transport schoolchildren.

The mini school bus will come equipped with GPS capability so that parents can track their children en-route to the school and will also be able to monitor movement of the vehicle real-time.

“We are in advanced stages of talking to schools like Baldwin Boys High School for our mini school bus,” Mr Babu said.

The company makes three-wheeled nine-seaters, small cargo carriers and garbage pick up vehicles, starting Rs 75,000. “We are present only in the three wheeler segment and will not venture into other segments as there are several other big players there. Also, the audience we are targeting are the common man and the lower-end of the income pyramid who use three-wheelers,” Mr Babu said.

All the vehicles are fitted with batteries and one can switch from solar power to the batteries. The batteries, once fully charged, can cover about 120 km at a speed of 60 kmph, Mr Babu said.

With an increase in demand for the products, the company is in talks with several banks to strike deals to provide loans and financial assistance for customers, Mr Babu said. Currently, the government offers a 20 per cent subsidy on the products he added.

Source:http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/article3505672.ece

Renewable energy costs falling- agency

Power from renewable energy sources is getting cheaper every year, according to a newly-released study, challenging long-standing myths that clean energy technology is too expensive to adopt.

According to the study by the Abu Dhabi-based International Renewable Energy Agency and released on Wednesday, the costs associated with extracting power from solar panels has fallen as much as 60 per cent in just the past few years.

The price of generating power from other renewables, including wind, hydro power, concentrating solar power and biomass, was also falling.

'One of the (myths) out there perpetuated by industry lobby groups is that renewable energy is too expensive,' said Adnan Amin, IRENA's director general.

The numbers tell a different story, however, as 'costs are falling exponentially ... and will continue (to do so) in the future,' said Amin arguing that electricity generation 'is now cost-competitive with many traditional fossil fuel technologies'.

According to Dolf Gielen, director of IRENA's innovation and technology centre, investment in renewables is no longer a niche but rather represents the 'bulk of investments in global power generation,' accounting for half of the total annual capacity additions worldwide.

'The markets are growing very fast... and further cost reductions are very likely,' he said adding that in 2011, investments in the supply side of renewable energy sources reached about $US260 billion ($A267.70 billion).

A second IRENA study released on Wednesday estimates renewables will create a minimum of four million jobs just in the electricity sector in rural areas of the developing world.

Today, there are five million jobs world-wide in the renewable energy sector and more than 1.3 billion people, mainly in Africa and Asia, who do not have access to electricity, according to IRENA.

'There is considerable employment potential,' said Amin.

Founded in 2009, IRENA is an intergovernmental organisation established to promote the widespread use of renewable energy sources. It has more than 155 member states and is headquartered in Abu Dhabi.

Source:http://bigpondnews.com/articles/Environment/2012/06/07/Renewable_energy_costs_falling-_agency_758513.html

Sunergy America signs new solar 605 KW project in NJ

KRI, owner of The Fillo Factory’s future facility in Northvale, NJ has hired Sunergy America of Eatontown, NJ to design, engineer and construct a 605 kw Solar power system to create a reliable, sustainable plant and reduce their energy expenses.

The Fillo Factory, a company committed to health, offering vegan, vegetarian, organic and kosher food products, needed to reduce its energy costs and have confidence in a reliable energy source. So, their landlord contracted Sunergy America to design and construct a solar power system to supply their manufacturing facility and headquarters.

Sunergy America will assist to execute an Interconnection Agreement with Orange & Rockland for Net Metering. This is a metering option that:

1) Credits customer-generators at the full retail rate for each kilowatt-hour produced by a Class 1 renewable energy system installed on the customer-generator’s side of the electric revenue meter, up to the total amount of electricity used by that customer during an annualized period; and

2) Compensates the customer-generator at the end of the annualized period for any remaining credits, at a rate equal to the supplier/provider’s avoided cost of wholesale power.

In order to reduce some of the costs for the new solar power system, Sunergy America assisted Klaus Rexroth, Inc. to register so they can acquire a US Treasury Section 1603 Federal Grant that covers 30% of the system cost and qualifies them to earn New Jersey Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SREC). These SREC Certificates are sold to the electric companies to help them meet New Jersey carbon reduction emissions standards.

Ron Rexroth, the President of The Fillo Factory stated “KRI, in partnership with Sunergy America has helped us realize our plan to reduce energy costs. We are thrilled to go Green and it makes great economic sense. Ultimately Sunergy America will afford us the ability to pass to our consumers the savings with more competitive pricing. Their team of professionals answered all of our questions and provided us with an excellent alternative energy saving system.”

“KRI has made an investment that will help them maintain their building’s value for years to come,” commented, Bruno D’Uva, CEO of Sunergy America.

Sunergy America provides complete alternative energy solutions for commercial, industrial and institutional organizations including solar power and cogeneration systems. Our services include design, engineering, financing, compliance, procurement, construction, monitoring and maintenance.

Source:http://www.yourprojectnews.com/sunergy+america+signs+new+solar+605+kw+project+in+nj_78401.html

Incentives make solar affordable

Brendan O'Connor, born in Ireland, says he found a pot of gold on the sunny roof of his West Boylston Street restaurant when he installed 32 solar panels there four years ago.

The $42,000 project at the 23-year-old O'Connor's Restaurant and Bar has already paid for itself — thanks in large part to federal and state incentives — and will continue cutting his electric bill for years.

“I would do it over again. I think we are saving five to six grand a year. It was a good investment. Gasoline costs are totally out of our control, but what is in our control is something like solar power,” he said.

The Limerick native was an early participant in an accelerating move by businesses toward solar power. Even today, other business owners ask him how it worked out. And today, they may get an even better deal than he did.

A variety of incentives are available, and, together with cheaper, more efficient solar panels and rising competition among installers, they are leading more businesses to put sunlight to work.

State officials are backing solar energy and other alternative energies including wind power, setting up the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center to spotlight the opportunities.

“Solar electricity is really accelerating at a dramatic rate,” said Andy Brydges, MassCEC senior director of renewable energy generation. “The incentives for it in Massachusetts are relatively recent, within the last year, and it is a market we anticipate will grow dramatically.”

The payback time on solar electricity has dropped recently, as the manufacturing costs for photovoltaic equipment have plummeted worldwide.

People who had looked at photovoltaic three or four years ago are now finding it is a very attractive investment.

“States like Massachusetts are putting in place some very aggressive incentives to accelerate and build the industry,” Mr. Brydges said.

The incentives can conceivably pay about 70 percent of the installation costs of a system. The federal tax incentive alone can take 30 percent off the cost.

“It drives down the cost of the system right off the top, when you file your next tax return,” he said.

Businesses considering solar should obtain at least three bids and do research to get the best deal, he said. Some complicated incentive programs involve selling electricity back to utility companies, and assumptions about future market rates can vary.

“Work with an installer and say you want conservative assumptions. And where they have made assumptions … decide if you agree. By comparing multiple bids, you can usually pin down the variances and come to a decision,” he said.

Edward R. Whitaker, chief executive officer of Second Generation Energy in Hopedale, said businesses eyeing solar must first understand how to pay for it and its potential benefit. Issues include whether there's a good sunny place (such as Mr. O'Connor's large flat south-facing roof) to put the panels, he said.

“If you have a small building and are an energy intensive industry, there's going to be a small offset. Likewise, if you have a warehouse, you're going to have a large offset,” said Mr. Whitaker.

Another major issue is the availability of solar renewal and energy certificates. Utilities must generate a percentage of their electricity through solar, and the certificates allow photovoltaic system owners to sell it to them.

SGE installed the system at O'Connor's Restaurant and Bar, as well as a small one at the First Unitarian Society church in Franklin, and large ones on the roofs of Dan's Jeep in Westboro and Westborough Mitsubishi.

Mr. Whitaker said manufacturers' prices for panels have dropped by 75 percent compared to 2008, and complete systems can cost half of what they did back then. The federal tax credit will be in place until 2016, but faster depreciation on systems ends this year.

“The payback period usually falls into the four-to-six-year period, and panels have a 30- to 40-year expected lifetime and a 25-year warranty,” he said. Solar system inverters, a component that converts solar power into alternating current, can fail in about 15 years, he said.

Similar payback estimates have been made at a 364-panel installation at NorthStar Construction Services, a roofing contractor in Shirley. Estimates are that the system, installed by SouthPoint Solar of Leominster, will pay for itself in four years.

Businesses needing help paying installation costs can seek a loan from a bank or other entity. The Massachusetts Development Finance Agency has a “green loan” program. Applicants must have been in business for at least five years, be able to repay and have qualified for utility rebates or a subsidy.

Business-related installations come in many sizes and types.

In Barre, the Honey Farms convenience store chain recently had Quabbin Solar build an 18-acre solar farm in lieu of building smaller facilities at each of its 36 stores. It will gain savings from National Grid on its electric bills at many stores through the state's incentive program.

Mr. Whitaker's company is planning a project on the South Shore involving two businesses. One company wants to invest in a rooftop facility, but has no building. The other owns a building, but lacks funds to build a facility.

“Client No. 1 is going to build on the facility and sell the electricity, and client No. 2 will get the electricity at a discount. They have partnered up,” he said.

He suggests customers check if prospective installers are certified by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners. He also favors Massachusetts-based companies.

“We are a local company, we were founded here, we are based here and everybody that works for us lives here,” he said. Customers should also beware of poorly made solar panels used by some companies, he said.

Mr. O'Connor said energy needs were once a huge expense for his restaurant.

“It was something we had to do something about. There are a lot of people just trying to survive in business, but this is one (area) where you really have to have faith and bite the bullet and go for it,” he said. As it turned out, the state and federal incentives dropped his share of the costs to about only $10,000.

Today, the solar industry is more sophisticated than it was in 2008, and is offering better products, Mr. O'Connor said.

“There are far more choices out there than there were at the beginning. It was a learning curve for the consumer, National Grid and the city, and now people know what to expect,” he said.

Source:http://www.telegram.com/article/20120603/NEWS/106039991/-1/NEWS05

Big solar power needs democracy to switch on

If Australia were a democracy and governments had no choice but to carry out the will of the majority, we’d be well on our way to a 100% renewable power grid.

Recent polling organised by climate action groups around the country found that 94% of 12,000 people polled said they wanted big solar power stations built in Australia. And 93% of those polled said the government should invest public money to make that happen.

Big solar power stations use a field of mirrors to capture heat from sunlight. As they can store excess heat, big solar plants can run at night or in cloudy weather.

Australia has some of the best conditions in the world for solar power. About 60% of Australia’s energy needs could be met with it.

In the long run, big solar is also a big money-saver. Initial set up costs are high. But because the energy source is free, big solar will save many billions of dollars worth of coal and gas bills in coming decades.

The 100% renewables survey reported many of those polled said they supported big solar power because it would help boost employment. Unlike fossil fuels, solar power is a job-rich option.

Compared with big solar, gas-fired power is a job killer. Beyond Zero Emissions says that building big solar and wind power in Port Augusta would create about 20 times more permanent jobs than a gas-fired power plant.

Fossil fuel industries are already killing jobs elsewhere in Australia. The Australia Institute says a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in Gladstone will cause such huge economic dislocation that it will destroy 1600 more jobs than it will create. And, taking advantage of a tight rental market, landlords will hike up rents once the plant opens. Many small businesses, or unemployed and pensioner Gladstone residents on fixed incomes, will be priced out of town.

Do you think the owners of the Arrow LNG plant — Royal Dutch Shell and Petrochina — give a damn about these consequences? Of course not. Once that plant gets built the owners will rake in the cash. If they rake in a lot, that will free up capital to invest in the next profitable project, and the next after that. That is what matters to them.

Gladstone’s two-speed economy of big winners and big losers captures on a small scale what the mining and resources industry is doing to the whole Australian economy.

Australia’s mining boom, which is really still an investment boom, is hoovering up foreign and domestic private capital as profits soar. But the boom has pushed the rest of the economy to the brink of recession.

The mining boom is helping push workers out of manufacturing jobs. Huge coal seam gas and coal developments threaten to ruin entire rural economies and wreck irreplaceable farmlands.

Alongside hurting farmers, mining companies are trampling over the long-term needs of Australia’s tourism, wine and other industries.

Taking into account its overall impact on the economy and employment, Australia’s so-called mining boom is a curse, not a blessing. And above the wreckage rise the mining barons — richer, more powerful and with more reasons to not change course than ever before.

Alongside the economic dislocation, the mining and resources juggernaut creates environmental havoc. Once again, the ecological tragedy inflicted on the town of Gladstone captures on a small scale what is taking place on a big scale.

Dredging in Gladstone Harbour — on behalf of coal and gas interests — has transformed a picturesque, world-heritage listed waterway into a toxic, polluted nightmare.

On a global level, the fossil fuel and mining companies have expanded their operations, ignoring the climate change danger. Last week, the International Energy Association said global greenhouse gas emissions rose 3.2% last year.

The IEA said emissions have never been measured so high. It said unless we turn around and cut emissions quickly in the next few years, the Earth’s average temperature rise will cross the 2°C threshold. Above that point, scientists say we can expect much stronger climate change impacts: longer droughts, fiercer storms, extreme weather patterns and biodiversity loss.

What’s most shocking about the IEA measurements is how carbon emissions are worsening. In the early 1990s, global emissions rose by about 1% a year. Twenty years later, and despite all the scientific evidence and the green technologies available, investment decisions based on profit have made greenhouse gas emissions three times worse.

To keep profits up, the fossil fuel economy has to treat our atmosphere the same as it treats Gladstone Harbour: a dumping ground for waste.

This disastrous record of the past two decades should cause more observers to doubt the official wisdom about the climate crisis, which says market forces must play the main role in the transformation to a safe climate. In practice, the capitalist market has hugely rewarded the companies that are taking us down the road of disaster.

The argument for market based solutions to the climate crisis is based on faith, not experience. There is no body of evidence that suggests corporate greed, self-interest and the profit motive can help us in this cause.

But once politicians translate their faith in the market into political policy, it means that science-based policies that conflict with big capital’s need to expand in destructive ways are cast aside.

The science says we cannot afford this barren faith: we have no time to lose. We’re well into the climate change danger zone already. But big solar power is a hopeful option. Renewable energy is job-rich, clean, modern, healthy, affordable and necessary.

Only public money can get big solar power built in Australia in time to make a difference. That kind of public investment makes the most economic sense and the most environmental sense.

The private sector is not going to do it — indeed, the mining and resources sector, and the rest of the 1%, will fight it every step of the way. And so the fight for a sunny, windy job-rich future will also be a fight for real democracy, a society where the wishes of 94% of people actually means something.

Source:http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/51221

Wind power and solar energy in Angola

The Angolan Oil company Sonangol is installing solar power cells and wind energy systems along national roads where there are transponders of its telecommunication subsidiary, MStelecom.

Wind power and solar energy in Angola
This was said by Sonangol's Environment programme coordinator, Maria Luísa Ndembo, who added this is part of the company's commitment to reduce the emission of gases into the atmosphere.

The project was displayed at the 2nd International Fair on Environmental Technologies taking place in Luanda, the source said.

According to the source, the project is a national scope one, being in its pilot stage in Cabo Ledo (Luanda), before it is extended along the Benguela/Kuito line as from June 15, to replace the ordinary system (generators).

She recalled that the renewable energies are sources obtained from the nature such as solar energy, wind turbines, sea waves, with significant advantages for the environment.

Source:http://www.evwind.es/noticias.php?id_not=18885