Pennsylvania Tries to Improve SREC Market With New Legislation

A new bill was introduced in the Pennsylvania State Senate in August intending to improve the declining solar renewable energy credit (SREC) market in the Keystone State. A bill suggesting similar improvement had stalled in the House in 2011 (HB-1580), but Senator Dave Argall (R-29) is trying to kickstart the SREC market through legislation in the Senate. 

This new version of the  Senate Bill includes a:

-new timeline structure for the AEPS growth and decline from now until 2025, including an increase to the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard (AEPS) solar carve-out requirements from 2013-2015.

- change the alternative compliance payment (ACP) to $285/SREC for compliance in years 2013-2019 then reduce the ACP by 2% each subsequent reporting period

- change to eligibility requirements for renewable energy producers, to allow for solar thermal facilities

Notably, however, this version of the Bill no longer includes language to close the market to out-of-state systems, which has historically been what spares an overwhelmed SREC market in the past. So, now two questions remain: 

1) will this watered down senate bill garner the support it needs to become legislation and 

2) if it does, will it be able to improve the SREC market without closing out other states? 

You can read more about this in Anna Noucas' article Pennsylvania Senate Introduces Solar Bill to Effect Change in The Declining SREC Market. 

ITC Makes Decision- Chinese Solar Gets Tariffs

Is this the end of the discussion? The International Trade Commission (ITC) voted unanimously that the imports of solar cells from Chinese manufacturers are harming U.S. solar manufacturers. The ruling will result in tariffs being added to any solar modules that include parts made in China. The ITC, however, did find any critical circumstances in this case, and therefore no tariffs will be applied retroactively.

This issue is far from black and white, as this article in Renewable Energy World, points out. Much like the classic debate of free market vs protectionism, new tariffs or restrictions will make new winners and new losers.

For instance, some US companies that currently import Chinese parts fear that they will shoulder the burden of these new tariffs. As E.L. "Mick" McDaniel, Managing Director of Suntech America said "the continued growth of trade barriers represents a serious challenge to the U.S. solar industry, for American jobs, and for energy consumers globally."

The underlying issue, however, is why the tariffs are even being considered. The ITC, is not reviewing the case simply for a "buy American" policy, but because there is a strong belief that Chinese companies are benefiting from Chinese government subsidies that throw that global solar market out of balance. Without something (like the US government) correcting for those imbalances, some might argue, US companies can't compete. As Gordon Brinser, President of SolarWorld America said, "Commerce's decision raises the industry's chances of reclaiming footing for domestic, sustainable and environmentally sound solar -technology producers and their jobs."

That being said, however, the tariffs would certainly add an additional incentive for American companies to "buy American." Where do you stand on this trade issue? Is this the way to make American solar companies and jobs competitive? Or is there a better way?

(Oil) Money Can't Buy You Love But Renewable Energy Can Earn It

The fossil fuel industry has spent millions of dollars to keep themselves on the top of the energy game. But Election 2012 proved that money does not buy you happiness- at least for the fossil fuels. According to this article on the Huffington Post, by mid-September, oil, gas and coal companies had spent more than $150 million on campaign ads. In one week alone, Texan oil barons donated $10 million to Governor Romney. At the current rate, by the end of the election- well over $200 million will be spent trying to put pro-fossil fuel politicians in office.

Ohio- Senator Sherrod Brown ran on a record of supporting renewable energy and environmental protections and was re-elected for a second term.
New Mexico- Martin Heinrich- a clean energy advocate, beat out Representative Heather Wilson- a pro- drilling, anti-climate action candidate for a Senate seat.
Virginia- Governor Tim Kaine, with a proven record in favor of clean air and environmental standards, kept his seat despite fossil fuel companies pushing hard (financially) for his opponent.

These advocates might have survived the onslaught from the fossil fuel lobby- but they aren't the only clean energy advocates America put in office on Tuesday.

Steve King and Tom Latham- both from Iowa, Dean Heller from Nevada and Dave Reichart from Washington all won re-election this year and all are big wind power advocates.

So here we are- post election. Pro- clean energy and renewable energy advocates have prevailed. The voters have spoken and a majority want more renewable energy and environmental protection. We can all breath a sigh of relief. But there's no time to rest on our laurels.

Now the real work starts. 

Notable Quotable

I'd put my money on solar energy... I hope we don't have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that." - Thomas Edison, 1931


just something to think about

Milwaukee Shines Solar Loans

I had the pleasure of sitting in on a webinar about the Milwaukee Shines Solar Loans Program, where folks with Milwaukee Shines and the Midwest Renewable Energy Association discussed the pilot program implemented through the summer of 2012, lessons learned, and upcoming replication of the opportunity.

Milwaukee has been named a US Department of Energy Solar America City, and in 2012 the city became a part of DOE’s Sunspot rooftop solar program. Through the Sunspot Rooftop Solar Program, Milwaukee has promised to reduce the cost of photovoltaic panels, including the permitting process, financing, net metering and interconnection processes and zoning.

To achieve these ends, Milwaukee introduced the solar purchase program, Solar Power Pack (SPP). The goals of the SPP are to

1) Educate customers

2) Create a lower cost for customers

3) Create more jobs and sales leads for local solar industry

4) Create more business for local industry

Read more after the jump for a full summary of the webinar and additional contact information for further follow up!

Water Food Energy Nexus

how water, food and energy are interconnected in a 4 minute video. 

why we should care about food security

as I'm sure you've noticed, the focus of this blog thus far has primarily been energy. the goal is to share developments in renewable energy markets, policy and research both domestic as well as abroad. but if you take a step back, you can see that the underlying interest in renewable energy is really based in an inherent desire to thrive as a humanity in a sustainable fashion. we see a major solution to that end goal- as renewable energy.

but i'd like to venture away from energy for a second and talk about food security. surprisingly enough, however, i'm not venturing very far. folks focused on the various issues like energy, water conservation, food security, etc are consistently seeing connections in each others work. and as we keep learning it is becoming clear that only by approaching all of these issues can we find sustainable solutions to any one of them.

Rufo Quintavalle writes about this trajectory for food security in his article in the Stanford Social Innovation Review titled, Food Security 3.0: The environment is the fifth pillar of international food security.

Quintavalle explains that originally food security was thought of simply as "we must produce more food." He calls this Food Security 1.0. Recently, however, the international community acknowledged that food security was actually a more complex issue. They decided that there are actually four pillars to food security, and Quintavalle calls this Food Security 2.0:  1. availability: food must be available 2. accessibility: people must be able to access the available food 3. utilization: people must be able to utilize the food through adequate infrastructure for cooking, cleaning and preparing 4. stability: these things must be true at all times- even through times of crises.

And now a new element is starting to be understood by those focused on food security, a development Quintavalle calls Food Security 3.0. Food security depends on environmental preservation. As land becomes eroded with chemicals and farming, and water becomes scarce- overproduction is threatening the environment. and as much as underproduction threatens humanity, so will a depletion of resources. and thus a new movement to incorporate environmental consideration in food security measures is borne.

as policy makers, voters and global citizens, we can no longer ignore the interconnectedness of our environment, our energy needs and our food security. which means, as someone interested in energy access and environmental stewardship, i just might wander into food security issues a couple more times in the near future. hope you'll follow!

Sustainable Energy for All

(via UN Foundation's Sustainable Energy for All initiative)

Prison Cells Host Solar Cells

"The Rock" is famous for being inescapable. But now it has a new claim to fame. It's the newest success of the National Park Services and US Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory joint effort to bring clean energy to national parks and landmarks. Alcatraz Prison has gone green.

For the past 75 years the prison has been powered by diesel fuel ferried across the bay. But this year, Alcatraz installed 1,300 solar panels to power the tourist attraction. The roof of the main Cellhouse building is now home to a 307 kW photovoltaic array and two 2,000 amp hour battery strings and an inverter plant. The system will produce close to 400,000 kW a year and will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 337,000 kilograms a year. And as if that wasn't enough, the pv project only costs about 71 cents a kW hour- including the captial costs of buying and installing the solar panels.

Read more about the installation and the process in any of the articles listed after the jump.

New Jersey passes encouraging legislation

Governor Christie signed Assembly bill A2966 into law this week to diversify New Jersey's energy supply and encourage the solar industry's role in energy production. Renewable energy advocates hope that more states will adopt more aggressive legislation like this to address oversupplies of solar renewable energy credits, stabilize solar markets and incentivize the infant renewable energy industry. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), this particular legislation will address:

1. Accelerate the Solar RPS requirement
2. Reduce the solar alternative compliance payment
3. Defines program eligibility for grid-connected projects
4. Establishes SREC program eligibility for grid-connected projects
5.  Promotes development of projects located on brownfields and landfills
6. Authorizes aggregated net metering for certain public entities
7. Extends the shelf life of SREC's

Read more about this legislation and the issues it will specifically address in this article on the SEIA's website.

International Collaboration

Jon Woodhead over at the Guardian wrote a nice piece this week about successful collaborations of Governments, NGOs and leading companies teaming up together to promote sustainable energy. Woodhead points out the massive commitments the international community has made towards providing access to modern affordable energy. As he say as he says “providing universal energy access by 2030 is estimated to increase global energy demand by 179m tonnes of oil equivalent with 54% of this increase based on fossil fuels.”

But what if that new demand was met with renewable energy? Woodhead points to the UK based organization SolarAid which is using solar light to reach unelectrified communities. Read Woodhead’s whole article, Joining forces to achieve sustainable energy for all, to learn more about the global goal of providing modern affordable energy to everyone and the cutting edge collaborations that are working towards fulfilling that heroic commitment. 

Solar App for your Phone

Onyx Solar just released a free app for your smartphone (android or iPhone). This cool new app allows you to calculate the energy produced by a photovoltaic installation, the hours of light generated, CO2 emissions avoided and even the distance traveled by an electric car with the energy generated by the PV installation.

Sure this app is fun for those of us with PV panels installed- we can budget, estimate, show off our energy production and money savings. But one of the best things about this cool new tool, is that you don't need an installed system to use the app. You plug in the chosen technology, and details about the area you have in mind, and it will calculate the potential energy production.

This app can be used to compare products, estimate savings, and illustrate in numbers exactly how much energy you can produce with renewable energy.  Everyone from consumers, to producers to advocates and educators could use this app to add to discussions of renewable energy production.

Renewable Energy Financing: Crowdfunding and MLPs

Ron Pernick, the co-founder and principal of Clean Edge, a research and advisory firm for the clean energy sector, wrote a piece for Renewable Energy World, titled Crowdsourcing, Limited Partnerships and Other Tools for Financing our Clean- Energy Future. The piece analyzes two promising avenues for financing clean technology in the 21st century; one a traditional financing mechanism, the other a brand new- but potentially game changing tool.

The first, a Master Limited Partnership (MLP), relies on traditional capital models that have been historically employed for fossil fuel energy production. The MLPs trade like corporate stock, and allow investors to earn dividends. In terms of MLPs, however, current legislation is antiquated and is only applicable to oil and gas. However, as Pernick points out, there is reason for optimism in the clean tech world, as legislators start to acknowledge the gap, and attempt to address it. For instance, Senator Chris Coons (D- Delaware) has introduced the Master Limited Partnerships Parity Act, which would let MLPs include renewable energy.

The second, crowdfunding, allows thousands of investors to provide small investments that add up to millions. The crowdfunding (or crowdsourcing, or peerfunding) model democratizes the financing process of solar installations. An example is Solar Mosaic, which is the first of its kind, but uses the KickStarter model to finance solar. Solar Mosaic provides an online platform that could raise millions of dollars from thousands of investors with the potential of a decent return.

Read more about these two options in financing clean energy in Pernick's article.

NRDC Assesses India's Solar Progress

Natonal Resources Defense Council (NRDC) published a new report assessing the progress of Phase 1 of India's National Solar Mission: Laying the Foundation for a Bright Future. The report analyzes available funding, political support and current and planned projects- country-wide. As the NRDC says, "even with 300 sunny days a year in most regions, creating a new solar energy market in India is no easy task." The report provides recommendations to scale grid-connected solar energy development, and is a great start for anyone interested in building solar panel systems in India's burgeoning market. 

The assessment presents research, and findings from stakeholder discussions to highlight major achievements of Indian State's efforts thus far. These achievements range from generating solar energy from panels mounted on a body of water, in Gujarat to creating policy in Odhisha to target 3000 villages for renewable energy electrification by 2014.  In Phase 1 of installations the states of  Rajasthan and Gujarat took the lead, but a the market grows many states are poised to take that lead in Phase 2. Read the whole report here. Or if you're looking for just a quick rundown- check out this factsheet the NRDC produced.

Solarize Connecticut

The Connecticut Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority (CEFIA) will be implementing a Solarize Connecticut Program this summer. The Solarize Connecticut pilot program is based on its successful Massachusetts counterpart. It will encourage the adoption of solar photovoltaic (PV) projects through coordinated education, marketing and outreach efforts, coupled with a tiered pricing structure that provides savings as more homeowners choose to install solar panels.

CEFIA published a Request for Information (RFI) as the application for Connecticut municipalities to express interest in participating in the program. This competitive review process required applicants to demonstrate a clear commitment to increase education and outreach through community groups and resident volunteers. They were also required to illustrate a willingness to streamline their permitting process. Depending on their progress with renewable energy at the time of application, municipalities were either labeled "Clean Energy Communities", or they chose to take a "Municipal Clean Energy Pledge" to demonstrate their commitment. Through the competitive application process CEFIA chose four towns to pilot the first phase of the Solarize Connecticut program in 2012, which include Durham, Fairfield, Portland and Westport.

Details of the program are being fine-tuned this summer, and CEFIA will begin promoting the program at more length starting in August. Phase II of the program will include four more towns, and begin in early 2013.

You can read about Westport's activities in particular in Chase Wright's article Westport Selected for Solarize Connecticut Or go directly to the source, and check out the CEFIA's Solarize Connecticut page.

Michigan Dukes Out 25x25

Michigan voters have decided to put a constitutional amendment on their ballot in November. The 25x25 initiative got 550,000 signatures, (surpassing the 322,000 signatures necessary), making it eligible for the November ballot. The 25x25 initiative would require energy providers to produce or purchase 25% of their electricity from renewable sources by 2025. Eligible energy sources include biomass, hydro-power, solar energy and wind. The amendment even includes a provision that limits the utility customers' annual rate increases to 1%, ensuring the customer isn't responsible for covering renewable energy costs to the utility.

Of course the bill has found opposition as well as supporters. Both the Michigan and Detroit regional chambers of commerce oppose the bill. But many view the issue as pitting utility companies and their employee unions against energy entrepreneurs and renewable energy advocates.   Currently Michigan has a goal to make 10% of electricity production from renewable sources- and the two largest utilities in Michigan claim that they are on track to reach that goal by 2015. However, they feel the 25x25 goal is unrealistic. According to them, it will take 3,100 more wind turbines spread over an area 17 times larger than the city of Grand Rapids to reach the goal. And it will cost the utilities companies $12 billion. Regardless of how biased those numbers might be,  given how little renewable energy is currently being produced in Michigan today, perhaps its that very investment the state needs.

Michigan has no large scale renewable energy production facilities in operation, in construction or in even in development. The state only has 400 mW of wind capacity installed -and with the vast coastlines the state boasts, it has massive potential for a thriving offshore wind industry. The strong manufacturing base and skilled workforce eager to tap into any areas of growth- make Michigan ripe for a renewable energy manufacturing and generating industry. On top of all of that, Michigan currently outsources most of its energy production to other states: it spends $1.8 billion for out of state coal- which accounts for 60% of its electricity consumption. In the case of energy- it's safe to say Michigan is under performing. But is the 25x25 the key to unlocking that wasted potential?

The opposition claims cementing the goal into the states constitution limits future flexibility. They have also estimated that it will cost the state $10 billion to implement. Interestingly enough, supporters have claimed the 25x25 initiative will attract $10 billion in investment to the state. So apparently we all agree it will cost $10 billion to reach the 25% goal- and now the question is who will pay?  Supporters have pointed to other states with similar goals, like Iowa with a 21% goal, to show that significant cost increases aren't an inevitable result of a renewable energy portfolio like this. They have also illustrated the job growth opportunity, the economic development and the environment preservation benefits that a plan like this can provide.

One thing is clear- this will continue to be fought out on the political stage until November- and then possibly taken to the judicial stage. Who will win, though, is not that clear. Want to read more about this debate? Check out the links below!

Long Island Power Announces New FIT Program

The Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) recently announced a new Feed in Tariff program (FIT) intended to spark 50 mW of commercial and large scale solar projects over the next two years. The program builds off of the current Solar Pioneer and Entrepreneur Program, and new solar projects within the LIPA service area that are of 50kW or more are eligible. LIPA has committed to purchasing all of the energy generated through this program. The rate is subject to change, however once the PPA is signed it will remain at the agreed upon rate for 20 years. As of now LIPA is committing to a rate of at a fixed rate of $0.22/kW over that 20 year lifespan.

The program will begin accepting applications on July 16, 2012 at 8:00am and continue until June 30, 2014, or once LIPA has signed a total of 50mW of solar PV, whichever comes first. LIPA has not determined if additional PV capacity blocks will be added after the first 50mW is filled, but as of now there is no intention to do so. 

Read on for a complete overview of the program, application process, and links to additional information.

Pittsburgh trades steel for sustainability

Several years ago the Steel City- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania committed to be one of the most sustainable cities in America. Since then, they have made admirable progress to that end. 

As this Forbes article points out, Pittsburgh is home to sustainable buildings, businesses, and even art installations. Pittsburgh is home to the largest "green wall" in the country- a 2,380 sq. ft. soil based public art piece; the Fairmont Pittsburgh hotel,  a mixed-use and Gold level LEED certified structure;  and the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens just opened a LEED Platinum certified research and education complex. 

Read the rest of the Forbes article to learn about more businesses and sights for any environmentally interested individual. 

Independence Day

On the 4th of July we have fireworks, bbq's and parades to celebrate the day America declared her independence from Great Britain. This year, however, over at Renewable Energy World, Tor Valenza used the day to reflect on another type of independence. An independence Americans are still striving for today: Energy Independence.

Valenza's article outlines 10 principles that constitute true energy independence:

1. True energy independence is renewable

2. True energy independence is self-generated

3. True energy independence is domestic
4. True energy independence causes minimal or no damage to our air, water and land
5. True energy independence requires no armies, navies, air forces or marines

6. True energy independence doesn't require anyone or any community to sacrifice health or jobs for energy

7. True energy independence doesn't require $4 billion a year in taxpayer subsidies
8. True energy independence can be implemented locally and democratically
9. True energy independence means you don't need to donate hundreds of millions of dollars in campaign contributions

10. True energy independence means we do not have to apologize to our children.

Read Valenza's full article to read more details about each of these principles. It's an outline worth reflecting on, and a goal worth 

Rio +20

This week world leaders met in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil  for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio +20), to re-commit and strategize international efforts towards sustainability. The goals of the conference were to: reduce poverty, advance social equity, and ensure environmental protection. 

The outcome of the conference has been widely debated, some finding the results as a positive step forward, others feeling that the commitments weren't enough. Either way the conference did bring in $513 billion in commitments and pledges to achieve the international goals through green economy policies, practices and initiatives. 

Click on the embedded links for a sample of some of the responses after the summit, both positive and negative. You can also learn more about the conference at the official Rio +20 site

All Carbon Cell Could Mean Big Changes for PV Panels

Conventional silicon based solar cells can capture a lot of light- but there is a lot they can't capture as well. Traditional cells cannot capture the near-infrared region of the spectrum- which accounts for almost 40% of the solar energy reaching the Earth's surface. Imagine how efficient a solar photovoltaic panel could be if we didn't lose 40% of that energy?!

That is precisely what Michael Strano, the Charles and Hilda Roddey Professor of Chemical Engineering at MIT and his team imagined. And they have made some big discoveries! They recently developed a new all-carbon solar cell by combining carbon nanotubes and C60, otherwise known as buckyballs. It's the first all-carbon photovoltaic cell of its kind, and was made possible by recent advancements in large scale production of purified carbon nanotubes. Unlike earlier iterations, this new all carbon pv cell appears to be stable in air, a big feat, for use in PV panel technology. The carbon based cell is transparent to visible light, so it could potentially be overlaid on conventional solar cells, allowing a PV panel that can harness almost all of the energy sunlight is producing.

The first attempts to create this highly efficient panel haven't been overwhelming successful, they have an energy conversion efficiency of about -0.1%. But the research is on the right path. And the game changing technology is just around the corner. If you want to read all about this research- it will be published in an upcoming issue of the journal of Advanced Materials. You can also read MIT's summary and more technical details of the research here. 

International Collaboration

Jon Woodhead over at the Guardian wrote a nice piece this week about successful collaborations of Governments, NGOs and leading companies teaming up together to promote sustainable energy. Woodhead points out the massive commitments the international community has made towards providing access to modern affordable energy. As he say as he says “providing universal energy access by 2030 is estimated to increase global energy demand by 179m tonnes of oil equivalent with 54% of this increase based on fossil fuels.”

But what if that new demand was met with renewable energy? Woodhead points to the UK based organization SolarAid which is using solar light to reach unelectrified communities. Read Woodhead’s whole article, Joining forces to achieve sustainable energy for all, to learn more about the global goal of providing modern affordable energy to everyone and the cutting edge collaborations that are working towards fulfilling that heroic commitment.

Schools Saved by the Sun

According to Jim Carlton's article in the Wall Street Journal The Enlightened Classroom, more than 500 k-12 schools in 43 states have installed solar panels, thus far. For these schools, renewable energy is serving as a job saver for teachers, a cost reducer for school districts and a hands-on instructor for students. In an age where saving money is invaluable to school disctricts, solar power could be the solution for which we've been looking!

"[Solar power] will have the most impact in our society, because it will put money back into more teachers and expand education."  - Rhone Resch, president and chief executive officer of the Solar Energy Industries Association.

In many places solar power is cheaper than traditional electricity. In California, for instance, solar power costs 11-12 cents per kilowatt-hour, whereas retail power is about 17-24 cents per kilowatt-hour. The cheaper electricity offers schools an opportunity to cut costs without cutting programs or teachers.

Schools are also embracing these solar panel systems as additional lessons in science, and renewable energy. At Rosa Parks Elementary school in Berkeley, California, students race solar powered cars, operate a solar powered decorative fountain and participate in an annual solar fair.

Read about more examples of schools saving money and students learning about renewable energy in this article.

Community Collaboration for Solar Low Income Housing

A community in Colorado used a mix of local, utility and federal support to apply PV systems to a low-income housing program. The project, the Whittier Affordable Housing Project (WAHP), built 30 affordable housing rentals across 12 buildings  with solar PV systems. The systems used were relatively small, 1.88 kW systems, but they were able to offset 85% of the occupants energy usage. The WAHP also included a PV installation training and education program for low income residents. And through the savings from the PV installation, the project established and funds a neighborhood-wide energy conservation incentive program. This WAHP was made possible with a creative financing package, and the contribution of a variety of stakeholders. 

The first six years of the project a 3rd party tax paying investor will own the PV systems and benefit from the 30% investment tax credits and accelerated depreciation. The Northeast Denver Housing Center (NDHC) also received a grant of $107,500 from the Governor's Energy Office of Colorado which they immediately loaned to the investor. In turn, the investor will repay the loan with interest over the first six years. At the seventh year, the NDHC will buy out the investor using the loan and interest repayments and will then own the low income solar project. To make this feasible, the WAHP also received a $2/Watt upfront cash incentive from the local utility Xcel Energy. Xcel also agreed to purchase the Renewable Energy Credits at $0.11/ kWh for the first 20 years of the projects operation. And finally, the low income housing residents will pay $0.08 kWh for the energy produced by these systems. This combination of private and public investment made the project possible. NREL has published an illustration of this financing scheme that you can see here.

For more details about this project, click the link to read the case study titled Integrating photovoltaic systems into low income housing developments: a case study on the creation of a new residential financing model and low-income resident job training program.

NMTC potential in renewable project finance

Folks working in economic development might already be quite familiar with the new market tax credit program, that incentivizes development in low income areas. The NMTC program was created in 2000 by the US Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund to encourage economic investment and job creation in under served communities. The program helps projects attract investors and thus financing through a tax credit scheme. For those less familiar with the program, a clear and simple explanation can be found in this article on the NREL website.

Since its creation the program has provided 664 tax credits worth a total of $33 billion. According to this article, the program announced that it will issue another $3.5 billion of new credits with applications opening in April, with a June deadline.

But the NMTC program has application within the renewable energy world, as well.  The City of Denver, for instance, used NMTC's to finance 1 MW of solar photovoltaic installations on city buildings. And Salt Lake City incorporated NMTC allocations in a 1.65 MW PV project. Still, no renewable projects were selected to receive new market tax credits in 2011. And it seems that to date the program has only experienced limited application in the renewable world.  But as Bethany Speer points out in her article Worth the Trouble: New Market Tax Credits, they could have interesting relevance in renewable project financing as the 1603 grants dry up.

EU too generous with the term "green energy"

The fossil fuel lobby had a major victory in Europe, according the The Guardian. The EU has been circulating a plan that will label gas energy as a low-carbon energy and thus make it eligible for a portion of the funds intended for renewable energy research and development.

The proposed program circulating titled Horizon 2020, is an €80 billion program for research and innovation for 2014-2020. More than €30 billion of that is intended for renewable research and development, a laudable action. However the language of the document explicitly labels gas a low-carbon energy. Besides the obviously ineffective move of subsidizing one industry in its infancy while simultaneously subsidizing its mature competitor, the re-labeling of fossil fuels as "low carbon" could have much larger consequences. 

It is an especially contradictory move for the EU as they enter the Rio +20 this year with plans to promote renewable energy development globally. Read Fiona Harvey's article in The Guardian, "Gas rebranded as green energy by EU", for more details of this gas coup.

A community guide to collective purchasing of residential PV

Anyone who has shopped at Costco's or Sam's Club knows the power of buying goods in bulk. It can be considerably less expensive to buy tons of rolls of paper towels, than just one at a time. So why not apply these economies of scale to the solar world? Well one major obstacle is that the average residential consumer doesn't really need a large system or many small systems. Nor are they interested in a substantial financial investment. No, the average residential consumer wants a system to power their house. But Solarize Portland, brought together a number of potential buyers and found a way to access a bulk purchase price for each member. Homeowners could install systems on their homes, while accessing cost reduction of bulk purchases. After Solarize implemented their bulk purchase program the price for their members systems decreased by 30-35 percent. Quite a discount!

In May, Solarize Portland, released a Guidebook, outlining the tenets of such a purpose so that other communities could follow suit. The Solarize Guidebook: A Community Guide to Collective Purchasing of Residential PV Systems outlines the major market barriers communities face,  including high upfront costs, complex solar purchasing options, and customer inertia. And it provides best practices for a successful purchase, such as competitive contractor selection led by the community; community-led outreach and education; and making the purchase option a limited time offer.  The Guidebook is available here on the National Renewable Energy Laboratory Website. 

DOC imposes tariffs on Chinese manufacturers

The U.S. Department of Commerce ruled in favor of American solar manufacturing companies, last week. As we noted earlier, a Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing (CASM) requested that the U.S. Government provide protection from unfair business practices by Chinese renewable energy manufacturers. The DOC ruled in favor of the CASM on both the countervailing duties and the anti-dumping tariffs. Furthermore anti dumping rates were set at 31%. This ruling, however, has found opponents both within the American solar industry and the Chinese government. You can read one opposing view point here on Market Watch.

In the meantime, the wind industry won a favorable ruling from the DOC, imposing a duty on Chinese utility-scale wind towers of 19.87%. However, the ruling on the anti-dumping allegations is still pending. Read more in Steve Leone's article "DOC imposes tariffs on Chinese Wind Towers."

Clean Tech Industry at a Crossroads

Manish Bapna, President of the World Resource Institute, wrote a piece for Forbes about the clean tech industry and the critical crossroads it faces today. The wind and solar industries have experienced strong growth over the past decade. Both wind and solar are even close to cost competitiveness with fossil fuels in many parts of the world.  For instance, according to the McKinsey & Co industry analysis, solar PV deployment could increase 50-fold by 2020, rivaling the rate of natural gas growth. And yet, the industry is still in its infancy, and just like the fossil fuel industry before it, still depends on government engagement to reach maturity.

Yet, as renewable energy becomes a talking point in an election year, the very subsidies that helped the clean tech industry get this far are being threatened and the industry itself is feeling the effects. As Bapna puts it "these policy shifts risk stalling progress toward cost competitiveness at the 11th hour." It would be a shame for us to miss out on the potential jobs, economic growth, and sustainable energy production because of a lack of foresight and patience. Fossil fuels have benefited from a century of government subsidies, why not see what the clean tech industry can do with even just a fraction of that support?! Read all of Bapna's piece to see who is still investing and what can be done to help the clean tech industry reach maturity.  

Michigan SREC market- dead or alive?

Although Michigan does not have it's own viable SREC market, current solar energy producers can sell credits to neighboring  markets, like Ohio. But some Michigan policy makers are tired of being left out of this green growth potential. New legislation has been proposed that would require Michigan energy providers to produce a quarter of their electricity from sources such as wind and solar, an increase from its current nominal 10%.

Unfortunately, influential groups like the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce, have chosen to disregard the economic benefits of a SREC market, and have officially opposed the 25% renewable energy mandate. The Chamber chose the first day of its annual three day policy conference to make its announcement of opposition. Ironically this year the focus of the conference  is to discuss how innovation can drive economic development. 

Read more about both the proponents and opposition reasons in this Detroit News article by Karen Bouffard.

Eradication Darkness

SunEdison has announced a rural electrification program called Eradication Darkness. Eradication Darkness will design, install, and manage distributed-generation solar power plants for Indian villages that have never had access to electricity.  The pilot project for this plan, the Merrwada project, installed a 14 kilowatt solar energy plant supplying electricity to 400 villagers.

The program will be implemented in phases.  The next phase will also serve to test an develop a successful business model that will facilitate rural electrification globally.  Twenty-nine villages in the Guna District have been identified for the next phase of the initiative. Financing is expected to be provided by a combination of government grants and private funds from investors and corporations. Financial and other partners are currently being sought for the next phase. Read more about SunEdison's work and project Eradication Darkness here.

Ghana to host international renewable conference

The "first international conference dedicated to off-grid renewables" to be held in October 2012 in Ghana. The event is being organized by the Alliance for Rural Electrification (ARE), the ECOWAS Regional Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency and the International Renewable Energy Agency. The event will be considered an official contribution to the UN Sustainable Energy for All Initiative.

The event will focus specifically on rural electrification in developing countries, and experts including the Director General of IRENA and African Energy Ministers will be among the attendees.  Read more preliminary details in the announcement here.  More details will be released shortly y the ARE.

Farmers Embrace Renewable Energy

One in five farmers in England and Wales will be producing clean energy by this summer. One in six farmers will be using solar photovoltaic equipment on their farm, and one in eight will be using energy directly from a renewable source.

These findings and more were released by NFU and NatWest in a recent study of renewable energy use in the UK. The UK has set a goal of producing 15% of energy from renewables by 2020, and as Ian Burrow, the head of agriculture and renewable energy at NatWest said,  the study results show "how the farming industry is playing a key role in helping the UK meet its target."

The survey also found that connectivity, permitting and financing were still barriers to accessing renewable energy. These are important things to keep in mind for any country attempting to reach renewable energy targets. Demand can't do it alone, public policy will play a major factor in facilitating clean technology use.  Read Jonathan Riley's article in Farmers Weekly.

Multi-tasking Solar PV Systems

The Southern California Gas Company is currently testing a new solar photovoltaic technology that produces energy for the building but also serves as an air conditioner at the same time. Instead of using electricity, or natural gas, the air conditioning system uses hot water pumped out by the solar PV system.

The dual system was developed by Cogenra Solar and uses a combination of mirrors and a computerized tracking system to capture sunlight and focus energy onto an system of collectors.

The Cogenra system provides 10 tons of cooling, and serves as an example of how clean energy technology can be incorporated into traditional infrastructure to save money and the environment. Read more about this new technology in Nancy Rivera Brooks' article in the LA times.

South Pacific aims for energy independence

Recently at a conference organized by the UN, 20 small island nations from the South Pacific announced plans to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels. Samoa and Tuvalu are aiming to be energy independent by 2020, Timor Leste aims to have 50% of their energy from renewable sources by that same time.  The Cook Islands plan to convert to solar panels and wind turbines.

Tokelau, however, is the first to take the plunge. Officials say that by the end of 2012, a hybrid system of solar energy and coconut oil will ultimately supply enough power for every resident.

Read all about it in Phil Mercer's article "Pacific Islands Aiming for Energy Self- Sufficiency" in the Voice of America.

Coalition to protect domestic market

A coalition of more than 200 solar manufacturing companies is currently pushing for more government protection against Chinese solar companies. The coalition employs about 17,000 workers across America, and includes installers, integrators and distributors. They believe that Chinese companies are dumping solar products on the US market at artificially low prices in order to drive out US manufacturers. The US International Trade Commission recently issued a unanimous preliminary ruling that the Chinese trade practices are injuring the domestic manufacturing industry.

On May 17th, the US Department of Commerce will determine the extent at which these business practices have affected the US market, and at what percentage margins. The margins will then be used to determine duties on imports of Chinese solar products to offset the unfair business practices.  You can read more about the effort in this article from Market Watch. (disclaimer the article was released by the Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing)

Tennessee examines impact of government on solar market

The University of Tennessee's Baker Center for Public Policy analyzed the impacts of the solar industry in the U.S. According to their analysis, a domestic solar market could produce anywhere between 240,000 and 965,000 direct or indirect jobs by 2030. Including an export business in that model could add up to 67,700 more jobs to that estimate. Read the full paper online here.  

An interesting point brought up by the researchers at the Baker Center, is the similarities between the solar energy trajectory and that of more traditional energy sources, like oil, gas or coal. The much politicized incentives to encourage innovation and early adoption of clean energy are no different than the market control measures for oil, and pipeline development for natural gas distribution. In fact, even though oil, gas and coal, by no means in early stages and so are considered mature sources, are still receiving subsidies and government assistance. This is an important similarity that is often conveniently left out of the solar vs. traditional energy debate. 

Along this same theme, the Baker Center hosted former New Jersey Governor, and former Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, Christine Todd Whitman to discuss the impact of partisanship on climate policy. The event titled, The Need for Climate Change in Washington: How Hyper-Partisanship has paralyzed Policymaking" can be watched online here.

Small Business Owners Want Government Investment in Clean Energy

Small Business Majority released the results of an opinion poll last week that showed that small business owners are overwhelmingly in support of government investments in renewable energy and clean energy policies. The poll surveyed 600 small business owners in Colorado, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

Among other results, the poll showed that 71% saw government investments in clean energy as a job creator. And 76% of the owners agreed that the EPA should determine the limits on new power plants' emissions of greenhouse gases. To see more of the results of this survey check out this article by the CEO of Small Business Majority on Huffington Post.

Vermont Increases Tariffs on Solar and Wind

Vermont recently introduced an increase in its tariff scheme for solar photovoltaic and wind turbines. After much discussion, (some it still ongoing) Vermont's Public Service Board (PSB) raised the solar PV tariff nearly 18%, and raised the tariff on small wind turbines almost 13 percent.

This increased tariff is not welcomed by the folks investing in, and encouraging investment in, renewable energy in Vermont. In fact,  according to this article authored by the principle of AllEarth Renewable, the over all performance of the state's renewable energy program has been fairly limited. And this tariff increase is another hindrance. Although a number of solar projects are slated for 2012, by the end of 2011, only 4 projects and one hydro project had been built. The article points out how underwhelming these numbers are, as it compares the state of Vermont As the article points out-  compared to Gainesville, Florida- which has installed double the amount of solar PVs with a population of only a fraction of Vermont's.

Renewable Energy Vermont (REV), a group advocating for increased investment in renewables, has argued that Vermont is moving too slowly with it's renewable programs and that they aren't achieving the standards outlined in the original legislation. REV has also disagreed with the manner in which the PSB has modeled the solar project performance and costs, and thus has found decisions  like this tariff increase misguided.   Review the PSB's calculations for yourself, and read  more here about REV's argument and  this ongoing debate that will likely impact investments in renewable energy in Vermont. 

Friends and Foes of RPS

Some policy makers are blaming economic woes for their stance against renewable portfolio standards. Angela Beniwal reports on these struggles in the article Tough Economic Times Make States Reconsider their Renewable Energy Policies.  

Maine introduced new legislation in 2011 to significantly reduce its RPS. Washington state proposed a bill in 2011 that would temporarily suspend the state's 15% by 2020 standard, and other states have expanded their definitions of renewable resources that count towards RPS, to include plasma gasification, waste to energy, nuclear and hydropower.

George "Chip" Cannon, a partner at Patton Boggs, LLP was quoted in this article voicing a sentiment often heard by opponents of RPS: "As long as we have a sluggish economy and the focus is on jobs, then we'll continue to see pushes against (RPS) portfolio implementations."

Economic woes seem like a convenient scapegoat these days. And given the abundant research now available illustrating the economic benefits and job growth renewable energy and portfolio standards create, it's  hardly the time to give up on RPS. Click here  and here for a few of those studies. If  the focus of our policy makers truly is jobs- then RPS should be front and center.

It's not all doom and gloom. Twenty nine states and Washington D.C. have established Renewable Portfolio Standards, and 8 states have voluntary goals or targets.  Senator Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico (D) recently sponsored  the Clean Energy Standard Act of 2012- proposing a federal clean energy standard. The new bill would require that all large retail utilities (except in Alaska and Hawaii) obtain 24% of their electricity through clean energy sources. The bill further calls for an annual increase to the mandate by 3% through 2035. In addition, the bill isn't intended to replace or assert authority over current or future state mandates.

The new bill is most certainly ambitious, and although some don't consider it realistic in today's political climate it is widely considered a jumping off point for future discussions and bills regarding a federal mandate. As long as we have a sluggish economy and the focus is on jobs- we can't afford to be against RPS implementation!

GMU releases new study. Re-states: RPS has positive economic impact

George Mason University's  Center for Regional Analysis  just released a study today regarding Virginia's state of renewables. You can read more about it in the Washington Post.

The analysis was based on the 2010 Virginia Energy Plan, which projected a need for an additional 19,448 megawatts of demand over the next 25 years.  The study found that half of that demand could be met through biomass, solar and wind sources. The study also concluded that pursuing a portfolio of renewable power sources through 2035 would create tens of thousands more jobs than relying only on either coal or natural gas. 

It reminds me of a study done in Michigan a few years ago projecting the economic impact of RPS standards on the state of Michigan. The study, A study of Economic Impacts from the Implementation of a Renewable Portfolio Standard and an Energy Efficiency Program in Michigan,  was conducted by NextEnergy Center. 

This study concluded that a renewable portfolio standard of 15% by 2020 would lead to an increase in total gross state product in net present value of $533 million compared to projections with traditional  fuel generated power.  The same study projected  6,381 more jobs with the RPS than without and a reduction of CO2 emissions of over 27 millions of metric tons.

Click on the links to read more about these two studies or NREL's recent study about the economic impact of the 1603 Treasury grants for renewable energy. 

DC Commits to Amplified Sustainability

Washington, D.C. can already be considered a national leader in sustainability. The city has tripled its use of renewable energy since 2004, and boasts the nation's 2nd highest percentage of jobs in green goods and services. The attractive mass transit system, multitude of farmers markets, and abundant bike sharing make living green fairly easy in our nation's capital.  But this week, the Mayor of D.C., Vincent Gray made a commitment to amplify that sustainability. He unveiled his 20 year plan to make DC the healthiest, greenest most livable city in the United States. You can read the wholeplan here. But some of the highlights include:

• Cutting citywide energy consumption by 50%
• Increasing the use of renewable energy to 50%
• And cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 50%.

 Ambitious? Yes. Admirable? Definitely.

Italy and Greece look to be solar power players

Despite of, or perhaps because of, Italy's economic troubles- the country is currently trying to push its renewable energy target up to 35% by 2020-  an ambitious jump of almost 10 percentage points.

The public discussion regarding the Renewable Energy Plan, currently occurring at the Ministries of Environment and  Economic Development is being interpreted as a positive sign for advocates of renewable energy. The provision s reportedly in the new plan include an annual subsidy limit of €200 million for solar projects over 6k; unlimited net metering for solar projects under 6kW; and an adjusted (reduced) Feed-in Tariff (FiT) of  €0.17/kWh.

Nearby, Greece is making similar moves, as the Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos recently named solar energy as a national priority. He also hopes to commit $25 billion to make Greece 100% powered by renewable energy.  Papademos recognizes a Greece comparative advantage in solar power- and plans to power its neighbors as well. However, according to EU Commissioner for Energy, Gunther Oettinger, Greece must significantly beef up its grid capabilities- first. Still it's widely accepted that the country could be the key to a trans-European electricity grid.

Read more about Italy and Greece's solar goals and power potential in this article by Steve Leone- Greece, Italy See Solar as Path to Economic Stability.

North Carolina plans for a renewable energy campus

Russell Thomas is planning North Carolina's first solar-powered business campus. The campus, in Asheville, NC, would consist of thousands of square feet of warehouse, office and retails space on a 12.5 acre tract of land. The campus, called Reems Creek Renewable Energy Campus, would generate enough electricity to power the campus and still have left-over power to feed back to the energy grid. 

Ideally businesses that manufacture and install solar systems would make the Reems Creek Campus home, but Thomas is also seeking other entities that value environmental sustainability for his spaces. The campus is still in planning phase, but you can see more about it at their website www.renewabilities.org/  or read  about it in the Asheville's Citizen Times here.

Ethiopia starts making solar panels

The Ethiopian Government recently announced its goal to have 20% of its power capacity derived from solar energy within the next 5 years.  In accordance with that national goal, Spire Corporation,  SKY Energy International, Inc  (Florida based) and Metals and Engineering Corporation- METEC (Ethiopia based) have teamed up to build the first solar energy manufacturing plant in Ethiopia. The facility  will be a turnkey assembly line producing 20 megawatt photovoltaic modules in Addis Abba. 

You can read more about Spire, SKY, METEC and their project here

DC turns the Stanley Cup playoffs green

The ice might be white but this game is green. The first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs for the Washington Capitals and the Boston Bruins will be green this year. Constellation Energy, who is sponsoring the Caps playoff bid, is running a program to turn the games "green." In essence the energy company is donating renewable energy certificates to match the amount of electricity used in each game. 

It's a nice effort to offset energy consumption while watching your beloved (insert which team you like best) win! Read more in this press release (released by Constellation Energy).

Solar farming in Minnesota

According to a U.S. Department of Agriculture survey, 8,000 farms have installed solar systems to power up using renewable energy.

Daryl Guentzel, a farmer in Mankato Minnesota, will be installing an 84 panel solar system on his farm. The total cost of the array is $134,000, however, Guentzel was able to secure a federal government grant, and a $45,000 grant from Xcel Energy to help cut the cost down to virtually zero.

Guentzel, is the first farmer in Mankato to adopt the green technology. But since he's looking at projected electricity savings of $3,500- $3,700 a year, he will likely not be the last to capitalize on this opportunity. 

Read the full article by Brian Onjapa in the Mankato Free Press; Farmer warms up to solar energy.

Who's Winning the Clean Energy Race?

The Pew Environment Group and Bloomberg New Energy Finance issued their annual report Who's Winning the Clean Energy Race. The report details the state of clean energy investments globally and identifies where key countries stand at the end of 2011. The report found that clean energy investments continue to increase, that Europe is still the hub of clean energy investment, and that the United States is surpassing China in renewables, and the trend is still heading upwards. 

Jake Schmidt outlines the key points from of the report in the Huffington Post. My favorite point? "Renewable energy is for real, so let's commit to more."

Feed in tariff's moving forward in Los Angeles

Good news for the City of Angels! Los Angeles city council recently approved a feed-in tariff program that allows the LA Department of Water and Power to buy renewable electricity from projects.

The program will start with a 10 megawatt pilot with a ultimate goal of 75MW by 2016. And the city is still conducting analysis to determine the rates- but reports suggest that it will likely reach about $0.18 per kilowatt-hour.

LA also offers rebates for solar electric system installations at homes and businesses, and the rebate program has been so popular the city has already executed the budget for this fiscal year.

Read more about this in Ucilia Wang's article Los Angeles Set to Launch a Feed-in Tariff Program