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

The future of net metering in San Mateo

Current political debates in San Mateo will likely affect the amount of savings taxpayers will see from their solar investments. According to Peter Hanley, the Vice President of the San Mateo Union High School District Board of Trustees, Net Metering in the area faces two distinct threats; limits to net metering, and new legislation being pushed by the Utility companies.

Of 43 states that have net metering policies, fewer than half limit the size of the installation. California does. Current legislation exists that caps the  benefits schools could reap from net metering. The  law only allows net metering for systems up to 1 MW- in essence limiting the energy savings taxpayers could see with large public sector buildings.

The second threat, Hanley outlines in this article,  is the new push by the San Mateo utility companies to impose a "solar tax" on anyone using net metering. This would apply to school districts, public sector buildings and thus the average tax payer. The "solar tax" would cut into the savings solar panel investments projected- which would be, of course, disappointing. But when it comes to public buildings- this eradication of savings can have an even deeper meaning: as Hanley says "when the savings we projected do not materialize, we have even less money for our classrooms."

It's an interesting point to think about. Read the full op-ed piece by Hanley, and the  vice-chair of the California Schools of the Future Committee, Steve Rogers, here in the Silicon Valley Mercury News.

St. Louis hits it out of the ball park with solar energy

Nothing says baseball like hot dogs, home runs and solar energy. Well at least in St. Louis that is. The Cardinals have partnered with Microgrid Energy, the Electrical Connection and Sachs Electric to utilize solar energy at Busch Stadium. Two solar arrays- of 106 total panels have been installed on the roof of the ticket building and a on top of a canopy in the left centerfield bleachers. The array will produce 32,000 kilowatt hours of energy each year, help reduce the stadium's energy costs, and help the Cards go a little greener.

Read Michael de los Reyes' article St. Louis Cardinals Cooking with Solar Power for Home Series. Or visit a site Microgrid Energy created just for this project.

Thailand takes a giant solar step

Natural Energy Development (NED), is a partnership of local and foreign financial institutions teamed up with the manufacturer Sharp Corporation. Together they are preparing to develop the largest solar plant to date in Thailand.

The project is a 73MW solar plant in the Lopburi province (about 2 hours from Bangkok). The initial phase will start at 8MW and additional capacity will come on line in monthly phases until full capacity is reached in 2013.

The Asian Development Bank has loaned up to US$70 million, and the Kasikorn Bank PCL, Bangkok Bank PCL and Siam Commercial Bank PCL have provided an additional US$98 million). In addition, all of the banks have promised another US$39 million for the 11 MW second phase expansion.

NED has entered into a power purchase agreement with the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand for purchasing 55 MW from the commercial operation date. When fully operational, the project is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 1.3 million tonnes over its life time, and reduce fossil fuel imports by more than 35,000 tonnes per year. But this isn't the only large project in the works in Thailand, and when they all come on line- Thailand is poised to be a new leader in solar. Read more about the NED project and the others in the works in Jeremy Wilcox's article Thailand Joins the Solar Fast Lane.

New State Law Aims to Increase Incentives in Massachusetts

Some US states are actively trying to make things a little more difficult for citizens interested in using renewable energy. Massachusetts, however, is trying to make it easier. The state Senate unanimously passed a law last week increasing the incentives to utilize renewable energy.  The bill will now move to the house.

The new law will increase the required amount of power utility companies must buy.  and aims to curb energy costs at the same time. According to the new law, utility companies will no longer conduct one on one negotiations with renewable power companies- but are required to competitively bid for these long term contracts.t

In a statement, Senate President Therese Murray said "the bill will help bring down the state's high electricity costs without compromising its commitment to renewable energy."

Read more about it in Business Week

Vermont increases tariff scheme

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 find decisions  like this tariff increase erroneous.  Read more here about REV's argument and  this ongoing debate that will likely impact investments in renewable energy in Vermont. 

1603 Has Positive Impact on Economy

The Energy Department recently released a study analyzing the impact of the 2009 stimulus law, called the Preliminary Analysis of the Jobs and Economic Impacts of Renewable Energy Projects Supported by the 1603 Treasury Grants Program. The study, conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, specifically looked at the effect of the grant programs for green electricity projects. The program expired at the end of 2011, but since implementation in 2009, it provided roughly $9 billion in grants covering over 23,000 large wind and solar photovoltaic projects.

When discussing the economic benefits of renewable energy, we should most certainly consider these highlights of NREL's study:

- the program created as many as 75,000 jobs annually over three years.

- the program supported $9 billion- $14 billion in total earnings in that same time frame, 

- the program produced $26 billion - $44 billion in economic output since 2009

Read the report for yourself here.