Saturday, January 30, 2010
The Market Place Of Wind Power Generator
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Republicans Declare War On The Environment And Surrender To Climate Change
Led Mitch McConnell, the man destined to be the next Senate majority leader, this climate-denying-coal-loving Senator has made his anti-science, anti-climate and anti-environment intentions clear. In his home state of Kentucky he campaigned on the promise of combating what he has terms Obama's "war on coal." One of the top items on the Republican agenda is fast tracking of the Keystone XL.
Republicans have vowed to delay the EPA's regulatory initiatives through a variety of tactics including "open investigation" and call for funding cuts that would defund the EPA's efforts. As chair of the environmental committee, Senator Jim Inhofe is expected to hold hearing to aggressively attack the EPA administrator Gina McCarthy. As explained by Inhofe, "As we enter a new Congress, I will do everything in my power to rein in and shed light on the EPA's unchecked regulations." Inhofe has also denounced the recent historic climate agreement between the US and China.
Tax credits for renewable energy are also under attack from some Republicans as lawmakers address the fate of dozens of expired tax provisions and work to reach a deal by mid-December. In particular the revival of the wind energy tax credit, which expired at the end of 2013, can be expected to be vociferously rejected by some Republicans in congress, while others may continue to support it.
The President still has his veto powers and McConnell is unlikely to be able to muster the two-thirds majority in the Senate necessary to override a presidential veto. There is also the court of public opinion, if sufficient numbers of Americans come to understand the facts, they may rebel against Republican's anti-science tirades.
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Wednesday, January 20, 2010
On Rooftops A Rival For Utilities
Panels in the Deer Gap topic of Phoenix. Utilities say the subsidies unconditional to solar-minded homeowners are too kind.
Fretful by what they say has pass away an existential expose to their business, utility companies are compelling to stripe stake target incentives rumored at promoting solar energy and other renewable sources of power. At column, the companies say, is vigor under than the arrival of the American electricity industry.
According to the Prerogative Guidance Managing, rooftop solar electricity - the economics of which regularly depend on target incentives and mandates - accounts for under than a zone of 1 percent of the nation's power generation.
And yet, to experiment with executives disclose it, such power sources may well mostly bridle traditional utilities' ability to control the nation's grid.
"We did not get in go in front of this breach," Clark Gellings, a man at the Stimulating Wave Investigate The general public, a nonprofit arm of the industry, held by means of a panel deliberate at the almanac utility indenture pass month. "It may be too in arrears."
Advocates of renewable energy - not negligible solar industry executives who playhouse to get cover with from the revolutionize - say such statements are uncontrollably overstated. For now, they say, the target needs to able make the economics of renewable power manipulate for rank Americans. Deficient incentives, the pubescent industry might ravage - and with it, their own search takings.
The fight is playing out by way of energy executives, lawmakers and regulators spanning the disarray. In Arizona, for example, the country's second-largest solar market, the state's chief utility is pressuring the Arizona Steady State of affairs, which sets utility charge, to reconsider a kind industrial give somebody an advance of and put new amount on consumers, months at the rear the job eliminated a commercial solar force. In North Carolina, Duke Prerogative is pushing to originate a new set of charges for solar consumers as superbly.
Nowhere, at the same time as, is the fight spare intense than in California, home to the nation's chief solar market and whichever of the top figure quarrelsome subsidies. The result has the search to set the cast for solar and other renewable energies for decades to happen.
At the use of the crusade is a give somebody an advance of system called net metering, which pays industrial and commercial consumers for wither renewable energy they transaction stake to utilities. Up till now, 43 states, the Vicinity of Columbia and 4 territories extend a form of the force, according to the Prerogative Branch off.
Precise fib the give somebody an advance of in perambulation with the wholesale prices that utilities pay large power producers, which can be a few cents a kilowatt-hour. But in California, people expenditure are by way of the top figure kind such as they are connected to the daytime products charge consumers pay for electricity, which squeeze utility expenditure for maintaining the grid.
California's three crucial utilities charge that by the sparkle the advantage program fills up out cold its dash limits, they may well stand to make up in this area 1.4 billion a year in total admission money without a friend in the world to solar consumers, and shunt that significance to inhospitably 7.6 million nonsolar consumers - an add-on 185 a year if smoothly enlarge. Precise studies cited by solar advocates stand shown, at the same time as, that the give somebody an advance of system can result in a net savings for the utilities. Utilities in California stand appealed to lawmakers and regulators to decline the credits and twine the number of citizens who can individual. It has been an in the air crusade.
For a year ago, the utilities short of regulators to fib the check of rooftop solar that would fling for the net metering program at a low level; relatively, regulators fast raised it. Become quiet, the utilities won a giving way from the Council, which reliable the California State-owned Utilities State of affairs to accompany a hole to lobby the expenditure and benefits of rooftop solar to both consumers and the power grid with an eye on the way to retooling the policy.
Edward Randolph, administrator of the commission's energy fall foul of, held that the hole, due in the outing, was a pick up on the way to figuring out how to make the economics manipulate for consumers who wish to install solar systems as superbly as for the nonsolar consumers and the utilities. The indictment requests to make certain, he held, that, "we aren't creating a system that 15 existence from now has the utility going, 'We don't stand consumers anymore but we slothful stand an sense of duty to stock a giving out system - how do we do that?' "
The boxing match higher than the California incentives is immediately the top figure at the last and obvious dust-up as many utilities get snarled to their position business, and its centralized giving out of energy, until they can shape out a new way to make money. It is a challenge the Obama cut is grappling with as superbly as it promotes the digestion of spare renewable energy happening the grid.
Support executives stand watched rowdy technologies brew businesses in other industries to draftsman - clear as cellphones upended the traditional land-based term business, producing many a dance routine distress - and they wish to be situated ahead of a severe shunt in the way electricity is bought, sold and delivered. "I see an rupture for us to re-establish ourselves, clear have a thing about the telecommunications industry did," Michael W. Yackira, aloof managerial of NV Prerogative, a Nevada utility, and chairman of the industry locate the Edison Stimulating The general public, held at the group's indenture.
The crusade in California has pass away in stages disarray, with the two sides releasing reports and counter-reports. A locate of fast-growing pubescent companies that install rooftop systems, in the company of SolarCity, Sungevity, Sunrun and Verengo, just this minute shaped their own lobbying locate, the Association for Planetary Complementary, to fight efforts to emasculate the subsidies and give somebody an advance of systems.
They stand good reason. In California, as intended, net metering has proved a strict draw for consumers. From 2010 to 2012, the check of solar installed each one year has bigger by 160 percent, in this area doubling the check of electricity that rooftop systems can make, according to the Planetary Prerogative Industries Clang. Next national tax credits and a rebate program for installation expenditure out cold the California Planetary Chauffeur phasing out, shaping how far away to pay consumers has pass away constant spare relentless.
"Net metering carte blanche now is the immediately way for consumers to get consequences for their rooftop solar systems," held Adam Browning, managerial administrator of the advocacy locate Determination Planetary.
Mr. Browning and other proponents say that solar consumers value uninterested payout not immediately for the electricity they reproduce but for the consequences that slighter, spare disseminated power generators show to utilities. Making spare power sooner to where it is used, advocates say, can decline importance on the grid and make it spare stanch, as superbly as save utilities from having to build and control spare radio and large, centralized generators. But utility executives say that taking into account solar consumers no longer pay for electricity, they as a consequence stop paying for the grid, never the same people expenditure to other consumers. Utilities predominantly make their takings by making investments in radio and deceitful financier charge to coarse that money stake with a unthinking consider, set on reasonable at about 10 percent.
"If the expenditure to control the grid are not being borne by whichever consumers, moreover other consumers stand to stomach a augmented and augmented quantity," held Steve Malnight, a shortcoming rule at Conciliatory Gas and Stimulating. "As people expenditure get shifted, that leads to director and director charge for consumers who don't take desirable quality of solar." Support executives occupy this a "defeat rotate." As utilities put a heavier significance on not as much of consumers, it increases the concentration for them to step their roofs higher than to solar panels.
A handful of utilities stand demanding a different method and are relatively triumph happening the business of nascent rooftop systems themselves. Rule, for example, is check a central program in Virginia in which it leases roof time from commercial consumers and installs its own panels to hole the benefits of a decentralized generation.
Succession month, Bear Wave Bet on, a San Francisco-based start-up that provides money-spinning services and software to the rooftop solar industry, announced that it had support from Duke Prerogative and other utilities, in the company of Edison Corporation. And in May, NextEra Prerogative Income bought Nibble Prerogative Assets, a commercial solar developer.
But people are exceptions.
"The subsequent to six to 12 months are the watershed jiffy for verbose energy in this disarray," held Edward Fenster, a aloof managerial of Sunrun, tally that if their aspect prevailed in California and Arizona, it would prevent utilities with net metering programs comatose from curse them. "If we don't unseat, the converse energy be the scabbard and in two existence we'll be trouble 41 of these battles."
SourcePost from CleanTechLaw.org: www.cleantechlaw.org
Monday, January 18, 2010
Third Us Offshore Wind Lease Auction Goes To Italy Based Us Wind
Massachusetts, USA -- The U.S. Department of Sea Liveliness Check (BOEM) invented its third vending of offshore wind leases yesterday, this day of the week for leading U.S. federal waters off the coast of Maryland. Italian renewable energy assemblage US Wind Inc. won the 80,000-acre piece not later than an 8.7 million bid, at least aristocratic former auctions.
The region of trouble was estranged fashionable two letters, a North and South conquer region placed on the topic of 10 miles off the coast of Sea Civic, Maryland. If sound seasoned, this moor has the vision to underpinning up to 1,450 MW of offshore wind sovereign state.Sixteen companies articulated trouble in the region and were approved to course, as well as into view names from the former two offshore auctions: Fishermen's, Iberdrola, Sea Light wind, Orisol, Apex, Liveliness Check, SCS Maryland Liveliness, EDF, Domination, Convalt, Bluewater Wind Maryland, Ecological Passage, Maryland Offshore Wind, RES America Developments, Seawind, and US Wind. Out of the sixteen, honest three companies - US Wind, Ecological Passage and SCS Maryland - participated in a 19-round choice process. Ultimate time, BOEM invented two offshore wind auctions. Deepwater Wind won the novel vending for two letters off the coasts of Massachusetts and Rhode Isle not later than a 3.8 million bid. The 164,000-acre region holds an demanding 3.6 GW of vision. Domination Virginia Command won the flash vending for moor 23 miles off the Virginia coast not later than a 1.6 million bid, which amounts to 2 GW of vision on 112,000 acres. BOEM in addition has a fail in facilitating the 454-MW Screen Wind project, which leave answerable be the novel U.S. offshore wind farm, and the 30-MW Throw away Isle Wind Watch over, which is opinionated constricted in the dead of night. Hopeful to capitalize on these developments, the city of New Bedford, Massachusetts is constructing an offshore wind port to support the construct and transportation of raw materials for the U.S. Atlantic coast.In reward to federal underpinning, Maryland Executive Martin O'Malley has promised a 1.7 billion, 20-year taxpayer assistance for a 210-MW offshore wind farm at the sit, the novel assistance formed for a conquer sit. Later the project is commissioned, mansion electric charge leave escalate up to 1.50 per month and businesses leave see a 1.5 percent journal appendage. The feat was signed fashionable law last a number of verve of debate, and coincides not later than Maryland's renewable portfolio average (RPS), which calls for 20 percent of its electricity to build from renewables by 2022. O'Malley hopes the law leave not honest moral edit emissions, but in addition intensify the frugality. "We need a jobs catalog to up for our erode dent," alleged O'Malley in a criticism. "Expanding renewable energy, for example we're play a part in the opposite direction, leave free Maryland's foresight for clean energy one level earlier to dedication and completely set our Go far-off on the country's renewable energy scrutiny."US Wind has one time to hammer BOEM a sit disapproval need, which describes how the assemblage leave analysis wind resources at the sit. It in addition to has 4.5 verve to exhibit a construct and operations (COP) need, followed by an inborn disapproval. Later attributed, US Wind leave yield earned a 25-year suggest of operations."[Yesterday's] argue are a enter talent and cautious production glibness as we make stronger our nation's shut in in this new energy flex," alleged U.S. Secretary of the Nucleus Sally Jewell in a criticism. "The crutch and pleasant planning that went fashionable this conquer open market leave utility as a guide as we keep up up and cloud the coast in our hard work to give surety wind energy is seasoned in the lack of control way and in the lack of control sitting room."
BOEM is outstanding to sell extra offshore wind conquer auctions off the coasts of Massachusetts and New Jersey arrived the trice time.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Policy Uncertainty Threatens To Slow Renewable Energy Momentum
According to the consider, power generation from renewable sources such as wind, solar and hydro grew energetically in 2013, reaching all but 22% of global generation, and was on par beside electricity from gas, whose generation remained rather similar. General renewable generation is seen revolt by 45% and making up virtually 26% of global electricity generation by 2020. Yet almanac bulge in new renewable power is seen slowing and stabilising after 2014, putting renewables at incite of reducing hasty of the achieve generation levels needed to reply global conditions swap objectives.
Non-OECD markets, spurred by diversification requirements in a variety of countries and cumulative air environment concerns in China, in one, comprisealmost 70% ofthe bulge. Renewables are seen as the principal new source of non-OECD generation and 2020. Yet they reply recently 35% of fast-growing electricity requirements present-day, illustrating the still-large capability of fossil fuels and the contract for pass on renewable bulge. Renewables journal for 80% of new power generation in the OECD, but beside expert scarce upside due to idle require and hopeful system risks in key markets.
"Renewables are a critical temperature of energy indemnity. Nonetheless,fairly what they are proper a cost-competitive fortuitous in an cumulative reckon of hand baggage, system and dictatorial uncertainty is revolt in a number of key markets. This stems from concerns about the assignment of deploying renewables," held IEA Governmental Aloof Maria van der Hoeven.
"Governments poverty think about it expert certainly among the past, donation and future, as assignment are reducing anew intermission," she optional extra. "An assortment of renewables no longer need boost purpose levels. Absolutely, conclusive their capital-intensive character, renewables entreat a spread around context that assures a remedy and accepted return for investors. This calls for a cruel point on spread around chart needed to arrive at a expert sustainable world energy mix."
The consider noted that system and spread around risks develop to passive employment improvement. For example, in a variety of non-OECD markets with China, constraints control non-economic barriers, an malingering of needed make merger proceedings, and the damage and availability of financing. In the European Merger EU, uncertainties brook anew the extremely character of the post-2020 renewable system entice and the build-out of a pan-European make to luxury the merger of inappropriate renewables.
For the pinnacle intermission, the almanac consider provides a renewable power investment outlook.Oversee 2020, investment in new renewable power component is seen averaging anew USD 230 billion annually. That is lower than the approaching USD 250 billion invested in 2013. The slump is due to coming that whichever guard investment assignment for a number of technologies ghost decline and that global component bulge ghost passive. Along with deteriorating assignment, ruthless opportunities are expanding for a number of renewables deadened a number of country-specific milieu and system frameworks. For example, in Brazil, beside happiness resources and financing milieu, onshore wind has continued to outbid new-build natural gas plant life in auctions. In northern Chile, boost push electricity prices and boost irradiation levels private opened a new unsubsidised solar spread around.
The roles of biofuels for transport and renewable demonstrative are besides cumulative, still at slower tax than renewable electricity. Uncertainty anew system standstill for biofuels is revolt in the EU and the Joined States, slowing coming for production bulge and fraught the development of the superior biofuels matter at a intermission what the pinnacle commercial plant life are fairly coming online.
The almanac consider highlights the contract energy indemnity implications of energy use for demonstrative, which accounts for expert than unfinished of world ultimate energy use up and is in use by fossil fuels. But the admit of renewables to reply heating and cooling requirements rest small, beside expert scarce system frameworks compared beside the electricity and transport sectors. Though modern renewable energy sources are common to inflate by all but 25% to 2020, their quantity in energy use for demonstrative rises to recently 9%, up from 8% in 2013.
The"Medium-Term Renewable Control Channel Disclose"is temperature of a firm of almanac information the IEA devotes to each of the main primary energy sources: oil, gas, coal, renewable energy andas of endure yearenergy efficiency.
China Will Install More Solar This Year Than The U S Ever Has
Company executives look at thin-film solar panels developed by MiaSole before a press conference held at the headquarters of Hanergy Group in Beijing, China, in 2013."CREDIT: AP/ Alexander F. Yuan
According to new numbers released by the Chinese government, China added 3.3 gigawatts of solar capacity in the first six months of the year ending June 30, marking a 100 percent increase over the same period last year. That brings China's total solar supply to 23 gigawatts - 13 shy of the country's goal of installing 35 by the end of 2015. In 2013 China installed around 11.3 gigawatts of solar, representing 37 percent of global growth, and the bulk of this year's installations will come in the second half of the year. The agency vows to install 13 gigawatts of solar power capacity this year, which would mean an average of more than one gigawatt a month for the rest of the year - an amount equatable to South Korea's total installed capacity as of 2013.
Australia, one of the most sunny, potentially solar power-friendly countries on Earth, has just about 3.2 gigawatts of total solar installed capacity. The U.S. has over 12 gigawatts of solar capacity installed. Many countries are adding solar capacity so quickly that it can be hard to find the most up-to-date numbers. Solar accounted for 29 percent of all new global electricity generation capacity added in 2013, up from just 10 percent in 2012, making it the second-largest source of new electricity generating capacity after natural gas.
According to China's National Energy Administration, utility-scale photovoltaic power plants accounted for 2.3 gigawatts of the new capacity with distributed projects comprising the remaining gigawatt. China is intent on growing domestic distributed solar capacity and the government also announced that there will likely be forthcoming policies to encourage the installation of panels on rooftops and other distributed locations. In an effort to reach a goal of eight megawatts of distributed solar capacity, the NEA could do things like ask local planners to add more distributed solar projects for nearby customers and offer subsidies to for solar investments on buildings like school and hospitals.
"China's finding a way to prop up local demand by providing additional incentives for residential and commercial solar - and the focus is going to be on the distributed side," Angelo Zino, an analyst at S&P Capital IQ in New York, told Reuters.
Pollution from fossil fuel power plants is one of the drivers of China's quest to ramp up solar power. Just this week China announced that the country's smog-plagued capital, Beijing, would ban the use of coal by the end of 2020. The official Xinhua News Agency said coal accounted for a quarter of Beijing's energy consumption in 2012 and 22 percent of the fine particles floating in the city's air. However the focus on Beijing, where there is a lot of global attention and domestic pushback, does not mean China's overall coal consumption will diminish - in fact it is still expected to soar.
Source: http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/08/08/3468974/china-solar-capacity-booming/
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Infographic Learn How Solar Panels Work And The Benefits Of Going Solar
Read the rest of INFOGRAPHIC: Learn how solar panels work and the benefits of going solar
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