THE MONEY IN SMART BLDG ENERGY MANAGEMENT

THE MONEY IN SMART BLDG ENERGY MANAGEMENT Building Energy Management Systems; IT-Based Monitoring and Control Systems for Smart Buildings: Global Market Analysis and Forecasts

3Q 2013 (Navigant Research)

“Driven by technology advances as well as growing familiarity among customers with the benefits they create, the market for building energy management systems (BEMSs) continues to grow. Digital controls continue to proliferate…While BEMSs have traditionally focused on two key functions – energy visualization and energy analytics – the market is expanding into adjacent functions, such as demand response and property management, broadening the capabilities of next-generation BEMSs and engaging a broader set of players in the building market. Navigant Research forecasts that the BEMS market will grow from just under $1.8 billion in annual revenue in 2012 to nearly $5.6 billion in 2020…” click here for more

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CHINA WIND TO PANAMA VIA CHICAGO

Goldwind USA Closes Financing For Panama's First Wind Farm

August 5, 2013 (North American Windpower)

“[Chicago-based] Goldwind USA has closed a $71 million project financing deal for the 55 MW Penonome wind farm, the first in Panama…[T]he project represents the largest wind energy project using Goldwind wind turbines financed by Western lenders. Sponsors for the deal, Goldwind International Holdings Limited and Unión Eólica Panameña S.A. (UEP), were represented by members of Goldwind Capital in Chicago and UEP in Panama…Banco Internacional de Costa Rica, S.A. and Banco Espirito Santo de Investimento, S.A. led the financing…The 55 MW first phase of the total planned 220 MW Penonome wind project will feature 22 of Goldwind’s 2.5 MW permanent magnet direct drive wind turbines. Once completed in 2014, the 220 MW Penonome wind project will be the largest wind energy project in both Panama and Central America…” click here for more

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EU SUN MARKET SHIFTING

European PV Demand to Depend More on Business Models than Trade Disputes

Tim Murphy, July 31, 2013 (SolarBuzz)

“With the European market currently in a strongly transitional phase, the 2013 market is expected to reach 11.2 GW, down 33% Y/Y from calendar year 2012. Demand over the next four quarters (Q3’13 to Q2’14) is set to reach 10.6 GW, with the top 3 markets being Germany, the UK, and Italy…The transition is in large part due to a shift away from premium incentives as the primary market driver, towards competitively priced PV electricity. In Germany and other markets, residential consumers will see more value from avoiding electricity purchases than from selling PV generated electricity at the FIT rate. The same applies to commercial consumers, though to a lesser extent and in somewhat fewer markets…” click here for more

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WHY BRITS LIKE NEW ENERGY

New UKERC research defines values which determine public acceptance of energy system change

17 July 2013 (UK Research Centre)

“…[The study reveals] that people in Britain are fully supportive of the idea of energy system change...[and highlights] key factors that influence public assessment of proposed changes…[T]he research shows that the public favours changes that are: energy efficient rather than wasteful; protect the environment and nature; are reliable, accessible and safe; allow consumers a certain amount of autonomy and power; are socially just and fair; improve on what has gone before; score well in terms of quality and performance; and, fit with a long-term, sustainable trajectory, rather than being just a short-term fix…” click here for more

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WORLD INVESTORS HAVE $14TRIL FOR CLIMATE CHANGE

Green policy failures are choking off billions in private investment; Fund managers are concerned that governments are not doing enough to mitigate effects of global warming

Tom Bawden, August 6, 2013 (UK Independent)

“…With global warming set to wreak accelerating devastation on the global economy, the world’s biggest fund managers – who between them control $14trillion of investments in everything from wind turbines and agriculture to property and manufacturing – say they are considerably more worried about the issue than they were a year ago. They point to extreme weather events such as last year’s Superstorm Sandy in the US as evidence that climate change is already upon us and are concerned that governments, including Britain’s, are not doing nearly enough to mitigate the effects.” click here for more

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BUILDING-INTEGRATED PV GETS BOOST

Austin’s Heliovolt to expand; Solar product producer raises another $9.5 million, laying groundwork for global expansion.

Brian Gaar, August 6, 2013 (Austin American-Statesman)

“…[S]olar energy company HelioVolt Corp. is continuing to lay the groundwork for a commercial expansion…SK Group, whose holdings include South Korea’s largest refiner, has invested another $9.5 million in HelioVolt, bringing its total recent investment in the company to $19 million…The money will fund a global expansion for Helio-Volt, which makes thin-film solar products that can be incorporated into building materials…” click here for more

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CELLULOSIC BIOFUELS GO COMMERCIAL SCALE

DOE Announces Biofuel Milestone

August 2, 2013 (SmartMeters)

“The United States Department of Energy has recognized America’s first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol production at INEOS Bio’s Indian River BioEnergy Center in Vero Beach, Florida. The project uses a hybrid of gasification and fermentation technology to convert wood scraps, grass clippings, and other waste materials into transportation fuels as well as energy for heat and power…The Indian River County BioEnergy Center (Center) will have an annual output of eight million gallons of cellulosic ethanol per year from vegetative, yard, and municipal solid waste as well as six megawatts of clean, renewable power annually—enough to run the entire facility and provide excess power to the local community…” click here for more

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