SO DAKOTA’S WIND PLAN GOING NATIONAL

600 Investors in South Dakota’s Premier Community Wind ProjectJohn Farrell, April 18, 2013 (Institute for Local Self-Reliance) “…Brian Minish, CEO of South Dakota Wind Partners [talked] about a community wind project that attracted over 600 local investors. The project was the brainchild of four state organizations rooted in rural South Dakota–the East River Electric Cooperative, South Dakota Farm Bureau, South Dakota Farmers Union and South Dakota...

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NO CAROLINA SAVES ITS NEW ENERGY STANDARD

REPS Repeal Bill Hits the Wall; H 298 goes down in defeat in sponsor’s own committeeApril 24, 2013 (North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association) “In a dramatic turn of events that electrified the room, the North Carolina General Assembly’s Public Utilities and Energy Committee…voted down its Chairman’s own bill, House Bill 298, by a very solid bipartisan vote of 18 to 13. Six Republican members, including three from GOP leadership, joined with...

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NEW YORK STATE SENATE PASSES PV STORAGE SUPPORT

Senate Passes Earth Day Bill PackageApril 23, 2013 (New York State Senate) “The New York State Senate…[passed a package of bills including one that promotes] the use of renewable energy…[S2522] would help attract and retain these growing industries by providing a clear incentive for businesses to make capital investments in solar and energy storage manufacturing and development by providing tax credits. It would create new jobs, increase economic...

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PV PRICE TO FLATTEN

Solar Summit Slideshow: The PV Module Market; GTM Research Senior Analyst Shyam Mehta provides actionable intelligence for the solar module manufacturing industry.Eric Wesoff, April 25, 2013 (Greentech Media) “GTM Research Senior Analyst Shyam Mehta…[provided] real-world data points [on the solar market at the recent GTM Solar Summit]…[1] The performance gap between p-type mono-crystalline silicon and multi-crystalline silicon is narrowing…[T]he...

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PV STORAGE BOOM COMING

PV Storage Market Set to Explode to $19 Billion in 2017; Germany leads Again24 April 2013 (IMS Research/IHS Inc.) “The worldwide market for PV storage is forecast to grow rapidly to reach $19 billion in 2017, from less than $200 million in 2012, according to a new report…from IMS Research, now part of IHS Inc. (NYSE: IHS). “Following the introduction of an energy storage subsidy in Germany, global installations of PV storage systems are forecast...

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WIND GOT FACEBOOK AND GOOGLE FOR IOWA

Sierra Club, utilities spar over Nebraska wind power; Facebook Plans $300m Iowa Data CenterRichard Piersol, April 24, 2013 (Lincoln Journal Star) “The Sierra Club in Nebraska criticized the state's public power utilities for failing to get more wind power online to compete with Iowa, which landed a planned data center for Facebook Inc. in Altoona and increased incentives for Google Inc. that allow it to expand in Council Bluffs. “Available wind power...

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U.S. BABY STEPS TOWARD OCEAN WIND SUPPLY CHAIN

US takes cue from Europe to strengthen offshore wind supply chain; The likelihood of U.S.-based offshore manufacturing capacity will depend on turbine suppliers perceiving stable, long-term policy support and subsequent demand for offshore wind in the U.S. market.Ritesh Gupta, April 15, 2013 (Wind Energy Update) “…As offshore turbine designs continue to specialise and diverge from land-based designs, new facilities are likely to locate close to one...

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TOP UTILITIES FOR NEW ENERGY

2012 SEPA Top 10 Utility Solar Rankings Preview; Large-scale Solar Projects Drive New Market GrowthApril 16, 2013 (Solar Electric Power Association) "The Solar Electric Power Association’s (SEPA) sixth annual Utility Solar Rankings report analyzes the amount of new solar power interconnected by U.S. electric utilities in 2012. It covers more than 260 of the most solar-active utilities, representing more than 96 percent of the national U.S. solar...

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THE NEW LIGHT ECOSYSTEM

LED Supply Chain Dynamics2Q 2013 (Navigant Research) “The lighting industry is on the verge of a large-scale shift away from the traditional technologies of fluorescent, incandescent, and high-intensity discharge (HID) lighting toward light-emitting diodes (LEDs)…as the efficacy and quality of LEDs surpass those of competing technologies and as prices fall to enable reasonable payback periods. “This transition has been widely expected for a number...

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PEAR ENERGY OFFERS NEW ENERGY TO CONSUMERS

It's time to do more; Go green simply by switching your bill to clean energyApril 2013 (Pear Energy) “Pear is committed to delivering green energy…Pear wants to make it easy and affordable…to buy clean wind and solar-powered electricity…[to] defend the environment, fight climate change, and generate millions of good jobs in the process… “Pear donates 50 percent of its profits to other great organizations…working for our same goals [and committed...

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DISTRIBUTED PV TO GROW 220 MORE GW BY 2018

Distributed Solar Energy Generation; Market Drivers and Barriers, Technology Trends, and Global Market Forecasts2Q 2013 (Navigant Research) “Distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) systems…[produce] electricity onsite…reducing the need to build new transmission capacity and avoiding line losses…[These things] offer significant benefits to consumers…[and add] resiliency to an electric grid… “These systems are used in…residential…small commercial…[and]...

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WIND BEAT GUNS AND BOATS IN 2012

Wind Beating Guns, Boats as U.S. Turbines Almost DoubleEhren Goosens, April 11, 2013 (Bloomberg News) “Companies spent $25 billion building U.S. wind farms last year, more than double the [$10.2 billion]budget of the Coast Guard and overtaking the [$22.3 billion direct economic impact of the U.S. firearms industry and its suppliers was]…Wind accounted for 5.6 percent of U.S. electricity generating capacity in 2012, up from about 3 percent in 2011,...

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YINGLI IS THE NEW WORLD LEADER IN SUN

China’s Yingli Tops PV Module Supplier Rankings in 2012; Suntech Slips to FifthApril 11, 2013 (IHS iSuppli) “Yingli…became the largest global supplier of photovoltaic (PV) modules in 2012 based on annual merchant shipments, while previous leader and besieged fellow Chinese producer Suntech Power dropped to fifth place…In a year that proved very challenging for the entire PV industry, Yingli managed to increase its merchant shipment volumes by 43...

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LET THERE BE EFFICIENT LIGHT

Energy Efficient Lighting for Commercial Markets; LED Lighting Adoption and Global Outlook for LED, Fluorescent, Halogen, and HID Lamps and Luminaires in Commercial Buildings: Market Analysis and Forecasts2Q 2013 (Navigant Research) “The market for commercial lighting is on the verge of a major transformation…[as falling] prices and improving quality for light-emitting diode (LED) lighting…drive widespread adoption…” “The speed of this transformation...

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OFFICIAL NUMBERS FROM WIND’S RECORD YEAR

AWEA Reveals Numbers Behind U.S. Wind Sector's Record-Breaking YearMark Del Franco, 11 April 2013 (North American Windpower) “…[I]n 2012, U.S. wind energy - for the first time - was the No. 1 new source of electricity generation, contributing 42% of all the megawatts installed by the power sector...[and] 43% of utilities reported having wind energy as part their system…[according to the American Wind Energy Association's (AWEA) newly released U.S....

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WILL BUFFETT BUY A BANKRUPT CHINESE SOLAR MAKER?

Suntech Jumps On Buffett Buyout Report...April 9, 2013 (EQ International) “Chinese solar manufacturers rallied in New York, led by Suntech Power Holdings Co. (STP), on a report that billionaire Warren Buffett may be interested in buying the company forced into bankruptcy after defaulting on debt. The Bloomberg China-US Equity Index (CH55BN) of the most-traded Chinese companies in the U.S. rose… “…Suntech jumped as much as 28 percent after a news...

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SETTING THE SMART METER STANDARD

ZigBee for Smart Energy; Market Dynamics for ZigBee SEP 1.X and the Transition to SEP 2.0 for Smart Meters, Home Area Networks, Programmable Communicating Thermostats, Load Control Devices, In-Home Displays, and Gateways1Q 2013 (Navigant Research) “A widely deployed wireless communications technology, ZigBee is the basis for radios and software embedded in millions of smart meters and other smart energy devices, such as programmable communicating...

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BIG NEW TEXAS WIRES FOR WIND ALMOST READY

West Texas wind power transmission project nears completionJames Oborne, 5 April 2013 (Dallas Morning News) “…Designed to transmit enough electricity to power half of Texas in the spring months…[3,500 miles of high-voltage transmission lines connecting wind farms in western Texas with electricity-hungry cities to the east] is on schedule to finish [aftet eight years of planning and building] by the end of the year. But with cost overruns and fewer...

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THE RAPIDLY GROWING EV SUPPLY CHAIN

Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment Tracker 1Q13; Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment Infrastructure Installations by Technology and World Region1Q 2013 (Navigant Research) “Plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) deployments to the mass market have fueled a burst of activity in electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) infrastructure development, particularly in North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. In these regions, public EVSE networks have been buoyed by...

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THE STRANGE WAY SOLAR AFFECTS ENVIRONMENTALISTS

Solar Energy Seems To Make Environmentalists MadTim Worstall, April 7, 2013 (Forbes) “…Assuming that we think that there should be solar panels all over the place, that renewables are indeed to be deployed, then of course governments should have every tool at their disposal to incentivise it…[C]heap imported solar panels [should be] available so that installing solar panels is cheaper…The madness in the environmental movement is t0hey are, instead,...

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ALL-OF-THE-ABOVE, RISING

All energy sectors now have something to crow aboutEditorial, April 7 (Kansas City Star) “…While America’s longstanding love affair with fossil fuels is far from over, America’s more recent embrace of renewable energy is going strong…[Though] wind and solar power are determined to reduce fossil fuel use and to replace it with cleaner-burning renewables…[it] is happening but only to a degree…[and] wind turbines and biofuels [are proving to be much...

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THE IMMINENT SOLAR POWER TOWER ACHIEVEMENT

Ivanpah and the Future of Big SolarJim Rossi, March 21, 2013 (Nevada Institute for Renewable Energy Commercialization) “…[BrightSource Energy’s Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System may be about to change the world…At 377 net megawatts, the Ivanpah project is an order of magnitude bigger than any solar tower project constructed before. If successful, even bigger projects will follow…[BrightSource’s] predecessor, Israeli solar thermal company Luz…built...

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CAPE WIND AWAITS FEDS' LOAN GUARANTEE

Mass. Lawmakers Urge Energy Department To Approve Cape Wind Loan Guarantee5 April 2013 (North American Windpower) “The entire Massachusetts congressional delegation, including the state's nine U.S. representatives and two U.S. senators, has sent a joint letter to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) [and the White House Office of Management and Budget] urging the department to approve the delayed loan guarantee for the Cape Wind offshore wind project…...

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THE EXPANDING BIOFUELS MARKET

Market Data: Biofuels; Ethanol, Biobutanol, Biodiesel, Green Diesel, Synthetic Gasoline, and Renewable Biojet Consumption and Production from Biomass Resources: Global Market Sizing, Segmentation, and Forecasts1Q 2013 (Navigant Research) “Biofuels are becoming big policy and big business as countries around the world look to decrease petroleum dependence, reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the transportation sector, and support agricultural...

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SEVEN WAYS TO A USER-FRIENDLY SMART GRID

Seven Simple Strategies For Smart Grid EngagementPatty Durand, 27 March 2013 (Renew Grid) “…Finding the right approach to [to adequately engage, educate and understand consumers] is particularly critical for utilities that are pursuing advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) deployments… Smart Grid Customer Engagement Success Stories spotlights the strategies and tactics employed by four energy utilities in the U.S. - CenterPoint Energy, Oklahoma...

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SOLAR POWER TOWER CONSTRUCTION MILESTONE

Completion 0f Molten Salt Solar Receiver Sets Milestone in Nevada Solar Project Construction…April 2, 2013 (SolarReserve) “SolarReserve, a U.S. developer of large-scale solar power projects…announced completion of the assembly of the molten salt receiver panels that sits on top of the 540 foot solar power tower for its 110 megawatt (MW) Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Plant located near Tonopah, Nev…[T]he Crescent Dunes Plant will be the nation’s first...

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WIRELESS BLDG ENERGY MANAGEMENT SPREADING

Wireless Control Systems for Smart Buildings; ZigBee, EnOcean, Wi-Fi, and Other Wireless Networks for HVAC, Lighting, Fire & Safety, and Security & Access Control Systems in Commercial Buildings1Q 2013 (Navigant Research) “While building automation and controls have been used for decades, wireless is becoming the catalyst for enabling more granular and immediate control over building systems… “Wireless controls offer economic benefits due...

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SOLAR AND WIND POLL FIRST

Americans Want More Emphasis on Solar, Wind, Natural Gas; Oil, nuclear, and coal are more popular with Republicans and in the SouthDennis Jacobe, March 27, 2013 (Gallup) “…[T]wo in three Americans want the U.S. to put more emphasis on producing domestic energy using solar power (76%), wind (71%), and natural gas (65%). Far fewer want to emphasize the production of oil (46%) and the use of nuclear power (37%). Least favored is coal, with about one...

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THE BIGGEST SOLAR BUILDERS

Who Was The Largest Solar EPC In 2012?28 March 2013 (Solar Industry) “For the first time, U.S.-based First Solar became the world's largest photovoltaic engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor in 2012, with more than 500 MW of projects completed. This total represented an increase of 50% over 2011's total, according to a new report from IMS Research, now part of IHS Inc. “…[A] major shift in global rankings occurred in 2012 due...

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CONNECTICUT RENEWABLES STANDARD THREATENED

Proposed Changes To CT's RPS: Great For Hydro, But Bad For Wind And Solar?21 March 2013 (Renew Grid) “The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is recommending that the state restructure its renewable portfolio standard (RPS)… to increase the standard's procurement requirements and allow large-scale hydropower to count toward the RPS. “Connecticut's RPS requires 27% of utilities' sales to come from renewable energy...

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EUROPE GROWING BIGGER TURBINES FOR THE OCEAN

Mammoth wind turbines will cut offshore costs by 40% in 7 years, developer saysMarch 19, 2013 (ClimateWire via E&E Publishing) “…Dong Energy, the world's largest developer and operator of offshore wind farms [and a major developer and owner of conventional energy sources], aims to [build unprecedentedly large turbines to] cut the cost of wind energy in the [UK sector of the] North Sea to less than €100 ($130) per megawatt-hour by 2020 compared...

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WHAT THE PRESIDENT’S SCIENCE ADVISORS ADVISE

…six key components for consideration that we deem central to your climate change strategy and policy…March 2013 (President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology) “…The first component aims to reduce the damage resulting from changes in climate (“adaptation”), while the last five aim to reduce the pace and magnitude of these changes (“mitigation”). Both approaches are essential parts of an integrated strategy for dealing with climate change....

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HOW THE SOLAR TRADE WAR WILL AFFECT THE PV BIZ

PV: Europe holds the upside wildcard, but trade war impact should not be underestimatedMichael Barker, 21 March 2013 (PV Magazine) “…[Europe’s market share PV lead is quickly being] overtaken by the Asian market which, as a region, is being driven by the major Asia-Pacific markets of China, Japan, India, and Australia…as European policy-makers have been rapidly and aggressively cutting PV incentive programs…If these policy-reductions continue, the...

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