I've written a number of articles now about the changes in the Solar PV Feed-in Tariff this year and how Solar PV is still a viable investment, despite the significant reduction in feed-in tariff. I think it's fair to say that it's been a challenging year for most Solar PV installation companies including Morgans Solar. On the 1st August, the feed-in tariff was reduced yet again to 16p for systems up to 4kWp and domestic installations have certainly slowed although the commercial side of things still seems buoyant. We've quoted on an interesting range of PV systems across Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire.
This week we received the annual renewal notice for our MCS certification for Solar PV and I wondered how many PV Installation companies will be renewing their licence this year. I feel certain there will be those who don't, those who joined the 'gold rush' but weren't committed for the long term. I didn't hesitate for a moment before completing our application and writing the cheque because I know there is a future for the renewable energy and having put so much work into our Solar business so far, we're not going to give up on it that easily!
For small companies like ours, the requirements of the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) can be somewhat cumbersome and the annual assessment will be daunting to some. An assessor will conduct a thorough review of our quality management system which includes quotation and contract paperwork, purchasing and supplier controls, equipment calibration, complaints procedure and importantly, training and competence. He/she will also inspect a recent Solar PV installation so it's generally a full day of being grilled. But, and this may sound a bit sad, I actually look forward to it! The quality controls required are simply the way we do do things now anyway. And if there is an element of the standard we've missed or got wrong (known as a non-conformance), we learn from this and have an opportunity to be even better at what we do. However, I also have a personal best record to uphold - we had zero non-conformance points on the last assessment, one minor point the year before so my 'Olympic Gold' will be to achieve zero non-conformance points again this year.
What does this all mean for you, our customers? Well, firstly, we are re-confirming our commitment to the Solar PV industry because we believe it has a future and still offers you the opportunity to generate very valuable, free electricity. Secondly, we are demonstrating our continued passion for delivering great service to both new and existing customers by putting ourselves through the MCS Accreditation process. We hope you'll join us in flying the flag for renewable energy technology going forward!
NORTH SIDE RESIDENTS GOT A PREVIEW LAST WEEK OF A PROPOSED ELECTRIC POWER PLANT THAT WILL BE MOORED OFF THEIR COASTLINE IF ITS PROPONENTS GET THE NECESSARY APPROVALS. Design for 25 Mw OTEC Plant District MLA Ezzard Miller invited representatives of OTEC International LLC to the Craddock Ebanks Civic Centre on Thursday night to explain the ocean thermal power project to his constituents. Eileen O'Rourke, the company's chief operating officer, outlined the process by which heat in the upper layers of sea water can be turned into electricity. The process is known as Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion. After years of research and experimentation, the technology to process this source of renewable energy is now commercially viable and a proposal has been made to be a wholesale supplier of electricity to Caribbean Utilities Company, Ms. O'Rourke said. Talks have already been held with the Caribbean Utilities Company and government officials. The production plant would be on a purpose-built barge, or floating power platform, 140 feet wide and 200 feet long and moored less than a mile offshore. Most of the plant would be about 16 feet above the water line, with a small part of it rising another eight feet. The structure would include pipes to circulate the sea water, moorings to the sea floor and a cable that would carry the generated power under the beach and under the road to a sub-station on land. The sub-station would connect to CUC, Ms. O'Rourke explained. Meetings have already been held with such entities as the Department of Environment, Public Works and the Environmental Assessment Board. The plan is for necessary permits to be applied for starting in October. "We hope to get all permits and approvals in the first quarter of 2015," Ms. O'Rourke said. The target date for operation of the offshore power plant is the first quarter of 2017. Pilar Bush, managing director of AtWater Consulting, confirmed that an island-wide public consultation will be held later this month. OTEC International chose Grand Cayman for its first commercial system because CUC was "an open and willing partner" and because the Cayman government wants to move away from relying on fossil fuels, Ms. O'Rourke said. She noted that one power platform would produce 6.25 megawatts of electricity and that quantity would eliminate the need for 2.9 million gallons of imported diesel fuel annually. CUC's average production of electricity is around 70 megawatts, it was noted. Another reason Grand Cayman was chosen was the "excellent sea conditions" - including water temperatures and deep water proximity to the shoreline. There is a well-documented history of local ocean conditions, including extreme storm conditions. North Side was chosen as the best location, she said. In response to questions from the audience, company representatives referred to job opportunities and the development of safety protocols, along with design features for the protection of marine life. Start-up costs for the building and installation of the power platform will be expensive, Ms. O'Rourke indicated, but sea water as a source of renewable energy means low operating costs and protection of the consumer from the volatility of oil prices. Development of the requisite technology was funded by the Abell Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Maryland, USA since 1953, said Ms. O'Rourke, who is also treasurer of the foundation. One of its objectives is supporting innovative efforts to solve systemic social, economic and environmental problems. In 2000, The Abell Foundation acquired an exclusive license to the OTEC technology developed over decades by Sea Solar Power's J. Hilbert Anderson and his son James Anderson. In 2001, Abell established a limited liability company with the mission bring OTEC to commercialization. The company became OTEC International LLC (OTI). Bringing the economical, renewable energy solution of ocean thermal energy conversion to developed and emerging markets is important to both OTI and Abell. More (c) 2014
DEAR MASSACHUSETTS SOLAR STAKEHOLDER, The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) would like to provide an important update regarding the Commonwealth Solar II rebate program. As MassCEC has previously indicated, the Commonwealth Solar II rebate program is scheduled to sunset permanently at the end of funding Block 20. Launched in January 2010, the program has helped to jump-start the small-scale solar market in Massachusetts, and has grown along with this segment of the industry. To date, the CSII Program has awarded over 10,000 rebate applications for over 62 MW of solar capacity, facilitating the investment in solar of over 314 million by home owners and business owners across Massachusetts. However, given the enormous growth in solar projects, MassCEC believes that the program has served its intended purpose, and beginning in 2015 MassCEC plans to transition from the administration of this rebate program to other forms of support for the residential and small-scale solar market. AS A RESULT OF HIGHER-THAN-ANTICIPATED DEMAND ASSOCIATED WITH THE END OF THIS PROGRAM, THE 3 MILLION THAT WAS INITIALLY ALLOCATED FOR BLOCK 20 IS FULLY SUBSCRIBED AS OF TODAY. GIVEN THE FUNDING DEPLETION HAS HAPPENED EARLIER THAN EXPECTED, MASSCEC HAS TODAY OBTAINED APPROVAL FROM ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR AN ADDITIONAL 3 MILLION IN FUNDING TO ENSURE THE ORDERLY CLOSE-OUT OF THE PROGRAM. This is the final funding allocation for the Commonwealth Solar II Rebate Program, which will sunset at the end of the fourth quarter 2014, or when the additional funds are fully reserved, whichever occurs earlier. The final funding will be made available as BLOCK 20-A. This will enable the final funding block of the rebate program to remain open farther into the quarter, better coinciding with the Department of Energy Resources' launch of the residential solar loan program, anticipated to launch in early 2015. In adding this final amount of funding, MassCEC is attempting to smooth the transition at the end of the rebate program, and to allow installers to better plan for availability of funds. IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, SOLAR INSTALLATION COMPANIES WILL BE LIMITED TO SUBMITTING NO MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED (100) ADDITIONAL REBATE APPLICATIONS UNDER BLOCK 20-A. BLOCK 20-A FUNDING PARAMETERS WILL BE EFFECTIVE FOR ALL REBATE APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED AFTER APPLICATION NUMBER CS2-13932. Once a company has reached the submittal of 100 applications, no additional applications will be eligible to reserve funding. In order to allow applicants to better manage the remaining funds that are available, MassCEC will immediately begin posting on our website the remaining amount of funding available on a daily basis, available at www.masscec.com/commsolar. MassCEC is excited to see the tremendous growth of the residential and small-scale commercial solar industry, and we appreciate all of your efforts to continue driving solar in Massachusetts. If you have any questions, feel free to contact the MassCEC solar team at cs@masscec.com. The post Important Update Regarding the Commonwealth Solar II Rebate Program appeared first on Sun Wind.
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In my
Feb. 18 article
, I discussed
how to invest in oil
given today's fast-changing energy market.
Today, I'd like to talk about a range of fantastic new
energy investment
opportunities outside of crude.
The reason is simple: The big picture in energy will have less
and less to do with crude.
As I have discussed many times before, we are quickly moving to
a new model based on a new energy balance.
That doesn't mean oil is going to disappear. But the future
demand for energy is so daunting that every viable source of power
will have to contribute if we have any hopes of keeping the world
humming.
In this case there are no "silver bullets" either.
To continue to meet demand there will be an increasing reliance
on "non-oil" sources of power, namely from alternative and
renewable forms of energy.
This restructuring is still in its early stages.
But one thing is already certain: "non-oil" energy investment is
exploding
A NEW PARADIGM OF ATTRACTIVE "NON-OIL" ENERGY INVESTMENTS
Of course, this new energy balance will require a restructuring
of our own. As a result, "non-oil"
energy investments
have become incredibly attractive - starting with solar power.
As several editions of
"Oil and Energy Investor"
have indicated over the last month, solar power is coming on fast.
In fact, solar has now achieved grid parity in many regions of the
country, meaning it's no longer more expensive than the traditional
ways of generating electricity.
That's true even in the absence of government subsidies. Wind is
likewise following suit.
Then there is the resurgence of nuclear usage worldwide. As of
January 2015, 30 countries worldwide are operating 437 nuclear
reactors for electricity generation and 71 new nuclear plants are
under construction in 15 countries. These reactors are very
expensive to build, but offer the cheapest way to generate
electricity once they become
operational.
Now, it's one thing to be able to provide power at an affordable
price. It is quite another to apply that energy in ways that offer
a true energy balance. That requires a real exchangeability with
traditional sources.
Of course, electricity is one thing; fuel for transportation is
quite another. Here's why
As long as the market relies on crude as the primary transport
fuel (either gasoline or diesel) the new energy balance will remain
tilted in favor of oil by default.
But the use of liquefied natural gas (
LNG
) and compressed natural gas (CNG) to run entire fleets of high-end
trucks throughout Canada, to an increasing extent in the U.S., and
in much wider applications elsewhere, is one way to diminish oil's
longstanding grip.
Natural gas-powered passenger vehicles haven't been a big hit in
North America, but they have received better support globally.
Natural gas powers about 150,000 vehicles in the United States and
roughly 15.2 million vehicles worldwide. The primary stumbling
block for these vehicles remains the cost of the engine overhauls
and the development of an adequate distribution and retail
network.
Electric cars and biomass additives to fuels also provide an
alternative to crude. But electric cars continue to have range
concerns (a game-changing battery technology is needed here), while
biomass additives pose power limitations that are well known to
those using gasoline with higher percentages of ethanol.
However, this new paradigm will require using all of the
available sources, each providing a certain portion of the energy
needed.
A combination of traditional gasoline/diesel, electric, natural
gas, and biodiesel-run vehicles will be the norm in transport,
while an already existing range of sources for electricity will
provide for better electricity distribution worldwide.
WHY THE "SMART MONEY" IS POURING INTO RENEWABLES
In this case, there are two keys to a winning "non-oil"
investment approach.
One involves technical breakthroughs, while the other revolves
around increasing the efficiency of the end-usage.
And for some time now, I have been tracking a series of
breakthroughs that could literally change the playing field
overnight in both of these categories.
On the technical side, they involve solving the two main
bottlenecks that are preventing solar and wind from pricing under
coal and natural gas.
The first is the need for better batteries, which would allow
for the efficient storage of generated electricity. Storing
generated power for use at other times - in short, perfecting a new
line of cost-effective batteries - has been the industry's single
biggest hurdle.
As I discussed in another article on Feb. 18, a major advance in
batteries is potentially unfolding in a significant residential
test in California that could change usage patterns in renewables
rather quickly.
Meanwhile, when it comes to the battery needs for electric and
hybrid cars, the main challenge is to develop more compact
applications that do not require lithium or expensive rare earth
metals.
In fact, a small company I have been following closely for some
time now has just patented two approaches that may just be the
advance in this technology that everybody has been waiting for.
I'll have more on this opportunity as it develops.
The second technical challenge is solving the inversion problem.
Solar cells and wind turbines produce direct current (DC), which
must be "inverted" to alternating current (AC) before it can flow
onto the grid. Unfortunately, as much as half (or more) of power
produced is lost in the process. But a promising new approach has
shown a significant improvement, attracting the interest of some
heavy hitters in the renewable space.
Either one of these developments - a battery or an inversion
breakthrough - would be an absolute game-changer, providing solar
and wind with a pricing advantage.
That's why the smart money is pouring into renewable power. Led
by solar, worldwide capital investment in "clean" energy surged by
more than 16% last year.
In fact, spending on renewable energy was so strong in 2014 that
some have begun to label the recent rush into renewables as a
"turning point" in the energy balance. According to a recent report
in Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF), the total invested in
renewable power jumped to 310 billion, just 17 billion shy of the
all-time record in 2011.
But here's the real kicker
Since renewable energy is now much cheaper to generate, last
year's investment brought in almost double the clean electricity
capacity versus only four years earlier. That's undoubtedly a
bullish sign.
As for end-use applications, the opportunities are all about
smart grids, efficiency networks, and better bridges between peak
and off-peak generating prices. Several attractive plays have
already emerged in these areas.
What's more, the upstream-midstream-downstream sequence so
familiar to oil and natural gas is now offering similar
opportunities in electricity. Traditional utilities are changing
rapidly and both renewable sources of power and new technologies
are going to be "plugged in" to a more effective (and seamless)
network.
All of energy investment opportunities will hand us some nice
profits no matter what happens to the price of crude.
LOOKS LIKE THE PUNDITS NEED CHILL PILLS
There's all this television talk surrounding global oil
supply and the onslaught of oil from unconventional sources. Take
a few deep breaths, talking heads! Oil prices are virtually
guaranteed to rise in 2015. We've done our research, and
HERE'S WHAT WE FOUND
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including our latest Premium Report, "How to Make 2015 Your
Wealthiest Year Ever," click
here
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California and Nevada are nation's geothermal energy leaders but introduce are dozens of other US states that possibly will gift this renewable energy source a risk to see its status in their energy portfolios. One of converted examples is the state of Utah which maintain blind date refine casing of geothermal energy plant in Millard Borough with 25 megawatts of installed geothermal size.
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United States is soothing intercontinental geothermal energy chief with the unchangeable installed geothermal energy size of 3442 MW at the end of 2013. But other countries look to be helpful geothermal lot first-class extent to style, so encouragingly Utah's example strength of mind gift other states with good geothermal energy intensity a converted itinerary to trace.
