The Chinese government has increased its solar energy target for 2015 by 50 percent, setting a new goal of 15 gigawatts annually, state media reports.

The new target, which was reported by China National Radio, follows a rapid surge in Chinese solar power installation in recent months after the government unified grid feed-in tariffs for solar projects in July.

At the end of 2010, installed solar capacity in China was less than one gigawatt. But China, the world’s top exporter of photovoltaic products, had already doubled its solar energy target to 10 gigawatts by 2015 following the Fukushima nuclear crisis in Japan, and the government now has boosted that goal to 15 gigawatts.

Meanwhile, a new industry report shows that U.S. solar installations jumped by nearly 40 percent during the third quarter of 2011, pushing the nation’s total annual installation beyond one gigawatt for the first time.

Article appearing courtesy Yale Environment 360.

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The capital of Germany, Berlin, is commonly referred to as one of the global leaders within the renewable energy economy, as, for example, it is the top cleantech exporting country, with more than a 16 percent share within the international cleantech trade. With multiple avenues to promote clean technologies, including an exit market, early adopters of clean technologies, numerous engineers, and first class researchers and research centers, Berlin can slowly take over as the international hub for clean technologies.

1 ) Support from the Government. The seat of the government is housed in Berlin, and without its support in leading the total transition to renewable energy and energy efficiency through comprehensive policy frameworks, Berlin would not have been able to rise up to take the cleantech leader’s seat. The cleantech sector has been steadily growing with a large number of capital investments made to various clean technologies. Because of the governmental support, numerous “green” jobs have been created and millions of tons of carbon dioxide have been reduced. The government has been very influential on the various feed-in tariffs. Through these, Berlin has been able to get the investments necessary to fund all their renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.

2 ) Large Clusters of Clean Technology Industries. Berlin is known for having a large cluster of businesses, research institutes, and venture capitalists all involved in the clean technology center. The “cleantech cluster” actually makes up a majority of the employment opportunities as well as research activity flowing out of Germany’s capital city. For example, one of the main automotive companies, Daimler, has a huge automotive plant in Berlin, and the plant has been very active in creating the means necessary to mass produce electric and hybrid vehicles.

3 ) The Berlin Solar Atlas Project. As the cost of energy continues to increase, Berlin is constantly looking for more viable energy options. As one of the largest global producers of solar energy products, Berlin is constantly looking for ways to assist homes and businesses with saving money and aiding environmental protection. Their “Solar Atlas Berlin” project is a way for the city to further promote the usage of solar energy as an optimal energy choice. Individuals visit the atlas and are able to see the “solar potential” of different buildings. A three-dimensional model of Berlin is presented and individuals can see if the roof of a particular building is suitable for solar panel installation and how much solar energy from that location they are able to receive. It is part of Berlin’s ongoing process to be a “green metropolis.”

4 ) Berlin Climate Change Conference. Ultimately one of the most important goals for Berlin is the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. It has been noted that in order to reduce the amount of emissions, there needs to be a sustainable energy policy, living and building standards, modern transport policy, promotion of climate protection technologies, and dissemination of information through training and education. The Berlin Climate Change Conference is a few days of exchanges between the government, businesses, and society on how to increase their “green economy” even further by providing items, such as various resource and climate saving technologies.

5 ) Berlin Electric Car Network. Daimler AG, one of the largest German car manufacturers, has partnered with RWE AG utility to install a network of electric car chargers throughout Berlin. Known as the “e-mobility Berlin project,” Daimler is providing over 100 new lithium-ion battery electric cars and RWE AG will take care of the development, installation, as well as operation of estimated 500 charging points throughout the capital. It has received funding from the German federal government and the charging points will be throughout private residences, work place, and parking areas. According to the Chairman of the Boar of Daimler AG, Dieter Zetsche, “Our joint initiative is a good example of what can be achieved when policy makers, energy suppliers, and the automotive industry all work together towards the same goal.”

6 ) Berlin Impulse. The Berlin Senate created Berlin Impulse to provide the city with information on the consumption of rational energy as well as the use of renewable energy sources. The goal of this energy efficiency program is to enable everyday people to understand the importance of the shift to renewable energy. The Berlin Energy Standard is a known advice system, “which aims to help landlords and tenants to choose ‘the most efficient and more valuable energy service.’ It does cover renovation, but deals mainly with advice on energy supply.”

7 ) Solar Roof Exchange of Berlin. Aside from the Solar Atlas Berlin Project, there is also the Solar Roof Exchange of Berlin program. Existing before the Atlas Project, it was created by the Senate Department for Health, Consumer Affairs and Environmental Protection. It provides companies that operate solar arrays direct access to roofs that are publically owned. Starting in 2011, the program promoted the marketing of all suitable roofs. According to one individual, “Together with the Solar Atlas, private and public property-owners on the one hand and providers of solar technology on the other will have at their disposal an internet-based platform that brings together supply and demand.”

8 ) Energy Saving Partnership Berlin. A partnership was created between the City of Berlin and the BEA – Berlin Energy Agency, to develop and apply an effective model to improve energy efficiency throughout all buildings. This model has offered help to more than 1,300 buildings that have been upgraded, provided a large reduction in CO2 levels by investing in energy efficient projects.

9 ) Vattanfall Business GROUP Central Europe. Vattanfall has currently set its eyes on Berlin to assist in reducing greenhouse gas emissions to stop the climate change throughout the world. In Berlin, it has been very big in pushing renewable energy sources, especially wind power. It has numerous wind power projects in the works to decrease reliance on fossil fuel sources.

10 ) Berliner Energieagentur. Founded in 1992, the Berliner Energieagentur agency is based on an initiative started by the Berlin House of Representatives with equal shareholders from a number of Berlin power players. The goal of this agency is focused on “the reduction of energy consumption and costs in buildings and installations through the identification of energy saving potentials. Long-term cost effectiveness is guaranteed by means of energy concepts and saving strategies.”

Article by Shawn Lesser, Co-founder & Managing Partner of Atlanta-based Watershed Capital Group – an investment bank assisting sustainable fund and companies raise capital, perform acquisitions, and in other strategic financial decisions. He is also a Co-founder of the GCCA Global Cleantech Cluster Association ”The Global Voice of Cleantech”. He writes for various cleantech publications and is known as the David Letterman of Cleantech for his “Top 10″ series. He can be reached at shawn@watershedcapital.com

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Who says solar is too expensive? In fact, in many places it is cheaper than the fossil fueled alternative. How do we know? Well, one place to start is to look at actual contracts for projects.

Attached here (Excel file) is a chart of California Renewable Portfolio Standard contracts downloaded (and modified to show just solar contracts) from the CPUC website, here.

As of June 2011, California investor-owned utilities have signed and submitted for approval from the regulators 8,631 MW of contracts with solar companies. The exact contract price is kept confidential. However, we do know whether the contract is above or below the Market Price Referent, or MPR. The ‘market price referent‘ is an annual calculation of the anticipated 20-year levelized cost of energy of a new combined-cycle gas turbine in California, and serves as a proxy for the cost of building new non-renewable power.

Of that 8.6 GW of signed contracts, 4,408 MW is below the MPR. So there we have it. Massive amounts of solar, for less than the cost of the fossil fuel alternative.

But wait! There’s more. This calculation does not include the utility DG PV programs or current feed-in tariffs, nor does it cover procurement from Sacramento Municipal Utility Department or the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. SMUD has its own success story: it is buying 100 MW of PV at a price set on its cost of fossil power—calculated out to be the equivalent of 14 cents/kWh.

And in January, Southern California Edison released the results of an auction for mid-sized renewable projects (systems up to 20 MW in size)…and the results were stunning. 250 megawatts of PV, all below the cost of a combined-cycle gas turbine.

And with recent low PV prices, there’s new market activity for even smaller installations. California’s AB 1969 feed-in tariff law required utilities to offer standard 20 year contracts for renewable generation to systems up to 1.5 MW, priced at the MPR (note that the contracts also receive a time-of-delivery adder, which on a levelized basis modeled for PV production, using PV WATTS and assuming Sacramento as a proxy for statewide insolation, comes out as follows: PG&E – 1.13, SDG&E – 1.24, SCE – 1.35) . In the past, that level was too low to stimulate much, if any, market activity (generally speaking, larger installations, with greater economies of scale, have resulted in lower prices). Now, there are over 420 MW of systems that have applied for interconnection with SCE, and PG+E has signed over 42 MW of contracts with PV generators under this program. With the caveat that getting into the SCE interconnection queue does not require significant development security so there is no way of assessing the ultimate viability of these projects, the high degree of market activity is strong evidence that the reductions in PV module costs are resulting in previously unachievable solar rates.

And behind the meter distributed generation is also delivering. California has an market-responsive incentive structure that declines in response to market activity. Incentives for residential solar systems have dropped from $4.50/W to $0.35/W — yes, that’s right, 35 cents — and August set a record for the highest number of applications since the program’s inception. With nearly 1 GW of self-generation installed and nearly 100,000 customers, grid parity — where solar can be generated for less than retail utility rates– is just around the corner.

Not all of the wholesale projects are going to come to fruition. But many are already breaking ground, and with an increased focus on project viability requirements and development security, many of them will. We’ve passed a major inflection point. Solar, once viewed as too expensive to play a meaningful role in our energy future, is now scaling at prices less than the fossil fuel alternative.

Vote Solar is a non-profit grassroots organization working to fight climate change and foster economic opportunity by bringing solar energy into the mainstream.

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On Monday, the French Minister for Environment and Sustainable Development, Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet (known here by her initials, NKM), presented new regulations for large solar installations.  (above 100 kWp, or more than a thousand square meters).

According to the Minister quoted by the French daily Le Figaro, previous dispositions and feed-in tariffs were targeting volume and prices.

Still to NKM, the goal of these new regulations is not to run after Germany or China ( the two main producers of solar PV panels to date) but to prepare the next wave. This will be done by developing innovating technologies with bigger yields.

The main idea is to spur investments to create genuine Made-in-France panels and technologies.

To do so, from now on, large installations will be subject to calls for tenders.

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Between 1,000 and 2,500 square meters, conditions will be simplified and the main criteria will be price. The applicant proposing the cheapest electricity will be chosen by Electricité de France.

A first lot for 120 MWp should be published on August 1, after a positive opinion from the French energy regulator CRE.

Six additional lots for 30 MWp will be published each quarter. These volumes will last for two years and a half, in order to give visibility to investors (this was a major issue with previous attempts at creating a solar PV market in France)

It is worth noting that the first candidates will be selected before the presidential elections which will take place in May 2012.

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Larger installations (more than 2,500 square meters) will be chosen via price (accounting for 40 percent of the mark) but also industrial project as well as their contribution to Research and Development. Projects on industrial wastelands and old quarries will be favored over of agricultural lands.

(I personally believe we should put solar PV panels and installations on large factories and shopping centers. There is a lot of space there…)

Another novelty will be the need for improved recycling at the end of the life cycle of the projects.

—

Let us hope these new projects will be successful as the previous attempts at creating an solar photovoltaic industry in France have been a resounding failure. Indeed, feed-in tariffs have been at some point very high, thus creating “a speculative bubble” as the Prime Minister once noted.

This situation however enabled the country to reach 973 MWp of capacity at the end of 2010, well before the 2012 deadline given by the Grenelle de l’Environnement laws.

PV professionals are skeptical. Indeed feed-in tarrifs and regulations have been changing roughly every six months since 2008. This situation led installing companies and consulting offices within the industry to close their doors.

In any case, we shall see whether these most ambitious objectives will be reached and whether sustainable jobs in the sector will be created. So stay tuned !

Photo credit : Flickr, knowprose

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As part of the European Union, Greece has been working diligently to meet European Union-wide renewable energy target. For Greece, this means increasing use of renewable energy by 18 percent of 2005 levels by the year 2020. Hydro power has often been seen as the most prominent source of renewable energy being used in the country; however, solar thermal and wind energy system have been on the rise along with geothermal heat. There have been a number of mechanisms put into place by the Greek government to stimulate cleantech growth, although few have been suspended due to the current economic climate in the country.

1) Center for Renewable Energy Sources and Saving. The Center for Renewable Energy Sources and Saving (CRES) is the main Greek body that deals with the promotion of sources of renewable energy and energy conservation. The main objective of CRES is the research, development and promotion of renewable energy and energy efficiency applications at the national level. There are a number of divisions of CRES, including Renewable Energy Sources, Energy Efficiency, Energy Policy and Planning, Development Programs, and Financial and Administrative Services. CRES works in a number of renewable energy divisions, including photovoltaic, wind energy, biomass, geothermal, and hydrogen.

2) Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change 2010 Renewable Energy Bill. In 2010, the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change introduced a new renewable energy sources bill is earmarked as a vital step toward a new long-term plan for a sustainable energy policy and the development of the use of renewable energy. This bill ups the target to 40 percent by the year 2020 and surpasses the obligations listed by the European Union Directive for Renewable Energy created in 2009. The bill is hopefully going to send the country toward energy self-sufficiency. According to Tina Birbili, the Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Change, “[Renewable energy sources are] essential, not only because Greece has a natural abundance of sun, sea and air which she needs to invest in but also because, beginning in 2013, we will need to start paying great penalties for emissions, which will also heavily impact energy prices for consumers.”

3) Using Renewable Energy to Regain Economic Stability. Starting in 2010 and for the next five years, Greece is looking to attract over €45 billion in investments into renewable energy. With the recent economic downturn and high unemployment rates, the government is looking to attract “green investment” to fix the economy. There is a large amount of renewable energy sources in Greece that are still untapped, and now the government wants to make it easier for investors to come in, including a liquefied natural gas and power plant project from Qatar.

4) Renewable Energy Businesses in Greece. There are a number of renewable energy businesses in Greece providing amenities for both the national and international markets. A majority of these businesses focus on solar energy. SolarLogic SA offers high efficiency solar energy products for home and commercial rooftops and solar parks. Bartec Solar Systems Industry is a manufacturer and exporter of solar water heating systems and components. Mavrou Bros Ltd. offers energy efficient HVAC and solar energy systems and have worked with a number of international companies, including LG Electronics and Mitsubishi.

5) Feed-in Tariffs in Greece. Greece has a few renewable energy feed-in tariffs to make it easier for investors to come in. Greece’s New Rooftop Photovoltaic Tariff is actually considered to be the best throughout the European Union. It provides €0.55/kWh, making it one of the highest and rivaling France and Switzerland. There is also a solar photovoltaic feed-in tariff and installation of wind turbines through the use of fixed ten year PPA and feed-in tariffs.

6) High Prevalence of Solar Energy. 99 percent of all private buildings in Greece use solar energy for hot water usage in kitchens, bathrooms, and other appliances. Greece is actually second in the entire world (behind Cyprus) to solar energy use. The reason for the high prevalence of solar energy can be attributed to a number of things. One of them is that unlike other European countries, like Italy and Spain, Greece does not have laws making it obligatory to utilize solar panels for water. This makes installation and operation a lot less expensive and more available to families. In Pefki, a town outside Athens, a number of social housing units received a “solar kit,” and now the town is known as the “shine floor” due to all the reflective solar panels.

7) Office Building Supplies 95 Percent of its own Energy. A five story building in Greece is slated to be one of the most energy-efficient buildings in the world. The building is said to produce absolutely zero emissions, not use any fossil fuels to run, and supplies 95 percent of its own energy through the use of solar and geothermal energy sources. It is a $2.1 million project that is said to pay for itself in approximately ten years. In the summer, the building kept itself at 72F at about $14 a day which is great savings for a large building.

8 ) Creation of Largest Photovoltaic Solar Park in World. The Prime Minister of Greece, George Papandreou announced in January of 2011 the creation of a solar photovoltaic park in Kozani. It is slated to be the largest in the world, providing an energy capacity of 200 megawatts. The investment costs around €600 million, employ over 500 employees, and reduce pollution by 300,000 tons annually. The park will provide enough energy for 55,000 homes.

9) Biggest Solar Farm in the World Possibly Coming to Greece. Public Power Corporation made an announcement in early 2011 that they are looking to build a large solar photovoltaic farm in Greece. The farm would have a generation capacity of megawatts and would be placed in Kozani. Public Power Corporation stated that this farm will not only reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 300,000 tons, but it will create 350 temporary and 200 new jobs in Greece. This solar farm will be larger than the current largest solar photovoltaic farm – 80 megawatt Sarnia photovoltaic power plant in Canada.

10) €12 Billion Invested into Environment and Energy to Boost Economy. In July 2010, Greece made the plan to invest €12 billion on a number of renewable energy projects by 2015 to assist with the economy. The objective of this investment is to attract further private investment and increase economic growth.

Article by Shawn Lesser, Co-founder & Managing Partner of Atlanta-based Watershed Capital Group – an investment bank assisting sustainable fund and companies raise capital, perform acquisitions, and in other strategic financial decisions. He is also a Co-founder of the GCCA Global Cleantech Cluster Association ”The Global Voice of Cleantech”. He writes for various cleantech publications and is known as the David Letterman of Cleantech for his “Top 10″ series. He can be reached at shawn@watershedcapital.com

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I love solar thermal. It’s a simple, reliable, provides solid returns and can have a significant impact on reducing business costs for heavy hot water use facilities; hotels, car washes, laundry mats, food processing plants, you name it. Unfortunately in the past few years the solar pv industry has taken the lead to both geothermal and solar thermal in the hearts and mind of consumers and politicians alike. The growth of the solar pv industry when compared with geothermal and solar thermal is evidence enough.

However, Maryland has created solar thermal renewable energy credits (SRECs), similar to solar pv SRECS, that will allow Maryland based solar hot water owners to produce and sell up to 5 SRECS per year. Although 5 SREC limits the program to smaller installations, this is a huge step for the solar thermal industry.

Why will SRECs help grow the solar thermal industry?
There are two main types of incentives, ones based on installed cost (tax credits, rebates, etc) and the others based on production (feed-in tarrifs, srecs). Incentives based on production are best because they provide cash flow for the life of the system but also ensure that the installer will maximize output of the system for the lowest possible price. Solar thermal has traditionally been seen as an energy efficiency measure that was simply offsetting the use of another fuel (electric, natural gas, heating oil) and not as a source of energy in its own right. By creating SRECs, solar thermal image is now being changed into a source of energy and not just an efficiency measure, a key ingredient for investing a financing systems.

By creating SRECs solar thermal systems will generate cash both in the offsetting of a fossil fuel source but in the production of BTUs that the system creates. This will make investing in solar thermal systems more attractive to heavy water users and it will also incentive solar installers to maximize production at the lower costs. Also, the generation of SRECs will make it easier for financing of systems by PPA providers, further decreasing upfront costs needed and accelerating adoption.

What does this mean for solar thermal installers?
Right now, it depends where you are. The solar thermal SRECs are just being put into place in a select few states. What we’ll be waiting for is to see if the programs work and how effective they are. If they are effective other states will begin to adoption them, particularly states that have high oil or natural gas prices. Also, you’ll start to see solar thermal PPA companies start or established solar pv PPA providers expand their business into the thermal industry. My hunch is that solar pv PPA companies will not touch it because they can’t keep up with solar thermal demand. For now, we need to wait, but if all goes well the solar thermal industry should see huge growth with the development of thermal SRECs followed by PPAs.

Article by Chris Williams who works with HeatSpring Learning Institute delivering world-class IGSHPA Geothermal Training, NABCEP Solar Training, and BPI Certification training to professionals who are installing, designing or selling renewable energy systems. Cleantechies readers can received a $100 discount off all HeatSpring courses, both online and offline, with the code “cleantechies”. Chris can be reached directly at cwilliams@heatspring.com

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Because of New Zealand’s location and its increasing dependence on fossil fuels and its rising costs, it has become imperative for the country to make the switch In New Zealand, solar and wind energy are poised to make significant contributions to the economy. New Zealand has an abundance of renewable energy resources, more than most other developed countries, and currently meets a majority of its energy needs by using the energy from the sun, wind, geothermal fields, woody plants (biomass), and rivers and lakes.

1) First Country in the World to Include Agriculture in Emissions Trading Scheme. In New Zealand, the agricultural sector is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, equaling roughly 49 percent. These emissions comes methane from livestock, nitrogen fertilizer, and nitrous oxide arising from animal excrement. Because of this New Zealand’s trading scheme covers all current agricultural sources of nitrous oxide and methane.

2) Do Business with International Partners. New Zealand poses a strong willingness to provide knowledge and do business with numerous international partners with global benefits in mind. Because of the abundance of renewable energy sources in New Zealand, it makes the country a prime candidate for international business. It is the goal of this country to work alongside others to create new technologies that will not only provide benefit for New Zealand, but also the world. International partners that come into New Zealand are provided with a host of technologies, incentives, direct research and development, and innovation.

3) Research and Innovation. An impact of the cleantech industry has been the amount of research, development, and innovation that has come out of this island nation. New Zealand has been at the forefront in many earth-shattering developments, including earthquake shock absorbers, new breeds of sheep, and splitting that atom, so it is no difference that this country is also on the cutting edge of renewable energy and energy efficiency as well. Scientists have been working on new forms of biofuels, for example. There are numerous world-class institutions looking into renewable energy in New Zealand, including institute of Environmental Science and Research, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, and Landcare Research.

4) Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart Program. To increase energy efficiency in homes across New Zealand, the Warm Up New Zealand program provides clean heating and insulation to homes. It started in July 2009, and more than 188,000 homes have been retrofitted for new insulation. It is a government funded project aimed at allowing residents to save and conserve their energy.

5) Funding for Energy Efficiency. To make it easier on businesses and homeowners to select renewable energy and energy efficiency, the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority has a number of funding tactics available. They provide funding to homeowners to assist in various home improvements, including installing solar water heating systems and better heat insulation. There are numerous financial services provided to businesses to improve overall energy efficiency, including grants for energy, design and fleet audits, technology implementation, solar water heating installation, and loans for energy efficiency projects throughout the public sector.

6) International Recognition. Because of New Zealand’s work with renewable energy resources and energy efficiency, it has been asked to join the International Renewable Energy Agency. It is an intergovernmental organization dedicated to the encouragement of production and usage of sources of renewable energy throughout the globe. Because of New Zealand’s widespread experience, they were courted to join in mid-2010. The Minister for Energy and Resources in New Zealand stated, “We look forward to…playing our part to achieve IRENA’s goal of accelerating the global use of renewable energy.”

7) 2025 Target is Doable. The goal of the New Zealand government is to achieve 90 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by the year 2025. This goal is probably one of the highest goals for renewable energy in the world. The government has four priority areas to achieve its energy goal – developing resources, energy efficiency, affordable and secure energy, and environmental responsibility. In order to achieve this New Zealand is focusing on areas such as embracing new energy technologies, research and development of renewable energy sources, reliable electricity supply, increased consumer information on various renewable energy choices, and an energy efficient system of transportation. The six sectors that are focused on to achieve the energy strategy goal are transportation, businesses, homes, products, electricity systems, and the public sector.

8 ) Perfect Location for Investments. New Zealand is the best location of renewable energy investments because of the large number of resources at the country’s disposal and its many improvements in the policy. The corporate ventures manager for the largest state-owned electricity generator in New Zealand, Peter Apperley, stated, “New Zealand is blessed with abundant renewable options of world class resource – high and consistent wind speeds, very hot geothermal fields, good water resources, [and] good wave potential.” Geothermal, wind, and hydropower dominate the renewable energy scene and new policies and provisions make it a lot easier for companies, both in New Zealand and internationally, to come in and invest in various renewable energy products in these fields.

9) Renewable Energy Tariffs. New Zealand has had many discussions about the inclusion of feed-in tariffs to promote the adoption of sources of renewable energy to assist in accelerating the country toward more grid parity. The feed-in tariffs would provide savings in cost, reduction of losses, and increase in the usage of renewable energy sources.

10) Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority. To ensure that the energy efficiency, conservation, and renewable energy are being utilized, New Zealand created the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority. Its main focus is to guarantee the future positive impact of cleantech on New Zealand society. EECA offers businesses and homes the information, support, and tools necessary to make effective energy decisions regarding its usage. EECA works with a number of private sector firms, industry associations, government organizations, and community groups to ensure opportunities in energy efficiency and renewable energy are taken. This certifies that New Zealand’s goals of a nation run completely by renewable energy sources occur.

Article by Shawn Lesser, president and founder of Atlanta-based Sustainable World Capital, which is focused on fund-raising for private equity cleantech/sustainable funds, as well as private cleantech companies and M&A. He is also a co- founder of the GCCA Global Cleantech Cluster Association, and can be reached at shawn.lesser@sworldcap.com

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Canada’s federal commitment in establishing a cohesive renewable energy policy has historically been quite low, and the country’s solar leadership hopes to change this in the coming months. During a panel discussion at the annual Canadian Solar Association conference, solar industry executives urged Ottawa to develop a permanent renewable energy program. Ted Lattimore, CEO of Carmanah Technologies Corp., states, “What [Ottawa] needs to do is to put up something in place… and keep it there.” He continued, “Then people will build careers in the industry, education will be started up, and you will get private enterprise money flowing into it.” Lattimore, like a number of solar CEOs, understands that a national policy could create massive investment, and from that, create thousands of solar energy careers and PV training schools offering solar education.

National Incentive Program Vital Step in Promoting Solar Energy Careers

Executives have been operating under the umbrella of Ontario’s feed-in tariff program, which provides system owners and power produces with a high rate of return for solar energy and promotes solar energy careers through the creation of PV manufacturing opportunities. Despite the success of the program, executives such as Shawn Qu of Canadian Solar Inc. desire more. Qu said a sustainable energy policy is crucial “to get the industry kick-started.” Other large-scale solar manufactures may come to Canada, but Qu believes only if “they are sure that support policies such as Ontario’s FIT program will be in place for the long term.”

Solar Industry to Compete with Fossil Fuel Sector

The Association released a report stating that by 2025 at the latest, the solar industry will be able to compete with other sources of electricity. Phil Whiting, CEO of EnerWorks Inc., said that, “Whether we like it or not, the reality is that renewable energy today needs help from governments in order to build an industry.” Whiting is correct. Look at Ontario’s success with the FIT program. The government-sponsored program creates solar jobs, attracts manufacturing infrastructure, and has popularized PV training schools. A federal version of the FIT program would provide the country with an efficient national energy strategy to benefit all Canadians.

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Feed-in tariffs for industrial installations in France decreased by 12 percent beginning on September 1st. This move was done to prevent overheating in the sector.

According to the French Minister for Ecology, Energy, Sustainable Development and Town, Mr. Jean-Louis Borloo, the objective of having 5,400 MW of solar PV capacity may be reached in 2013 instead of 2020.

ERDF (electricity distributor to 95% of France) estimates that there are up to 68,000 projects totaling a capacity of 3,000 MW that are already planned. Agricultural and financial installations account for 33 percent of the demand and total 80 percent of the added capacity.

This is why Mr. Borloo and his ministry decided to cut the feed-in tariffs for these applications.

According to the French Daily Le Figaro, the solar PV capacity at the end of 2008 was of 81 MW. By the end of this year it is due to reach 850 MW.

This explosion of capacity has a price. Indeed, the risk of overheating is important as financially the feed-in tarrfis may well reflect themselves in increasing prices for households and companies.

ADEME (the French Environment and Energy Management Agency) previously estimated that electricity prices would increase by eight euros by 2020. However, with the rush to install solar PV, prices may instead increase by 60 euros as early as 2012.

The latter estimates don’t take into account the drop in prices of solar panels (minus 40 percent in a year).

The Solar PV industry already employs 15,000 people in France. However, the country is way behind Germany, Spain and even Belgium in terms of per capita installed capacity. (120 W in Germany, 76 in Spain, 33 in Belgium and only 4.5 in France)

With offshore wind, it seems France is moving forward fast to try to catch up with its German neighbour.

It should be noted that the rise of solar photovoltaic shouldn’t make us forget about its oft overlooked cousin: solar thermal. With less than 50,000 installations per year, the technology isn’t used as much as it should be.

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FERC may have recently put the kibosh on states implementing European-style Feed-in Tariffs, but that doesn’t mean the U.S. is left high and dry without ways to drive wholesale solar markets. We’re seeing daily action from utility PV programs that play by FERC’s rules.

Just today, Southern California Edison announced 60 MW worth of contracts under its new wholesale distributed generation (WDG) program. These winning bids will be installed on 31 rooftops and five ground-mounted sites across SCE’s service territory and deliver clean, reliable, wholesale power to the grid (as opposed to meeting on-site load).This is the first traunch of contracts for the utility’s 500 MW distributed solar program – half of which the utility will own and half of which must be contracted like this through independent producers.

As you may recall, SCE proposed the program as a mechanism for meeting its RPS requirements. The RPS may have set the end-goal of 20% by 2010 (with efforts still underway to increase to 33% by 2020), but it was the utility that opted to develop distributed solar to meet part of that requirement – a departure from the previously exclusive focus on large-scale projects in the 10 – 500 MW range. SCE’s move into WDG is significant for a few reasons:

Northern California’s PG&E has a similar program in the works, so expect to see more WDG on the way.

Vote Solar is a non-profit grassroots organization working to fight climate change and foster economic opportunity by bringing solar energy into the mainstream.

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