In August of 2007, North Carolina because the first Southeastern state in the United States to adopt the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard. In this, all investor- owned North Carolinian utilities are mandated to meet a minimum of 12.5 percent of their energy requirements via renewable energy resources and/or measures of energy efficiency. For rural electrical cooperatives, as well as municipal electric suppliers, the standard is only ten percent. Since the signing of the standard, North Carolina has taken great steps in becoming a leader in the cleantech industry, not just in the South but throughout the entire nation.

1) North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association. North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association, or NCSEA, is a nonprofit organization consisting of government personnel, businesses, and individuals interested in bolstering the sustainable energy future of the state. It is the only nonprofit throughout the state that is dedicated to leading policy change and driving the development of the market in such a ways that it will produce green jobs in a new, alternative energy economy. The mission of NCSEA is “to ensure a sustainable future by promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency through North Carolina through education, public policy, and economic development.”

2) Ability to Apply for Financial Incentives to Switch to Renewable Energy Sources. To further enhance the desire for businesses and homeowners to switch to renewable energy, the state has created a number of financial incentives to assist individuals in making the more toward alternative sources of energy. Some of the incentives offered include corporate tax credits, green building incentives, industry recruitment and support, local loan programs, PACE financing, performance based incentives, personal tax credits,, property and sales tax incentives, state grant, loan and rebate programs, and utility loan, discount, and rebate programs.

3) The Research Triangle Regional Partnership (RTRP) is a public-private partnership whose mission is to market a 13-county region and the Research Triangle Park (RTP) for the economic benefit of its communities and to direct strategic and tactical efforts to maintain global competitiveness.
The Research Triangle Regional Partnership recently launched the Research Triangle Cleantech Cluster to market and grow the Research Triangle Region’s potential in smart grid, alternative energy and advanced transportation. Cluster members benefit from the triple helix economic development approach by convening partners from academia, industry, and government into a synergistic group, who work together to accelerate market opportunities, advance beneficial policy, provide networking opportunities, and provide a pathway for strategic collaboration to strengthen the cluster and its members. Members draw from the resources within the cluster to create marketing and business opportunities as well as expedient pathways to partner and collaborate.

4) North Carolina State University Solar Center. Through its programs and facilities, the North Carolina Solar Center attracts, trains, and sustains the innovative energy businesses throughout the state. The center provides workforce training, new product demonstration and testing, technical assistance, industrial recruitment services, and financial analysis to assist those in the renewable energy industry. The center’s mission “Is to advance the use of renewable energy, energy efficiency, green building, and clean transportation resources to ensure a sustainable economy that protects our natural environment, encourages energy independence, and lower energy costs for consumers.”

5) Duke Energy Research and Development. The increase in renewable energy projects has been what is leading the way for North Carolina. Duke Energy has been responsible for numerous projects within the last few years. Though a majority of its power output has been done with fossil fuel and nuclear plants, they are looking to assist in the renewable energy field. For example, Duke partnered with other organizations to research biomass conversion viability in electricity plants. Another project has Duke partnering with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to research the practicality for renewable energy produced by wind turbines located on the coast of the state’s Outer Banks. Duke Energy also has plans to create efficient charging stations for electric vehicles across both North and South Carolina.

6) Increase in Job Opportunities throughout the Green Sector. Because of the recession, numerous individuals faced increased unemployment. However, in North Carolina, employment opportunities in the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors increased by 22 percent from 2009 to 2010, according to the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association. By 2011, the 546 renewable energy and energy efficiency companies are expected to further increase employment opportunities by another 20 percent.

7) North Carolina Wind Energy. North Carolina Wind Energy, housed by Appalachian State University, looks to promote the use of wind as a viable source or renewable energy in the state. It has a multitude of programs aimed at providing further understanding into wind energy. One of their largest programs is the North Carolina Small Wind Initiative, which looks to increase awareness about the feasibility and benefits of wind power in the region. Another program is Wind for Schools. It seeks to install small-scale wind turbines for educational use at numerous North Carolinian schools. The program is to encourage incorporation of renewable energy education in K-12 science curriculums. There is also the Wind Working Group which is a group of environmentalists, policymakers, educators, citizen action groups, and industry members who are currently pursuing wind power options by elevating supportive legislation.

8 ) Farm Energy Efficiency Project. The North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission and the North Carolina Farm Bureau Federation joined together based on a vision of assisting farmers in becoming more energy efficient. The Farm Energy Efficiency Project educates farmers about the importance of energy efficient throughout all farming operations and aids them in acquiring necessary tools to make improvements toward energy efficiency. Audits are conduced on-site and farmers use the information to determine where they need to be more energy efficient and how to increase it. FEEP also assists in cost-share grant opportunities. One assists farmers offset any costs incurred through the implementation of energy efficiency improvements, and the second is for farmers interested in the implementation of on-farm renewable energy technologies, such as wind, energy, and biofuel.

9) Charlotte Energy Solutions. Charlotte Energy Solutions is a one-stop-shop for renewable energy and energy efficient products. It is a self-run business that assists individuals in finding energy efficient products, including heaters, stoves, or even car conversion.

10) Jackson County Green Energy Park. The Jackson County Green Energy Park (JCGEP) is known as a landfill recovery program offering environmental protection, increased community-wide economic development, and educational opportunities through the use of landfill gas as a resource for clean, renewable energy. Visitors are encouraged to visit JCGEP as there are tours where individuals will learn about the park’s mission and what it does, including a visit to the landfill gas system, greenhouses, and glassblowing studios. There are also classes on-site that use the energy produced for art projects, including pottery and glass blowing.

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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Last Wednesday, the New York State Research Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) made details about new financial incentives for solar installations (PON2112) available on its site.

Putting forth a strong commitment to solar energy in the state, NYSERDA is offering the new rebate until December 31, 2015 or until funds are committed, whichever comes first. Much like the rebate (PON1050) that preceded it, the rebate offers $1.75/watt to eligible installers for residential, commercial and not for profit installs. The rebate may fluctuate a bit from month to month based on funding availability. NYSERDA budgets $2,000,000 a month in incentives, which is slightly higher than the monthly average of rebates granted in the first half of 2010. Once the monthly cap is reached, applications for rebates will be pushed to the following month for review.

The caps per install have remained largely the same, but will increase from 5kw to 7kw for residential installs. Commercial installs (50 kw) and not for profits (25kw) are similar to the caps found under PON1050.
As I spoke to fellow installers in the months leading up to PON1050 expiration date of June 30, we were in great anticipation of what NYSERDA would come up with.

With PON2112 stretching well into 2015, I speak for myself when I say that NYSERDA has delivered. Stability in incentives is a critical component of the success of renewable energy. We will know renewable energy will have “made it” when prices decrease to the point where incentives are not needed. With the 30% federal tax credit for renewables set to expire at the end of 2016 and now NYSERDA’s rebate lasting to 2015, I expect the timing to be perfect.

With demand rising globally, especially China’s big moves of late, prices on modules will continue to decline over the coming years. The crossover to a non-incentive world may be 2016. We may have to revisit this prediction in six years.

I actually have a vision of much faster growth and progress toward a non-incentive dependent world and think the possibility exists for us to live in this world well before 2016 – maybe even 2014 – 4/14/2014 – has a nice ring to it.

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Many moons — and political news cycles — ago, I was very critical of the Obama administration’s “Cash for Clunkers” program, as much on green (environmental) impact as on green (cash) grounds. Later, I briefly became a darling of the Republican right when I was similarly skeptical of the “Cash for Refrigerators” appliance rebate proposal (they subsequently boomeranged on me when I questioned the relevance of ClimateGate).

But this is not about me. It is about the future of the “Cash for Stuff” model. Even as odds of getting a comprehensive energy and environment bill wane in this congressional session, a “Cash for…” proposal worth supporting has emerged.

And to the delight of bloggers and wordsmiths everywhere, it is as alliterative as it is promising. I give you “Cash for Caulkers.”For specifics, Renee Loth has a great outline and an endorsement of the bill in the Boston Globe.

Cash for Caulkers is the best of all worlds because it does everything cap-and-trade might do without dredging up any of the political opposition. The bill highlights the promise of energy efficiency as the best way forward, especially in light of recent and ongoing developments across the energy, environment, business and political fronts.

Energy efficiency leaves aside the fights over nuclear safety, the viability of emerging renewables (and their politically unpalatable subsidies), the growing disbelief in climate change science, the geopolitics of fossil fuels and the domestic political tangles over drilling. Instead, it delivers savings to consumers, creates jobs, increases security, and slows the frantic scramble for new fuel supply. And, if you’re an energy user, and you’d rather not play ball, so be it.

Politically, energy efficiency and Cash for Caulkers defuse the two ticking time bombs of the cap-and-trade debate last fall: First, it can be implemented while avoiding any discussion of climate change science, if necessary. And in an election year, with polls showing belief in climate change science below 50 percent, it may just be necessary to avoid the subject.

Second, large-scale energy efficiency can happen now, without triggering a major inflection point for our economic system or even stoking the rhetoric or fears about unintended consequences.

Rather than view the recent Obama announcements on nukes and drilling as a bald, short-term political play, they have to be interpreted as an acknowledgment by the White House that in spite of the administration’s aspirational goals, obstacles to broad scale renewable adoption still exist (technology, siting and regulation, among others). Cue energy efficiency!

The problem has always been motivation. Consumers are looking for instant gratification. Utilities find incentives to pursue the safe, affordable, reliable operation that satisfies regulators come rate-making time. And investors and governments like splashy green tech plays.

In other words, energy efficiency isn’t sexy. Plus, it has a long and sordid history. But, with states (including my own, Massachusetts) setting up regulatory conditions (especially in the electricity sector) that incentivize key players to go after each kilowatt hour with gusto, 2010 should be the year that turns the debate.

Clearly, we will not get a price on carbon this year. That was the administration’s plan to bridge the price gap for the still-emerging renewable technologies that still command a steep premium. But efficiency works at any price, especially in deregulated states where utilities no longer have a stake in expanding generation capacity.

In those states, the companies that still control most everyone’s access to power can now pursue the long-hoped-for evolution to ”decoupled” markets where they capture just as much revenue for each kilowatt hour saved as they do for those sold. With somewhere around one-third of domestic carbon emissions coming from buildings, energy efficiency programs that can tap into utility access to ratepayer dollars and customer meters have huge potential upside.

And, energy efficiency is (ahem) “shovel-ready.” Both on the state and national levels, means-tested energy efficiency programs have made use of a winning combination: 1) community-based, governmental and nonprofit organizations, 2) invested utility partners and 3) entrepreneur auditors and contractors.

Energy efficiency can make immediate use of our existing framework and technology. Going full bore after energy efficiency savings and funding programs would not do anything to derail long-term efforts to change that paradigm, the way that many feel new nuclear capacity, clean coal subsidies or expanded offshore drilling might.

If utility regulations and incentives are tweaked properly, solutions like those offered by Cash for Caulkers could be deployed rapidly, on the existing grid that serves most of America’s electrical load.  Pointing back to Massachusetts, that state’s largest utility recently testified before Congress on the mutual benefit for consumers, regulators, utilities and the environment under the Commonwealth’s approved energy efficiency plan.

Also, since the utilities claim revenue from the savings and not the programs themselves, the plan would stoke the fires of start-up small businesses that drive job growth. Energy efficiency creates jobs in technology research and development and program development and implementation, from high tech smart grid to nitty-gritty weatherization.

Indeed, under the Bay State’s program, just one energy efficiency and retrofit project under the City of Boston’s “Renew Boston” program created more than 850 jobs and contributed to energy savings, carbon reduction and improvement of housing stock in an economically depressed community.

Call it “Cash for Caulkers,” or by its formal name, Home Star. Whatever you call it, it promises to be a win for energy consumers, job seekers, utilities, communities, our country and the planet — both consumer groups, environmental advocates and industry and business groups think so. Now, let’s see if that coalition can get an energy bill passed in this Congress.

photo: ziggy fresh

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The Philippine government plans to approve 19 new contracts to develop the nation’s massive geothermal energy resources in the next five months.

A top energy official said financial incentives for the development of renewable energy projects could attract more than $2.5 billion in private dollars from domestic and international companies.

“Incentives for renewable projects are giving geothermal development a much needed boost,” Alejandro Oanes, the Phllippine Energy Department’s division chief for geothermal energy, said.

The Philippines is already the world’s second-largest producer of geothermal energy. In fact, for more than three decades the nation has tapped into its remarkable geothermal resources, which are the result of volcanic pressures caused by the movement of the Philippine tectonic plate beneath the Eurasian plate.

With about 2,000 megawatts of installed capacity, geothermal energy accounted for 17 percent of the nation’s total power output in 2008. The 19 new projects could add another 620 megawatts of power.

Article appearing courtesy of Yale Environment 360

[photo credit: penmanila]

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