PLUG IN: ArcStar News Feed: November 2010

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Mafia cash in on lucrative EU wind farm handouts - especially in Sicily - Telegraph

Aren’t you happy we are safe from this kind of thing dealing in the waste biz over here?:)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/renewableenergy/7981737/Mafia-cash-in-on-lucrative-EU-wind-farm-handouts-especially-in-Sicily.html

Energy chief Chu: U.S. slipping behind China - SiliconValley.com

http://www.siliconvalley.com/news/ci_16735718?nclick_check=1

Monday, November 29, 2010

Addressing PV O&M Challenges 7-2010.pdf (application/pdf Object)

A very good white paper and analysis from the research arm of the public utilities.

http://www.smartgridnews.com/artman/uploads/1/1021496AddressingPVOaMChallenges7-2010_1_.pdf

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Solar Electric Facility O&M: Now Comes the Hard Part | Renewable Energy World North America Magazine Article

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2010/01/solar-electric-facility-o-m-now-comes-the-hard-part-part-2

Friday, November 26, 2010

Solar power projects in California face challenges - POWER-GEN WorldWide

Large scale concentrating solar plants not only have their fundamental problems of sourcing water to feed their steam plants in the desert and getting new rights of way for expensive new transmission lines . They are also facing turtles and lizards as hostages to the environmentalists and regulators with no spine.

http://www.powergenworldwide.com/index/display/articledisplay/3001436241/articles/powergenworldwide/renewables/solar/2010/11/California-solar-challenges.html

Tessera’s plants are very innovative, using hundreds of dish concentrators and integrated Sterling engines in their architecture.

http://www.tesserasolar.com/north-america/index.htm

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

FW: FIT Compliant Heliene 245W / 250W mono solar modules IN STOCK

Note the % contribution number.

Monty Bannerman

ArcStar Energy

646.402.5076

www.arcstarenergy.com

From: Andrew Wilkins [mailto:awilkins@matrixenergy.ca]
Sent: Wednesday, November 24, 2010 4:25 PM
To: Andrew Wilkins
Subject: FIT Compliant Heliene 245W / 250W mono solar modules IN STOCK
Importance: High

Good day

This is to inform you that Matrix Energy currently has FIT Compliant Heliene HEE215M-A67 (245W) and HEE215M-A68 (250W) solar modules IN STOCK.

The datasheet is here:

http://www.heliene.ca/Userfiles/File/215M-EN1.pdf

These modules qualify for 13% and 15% domestic content for MicroFIT and FIT projects respectively.

Heliene Canada uses high quality Suniva (USA), Bosch (Germany) and Arise (Germany) monocrystalline solar cells in their module assembly. Their modules are cUL1703 listed, have a 10yr workmanship and standard 90% nominal power after 10yrs / 80% nominal power after 25yrs performance warranty.

Modules are packed 25 / pallet, double stacked. We are offering them in multiple of 50 (double stacked pallets) only.

If you would like a quotation with freight included, please advise quantity and shipto commercial address with dock.

Best regards

Andrew Wilkins BSc

Account Manager - Commercial & Government

MATRIX ENERGY INC

TF: 1-866-630-5630 x216

F: (514) 426-9123

http://www.matrixenergy.ca/stand-alone-systems/energy-catalogue-sections.html

Come visit us !

PM Expo, Booth #1922 - Metro Toronto Convention Center, Dec 1-2-3

CanSIA, Booth # 1021 - Metro Toronto Convention Center, Dec 6-7-8

Heliene Canada (FIT Compliant), SolarWorld, Kyocera, Solyndra (Mounts - FIT compliant), Solectria (FIT compliant), Satcon (FIT compliant), Schneider / Xantrex, OutBack Power Systems, Magnum Energy, Morningstar, MidNite Solar, DEKA Solar / UNIGY II, Surrette / Rolls, IOTA, Iron Ridge (FIT compliant), True North (FIT compliant), Multi Contact, DEGER trackers (FIT compliant), Unistrut Roof & Ground mounts (FIT compliant)

American Physical Society: Energy Storage Crucial to Grid, November 16, 2010

http://www.aps.org/about/pressreleases/integratingelec.cfm

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Fwd: Announcing 15 Year Fixed Rate for Ontario Solar Financing

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Future Acceptance <peter@futureacceptance.ca>
Date: Tue, Nov 23, 2010 at 8:35 PM
Subject: Announcing 15 Year Fixed Rate for Solar Financing
To: ddguest@arcstarenergy.com

ANNOUNCING

15 Year Fixed Rate for Solar Financing

Use this section to describe your event in full. Be sure to

Peter Duffus

Managing Partner

390 Bay St., Suite 1706

Toronto, Ontario

M5H 2Y2

Tel: (905) 483-4748

Fax: (905) 248-5051

General Inquiries:

info@futureacceptance.ca

Peter Duffus:

peter@futureacceptance.ca

It was great seeing so many of you when I spoke last week at the OSEA Convention on creative financing.

Today, Future Acceptance Corp. announces a 15 year term with a fixed rate of 8.25% with only 10% down on approved credit.

Future Acceptance is your "one stop shopping" for the best terms and the best rates in Ontario.

Our floating rates start at under 3% per annum.

We are very excited about these new programs!

floating

Please contact

info@futureacceptance.ca

for any inquiries.

ist Price:
S & H: $

Forward email

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Monty Bannerman
ArcStar Energy
646.402.5076
www.arcstarenergy.com

EIA - Annual Electricity Data, Analysis, Surveys

http://www.eia.gov/cneaf/electricity/epa/epa_sum.html?src=email

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Current US retail electricity production and pricing

Electric Power Monthly (EPM) (11/15/2010)
The latest EPM issue (November 2010) is now available on EIA's Electricity page. Data are for August 2010, which shows net generation in the United States rose by 7.4 percent. Coal consumption for power generation also rose 9.0 percent compared to August 2009. The average retail price of electricity for August 2010 was 10.45 cents per kilowatthour (kWh), 0.5 percent higher than July 2010, and 0.9 percent higher than August 2009. Note: Tables ES3 and ES4 have changed. Historical copies of the EPM tables in Excel format are located at: http://www.eia.gov/cneaf/electricity/epm/epm_ex_bkis.html

--
Monty Bannerman
ArcStar Energy
646.402.5076
www.arcstarenergy.com

IREC Releases First Model Program Rules for Community Renewables

Monty Bannerman

ArcStar Energy

646.402.5076

www.arcstarenergy.com

From: Interstate Renewable Energy Council [mailto:jane@irecusa.ccsend.com] On Behalf Of Interstate Renewable Energy Council
Sent: Thursday, November 18, 2010 9:18 AM
To: mbannerman@arcstarenergy.com
Subject: IREC Releases First Model Program Rules for Community Renewables

Interstate Renewable Energy Council

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 18, 2010

Contact: Jane Pulaski janep@irecusa.com (512.789.7885)

Or Joseph Wiedman jwiedman@keyesandfox.com (510.314.8202)

IREC RELEASES FIRST MODEL PROGRAM RULES FOR COMMUNITY RENEWABLES
Best Practices for Community Solar and Wind Generation Projects

Latham, NY -- The Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) today released its first Model Program Rules for Community Renewables. Based on best practices, the model rules are presented to facilitate co-investment in local renewable power facilities.

IREC's new model program rules consider many of the basic issues facing community renewables programs. These include: renewable system size, interconnection, eligibility for participation, allocation of the benefits flowing from participation, and net metering of system production. IREC developed the model program rules for community-scale renewable systems working closely with The Vote Solar Initiative, a California-based not-for-profit working to bring solar energy into the mainstream.

"The goal of this effort is to provide stakeholders with best practice program rules they can tailor to the individual circumstances and policy preferences of their state, without having to reinvent the wheel at each turn," said Joseph Wiedman, author of the model rules.

Interest in community solar and wind initiatives stems from recognition that many utility customers are not able to host an on-site renewable power system, yet they would like to invest in local renewable generation. Examples include occupants of multi-tenant residential and commercial buildings, and properties not conducive to an on-site system, due to shading or structural restrictions.

"We believe community policies, if well designed, can provide the right approach to create additional opportunities for customers to support solar development," said Jane Weissman, IREC executive director. "And there are cost benefits, as community systems can harness economies of scale."

Wiedman, a partner with the law firm Keyes & Fox, represents IREC in state-level rulemakings on many topics essential to building sustainable markets for renewable energy, including net metering rules, interconnection standards, plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs), smart grid, and community renewables.

Two key principles greatly influenced the development of the Model Program Rules, and IREC's consideration of the various policy choices available in designing a community renewables program:

1. Participants in a community renewables program should have an experience that is as similar as possible to that of customers investing in on-site renewable energy; and

2. Community renewables programs should not undermine successful on-site renewable energy programs. Rather, they should expand options for participation.

The model rules are the product of more than a year's work, including the release of proposed rules in April 2010, which generated significant feedback from utilities, industry participants and

other stakeholders. In addition to stakeholder comments on the proposed rules, IREC engaged in detailed discussions with stakeholders and reviewed current community renewables efforts at the municipal and state levels in Massachusetts, Colorado, California, Washington and Utah.

Some highlights from the 2010 Model Program Rules for Community Renewables include:

Using virtual net metering (VNM) to allocate benefits of participation onto a customer's monthly electric bill;
Allowing kWhs generated by a community renewables project be given a monetary value that can be applied to a participant's bill;
Valuing kWh credits received by customers who are on the same distribution circuit as the community renewables project at the participant's full retail rate;
Requiring utilities to include system purchase costs, operations and maintenance, necessary investment returns and other costs related to a utility-owned system in their offerings to potential participants; and
Allowing utilities to administer a community renewables program.

The Model Rules also include definitions, general provisions and net metering provisions.

IREC's Model Program Rules for Community Renewables are available as a PDF on IREC's website: www.irecusa.com.

###

The Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) is a non-profit organization accelerating the use of renewable energy since 1982. IREC's programs and policies lead to easier, more affordable connection to the utility grid; fair credit for renewable energy produced; best practices for states, municipalities, utilities and industry; and quality assessment for the growing green workforce through the credentialing of trainers and training programs.

Contact Information

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

email: janep@irecusa.org

web: http://www.irecusa.org
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Interstate Renewable Energy Council | P.O. Box 1156 | Latham | NY | 12110-1156

Solar Combiner sports top weight to KW ratio | ECN: Electronic Component News

http://www.ecnmag.com/Products/2010/09/Boards-Modules/Solar-Combiner/?et_cid=711581&et_rid=45572778&linkid=http%3a%2f%2fwww.ecnmag.com%2fProducts%2f2010%2f09%2fBoards-Modules%2fSolar-Combiner%2f

Transmitter Sends Power, Data for RF Energy Harvesting and Wireless Power Systems | ECN: Electronic Component News

DC Power transmitted by radio wave over short distances.

http://www.ecnmag.com/Product/2010/10/PS-powercast-transmitter/?et_cid=711581&et_rid=45572778&linkid=http%3a%2f%2fwww.ecnmag.com%2fProduct%2f2010%2f10%2fPS-powercast-transmitter%2f

Canada's GDP expected to grow by 3%

http://www.financialpost.com/news/Canada+forecast+grow/3846425/story.html

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

How Residential Solar as a Service Began | Renewable Energy Podcast

I highly recommend you take the time to click on this link and listen to the interview of SunRun execs. You will instantly recognize their business model, hear about what they have gone through and see what’s down the road.

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/podcast/2010/11/how-solar-as-a-service-began

Monday, November 15, 2010

FW: GATS SREC Renewable traders status

Let’s try that again.

Monty Bannerman

ArcStar Energy

646.402.5076

www.arcstarenergy.com

From: Monty Bannerman [mailto:mbannerman@arcstarenergy.com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 16, 2010 12:42 AM
To: 'mbannerman1.watts@blogger.com'
Cc: 'Albert Pope'
Subject: GATS SREC Renewable traders status

Monty Bannerman

ArcStar Energy

646.402.5076

www.arcstarenergy.com

GATS SREC Renewable traders status

Monty Bannerman

ArcStar Energy

646.402.5076

www.arcstarenergy.com

U.S. building next wave of supercomputers

Two months after the Chinese took the lead for the first time! We seem to need a kick in the ass to get going, but watch what happens now, because this is strategic.

How do you say Sputnik in Chinese?

http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/111310-us-building-next-wave-of.html?source=NWWNLE_nlt_daily_pm_2010-11-15

Solar-power initiative fails again in Pennsylvania | Philadelphia Inquirer | 10/26/2010

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/business/20101026_Solar-power_initiative_fails_again_in_Pennsylvania.html

SunPower Reports Third-Quarter 2010 Results (Nov 12, 2010)

http://www.solarbuzz.com/news/NewsNACO1199.htm

City Of Madera Activates 1.1 MW Solar System at Waste Water Treatment Facility (Nov 11, 2010)

http://www.solarbuzz.com/news/NewsNAPR2295.htm

New Solar Panel Assembly Plant To Be Built In Hamilton (Nov 11, 2010)

http://www.solarbuzz.com/news/NewsNAMA238.htm

Friday, November 12, 2010

First Solar (FSLR) accelerates capacity expansion for utility-scale PV growth: Analyst's take - Photovoltaics World

Large Scale Utility Solar moving to dominance. The bankable manufacturers scale up capacity.

http://www.electroiq.com/index/display/photovoltaics-article-display/9118863024/articles/Photovoltaics-World/thin-film_solar_cells/cadmium-telluride/2010/10/first-solar__fslr.html

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Simplifying production of organic solar cells is goal of new research project - Photovoltaics World

http://www.electroiq.com/index/display/photovoltaics-article-display/1839139568/articles/Photovoltaics-World/thin-film_solar_cells/dye-sensitized-cells/2010/11/organic-solar-cell-research-IMPROV.html?cmpid=$EnlEIQDailyNovember112010

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

PCT vs. STC solar panel ratings of solar panel output

PTC refers to PVUSA Test Conditions, which were developed to test and compare PV systems as part of the PVUSA (Photovoltaics for Utility Scale Applications) project. PTC are 1,000 Watts per square meter solar irradiance, 20 degrees C air temperature, and wind speed of 1 meter per second at 10 meters above ground level. PV manufacturers use Standard Test Conditions, or STC, to rate their PV products. STC are 1,000 Watts per square meter solar irradiance, 25 degrees C cell temperature, air mass equal to 1.5, and ASTM G173-03 standard spectrum. The PTC rating, which is lower than the STC rating, is generally recognized as a more realistic measure of PV output because the test conditions better reflect "real-world" solar and climatic conditions, compared to the STC rating. All ratings in the list are DC (direct current) watts.

Neither PTC nor STC account for all "real-world" losses. Actual solar systems will produce lower outputs due to soiling, shading, module mismatch, wire losses, inverter and transformer losses, shortfalls in actual nameplate ratings, panel degradation over time, and high-temperature losses for arrays mounted close to or integrated within a roofline. These loss factors can vary by season, geographic location, mounting technique, azimuth, and array tilt.

Monty Bannerman

ArcStar Energy

646.402.5076

www.arcstarenergy.com

KPMG on pass-thru of depreciation in Canada

Canadian Renewable and Conservation Expenses

The tax rules allow certain “principal-business corporations”, whose principal business is the generation of clean energy, to transfer their deductions for “Canadian Renewable and Conservation Expenses” to the corporation’s flow-through share investors. The budget amends the definition of “principal-business corporation” to clarify that flow-through share eligibility extends to corporations in the principal business of producing fuel, generating energy, or distributing energy. These measures have effect for taxation years ending after 2004.

http://www.kpmg.com/Ca/en/IssuesAndInsights/ArticlesPublications/TNF/Pages/tnfc1012.html

Monty Bannerman

ArcStar Energy

646.402.5076

www.arcstarenergy.com