Sunday, July 31, 2011
Friday, July 29, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Bruce-Milton Contract List - July 4 2011 (7) SECURED.PDF (application/pdf Object)
Some large solar projects received approval in this batch.
Monday, July 25, 2011
FW: Ontario FIT poll results info sent by one of our investment banks
See attached.
Monty Bannerman
ArcStar Energy
646.402.5076
From: James M. Corboy [mailto:JCorboy@wgnielsen.com]
Sent: Monday, July 25, 2011 11:38 AM
To: Charles Wassell; mbannerman@arcstarenergy.com
Cc: LoAn Vo; Wayne Nielsen
Subject: Ontario FIT poll
FYI
Jim Corboy
James M. Corboy
Director, Alternative Energy & Power Infrastructure
W.G. Nielsen & Co.
3200 Cherry Creek South Drive, Suite 470
Denver, CO 80209
www.wgnielsen.com
20 MW Amherstburg ON Solar Park Inaugurated | Solarbuzz
This is a good example of how long development cycles can be on a solar project and how a site originally thought to be marginally viable becomes valuable due to declining installed cost. This is one of the original RESOP sites.
http://www.solarbuzz.com/industry-news/20-mw-amherstburg-solar-park-inaugurated
Friday, July 22, 2011
Bloomberg for President!
http://pro.energycentral.com/professional/news/power/news_article.cfm?id=20835999
NY mayor's charity boosts anti-coal campaign
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (The Associated Press) - Jul 21
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's charity is donating $50 million to the Sierra Club's campaign to shut down coal-fired power plants and replace them with alternative energy sources, including wind and solar power.
The billionaire mayor and Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club, announced the partnership Thursday outside a coal-fired plant in Alexandria, just across the Potomac River from the nation's capital.
Brune predicted Bloomberg Philanthropies' four-year commitment to the environmental organization's Beyond Coal Campaign will help replace one-third of the nation's aging coal-fired plants with clean energy by 2020. He said the donation would allow the Sierra Club to expand the campaign from 15 states to 45 and double the size of its campaign staff to 200.
"This will enable us to help communities across the country that have dirty coal plants in their back yard retire them and replace them with clean energy," Brune said in a telephone interview.
He said the money will be used for grassroots advocacy, advertising, legal expenses and to enhance the campaign's use of social media.
In a news release, Bloomberg said that while coal may seem to be an inexpensive energy source, the impact on the environment and public health is significant.
"Coal is a self-inflicted public health risk, polluting the air we breathe, adding mercury to our water, and the leading cause of climate disruption," Bloomberg said.
Cecil E. Roberts, president of United Mine Workers of America International, said in a written statement that he finds it troubling that Bloomberg "is willing to spend $50 million to help the Sierra Club put Appalachian coal miners out of work and plunge their local economies into deeper recession."
Roberts said technology already exists to enable utilities to build coal-fired plants that virtually eliminate mercury and other harmful emissions, but environmental groups are waging campaigns against these new plants, keeping the older ones in operation. "Who's harming who here?" Roberts said.
The Sierra Club claims that its Beyond Coal Campaign, which started with a staff of three in 2002, has stopped 153 new coal-fired power plants from being built.
SolFocus, CPV, Solar Systems, photovoltaic, solar tracker, solar panel manufacturers
Reduced footprint will make this a better solution for space-constrained sites. Still questions about its long-term performance/reliability.
FW: Cuts to renewable energy funding passed by the U.S. House - Power Engineering
Cuts to renewable energy funding passed by the U.S. House
Jul 15, 2011
The U.S. House of Representatives voted 219-196 July 15 to cut federal
funding for renewable energy while boosting funding for research into
emissions control technology and a nuclear waste repository.
Dow Jones reported that the cuts were part of a bill that would fund the
Department of Energy and other agencies for the 2012 budget year. The bill
would reduce spending on solar energy research and loan guarantees for
renewable projects and would increase funding for research into emissions
control technology for coal-fired power plants and continue work on the
Yucca Mountain nuclear waste disposal site in Nevada.
Amendments adopted on the House floor added $10 million for solar energy
research and $79 million for the DOE's Advanced Research Projects Agency,
the article said.
Read more financial news
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FW: SEPA SEIA reports show uptick in solar market - Power Engineering
olar-market.html
SEPA SEIA reports show uptick in solar market
06/17/2011
Reports from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and the Solar
Electric Power Association (SEPA) show that utilities in the U.S. are buying
more solar facilities and that the U.S. solar market installed 252 MW in the
first quarter of 2011.
To read points from the "U.S. Solar Market Insight: Q1 2011," click here
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FW: Solar power plant selects water treatment system - Power Engineering
eatment-system.html
Solar power plant selects water treatment system
Jul 19, 2011
Crown Solutions signed a contract with Abener-Teyma, a joint venture of two
Abengoa subsidiaries, to supply a near-zero liquid discharge water treatment
system for a 240 MW thermal solar power plant in Gila Bend, Ariz., to be
operated by Abengoa Solar.
The plant consists of two 140 MW steam generator/turbine/generator units
supplied with heat from an 1,800 acre solar collector field.
Crown Solutions' water treatment process consists of a 4,500 GPM integrated
well water and wastewater recovery system . The overall system recovery will
be in excess of 95 percent.
Crown Solutions is a Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies company. Veolia
Water Solutions & Technologies is a unit of Veolia Water, a global provider
of technology solutions and design-build services in water treatment.
Red more news and features on renewable energy.
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Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Another 400 Ontario jobs from FIT
MEMC and its SunEdison Subsidiary Join Flextronics to Celebrate Creation of Approximately 400 New Jobs Supporting Solar Module Production
NEWMARKET, Ontario and ST. PETERS, Mo., July 18, 2011 /PRNewswire
MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc. (NYSE: WFR), and SunEdison, its solar energy subsidiary, along with manufacturing partner Flextronics (NASDAQ: FLEX), today announced the creation of approximately 400 jobs to ramp production of MEMC solar panels being manufactured at Flextronics' facility in Newmarket, Ontario. This announcement was made during a dedication ceremony of the new line, which produces MEMC photovoltaic (PV) modules that will be used by SunEdison and its channel partners for solar PV projects.
The companies welcomed the Honourable Sandra Pupatello, Ontario Minister of Economic Development and Trade, to Flextronics' manufacturing facilities to see the modules being built and to speak with the employees who are benefiting from the new green economy.
"Companies such as MEMC, their SunEdison subsidiary and Flextronics are creating real green jobs in local communities such as Newmarket, and are helping to build a renewable industry in the province through their investment in solar manufacturing," explained Minister Pupatello. "With each investment, Ontario is building toward an energy economy that will contribute to cleaner air and sustainable jobs for today and tomorrow."
At the event, Minister Pupatello was joined on a guided tour of the Flextronics manufacturing plant by the Mayor of Newmarket Tony Van Bynen, representatives from the Ontario Power Authority and delegates from the Town of Newmarket (York region). Executives from Flextronics and MEMC were also in attendance, along with more than 350 solar industry employees and stakeholders.
"The new jobs created through this investment make a significant impact on the prosperity and sustainability of our community," said Mayor Van Bynen. "As a leader in environmental sustainability, we are thrilled to be a part of a growing renewable industry that brings real jobs to our community through companies like MEMC."
The job creation is a direct result of the 60 percent domestic content requirement of Ontario's Feed-in Tariff (FIT) Program. MEMC and Flextronics' panel manufacturing facility signals a long-term investment in the region to help facilitate a sustainable green economy for the foreseeable future.
Monty Bannerman
ArcStar Energy
646.402.5076
Monday, July 18, 2011
GE's CEO Says Wind Power Doesn't Need Government Help - Technology Review
Wind approaching freedom from political whim.
http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/energy/26991/?nlid=nlenrg&nld=2011-07-18
Carbon Capture may be Buried | EnergyBiz
If there is no cost associated with the environmental impacts of carbon emissions, why spend capital to remove it?
http://www.energybiz.com/article/11/07/carbon-capture-may-be-buried
Friday, July 15, 2011
FW: PV equipment spending plunging in 2011: Solarbuzz - ElectroIQ
of oversupply might not be entirely good as a boom this big is almost
certain to lead to a big shake-out.
PV equipment spending plunging in 2011: Solarbuzz
July 12, 2011 - Spending on solar PV equipment for both c-Si
(ingot-to-module) and thin-film panels will be throttled back in 2011 even
as revenues soar, thanks to "ambitious" Tier 2 and Tier 3 manufacturers'
expansions in the past six quarters, and will dent both 2H11 tool sales and
2012 outlooks, according to Solarbuzz.
As a result of the projected -47% Y/Y decline to $14.2B, look for market
oversupply and a strong inventory build in 2H11, and ultimately a
"significant cell manufacturer shakeout" from 2012-2014.
PV equipment spending actually showed its inflection point in 2Q11 with a
-3% decline to $3.6B, the first slip in two years (2Q09); the book-to-bill
ratio similarly dipped below the 1.0 parity mark (fewer orders coming in
than sales going out), down from a high of 1.74 just a year ago -- which in
fact heralded a coming digestion period. The big numbers throughout 2010
were really "a misleading picture for PV equipment suppliers," notes
Solarbuzz senior analyst Finlay Colville. Those Tier -2 c-Si makers with
starry goals were joined by a host of new thin-film fabs financed with a
recent investment cycle, creating "an artificial peak in equipment spending
during 2010-2011" and a short-term run on equipment "that was out of sync
with the long-term requirements of the industry."
Who will be hardest hit in this PV equipment spending downturn? c-Si
cell/module tool suppliers can expect quarterly declines of -21%, -12%, and
-37% from 4Q11-2Q12, with thin-film spending following a similar path as
another TF investment phase closes during 2H11. Only those c-Si equipment
suppliers with established upstream footing -- GT Solar, Meyer Burger,
Applied Materials, Jinggong -- were spared the 1H11 dropoff.
As equipment spending heads south, expansions across all tiers (>300
manufacturers) are poised to add a great deal of annualized capacity over
the next two years: 51GW in 2011, 66GW in 2012. But within that ramp-up,
Tier 1 makers alone will supply 24GW and 34GW in 2011-2012, which is all the
global market really needs, notes Solarbuzz. Thus, it's time for a cell
manufacturer shakeout, to push us back to a reset in revenue and equipment
spending. Tier 2-3 PV manufacturers will take this one on the chin, with 60%
of their spending vanishing in 2012; by 2015 more than two-thirds (70%) of
all PV equipment spending will come from Tier 1 players, expects Colville.
In the meantime, look for continued inroads from suppliers in adjacent
market segments (e.g. semiconductors and display) seeking higher-growth
markets.
PV equipment spending forecast scenarios in US $M. (Source: Solarbuzz)
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Thursday, July 14, 2011
Capacity conundrum continues: Happy solar buyers, worried suppliers - ElectroIQ
sumers-worried-suppliers.html?cmpid=ENLIntersolarJuly142011
Capacity conundrum: Happy consumers, worried suppliers
By Paula Mints
principal analyst, PV Services Program, Navigant Consulting
July 12, 2011 - And the capacity news just keeps on coming. In a Tuesday
afternoon session on c-Si, Yingli announced that their 2011 year end
capacity will be 1.7GWp, roughly 10% of 2010 global shipments. Note that
more than one manufacturer (indeed, more than three) will be at roughly the
same capacity levels.
With incentive levels decreasing and capacity and inventory levels rising,
downward pressure on prices will continue and margins will continue to be
constrained. At this point, unfortunately, buyer expectations have been set
for ever-lower prices. It is great news for shoppers -- and not so hot for
those who make things.
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Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Xcel accepts $100M nuclear fuel storage settlement from US government
Utility CEO: “ You see first we push legislation making the taxpayer responsible for removing and storing our radioactive waste, and then we sue the taxpayer when they are late doing it.” Then the taxpayer has to still pay to find a place to store it and fund the cost of storing it. Simple. Now the rest of the industry can follow suit.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Water Shortages to Hit Green Energy, Shale | EnergyBiz
Canada may not have the solar resources of the SW desert, but it has 30% of the world’s fresh water. Come on up!
http://www.energybiz.com/article/11/07/water-shortages-hit-green-energy-shale
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
FW: Utility-scale solar photovoltaics installs quadrupled in US - ElectroIQ
Utility-scale solar photovoltaics installs quadrupled in US
Jane Pulaski, Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC)
July 5, 2011 -- Strong consumer demand and federal and local financial
incentives are propelling growth in the U.S. solar market, according to the
Interstate Renewable Energy Council's Solar Market Trends report for 2010.
The report includes 2010 installation data for solar electric
(photovoltaic), solar heating and cooling, and concentrating solar
technologies.
Overall, installed capacity in 2010 was "double what it was in 2009," said
Larry Sherwood, chief author of the annual report. The biggest growth sector
was photovoltaic utilities, with quadrupled installed capacity, based
largely on state-level renewable energy goals, said Sherwood. Residential
and commercial solar PV installs grew by more than 60%, fueled by state and
federal incentives.
Sherwood adds that more than 124,000 new solar heating, cooling and solar
electric installations took place in 2010, with very uneven distribution
across various states. California is still the largest US solar market (28%
of installed capacity completed in 2010 was installed there), but Arizona,
Colorado, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and
Texas made huge strides, at least doubling their installed photovoltaic
capacity since 2009.
Two new concentrating solar power (CSP) plants were connected to the grid in
2010, with a combined capacity of 76MW (75MW of this at one FL plant).
Information on other solar technologies (solar pool heating, etc.) can be
found in the report.
Given the long-term extension of the federal solar investment tax credit
(ITC), Sherwood is optimistic about solar's continued growth. On top of the
ITC, 2011 will see a federal cash grant program deadline, which should "spur
market growth" even more, he said.
Several companies have announced plans for large solar electric projects (PV
and CSP) in the US, with on-line dates from 2011 to 2014.
You can read the full report on the IREC website: http://irecusa.org/
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FW: Solarbuzz: Don't expect demand rebound from inventory, pricing flux - ElectroIQ
Solarbuzz: Don't expect demand rebound from inventory, pricing flux
By James Montgomery
News Editor
July 5, 2011 - Weak demand in Europe has led to rising inventory levels and
prices going down. But one analyst argues that demand won't necessarily pick
up again later in the year.
2Q11 solar PV module shipments sunk 22% (vs. 12% expected by manufacturers,
notes Solarbuzz), and despite surging demand and production cutbacks, cell
and module inventories still rose by about 559MW to reach an estimated
record 8.6GW. As a result, factory-gate module prices sunk 9% in Europe, and
are down 16% through 1H11.
Solarbuzz president Craig Stevens sees Tier 2 Asian manufacturers putting
"enormous [pricing] pressure" on competitors; despite significant cutbacks
in production and shipments, he sees prices in 4Q11 a full -25% lower than
the same period a year ago. He's only predicting 5% growth in the global PV
market in 2011, to just 20.3MW from 19.3MW, even as PV manufacturers' supply
levels swell by 1.4×-1.7×.
This assessment is a tad bearish compared with IMS Research's recent report,
which predicts that crashing PV module prices will turn into a boon in 2H11
for module shipments that have suffered on weak demand in key markets. IMS
Research's Sam Wilkinson forecasts 30% growth in PV module shipments for
both 3Q11 and 4Q11, channel inventories down to about a quarter's worth of
production, and full-year PV module shipments exceeding 23GW.
Not so fast, says Stevens. Lower prices generating 2H11 demand will "depend
on downstream inventories falling fast and on resolving the policy
uncertainties in Europe that have characterized 1H11," he notes. And right
now those downstream companies, instead of ramping up procurement, are still
trying to reduce their own inventories (successfully, with a small reduction
vs. the 36% spike in upstream inventories) to avoid write-offs that would
result from a pricing collapse.
Global PV demand and cell/module inventories. (Source: Solarbuzz)
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Tuesday, July 5, 2011
2011: The rise of solar inverters - ElectroIQ
nlEIQDailyJuly42011
2011: The rise of solar inverters
June 3, 2011 - One of the last steps in solar power delivery is flexing its
muscles.
Solar PV developers, owners, and financial backers are increasingly looking
to improve their projects' economics with both reliability and power
delivery, especially in the current climate of tightening incentive programs
(take a bow, Italy). It's a story about both technology and "bankability."
And PV inverter technology has a play in both fields, explains GTM Research
analyst MJ Shiao in a new report.
"Advances in PV inverter technology promise to improve the commercial
viability of solar power," Shiao writes. In an increasing world of regional
solar incentive cutbacks (FiTs) and competitive PPAs, long-term project
generation and reliability are becoming crucial for project bankability, and
inverter technology will continue to attract greater attention.
Solar inverters can be a key for solar project cost savings -- inverter
losses account for more than half (59%) of total PV project failure costs,
GTM notes. Meanwhile, inverters can offer improved power quality and
operability -- grid-support features (fault ride-through, reactive voltage
support) for larger systems make PV more grid-friendly, while microinverters
and distributed power optimizers for smaller-scale systems can reduce
installation costs and boost performance. (Distributed optimization and
microinveter companies more than tripled their shipments in 2010, in a year
seeing 21GW of overall global inverter shipments.)
The brightening spotlight on inverters also means challenges and
opportunities for the suppliers themselves, from regional suppliers looking
to expand to large electrical conglomerates seeing solar as a growth engine
-- and their efforts to differentiate will drive new technology development,
Shiao notes. Europe's dominance in the inverter sector will continue to be
challenged by regional players in emerging markets such as North America and
China. SMA, Power-One, Kaco New Energy, and Fronius make up >61% of global
PV inverter shipments, but "a new guard of US- and Asia-based manufacturers"
will expand -- and EU-based incumbents must diversify and establish new
market inroads to avoid stagnation.
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