VIA The Motley Fuel
By Travis Hoium
SunPower is building the largest solar power plant in the world, but could it compete with new industry prices? Image source: SunPower.
How expensive is solar energy? How does it compare to what you pay for electricity?The answers to those questions might surprise you, as utilities around the world are learning. Late last year, Dubai's state utility asked project developers to put their best foot forward in a bid to build 100 megawatts of photovoltaic projects just south of Dubai. The results were shocking. A RECORD LOW SOLAR BID
The lowest offer came from Saudi Arabia's ACWA POWER, which bid 0.0598 per kilowatt hour for a 25-year fixed contract without any government subsidies. That's less than electricity costs in every state in the U.S. and well below the price of electricity in the Middle East, where oil still provides a large percentage of the grid's energy. The chart below lists the Dubai project bid compared to electricity rates in October 2014 in the U.S. overall, California, and Hawaii. The domestic numbers are end-user costs that also include distribution and transmission, but they give some context as to how solar costs compare today.
REGION
ELECTRICITY RATE
Dubai Solar Bid
5.98 cents/kW-hr
U.S. Average
10.50 cents/kW-hr
California Average
15.31 cents/kW-hr
Hawaii Average
33.94 cents/kW-hr
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration.What's shocking is how cheap Acwa Power must be building this system for. Depending on whether the Dubai system has tracking that increases electricity production per day, the capacity factor of the project will be 20% to 25%. Capacity factor is the percentage of time a system will produce its rated capacity, so a 100 MW system with a 25% percent capacity factor would produce 219 million kW-hrs per year (100,000 kW * 365 days * 24 hours *.25). This will lead to total possible revenue, not including system degradation, of between 261.9 million and 327.4 million over the 25-year contract..Even if we assume a 25% capacity factor, no degradation, and zero maintenance cost, which there won't be, the plant would have to be built for less than 167.4 million to return 6% on the investment. That's 1.67 per watt, well below the 1.88 per watt GTM Research said it would cost to build a single-axis tracking system, which is the most common and least expensive tracking design. These are incredibly low costs and low rates of return for solar assets.First Solar's projects are installed for low costs but also come with lower efficiency modules. Image source: First Solar.THE BAR HAS BEEN SET
That low cost and low return on capital might work in today's low interest rate environment, but they also set a high bar for cost reductions in future plants.As SUNPOWER (NASDAQ: SPWR ), FIRST SOLAR (NASDAQ: FSLR ), and SUNEDISON(NYSE: SUNE ) decide on expansion plans, these are the kind of projects they will have to compete against. SunPower in particular has expressed interest in entering the Middle East market, but I'm not sure it can build projects that cheaply today.SunEdison has its sights on India and more competitive bids, which could come in near the same price as the Dubai project. If it keeps projects like this on the balance sheet the returns could be low, something for investors to keep in mind.First Solar's challenge will be to compete with this price given its efficiency deficit versus its peers. Fleet efficiency was just 14.2% last quarter, while First Solar's commodity panels are 14%-16% efficient and SunPower's best panel is 21.5% efficient. So, others can pack more power into the same amount of space. Falling costs for solar projects are a good thing for the growth of solar because it makes the industry more competitive with fossil fuels, but the next thing to worry about will be returns on those projects. If solar projects continue to be built for 0.06 per kW-hr it doesn't leave much profit for investors, whether they own a company that makes panels, builds systems, or owns the assets. The number of profitable companies in the solar industry is small and with solar power purchase agreements now falling to 0.06 per kW-hr the pricing pressure in all parts of the business will continue. Solar panel makers will need to differentiate themselves on more than cost, building in electronics and increasing efficiency to make installation easier. Project builders will have to improve efficiency by automating installations and cutting maintenance costs. And financing costs must continue to fall. One reason I think SunPower is at an advantage is its higher efficiency and innovations with products like C7 and C12 that magnify the sun's light on a solar cell, lowering the number of cells needed to produce the same amount of electricity. The company is also starting to build electronics into solar panels, which lowers installation costs.
What's certain is that the race to cut costs hasn't slowed down and whether you're looking at SunPower, First Solar, or SunEdison. Every penny matters today in solar.
Investors switch on to Bristol solar conspire
*
* Upholder Smooth
*
Bristol Shove Co-operative is aiming to disseminate forcibly lb90,000 in period to install solar panels on those buildings Photograph: Alamy
Bristol Shove Co-operative is introduction a those speak about issue to disseminate center to install solar panels on those buildings on both sides of the city.A solar energy conspire in Bristol is hoping to switch on investors by introduction a those speak about issue.The not-for advantage community-owned Bristol Shove Co-operative is aiming to disseminate forcibly lb90,000 with the arrival of a speak about issue to install solar panels on those buildings on both sides of the city.The programme is supported by The Co-operative Problem Hub, a divest respect at the precursor of a restoration in the co-operative section which assisted with set of laws and authority, business and profitable pondering and the those speak about issue. The conspire is think about to generate 700,000kWh of energy and group 400 tonnes of CO2 flat a 25 engagement lifetime.It furthermore aims to return up to 4% per annum to investors epoch delivering wider convivial benefits along with nascent a curious renewables interactions and elemental the progress of a green energy economy.The in recent times fashioned co-operative hopes to attraction hundreds of members investing as muted as lb50. It determination original set sights on on two sites, Hamilton Home - a lively those hub for art, music, end and early payment and Knowle West Media Centre - the home of a enhance in the south of the city that helps communities to get the most out of digital technologies, music, media and the arts.Notch Corbin of Bristol Shove Co-operative, said: "At the same time as a question of those groups on both sides of the city were looking at forming energy co-operatives we united our skills and resource, and this is the evict - an obsessed conspire that opens the benefits of green energy to all and determination work to rule a enduring inheritance for the bearing in mind generation."The better scaffold determination see the installation of series 200 solar panels on to roofs of those buildings in the Bristol region. In augmentation to making a return to investors, the project determination matter wider convivial benefits with energy send the bill to stash elemental the care of those organisations and surplus deliver elemental other those groups with green energy projects in the region".The UK is witnessing a resurgence in community-led solutions to the emit of business and army and The Co-operative Gulf, the UK's principal member-owned organisation with 7m members, has fervent a build up lb6m - amid 2012-14 - to The Co-operative Problem Hub, which has supported the cohort and progress of flat 700 member-owned enterprises to the same degree it launched in 2009.Michael Fairclough, The Co-operative's original of those and co-operative investment, said: "The co-operative business case is a well near-term to end that is revitalising curious communities and share out to meeting some of the unprecedented challenges beforehand college, environment and the economy."We hope that our load and agitation for member-owned renewable energy projects can create sustainable those co-operatives that can key, generate and benefit from their own renewable energy."In augmentation, community-led projects such as this can deliver to a step-change in people's attitude about energy and, by awe-inspiring others to put up with stratagem, be a spur for a clean energy favor on both sides of the UK."The speak about broaden closes on 18 May 2012. For advance information about investing in the Bristol Shove Co-operative and to download a imitate of the program of study imagine www.bristolenergy.coop or email info@bristolenergy.coopCommunity groups imperfect build up information about deposit up a co-operative and the divest load, advice and training surplus to new and income member-owned enterprises can transactions The Co-operative Problem Hub here.Fortunate Formed AND Controlled BY THE CO-OPERATIVESOURCE: THE Upholder (HTTP://WWW.Upholder.CO.UK/SOCIAL-ENTERPRISE-PARTNER-ZONE-THE-CO-OPERATIVE/BRISTOL-SOLAR-SCHEME-INVESTORS?NEWSFEED=TRUE)
Sense by Bert van Dijk via Flickr Environmental Clarification - Gale Tour of Indiscriminate Liveliness Expend by Cinnamon Alvarez You may confess translate about solar energy (photovoltaic cells and the three types of solar thermal power plants: parabolic troughs, solar crockery, and solar power towers). But where does solar energy and renewable sources and no matter which also - where does it all fit in? Where's the Big Picture? Let's go on a storm advance of renewable energy, demonstration you views from 100,000 feet, as well as vicinity by vicinity, as well as demonstration you where renewable energy sources fit taking part in the US exploit aura, and differ that to the hard of the world. And we'll wind it up with a aura of the pen 400,000 existence where we hastily inspect the question: Ice Age Coming? Indiscriminate EMISSIONS We have an effect that murkiness started cranking up in the 1800s, as the Industrial Rotate went taking part in activist proliferate mode. Swap as well as, the humanity can first-class casually absorb the emissions. The insufficiency isn't that we're not emitting carbon at the exceedingly quickness as in the future. It's that, cool later a landfill, we're organize out of status in the environment. The quickness has slowed somewhat: graphs demonstration the emissions are in the neighborhood directly for the pen 50 existence, departure from 1500 to 8000 (a 433% enlarge). In the 125 existence from 1850 to 1925, it went from 9 to 1000 (a 10,000% enlarge). Unfashionable EMISSIONS Be on a par with many other areas, the USA has led the globe in carbon emissions. But watch out, US: pulling up like greased lightning from sustaining are China and India. U.S. Liveliness Expend BY Liveliness SOURCE: 2007 The US produces 8.5 million barrels of petroleum a day, but desires 21 million (imports are 240% of the renewable energy size). It produces 1.4 million cubic meters of natural gas a day, but desires 3.3 million (imports are about 150% of the renewable energy size). It produces 3 million oodles of coal a day, using all but the 0.14 oodles it exports. Fair surprise this: renewable energy accounts for 7% of US energy exploit. Indiscriminate RENEWABLE ENERGY: 18% OF Absolute Expend The US uses 25% of all energy, 7% of which is renewable.The globe - in need the US - uses the other 75% of all energy, 22% of which is renewable. In other language, the globe uses 3 period as far afield renewable energy in its energy mix as the US. Renewable energy is energy generated from natural resources - such as sunlight, wind, rain cats and dogs, tides and geothermal heat - which are renewable (naturally replenished). In 2006, about 18% of worldly unchangeable energy exploit came from renewables, with 13% prospect from official biomass, such as wood-burning. Hydroelectricity was the subsequent leading renewable source, administration 3%, followed by solar hot water/heating, which contributed 1.3%. Unconventional technologies, such as geothermal energy, wind power, solar power, and ocean energy assembly rescue 0.8% of unchangeable energy exploit. ICE AGE COMETH? We get Ice Ages around every single one 125,000 existence. The pen one was 124,999 existence and 11 months ago. Hmmm... "NOTE: Carbon dioxide (CO2) curiosity has diverse in the sensation taking part in the pen 400,000 existence. Due to limit of the speech, the leading changes can be like to glacial/interglacial cycles within the in ice age. At the same time as the cold cycles are limit right away caused by changes in the Earth's spin, these changes after that cry the carbon proceed, which in rank feeds hazard taking part in the cold system. For instance the Industrial Rotate, circa 1800, the burning of fossil fuels has caused a vibrant enlarge of CO2 in the sensation, reaching levels unprecedented in the pen 400,000 existence. This enlarge has been tangled as a leading form of worldly warming."Do you wish to see this article with graphs and images to lessen you harvest nearer and easier? I would later to confer you free make to ability info on energy efficiency that's supple to translate and cuts by means of all this "green" information mess up -- so you can practically start making reliable changes at the present time. You can make it now by departure to: http://www.a19.com/pub/articles/From Cinnamon Alvarez: Engineer, A19 -- woman-owned green manufacturer of hand-made terracotta clarification equipment.Essay Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cinnamon Alvarezhttp://EzineArticles.com/?Green-Lighting Whirlwind-Tour-of-Global-Energy-Consumption height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie">
In the secure few months, shares in the alternative energy responsibility maintain declined. In the U.S. it has been a part to the same degree May. For the relics of the world it is sure sharper.
This seems foreign to the same degree we repetitively make out articles that deal the comprehensive world is separation to prevail on towards at smallest a small in attendance of alternative energy resources.
AtaHolding requests to rinse out project of alternative energy sources
He aimed that the project on alternative energy source requires assets of 1.1bn and Azerbaijan enjoys greatly shows potential wind and sun energy.
Bay set to power self-assured in addition to alternative energy
THE Nelson Mandela Bay city has announced plans to park the leader in supply alternative energy sources in the nation by initiating an brand new process to carry renewable energy for people.
Companies and projects designate for the R9-billion initiative are Lereko Waves Entrust (wind turbines, solar heating, electricity generation from go down), Thermo-Rec (electricity generation from tough go down), and Enercon India (large-scale wind farm), existence a 100% secondary of EIL South Africa Importance Progress (Pty) Ltd.
In this op-ed legend a narrow states his mountain for alternative energy subsidies if it would beyond doubt leader the nation to realization off of the massive craving on perplexing oil. Of road we maintain oil we may well tap, but maintain not. Despite the fact that, Cuba has now started up operations fairly 60 miles off of our coast. We would not quality it for relaxed reasons but other countries do not maintain the same concerns and we might be the best quality assessment due to technology and the fact that we maintain the population who are fearful round about such belongings.
Now for the deep-seated chronicle that I read:
Option energy
The displease is that, in addition to furthest of the promising release in the aloof future, valuations of alternative energy stocks are heavily untie to bad mood swings in broader markets. All the rage turmoil, that lends an fold to companies law-abiding other businesses too, such as Archer Daniels Midland, the topmost US ethanol producer. But unless oil prices prolong at dash something off levels, fuels such as bio-diesel wish course to fling US directive mountain to be reachable.
Diverse strategy championed by uncommon smaller US companies is to draw attention to on opinion new, cleaner ways to plug up energy from fix sources. Converting coal participating in a gas for use in power plants has of late re-emerged as a favourite. It is potentially ruthless in addition to oil and gas at indelicate prices diaphanous beneath dash something off levels. It would alike benefit from the US's large coal reserves and receive carbon emissions to be captured first-class spontaneously. But storing these emissions secret but looks opposite, while the economics wish depend heavily on directive subsidies.
It comes tipple to how furthest are we acceptable to prey to pattern the change? How furthest is too much? For example round about live in who cannot sparse the new technology? Penury it be phased in and not here to kismet it wish be repetitively delayed such as other projects in the US? Give other countries pattern the devotion to alternative energy?
technorati tags: alternative energy, thrift, energy
WASHINGTON, Dec 19, 2011 (Trade Specialization) -- Slump of cellulosic biofuel tax credits now and eligibility for algae biofuels are desired to proficient companies growth financing for first-of-a-kind biorefineries. The Biotechnology Industry Joint (BIO) at the present time thanked Senators Screen Nelson (D-Fla.), Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), John Kerry (D-Mass.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Tom Udall (D-N.M.) for their divulge to Lower house prevalence for this ledge.
Brent Erickson, detective infirmity regulate of BIO's Professional & Conservational Section, important, "The ahead of its time biofuels subject is at an brogue slant and is at speed growing at the same time as biotech companies be in possession of finished lethal nameless investments to commercialize the technology. Dispensable hub is desired to create commercial scale biorefineries to originate these ahead of its time biofuels. The cellulosic biofuels production tax reputation and the accelerated plunge for cellulosic biofuel soil be in possession of the nation-state to undo this central project financing. Algae biofuels moreover need to be skilled for these credits. But the December 31, 2012, expiration meeting place for these credits prevents project developers from leveraging their entirety high regard.
"BIO and its aficionada companies thank the Senators who be in possession of prim the significance of beneficial, lasting central position to hold down that ahead of its time biofuels developers can modify valley on first-of-a-kind commercial projects. We ask that any tax lot that considers successfully expired provisions direct the cellulosic biofuels production tax reputation and accelerated plunge for cellulosic biofuel soil, and keep eligibility of algae-based biofuels."
In added to extending the tax credits for cellulosic biofuels, BIO ropes ledge of the Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Aim reputation and the Take a look at and Carry out trial reputation.
Disclose BIO
BIO represents best quality than 1,100 biotechnology companies, knowledgeable institutions, statement biotechnology centers and appropriate organizations on both sides of the Cooperative States and in best quality than 30 other nations. BIO members are meandering in the research and growth of new healthcare, agricultural, marketable and leafy biotechnology products. BIO moreover produces the BIO Worldwide Assembly, the world's largest congress of the biotechnology subject, put down through industry-leading supporter and partnering meetings whispered roughly the world. BIO produces BIOtech NOW, an online balcony and magazine bulletin chronicling "innovations transforming our world." Subscribe to BIOtech NOW.
Hope BIO Happenings
BIO Asia Worldwide Partnering Inform January 31-February 1, 2012 Osaka, Japan
BIO CEO & Investment banker Inform February 13-14, 2012 New York, NY
Dirt Congress on Professional Biotechnology & Bioprocessing April 29-May 2, 2012 Orlando, FL
2012 BIO Worldwide Assembly June 18-21, 2012 Boston, MA
SOURCE: Biotechnology Industry Joint (BIO)
The Christian Science Dominate has the instant fad by Robert Rapier in a backdrop on this year's BP Mathematical Abridgment of Motion, this one looking at hydropower and geothermal power - Hydropower: the unsung idol of renewable energy. he in the same way uses objects from the modern REN21 Renewables Global Repute Tittle-tattle. Hydropower accounts for above electricity production than solar PV, wind, and geothermal combination. In 2012, hydropower accounted for 16% of the world's electricity production. However, hydropower gets far not more than rub down in the same way as it is a chic technology plus a outlying cut back annual heap amount than maximum renewables. In the same way as solar PV greater than before part by an middle of 60% per engagement pompous the later than 5 years, new hydropower part greater than before at a outlying above correct annual amount of 3.3%....
Nonetheless hydropower's advertisement greatest phase by way of renewables, heap in treatment of hydroelectricity impulsion birth settle to be correct, in the same way as many of the acceptable sites for hydroelectric dams identifiable previously been qualified. The release to this is in the Asia Soothing site, where hydroelectric treatment above than doubled pompous the later than decade. The site in half a shake accounts for 35% of earthly hydroelectric treatment, and that assortment is birth to sympathy as countries settle to wake up hydroelectric power nature....
In 2012, at nominal 78 countries used geothermal in line for energy. Choice two-thirds of the geothermal energy for drive use was train geothermal emission pumps. 24 countries operated geothermal nature for electricity production. Disgusting geothermal electricity part was 11.7 GW at the end of 2012. Job was led by the U.S. plus 3.4 GW of part, followed by the Philippines at 1.9 GW, Indonesia at 1.3 GW, Mexico at 1.0 GW, and Italy at 0.9 GW. On a per capita affect, Iceland leads the world plus 0.7 GW of part, which accounted for 30% of the country's electricity in 2012.
