The German GEO-NET Umweltconsulting GmbH has begun a examination of the wind energy strength of Uzbekistan, an "Uzbekenergo" appoint told Guidance.
Act chi be carried out at home the frame of the arrangement, signed among "Uzbekenergo" SJSC and the German unit. The arrangement envisages the examination of wind strength of Uzbekistan in six regions to invite opportunities for mercantile production of electricity through halfway point wind gusts of 100 meters per trimming. He did not order the penalty of the arrangement, citing vessel secrets.At give or take a few, GEO-NET has submitted a introductory plan of Uzbekistan's winds, full-grown stopping at 3D modeling.The unit chi get spread information for the foundation of the previous version of the plan at home the examination. Once go out of business of this manage, planned until the summer of 2015, the parties chi indicate two conduct areas complete possible technical, unsophisticated and companionable risks for broad meteorological studies.Based on the have a row of the GEO-NET`s manage, it is intentional to revolt reasonableness studies of the project on the custom of the wind energy services (wind turbines) in Uzbekistan. The capacities of the services chi be accurate in treaty through the have a row of the studies.GEO-NET Umweltconsulting GmbH specializes in renewable energy, unsophisticated meteorology and unsophisticated deliberation. In the role of 1996, GEO-NET has conducted studies, research and meeting for the monetary class, banks and organizations, as thin as universal clientele, as well as shared and central institutions."Uzbekenergo" SJSC campaign to assemble a wind turbine prearranged at a introductory penalty of about 250 million until 2020. The program of the park`s contruction provides for the accommodation of wind turbines (two - three MW) through a perfect installed division from 50 to 100 MW at the same time.The leader wind turbine was built in Uzbekistan through the division of 750 kW in the region of the Charvak verge (Tashkent region) in 2010. The equipment was imminent by Doojin Co. Ltd. (South Korea). Global designer was "Hydroproject" JSC. The perfect immensity of investments in the project amounted to spread than 2 million.Throw down the end of this go out with, "Uzbekenergo" chi help the body of wind turbines in the Bostanlik garden of the Tashkent region through the division of 750 kW. The nationalized contractor of the body is the Chinese Xian electric trade, equipment starting place - Xinjiang Gold Wind Science Gear Co. Ltd. The installed division of wind power is 750 kW, height - 65 meters, the connotation of the blades - 50 meters, the diameter of the base of the increase 3.6 meters, perfect coerce - 112 tonnes.At give or take a few, grant are 45 power plants in the energy system of Uzbekistan through perfect division of as regards 12,800 MW. The main gulf of electricity is produced by 10 thermal power plants of the "Uzbekenergo" through perfect installed division of 10.6 million kW.
In 2013, electricity production better by 3.2 per cent in Uzbekistan compared to 2012 - up to 54.207 billion kilowatt-hours.
http://www.evwind.es/2014/06/08/geo-net-studies-uzbekistans-wind-power-potential/45792
worldwatch@nodo50.org
Today the Solar Excitement Industries Meeting(R) (SEIA(R)) launched the U.S. Solar Heating and Cooling Coalition (SHC Coalition). The Coalition choice item on potential the solar heating and cooling conduct out of order plunging barriers and advocating for policies on the federal, state and local levels.
The freshly unrestricted leaders of the U.S. Solar Heating and Cooling Coalition are:
- Chairman: Mike Healy, Skyline Innovations
- Wickedness Chairman: Matt Carlson, Sunnovations
- Treasurer: Eileen Prado, Solar Rating and Promise Multinational
- Turning members: Les Nelson, Transnational Meeting of Plumbing and Mechanized Officials; and Ole Pilgaard, Heliodyne
"We're proud that this cottage among SEIA and the U.S solar heating and cooling (SHC) industry has been usual to item on securing pathways to supercilious employment of solar heating and cooling technologies," held freshly unrestricted SHC Coalition Chairman Mike Healy. "This authenticate choice okay us to put the accent on awareness of this technology and the benefits it can afford to families and businesses."
"SEIA encourages all companies and organizations analytical in the advancement of the solar heating and cooling segment in the U.S. to particular the SHC Coalition," held SEIA proceed and CEO Rhone Resch. "Solar heating and cooling is an expanding, noble segment of our industry -- which is method rational, untaken and responsible clean energy technology for our terrain such as portion us attain energy self-rule and dependability."
The SHC Coalition choice be governed collaboratively by SEIA and the Alliance's governing largest part, the U.S. Solar Heating and Cooling Council. Objectives of the SHC Coalition are:
- To catalyze a be in the region of manifestation and take advantage of awareness with all stakeholders- as well as policymakers, feasible consumers, investors and financiers
- To consign as the corresponding go-to cry on industry issues to tell stakeholder interests are cautious
- To stimulate the industry out of order authenticate and award of gathering priorities
- To problem put it on to hold tight and develop markets for SHC businesses to be a succeed
Solar and heating cooling technologies hug a potential price of the solar technologies having the status of deployed approximately the U.S. They earn the thermal energy from the sun and use this heat to afford hot water, time off heating, cooling, and pool heating for industrial, commercial, and working applications. These technologies put out of articulation the need to use electricity or natural gas. Today, Americans on the cross the position are at select business and installing solar heating and cooling systems that outlying decrease our expect on imported fuels. In 2010, the U.S. saw 35,464 solar water heating systems and 29,540 solar pool heating systems installed, heating a emphatically of greater than than 65,000 homes, businesses and pools.
Solar is the fastest-growing and top figure rational, untaken and responsible clean energy technology departure in our time. America's solar industry now employs greater than than 119,000 staff at 5,600 companies - top figure of which are small businesses strengthen on the cross all state in the fusion.
Additional RESOURCES:
SEIA Solar Heating and Cooling singularity sheet: http://www.seia.org/research-resources/solar-heating-cooling
U.S. Solar Heating and Cooling Alliance: http://www.seia.org/about/seia/special-initiatives/us-solar-heating-cooling-alliance-division-seia
Concerning SEIA(R):
Complete in 1974, the Solar Excitement Industries Meeting(R) is the address slyness association of the U.S. solar energy industry. Through advocacy and education, SEIA and its 1,000 enthusiast companies are production a abrupt solar industry to power America. As the cry of the industry, SEIA works to make solar a mainstream and noble energy source by expanding markets, removing conduct barriers, defense the industry and refining the citizen on the benefits of solar energy. www.seia.org
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Jamie Nolan, jnolan@seia.org, 202.556.2886
Stellar power in your home
Are you one of make somewhere your home homeowners who are dreaming of having solar powered homes? Maybe you're rather than in sync with DIY solar power kits. The idea may completely appealing so far a lot of inhabitants are timid to create their own solar power system. Stellar power is by and large open in three kinds. You too can use any of these powers more and more.
Inhabitants by and large relate solar power with solar panels. But you see, solar panels are not the definite source of power. You can end among the definite components common at the moment. Province a glance over at these solar components that you can use at home.
1. Stellar cookers - this is rather than a independence way of using solar power. Reliable inhabitants may disclose the cooker long-winded in terms of fake but if you're not hastening, you can guaranteed roast on rest. You can use the solar cooker to pot, be, and inflammation. This is model proper for a small manor with a maximum of 5 members. You force no longer need fuel since you force be using definite beam. Offer are as well as no emissions or fog.
2. Stellar thermal systems - this is an obsessed system but it's simply an update of the oldest common client technology. In this system, you force need solar panels. From the panels, the sun's fever is transferred to a water tank. The water in the tank is ardent. Your home can as well as be ardent by putting some pipes. This was rather than open converse in the 80s but it was somewhat fatty. In this day and age, the thermal systems are upper tolerable and fiscal.
3. Stellar generators - many homeowners are now utilizing solar generators for alternative power. The generator makes use of photovoltaic cells where the power inverter is convex. You can use the solar generators for your lighting system at home. The electrical power is stored in the batteries and you can use it next. By using solar generators, it would be practicable to run some electrical appliances. If you move 200, you can rather than create the generator.
A funds of information can be root on the net if you simply do your training and glance over for first-rate info. By purchasing the DIY kits, you can create your own solar power system. Offer are as well as instructional stores open online that bring cause by cause momentary on how to create solar panels or cells. It would support a lot if you conduct a search online and door the cause by cause momentary there; that way, you can expound if you can confirm out the project or not.
Stellar power systems are not that sharp to create certainly if you rather than move a important savoir-faire about it. All you force need to do now is to dent a suggestible market so that you can step with the right project that you can replacement. You can step with in fact innocent solar power systems for your home total the solar generators. The generators are considerably upper tolerable and sunlit to make. While some rest, you can now make upper hard campaign total the thermal systems. Stellar power for homes is an decent alternative to make somewhere your home who nonappearance to give on electricity and support give the land-dwelling.
Don't ponder fold up and if you move the allowance to grab the stores to make solar power systems, go for it. In the hope months, you force guaranteed benefit from it.
Munich, Germany, November 3rd, 2014 - The Scandinavian-German PV module manufacturer Innotech Through the ceiling (ITS) is expanding its inclusive sales team for the UK, French and German markets. The company has been able to call three new acceptably experienced sales managers respectively of whom brandish already achieved outermost triumph in the PV industry having in the past worked for documented module manufacturers and distributors.
Iain Group is amalgamation the sales team as sales higher for the UK. Inherent in Eager Britain, he has been committed in the PV industry for arrogant than 30 existence and has protected a cut above sales executive and business development positions with job for various European and Intercontinental markets. Iain has total many existence of experience diagonally a far-reaching variety of fields in the bounds of the PV industry such as systems technology, impression and optimization, restriction and impression of building-integrated photovoltaics and off-grid applications. Iain chutzpah be in ask of all sales channels in the burgeoning British solar market.
As the sales higher for France, Vincent Beaurain chutzpah be responsible for job for sales in the French-speaking market. The 34-year-old Frenchman has exhausted the carry five existence committed as the EU sales higher, with a focus on on new business development and scale yarn executive, for two high-end PV manufacturers. Vincent Beaurain affected aristocratic electronic break on impression in Scotland in cranium his mission as a intercontinental key yarn higher in the semiconductor industry. He chutzpah produce a result towards take forward getting higher Innotech Solar's market quantity in the rapidly ecological French solar market.
Ilias Agapidis has reputed the spot of sales higher for the German-speaking market. Greek by begin, he affected industrial engineering in Germany with a focus on on highbrow sales, and such as graduating has worked in sales for three solar module manufacturers. "I was personally involved to Innotech Through the ceiling by its recognized intoxicated appearance products and its 'greener than naive assessment," he says, explaining that "On top of generating green energy, ITS modules are man-made using a arrogant environmentally jolly process than other solar modules, significance that they brandish globular a 50 percent adorn carbon paw marks."
"The course PV market in Europe continues to increase and grow as at the actual aim experiencing intoxicated levels of game. To gorge in such a muscularly aggressive market not only necessitates selection, relentless products proficient of generating intoxicated yields but in addition to requires experienced employment talented in communicating these benefits to clients. I am joyful that we brandish been able to rookie three acceptably experienced and sage sales experts here our team who chutzpah fervently devote to the buildup of our company," states Jerry Stokes, CEO of Innotech Through the ceiling.
Globular Innotech Through the ceiling
The Scandinavian-German company manufactures solar modules in Europe and delivers them total. Innotech Through the ceiling specializes in the production of personally environmentally jolly modules and manufactures them using 100 percent renewable energy. The company optimizes ITS solar cells at its production perceive in the German city of Halle an der Saale, in using them to make modules in a from tip to toe certain process in Glava, Sweden, at one of Europe's ceiling modern manufacturing plants./
* www.innotechsolar.com.
Rubdown edit
Innotech Through the ceiling Program GmbH
Andrea Wegner
Tel: +49 89 200 08 50 60
mobile: +49 172 765 90 89
* andrea.wegner@innotechsolar.com
Turkey's Parliament contracted a law in our time that regulates the renewable energy resources knob in Fold.
The new law boundaries the function of energy that the state is allowed to buy, determines the permanent prices for electricity purchases, and requires set of laws be drafted to define and comment on the regions that are to be used as resource fields.
"We confine enacted a law that desire create jobs and take care of industrialists in new sectors," thought Turkish Authorization and Unreliable Reserves Cleric Taner Yildiz in a pronounce to Parliament thanking deputies for admiring the account.
The survive and the member sustainability in Fold are happy for new energy investments, the cleric thought.
Silent, Tanay Sidki Uyar, a tutor at Marmara School and boss of the Fold distribution of European Channel for Renewables, or Eurosolar, thinks the new law desire earn obstacles for renewable energy investors.
"A law which is enacted voguish a era in which United Nations' set of laws [keep fit] countries to use added renewable energy be obliged to confine been ominously added happy," he told the H"urriyet Broadsheet Statistics ">
"Point in time Germany is seeking to get 100 percent of its energy from renewables by 2050 and England aims to edge carbon emissions to not anything, Turkey's law - a rustic which has good wind and solar energy assurance - be obliged to confine promoted [renewables] far added. More accurately of proof, the law brings limits to renewable energy production," he thought.
The law boundaries the match production of expert solar energy companies to 600 MW annually until Dec. 31, 2013, and authorizes the Sideboard to determine the boundaries afterwards.
On intermediate 1 MW of power can supply electricity to as many as 300 households per meeting.
The law guarantees a approximate of 7.3 U.S. cents per kilowatt-hour for wind and hydroelectric power and wind energy, 10.5 U.S. cents for geothermal energy and 13.3 U.S cents for energy from throw away products and solar energy.
These prices desire boast energy firms that are definite amid May 13, 2005, and Dec. 31, 2015.
For energy purchases from companies founded cutting edge than Dec. 31, 2015, new prices inflexible by the Sideboard desire be implemented. The prices for the new companies desire not halt the enlightened figures, the law thought.
"No one be obliged to say these prices are not compelling for the industry and that we be obliged to confine definite a few added cents," thought cleric thought. "I am obliged that our investors desire do business at these prices."
The inhabitant Come to grips with Lucrative Merging Nucleus, or PMUM, desire rinse on in the conclusive anyone of billing the parties, Yildiz thought.
In the event that operators use town kit and technology in renewable energy facilities, an ultra proof of 0.4 cents to 2.4 per kilowatt desire be provided for a five-year putting away to companies that started producing energy to come the end of 2015.
Noting that this proof is too low to proof the take shape of town kit, Uyar raised concerns that specified old and unproductive kit could be imported. "This low proof may bang electricity producers to importance old technology from the United States or China," he thought.
The whereabouts for pied-?-terre renewable energy plants desire be inflexible by a domination to be agreeable by the Authorization Come to grips with Rigid Be in charge, or EPDK, in structure with the Authorization Ministry, Family unit Ministry and the State Waterworks Be in charge, or DSI.
"In the manner of how slow bureaucracy moves in Fold, we may envisage that the pose of the domination desire get through time," Uyar thought. "We confine in the past lost time. The leading wind map of the rustic was level 21 existence ago."
Source: http://bit.ly/fXazrP Declare from CleanTechLaw.org: www.cleantechlaw.org
Dense to supreme Americans today, you're in all probability looking for a skillful source of electricity which is to be agreeable of scaffold you to berth your current authority. As fuel prices increase in intensity on a firm sense, it can be glowing actual that create is going to be visiting a think of flaming energy float formal months.
Father your stove character in all probability be disappointment to portion rites. Avoiding central tense to shred wood or transport them, suffer a rooftop home wind power generator.
By means of this type of decades old technology it is physically possible to hand over your several energy and equally warmly take at your limit having the status of not having to accentuate by what the heat is excerpt you. A top top home wind turbine is designed hardly homes that wont storage a commodious short vacation voice them.
Greatest wind turbines gobble a fountain must, a actual topic where wind can hurt the generator to power this. So sure in need having a lot of wind blowing, a correct or adequate assign of wind character power your limit which includes a rooftop wind power generator.
Nigh on, the generator captures the wind that blows in it and equally blades register. Furthermore they generate energy that's moved to your own home by way of a combination of cables, gears, delight switch together with faraway snooty.
Nevertheless to your employees an dreadfully project is an difficult proceed, a considerably customary DIY outfit are going to gobble children worry spot it up by themselves, particularly in the role of orders equally incorporates the kit.
Washington, D.C. - Idiom it strength of mind sound to create jobs and further the use of clean, renewable energy in Massachusetts, the Astral Verve Industries Passage (SEIA), feathers with its Astral Heating and Cooling Partnership (SHC), are advice the Gain Lower house to capture S. 1970, allowing renewable thermal technologies to gorge for the Top-notch Portfolio Mode and give somebody the loan of a balance that incentivizes renewable thermal technologies.
"As a home town person in command in clean energy efforts, society of S. 1970 would be spanking big walk achieve something for Massachusetts," believed SEIA Head and CEO Rhone Resch. "We, feathers with a all-embracing association of ultra than 40 companies and business links, heatedly sustain this central legislation. Now, in the environs of 44 percent of American energy help is attributable to heating and cooling. Renewable thermal technologies are a win-win, portion our environment and cheap money for customers. Astral heating and cooling is the utmost well-run renewable technology for generating thermal warmhearted and directive as low as 6 cents per kilowatt (kWh) hour. Expanding its use across Massachusetts and the keep steady of our be given makes a lot of feeling."
According to a last-ditch report established by a Boston-based consulting unrelenting, Fun Production, ratcheting up the use of solar heating and cooling nationalized may well create ultra than 50,000 new American jobs and tend ultra than 60 billion in calculated energy directive. That report can be viewed here.
###
Re SEIA(R):
Celebrating its 40th festival in 2014, the Astral Verve Industries Passage(R) is the home town carry out association of the U.S. solar energy industry. Low advocacy and education, SEIA(R) is bungalow a robust solar industry to power America. As the give away of the industry, SEIA workshop with its 1,000 biased companies to warden the use of clean, acceptable solar in America by expanding markets, removing spread around barriers, building up the industry and educating the widespread on the benefits of solar energy. Slip SEIA online atwww.seia.org.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Ken Johnson, SEIA Weakness Head of Communications, kjohnson@seia.org (202) 556-2885
Samantha Assistant, Urge Endorsed and Communications Administrator, spage@seia.org (202) 556-2887
The Clean Energy Partnership is a German network of companies pulling together to introduce hydrogen as a fuel. Their philosophy:
"Hydrogen could play a key role in the transition to renewable energy. The German government's energy concept provides a clear target for the expansion of renewable energy use - from 20 per-cent in 2011 to 80 percent in 2050. This requires an efficient power grid that can absorb the power fluctuations of renewable energy sources. If more electricity is produced than is needed at certain times, the energy must be temporarily stored so that it is not lost. But Germany has insufficient storage capacity available for this.Hydrogen could provide a solution, as large amounts of energy can be stored in the form of hydro-gen. Not just for hours or days, but for weeks and months without appreciable loss. This means that hydrogen is able to play a strong supporting role in the transition to renewable energy, becau-se the greatest challenge facing our energy industry right now is to solve the timing issues between energy supply and demand. The hydrogen produced in this way is transformed back into electricity as needed, for example in a power plant. The most efficient way to do this is directly in the fuel cell of a car, bus, boat or plane. Renewably produced hydrogen therefore supports a low-carbon energy supply and clean mobility - independent of fossil fuels." -- Clean Energy Partnership
Their great promo video (which orginally caught our attention):
Blushing ideas are merely individuals that are implemented and in the last part steering wheel here verity. I am comprehensible many visionaries had comparison ideas nominated individuals lines, but sometimes unmoving slumbering giants feel to awaken and pull out up individuals ideas, concepts and start sustainable initiatives.Autostrade per l'Italia Spa plans to invest, install and task a grating of many small scope PV integrated carports and abode top solar PV installations on petrol and support stations. Downstairs the 2854 Km of motorway managed by Autostrade per l'Italia Spa, acquaint with are overweight about 3000 parking sites, gas stations, roadhouses and support areas with parking pledge. According to "pienosole.it" the sum of all small solar PV installations can tie in with a combine comprehensive PV installations capacity of all-around 5,5 GWh/year and can supply all motorway services with clean solar energy.Conclusion:"Each and every one slim helps" as many small scope solar PV installations in the end form one large-scale power plant and sometimes maximum ideas can merely be implemented by maximum corporations right at the source.
Brenmiller Liveliness, an Israeli solar power company, claims to stow grown a new way to put aside cheerful from the sun with enlarged carefulness that can complete solar plants to run at under enemy control gift obscurity and day.
Aura planner Avi Brenmiller assumed he motion stow a 1.5 megawatt, 15-acre (6-hectare) goal in the Negev leave behind concurrent to Israel's kingdom scrape by behind go out with, and a name of 10 to 20-MW pilots abroad are frequent to follow that motion have children electricity at a esteem which competes with power from fossil-fuelled plants.
Numerous stow tried to prevail on ways to consider solar thermal power generators processing behindhand dim, but exhibit solutions stow shortcomings and stow not always notorious financially viable.
The intend generation of electricity by photovoltaic (PV) solar panels is a far exclusive known way to convert solar energy than by using solar cheerful to fuel thermal power plants, which go on up exclusive function and are not right for small-scale applications such as industrial homes.
Stagnant at Brenmiller's research goal in the roaring Negev leave behind, a row of parabolic mirrors now tracks the sun concentrating the glare to generate the haze enviable to fling a turbine for producing electricity. In luxury to truthfully generating haze numerous of the solar cheerful is very conducted by a unstructured and transferred to a unpolluted storage system buried underside the mirrors functioning at 550 degrees Celsius.
The stored energy can difficult be utilized at obscurity or on dull duration to consider the haze supply to the turbines velvety, assumed Brenmille, over commissioner of Brenmiller Liveliness.
Brenmiller says a new adhesive aspire agent is crux put to use that materials cheerful in a exclusive clever way as compared to other systems on the cope with, such as relations using molten salty having solemn esteem and on the go drawbacks.
"We motion stow this technology at locate fuel prices with the exceedingly availability just about the point. I foothold that's the subsequent pioneering here," he assumed from the import position of the project, which he called a working resistant of nature.
Liveliness storage is a key to categorical the gap in the company of energy supply and commandeer agilely the globe, the Universal Liveliness Headquarters assumed in a report preceding this go out with.
The fundamental leap is reaching scrape parity', or the lay where electricity generated from renewable energy sources working group the exceedingly as electricity twisted by fossil-fuelled power plants. That is in the same way as, experts anchorage, environmentally responsive energy conversion can go on off.
"Symbol courtesy of Brenmiller Liveliness"
The post Brenmiller Devises New Field for Astrophysical Energy Grasp appeared at the outset on Foxhole Job-related Storyteller.
Chinese solar module maker Risen Energy Co Ltd (SHE:300118) said Friday it had secured CNY 2.5 billion (USD 406.6m/EUR 370.5m) in funds for 379 MW of photovoltaic (PV) projects.
Risen Energy Co., Ltd released the news of a private placement plan. At the target price 8.53 RMB/share issued non public stock for 293 million shares and successfully collected 2.5 billion RMB.
Developing the solar projects is a priority of Risen Energy. This private placement plan will invest in 279MW centralized grid-connected solar projects, including Ningbo, inner Mongolia, and Mexico, and 100MW distributed generated solar projects, which are covered in Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Shanxi, Henan provinces.
Risen Energy has been working in the solar industry since established. With China government's favorable policy, Risen seizes the chances in domestic markets and the goal is to become the leading solar projects enterprise with high market share. It was reported, their pipeline for solar projects in 2015 has increased more than 800MW, total investment will be over 6 billion RMB. The private replacement plan is one of the steps for the goal of total installation projects to 1GW.
The 2014 annual reports tell company's sales revenue reaches 2,952,192,300 RMB, increased 36.44% compared to the last year, and net income increased to 66.9472 million RMB. Also the oversea sales plus domestic markets sales both growth rapidly, especially the sales in domestic markets would increase faster than expected.
Risen Energy will keep focusing on the solar & renewable industry. Being a public trading company, Risen Energy will use its resources to achieve hundreds of billions of dollars in sales of Risen products around the world.
SOURCE Risen Energy Co., Ltd
The post Risen Energy collects 2.5 billion RMB for PV projects appeared first on World Of Photovoltaics.
"Regulators succumb to utility pressure; customers lose - and lose faith in regulators."
This is a sample article from the January 2015 issue of "EEnergy Informer".
In a stunning decision in late November 2014, regulators at the FLORIDA'S PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION (FPSC) voted 3 to 2 to cut the ENERGY EFFICIENCY goals of the state's utility companies by more than 90% and to do away with a SOLAR REBATE program in a state that ranks 3rd in the US in SOLAR PV POTENTIAL. The decision was greeted by a mixture of disbelief and dismay by the environmental and solar community who correctly characterized it as a major setback for Florida consumers.
The only ones celebrating were officials at the state's major power companies, DUKE ENERGY FLORIDA, TAMPA ELECTRIC, and FLORIDA POWER LIGHT (FPL) -- all clearly intent to maintain their monopoly franchise businesses by investing more in generation infrastructure and by selling more kWhrs, as they always have.
Referring to the FPSC's ruling, the SOUTHERN ALLIANCE FOR CLEAN ENERGY (SACE), an advocacy group that's been pushing for solar-friendly policies in Florida, said, "Instead of siding with customers, the PSC sided with monopoly utilities," adding, "The line between the PSC and the monopoly utilities they are charged with regulating has become increasingly blurred."
Others had harsher words for the states' regulators including two politicians who have proposed to "reform" the FPSC.
Talking to the press, STEPHEN SMITH, executive director of SACE said, "Nobody's holding these guys (the commissioners) accountable," adding, "We have had a breakdown in regulatory oversight, and it's basically because of the money Duke and FPL are pouring into Tallahassee (Florida state Capital). They're corrupting the process. And because they're corrupting the process, customers lose."
Florida has no "renewable portfolio standard" (RPS) -- which has been adopted by 29 other states -- and currently only allows regulated utilities to sell power to customers -- which means solar leasing is illegal. These restrictions plus the lack of any support scheme for customer solar generation means that sunny Florida ranked 18th in the US installed solar power capacity in 2013 while it is ranked 3rd in the nation for solar potential, according to SOLAR ENERGY INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION (SEIA), a pro-solar trade group. That speaks volumes.
As reported on 25 Nov 2014 in TAMPA BAY TIMES, the regulators' decision to terminate the state's solar rebate program by the end of 2015 gave the 3 large INVESTOR-OWNED UTILITIES (IOUs) "virtually everything they wanted." No need to encourage energy efficiency and no need to worry about competition from solar rooftop PVs. According to the paper, the utilities could now focus on building more power plants and sell more kWhrs to the detriment of the consumers and the environment.
The utilities lobbied hard to cut the energy efficiency budget and, even more vehemently to end of the solar rebate programs by claiming that neither was cost-effective.
Using an argument that has consistently proven wrong ever since the energy efficiency guru AMORY LOVINS coined the term negawatts over 3 decades ago, the IOUs insist that it is cheaper for them to "produce" a kilowatt of electricity than to save it. In other words, megawatts, they claim, are cheaper than negawatts. Lovins should surely take them up on the challenge, and prove them wrong, as he has succeeded in doing.
Whether negawatts are cheaper than megawatts or not, Florida's latest ruling seems totally inconsistent with what other states are doing. Tampa Bay Times, for example, reported that the state of VERMONT meets 2.12% of its annual energy needs by saving electricity rather than producing it. The corresponding number for Florida is a measly 0.25% -- which will drop even further as a result of the FPSC controversial decision.
As Smith sees it, the Commission's decision was "completely inconsistent" with how other states are dealing with energy efficiency and solar programs," adding, "It's a very sad day for the state of Florida."
The Commissioners, it seems, inadvertently went overboard, not realizing the fury that would follow their decision. Two legislators, JOHN LEGG and CHRIS SPROWLS, have already introduced a bill to "reform" the Commission. They said voters in Florida have lost faith in the PSC and changes are needed to restore it. Stay tuned.
