Renewables Anecdotes During the “Chinese Wind Power Boom” for 2005-9, the country installed almost 40 GW of capacity, but, according to critics, only connected about two thirds to the grid. It’s getting better. By the end of March, over 80% has been grid-connected, according to the China State Grid Corporation. Now that ‘they’re getting …
More on fuels…. At $4/gallon, would you buy an electric or advanced hybrid car? The issue has attracted surprisingly little attention in recent weeks. While an all-electric fleet would bring your neighborhood’s grid to a halt (and even your house during a daytime charge), YOU might like the numbers! If the Chevy Volt, after …
Big Oil Goes CleanTech Earlier this month, French Oil Major TOTAL announced an agreement to tender for 60% of SunPower (SPWRA), one of the leading solar module manufacturers and distributor/project developers, at a 43% premium to the previous market close. TOT is not new to the non-hydrocarbon energy market, having acquired some thin film …
Integrated Renewable Power Concepts Backup Battery Storage – More economic than Electric Vehicles. It’s early, and perhaps not the first choice, but several pilot projects are using large scale batteries to store intermittent wind/solar power for later use. Grid-scale storage has several advantages over electric vehicle applications — reduced space concerns, higher …
It’s B-a-a-a-a-a-c-k ! After a horrendous 2010, primarily due to very weak US order flows, and China’s shift to predominately domestic supply, the ex-Chinese industry seems to be recovering. Orders do not yet cover annual budgets, and prices are roughly 25% below the 2008 peak, but demand, and innovation, are back. New wind-based markets include …
Subsidy Laden to Subsidy Light Each year since 2008 has brought Forecasts of Doom for Solar power fundamentals — either there’s too much capacity coming or the subsidy adjustments too aggressive. The offsets have included lower interest rates (higher project IRRs), even faster cost/price declines, and new markets. It’s worth noting that the Spanish …
First Generation Ethanol (Food for Fuel) – Headwinds Coming? Congressional Republicans are working to repeal, or refuse to renew, the tax credit on domestically produced ethanol. It has come to their attention that, in addition to the requirement that producers use minimum levels of ethanol, plus the various benefits accruing to larger growers, the …
Subsidies under Fire The headlines have not been favorable, particularly for solar programs, over the last month, as Germany, Italy, and France (up to 60% of 2010 demand) have publicly debated the size and cost of their ambitions. Over the weekend, Italy proposed a cap on installations which could limit sales into that market …
Batteries – Momentum builds for both electric vehicles and backup storage With the launch of the Nissan LEAF and the Chevy Volt, the newsflow actual performance and market interest in electric vehicles is building. The VOLT was (surprisingly?) well reviewed in the New York Times, and the roster of new vehicle launches is building. …
An ‘Exciting’ Transition Year for Solar First Solar was, well, first, in 2009, to point out a multi-year transition from scarcity through oversupply and ‘parity’ with conventional electricity sources in an unsubsidized environment. The company had already chosen a ‘go slow’ approach to expanding European capacity, already a wise decision. Despite a very strong …