Seven Days of Solar 1-8-12 | Green Energy News

January 27, 2012 – Vol.16 No.45

SEVEN DAYS OF SOLAR 1-8-12.

Solar led the way in 2011 in clean energy investment.

According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF):

Global investment in clean energy reached a new record of $260bn in 2011, up 5 percent on 2010 and almost five times the total of $53.6bn in 2004. Investment in solar far outstripped that in wind, and perhaps of most note, US clean energy investment moved back ahead of China for the first time since 2008, according to the latest authoritative data from analysis company Bloomberg New Energy Finance. Last year also saw the one trillionth dollar invested in clean energy globally since the company started compiling data in 2004.

The record investment figures for 2011 are particularly striking because they were achieved during a turbulent year for the world economy in general and for the clean energy sector in particular. The industry has suffered severe pressure on the profit margins of manufacturers, a sharp fall in share prices, some notable bankruptcies, cuts in European government subsidy support, and a reduction in the availability of bank finance.

2011 highlights include a 36 percent surge in total investment in solar technology, to $136.6bn. This was nearly double the $74.9bn investment in wind power, which was down 17 percent on the previous year. This is not the first time that Bloomberg New Energy Finance has shown total investment in solar out-pacing that in wind (on today’s revised figures for prior years, solar exceeded wind in 2004 and again in 2010), but this is the first time there has been such a huge gap.

Michael Liebreich, chief executive of Bloomberg New Energy Finance, said: “The performance of solar is even more remarkable when you consider that the price of photovoltaic modules fell by close to 50 percent during 2011, and now stands 75 percent lower than three years ago, in mid-2008. The cost of PV technology has fall en, but the volume of PV sold has increased by a much greater factor as it approached competitiveness with other sources of power.”

Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) http://www.bnef.com

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During the week beginning January 8, 2012, this publication received news announcements regarding more than 52 megawatts (MW) of solar energy projects completed and 1 MW in the development pipeline.

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Completed.

--- Austin Energy has activated a 30 MW solar power plant located within the Village of Webberville, Texas. The activation of the power plant marks the first utility-scale solar deployment for Austin Energy and helps bring the utility one step closer to achieving a 35 precent renewable energy mix by 2020. It is the largest active solar project of any public power utility in the country, the largest active project in Texas and among the largest of all operating solar projects in America. The project was activated on December 20, 2011.

The solar project is comprised of more than 127,000 photovoltaic solar modules mounted on single-axis trackers that follow the sun to maximize solar energy production.

The project was made possible through a 25-year solar power purchase agreement in which Austin Energy will purchase the energy at a fixed rate along with the renewable energy credits.

Austin Energy http://www.austinenergy.com

– Bear Creek Ranch, an affiliation of Pacific Ag Management, in Wasco, California has chosen Conergy’s Solar Large Projects Group as the project manager for its 1.5-acre solar energy power generation site . The solar energy site will power the water pumps and irrigation system for the surrounding almond orchards.

Conergy http://www.conergy.us

--- NJR Clean Energy Ventures (NJRCEV), a subsidiary of New Jersey Resources, has announced the completion of the 14.1 megawatt solar system built on McGraw-Hill’s East Windsor, New Jersey campus. The $59.5 million system is NJRCEV’s largest single investment to date and will generate enough electricity to significantly offset the need for other energy sources to run McGraw-Hill’s offices in East Windsor.

In addition, NJRCEV placed other projects into service during the first quarter of fiscal 2012 including the 3.6 MW project at the Village of Manalapan, the remaining 25 percent of a 4.7 MW system in Vineland, New Jersey and the 1.3 MW system across two rooftops in Edison, New Jersey.

New Jersey Resources http://www.njliving.com

--- Felix Chac Chuo Farms got a power boost from SolarMax Technology recently when it switched on its first 300 kW solar power system. In business for 30 years, Felix Chac Chuo Farms is an Asian vegetables grower located in Thermal, California. The farm grows its vegetables “under cover” rather than out in the sun.

The 22,500-square-foot system will cover 99 percent of their total energy needs.

SolarMax Technology http://www.solarmaxtech.com

--- Suniva has announced its panels are being used to power the newest— and largest— solar array installed by FLS Energy at the Marine Helicopter Squadron 1’s greenside hangar at Quantico, home to the president’s Marine One helicopter.

The 120 kW system is expected to reduce the site’s electric bills by as much as $10,500 annually and help the base to meet rigorous energy mandates set by the secretary of the Navy. Fifty percent of energy used to meet the Department of the Navy’s demand must come from alternative energy sources by 2020.

Suniva http://www.suniva.com
FLS Energy http://www.flsenergy.com

--- Solar Nation has announced the installation and commissioning of a 118 kW solar-electric system for Smiles Fashion Corporation at their distribution warehouse in Secaucus, New Jersey. Smiles Fashion installed the solar-electric system to reduce and stabilize energy costs and to follow through on its long-standing commitment to environmental stewardship and energy conservation.

Clean, renewable energy generated by the system would be enough to power up to 8 homes and will meet nearly 100 percent of Smile Fashion’s net metered electricity needs for their building, providing immediate savings for the company.

Solar Nation http://www.solarnation.com

--- GreenVolts, provider of the industry’s first and only complete and fully integrated solar system, has announced the commissioning of a 288 kW project for Beneficial Insectary in Redding, California. The system will provide solar power that will offset more than 80 percent of the facility’s electric usage.

Beneficial Insectary is a leading producer and distributor of biologically based pest management products for sustainable agriculture, horticulture, and livestock production.

GreenVolts http://greenvolts.com

--- REC Solar and AECOM Technology Corporation as the Design Builder, have unveiled a 1.16 MW installation at the California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) campus. The project includes three solar systems REC Solar installed on the rooftops of two CSU Fullerton buildings and a parking structure carport under contract to AECOM. The CSUF installation also includes solar-powered electric vehicle (EV) charging stations to maximize the university’s sustainability efforts.

AECOM http://www.aecom.com
REC Solar http://www.recsolar.com

In the development pipeline.

Salt River Project (SRP), Arizona State University (ASU) and SunPower Corporation have agreed to build a 1 MW solar photovoltaic power plant at ASU's Polytechnic campus in Mesa, Arizona.

SunPower is engineering and constructing the plant on the southeast corner of the ASU Polytechnic campus, and will operate and maintain it. Under a purchase-power agreement, SRP will buy the entire output of the solar plant from SunPower and, in a separate agreement, ASU will purchase all of the energy attributable to the plant for use at its Polytechnic campus. The plant is expected to produce an amount of energy equal to that needed to serve about 225 SRP customers' homes, will require minimal water use, and supports ASU's renewable energy goals. Construction of the plant is contingent on a number of factors, including receipt of all applicable permits.

SunPower Corporation http://www.sunpowercorp.com