Chinese solar industry faces weak sales, price war

Chinese solar panel makers that grew fast over the past decade are suffering big losses due to slumping global sales and a price war that threaten an industry seen by communist leaders as a role model for hopes to transform China into a technology leader.

Another looming challenge: Moves by the United States and Europe toward imposing possible anti-dumping tariffs on Chinese-made solar panels that might further depress sales.

Financial problems are likely to force painful changes in the Chinese industry including possible mergers, bankruptcies, factory closures or layoffs, industry analysts say.

‘‘The next 1½ years will be very challenging,’’ said Frank Haugwitz, a renewable energy consultant in Beijing.

Companies have been hurt by weak sales, especially in debt-crippled Europe, the leading global solar market, but also by Chinese government policies that encouraged hundreds of small companies to rush into the industry. They flooded the market and depressed prices.

Five major Chinese manufacturers, including industry leaders Suntech Power Holdings Ltd. and Yingli Green Energy Ltd., reported total losses of nearly $250 million in the latest quarter. One of them, LDK Solar Co., also reported an eye-popping loss of $588.7 million the previous quarter.

Pioneers such as Suntech, Yingli and Trina Solar Ltd. that were founded before 2005 grew to become some of their industries biggest competitors as Germany, Spain and other European countries promoted solar power with subsidies and low-cost loans.

Suntech’s founder, Shi Zhengrong, a Chinese-born Australian scientist, was lauded by the communist government as a leading entrepreneur. Industry profits soared in 2007-09 as the United States and other new markets stepped up installations.

That success encouraged communist authorities who saw solar, wind and other renewable energy as a way both to curb China’s growing reliance on imported oil and gas and to take the lead in an emerging industry without established competitors.

Solar power, along with such fields as biotechnology and aerospace, was declared a ‘‘strategic emerging industry’’ targeted for development as part of efforts to transform China from a low-wage country of farmers and factory workers into a creator of technology.

Beijing provided grants and low-cost loans. Local leaders encouraged companies to start producing solar panels or components to make them. The field promised higher-paying jobs and a political payoff for officials who would be seen to support a key national initiative.

Producing the basic element of a solar panel — the hand-size black solar cell made of polysilicon that converts the sun’s light into electricity — is relatively simple using equipment that a new company can buy as a kit from European suppliers. That allowed novices to start production quickly, while bigger manufacturers also assemble the cells into power-generating modules.

New companies still were springing up in 2011 even after Western countries that were hammered by the global crisis cut subsidies and other support. Supplies surged as sales growth stalled, forcing sellers to slash prices to unprofitable levels.

Since 2010, the price of polysilicon wafers used to make solar cells has plunged by 73 percent, according to Aaron Chew and Francesco Citro, analysts for Maxim Group, a financial firm in New York City. The price of cells has fallen by 68 percent and that of modules by 57 percent.

‘‘The solar manufacturing industry has been wracked by a collapse in pricing,’’ said Chew and Citro in a report.

The major Chinese manufacturers have accumulated a total of $17.5 billion in debt, leaving balance sheets ‘‘at the breaking point,’’ they said.

Beijing is unlikely to allow major producers to go bankrupt but rescue measures might include capital injections that would dilute or wipe out the value of shares held by foreign investors who have put billions of dollars into the industry, Chew and Citro said.

Haugwitz said people in the industry have told him at least 300 smaller manufacturers have suspended production and others are producing at below 50 percent of their capacity.

The industry also faces the potential impact of U.S. and European anti-dumping measures in response to complaints Beijing improperly subsidizes companies. Foreign competitors complain that allows Chinese suppliers to sell abroad at unfairly low prices, wiping out American and European jobs abroad — an explosive issue at a time of high unemployment.

In July, a group of 25 producers of solar gear including companies from Germany, Italy and Spain filed an anti-dumping complaint with the European Union



That alarmed Chinese companies, which warned Beijing would retaliate, possibly triggering a trade war.

‘‘Over 60 percent of products are exported to Europe,’’ said Wang Shuai, a spokeswoman for Yingli. ‘‘If the anti-dumping measures really take effect in Europe, that would be a fatal blow to the industry.’’

Yingli is based in Baoding, a city 90 miles (150 kilometers) southwest of Beijing that promotes itself as a center for renewable energy. The local government has attracted 170 companies that produce solar, wind and other clean power equipment.

In a reflection of Chinese leaders’ hopes for the industry, Baoding’s city government says its clean energy industry had 45 billion yuan ($7 billion) in revenue in 2010 and that figure is forecast to grow by 30 percent a year through 2016.

The city works closely with companies, organizing job fairs, providing training and helping to recruit employees through local schools.

In the United States, the Commerce Department issued a preliminary ruling in May that Chinese producers sold solar cells and panels below fair price and hurt American producers. If that is upheld, tariffs averaging 31 percent could be imposed on Chinese solar-panel imports.

On Tuesday, Trina Solar Ltd. reported its loss widened to $92.1 million in the second quarter from $29.8 million in the previous quarter. CEO Jifan Gao blamed industry overcapacity and pressure to cut prices. He said the possible anti-dumping measures contributed to ‘‘uncertain market conditions.’’

Last week, Suntech said its founder, Shi, was stepping aside as CEO and would be replaced by an American, David King, who was hired last year. The company said Shi would stay on as executive chairman and chief strategy officer.

Suntech, which has shares traded on the New York Stock Exchange, suffered a $133 million loss in the first quarter of the year after losing $148.8 million the previous quarter. The company said shipments were down 22 percent from a year earlier.

LDK Solar, China’s fourth-largest producer by manufacturing capacity, illustrates the industry’s mix of business and politics.

The company in the southern province of Jiangxi has run up $3.8 billion in debt but analysts say it has survived thanks to support from local leaders who see it as an important source of development and encouraged state-owned banks to keep lending.

Still, local leaders might find LDK too expensive if its losses continue, according to Chew and Citro.

‘‘LDK might be considered insolvent by traditional measures at Western banks,’’ they said. ‘‘We believe LDK is on the cusp of failure or a major recapitalization.’’

Some producers might be saved by Beijing’s effort to encourage domestic use of solar power, which until recently was considered too expensive for use in China.

The Communist Party’s latest five-year plan initially called for installation of 5 gigawatts of solar generating capacity over the life of the plan but that target has been raised to 21 gigawatts.

At the same time, a new competitive threat is emerging: Korean companies such as industrial giant Hyundai that are pouring into the industry.

In 2010, Korea’s Hanwha Chemical Corp. bought 49.9 percent of Solarfun Power Holdings, China’s sixth-largest solar panel producer by volume.

‘‘The Koreans came late to the game but have deep pockets,’’ Haugwitz said. ‘‘They don’t want to let this opportunity slip through their hands.’’


Source:http://www.boston.com/business/technology/2012/08/22/chinese-solar-industry-faces-weak-sales-price-war/zu0RUeaMGABvLosKVQPS4I/story-1.html

New council houses get solar power

Solar panels are being installed this week on the first council houses to be built in Lincoln for 20 years.

The five town houses on Wellington Street have each been provided with six solar PV panels, which will generate around 1,380kwh per year for each home.

The panels providing energy for the properties are estimated to bring some £300 per year financial savings per house and a Co2 saving of 0.67 tonnes per year.

Other green measures in the homes will include energy monitors, high-spec insulation, windows and doors and modern heating systems.

Lindum started building work on the homes in March, and they are set to be available for families on the council home waiting list before Christmas 2012.

Councillor Peter West, Portfolio Holder for Housing at the City of Lincoln Council, said: “We’re really keen to push the green agenda with our first housing development in two decades, and have had them designed in a way that will assist in reducing the city’s carbon footprint.”

Herman Kok, Financial Director at Lindum, explained how sourcing for the building work was done entirely locally: “Everybody who worked on this project is from maximum 20 miles away from Lincoln.

“Most people, most suppliers and most workers are from Lincoln, so it’s a typical Lincolnshire project, by a Lincolnshire company for a Lincolnshire client.

“We’re really proud that the council is leading the way in new council housing. We’ve been building social housing for some time, as well as our housing.

“So it’s really good to see that the City Council is investing in its stock.”

There are more than 3,000 people on Lincoln’s waiting list for council housing, with some waiting almost five years.

The City of Lincoln Council plans to borrow an additional £5.25 million over the next seven years to build around 50 new council homes by 2020.

This means that around £750,000 would be spent on building council homes every year between 2013 and 2020.

Source:http://thelincolnite.co.uk/2012/08/new-council-houses-get-solar-power/

First solar power station starts working in Transcarpathia

In Uzhhorod district of the Transcarpathia region, the solar power station has been built and put into service.

The installed capacity of power plant, which construction began in 2011, totals 5.4 MW.

Photovoltaic panels will annually produce about 4.8 million kWh of electricity, it is enough for providing of more than 1.3 thousand households with a monthly consumption of 300 kWh.

On Thursday, the National Energy Regulatory Commission (NERC) decreed to implement electricity produced at the solar station under green tariffs.

Source:http://en.for-ua.com/news/2012/08/17/120556.html

Up next, solar power from grass

few months ago, a researcher at the world renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or MIT, announced that he had discovered a new way of harnessing the sun.

Andreas Mershin, research affiliate at the MIT Centre for Bits and Atoms, managed to create solar panels from agricultural waste.
According to Mershin, “It’ll (soon) be possible to stir some grass clippings into a bag of cheap chemicals, paint the mixture on your roof, and immediately start producing electricity.”

The theory was quite simple. It meant isolating chlorophyll, the plant protein that converts sunlight into energy, by focusing on them and transforming them into electrons.

Mershin is said to have found a way to extract the photosynthesising molecules, called Photosystem I, from plant matter. It is this ‘Photosystem I’ that contains the chlorophyll.
Isolating the chlorophyll was just the easier part of the problem. It has been done by other scientists as well. The difficult part was to find a way to stabilise it, so that it did not degrade into dead matter when isolated from the living mass of the plant.

“You have to find a way to make it continue ‘living’, so to speak, to continue operating and making energy,” explains Mershin. Once this is done, the mixture, can now be spread it on a “glass substrate” and covered in a “forest of zinc-oxite nanowires and titanium dioxide sponges”.

When sunlight hits the panels, the titanium dioxide and the stabilised ‘Photosystem I’ convert the sun’s rays into electricity. The nanowires then transport the electricity.

What Mershin has done is to convert “nature’s solar panels” that are often referred to as ‘leaves of plants’ by most of us, into man-made solar panels that can now be used to generate electricity. “It is like an electric nanoforest,” he adds. “It is a fantastic and disruptive way of harnessing solar power for electricity.”

“The dream is to send to people just the stabilising powder, that is benign and inexpensive. Entirely easy to work with and has a long shelf life and can be transported by truck over un-improved roads,” said Mershin with a smile.

“All that people have to do then is to find some piece of substrate, some piece of metal or glass, spread it with the green glue which has the stabilizer. After that you can take a couple of wires and charge a battery. You’ve got electricity from sunlight.”

Mershin believes that because the MIT team has found a way to make this possible without any difficulty, he hopes hundreds or maybe thousands of people will begin to try it and figure out what works for them and what local materials they can find in their backyard and thus become not only consumers of electricity but also producers of electricity. If they are good at it, they could even start selling that electricity to others.”

But there is a problem. As Sebastian Anthony, writes in an article posted on ExtremeTech (http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/116689-mit-creates-solar-cell-from-grass-clippings), that “Mershin’s solar panel has an efficiency of 0.1%. To be of any use — to power more than a single LED light from an entire house covered in these cheap solar panels — an efficiency of 1% or 2% is required.”

Will other scientists be successful in taking the next step in boosting conversion efficiency of the sun’s rays?
That could decide whether this will become the next wonder technology for power generation.

Source:http://www.dnaindia.com/scitech/report_up-next-solar-power-from-grass_1728485

Solar panels make life sunny for Pickering condo residents

The warm summer sunshine is translating into money in the bank for residents of one Durham condo.

At the Liberty at Discovery building on The Esplanade North in Pickering, residents have been enjoying the benefits of solar energy since 2005, when solar thermal panels were installed on the roof of the building. The project, put forward by the developers, was encouraged by residents on the condo board, which supported the green initiative.

"I'm surprised that with the whole focus on being green in society, we're the only high-rise building in Durham with solar panels," said Michelle Kerkos, president of the building's condo board, noting the monetary savings are passed on to residents annually through reduced condo fees.

"There are buildings that went up after us that have no solar panels, which surprises me, I would think every new building should include these. We want to encourage other people to look at retrofitting and definitely new buildings going up to consider sustainable energy in their building plans."

The panels reduce the need for natural gas by using solar energy to heat the building's water, during cloudy periods the system switches to gas.

The unit, which cost more than $200,000, recently reached its pay-back date of 6.5 years, meaning the system was paid for fully through energy savings within that time.

"I haven't met a resident yet who's not proud to show off the fact their building is energy-efficient," said Christine LePage, property manager for the building.

"I strongly encourage any developer, whether in Durham or wherever, to look at solar panels because the sun is here forever and we should make use of it."

The building's green reputation is also proving beneficial in other areas, with young people clamoring to buy units at the building.

"It's unique because when people started moving in it was mostly seniors, now the people moving in are a lot younger," Ms. LePage said, explaining she thinks the solar panels help attract a younger crowd.

"I often hear real estate agents pointing it out to clients as they're walking through the lobby," she continued.

"It's what young people want to see, it's the way of the future."

Source:http://www.durhamregion.com/community/article/1483932--solar-panels-make-life-sunny-for-pickering-condo-residents

Hanover car dealership goes for solar power

With the flip of a switch, Jeff and John Morrill took their auto showroom essentially off the grid on Wednesday, becoming the owners of what they say is the world’s first Subaru showroom to be powered largely by the sun.

The brothers, who live next door to each other in Milton, have been making good on a lifelong shared commitment to the Earth that they said includes, among other things, reducing the environmental impact of their dealership.

Wednesday, that commitment zeroed in on Planet Subaru and its new 78,540-watt rooftop solar plant. But the yearning to make a difference goes back to 1998, when the Morrills bought a bankrupt car operation in Norwell, then moved it in 2002 into a recycled building on Route 53 in Hanover.
Jeff Morrill (left) watches as state Representative Rhonda Nyman and US Representative Bill Keating flip the switch.

DEBEE TLUMACKI FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE

Jeff Morrill (left) watches as state Representative Rhonda Nyman and US Representative Bill Keating flip the switch.

“It’s estimated that transportation alone is responsible for 25 percent of the world’s carbon emissions, but buildings account for 43 percent,’’ Jeff Morrill said. “And while this family business can’t reinvent the internal combustion engine, we can make a big difference in our facility.”

US Representative William Keating, whose district includes a number of communities south of Boston and the Cape and islands, and state Representative Rhonda Nyman, of Hanover, were on hand to flip the switch to power up the solar plant. A small group of employees and guests burst into applause as the lights came on.

The plant will generate 88,752 kilowatt hours annually, equivalent to what is needed to power approximately eight average American homes and slightly less than half of the approximately 200,000 kilowatt hours consumed by the entire dealership annually.

“Clearly, Planet Subaru cares about planet Earth,’’ Keating said, in brief remarks. “Each of us should look at what we can do to make this planet a cleaner place to live.”

Charles Cyrill, the director of public relations for the National Automobile Dealers Association, said new car dealers like the Morrills are leading a green revolution.

“Dealers across the country are making their dealerships more eco-friendly through recycling, wind power, cutting-edge lighting, and low-maintenance landscaping,’’ Cyrill said.

He said dealers are also catching on to the benefits of going green — such as saving money and drawing increasingly green-minded customers while eliminating tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

“Some dealerships employ cutting-edge heating and cooling methods and efficient lighting; others are brand-new, state-of-the-art, carbon-neutral facilities using alternative energies like wind and solar,’’ he said.

At Planet Subaru, the 374 solar panels occupy about a quarter-acre of its rooftop area and run lights, computers, monitors, phones, fax machines, photocopiers, refrigerators, coffee makers, water coolers, vending machines, and everything else in the showroom. The rest of the dealership is powered by National Grid. Under its new setup, if the solar array produces more power than the dealership requires at a particular time, the electric meter would run backward and National Grid would buy the electricity, Jeff Morrill said.

DEBEE TLUMACKI FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE

The entire system has a price tag of $500,000, but a 30 percent federal tax credit — part of the American Investment and Recovery Act of 2009 — has brought the total down to about $350,000, he said. He said he and his brother expect to be able to break even on their investment in about eight years.

As an effort to support local business, Planet Subaru used only local contractors, from Rockland-based Lighthouse Electrical, a union contractor, which was hired to install the system, to Boston-based Satcom, which manufactured the inverter for the solar panels, which were also made in Massachusetts.

Planet Subaru was one of three finalists chosen in 2007 by the National Automobile Dealers Association and USA Today in an annual innovative dealership awards contest. It also received one of eight Energy Star Small Business Awards from the US Environmental Protection Agency, the Morrills said.

Hanover selectmen have been working with Town Manager Troy Clarkson on a list of sustainable goals for the coming year. At the top of the list is finding ways to boost economic development in the town by bringing vital businesses to the Route 53 corridor. Representing her board at Wednesday’s event, Selectwoman Susan Setterland said the launching of Planet Subaru’s solar field was an exciting and great moment for Hanover.

“We really appreciate what they are doing here,’’ she said. “This is the future.”

The Morrills also own another dealership in Franklin but said the roof of that facility must be completely replaced before they can think of adding a solar installation there.

The brothers said they refer to Planet Subaru as an “undealership” because things are rarely completed in a conventional way. What’s evident, though, is a shared commitment to excellence in business and to the planet, Jeff Morrill said.

“If we make it to the end of our lives and say all we did was sell a lot of cars, well, that’s not much of a life,” he said. “There’s something about being able to put your head on the pillow at night and know your life is consistent with your values.’’

Source:http://bostonglobe.com/metro/regionals/south/2012/08/11/solar-powered-subaru-showroom-hanover/012YeUx609KOglIXJpHmPP/story.html

Aging public housing buildings in Annapolis get new solar panels

At one of Annapolis' public housing buildings last week, new solar panels on the roof collected energy to heat hot water for more than two dozen apartments below. Inside, a message scrawled on the wall asked whoever had been urinating in the hallway to knock it off.

It seems an odd juxtaposition — high technology above, reeking hallways below — but the two are directly related. The outdated buildings of the cash-strapped housing authority made them prime targets for a company that has come up with an innovative business plan to capture renewable energy credits by spreading green technology — in this case, installing solar panels on the roofs of two public housing complexes at no charge.

Source:http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2012-08-10/news/bs-md-ar-solar-panels-20120809_1_solar-panels-solar-energy-green-technology

Colored Solar Panels Hit California Market

I really like the dark-blue/black look of solar PV, but I suppose there may be someone that needs a different color, whether for aesthetics, compliance, or branding, etc. Colored Solar is trying to grab a toehold in this market with red, emerald green, forest green, and polished marble panels. In terms of panel efficiency, NREL found there is little performance compromised for a 16%+ efficiency colored 225W panel, according to Colored Solar.

The solar panels have ETL safety certification to UL1703 and a listing by the California Energy Commission, said Colored Solar in a company release.

The Stylish Solar Panels are produced and assembled in the USA and come with a 5-year workmanship and 25-year power warranty. Colored Solar CEO Michael Mrozek said: “Our customers can be comfortable knowing that our panels have been tested to ETL’s respected standards and will meet and qualify for all rebates and tax incentives … our game changing colored solar panels are built to a higher standard.

Source:http://www.jetsongreen.com/2012/08/colored-solar-polycrystalline-silicon-photovoltaic.html

Dubai lights up major solar power plan

Dubai Municipality plans to use solar technology to reduce its consumption of traditionally produced electricity and water by 20 per cent over the next five years.

“[The municipality has] taken a number of initiatives in terms of energy efficiency and conservation,” Nejib Zaafrani, the chief executive of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy (DSCE) said yesterday.

Solar energy plays a part in the efforts to go green and lighting in parks and public places will in future be powered by solar panels.

This year, the municipality has also signed up to a UAE Government programme to retrofit buildings with systems designed to save energy. As part of its overall energy strategy, the DSCE has identified a number of “quick wins” – measures that can easily be implemented to conserve energy and water.

Other Dubai Government entities will join the Municipality with similar efforts.

“We’re moving to a wider space in energy savings by implementing energy conservation measures,” said Mr Zaafrani. Dubai has managed to curb the rising costs of utility provision by drawing up a programme to moderate the consumption of electricity and water.

Deterred mainly by the resultant hefty increases in utility bills, Dubai residents have reduced their use of both.

This has enabled the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) to postpone the construction of a large-scale power plant, the 1,500 megawatt Hassyan project.

Dubai relies entirely on imports to meet its requirements for natural gas – the primary fuel for power plants in the region.

The emirate is forced to import expensive liquefied natural gas to meet spiralling demand during the summer and is passing on the additional cost to consumers in the form of a fuel surcharge.

To reduce the dependence on fossil fuels, the DSCE in January announced plans for the 1,000MW Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park.

This renewable energy facility is due to be completed by 2030.

Source:http://www.eco-business.com/news/dubai-lights-up-major-solar-power-plan/

4 Green Technologies to Make Your Busy Business More Eco-Friendly

Operating your business in an eco-friendly manner is good for all aspects of trade. Implementing a greener ethos not only helps the environment but it also helps your bottom line. Streamlining your practices using an ecologist approach means you are cutting down on your waste; there for your company spend. There has been a lot of research put into the best, most ecologically friendly business practices and the research really has yielded some important break-throughs. If you are considering going for a green business philosophy think not only about your bottom line but the fact that you will be lowing your carbon foot print there for setting a really great example for your peers and boosting your brand image in a positive manner. Here are some of the top opportunities for introducing green technologies within your business:


Wind

As with many green technologies you will have to pay an initial cost for the installation of turbines for wind power but you have to speculate to accumulate! The truth is, a wind turbine will usually pay for itself in around 5 year, after which it’s clear sailing on the energy front. The turbine will be connected to your building and the national grid, this way you can switch seamlessly between exporting electricity when the turbine is generating and importing green electricity when the wind isn’t blowing.
Solar

Again, you will have to shell out for the initial installation of solar panels but as they have no moving parts and are easily installed on any building, solar panels require very little maintenance therefor are one of the most cost effective methods of green technology around. Solar panels are emission and noise free, don’t cause much of an aesthetic issue with any building and can be installed safely and securely on most building structures.
Biomass

Biomass may be one of the more obscure methods of renewable energy but can produce both heat and electricity for big buildings. Generally biomass fuel is generated by the direct combustion of organically grown materials that have been harvested over the last couple of years. Companies who install biomass boilers such as Dulas offer a wide variety of Biomass systems which are perfect for powering large building in a green way.
Hydro

Hydro energy technology is one of the oldest renewable energy sources and has been in use for many years. The use of dams and dykes to harness the power of free falling water is in common use in many countries across the world. If you are thinking of using hydro to power your business there are many companies out there who will give you advice on your options.

Source:http://www.greenerideal.com/lifestyle/0808-4-green-technologies-to-make-your-busy-business-more-eco-friendly/

Solar investment 'still worthwhile' despite tariff cuts

More than 7,000 solar panels installed on the roof of Promens Packaging's in Beccles, Suffolk; Credit: © Lightsource Renewable Energy

Leading fund management specialist Octopus Investment says it is still worth investing in solar projects, despite the latest cuts in solar tariffs.

Anyone installing solar panels now receives 16p for every kilowatt hour of electricity generated through solar feed-in tariffs (FiT), 5p less than before and the subsidy lasts for 20 years instead of 25 years.

Octopus' Green Energy department says although the full impact of FiT is yet to be revealed, there is still a compelling case for alternative energy investment.

In partnership with Lightsource Renewable Energy, Britain's biggest solar energy provider, Octopus has generated investment of around £300 million for UK developments since 2011, making it one of the biggest solar investors in the country.

Octopus investment manager Kat Johnston says, "The first of August deadline is a milestone, but it doesn't spell the end for the solar energy sector. Far from it. The reduction in FiT rates was inevitable given that solar technology is getting cheaper. We think that solar still has a great future and remains a key part of the UK's renewable energy commitment.

"Octopus has worked hard over the last eighteen months to support the Government's commitment to renewable energy. It is now a rapidly growing market that is positively impacting the economy, including creating opportunities for UK smaller businesses."

Given its success in the solar energy sector, Octopus Investments is aiming to work on renewable energy generation and efficiency projects in other sectors.

Octopus recently teamed up with Geothermal International, which is installing ground source heat pumps in selected Sainsbury supermarket sites. Many more UK companies and organisations are looking to introduce green energy initiatives due to the Government's aim to boost renewable energy to 15% of the national total by 2020.

Octopus Investments' expert staff combine their experience in renewables with their fundraising ability in Enterprise Investment, Venture Capital Trust and Inheritance Tax Service products. This enables investors in UK renewable energy projects to take advantage of attractive, stable returns, sector subsidies and help boost the country's reliance on green power, it says.

Among Octopus and Lightsource's other large UK solar power schemes is one at the home to the BBC TV Top Gear racetrack, Dunsfold Park, Surrey.

London-based Octopus says it will go on developing sites that will gain benefits from FiTs and will also back investments in other renewables projects.

Lightsource Renewable Energy specialises in taking unused buildings and land and completing projects to create electricity using solar power. Lightsource is not connected with a solar energy supplier, but has all the skills to complete PV schemes.

Once a lease is agreed, it aims to complete each solar energy project within three months, including planning and construction.

Typically from entering into a lease agreement with a roof/land owner, we expect to have an operational solar energy project within 3 months. This includes the planning process and construction of the project.

Twelve months after Lightsource Renewable Energy installed 7,000 solar panels at Promens Packaging in Beccles, Suffolk (top image) - the UK's largest rooftop solar installation - the project has produced 1.2 million Kilowatt hours of renewable energy.

Lightsource leased the roof area and installed the solar panels for free. Promens Packaging has cut its electricity costs by £50,000 in the first year through buying cheaper renewable power from Lightsource. It generated 1.2GWh, used 970 MWh and sold 191 MWh to the national grid and hopes to do even better over the next 12 months.

Source:http://www.earthtimes.org/business/solar-investment-tariff-cuts/2114/

The Future of Solar Energy

Concentrating Solar Thermal Power- a first generation technology, but now with the ability to concentrate solar power using parabolic trough plates unrestricted by scarce material availability, with rare earths and silvered mirrors replaced by common commodities such as stainless steel, aluminium and glass.

The Director of the Future Planet Research Centre- David Hunter Tow predicts that recent advances in solar technology may be sufficient to shift the balance from fossil to renewable energy just in time to save humanity from a likely heat death.

Solar technology is about to take off and may finally be on the threshold of displacing a large chunk of fossil fuel dependancy.

This is very good news indeed- for humans, life on Earth and possibly the Universe at large if we are the only super intelligent life form that calls it home.

Just as it seemed that the mega fossil fuel producers of coal, natural gas and oil would drive Planet Earth over the carbon cliff, major improvements in the efficiency of solar power, in tandem with advances in the sustainability of homes, workplaces and cities, has at last opened a small window of opportunity to reverse the slide to oblivion.

The solar energy absorbed by the earth’s oceans, atmosphere and land in less than two hours is more than the total energy the world uses in a year, and is twice as much as will ever be extracted from its fossil resources. The Sun therefore not only rises every day, but every day provides the means for possible salvation.

And just in time, as the planet teeters on the brink of ecosystem collapse.

A massive surge in research and innovation has pushed solar energy to the point where crossover from fossil to renewable energy is feasible, at least for most domestic, transport and light industrial applications, within the next few years.

Panic about the world’s prognosis hasn’t quite set in yet but it’s getting close, with geo-engineering trials already beginning. These involve for example the spraying of chemicals into the atmosphere to reflect sunlight to cool the earth. But the risks are high, including the possibility of reducing global rainfall and causing further damage to the ozone layer, thus threatening food supplies to billions of people and in addition allowing high polluting industries to continue to free ride, causing further irrevocable damage.

A State of the Future Report just released, with contributions by 2700 experts backed by UNESCO and the World Bank, presents another grim vision of the shortages and violence that will certainly eventuate if a solution is not found; as does the latest projections of extreme weather events by the UN International Panel for Climate Change.

With half the world facing poverty, pandemics, unemployment and violence due to scarce water, food and energy supplies, rapid climate change will be the biggest crisis the world has ever faced. But on the positive side it might also offer the incentive for humanity to become more ethically responsible in its future management of the planet, investing in the next generation of greener technologies, with Governments cooperating to achieve permanent economic sustainability, democratisation and eventually peace.

But in the meantime the situation is becoming dire and according to projections a tipping point is fast approaching. Carbon levels have reached 400 ppm in the Arctic, the same as 3 million years ago during the Pliocene era, so it’s not just a matter of short term natural variability. CO2 emissions have increased in 2011 by 3% above 2010 levels, but emissions need to decline by 3% per year to have any chance of stabilising global warming, so that by 2050 they can be at 50% of present levels.

This will be an extremely difficult goal to reach. By 2015 India and China will both have outstripped the US in energy consumption by a large margin and although making progress on the renewables front are still totally dependent on fossil fuels.

But there’s no choice about making the switch if humans are to survive. The US has just experienced one of the most extreme droughts and heat waves in its history. This is leading to massive grain and fresh water shortages globally, while at the same time putting major strains on existing electricity grid infrastructure and fuel dependency- a pattern becoming more common across the world, particularly in the developing counties of Africa and Asia.

Recently the combined strain of an expanding consumer population and a bad monsoon season, plus the high cost of imported fuel and a dysfunctional grid system, caused a rolling blackout affecting 600 million people in India – over half its population. Only the use of expensive diesel generators kept essential services such as hospitals, schools, banks and communication centres operational.

Current breakthroughs in renewable energy, particularly solar, are therefore essential. Right now with concerted action, solar plants could be built to more than meet projected electricity demand in the future, but it won’t happen quickly, because of deeply entrenched fossil fuel dependencies.

But on the bright side a number of industrial baseload energy projects are already under development including-

Desertec –part of the Great African Grid- a proof of concept project based in Morocco, aiming to supply 15% of Europe’s energy from the solar power of the Saharan desert, initially to Germany, but longer term with 56 partners from 15 countries.

Medgrid- another North African project linking solar and wind farms, with 20GW of generating capacity of which 5GW would be exported to Europe.

These and other renewable energy projects would in turn become components of a future European SuperGrid, channelling renewable energy across North Africa, the Middle East and Europe; serving as the backbone of a larger European SuperSmart Grid

A more futuristic concept is being planned by the Japanese, aiming to create the Lunar Ring project on the moon, maintained by robots, using superconducting cables to channel power from reflected sunlight to transmission centres and a receiving station near the earth’s equator for distribution to cities and towns.

At the same time, countries such as China and Germany are leading the charge in solar technology manufacturing as well as other renewables such as wind. China leads the market in green economy products such as solar cells with a huge push to reduce carbon intensity- the ratio of CO2 levels to GDP.

Germany already generates 4% of its energy from solar power. On a sunny day this can increase to over 35%, including energy from a million solar panels on houses, buildings and the sides of highways- more solar panels than rest of world combined.

Even in Saudi Arabia, the largest exporter of crude oil, the tide is turning. It produces 8.3 million barrels of crude oil daily- half consumed by the domestic market and its industries. Domestic demand will double by 2028 which would compromise lucrative export capacity. The alternative is to substitute gas for utilities. But with gas currently subsidised to 15 cents a litre it is battling to balance a high standard of living for its population and long term energy security.

It has therefore Announced a $109 billion plan to create a solar industry based on thermal concentrated solar power-CSP, to generate a third of the nation’s electricity by 2032, focussing the sun with mirrors to drive turbines and storing the energy in molten salt. With this technology the Saudis could export solar energy for next twenty centuries.

Saudi Arabia also has lots of sand rich in silicon, needed to make high quality polysilicon solar cells and has already announced partnerships with Germany and South Korea to produce up to 10,000 tonnes of extra pure polysilicon for solar cell production per year.

Despite the doomsayers, transition to a green energy regime would not reduce overall energy sector employment. The global renewables sector currently employs 5 million workers. This is estimated to increase to 30 million within two decades.

But as well as breakthroughs in technology, a major driver for adoption of renewables is the shift towards sustainable architectures for urban living. The recent advances in solar technologies referred to below, are ideally placed to support this evolution.

The transition within cities will take the form of small self-sufficient interconnected neighbourhoods, within walking or cycling distance of essential service centres. These will provide the full range of communication, education, work, health, leisure and social resources. Local transport systems will utilise advanced battery or hydrogen cell electric power technology using sunlight to split water, which will continue to improve energy density outputs.

Within ten years the impact of global warming will dominate city planning. Buildings will be designed to conserve energy, with surfaces utilising flexible thin film and organic solar panels. In addition, high growth public gardens, green belts and mini-parks will generate cooling air-flows and most surfaces will be utilised to collect runoff water to support sustainable horticulture. Efficiency and recycling savings of the order of 30% on today’s levels will be available from the application of smart adaptive technologies in power grids, communication, distribution and transport networks, manufacturing plants and consumer households. Garbage will be totally recycled, with organic waste generating significant levels of methane energy for local heating and power grid usage. Excess capacity will be fed to the major power grids, providing a constant re-balancing of energy supply across the world.

The new solar technologies are now positioned to mesh with this revolution and include advances in the following areas -

Photovoltaics – Solar photovoltaic thermal systems that can generate both heat and electricity- using amorphous silicon cells, both cheaper and with 10% greater electric output than existing crystal silicon cells. In addition low cost, high efficiency solar cells can now be tailored from any common semiconductor material such as metal oxides and sulphides. Such cells also have the potential to convert 28% of sunlight into electricity using a new technique of photon recycling.

Solar cell advances- with active layers made from carbon nano-materials having the same advantages as polymer based cells. They are flexible, tuneable and photo-stable. Advances in organic solar cells that can split particles in the polymer layer have also been achieved. These are not as efficient as inorganic solar cells but much more cost effective.

Concentrating Solar Thermal Power- a first generation technology, but now with the ability to concentrate solar power using parabolic trough plates unrestricted by scarce material availability, with rare earths and silvered mirrors replaced by common commodities such as stainless steel, aluminium and glass.

Solar Film Surface Coatings- solar power generating surface coatings using nanotechnology- allowing windows and glazed surfaces to be used as luminescent solar concentrators, with thin films absorbing sunlight and directing it to narrow solar cells at the perimeter of windows. Such surface coatings can also be used on the glazed facades of office blocks and houses. Film coatings can even be wrapped over vehicles and buildings to gain maximum sun exposure. This is a less expensive and toxic method than using non-film materials. Polymer plastic cling film solar cells that use flexible layers deposited over large areas can also be applied to produce efficient solar structures.

Printing and paint-on solar panels- ultra cheap solar energy panels for domestic and industrial using can be created using high volume printing methods, producing nanoscale films of solar cells 1000 time thinner than width of human hair. Also paint-on solar cells, using quantum dot nanoparticles of titanium dioxide painted on the outside of homes or buildings can be used to power appliances and equipment inside.

Artificial Photosynthesis- this technology mimics the natural process in plants and bacteria, converting sunlight into energy by splitting water molecules into Hydrogen and Oxygen creating free protons and electrons. Plants achieve 95% efficiency compared to 10-15% in human photovoltaic cells. Quantum effects have been discovered in first stage of plant photosynthesis, allowing different pigment molecules responsible for absorbing energy carried by light to be excited by a single photon simultaneously.

Optimised photosynthesis can be achieved by learning the deep secrets from plants and marine algae, which have natural antenna- complexes composed of chlorophyll to route the flow of energy using principles of quantum mechanics.

The above advances in solar power generation portend economies of scale, efficiency and cost that will soon begin to challenge the economics of fossil fuels, supporting commercial application, quite apart from the small issue of saving humanity from a Venusian future.
The sun has always been the dominant driver of new life for all civilisations- ancient and modern. Now it is being asked to apply its awesome power to allow 21st century life to survive. The question is – can the sun rise fast enough to save its planetary offspring?

Source:http://www.evwind.es/2012/08/05/the-future-of-solar-energy/

Solar firm adapting to increasing pace of renewables industry

BUSINESSES from far and wide have signed up to an energy-saving event that will showcase the latest in green technology.

As reported, the Green Energy In Grimsby: What It Means To You event will be held at the Grimsby Institute's University Centre on Friday

The event is being held by Humber-based PR and marketing firm Footprint Renewables and supported by Grimsby and Scunthorpe Media Group.

DAS Solar is the latest company to sign up to the event.

Zoe Short, the manager of the Mansfield-based company, believes that green energy is now more accessible than ever.

She said: "There was a time, not that long ago, when green energy was the preserve of either the very wealthy or the very worthy.

"All that has changed for two reasons – firstly the technology around energy saving has got more efficient. Take solar panels – the type we now install at DAS are vastly superior and more powerful than the ones used even as recently as three years ago.

"Secondly, the price of energy has rocketed this past decade and has hit the purse and wallet of the ordinary family hard.

"The days of cheap energy are gone for good which makes using less, and even generating your own, infinitely more attractive.

"Having played a key part in making the digital switchover happen in the world of TV, the energy sector was the natural place for DAS to move into – we have essentially swapped one technological revolution for another.

"Our mix of installation and engineering expertise coupled with the buying power we wield as a major wholesaler, too, puts us in a unique position to be able to help homes and businesses alike benefit from the savings it's now possible to make.

"Events like Footprint Renewables' Green Energy in Grimsby are fantastic ways of spreading the word and the organisers are to be commended. I hope the venue is packed to the rafters because in these hard times people need to know just how much they can save by using the right energy products."

The event will showcase a variety of new technologies that will help reduce the country's carbon footprint and lower utility bills.

Information on energy saving light bulbs, heat pumps and solar panels will be available as well as physical examples of the equipment.

Andrew Morton, account director of Footprint Renewables, said: "We've seen a very positive response to the Green Energy In Grimsby event.

"This reflects the huge potential Grimsby and northern Lincolnshire offers the renewables industry and also the need to inform more people about this sometimes confusing topic."

Source:http://www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk/Solar-firm-adapting-increasing-pace-renewables/story-16648084-detail/story.html

Sunderland school friends set up solar power firm

TWO pals brought the power of the sun to a pensioners’ charity.

Lee Steabler and Shaun Lavender were best buddies during their time at Farringdon School, but lost touch for more than 25 years.

But a chance meeting at a friend’s night out led to them becoming business partners in a green energy scheme.

Now the pair are helping to slash fuel bills at Age UK in Sunderland.

Lee, from Biddick in Washington, and Shaun, from Durham, fitted £4,500-worth of solar panels at the charity’s base in Stockton Road.

Before their paths crossed, the friends’ had followed very different careers.

Lee, 43, went into the roofing business and trained as an electrician, while Shaun joined the Army, then Durham Constabulary, before working as a security consultant in the Middle East.

Now the friends have teamed up to supply and fit green energy solutions, including solar panels, wind turbines and air/ground source heat pumps as Roof Trust Renewables.

Shaun, 47, said: “We met up after all those years at a mutual friend’s night out, and I explained to Lee that I’d been looking for a business opportunity to develop when I left my role in the Middle East.

“Lee recognised that my skills in planning, marketing and business development perfectly complimented his practical work and trade experience, so we’ve both concentrated our efforts on getting the business up and running.”

One of Lee’s first tasks was to prove to an industry certification scheme that his skills were good enough to gain accreditation.

“I was going to fit the solar panels to my home, but a friend of mine who is involved with the charity Age UK Sunderland, based at Bradbury House, mentioned they had high fuel bills and were looking at renewable energy options,” he explained.

“I thought that it was much more sensible to have my assessment done there as it would benefit so many people.”

Charity director, Alan Patchett was delighted with the work.

He said: “Age UK Sunderland is very grateful to Roof Trust Renewables for donating and installing the solar panel for us.

“We look forward to benefiting from the energy saving and income it will generate.”

Source:http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/business/latest-news/sunderland-school-friends-set-up-solar-power-firm-1-4799308

Beccles: Promens Packaging’s solar power generation hits the roof

One year ago, 7,000 solar panels were installed on the roof of Promens Packaging’s plant in Beccles by Lightsource Renewable Energy, which leased the roof space from the firm and installed the PV panels free of charge.

In return, Promens has benefited from substantial savings on its energy costs because it has been able to run a significant part of its operations on the much cheaper ‘green’ electricity it buys from Lightsource.

Promens engineering manager Adrian Banks said they were “very pleased” they accepted the idea when they were approached by Lightsource.

“From July 2011 to the end of June this year we have generated 1.2 GWh, utilised 970 MWh, exported to the grid the remaining 191 MWh and in the process saving us over £50,000.00 on our electricity bill. These are clearly significant figures and we would expect the benefit to increase further over the next 12 months, especially with energy tariffs going up.”

He added: “I think it has put out a very positive message to our staff and customers alike.” Lightsource CEO Nick Boyle said: “It’s remarkable what can be achieved in such a short time and we’re proud to have made a significant difference in reducing energy bills.

Mr Banks said: “It’s difficult to say if business has been won as a direct consequence, but our greener credentials certainly impress when customers visit our site and see our aerial photos. 2011, we adopted the idea of the solar installation very quickly – a decision that we’re very pleased we made.”

Source:http://www.eadt.co.uk/business/beccles_promens_packaging_s_solar_power_generation_hits_the_roof_1_1467851

UK cuts feed-in tariff for solar panels

The UK's solar industry maintained it has a sunny outlook on Wednesday despite dull summer weather and fresh cuts to the feed-in tariff subsidy for solar panels.

From today, anyone installing solar panels will receive 16p per kilowatt hour of electricity generated, compared with 21p previously, and will receive the subsidy for 20 years instead of the 25-year duration that was formerly available.

But even that substantial cut, announced by the Department of Energy and Climate Change in May, still leaves solar panels as a good investment, the industry said. Households and businesses installing the panels can still make a return on investment of about 9%, which is better than domestic customers receive from most banks or standard investment opportunities.

Paul Barwell, chief excecutive of the Solar Trade Association, said: "Our figures show that solar is a no-brainer investment. Compared to the returns you can get these days in banks and many other investments, solar provides a very solid and attractive return. That is particularly the case if you consider energy bills are rising faster than anyone expected. Solar gives people the opportunity to take control of their electricity bills and help us move away from damaging fossil-fuel dependence."

There was a small sweetener to the tariff cut that will reduce its impact: previously, power exported to the grid by households attracted a tariff of 3.2p per kwh, but now that will be increased to 4.5p.

The STA has calculated that, including ongoing maintenance costs but excluding inflation, a typical 4kw installation costing £8,000 would yield a return on investment of 11.8% a year under the old FIT, while an identical system installed today would yield 9.2% a year on the investment, if run for the equipment's likely useful lifetime of 25 years. However, the trade body warned that returns would vary widely among households, depending on location and their domestic energy use – more energy used in the home would mean less to export to the grid.

Over the past two years, more than 1GW of solar generating capacity has been installed across the country, equivalent to a large power station.

Wednesday's tariff cut was the follow-up to last year's much more drastic cut from the original 43p pkwh to 21p, which left the industry reeling and cut the number of installations from about 27,000 a month to about 12,000 a month. But despite the upheaval the sudden initial cut caused, job losses and a blow to investor certainty, the industry has recovered as the cost of producing the panels has come down and households have continued to see a reasonable return on their investment in solar power.

Robert Goss, UK managing director of the solar manufacturer Conergy, said: "Unlike last year, where big tariff reductions encouraged booms in solar installations, the 1 August reduction has had less impact. Whether this is down to consumers being more cautious, tighter lending from the banks, or because payback times are only being postponed by a year or so, remains to be seen."

But he added that the government would need to do more with large scale solar installations, which fall under a different subsidy system, to meet its target of a 22GW capacity by the end of the decade. He said: "Where daytime power generation offers instant returns, such as on office roofs, factories, in schools and hospitals, the business case is already strong. For large scale projects, the coalition should seek to resolve its differences on [large scale renewable subsidies] to avoid the boom-and-bust we had with feed-in-tariffs."

Andrew Lee, general manager for solar at Sharp, which makes solar panels in the UK, said the subsidies fall was broadly being matched by reductions in the cost of production of panels. He predicted that in future the subsidies would not be needed as the price drop would be on par with fossil fuel generation. "We will maintain a dialogue with the government to continue moving solar forward and instil confidence in the sector. The UK solar market has been through a turbulent 18 months but, through innovating and adapting, the industry is well placed to grow," he said.

But he said solar power was "unlikely to occupy more than a niche position in the energy sector as a whole even if investors and developers are still able to generate adequate returns".

Tom Pakenham, founder of the electric vehicle cab company Green Tomato, and its offshoot Green Tomato Energy, which specialises in low-carbon home improvement, said: "Any reduction in solar installations caused by tariff cuts is short-sighted, because the return on investment is still excellent, with greater than 5% easily achievable, even after the August 1 reduction. People should be being encouraged to 'green' their homes, with a real, visible return on their investment, but people are unnecessarily becoming disenchanted with solar power because there has been so much uncertainty. In reality, it can still be a very good deal."

The solar industry in the UK was still a good proposition for the financial markets, said Tomas Freyman, valuations director at BDO LLP. "[Renewable energy] is a sector that will only grow and attract capital - $260bn(£166bn) was invested in clean energy globally in 2011. The energy mix will continue to change, especially when the global economy begins to grow again which will place further upward pressure on energy prices and the greater need to seek more reliable, low-carbon energy sources."

Source:http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/aug/01/solar-panel-feed-in-tariff-cut?newsfeed=true