UTILITIES GO SOLAR

Big utilities enter market for small rooftop solar

Ray Henry and Susan Montoya, September 28, 2015 (Philadelphia Inquirer)

“Traditional power companies are getting into small-scale solar energy and competing for space on your rooftop…The emerging competition comes as utilities and smaller solar installers fight over the future of the U.S. energy system. While the market for residential solar power remains a financial drop in the bucket for a big utility, the installation of solar panels overall grew by more than 50 percent in 2014 and is on track for another record-breaking year at time when the traditional utility business is pretty flat…These moves may have a range of effects for customers. The utilities experimenting in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan and Texas could make solar more affordable for average consumers by energizing competition and driving down prices…Smaller solar companies fear the incumbents will use their power to drive competitors from the market…These experimental programs are one part of a bigger, years long battle between the solar industry and utilities…” click here for more

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WIND COMES TO THE SOUTH

Recognizing North Carolina’s wind-energy potential

Harvey Seim, September 28, 2015 (The News & Observer)

“Earlier this summer, the online retailer Amazon announced its plans for a large-scale wind energy facility in northeastern North Carolina. The $400 million project will include 104 wind turbines and generate the equivalent of electricity needed to power 61,000 homes annually. The project expects to be operational in late 2016 and represents the first of its kind in the state and the South…For land-based wind projects, the future is clearly now. The project also illustrates the significant wind resources available in North Carolina – both on land and offshore. While an offshore wind farm may not be in the state’s immediate future, recent policy developments and ongoing research confirming the significant potential of offshore wind resources continue the momentum for offshore sites down the road…” click here for more

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BUILDING EFFICIENCY ADVANCES

Leading Global Real Estate Companies Mark Sixth Year of Improved Sustainability; ULI Greenprint Center Releases Building Performance Report; Shows Reductions in Energy and Carbon Emissions in Properties Worldwide

September 29, 2015 (Urban Land Institute)

“Over the past year, global real estate firms have reduced energy consumption in buildings by the equivalent of almost 280,000 barrels of oil and cut carbon emissions by the equivalent of removing 25,000 cars from the road, according to…Greenprint Performance Report: Volume 6…[It] shows that some of the world’s leading real estate firms are on track to reach Greenprint’s overall goal of reducing building emissions and energy consumption by 50 percent by 2030…Between 2013-2014, ULI Greenprint members have successfully reduced overall energy use and emissions: 3.3 percent reduction in energy consumption…2.7 percent reduction in carbon emissions…2.0 percent reduction in electricity…1.9 percent reduction in water use…These reductions are equivalent to: 277,856 barrels of oil not consumed…25,153 cars taken off the road…10,901 homes not consuming energy…3,063,538 trees planted 58,211 metric tons of coal not burned…” click here for more

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THE ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE DENYING PARTY IN THE WORLD

Why Are Republicans the Only Climate-Science-Denying Party in the World?

Jonathan Chait, September 27, 2015 (New York Magazine)

“…Of all the major conservative parties in the democratic world, the Republican Party stands alone in its denial of the legitimacy of climate science. Indeed, the Republican Party stands alone in its conviction that no national or international response to climate change is needed. To the extent that the party is divided on the issue, the gap separates candidates who openly dismiss climate science as a hoax, and those who, shying away from the political risks of blatant ignorance, instead couch their stance in the alleged impossibility of international action…[Sondre Båtstrand’s new paper] studies the climate-change positions of electoral manifestos for the conservative parties in nine democracies, and finds the GOP truly stands apart…[T]he influence of the fossil-fuel industry alone cannot explain the right’s brick-wall opposition…Nor can a fealty to free-market theory…It is the nature of long-standing arrangements to dull our sense of the peculiar, to make the bizarre seem ordinary. From a global standpoint, the entire Republican Party has lost its collective mind.” click here for more

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BARRIERS TO APPLE’S EV

3 Hurdles for Apple Inc's Electric Car; Apple may be working on its own car, but it won't come without some major challenges.

Chris Neiger, September 28, 2015 (The Motley Fool)

“Rumors of Apple's alleged electric car are on the rise…[A launch date of 2019 was recently reported]. But the road to an Apple Car release may be a long and arduous one…While Apple has enjoyed high margins on its devices, the automotive industry is not so lucrative. Even luxury automaker Porsche's operating profit percentages fall far below Apple's. And then there's the long product cycle development of autos, the strict government safety regulations, and the punishingly slow battery technology improvements…Of course, Apple and its $203 billion in cash could overcome these hurdles, but at this point, it's anything but proven that the iPhone maker can make it in the automotive business…” click here for more

3 Hurdles for Apple's Electric Car from The Motley Fool

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HUGE BOOM DUE IN NEW ENERGY STORAGE

Energy Storage for Renewables Integration; Market and Technology Issues, Business Cases, Key Industry Players, and Market Forecasts for Energy Storage Systems for Renewable Energy Integration

3Q 2015 (Navigant Research)

“The fastest-growing renewable energy markets continue to be solar PV and wind…[Increased penetrations of variable] generation present challenges to the electrical grid, which was designed using a centralized model with predictable power flows…[They] can cause distortions in the energy market and instability on the grid…[They also present] opportunities for energy storage systems (ESSs) situated either at the distribution grid or behind the meter…While system costs are still one of the biggest barriers to the industry’s growth, declining prices and a flood of new systems integrators are opening up new use cases and geographic markets. According to Navigant Research, global new installed energy storage systems for renewable energy integration (ESRI) power capacity is expected to grow from 196.2 MW in 2015 to 12.7 GW in 2025…” click here for more

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MORE SCIENCE AGREEMENT ON CLIMATE

Study: Most Non-Climate Scientists Agree on Global Warming Too

Justin Worland, September 27, 2015 (Time)

“…Supporters of policies to address man-made climate change are quick to cite research showing 97% of climate scientists believe that humans are contributing to global warming…[New research now shows] nearly 92% of biophysical scientists [in fields like biology, chemistry and physics] surveyed believe that human activity has contributed to global warming. Nearly 94% said they believe global temperatures are rising…The study’s design specifically addresses the belief that scientists who are skeptical of climate change come from fields outside of climate science. The new research weakens that argument…The consensus among scientists on climate change stands in sharp contrast to the views of the general public in the United States. Less than two-thirds of Americans believe change is happening. And only 40% believe it’s caused by humans…” click here for more

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CALIFORNIA TO FLOAT WIND

Wind-energy company eyes waters off Morro Bay for floating turbines

Stephanie Finucane, September 26, 2015 (Fresno Bee)

“In a generation or two, offshore wind farms could be as common along the California coast as offshore oil rigs are today…Trident Winds LLC has approached the city of Morro Bay with a proposal to install about 100 floating turbines 15 miles offshore. It’s a 1,000-megawatt project that would produce enough energy to power 150,000 households. The turbines would rise 360 to 400 feet above sea level, would cover about 63 square miles and would be spaced about half-a-mile apart…A transmission cable would run from the wind farm through [an existing oil] pipeline and on to the Morro Bay Power Plant switchyard, which is connected to the state power grid…Morro Bay was chosen both for its constant offshore winds and because the existing infrastructure minimizes the onshore work that would be required…[Because cost and environmental issues are involved,] it could take as long as five years to make it through California’s permitting process…” click here for more

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OIL GUY LIKES SOLAR

Why an oil guy believes solar has a big future

Scott Nyquist, September 26, 2015 (Fortune)

“…I’m an oil guy…But I am also bullish on solar…There is no contradiction here. The point of energy is to move people around the world, to keep us warm (and cool), and to power an industrial economy that has created more wealth in the last 150 years, by far, than in any other time…There are lots of ways to provide energy. Which technology makes sense at any given time is a matter of geography, economics, and policies. And what I am seeing is that solar is building potential on all three dimensions, for three reasons…It is getting cheaper and better…Public support is steady…[and] Sun-rich countries are getting serious. This matters because solar obviously has the most low-cost potential in places that get a lot of sun…[A]s costs come down, a number of developing countries are seeing solar as a realistic option… [I do not believe] the end of fossil fuels is nigh…There is room for both; in fact, there is a need for both.”click here for more

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CLIMATE FACTS AND THE REPUBLICANS

Republicans Got One Question About Climate Change At The Debate, And Totally Screwed It Up

Emily Atkin, September 16, 2015 (ClimateProgress)

“…[CNN’s Republican presidential debate had one question about] human-caused climate change. The answers went on for about three minutes before debate moderator Jake Tapper abruptly changed the topic…The question, though, was framed in an interesting way: Ronald Reagan’s own secretary of state, George Shultz, has advocated for some kind of action on climate change, just as an ‘insurance policy.’ Tapper asked, why not follow Reagan’s example…Three candidates responded: Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. All three argued that nothing should be done by the American government to combat the problem…[and] all three also backed up their argument using a factually murky claim: that government efforts to combat climate change won’t do anything to solve the problem…[But] it’s just untrue — carbon regulations will make a difference…[and] unilaterally solving global warming was never the intention of carbon regulations. The intention was to do our part, thereby motivating other countries to do theirs…” click here for more

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SOLAR PLUS STORAGE COMING SOON

Why storing solar energy and using it at night is closer than you think

Chris Mooney, September 16, 2015 (Washington Post)

“…2015 has seen several key announced, completed, or experimental grid-scale projects pairing batteries and solar photovoltaic panels…SolarCity — which is chaired by Tesla CEO Elon Musk — has just announced plans to bring precisely this combo to Hawaii, a state that continues to lead the way when it comes to the adoption of solar and batteries, thanks to its towering electricity costs, which are the highest in the nation…SolarCity will provide 20 years of power from a 52-megawatt-hour battery installation that will be able to send as many as 13 megawatts of electricity [from a Kauaʻi Island Utility Cooperative solar array]to the island’s grid [during evening’s peak demand]…Once that happens, solar energy will be no longer confined to simply being used when the sun is shining…But pairing energy storage with solar arrays is happening in other places, too, albeit at somewhat smaller scales…Energy storage overall is a small market but set to grow quickly…[and] once we break through this barrier, the consequences could be transformative…” click here for more

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NEW MILITARY SALUTE TO NEW ENERGY

Military is going big on solar, wind energy

Joby Warrick, September 21, 2015 (Washington Post)

“…[The Kings Bay Naval Base solar installation is] only the latest in a series of newly announced solar projects, part of a military-wide renewable-energy binge that has been gaining intensity in recent months. From Florida to California, defense officials are signing contracts with local utilities for huge solar and wind ventures inside military bases or on land nearby…The Pentagon said it is seeking to generate its own power in part to enhance energy security at a time when traditional electric grids are under the threat of cyberattack. But because of their sheer size, the projects are unavoidably affecting energy markets elsewhere in the country, driving down costs for renewables and dampening the demand for power plants that burn natural gas or coal…Last month, the Navy signed a deal to build a [210 MW solar project in the Arizona that] will generate a third of the electricity used by 14 Navy and Marine Corps bases in the western United States…[The Navy is on track] to supply half of the electricity for all its domestic military bases…” click here for more

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SOCALEDISON, SOLARCITY TO STUDY AGGREGATED NEW ENERGY

SolarCity launches smart home pilot project in California

John Parnell, 11 September 2015 PV Tech

Southern California Edison (SCE), one of the state’s dominant investor owned utilities, will partner with SolarCity, the leading U.S. residential solar installer, and SunSpec Alliance, the solar industry’s interoperability standards organization, on a 50 home aggregated distributed energy resources (DERs) pilot project in SCE territory. The objective of the study is to determine the degree to which aggregated DERs can offer reliability benefits to the California Independent System Operator (CAISO)-run electricity market. click here for more

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NEW ENERGY MARCHING ON THE SOUTH

Alabama Power parent to buy second wind farm

Byron E. Small, September 9, 2015 Birmingham Business Journal

Southern Power, the unregulated subsidiary of Southeastern electric utility powerhouse Southern Company, will add 151 MW more Oklahoma wind energy to its portfolio with its purchase of the Apex Clean Energy-developed Grant Wind project. This purchase continues Southern Company utilities’ turn toward renewables. Earlier this year, Southern Power announced its purchase of the Apex Clean Energy-developed 299 MW Kay Wind facility in Oklahoma. The Grant Wind project acquisition brings Southern Power’s renewables capacity and pipeline to over 1,100 MW, including seven solar projects in partnership with Turner Renewable Energy and one solar project in partnership with First Solar. Southern Company subsidiary Alabama Power recently won Alabama Public Service Commission (PSC) approval for the procurement of up to 500 MW of renewables and currently gets 404 MW of wind power from two Oklahoma wind projects. Southern Company subsidiary Gulf Power recently purchased 180 MW from Oklahoma’s Kingfisher Wind project and has proposed 120 MW of solar development in partnership with the Air Force and Navy. Southern Company subsidiary Georgia Power has a 20 year PPA for 250 MW from Oklahoma’s Blue Canyon II and Blue Canyon VI wind projects and recently announced it would enter the rooftop solar business through an unregulated subsidiary. click here for more

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WYOMING WIND HELD BACK BY LACK OF LINES

Wind power, booming nationally, grinds to a halt in Wyoming

Benjamin Storrow, September 5, 2015 Casper Star Tribune

The installed price of new wind in the U.S. is now competitive with new coal and new natural gas installations, the wind industry has built about one-third of all new U.S. generation capacity since 2007, and the DOE forecasts it can be 20% of the U.S. power mix by 2020, but Wyoming has added no new capacity since 2010. Experts say Wyoming, one of the most wind-rich states, remains largely undeveloped because regulatory issues are unsettled and transmission projects that could deliver wind-generated electricity to power-hungry load centers continue to face permitting and financing obstacles. The unsubsidized levelized cost of wind energy (LCOE) is now estimated by Lazard at $37 per MWh to $81 per MWh, while coal’s LCOE comes in at $66 per MWh to $151 per MWh and the LCOE of natural gas is at $61 per MWh to $81 per MWh. click here for more

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THE STUNNING SPEED OF THIS CLIMATE CHANGE

Scientists: Climate change morphing ecosystems in 'blink' of geologic time

Jacob Barker, September 11, 2015 (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

“…Higher levels of carbon dioxide are beginning to change [African grasslands] into forests…And studies show those trees will be bigger the more carbon there is…In some parts of Africa, [it may be necessary] to get rid of trees to preserve (biodiversity)…[A]s species within an interdependent ecosystem are thrown out of balance, the whole system is put at risk, threatening agriculture or causing other unintended consequences…Many of the Earth’s ecosystems and organisms, including humans, evolved during what was a period of carbon ‘starvation’...Just 200 years of burning fossil fuels has increased carbon to levels not seen in millions of years. Carbon dioxide has reached concentrations equal to or greater than current levels periodically throughout geologic time, wrought by changes in the Earth’s systems over millions of years…But continuing to emit carbon at current rates could raise atmospheric carbon dioxide to levels last seen tens of millions of years ago in the ‘blink’ of geologic time…” click here for more

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TEXAS UTILITY GIVES SOLAR AWAY

Take My Solar Panel, Please!; San Antonio just announced a brilliant new business model for renewable energy.

Daniel Gross, September 11, 2015 (Slate)

“The business model surrounding rooftop solar has changed dramatically in the past decade…[C]ompanies like SolarCity changed the game by creating the solar lease—which required no money down but a long-term financial commitment that promised to lower monthly electricity payments…[Now San Antonio’s CPS Energy will offer residents cash—in the form of monthly credits on their electricity bills—if they [will] agree to let a third party put solar panels on their roofs…CPS is the largest municipally owned utility in the U.S...[M]unicipally owned utilities have the ability to approach the business in unorthodox ways. As a result, they frequently take an aggressive approach to renewables…CPS is already pretty progressive [with only 28% coal and 15% New Energy]…CPS hit on an insight. It could rebalance the grid, and rebalance the rollout of solar, by putting its money where its low-emission plans were…” click here for more

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COSTS AND BENEFITS OF DRIVING ELECTRIC

Climate benefits from electric car equals $425, study says

Morgan Lee, September 9, 2015 (San Diego Union Tribune)

“…In the western United States, where electricity is generated from a relatively clean mix of fuels and methods, replacing a mid-sized conventional car with a plug-in electric vehicle can avoid pollution damages equivalent to $425, [according to From Cradle to Junkyard: Assessing the Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Benefits of Electric Vehicles from] the University of California, Davis…That estimate of pollution benefits is below government subsidies attached to all-electric vehicle sales, including a $7,500 federal tax credit, California’s $2,500 rebate and a variety of state-by-state perks such as reduced vehicle registration fees and unrestricted access to car-pool lanes…[The analysis] looks at what would happen if an average household in the U.S. were to buy a new mid-sized electric vehicle instead of a comparable gasoline-drive car…The study admittedly left out other health and societal benefits linked to electric vehicles, such as protecting certain populations from highway-related soot and smog, or decreasing U.S. dependence on foreign oil…” click here for more

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SOLAR READY TO BREAK RECORDS

Why solar energy is poised for yet another record year

Chris Mooney, September 9, 2015 (Washington Post)

“The U.S. solar industry is on course for a new growth record in 2015…[and will add 7 gigawatts of new capacity to its 20-plus gigawatts of currently installed capacity], according to [Solar Market Insight Report 2015 Q2]…A gigawatt is equivalent to 1 billion watts and can power some 164,000 homes…[The second quarter of 2015 set] a new record for residential rooftop solar installations…[with] 70 percent year-over-year growth…[Solar was 40%] of all new electricity installations in the U.S. in the first six months of this year…[T]he growth boom is being fueled by a combination of declining costs, low interest rates, and a federal solar investment tax credit…[but] after 2016, if the solar investment tax credit is allowed to decline, the industry will face considerable uncertainty from 2017 to 2019…The situation is expected to then change again after 2020, as a key incentive program that’s part of the federal Clean Power Plan goes into effect, which will strongly favor solar and wind…” click here for more

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GREAT LAKES MAPPED FOR WIND

New atlas could help wind energy sweep across Great Lakes

Blaine Friedlander, September 9, 2015 (PhysOrg)

“By compiling meteorological wind data – derived from several sources – Cornell University and the Technical University of Denmark scientists have assembled the first full observational wind atlas of the Great Lakes. The atlas bolsters the chances for developing wind energy in the region…Accurate wind data lives in a disjointed and disjunctive world. The researchers have meshed these data to create a high-definition atlas, using information gathered from weather stations, buoys, QuikSCAT (a NASA satellite that collects wind direction and speed data over water bodies) and satellites equipped with synthetic aperture radar, or SAR…For years, scientists, economists and environmentalists have touted the potential for wind-energy development in the Great Lakes region…Assembling this atlas and this kind of work helps agencies that plan wind farms or manage where wind farms will be located by identifying optimal locations…” click here for more

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WAVE ENERGY TECHNOLOGY ADVANCES

OPT upgrades PowerBuoy

September 8, 2015 (ReNews)

“Ocean Power Technologies has deployed its APB350 A1 PowerBuoy approximately 14 miles north-east of Atlantic City in New Jersey…[T]he unit contains an improved power take off system compared with the APB350 model…[but] uses the company’s prior generation modular energy storage system, which is capable of supplying uninterrupted power to its payloads for up to seven days in calm sea states…Real-time performance and weather data will be collected and transmitted to OPT’s monitoring and analysis centre at its headquarters in Pennington, New Jersey…[in anticipation of eventually taking its place as a source of] persistent and renewable, offshore power…[or a] robust and cost effective alternative to incumbent solutions that utilize battery, solar and diesel power…” click here for more

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THE CLIMATE CHANGE WILD CARD

New studies deepen concerns about a climate-change ‘wild card’

Joby Warrick, September 7, 2015 (Washington Post)

“Two new studies are adding to concerns about one of the most troubling scenarios for future climate change: the possibility that global warming could slow or shut down the Atlantic’s great ocean circulation systems, with dramatic implications for North America and Europe…The research, by separate teams of scientists, bolsters predictions of disruptions to global ocean currents — such as the Gulf Stream — that transfer tropical warmth from the equator to northern latitudes, as well as a larger conveyor system that cycles colder water into the ocean’s depths. Both systems help ensure relatively mild conditions in parts of Northern Europe that would otherwise be much colder…[ Gradual onset and recovery of the Younger Dryas abrupt climate event in the tropics and Response of Atlantic overturning to future warming in a coupled atmosphere-ocean-ice sheet model] papers offer new insight into how rapidly melting Arctic ice could slow or even temporarily halt the ocean’s normal circulation, with possible effects ranging from plunging temperatures in northern latitudes to centuries-long droughts in Southeast Asia…” click here for more

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PLUG-IN CAR SALES JUMP 40% IN JULY

Global Plug-In Electric Car Sales July 2015

Mark Kane, September 7, 2015 (Inside EVs)

“Our sales data…and EV Sales Blog is indicating strong 40% (maybe even a few percent higher) growth of global plug-in electric car sales in July…Estimations vary from around 36,500 to 38,500 plug-ins sold worldwide in July…[W]orldwide data generally takes 3-4 weeks past the end of the calendar month to completely compile…Most of the growth comes from China and Europe…[The] 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV entered the Japanese market and that was enough for it to take charge for July…Even the every-month-growing BYD Qin wasn’t able to stop Mitsubishi. Nissan LEAF now sits in fourth, awaiting the 2016 refresh and 30 kWh version…” click here for more

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SOLAR TO LINE MA HIGHWAYS

A bright future for roadside solar farms

Jay Fitzgerald, September 7, 2015 (Boston Globe)

“Five solar projects sprouting along the Massachusetts Turnpike and Route 3 are not the largest in the state, but they are among the most visible and striking examples of a solar industry that has grown more rapidly than most policy makers and energy specialists ever imagined…[The gleaming rows of solar panels] show how solar power has been integrated into daily life…The highway solar farms are part of an initiative launched two years ago by the state Department of Transportation that will build at least 10 solar projects on unused department property, eight of them along the Mass Pike…[Ameresco Inc., a publicly traded energy management and procurement company, is developing] the solar projects under a contract that pays the DOT nearly $100,000 a year in land leases and allows it to buy electricity at reduced rates from Ameresco. The lower power costs could save the state $15 million over 20 years…Ameresco, which is investing at least $12 million in the solar project, is allowed to sell excess power to electric utilities at a profit…” click here for more

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EV SHARING COMES TO INDIANAPOLIS

Groundbreaking Electric Car Sharing Program Launches in an Unlikely City

Brad Tuttle, September 2, 2015 (Money)

“…[T]he nation’s most ambitious electric car sharing program launches [today in Indianapolis]…BlueIndy, is being run by [France-based] Bolloré Group, which says it is investing $41 million…BlueIndy will have 25 charging stations and 50 vehicles around the city at launch, and the plan is for 200 stations and 500 electric cars in the near future. The cars themselves are small white hatchbacks made by Bolloré…Prices vary depending on the type of membership a driver opts for, and they’re charged on a sliding scale…Subscribers who sign up for a year pay $9.99 per month, then $4 for the first 20 minutes of a rental and 20¢ per minute after that. At the other end of the spectrum, a one-day membership is free, though the daily rates are much higher—$8 for the first 20 minutes and 40¢ per minute thereafter. Weekly and monthly memberships are also possible. There are no fees for parking, insurance, or gas…though drivers could incur charges for getting into accidents ($500 deductible) and things like failing to plug the car into the charger ($55)…[Indianapolis has] one of the worst public transit systems in the country…” click here for more

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NEW LINE TO MAKE MEMPHIS WIND’S GATEWAY

The wind to come sweeping down the plain to Memphis

Ed Arnold, September 1, 2015 (Memphis Business Journal)

“…[Work will soon begin] on a $2 billion, 700-mile energy transmission line starting in [the wind-rich Northwest corner of Oklahoma and stretching across Arkansas to end in Shelby County…A wind turbine farm [in Oklahoma] can generate enough clean energy to power more than a million homes. But the area is relatively unpopulated. Much like the huge oil and gas pipelines…[the Plains & Eastern Clean Line will deliver electricity to the TVA and other Southeastern electricity providers, allowing them to] reduce carbon emissions…The project will be done in stages, with multiple segments all being built at once…[with] private capital…” click here for more

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BUFFETT UTILS, CALIF GRID TO UNIFY

Brown seeks to broaden California's clean-energy reach in the West

Chris Megerian, August 29, 2015 (LA Times)

Plans are moving ahead on incorporating the Warren Buffett-owned regulated PacifiCorp utilities, the West’s second biggest transmission system, into the California grid, the West’s biggest system run by the California Independent System Operator (the ISO). The integrated system would allow for the sharing of generation between PacifiCorp’s six states, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and part of Northern California, and 1.8 million customers and the ISO’s two states, California and a small part of Nevada, and 30 million customers. Bringing PacifiCorp into ISO operations is expected to open new markets for California’s growing supply of renewables and, though skeptical environmentalists fear California could end up importing PacifiCorp’s fossil fuel-generated electricity, it is expected to reduce coal use, as the 9-month old Energy Imbalance Market between the two systems has done. The new partners seem committed to eventually unifying the entire Western grid. click here for more

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NEW ENERGY DEAL GETS BETTER

IEA, NEA study shows renewables LCOE keeps falling

Tsvetomira Tsanova, August 31, 2015 (SeeNews)

“…[T]he low-end levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) for some renewable energy technologies is the same or even below that for baseload power plants [according to Projected Costs of Generating Electricity from the IEA (International Energy Agency) and the NEA (Nuclear Energy Agency)]…[T]he high-end renewables LCOE remains far above the cost of nuclear, coal or natural gas power generation, but the progress green energy has made towards becoming more competitive is notable. The LCOE for nuclear, coal and gas has increased a bit since 2010, while for renewables such as wind and solar, it keeps falling…[O]nshore wind remains the cheapest renewable energy option…[T]he cost of utility-scale solar photovoltaics (PV) and onshore wind is comparable and often lower in countries featuring plentiful resources and appropriate market and regulatory frameworks...” click here for more

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PLUG-IN CARS GAIN MARKET TRACTION

Electric Vehicles Continue Gaining Consumer Acceptance

Andrew Balazer, August 31, 2015 (National Law Review)

“…[The August 2015 Uptake of Ultra Low Emission Vehicles… shows] electric vehicles gaining a loyal finding, with the vast majority of electric vehicle owners saying that they were satisfied with their car and would recommend electric vehicles to others. While range anxiety remains an issue…private owners appear to have happily adopted their use for shorter trips, like commuting or running nearby errands…[W]here an electric car is part of a multi-car household, the electric car is used for the majority of trips…[indicating] the electric car is the primary car…Electric cars have so far been more expensive than comparable fossil fuel-powered cars; however, subsidies and tax breaks appear to be doing their job of getting people to at least consider electric cars. And once they are driving these cars regularly, consumers appear to be very satisfied…As prices for these cars fall with production costs, we can expect to see these cars taking a greater and greater share of the market…” click here for more

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BIGGEST NAMES IN HOME ENERGY MGMT

Navigant Research Leaderboard Report: Home Energy Management; Assessment of Strategy and Execution for 16 HEM Vendors

3Q 2015 (Navigant Research)

“Home energy management (HEM) is a broad market segment covering technologies and services that consumers use to help them better manage and control their home energy consumption…In the 2 years since the last iteration of this report, the HEM market has seen tremendous change…Navigant Research expects steady growth for HEM products and services through 2023. The HEM market has struggled to gain traction in the past, particularly from a utility standpoint. However, it began picking up momentum in 2014, when non-utility stakeholders started making bolder moves. The initial jolt came from Google’s early 2014 purchase of Nest Labs…According to Navigant Research, the global HEM revenue is expected to peak at a little over $3 billion in 2020…” click here for more

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