SolarSummary: April 1 -14, 2003

by Kirsten Elder

Companies in the news

AET

BP Solar

PowerLight

RWE Schott Solar

Sharp Corp

Sun Power & Geothermal Energy

WorldWater Corp

Xantrex

Emerging Technologies

Researchers at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel have said they have made improvements in “solar surgery”, a new technique that uses highly concentrated sunlight instead of laser surgery. The research team reported that it had built compact solar fibre-optic “concentrators” that provide the same power levels and densities as laser optic fibres. The technique can produce the same changes in biological tissue as conventional laser fibre-optic surgery and could provide a cheap alternative to this method. (PhysicsWeb via SolarAccess.com, 04/04/03)

Applications

Council officials have granted planning permission for a 560 kW solar roof for the main central car park in Woking town centre. The first 140 kW phase of the installation, for which grant funding from the UK government has already been approved, is scheduled for completion later this year by BP Solar. (Solarbuzz.com, 11/04/03)

Markets

The California Public Utilities Commission will not make owners of solar panels and wind turbines pay a special fee to electric utilities in the state. The Commission voted 3-to-2 to defeat the Cost Responsibility Surcharge that was proposed by Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric. The utilities wanted to install meters to measure generation from private solar panels and wind turbines, and to assess the so-called exit fees for direct access customers. (Refocus Weekly, 09/04/03)

RWE Schott Solar has said it will be constructing the largest photovoltaic installation in southeast Asia. RWE Solutions, Frankfurt am Main and Thai energy supply company Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), have signed an agreement for the construction of the project. The 500 kW project is planned for the Mae Hong Son nature conservation area in the northwest of Thailand by mid-2004 at a cost of 3.6 million (US$3.9 million). (SolarAccess.com, 03/04/03)

The Jamaican Government will next month launch a $150-million energy conservation fund from which firms and substantial energy users can borrow for energy-saving retrofitting projects, Government sources have said. Initial financing will come from profitable public sector energy companies such as the Petrojam oil refinery, the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ), and the retail petroleum marketing company, PETCOM. (Jamaica Observer via Solarbuzz.com, 02/04/03)

Investments and Finance

Britain’s Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) has made 50 million (US$78.8 million) available for the Renewable Energy sector to help developing countries limit greenhouse gas emissions. ECGD and the Department for Trade and Industry have been working in partnership with exporters, investors and overseas buyers to identify and support new Renewable Energy opportunities as part of a government-wide drive to encourage the development of power generation from renewable resources both in the UK and abroad. ECGD has already received three applications from UK exporters in advance of the announcement. (SolarAccess.com, 02/04/03)

The Connecticut Clean Energy Fund (CCEF) has announced the selection of its Photovoltaic Program Request for Proposal (RFP) finalists. The CCEF received initial interest from 19 proposals comprising 24 projects under its Solar PV Program. These projects represented total investments of $3.6 million and requested $2.3 million in funding support. Eleven of the 19 proposals were selected for participation in the RFP, which determined the winners. The finalists will coordinate the development of solar PV projects that carry investments in excess of $1 million in total costs and will result in additional solar PV capacity of approximately 100 kW. (Solarbuzz.com, 03/04/03)

Policy and Incentives

PG&E is to present the largest renewable energy rebate in history, $2,342,000, to the Sewerage Commission-Oroville Region (SCOR) in California for its solar-powered wastewater treatment plant. The funds will help pay down SCORs costs for installing the 520 kW solar electrical system, one of the largest solar arrays in the US. Sun Power & Geothermal Energy of San Rafael, California engineered and installed the SCOR solar array, which went online in November 2002 and supplies over 80 percent of the plants energy. The rebate is from PG&Es Self-Generation Incentive Program, funded by ratepayers under a mandate by the California Public Utilities Commission to encourage alternative energy production. (Solarbuzz.com, 10/04/03)

Bolstered with funding from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative’s (MTC) Solar to Market Initiative, the Massachusetts Energy Consumers Alliance (Mass Energy), a non profit organisation, has begun the installation of the first of an anticipated over 40 solar electricity systems, totalling over 100 kilowatts, in Boston, Newton, Brookline and Somerville. The system would typically cost a
bout $20,000. However, Mass Energy was able to bring down the cost by bulk purchasing PV and working with a pre-established design and installation team. These lower costs, combined with a grant of approximately $8,500 and available tax incentives, means that participating consumers save approximately 50%. (Solarbuzz.com, 14/04/03)

A subsidy of 4.7 million has been approved for TELESTET, a mobile telephone company, under the 3rd Community Support Framework, a national Greek Government economic development plan which also promotes investments in renewable power resources. TELESTET was the only company to receive a subsidy related to solar photovoltaics, following its submission of a plan for the installation of a hybrid solar/diesel system in agricultural locations throughout Greece. The hybrid solar system, designed and tested for a year by TELESTET, combines the installation of photovoltaic arrays and diesel generators and will be used to power a mobile telephony service. (Solarbuzz.com, 14/04/03)

Industry Reports and Events

The US power sector can cut carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to global warming nearly 60 percent by 2020 and reduce its dependency on fossil fuels by using available energy technologies and supporting innovative polices, according to a new peer-reviewed analysis by World Wildlife Fund. Based upon the new research findings, WWF is launching PowerSwitch!, an initiative that challenges electric utilities to make specific policy and performance commitments that begin the transition to a CO2-free power sector. (SolarAccess.com, 03/04/03)

Elsewhere in Solar

The International Center for Water Technology (ICWT) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with solar energy company WorldWater Corporation, who develop and install water and irrigation pumping equipment. The ICWT will launch a major Solar Initiative during summer 2003 to encourage farmers, water districts and other agricultural water users to utilise solar energy to pump a significant amount of their annual irrigation water during peak electrical usage periods. The new technology provided by WorldWater and high efficiency arrays by other firms will enable an evolutionary shift in renewable energy sources for agricultural water pumping. (SolarAccess.com, 03/04/03)

Corporate News

Sharp Corporation and Daihen Corporation have jointly developed a solar inverter for large scale PV generating systems intended for commercial users and electric utilities. Operational test will begin in May, with products available in July.

Powerlight Corp. announced they installed an on-sie solar generation system at Domaine Carneros’ new Pinot Noir winery in the Napa Valley. When fully operational, the 120 kW solar system will generate energy during the daytime to power as many as 120 homes, substantially reducing operating costs.

The international wholesaler AET, owned by Conergy AG, signed a Memorandum of Undertanding with Xantrex to secure the rights for the distribution of Xantrex distributed power components for off-grid solar applications in Europe.(Solarbuzz.com, 01/04/03)

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