News & Articles on Solar Energy
While I have primarily worked with wind energy, I have long been a proponent of renewable energy in the broadest sense. This includes solar energy. My work in Canada, especially Ontario, stressed inclusion of solar energy because it had been previously overlooked. At one time Ontario was one of the leading jurisdictions in North America developing solar photovoltaics due in part to the programs I and others pushed. The political winds changed and these policies were abandoned and with it Ontario’s progress toward a renewable energy future.
Renewables International: Utility-scale solar small in Germany
By
Craig Morris
The statistics are further evidence that the German PV market has a relatively large share of small, distributed systems in an international comparison. One reason is strong community and citizen ownership in the country. Indeed, even systems with hundreds or thousands of kilowatts (such as a recent 7.8 MW project) are often owned by communities and citizen investors, not utilities. The label “utility-scale” is therefore probably misleading in Germany to begin with.
CleanTechnica: New “Breakthroughs” in Anti-Solar Propaganda
By
Christian Roselund
Anyway, it’s progress that the enemies of solar like the Breakthrough Institute are now reduced to hoping that other countries will be unable to match Germany’s cost reductions. A couple of years earlier their tune was still “solar is too expensive.” That talking point has been retired.
Lenz Blog: EU Solar Anti-Dumping Case Great News for the Climate
By
Karl-friedrich Lenz
That in turn means that the solar panels not sold in the EU because of such a measure would need to be sold somewhere else, increasing supply on all non-EU markets. Which in turn means even lower prices for solar panels in markets that are set for explosive growth anyway (China, Japan, India). That would be great news for the climate.
Bloomberg: Japan Domestic Solar Shipments Leap by Most in at Least 30 Years
By
Chisaki Watanabe
Local shipments rose to 3,809 megawatts in the 12 months ended March 31 from 1,404 megawatts the previous year, the Japan Photovoltaic Energy Association said today on its website. The increase was the largest since 1981 when the figures were compiled for the first time. . . The incentives, also known as feed-in tariffs, are boosting applications for solar installations across the country. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry approved 12,258 megawatts worth of solar projects — both residential and non-residential — by the end of February.
IMS: Japan Set to Become World’s Largest Solar Revenue Market in 2013 as Installations Boom in Q1
By
Sam Wilkinson
A total of 1.5 gigawatts (GW) worth of PV systems were installed in Japan in the first quarter of 2013, up from 0.4 GW during the same time last year, according to a new report entitled “The Photovoltaic Market in Japan” from information and analytics provider IHS Inc. . . “Following the earthquake and tsunami in 2011 that led to the shutdown of nuclear facilities and a shortage of electricity, Japan has aggressively moved to promote solar energy,” said Sam Wilkinson, solar research manager at IHS. “Japan’s government has introduced a highly attractive feed-in tariff (FIT) to help stimulate solar growth.
Penetration of Renewable Energy in Selected Markets
By
Paul Gipe
Inter-annual Wind Variability Less than that of Hydro–Steady Growth of Non-Hydro Renewable Penetration in European Markets–US Renewable Energy Penetration: Little Progress Since 1983 . . .
Renewables International: Community ownership of 7.8 MW solar farm
By
Craig Morris
At the beginning of the month, the largest solar project in Baden-Württemberg was connected to the grid. Its ownership structure is typical of such projects in Germany – and could serve as an example abroad. . .
OSEIA: Vision to Integrate Solar (PV) in Oregon
By
Chris Robertson
Market design can be improved by increasing the size of the market, and making financing easier for customers. In Germany, a Feed-in Tariff (FIT) supports a large, robust and highly competitive solar market. In this market design PV systems feed their energy into the grid, the utility buys it, and the PV owners earn bond like returns on their investment.
Renewables International: Grid parity in Hawaii – not a breakthrough
By
Craig Morris
Now that grid parity has been reached in a number of areas, we can see what the future will look like – regulation will still be needed. In Hawaii, new obstacles were put in place at the end of 2011, right when grid parity was reached. What has the effect been?
Bloomberg: Japan to Become Largest Solar Market After China, BNEF Says
By
Chisaki Watanabe
Commercial and utility-scale projects will boost solar installations to a range of 6.1 gigawatts to 9.4 gigawatts in 2013, exceeding an earlier forecast of 3.2 gigawatts to 4 gigawatts, Bloomberg New Energy Finance said in a research note.
