SolarSummary: September 24 30 , 2002

by Kirsten Elder

Companies in the news

Applications

Ashia Hansen, Commonwealth and European gold medallist, has helped put the final solar panels onto the roof of the new English Institute of Sport (EIS) indoor athletics training centre at the Alexander Stadium. The new centre is currently the UKs largest solar powered complex with 1,760 solar panels. The solar roof array was designed, installed and supplied by Solar Century. The project received a grant covering 65 percent of the solar costs from the UK Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). In addition the roof is sponsored by npower, who contributed 70,000 to its construction. (Solar Century via Solarbuzz, 30/09/02)

In a move towards generating cleaner, cheaper electricity, fire stations in Ventura County, California are being installed with solar PV systems. Twelve of the Countys 31 stations are at least partly run on solar energy, and another dozen looks set to join them. With the current rebates and state grants, it costs about $7,000 to install each solar system on a fire station and will reduce it’s daily electricity use by up to 25 percent. (Solarbuzz, 23/09/02)

A Dutch theme park has celebrated its 50^th birthday by becoming totally self-sufficient in its energy consumption. Madurodam, a miniature replica of an everyday town, uses a 300m2 bank of photovoltaic panels provided by Shell Solar – to generate 100,000 kW a year sufficient to power the whole park. The Madurodam installation includes a smaller 40m2 solar wall where visitors can watch as the panels soak up the sun’s rays and convert them into electricity to power seven of Madurodam’s pint-sized townhouses. (Shell Solar via Solarbuzz, 23/09/02)

Markets

An agreement between the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is set to boost the pilot Solar and Wind Energy Resource Assessment (SWERA). SWERA uses remote sensing satellite and on-the-ground data to pinpoint the most promising wind and solar power sites in developing countries. Under the existing project, surveys and high-quality solar and wind maps are being prepared for 13 developing countries. The new agreement will increase the number to 14 by including the Maldives in the Indian Ocean. An existing plan to map Bangladesh will also be expanded under the new deal. SWERA, which has secured US$6.7 million investment from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), is seen as an important new initiative to deliver cleaner forms of energy to developing nations. (SolarAccess, 27/09/02)

The California Energy Commission, as part of a statewide Renewable Energy education program, has formed the Renewable Energy Alliance, a voluntary partnership of organisations connected to California’s Renewable Energy market. Alliance members will combine efforts to increase consumer awareness of Renewable Energy sources. To date, 50 representatives of federal, state, regional, community, public, private and/or grassroots Renewable Energy organisations have joined the Alliance. (SolarAccess, 24/09/02)

In the UK, the Black Country Energy Efficiency Advice Centre (EEAC) has been chosen as one of six in a national network pilot project aimed at helping the government meet targets to increase the amount of energy generated from sustainable sources. The pilot will see the Black Country EEACs energy efficiency advisers target householders, businesses, schools, hospitals and community organisations across the West Midlands and South Staffordshire, offering them practical information on how to move towards using energy from renewable sources. The initiative will also help regenerate the Midlands manufacturing industry by creating opportunities for the production of components needed in generating energy from renewable sources – such as glass and copper tubes for solar panels. The scheme could be rolled out nationwide if the pilot proves successful. (Black Country EEAC via Delphi, 30/09/02)

According to the Indian Minister of State for Non Conventional Energy Sources, M. Kannappan, the Indian Government is proposing a shift in the current renewable energy utilisation strategy from a subsidy-driven regime to a self-sustaining market driven approach. The states have been asked to evolve preferential tariff structures for grid power from renewables and promotional measures for off-grid generation and distribution. They have also been advised to intensify resource studies for wind, small hydro, biomass and solar to assess overall potential and to identify specific sites for project
development. “We have been able to persuade State Electricity Boards to

incorporate renewable energy based electricity into their system,” Kannappan said. (The Hindu via Solarbuzz, 27/09/02)

The Indian renewable energy company, Grameen Shakti (GS), has reported that it has installed 10,000 solar home systems with a capacity of 500,000 kW since its inception in 1996. GS has also established 50 units of offices at different locations throughout the country including six islands to bring about qualitative changes in the life of rural people through its energy expansion project. In addition to lighting and recreational purposes, GSs solar systems have also opened up the possibility for income generating opportunities for small entrepreneurs like charging cellular phone, fish hatcheries, rice mills, saw-mills, tailoring shop, poultry firm and others. (The Bangladesh Independent via Solarbuzz, 26/09/02)

According to sources, the decision by Israel Electric Corporation‘s (IEC) board to agree to construct Israels first solar energy power station is likely to be reversed. IEC recently submitted a report to the Ministry of National Infrastructures that states that investing in solar energy has become uneconomical, due to the rise in solar energy electricity production costs. IEC figures show that the production cost of one kW/h of electricity by solar power is now $0.12, compared with its earlier estimate of $0.08, and $0.04 for coal and other power sources. As a result the Ministry of National Infrastructures confirmed that it would probably reconsider the project. (Globes Online via Solarbuzz, 26/09/02)

Investments and Finance

According to Cleantech Venture Networks Investment Monitor, investments in clean technology companies exceeded US$500 million in the first half of 2002, more than doubling from Q1 to Q2. Venture investors in the first half of 2002 funded over 70 companies, each receiving an average of US$7.2 million. Eleven companies received commitments of US$15 million or more. Clean energy related companies received just over 60 percent of cleantech venture dollars, with energy infrastructure (such as hydrogen storage) accounting for a third of all investment activity in Q1, and energy generation (such as solar cells) for 40 percent in Q2. (CleanTech, 27/09/02)

Victory for Germany’s ruling Social Democrat-Green coalition has given some European renewable energy and recycling firms’ stocks a much needed boost as investors banked on a continuation of clean energy policies. Analysts said many investors feared that a change in government could threaten some of the special incentives enjoyed by renewable energy groups under the current government. “Clearly, it looks like it will be business as usual. There were some worries that there would be a change and that some of the very high feed-in tariffs could be reduced,” said James Stettler, analyst at Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein in London. (Planet Ark [Reuters], 25/09/02)

The European Commission said it invites comments on the solar power joint venture being established by RWE AG unit RWE Solutions AG and Schott Glas. The two are combining their solar power activities in the area of photovoltaic plants. The joint venture will be called RWE Schott Solar GmbH. Interested parties have 10 days in which to submit their comments to the commission which will announce the decision of its initial inquiry on or by October 17. The case will be examined under the EU’s simplified merger procedure. (Solarbuzz, 24/09/02)

Policy and Incentives

Governor Gray Davis last week signed a net metering legislation that will ensure that renewable power remains a critical component of California‘s energy future. The program, which was set to expire on January 1, 2003, requires electrical utilities to credit all electricity generated by a customer-owned solar or wind system against the customer’s usage of electricity sold by the utility. Combined with the solar-energy tax credit, which Governor Davis sponsored and signed last year, and the enhanced California Energy Commission’s solar rebate program, the continuation of net metering is critical to the expansion of solar and renewable energy industries in California. (Solarbuzz, 24/09/02)

Allegheny Power, an electric distribution company based in Pennsylvania, has been required by the states Public Utility Commission to establish a pilot renewable energy program that will install grid-connected, solar PV systems on low-income households throughout the state. Allegheny Power will contribute $671,000 to the program, which is part of a bigger state solar initiative. It is not expected to save the company any money but the value will come from demonstrating the potential for solar energy in the community. Allegheny Power believes the most important aspect of the program is the ability to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of renewable energy systems for consideration in future low-income customer programs. (Pittsburg Business Times via Solarbuzz, 30/09/02)

Industry Reports and Events

R&D Magazine’s R&D 100 awards has named BP Solars PowerView laminate and AstroPowers eight-inch APex^TM solar cell as two of the 100 most technologically significant new products of the year. The R&D 100 awards recognise inventions that have made significant gains over previous technologies and have the potential to improve the quality-of-life of large numbers of people. BP Solars PowerView is a photovoltaic laminate which converts sunlight into electricity while permitting some light to pass through. It performs the traditional role of architectural glass in a range of building applications, but in addition generates electricity to lessen the building’s dependence on utility power. AstroPower’s APx-8 solar cell is one of the largest, most powerful solar cell commercially available and is manufactured via the company’s proprietary high-speed, continuous-sheet Silicon-Film^TM process. This is the third R&D 100 award AstroPower has received. (Solarbuzz, 24/09/02; Energy Info Source, 25/09/02)

Corporate News

The Renewable Power Association is celebrating its first anniversary this week with the opening of new headquarters offices in London and a major conference later in October. With over 100 members covering all the main renewable energy technologies, the RPA is already an important voice for the green power industry. Now it is aiming to enhance its role in promoting the dev
elopment and implementation of renewables in the UK. The RPA is committed to working with all renewable companies and organisations, whether members or not, as well as Government and other players in the wider energy, environmental and economic regeneration market. (RPA press release via Delphi, 30/09/02)

Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. has reported financial results for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2002. Revenues in fiscal 2002 increased 28 percent to $91.7 million compared to $71.4 million in 2001. It recorded a loss of $20.9 million for the 2002 fiscal year compared to a loss of $5.1 million in 2001. Commenting on the results, a joint statement from ECD said, The revenue increase demonstrates the growing demand for our Ovonic technology-based products due to key market drivers such as clean air, sustainability, cost and energy security. The losses reflect investments required for the continuing growth of our business. (Solarbuzz, 27/09/02)

Kyocera Corporation is planning to set up a joint venture in Tianjin, China, with a local company to make and sell solar panels for use in power generation, a company official said Saturday. Kyocera will ship its solar cells to China, and the joint venture in Tianjin will process and assemble them into solar panels. This will be the first time Kyocera has moved production overseas and is in line with the companys expectations that China will be a big market. Kyocera is also negotiating with the Chinese company to set up a separate joint venture to sell a wide range of its products in China, the company official said. But stated that a decision has yet to be made on when the companies will be set up and when production of the panels will begin. (Kyodo News via Solarbuzz, 28/09/02)

Rohwedder, Inc. has entered in to a new exclusive contract with First Solar LLC to build a semiconductor layer coating and heat strengthening system for the manufacture of thin-film photovoltaic solar modules. (SolarAccess, 26/09/02)

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