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IEA Says World Has
Over 134 GW Of PV

The International Energy Agency’s Photovoltaic Power System (IEA PVPS) program says that after two years of market and industry consolidation, the global photovoltaic market grew in 2013.

In total, about 36.9 GW of PV capacity was installed in the 24 countries reporting to the IEA PVPS and the other major markets. This raised the total installed capacity in IEA PVPS countries to 123.2 GW, with another estimated 10.8 GW of capacity installed in other major countries.

The Asia Pacific region represented around 59% of the global PV market in 2013, the report says. While Europe still represented 59% of this global market in 2012, its market share fell to 28% - a consequence of both a reduced regional market and a growing global PV market. The PV market in the Americas exceeded 5 GW for the first time.

The most significant growth was observed in China, which IEA PVPS says has progressed quickly. Last year, China connected 11.3 GW of PV systems to its grid. The second largest market in 2013 was Japan with 6.9 GW. The U.S. was third with 4.75 GW. The top European market was Germany with 3.3 GW.

The annual PV contribution to electricity demand has passed the 1% mark in 15 countries, the report says. Italy tops the list with at least 7.8%. Overall European PV contribution amounts to around 3% of demand. Australia, Japan and Israel have also passed the 1% mark, but larger consumers of electricity such as China or the U.S. will require more PV capacity to reach this threshold.

According to the report, countries that are not part of the PVPS program represent at least an additional 10.8 GW, mostly in Europe. India has installed more than 2.2 GW.

At present, the IEA PVPS estimates 134 GW represents the world’s total minimum installed PV capacity as of the end of 2013. Some additional GW of installed capacity in the rest of the world - non-reporting countries, offgrid installations, etc. - could bring the total installed capacity to more than 136 GW in total, the report concludes.

 

Mercom Reports Strong
Q1 Solar Funding

Total global corporate funding in the solar sector - including venture capital (VC), private equity (PE), debt financing and other equity financings raised by public companies - amounted to $7 billion in the first quarter of 2014 (Q1’14), according to a report from the Mercom Capital Group LLC. This compares with funding of $5 billion in the fourth quarter of 2013 (Q4’13).

According to the report, global VC, PE and corporate VC funding in Q1’14 totaled $251 million in 26 deals, up from $87 million in 24 deals in Q4’13, Mercom says. Mercom says a significant portion of the activity stemmed from the $125 million raised in a series-C round by Renewable Energy Trust Capital, a finance platform established to acquire and own solar projects.

Solar downstream companies attracted most of the VC funding this quarter, with $182 million in 13 deals. Mercom reports that there were 43 large-scale project funding deals totaling $3.6 billion announced in Q1’14.

Mercom also notes the continued upward trend in third-party residential and commercial solar lease fundraising in Q1’14, tracking more than $1 billion raised. It was also a record quarter for project acquisitions, with more than 1.7 GW in solar projects totaling $1.5 billion in 42 transactions changing hands.

 

Minnesota PUC
Backs Aurora Solar

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has ruled that Xcel Energy must incorporate Geronimo Energy’s proposal for an ambitious utility-scale distributed generation (DG) solar project in its power generation development plan.

Betsy Engleking, vice president of Geronimo Energy, says the ruling directs Xcel Energy to negotiate a power purchase agreement (PPA) with the developer.

“Subject to the commission’s approval of the PPA, Aurora Solar will go forward,” she says.

The Aurora Solar Project is a 100 MW DG solar power system that will incorporate up to 25 photovoltaic arrays ranging in size from 2 MW to 10 MW throughout 16 Minnesota counties. The project will interconnect to multiple Xcel Energy substations and will provide energy and capacity for the local distribution network.

Engleking says the unique nature of the DG solar project could complicate the PPA negotiation process. Geronimo Energy is pursuing a state site permit for the project that would avoid local zoning approval and is hoping to be able to negotiate a single PPA covering all of Aurora Solar’s component arrays.

The PUC ruling also directs Xcel to negotiate PPAs for one or more of three gas-fired plants under consideration.

“The commission decided that there is definitely a need for new energy resources from both solar and natural gas,” Engleking says.

- Michael Puttré

 

PG&E Now Has Over
20% Renewable Energy

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) says it delivered 22.5% of its electricity from renewable sources in 2013 eligible under California’s renewable portfolio standard (RPS).

The utility says the milestone marks the first time that deliveries of renewable energy - including solar, wind, biomass, small hydro-electric and geothermal - exceeded 20% for one year, and it gave the utility a slight surplus for the 2011-2013 RPS compliance period.

Since 2002, PG&E has signed 155 contracts for more than 10.6 GW of eligible renewable power.

Along with its increasing clean energy portfolio, PG&E says it is helping customers better manage their energy usage through energy efficiency and demand response programs, as well as rooftop solar and other distributed generation options.

 

Duke Evaluating
Solar RFP Responses

Duke Energy reports it has received a substantial response to its request for proposals (RFP) for 300 MW of new solar energy capacity in its Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress territories.

The company’s RFP targeted solar facilities greater than 5 MW. It was limited to projects that were in the company’s current transmission and distribution interconnection queue as of Feb. 13, when the RFP was issued. Affiliates of Duke Energy were not allowed to participate in the RFP.

The RFP is intended to assist Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress in meeting their respective North Carolina renewable energy and energy efficiency portfolio standards requirements. The RFP gave bidders the option to offer power and associated renewable energy certificates and/or to provide a proposal through which Duke Energy would acquire the new facility. Duke Energy received both types of bids.

The company is evaluating each proposal and hopes to be able to select the winning projects and complete negotiations by Oct. 1. All selected projects should be online by Dec. 31, 2015.

 

PSEG Selects 100 MW
For Long Island FIT

Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) Long Island says the utility’s new Clean Solar Initiative feed-in tariff (FIT) builds upon the Long Island Power Authority’s (LIPA) solar energy programs and is designed to bring an additional 100 MW of solar energy to the region.

PSEG Long Island took over LIPA operations as of the first of the year.

After a four-month application period that ended on Jan. 31, PSEG Long Island has evaluated 178 proposals from 55 separate entities. The utility selected a final bid price of $0.1688/kWh to be paid to developers for solar photovoltaic systems. In total, this 100 MW of solar energy is expected to be generated from 76 separate projects.

 

First Solar And GE
Plan 1,500 V Solar

First Solar Inc. and GE’s Power Conversion business say they are working on a utility-scale photovoltaic power plant design that combines First Solar’s thin-film cadmium-telluride (CdTe) modules with GE’s new ProSolar 1,500 V inverter/transformer system.

First Solar says it has developed versions of its modules for 1,500 V applications. The company says these modules, combined with GE’s 4 MW ProSolar 1,500 V inverter/transformer stations, enable power plant designs that increase the size of the solar array served by each inverter and reduce the number of inverter/transformer stations required.

Last fall, First Solar acquired GE’s thin-film module technology and embarked on a research and development agreement. First Solar says it has already identified projects under construction for initial deployment of the new 1,500 V system.

 

Tucson Electric Plans
More Renewables

Tucson Electric Power (TEP) has unveiled a 15-year plan to reduce its coal generation capacity by about one-third, acquire new natural gas-fired resources, and continue its expansion of renewable power and energy efficiency programs.

TEP’s plans are outlined in its 2014 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) the company filed with the Arizona Corp. Commission on April 1. The IRP describes how TEP plans to meet energy demand requirements through 2028, providing reasonably priced service to customers while satisfying regulatory requirements and improving the environment.

According to current projections, the company expects to add more than 50,000 customers over the next 10 years. Peak demand is projected to grow annually by about 1%-1.5%.

TEP says the IRP describes a long-term portfolio diversification strategy that will reduce the company’s reliance on coal-fired generation. The company plans to reduce its overall coal capacity by 492 MW - about 32% - over the next five years.

TEP plans to diversify its portfolio through continued investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency programs. By 2028, TEP anticipates that its combined solar, wind and biogas resource capacity will increase from 157 MW today to 788 MW.

 

NRG Acquires
Roof Diagnostics Solar

NRG Energy Inc. has acquired New Jersey-based solar installer Roof Diagnostics Solar (RDS). NRG says the move is intended to support its effort to develop a network of solar residential installers and dealers.

RDS’ headquarters will remain in Wall Township, N.J. The company will operate under the brand NRG Residential Solar Solutions. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“With the price of residential solar increasingly competitive with the retail price of power in multiple states, the time is now for NRG to ramp up its efforts to bring the benefit of self generation to NRG’s millions of present and future retail electricity customers,” says David Crane, president and CEO of NRG Energy.

 

CBD Energy To Buy
Green Earth Developers

Australia-based solar developer CBD Energy Ltd. says it is in negotiations to acquire Charlotte, N.C.-based Green Earth Developers LLC (GED).

CBD says that the proposed acquisition of GED will accelerate its expansion into the U.S. commercial solar market. The two companies are collaborating on multiple projects.

CBD and GED anticipate that the proposed acquisition will take the form of a stock purchase and that the selling shareholders and management will receive a combination of cash and ordinary shares of CBD in amounts still being negotiated. Upon completion of the proposed acquisition, GED will be a wholly owned subsidiary of CBD. GED Founder and CEO Donald Reed will continue as CEO of GED and will head CBD’s commercial and utility business in the U.S.

 

PV Buyers Rate Reliability
And Quality Over Price

The most critical factors for buyers when selecting a photovoltaic module are reliability and quality, which were found to be more important than low prices, according to a recent survey of solar module purchases conducted by IHS Technology.

In the survey, respondents were asked to rank various PV module aspects by importance, ranging from efficiency to weight and size. The chief factor by a significant margin was module reliability, with 99% of respondents deeming the characteristic as either “very important” or “important.” In comparison, “high quality” was named the second most important aspect, and “low price” came in third.

Some results had regional variations. In particular, low pricing was more significant to respondents in the U.S. than in Germany and the U.K., where “high efficiency” was valued more highly.

The survey was conducted among module buyers, including photovoltaic system installers; integrators; engineering, procurement and construction firms; and distributors of PV components.

 

Consortium Brings
Solar To U.S. Schools

Nonprofit organizations and solar companies launched the National Solar Schools Consortium at the National Science Teachers Association conference in Boston in April.

The goal of the consortium is to promote the use of solar energy in U.S. elementary and secondary schools, coordinate solar curriculum and resource development, and provide tools designed to help schools explore solar energy options on campus and in their communities.

The consortium comprises representatives of leading environmental, educational and solar-focused nonprofit organizations, as well as for-profit solar businesses. Founding consortium members include the Brian D. Robertson Memorial Solar Schools Fund, Community Power Network, Elephant Energy, the Foundation for Environmental Education, KidWind, Make It Right Solar, Mosaic, the National Energy Education Development Project, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Solar Energy Industries Association, The Solar Foundation, SolSolution, The Three Birds Foundation and Women in Solar. S