Interesting article I just read :
Boston- State environmental officials, hoping to produce clean power from idle and unwanted land, are urging towns and cities to turn some of nearly 500 former landfills into solar or wind energy farms.
Aug
22
admin on August 22nd, 2011
August 18, 2011 – For immediate release:
Energy Officials Seek to Speed Process for Grid Connection of Renewable Energy Projects
State report details sharp increase in wind and solar energy installations over the past five years
Massachusetts Distributed Generation Interconnection ReportBOSTON – Thursday, August 18, 2011 – With the number of small and medium-scale renewable energy projects on the rise in Massachusetts, the Department of Energy Resources (DOER) today filed a report with the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) outlining recommendations aimed at improving the process through which utility companies connect new renewable energy generation projects to the electric grid that feeds power to customers throughout Massachusetts.
The action was taken in conjunction with the release of a report today by the Patrick-Murray Administration, showing that sharp growth in renewable energy generation projects sparked a seven-fold increase in demand for interconnection service between 2004 and 2010. The distributed generation sector in Massachusetts is relatively new and has grown sharply in recent years, according to the report. Typical distributed generation projects include small-scale or community-scale wind turbines, residential or commercial-scale solar photovoltaic installations, small-scale hydro and combined heat and power systems.
“In the wake of nation-leading energy legislation and policy put in place under Governor Patrick, Massachusetts is experiencing a clean energy revolution, and we are on track to see 90 megawatts each of wind and solar power either installed or in construction and design by the end of 2011 – representing 30-fold increases in deployment of both technologies since 2007,” Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Richard K. Sullivan Jr. said. “Making it easier and more efficient to connect new renewable energy sources to existing utility company infrastructure will speed the pace of clean energy adoption, furthering our goals to expand a new clean energy economy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and cut long-term energy costs.”
DOER’s filing with the DPU today requested several changes to the interconnection process, including:
- Accelerated and Binding Timelines: Recommendation that the DPU mandate shorter, clearer, and binding timelines for interconnection applications. These timelines would be significantly shorter than those in the existing tariff, and enforceable by the DPU.
- Faster and more Efficient Application Process: Recommendation to create a uniform, user friendly, online application system that would automatically and transparently track whether each utility meets established timelines, and allow applicants and state regulators to monitor the status of an application in real-time.
- Interconnection Ombudsperson: Recommendation that the DPU assign an interconnection ombudsperson responsible for hearing and quickly resolving issues arising during the interconnection process.
The request for an investigation by the DPU and the report are just two of several activities DOER has undertaken to improve the interconnection process, ranging from working with utilities to launch an interconnection education and awareness initiative earlier this year, to developing a distributed generation and interconnection website.
Massachusetts has emerged as a national leader in distributed renewable energy generation. The Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) gave the Commonwealth its highest grade of “A” last year for its interconnection policies. The rising demand for renewable energy generation aligns with the goals of these policies and legislation adopted since 2007, including the Global Warming Solutions Act (which seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050), the Green Communities Act, and the Green Jobs Act.
“The changes we are proposing would help Massachusetts residents, businesses and municipalities meet their energy savings goals faster, saving money and time,” said DOER Commissioner Mark Sylvia.
“These improvement are essential to helping the Commonwealth continue its leadership in renewable energy and help make clean energy a marquee industry here just like IT and lifesciences,” said MassCEC Executive Director Patrick Cloney.
The Massachusetts Distributed Generation Interconnection Report released today recommends ten changes to the existing interconnection process in order to accommodate the large increase in demand for distributed generation. Projects currently seeking interconnection to the grid must go through the existing interconnection process in order to connect non-utility scale generation installations to the electric grid. The DOER emphasized many of the report’s recommendations in its request to the DPU, as well as through some new suggestions.
“This timely analysis illustrates the significant growth of distributed generation and renewables in Massachusetts,” said Peter Rothstein, president of the New England Clean Energy Council. “Its recommendations to expedite the interconnection process are welcomed wholeheartedly by the clean energy industry.”
The total volume of interconnection applications grew four-fold for National Grid, NStar and Western Massachusetts Electric (WMECO) between 2004 and 2010 and the total kilowatt volume of interconnection applications reviewed grew seven-fold between 2004 and 2010. The findings of the report predict continued growth in interconnection demand as a result of the state’s ambitious clean energy programs.
The recommendations also include developing guidance on state and federal requirements and expanding education on the interconnection process for installers.
Prepared by KEMA, Inc., the Massachusetts Distributed Generation Interconnection Report was funded by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) in cooperation with the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER).
Tags: Free Commercial Electricity, Free Electricity, free solar panels, Massachusetts Solar, Power Purchase Agreement, PPA's, PV Solar, Renewable Energy, solar energy, solar panels, solar power
Check out this article http://cnet.co/qJKgiw . It talks about the falling cost of going solar and what it means to you, the consumer.
I believe as solar becomes more and more affordable we will see a major explosion in the number of commercial and residential installations. As it is right now, commercial projects, for most part, are a “No Brainer” for commercial property owners. ROI’s are very impressive, to say the least.
Now is the time to go Solar!
Tags: Free Commercial Electricity, Massachusetts Solar, Power Purchase Agreement, PPA's, Renewable Energy, solar energy, solar panels, solar power
I just found this video that shows just how simple it is to turn a commercial property roof into a KW producing asset!
If the funding is there and the $numbers make sense, why are we not doing this to all our buildings?
Tags: Massachusetts Solar, Power Purchase Agreement, PPA's, PV Solar, Renewable Energy, solar energy, solar panels, solar power
There is an old saying:
“There is no such thing as FREE!!!!”
Now, for the most part, that statement is universally true but, anyone making that kind of bold statement of “FREE SOLAR PANELS” must have something of value or they wouldn’t be trying to get your attention with the word FREE.
With that being said, I want to talk to you about what the offer of “Free Solar Panels” and what that means to you.
If a company were to put $30,000 worth of solar panels on your Massachusetts home and in exchange all they asked was that you buy the electricity it produces, would that be FREE?
I would say, “NO!”
So lets look at it a different way. What if you are currently paying $100/mo for electricity and now with the Solar Panels, that you didn’t pay for, on your home/business you get it for $75/mo. What would that mean to you? Let’s figure it out?
You were paying $100 and now for the same amount of electricity you get it for $75. That means you are getting a $25 discount on something you were going to pay for anyway. Great deal…Right?
You are probably saying, I get it and I like that but where does the FREE part come in?
I am not sure yet… Let’s look at another way to get that $25/mo.
Well, in order to get that $25/mo savings on your electricity you would normally have to go out and purchase all kinds of expensive Energy Star light bulbs, appliances, windows, and insulation…right? How much would that cost? $5,000? $20,000? …Who know? And who pays for that? ….That’s right you do! Definitively not FREE but people do it every day just to save a few dollars.
Ok, let’s do it a different way. You get the FREE Solar Panels put on your house. You get $100 worth of electricity for $75 each month.
How much did that cost you?….Nothing…Right?
So if something cost you $0 and you save $25/mo then the FREE Solar Panles must be….wait for it…wait for it…
FREE!
If this all makes sense, why would anyone be afraid?
OK, here comes the hook.
If you would like to find out if your home/business qualifies, just contact me.
Artie Leonard
508-441-0921
juiceontheroof@gmail.com
Tags: Free Commercial Electricity, Free Electricity, free solar panels, Massachusetts Solar, Power Purchase Agreement, PPA's, PV Solar, Renewable Energy, residential solar, solar energy, solar panels, solar power
From the Boston Globe : http://bo.st/oKKm1F
Greater Boston ranks in the top 10 among the nation’s largest metropolitan areas for employment in the alternative energy industry, boosted by state policies that require utilities to purchase electricity generated by solar, wind, and other nonpolluting power sources, according to a new study.
The study, by the Washington think tank Brookings Institution, found that Boston ranks seventh among the 100 largest metro areas with nearly 4,300 alternative energy jobs, accounting for the vast majority of the state’s employment in this emerging industry. Massachusetts has just over 5,000 alternative energy jobs, placing it 11th among states, according to the Brookings report to be released today.
The number of jobs in the alternative energy industry has grown 6.4 percent in Massachusetts since 2003, according to the report.
“The Boston area is one of the real clean-technology pulls in America,’’ said Brookings senior fellow and policy director Mark Muro. “Massachusetts has a very balanced, strong clean-tech set of clusters that are reaching critical mass and fertilizing each other, propelled by outstanding research institutions and a history of entrepreneurial prowess.’’
California, with about 30,000 jobs in the industry, and New York, with about 15,000 jobs, topped the ranking among states. The leading metropolitan areas were San Francisco; Albany, N.Y.; and Knoxville, Tenn.
A study released by Governor Deval Patrick’s administration this week said the prospects for job growth, lower energy bills, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions justify state-mandated investment by utilities – a projected $5.37 billion through 2015 – in alternative energy, including energy efficiency. Utilities that operate in the state are required to purchase at least 6 percent of their supply from renewable sources such as wind and solar.
The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, a quasi-public agency aimed at accelerating growth in the industry, estimates that the state’s alternative energy sector is significantly larger than Brookings estimates. The council counts 400 companies in manufacturing, energy efficiency services, and research and development in the sector employing about 11,000 workers – a 65 percent increase from 2007.
The numbers differ because Brookings takes a narrower view of which firms constitute the industry, counting jobs only at companies that solely produce alternative energy goods and services. Nonprofits and university researchers, for example, are excluded from the Brookings estimates. Brookings also excludes firms with fewer than five employees.
Public and private investment are fueling the alternative energy industry. In Massachusetts, for example, utility customers pay a small surcharge on their bills to provide about $25 million annually to the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust Fund, which invests in new technologies.
In all, utilities and their customers paid $500 million in 2010 to fund energy efficiency programs. That money, according to the state Department of Public Utilities, could yield about $1.4 billion in savings for utility customers over the long term.
Venture capital firms, many in Massachusetts, are also investing in alternative energy firms. Muro, the Brookings report author, suggested a hybrid model that combines public and private investment to help commercialize alternative energy technologies.
One example, he said, is Connecticut’s recently approved “Green Bank,’’ a quasi-public lending program that will combine funding from private and public sources to provide low-interest financing to alternative energy projects.
“You need financial support to grow great technology,’’ Muro said. “It’s hard to get bank financing to scale-up a cool, promising, but risky new technology.’’
K aivan Mangouri can be reached at kmangouri@globe.com. 
Tags: Free Commercial Electricity, Free Electricity, free solar panels, Massachusetts Solar, PV Solar, Renewable Energy, residential solar, solar energy
I just found the following article. It do a nice job of explaining the return on investment of purchasing your PV Solar Panels….Please note, the following is NOT for people that want a Low or ZERO upfront solar panels.
From http://www.sustainablescituate.org/solarize-mass :
Financial Incentives for Participating in the Solarize Mass Pilot
Scituate’s participation in the Solarize Mass pilot presents an economically viable way to install a solar PV system to generate your electricity. There will be two options: leasing, with involves no upfront costs and a lower electric bill; and buying, with upfront costs, but with a range of financial incentives. The leasing option will be explained in detail during the meeting with the solar integrator in June. One should be aware, however, that the financial benefits of buying are substantial, and a leasing program would not even be offered, if the company doing the leasing were not to enjoy the benefits of owning the system that he is leasing to the homeowner.
For purposes of illustration, we will take the example of a 5 kW system, which is what is conservatively assumed to be needed for a 2500 square foot home. Costs for solar pv stand at around $6 per watt today, making this a $30,000 system. The Clean Energy Center will select a solar integrator who provides group discount incentives, with the intent of bringing that cost to $5 a watt or $25,000.
The state provides a basic rebate of .75 per watt or $3750, in this example, bringing the cost to $21,250. This would be the upfront cost of the system, if one arranges to have the rebate directly payable to the solar integrator. For those who buy a major component from a Massachusetts manufacturer, an additional rebate of .10 per watt is availble ($500). If one has a moderate income ($75,810 or less as an individual, $94,420 or less as a household) OR a moderate home value ($400K or less), there is an additional .85 per watt rebate ($4250). Being eligible for all state rebates bring the upfront cost to $16,500.
A sizable portion of those upfront costs, however, are refundable, due to federal and state tax credits. The federal credit of 30% would return $6375 (in the first scenario) or $4950 (in the second) and the state would return $1000. This brings the final cost of the system, for the person only entitled to the basic rebate, to $13,875. For the person entitled to all rebates, the final cost is $10,550. While this is a summary of the fixed costs and incentives in the example given, there are variable incentives, as well.
One is the Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC). A 5 kW system generates 5 SRECs. Utility companies in Massachusetts are required to create solar energy or pay a fine. An alternative is to buy certificates from those who have installed solar pv systems and are creating solar energy. The minimum price for these certificates is $285, and the current maximum is $550. The price is set at quarterly auctions and fluctuates according to SREC availability. At a very minimum, the person with 5 SRECs to sell will get $1425 every year for a ten year period. The current maximum would be $2750 every year for ten years. Even at the minimum level, this variable benefit pays for the entire cost of the system purchased.
The incentives described thus far have covered the entire cost of the system and then some, and that is without even looking at the reason one does this to begin with — to generate electricity. The system you install will either generate a good part of the electricity you need, all that you need or more than you need. With Net Metering, the utility company is required to buy all the excess electricity you use and give you credit for it. So if you are overproducing in the summer, you can use those credits to pay when you are underproducing in the winter. Every year, the utility company will check the overall balance and if you have overproduced consistently, will pay you for the credits not used.
With regard to pay back periods, someone who sells their SRECs at the highest price, and who generates $100+ worth of electricity each month is looking at around $4000 of benefit per year. At a $10,550 total cost (for the person eligible for all three rebates), the payback may be around three years. Best case scenario. For a worst case scenario, someone who sells their SRECs at the lowest price and gets $60 of electricity per month is looking at about $2000+ of benefit per year. At a $13,875 total cost (for the person eligible only for the basic rebate), the payback period is around seven years.
Despite all the incentives, there is still the matter of the upfront costs. The easiest financing option at this time may well be a home equity loan or line of credit, both at historically low interest rates.
Tags: Free Electricity, free solar panels, Massachusetts Solar, Power Purchase Agreement, Renewable Energy, residential solar, solar energy, solar panels, solar power, Sustainable Scituate
Solar energy is the fastest growing industry in the country and it is showing no signs of slowing down.
Locally, General Motor’s broke ground on an expansion to its White Marsh transmission plant just outside of Baltimore. The addition to the plant, which currently produces hybrid and heavy duty transmissions, will be dedicated to making critical components for electric motors. When the plant opens in 2013, the electric motor plant will be the first of its kind by a major U.S. automaker.
The expansion will include a 1.23MW rooftop solar system. Expected to generate nine percent of the plant’s energy consumption, the system will save approximately $330,000 during its lifetime.
According to GM Vice President Mike Robinson, “GM will offset up to 1,103 metric tons of carbon dioxide from entering the air per year – equivalent to the emissions from 216 passenger vehicles.”
Leading furniture retailer Ikea also recently announced the installation of solar PV systems on six of it’s east coast stores, two in Maryland. The Baltimore and College Park locations can expect panels as early as fall of this year. The plan for the two Maryland locations includes 7,840 panels that would offset 1,822 tons of carbon dioxide.
Also on the horizon is a $70 million dollar solar energy farm at a state prison near Hagerstown. The farm would sit on 50 state-owned acres surrounding the medium-security Maryland Correctional Institution and inmates will tend the grounds and keep the panels clean.
The 20MW farm is still waiting on the go ahead from state regulators. If approved, the project could be completed as early as 2012 and would generate enough energy to power 2,250 homes.
Article from Solar Energy World
Tags: Free Commercial Electricity, Massachusetts Solar, Renewable Energy, solar energy, solar panels, solar power
Jun
25
admin on June 25th, 2011
Largest Rooftop Project in U.S. History Will Enable Wide Distribution of Solar Power Across Country While Creating at Least a Thousand Jobs
Washington D.C. – U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced the offer of a conditional commitment to provide a partial guarantee for a $1.4 billion loan to support Project Amp. This project will support the installation of solar panels on industrial buildings across the country, with the electricity generated from those panels contributing directly to the electrical grid, as opposed to powering the buildings where they are installed. Supported by funding from the 2009 stimulus bill, the solar generation project includes the installation of approximately 733 megawatts (MW) of photovoltaic (PV) solar panels, which is nearly equal to the total amount of PV installed in the U.S. in 2010. The project sponsor estimates Project Amp will create at least one thousand jobs over a four year period.
“This unprecedented solar project will not only produce clean, renewable energy to power the grid in states across the country, but it will help us meet the SunShot goal of achieving cost competitive solar power with other forms of energy by the end of the decade,” said Secretary Chu. “In addition, Project Amp will create at least a thousand jobs across the U.S. and increase our global competitiveness in the clean energy race.”
Project Amp will enable a wide distribution of solar power over approximately 750 existing rooftops owned and managed by Prologis. NRG Energy is the lead investor for the first phase of the project, which includes a 15.4 MW installation in Southern California. Phase 1 will utilize at least 90 percent U.S. sourced components. The power from Phase 1 will be sold to Southern California Edison. Additional installations will be built in up to 28 states and the District of Columbia.
Project Amp is expected to produce up to one million megawatt hours annually, enough to power over 88,000 homes. At this level, the project is also expected to avoid approximately 580,000 tons of carbon pollution annually. Project Amp’s application was submitted by the lender-applicant, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, under the Financial Institution Partnership Program (FIPP).
The Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office administers three separate programs: the Title XVII Section 1703 and Section 1705 loan guarantee programs, and the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing (ATVM) loan program. The loan guarantee programs support the deployment of commercial technologies along with innovative technologies that avoid, reduce, or sequester greenhouse gas emissions while ATVM supports the development of advanced vehicle technologies. Under all three programs, DOE has issued loans, loan guarantees or offered conditional commitments for loan guarantees totaling over $33 billion to support 37 clean energy projects across the U.S. The program’s 20 generation projects produce nearly 29 million megawatt-hours annually, enough to power over two million homes. Including Project Amp, the program has reserved or committed to over $12 billion in loan guarantees to solar generations projects. DOE has also committed financing to support numerous other projects, such as three geothermal projects, the world’s largest wind farm and the nation’s first new nuclear power plant in three decades. For more information, please visit the Loan Programs Office.
Source http://www.energy.gov/news/10391.htm
Tags: Massachusetts Solar, Power Purchase Agreement, Renewable Energy
Jun
22
admin on June 22nd, 2011
A Solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) is a legal contract where a solar project developer installs and operates a system for a business owner, homeowner, or tenant (the “host”) who in turn agrees to buy the solar generated electricity for a fixed period, usually 10 to 20 years. The host typically purchases the solar power at a fixed rate equal to or less than their normal utility rate and does not pay the upfront capital costs of the installation, making PPAs a very attractive economic option.
Developers like the model because the PPA contract ensures that the developer will be able to sell the solar electricity for a fixed period of time at a pre-determined rate. The PPA contract also removes negotiation and transmission costs that could be associated with solar projects that do not have a guaranteed energy buyer.
Businesses benefit from the federal and state incentives in place for owning a solar system. Specifically, Solar PPAs in the United States rely on the federal solar investment tax credit, which was extended for eight years under the Emergency Economic Stabilization act of 2008 and then amended with the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 so that the solar investment tax credit can now be combined with tax exempt financing. This investment tax credit covers 30% of the expenditures on a solar system. Several state rebate programs also reduce the capital necessary for PPAs by providing grants corresponding to the size of the solar system.
The host business that is buying the solar generated electricity does not receive any of these tax credits or rebates directly, rather, the developer or company that finances and subsequently owns the system receives these benefits. However, the developer passes these benefits on to the host in the form of lower fixed rates for their electricity.
Because the developer fully maximizes all the incentives associated with a solar energy system, in some situations a PPA can be a better deal than ownership of a system. For example, non-profits cannot receive tax credits, implying that a PPA would be the better financial decision since the developer could access the tax credits and consequently provide solar electricity at a reduced rate to the non-profit. Furthermore, a solar developer can raise funds for a project (or portfolio of projects) through tax equity investors.
Similarly, businesses and developers engaging in a Solar PPA can take advantage of Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs). An SREC is a tradable credit that represents the clean energy benefits of electricity generated from a solar electric system. Each time the electric system generates 1000 kWh, a SREC is issued that can be sold or traded separately from the power. Therefore, the legal owner of the system can sell their rights to SRECs to utility companies that need SRECs to comply with state Renewable Portfolio Standards. This represents another substantial method to offset the cost of the system and allow businesses to reduce their net costs and ultimately the PPA rate. As state rebate programs diminish, SREC values will become more important for financing solar.
As PPAs and new solar financing tools become more prevalent, it is important to understand the difference between a PPA and a lease. A solar lease is another common financing tool where a solar company builds a solar energy system on a host’s property and then the host pays a lease payment for the benefits of the system’s electricity production. This is different from a PPA where the host pays directly for the solar power. Many companies that began exclusively in solar leasing are now offering the PPA model to customers as well. Typically, nuances in state laws or consumer preference determine whether a developer will offer a PPA or lease. Solar developers who offer solar PPAs have encountered a large number of interested customers. For example, Wal-Mart, Safeway, and Macy’s all use solar PPAs, and some estimates say that in 2008 PPAs represented over 60% of California’s non-residential solar market.
In short, PPAs allow businesses to take advantage of all sorts of solar incentives like SREC values, federal, and state incentives – all without any upfront capital. As large facility owners and tenants continue to demand solar without high upfront costs, PPAs will become more and more popular.
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Tags: Free Commercial Electricity, Free Electricity, free solar panels, Massachusetts Solar, Power Purchase Agreement, PPA's, Renewable Energy, solar energy, solar panels, solar power
