“A few years ago, projects like these existed only in theory. Today, they are a reality,” said Governor Rendell. “They benefit Pennsylvania’s consumers by generating and saving electricity, driving down utility rates, making additional projects more affordable and feasible, while stimulating the economy by creating manufacturing and employment opportunities, attracting private investments and making our environment cleaner.”

The Governor noted that the state investment provided through the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority, or PEDA, will also leverage more than $211 million in private funds, generating a 10-to-1 return on investment. Since 2005, PEDA has invested more than $99 million in 201 projects which have generated more than $883 million in matching funds. He also stressed the need to increase Pennsylvania’s clean energy portfolio standards, saying higher standards will translate into even more jobs and economic development for the state — just as the first Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards law did.

“The solar industry has grown at a rapid pace despite the uncertain economy,” said Governor Rendell. “Investors and developers have proven anxious and eager to invest in clean solar energy projects. Venture capitalists alone poured $1.4 billion into the industry last year. Pennsylvania could attract a larger share of that action if we just increased the solar share of our portfolio standards law.”

When it was enacted in 2004, Pennsylvania’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards act was one of the nation’s most ambitious laws, but has since been surpassed by other states.

The current law’s solar share requirement requires that one-half-of-one percent of the electricity Pennsylvanians purchase in 2021 come from solar power. However, Delaware has a 3.5 percent requirement by 2025; Maryland will require that 2 percent of their electricity comes from solar by 2022; New Jersey will require 4 percent solar generation by 2021; and Illinois — the seventh-largest coal producer in the nation — has set a 1.5 percent goal for 2025.

“Pennsylvania is on pace to become one of the top five states this year for the amount of installed solar generation capacity we have, but that’s because of the standards we enacted six years ago,” said the Governor, adding that less than two years ago, Pennsylvania’s installed solar capacity was minimal. “Today, we have more than 39 megawatts of capacity installed, or enough to power 5,900 homes and that number increases daily.

“Unless we move now to increase our solar share – even to a modest 1.5 percent target — the types of projects we’re announcing today won’t even consider Pennsylvania. They’ll look elsewhere and take their jobs with them. And the 600 solar businesses now operating in Pennsylvania may move to another state where the sun shines brighter. Not acting on this issue now will only hurt our economy in the long-run.”

The projects announced by the Governor were [...]]]> Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell this week announced $20.5 million in state and federal investments that will create 1,400 jobs in the rapidly expanding clean energy industry.The funding will benefit 40 diverse energy projects that will generate or save the equivalent of more than 10 billion kilowatt hours of electricity over their lifetimes. That’s enough energy to power 1 million average homes in Pennsylvania for one year — and reduce carbon emissions by nearly 9 million tons, which is the equivalent of removing 1.5 million passenger cars from the roads for one year.

“A few years ago, projects like these existed only in theory. Today, they are a reality,” said Governor Rendell. “They benefit Pennsylvania’s consumers by generating and saving electricity, driving down utility rates, making additional projects more affordable and feasible, while stimulating the economy by creating manufacturing and employment opportunities, attracting private investments and making our environment cleaner.”

The Governor noted that the state investment provided through the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority, or PEDA, will also leverage more than $211 million in private funds, generating a 10-to-1 return on investment. Since 2005, PEDA has invested more than $99 million in 201 projects which have generated more than $883 million in matching funds. He also stressed the need to increase Pennsylvania’s clean energy portfolio standards, saying higher standards will translate into even more jobs and economic development for the state — just as the first Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards law did.

“The solar industry has grown at a rapid pace despite the uncertain economy,” said Governor Rendell. “Investors and developers have proven anxious and eager to invest in clean solar energy projects. Venture capitalists alone poured $1.4 billion into the industry last year. Pennsylvania could attract a larger share of that action if we just increased the solar share of our portfolio standards law.”

When it was enacted in 2004, Pennsylvania’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards act was one of the nation’s most ambitious laws, but has since been surpassed by other states.

The current law’s solar share requirement requires that one-half-of-one percent of the electricity Pennsylvanians purchase in 2021 come from solar power. However, Delaware has a 3.5 percent requirement by 2025; Maryland will require that 2 percent of their electricity comes from solar by 2022; New Jersey will require 4 percent solar generation by 2021; and Illinois — the seventh-largest coal producer in the nation — has set a 1.5 percent goal for 2025.

“Pennsylvania is on pace to become one of the top five states this year for the amount of installed solar generation capacity we have, but that’s because of the standards we enacted six years ago,” said the Governor, adding that less than two years ago, Pennsylvania’s installed solar capacity was minimal. “Today, we have more than 39 megawatts of capacity installed, or enough to power 5,900 homes and that number increases daily.

“Unless we move now to increase our solar share – even to a modest 1.5 percent target — the types of projects we’re announcing today won’t even consider Pennsylvania. They’ll look elsewhere and take their jobs with them. And the 600 solar businesses now operating in Pennsylvania may move to another state where the sun shines brighter. Not acting on this issue now will only hurt our economy in the long-run.”

The projects announced by the Governor were funded through three sources. Twenty-four projects were funded with $13 million from Growing Greener II, eight projects were funded with $5 million in federal stimulus funds through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and eight projects in the Pittsburgh region were funded with $2.5 million through Duquesne Light Co. settlement funds.

For more information, visit www.depweb.state.pa.us, keyword: PEDA, or call the Department of Environmental Protection’s Office of Energy and Technology Deployment at 717-783-8411.

M&S is one of the first retailers to offer solar energy packages that enable customers to take advantage of Feed-in-Tariffs. Through the M&S Energy partnership with SSE these tariffs are available to new and existing M&S Energy customers. They allow Solar PV customers to earn money and a tax free return for every unit of electricity they generate over the next 25 years. Under the scheme every unit produced will earn customers 41.3p from their energy supplier, with an additional 3p offered for every unused unit that is exported back to the national grid.

M&S will offer two solar packages, Solar Thermal and Solar PV, which will both include the installation of roof mounted solar panels that will contribute to customers’ home energy needs.

All M&S solar packages will include a free assessment to determine the best solution for each home, and a full panel and system installation by an M&S approved installer accredited by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme.

Richard Gillies, Director of Plan A & Sustainable Business at M&S, says:

“This is the latest example of M&S offering our customers efficient solutions to their home energy needs. We’re committed to meeting the challenges of climate change both within our own operations and through encouraging customers to reduce their own carbon footprints. Installing a solar solution will help customers save money over the long term by reducing their energy bills and will lead to significant cuts in customers’ carbon emissions.”

Building on the success of the M&S Energy brand, which has signed up over 300,000 customer accounts, M&S launched an M&S Energy home services division in February 2010. As well as solar energy packages, M&S Energy offers a home insulation service, which has insulated over 3,000 homes in its first six months since launch. Prices for M&S Energy loft or cavity wall insulation start at just £149^.

Stephen Langford, Head of M&S Energy, says:

“Utilising solar energy at home saves you money on your heating and electricity bills and helps tackle climate change. We’ve brought the M&S quality standard to this service to make it easy for customers to get the most out of solar energy.

“We’re committed to selecting the best installers, and delivering the best lead times on the market. Each solar package will be tailored to a customer’s individual needs, ensuring they receive the high level of service [...]]]> Marks & Spencer (M&S) is launching a range of Solar PV and Solar Thermal water heating solutions to help customers cut their carbon emissions and reduce their energy bills.

M&S is one of the first retailers to offer solar energy packages that enable customers to take advantage of Feed-in-Tariffs. Through the M&S Energy partnership with SSE these tariffs are available to new and existing M&S Energy customers. They allow Solar PV customers to earn money and a tax free return for every unit of electricity they generate over the next 25 years. Under the scheme every unit produced will earn customers 41.3p from their energy supplier, with an additional 3p offered for every unused unit that is exported back to the national grid.

M&S will offer two solar packages, Solar Thermal and Solar PV, which will both include the installation of roof mounted solar panels that will contribute to customers’ home energy needs.

• Solar Thermal works by collecting daylight energy to heat a customer’s water supply, for use throughout the day and night. Customers can choose from three different sized panel systems (from 2.05 m² to 6.15 m²), allowing users to save up to £85 a year** on hot water heating bills, meeting up to 50% of an average household’s hot water requirement. Packages will be available from £3,999.
• Solar PV works by collecting daylight energy and converting it into electricity for use within the home. With different sized panel systems on offer (from 10 m² to 30 m²), users will be able select the most appropriate solution to help reduce their energy bills by generating free renewable energy for their homes – with combined saving and earnings customers could be over £1000 a year* better off. Packages will be available from £7,999.

All M&S solar packages will include a free assessment to determine the best solution for each home, and a full panel and system installation by an M&S approved installer accredited by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme.

Richard Gillies, Director of Plan A & Sustainable Business at M&S, says:

“This is the latest example of M&S offering our customers efficient solutions to their home energy needs. We’re committed to meeting the challenges of climate change both within our own operations and through encouraging customers to reduce their own carbon footprints. Installing a solar solution will help customers save money over the long term by reducing their energy bills and will lead to significant cuts in customers’ carbon emissions.”

Building on the success of the M&S Energy brand, which has signed up over 300,000 customer accounts, M&S launched an M&S Energy home services division in February 2010. As well as solar energy packages, M&S Energy offers a home insulation service, which has insulated over 3,000 homes in its first six months since launch. Prices for M&S Energy loft or cavity wall insulation start at just £149^.

Stephen Langford, Head of M&S Energy, says:

“Utilising solar energy at home saves you money on your heating and electricity bills and helps tackle climate change. We’ve brought the M&S quality standard to this service to make it easy for customers to get the most out of solar energy.

“We’re committed to selecting the best installers, and delivering the best lead times on the market. Each solar package will be tailored to a customer’s individual needs, ensuring they receive the high level of service they expect from M&S.”

Customers can find out more about M&S’ new solar offer by calling 0800 0106 106 from 2nd September and about M&S Energy by visiting www.mandsenergy.com.

How the home solar panel service works

Customers call a 0800 telephone number to register their interest and within ten working days their property is assessed free of charge. If a customer chooses to progress, an appointment is booked with an installer and the work is carried out within eight weeks. Installation times vary, but generally are less than three days and the solar panel are guaranteed for 25 years.

Thousands of Arizona homeowners have taken the plunge into solar power – but the state’s Corporation Commission believes even more homeowners would invest in solar energy if they understood its benefits. The ACC announced September 1 that it was introducing a website to provide information on available incentives and current solar projects. Dubbed Arizonagoessolar.org, the information portal launched this week.

The site, ACC chairman Kris Mayes said, “will increase the transparency of solar rebates and incentives, and provide a real-time look at where solar systems are being deployed and how much energy they can produce.”

Arizonagoessolar.org will be updated biweekly, the commission says – so the information it provides will always be up-to-date.

While federal and state incentives are an essential component of the solar marketplace, the web of subsidies, rebates and loans can be confusing. By providing Arizonans with information on the incentives for which they qualify, the ACC could help clarify the solar-incentive picture and spur new solar projects in Arizona.

“This website will be a useful tool for solar installers, ratepayers, utilities and researchers,” ACC commissioner Paul Newman said.ADNFCR-2111-ID-19935208-ADNFCR

The Commission cut PNM’s proposed construction of new solar photovoltaic plants from a proposed 84 megawatts down to 45 megawatts, citing an original $40 million project price tag that would have been passed along to consumers. The approved projects will cost much less — about $15 million. Electric utilities in New Mexico must generate 10 percent of their power from renewable sources by 2011. At least 20 percent of renewable energy must come from solar sources.

PNM will meet its state-mandated renewable energy requirements with purchases from a solar electric thermal facility in Belen and for a solar storage demonstration.

“PNM’s original plan came in way too expensive,” Commissioner Jason Marks said. “Commissioners reached a compromise rather than throw the whole plan out and start from scratch. I think it’s a win-win solution because it moves us forward while keeping it under our reasonable-cost threshold.”

Limiting PNM’s investments in solar plants now will encourage the company to invest in other solar and renewable generation capacity in the near future, Marks said. Photovoltaic plants cannot efficiently store energy over night or during overcast days, Marks said.

Marks has championed efforts to build solar-thermal plants in the state. Solar-thermal plants are a younger and currently more expensive technology that allows storage of solar-derived electricity for non-peak production times – a system better suited to conditions in the desert Southwest, Marks said.

Solar thermal plants’ costs are expected to drop over coming years, as the technology becomes more widely used, Marks said.

PNM’s original proposal met fierce opposition from consumer and environmental groups because the company had planned to reduce its support for rooftop “distributed production” solar systems.

“In the end, we’ll get more solar for less money,” Marks said. “We’re protecting the ratepayers from excessive cost impacts right now and also leaving some money available under our cost caps to implement new programs, as opportunities arise.”

The solar thermal installation will supply hot water and cooling to around 2,500 students, who live and study on a newly created 76,000 m2 campus, which incorporates facilities such as boarding houses, canteens, science labs, libraries, sport amenities and music studios (see figure below).

The announced project is the world’s largest solar cooling installation yet.

“The use of solar energy prevailed in producing the hot water, because gas prices in Singapore are as high as electricity prices,” Holter explains. The CEO plans to meet 100% of the hot water demand for the campus and around 30% of its cooling demand. Although the maximum energy output of a solar cooling system perfectly matches the maximum solar radiation in the tropical country of Singapore, Solid estimates a relatively small collector output of 560 kWh/m2 per year due to a frequently cloudy sky.

New campus of the United World College of South East Asia

From August 2011 on, the 76,000 m2 area will host 2,500 students from 60 different countries worldwide.

The collector area will be mounted on all of the buildings. Installation will begin soon and the system is thought to start operating in the spring of 2011. Supplying the panels is the Austrian company Ökotech, a subsidiary of the Solid Group Austria. The highly efficient Gluatmugl collectors possess a convection blocker between absorber and glass cover to minimize heating losses and reach higher temperatures than usual, which will be necessary to operate the absorption chiller with a power of 1,759 kW by Broad, China.

“The technical design of the installation has been ready for a year. What took the last twelve months, were the negotiations on its financing,” Holter stresses. Solid had to first prove the credit-worthiness of its financing partner, the Raiffeisen-Landesbank of Steiermark (RLB). The Solid Group assumes the role of contractor together with its Singapore subsidiary Solid International Asia (SIA). The UWCSEA will repay the investment within 15 years by paying the energy costs it saved with the help of the solar installation.

And, Singapore’s Economic Development Board (EDB) had to be convinced of granting a subsidy of 15 % of the investment costs for the solar installation, which ensured that the new campus reached the Green Mark Platinum certification, the highest rating in Singapore´s green buildings grading system.

Asia is becoming increasingly important for Solid: At present, the Solid Group achieves 50 % of its turnover in Asian countries. After installing a solar cooling (613 m2) and a hot water system (666 m2) at the logistic centre of the 2008 Olympic Summer Games and a solar cooling project in Abu Dhabi, the project in Singapore is already the fourth large-scale project by Solid in Asia.

More Information:

Solid Group: http://www.solid.at

Ökotech Produktionsgesellschaft für Umwelttechnik: www.oekotech.biz

Raiffeisen-Landesbank of Steiermark: www.rlbstmk.at

United World College of South East Asia: www.uwcsea.edu.sg

Written by [...]]]> A major order for two Austrian companies was announced at a press conference in the middle of August: Austrian engineering company Solid – represented by its two CEOs Christian Holter (middle) and Franz Radovic (right) – signed a contract with the United World College of South East Asia (UWCSEA) to deliver, install and operate a solar heating and cooling installation with 3,900 m2 of collector area in Singapore. The Raiffeisen-Landesbank of Steiermark (RLB-Stmk) will be responsible for financing the investment of around EUR 4 million together with the OeKB, the Oesterreichische Kontrollbank.

The solar thermal installation will supply hot water and cooling to around 2,500 students, who live and study on a newly created 76,000 m2 campus, which incorporates facilities such as boarding houses, canteens, science labs, libraries, sport amenities and music studios (see figure below).

The announced project is the world’s largest solar cooling installation yet.

“The use of solar energy prevailed in producing the hot water, because gas prices in Singapore are as high as electricity prices,” Holter explains. The CEO plans to meet 100% of the hot water demand for the campus and around 30% of its cooling demand. Although the maximum energy output of a solar cooling system perfectly matches the maximum solar radiation in the tropical country of Singapore, Solid estimates a relatively small collector output of 560 kWh/m2 per year due to a frequently cloudy sky.

New campus of the United World College of South East Asia

From August 2011 on, the 76,000 m2 area will host 2,500 students from 60 different countries worldwide.

The collector area will be mounted on all of the buildings. Installation will begin soon and the system is thought to start operating in the spring of 2011. Supplying the panels is the Austrian company Ökotech, a subsidiary of the Solid Group Austria. The highly efficient Gluatmugl collectors possess a convection blocker between absorber and glass cover to minimize heating losses and reach higher temperatures than usual, which will be necessary to operate the absorption chiller with a power of 1,759 kW by Broad, China.

“The technical design of the installation has been ready for a year. What took the last twelve months, were the negotiations on its financing,” Holter stresses. Solid had to first prove the credit-worthiness of its financing partner, the Raiffeisen-Landesbank of Steiermark (RLB). The Solid Group assumes the role of contractor together with its Singapore subsidiary Solid International Asia (SIA). The UWCSEA will repay the investment within 15 years by paying the energy costs it saved with the help of the solar installation.

And, Singapore’s Economic Development Board (EDB) had to be convinced of granting a subsidy of 15 % of the investment costs for the solar installation, which ensured that the new campus reached the Green Mark Platinum certification, the highest rating in Singapore´s green buildings grading system.

Asia is becoming increasingly important for Solid: At present, the Solid Group achieves 50 % of its turnover in Asian countries. After installing a solar cooling (613 m2) and a hot water system (666 m2) at the logistic centre of the 2008 Olympic Summer Games and a solar cooling project in Abu Dhabi, the project in Singapore is already the fourth large-scale project by Solid in Asia.

More Information:

Solid Group: http://www.solid.at

Ökotech Produktionsgesellschaft für Umwelttechnik: www.oekotech.biz

Raiffeisen-Landesbank of Steiermark: www.rlbstmk.at

United World College of South East Asia: www.uwcsea.edu.sg

Written by Baerbel Epp

The high line speed is achieved by using four robots and a high degree of plant automation. Only very few processes require manual intervention: The first one is at the beginning of the line, when inserting the aluminium tray with the insulation layer. Further manual production steps include the following tasks: placing the absorber into the tray and removing the coating protection foil, as well as fixing the grommets on the tray. All other production steps have been automated, including the punching of holes into the tray and the application of primer and glue for the glass cover.

Even the serial number labels are added automatically. They are part of the advanced quality control system of the new line. “Every step of the solar collector assembly process is inspected and controlled by cameras,” Alexander Eichwalder, Director Sales & Marketing, states. “The recorded information can be traced by the individual serial number of the collector.”

According to Greenonetec, the annual capacity per shift is 150,000 solar collectors. Considering 260 working days a year with 8 hours each, a collector is leaving the line every 50 seconds.

The production plant was designed and developed in collaboration with another company from the province of Carinthia, which is not named. All in all, it took ten months from ordering the machinery to commissioning the line. The total investment for the machinery and the quality assurance measures including capacity adoptions at the manufacturing of semi-finished parts amounted to EUR 4 million.

With the new line, Greenonetec surpasses its own record regarding cycle times. The Austrian manufacturer already has an assembly line for frame collectors with an output of one solar collector panel every 1.5 minutes, which has been running since 2009. This line is equipped with four robots and operated by six workers. The manual production steps are the same as in the new tray collector line.

More information:

www.greenonetec.com

As one of the largest Photovoltaic integrators in Germany, Wagner Solar Inc. will also be offering solar electric PV solutions and will provide engineering support for installations in North America.

Wagner & Co Solar Technology has gained technology leadership with ready-to-market solar thermal packages and received numerous awards. The company also came out first in many annual product tests by the independent consumer-testing agency “Stiftung Warentest” for the design of highly-efficient and cost effective solar thermal systems. Wagner & Co Solar Technology is well known for its EURO solar thermal collector line, among them Europe’s most efficient flat plate collector. The EURO collector line currently is being introduced to the North American markets.

Jörg Gäbler, a German-American citizen, with 15 years of experience in the German-American business culture, has been appointed managing director of Wagner Solar Inc. in Cambridge, MA. Mr. Gäbler holds a BA from Northeastern University and MSc from the TU Vienna in renewable energy technologies. His master thesis covered the solar thermal market of North America; a process of 3 years of research and market entry preparation for Wagner Solar.

The northeastern United States provide excellent market opportunities for the introduction of advanced solar thermal systems for space heating support – one of the reasons why Wagner & Co Solar Technology chose this region. High fuel costs, high heating requirements and a favorable installer infrastructure are just a few factors for the decision to start the US division of Wagner Solar Inc. in Cambridge, MA. In addition to offering well-engineered solar system solutions, Wagner Solar Inc. will invest considerable efforts into training and support of solar customers; a decisive factor for building a reliable installer base and a sustainable market in the US.

Solar Thermal Energy systems provide a cost-efficient solution to reducing greenhouse gases by using the sun’s energy to heat water. Increases in state and federal rebates and incentive programs is driving consumer demand and moving manufacturers to bring new products to market faster. The companies new state of the art test facility is equipped with Solar Tracker system, which can simultaneously test multiple samples to expedite the test completion and enable the manufacturer to get the product to market faster.

“The opening of Intertek’s new solar thermal lab in Texas, combined with our existing lab in Guangzhou, China, provides manufacturers with fast, expert certification solutions to demonstrate compliance to safety and performance criteria,” said Sunny Rai, Program Director, Photovoltaic & Semiconductor at Intertek. “As an OSHA recognized Nationally Recognized Testing Lab (NRTL) with established expertise and facilities for testing building products, HVAC/R equipment and photovoltaic panels, Intertek is uniquely positioned to support the needs of solar thermal manufacturers.”

Certification of solar thermal systems benefits manufacturers, contractors, consumers, and government agencies by establishing credibility and acceptance; standardized methods for measuring product performance; and durability and certification standards as a rational basis for qualification to tax credit programs.

For further information on Intertek’s solar testing services, visit www.intertek.com/solar.

About Intertek

Intertek is a leading provider of quality and safety solutions serving a wide range of industries around the world. From auditing and inspection, to testing, quality assurance and certification, Intertek people are dedicated to adding value to customers’ products and processes, supporting their success in the global marketplace.

Intertek has the expertise, resources and global reach to support its customers through its network of more than 1,000 laboratories and offices and over 26,000 people in more than 100 countries around the world.

“We’re really excited that Upper Midwest residents have this opportunity to increase their home comfort, save energy, and lower their energy bills with a new Honeywell programmable thermostat,” said Michelle Vigen, CERTs Campaign & Metrics Coordinator. “It’s an easy, convenient way to save money around your schedule.”

The average household in the Upper Midwest that sets back their thermostat in the summer and winter using default settings could save around 15% on heating and 25% on cooling costs, saving about $200 annually.

When asked about programmable thermostats, Joshua Davis, Home Energy Squad Manager with the Neighborhood Energy Connection, had this to say: “These are the biggest energy savers we install. It can save a lot of money on your heat and cooling bill, and makes your home more comfortable.”

A Honeywell Do-It-Yourself Programmable Thermostat Jason Carlson, a homeowner in McIntosh, MN, installed a programmable thermostat in his home in 2006. “We have saved over $200 a year on heating and cooling bills since we installed our programmable thermostat,” says Carlson. “It’s so nice how it automatically adjusts the temperature in our home so that it’s comfortable when we wake up or come home at the end of the day, and helps us save energy while we’re sleeping and at work.”

Programmable thermostats are an easy way for homeowners to begin taking action. Honeywell’s Do-It-Yourself programmable thermostats are specially designed to install in less than 15 minutes and in four simple steps. “We have a programmable thermostat in our house and it’s great!” said Erika Bailey-Johnson of Bemidji, MN. “It’s very easy to program, and you can set up different temperatures for weekends/weekdays and days/nights.” Well-labeled buttons and touch screens allow for straightforward interaction and programming.

Anyone can download and print out their own rebate at http://thermostat.mncerts.org. This is also the webpage homeowners should visit to learn more about programmable thermostats and this opportunity.

Minnesota State Fair On Friday, August 27th, CERTs and Honeywell representatives gave away 100 free programmable thermostats in 25 minutes at the Eco Experience building at the Minnesota State Fair! Residents can get their “Savings on a Stick” rebate form in person at the Eco Experience building on the corner of Randall and Cosgrove until September 6.

Residents can learn more and get a rebate at http://thermostat.mncerts.org.

At the same time, Solar Millennium has prepared the shareholder structure of the Ibersol project for the involvement of additional institutional investors. To this end, Solar Millennium repurchased 25 percent of the Ibersol project stakes from the holding company Cross Capital AG, Zug (Switzerland). Cross Capital had acquired these stakes indirectly from Solar Millennium in October 2009. According to Cross Capital, this sale provides the holding company with liquidity to be able to invest into planned solar-thermal power plants in the USA.

According to the company Solar Millennium is taking this step in order to allow institutional investors to enter into the Ibersol project pursuant to the example set by the Andasol 3 solar power plant project (Stadtwerke München (Munich City Utility), RheinEnergie and RWE Innogy are involved in Andasol 3), and to prepare a fund for private investors. According to the Executive Board’s assessment, the negotiations over the involvement of institutional investors are going well.

Thomas Mayer, spokesman of Solar Millennium’s Executive Board, welcomes the involvement of Ferrostaal: “With Ferrostaal investing in our next Spanish project, we remain true to our business model. With Ibersol, our fourth Spanish project is nearing the homestretch. Hence, Solar Millennium has significantly contributed to a global distribution of the parabolic trough technology.” Following its investment in the project, Ferrostaal will take part in the project development costs and help finance the power plant components that have already been ordered. All other measures in the run-up to the Ibersol construction will likewise be borne on a pro rata basis in the future. Flagsol GmbH, Cologne, the joint venture of Solar Millennium and Ferrostaal, will be largely responsible for engineering and construction.

Like its sister projects Andasol 1, 2 and 3 in the province of Andalusia, Ibersol will feature large thermal storage facilities, meaning that the operating hours and the amount of electricity produced can be nearly doubled over those of a solar power plant without storage. The power plant is essentially identical to Andasol 3, which is currently under construction in Andalusia. Ibersol will cover an area of around two square kilometers and feature collectors with a total length of 90 kilometers as well as collector space of about half a million square meters, equaling the area of roughly 70 soccer fields. Together with Andasol 3, the Spanish government granted the project pre-registration at the end of 2009, thereby ensuring that it will receive the feed-in tariffs for solar-thermal electricity generation.

The sale of stakes to Ferrostaal is still subject to approval by German antitrust authorities (Bundeskartellamt). In addition, the transfer of stakes in the Ibersol project company to a German holding company must be made legally effective according to Spanish law. Both of these procedures are expected to be completed in the weeks to come. The transaction is subject to neither further board [...]]]> Solar Millennium AG, Erlangen, has completed the sale of 50 percent of the stakes in the Ibersol power plant project to Ferrostaal AG, Essen. Ibersol is the fourth power plant project developed by Solar Millennium in southern Spain. The realization of the parabolic trough power plant with a capacity of 50 MW in the province of Extremadura is to commence in autumn 2010, while the plant is expected to be connected to the grid after two and a half years of construction in spring 2013.

At the same time, Solar Millennium has prepared the shareholder structure of the Ibersol project for the involvement of additional institutional investors. To this end, Solar Millennium repurchased 25 percent of the Ibersol project stakes from the holding company Cross Capital AG, Zug (Switzerland). Cross Capital had acquired these stakes indirectly from Solar Millennium in October 2009. According to Cross Capital, this sale provides the holding company with liquidity to be able to invest into planned solar-thermal power plants in the USA.

According to the company Solar Millennium is taking this step in order to allow institutional investors to enter into the Ibersol project pursuant to the example set by the Andasol 3 solar power plant project (Stadtwerke München (Munich City Utility), RheinEnergie and RWE Innogy are involved in Andasol 3), and to prepare a fund for private investors. According to the Executive Board’s assessment, the negotiations over the involvement of institutional investors are going well.

Thomas Mayer, spokesman of Solar Millennium’s Executive Board, welcomes the involvement of Ferrostaal: “With Ferrostaal investing in our next Spanish project, we remain true to our business model. With Ibersol, our fourth Spanish project is nearing the homestretch. Hence, Solar Millennium has significantly contributed to a global distribution of the parabolic trough technology.” Following its investment in the project, Ferrostaal will take part in the project development costs and help finance the power plant components that have already been ordered. All other measures in the run-up to the Ibersol construction will likewise be borne on a pro rata basis in the future. Flagsol GmbH, Cologne, the joint venture of Solar Millennium and Ferrostaal, will be largely responsible for engineering and construction.

Like its sister projects Andasol 1, 2 and 3 in the province of Andalusia, Ibersol will feature large thermal storage facilities, meaning that the operating hours and the amount of electricity produced can be nearly doubled over those of a solar power plant without storage. The power plant is essentially identical to Andasol 3, which is currently under construction in Andalusia. Ibersol will cover an area of around two square kilometers and feature collectors with a total length of 90 kilometers as well as collector space of about half a million square meters, equaling the area of roughly 70 soccer fields. Together with Andasol 3, the Spanish government granted the project pre-registration at the end of 2009, thereby ensuring that it will receive the feed-in tariffs for solar-thermal electricity generation.

The sale of stakes to Ferrostaal is still subject to approval by German antitrust authorities (Bundeskartellamt). In addition, the transfer of stakes in the Ibersol project company to a German holding company must be made legally effective according to Spanish law. Both of these procedures are expected to be completed in the weeks to come. The transaction is subject to neither further board approvals nor other conditions precedent. The acquisition price has not been disclosed.

US projects equally nearing the homestretch

Solar Millennium’s planned projects in the US are also about to be realized. After developing Andasol 1, 2 and 3 in Spain, the world’s largest solar power plants thus far with a total collector space in excess of 1.5 million square meters and electricity for around half a million people, the company plans to break its own records in California. The construction of at least one solar power plant with a capacity of 242 MW at the Blythe location is set to begin as early as 2010. Only last Friday, August 20, the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Blythe site was published by the Bureau of Land Management. This represents another major milestone on the way to the final permit of the planned solar power plants. The final permission is expected for October.

About Solar Millennium AG:

Solar Millennium AG, Erlangen, is an international company in the renewable energy sector, with its main focus on solar-thermal power plants. Together with its subsidiaries and associates, the Company specializes in parabolic trough power plants and has managed to take a globally leading position in this field. Solar Millennium strives to further extend its expertise in the area of solar-thermal power plants with the aim of achieving and securing sustainable technology leadership. As such, the Company covers all important business sectors along the value chain for solar-thermal power plants: from project development and financing to the technology and the turnkey construction and operation of power plants. In Spain, Solar Millennium developed Europe’s first parabolic trough power plants and realized these together with partners. Additional projects are planned around the world with an overall capacity of more than 2,000 megawatts: here the current regional focus is on Spain, the US, India, China, the Middle East and North Africa. More information is available at www.SolarMillennium.com

About solar-thermal power plant technology:

Solar-thermal power plants generate electricity by converting solar radiation into heat energy. In a parabolic trough power plant, trough-shaped mirrors concentrate the incidental radiation onto a pipe in the focal line of the collector. Its absorption heats a fluid heat medium in the pipe, generating steam in the power block through a heat exchanger. As in conventional power plants, the steam powers a turbine to generate electricity. By integrating thermal storage, electricity can be supplied on demand, even after sunset.

GE and its project partners will assemble a comprehensive package of home energy solutions, which will be demonstrated in several test houses located in various cities throughout the western U.S., including Phoenix, Arizona; Sacramento, California, and San Diego, California. The GE team will integrate a package of roof top solar panels and smart grid-enabled energy-efficient appliance and lighting products with its recently introduced NucleusTM Home Energy Manager. NucleusTM, part of GE’s Brillion™ suite of smart home energy management solutions, delivers real-time energy usage consumption data to PCs and smart phone applications, empowering homeowners to track and make decisions about how and when they use energy.

In addition to tracking energy improvements within individual test houses, an assessment of these solutions also will be done on a neighborhood scale.

Charles Korman, Manager of Solar Energy programs and a project leader on the Energy-Efficient Housing Partnership Initiative, said, “With deep customer connections in the utility and building industries and a broad portfolio of energy-efficient products in the home today, GE is uniquely positioned to provide new solutions and products that set new standards in American home efficiency. In doing so, we can dramatically reduce our nation’s carbon footprint and save homeowners hundreds of dollars more on their local utility bill every year.”

GE is part of DOE’s Building America team, Building Industry Research Alliance (BIRA). The team, led by ConSol, energy consultants headquartered in Stockton, California, also includes: Washington State University, Arizona State University, University of California at Davis, Ennovationz, Sacramento Municipalities Utilities District, San Diego Gas & Electric, Arizona Public Service, Pulte Homes, Salt River Project and Bank of America. BIRA was one of 15 teams selected to receive funding from the DOE through its Building Technologies Program.

Principal of ConSol, Dr. Robert W. Hammon, stated, “BIRA has provided DOE a diverse research plan that will build and expand upon the successes of the BIRA team over the last seven-and-one-half-years. We have proposed new energy-efficiency research in both existing and new homes that will advance both market segments toward DOE’s Building America Program (BAP) goals.”

The project is aligned with GE’s ecomagination initiative, which represents the company’s commitment to deliver new clean products and technologies to market that help solve our toughest environmental challenges. GE has more than 80 ecomagination certified products, including cutting-edge energy efficient lighting and appliance products, which have met the Initiative’s goal of improving both operational and environmental performance. Recently, the company pledged to double its investment in clean R&D over the next five years from $5 billion to $10 billion.

As part of the program, GE and its project partners will test new energy efficiency and clean power measures both in newly constructed and existing homes. The DOE has cited that today residential buildings account for about 21.5% of the nation’s primary energy consumption and carbon emissions, and about 38% of electricity. Of the residential buildings in existence today, about [...]]]> A team of technologists from GE’s Industrial Solutions, Appliances, Lighting and Research divisions is partnering with major utilities, builders and local communities in the western U.S. to evaluate and develop new strategies that reduce energy usage in new and existing homes by up to 70%** or more. With the average U.S. household paying $1,240 per year in electricity costs, this program could save homeowners more than $850 per year on their electricity costs.

GE and its project partners will assemble a comprehensive package of home energy solutions, which will be demonstrated in several test houses located in various cities throughout the western U.S., including Phoenix, Arizona; Sacramento, California, and San Diego, California. The GE team will integrate a package of roof top solar panels and smart grid-enabled energy-efficient appliance and lighting products with its recently introduced NucleusTM Home Energy Manager. NucleusTM, part of GE’s Brillion™ suite of smart home energy management solutions, delivers real-time energy usage consumption data to PCs and smart phone applications, empowering homeowners to track and make decisions about how and when they use energy.

In addition to tracking energy improvements within individual test houses, an assessment of these solutions also will be done on a neighborhood scale.

Charles Korman, Manager of Solar Energy programs and a project leader on the Energy-Efficient Housing Partnership Initiative, said, “With deep customer connections in the utility and building industries and a broad portfolio of energy-efficient products in the home today, GE is uniquely positioned to provide new solutions and products that set new standards in American home efficiency. In doing so, we can dramatically reduce our nation’s carbon footprint and save homeowners hundreds of dollars more on their local utility bill every year.”

GE is part of DOE’s Building America team, Building Industry Research Alliance (BIRA). The team, led by ConSol, energy consultants headquartered in Stockton, California, also includes: Washington State University, Arizona State University, University of California at Davis, Ennovationz, Sacramento Municipalities Utilities District, San Diego Gas & Electric, Arizona Public Service, Pulte Homes, Salt River Project and Bank of America. BIRA was one of 15 teams selected to receive funding from the DOE through its Building Technologies Program.

Principal of ConSol, Dr. Robert W. Hammon, stated, “BIRA has provided DOE a diverse research plan that will build and expand upon the successes of the BIRA team over the last seven-and-one-half-years. We have proposed new energy-efficiency research in both existing and new homes that will advance both market segments toward DOE’s Building America Program (BAP) goals.”

The project is aligned with GE’s ecomagination initiative, which represents the company’s commitment to deliver new clean products and technologies to market that help solve our toughest environmental challenges. GE has more than 80 ecomagination certified products, including cutting-edge energy efficient lighting and appliance products, which have met the Initiative’s goal of improving both operational and environmental performance. Recently, the company pledged to double its investment in clean R&D over the next five years from $5 billion to $10 billion.

As part of the program, GE and its project partners will test new energy efficiency and clean power measures both in newly constructed and existing homes. The DOE has cited that today residential buildings account for about 21.5% of the nation’s primary energy consumption and carbon emissions, and about 38% of electricity. Of the residential buildings in existence today, about 85% were constructed prior to the year 2000. In general, the older the building, the less stringent the applicable energy code at the time of construction. As a result, many older residences may be poorly insulated, suffer from excessive air leakage, have old, poorly operating, inefficient mechanical equipment, have less efficient appliances, and have a high percentage of incandescent lights. Energy retrofits and high performance new homes are considered to be among the most cost-effective ways for the nation to reduce its energy use and carbon emissions.

About GE Global Research

GE Global Research is the hub of technology development for all of GE’s businesses. Our scientists and engineers redefine what’s possible, drive growth for our businesses and find answers to some of the world’s toughest problems.

To facilitate project development, the school district has entered into a Power Purchase Agreement with REgeneration Finance who will own and finance the solar electric generating projects to be designed, constructed, operated, and maintained by Premier Power.

A Power Purchase Agreement, or PPA, is an agreement in which the school district pays for the power produced by the solar system at a pre-determined rate, a price well below what is charged by their utility, over the life of the agreement while a third-party owns, operates, and maintains the solar system. The school district receives a stable source of predictable, lower cost electricity while in return the third-party obtains financial benefits such as tax credits and income generated from the sale of electricity to the customer.

“We are extremely proud of our partnership with Premier Power and REgeneration Finance,” said John Carson, president, Douglas County School District Board of Education. “This project will enable us to save thousands of dollars a year in electrical expenses, while also reducing our environmental impact at no capital and operational cost to the school district.”

The Douglas County School District issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) on April 15, 2010, resulting in eleven (11) competitive proposals. Following the release of the RFP, pre-bid conferences were held in conjunction with site visits at all 31 locations that are to receive these photovoltaic (PV), or solar electric generating, systems. The District reviewed all proposals and narrowed selection to three companies based on their experience, ability to complete the project and certainty of financial terms presented.

These candidates were asked additional questions to clarify their proposals, and the top two were then invited to participate in a more extensive interview process with District personnel. Once interviews were complete it was clear the proposal submitted by Premier Power and REgeneration Finance offered the District the combination of unmatched expertise to engineer, build, and complete this project in a timely manner, coupled with the most competitive and creative financial terms available to the fiscally responsible school district.

“We thank the Douglas County School District and its Board of Education for selecting Premier Power to bring clean, environmentally safe and sustainable solar electricity to its schools, its students and the families it serves,” said Dean R. Marks, chief executive officer of Premier Power Renewable Energy. “Well experienced from having built large-scale generating facilities in the U.S. and abroad, we are pleased to build one of the largest solar electric projects ever in Colorado which will also employ Douglas County workers, pumping dollars back into the local economy. We appreciate being entrusted to support two of Douglas County’s most valuable assets, its children and their [...]]]> Premier Power Renewable Energy, Inc., a global leader in the development, design, engineering, and construction of solar power systems for commercial, government, and utility markets in the United States and Europe, REgeneration Finance, LLC, an experienced solar developer and financier that works with school districts, universities, municipalities, and commercial businesses throughout the United States, and the Douglas County School District, Colorado’s third largest school district serving over 56,000 students and whose vision is to “create responsible citizens who contribute to society,” announced today the development of more than 3.0 megawatts (MW) of solar electric power generating projects at 31 different sites — 30 schools and one athletic stadium — in Douglas County, Colorado.

To facilitate project development, the school district has entered into a Power Purchase Agreement with REgeneration Finance who will own and finance the solar electric generating projects to be designed, constructed, operated, and maintained by Premier Power.

A Power Purchase Agreement, or PPA, is an agreement in which the school district pays for the power produced by the solar system at a pre-determined rate, a price well below what is charged by their utility, over the life of the agreement while a third-party owns, operates, and maintains the solar system. The school district receives a stable source of predictable, lower cost electricity while in return the third-party obtains financial benefits such as tax credits and income generated from the sale of electricity to the customer.

“We are extremely proud of our partnership with Premier Power and REgeneration Finance,” said John Carson, president, Douglas County School District Board of Education. “This project will enable us to save thousands of dollars a year in electrical expenses, while also reducing our environmental impact at no capital and operational cost to the school district.”

The Douglas County School District issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) on April 15, 2010, resulting in eleven (11) competitive proposals. Following the release of the RFP, pre-bid conferences were held in conjunction with site visits at all 31 locations that are to receive these photovoltaic (PV), or solar electric generating, systems. The District reviewed all proposals and narrowed selection to three companies based on their experience, ability to complete the project and certainty of financial terms presented.

These candidates were asked additional questions to clarify their proposals, and the top two were then invited to participate in a more extensive interview process with District personnel. Once interviews were complete it was clear the proposal submitted by Premier Power and REgeneration Finance offered the District the combination of unmatched expertise to engineer, build, and complete this project in a timely manner, coupled with the most competitive and creative financial terms available to the fiscally responsible school district.

“We thank the Douglas County School District and its Board of Education for selecting Premier Power to bring clean, environmentally safe and sustainable solar electricity to its schools, its students and the families it serves,” said Dean R. Marks, chief executive officer of Premier Power Renewable Energy. “Well experienced from having built large-scale generating facilities in the U.S. and abroad, we are pleased to build one of the largest solar electric projects ever in Colorado which will also employ Douglas County workers, pumping dollars back into the local economy. We appreciate being entrusted to support two of Douglas County’s most valuable assets, its children and their schools, and welcome the opportunity to continue working with REgeneration Finance on similar projects,” he concluded.

“REgeneration Finance, along with Douglas County School District officials, worked hard to find a creative financial solution to develop these important solar projects,” said Laurance Friedman, chief executive officer of REgeneration Finance. “We are very pleased to have the opportunity to work with the educational community to promote environmental responsibility while at the same time providing long-term energy cost savings. We look forward to continuing to work with Premier Power and the school district in developing this and other future projects.”

Xcel Energy /quotes/comstock/13*!xel/quotes/nls/xel (XEL 22.35, +0.12, +0.52%) , the utility serving the District, believes this initiative is one of the five largest solar electric projects ever built in the State of Colorado. Each of the 30 schools will use roof mounted solar panels to produce between 40 kilowatts (kW) and 104 kW of electricity per site, while the athletic stadium will produce 90 kW of electricity from a carport shade structure, believed to be the first of its kind in Colorado.

The project will be built at a cost of $18.3 million at no capital, operational, maintenance, insurance, financing, or ownership expense to Douglas County School District taxpayers. It is estimated this project can save the District $5.5 million over a 25 year period. The amount of power to be produced by the 31 District sites will total more than 3.0 MW. Installation will take approximately nine months to complete.

About Douglas County Public Schools

Douglas County School District maintains its position as a leader in public education in Colorado, with many innovative programs and educational approaches. Support and coordination can be found at the District level, but each school has the flexibility to build its own instructional programs. Parents can find many different choices through the District such as open enrollment, charter schools, instruction for gifted and talented students, magnet schools, an International Baccalaureate program, Advanced Placement courses and other special programs. Its vision is to “create responsible citizens who contribute to society.” The District strives to maintain a well-researched, integrated and standards-based curriculum, a rich array of extracurricular offerings and strong community involvement.

About REgeneration Finance

REgeneration Finance is an experienced developer of solar energy systems, providing solar power to municipal, commercial and non-profit entities. Through a financial structure that fully utilizes various federal and state benefits, REgeneration Finance allows its clients to receive all the financial and social benefits of renewable energy, including lowering their cost of electricity and reducing their carbon footprint, with no initial capital investment. Its customers typically receive substantial savings over what they would have otherwise paid to their respective utilities. REgeneration Finance is a full service financing partner, capable of providing its projects with construction and term debt, tax equity and equipment procurement.

About Premier Power

Premier Power Renewable Energy, Inc. is a leading global provider of large and small-scale solar power systems, delivering unmatched experience to commercial, governmental and residential customers throughout North America and Europe. Premier Power designs, engineers and integrates the solar industry’s leading products. Premier Power’s technologies and services have enabled its customers to maximize clean energy output along with project savings. Today, Premier Power designs and deploys the most innovative solar electric systems through market-leading innovation and exceptional customer service. Premier Power is headquartered in El Dorado Hills, CA and has common stock quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board under the symbol PPRW.OB. Additional information is available at the Company’s website at www.premierpower.com.

“Recently we held meetings with banks and financial institutions in this regard and the outcome has been encouraging,” Dr Abdullah observed while addressing members of the Bengal National Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BNCCI) here on Monday.

“The Ministry is providing the right kind of environment for more funds to become available.”

By September, the allocation will be made for bids received for 100 MW small-scale solar pv (photo-voltaic) projects, he said. For 500 MW solar pv projects (100 projects of 5 MW each) to be implemented through NVVN (NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam ), several bids had been received and reverse bidding will start shortly.

In West Bengal, a 100 MW demonstration project on wind power will be set up. The 1.25 MW grind connected solar project in Asansol was the country’s first such project and was doing well. He will make a study of the renewable power projects installed in the Sunderban area soon after the last cyclone.

Pacts on funding

Mr D. Majumdar, CMD, Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited (IREDA), said MoUs had been signed with NHB and Nabard to provide resources to them at zero cost and the institutions in turn would provide the refinancing facility.

A similar MoU with SIDBI would be signed soon. Under the MoU signed with Central Bank of India, IREDA would provide fund to the bank at a concessional rate of interest to provide loans to borrowers at five per cent rate of interest. Similar MoUs with other scheduled commercial banks too were in the offing. A capital subsidy of 30 per cent was available, particularly for off-grid solar projects, he said.

Mr Majumdar indicated that various funding models were being examined to make more resources available to boost generation of electricity through the non-conventional routes.

(Source: iStockAnalyst )