MORE NEWS, 1-7 (LIGHT UP SOLAR, LIGHT UP THE NATION; HYBRID SALES DOWN; RGGI IN 2ND EMISSIONS AUCTION; SMALL WIND GETS SUPPORT)

LIGHT UP SOLAR, LIGHT UP THE NATION
Why skies aren't too dim for solar
January 4, 2009 (Rocky Mountain News)

"The solar industry is probably better positioned to ride out the economic storm than many other beleaguered industries. That's because it is a darling of government, which funnels large subsidies its way. This favored position is likely to continue for a long time, too…Given the economic uncertainty, consumers are reluctant to commit large amounts of money…

"Eventually, of course, consumer confidence will return - and with it, sales of residential solar energy systems. After all, interest in clean energy and concern over greenhouse gases are not about to wane…Technological advances that make solar more competitive will continue - if anything, they may accelerate. Perhaps most crucially, government subsidies are not going away…

"Yes, some small solar companies probably won't make it through the current downturn. That's truly sad for the individuals involved, but their circumstances mirror those of many people in other occupations who have also found themselves out of work…The trick is to adopt policies that lift all industry boats - because for solar to thrive, the rest of the economy has to be running on all cylinders, too."


HYBRID SALES DOWN
Who needs a hybrid?
David Welch, January 6, 2009 (BusinessWeek)

“…if you dig through the sales numbers over the past few months, it’s easy to see that more consumers are asking whether the extra cost of a hybrid-electric car is really worth it.

“In December, sales of Toyota’s Prius—the standard bearer of all hybrids—fell by a whopping 45%. In November, sales were off 48%. During those two months, gasoline prices plummeted below $2 a gallon. This proves that America hasn’t turned truly green. More likely, they turned red at the pump back in July when gasoline prices topped $4 a gallon. People fled their suvs and bought smaller cars and hybrids like there was a fuel shortage."

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“But once gasoline prices fell back to levels that Americans have normally paid, they pulled back on hybrid purchases…Ford’s Escape hybrid and the competing Saturn Vue hybrid both saw sales sink by more than 40% last month. And the hybrid Civic? Off almost 70%…

“…for the year, hybrid sales fell only 12%. That shows better staying power than a car market that fell 18%…in the long run, gasoline prices will rise and hybrids will be a better sell.

“But…when gas prices fall, consumers aren’t buying. This creates a huge dilemma for car companies and policy makers…Without a price spike—or a tax on gasoline—carmakers will once again be caught between a policy that demands fuel economy and an American consumer who remains indifferent.”


RGGI IN 2ND EMISSIONS AUCTION
Going once, going twice: 31.5 tons of carbon on the block in 2nd greenhouse gas auction
Mary Esch, December 18, 2008 (AP via Yahoo Finance)

"The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative requires power plants to pay for every ton of carbon dioxide they produce, providing a financial incentive to cut emissions…The program is seen as a model for greenhouse gas reduction programs nationally…the RGGI program may eventually merge with the Western Climate Initiative, which is being developed by California, six other western states, and four Canadian provinces…The RGGI states are New York, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Vermont.

"The first [RGGI] auction [in September]…netted nearly $40 million for renewable and energy-efficient technologies in the participating states…Bids in [the recent second auction]…will be used to determine a clearing price based on supply versus demand. The minimum clearing price is set at $1.86 per ton.

"The price in the first auction ended up at $3.07…If the clearing price is the same as in September, that would bring the states $197 million for energy efficiency and greenhouse gas-reducing programs…The cap is scheduled to be reduced by 2.5 percent a year between 2015 and 2018, but the reduction may be accelerated if actual emissions drop faster than that as companies switch to cleaner fuel and more efficient technologies. The idea is to make it more cost-effective for companies to invest in cleaner technology than to pay for emissions…"


SMALL WIND GETS SUPPORT
More States Offer Rebates for Home Wind Turbines
Kate Galbraith, January 6, 2009 (NY Times)

“Buying a small wind turbine to power a home can be costly — in the range of $12,000 to $70,000 (including installation fees)…”

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“A number of states offer help…some kind of financial incentive for residential small wind is available in about 17 states, though in some cases the incentives are offered through utilities rather than directly by the state..The federal government has jumped in, too. Last year’s big bailout bill included a 30 percent tax credit for homeowners who put in a small wind turbine…The American Wind Energy Association [incentives] that can assist small wind…”