MORE SUNDAY WORLD, 3-28 (DENMARK INVADES COLORADO; CHINA STIM STIMS CHINA SUN; AUSSIES IN EMISSIONS TRADING TRIAL RUN)

DENMARK INVADES COLORADO
Danish prince celebrates new Colo. wind plants
Judith Kohler, March 26, 2009 (AP)

"Danish Crown Prince Frederik said…expanding a country's renewable energy sources and recovering from a recession didn't have to be mutually exclusive…at a Brighton plant groundbreaking for Danish wind-turbine maker Vestas Wind System…

"The prince, his wife Crown Princess Mary and Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter attended the ceremony for two parts plants by Vestas, which already has a blade-making plant in Windsor, about 50 miles north of Denver."

Vestas is #1 with a bullet. (click to enlarge)

"The company also is planning a 400-employee factory in Pueblo to build towers that support the turbines, which it has said would be the world's largest such factory. Ritter has championed alternative energy, which he called the state's "new energy economy" for creating jobs and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions…"

Denmark is also WAY ahead of the rest of the world in building offshore wind. (click to enlarge)

"The crown prince said that during a similar economic downturn in the 1970s, Denmark decided to wean itself off fossil fuels, leading to dramatic economic growth and a drop in carbon dioxide emissions of more than 13 percent. He also said renewable energy accounted for 28 percent of Denmark's electricity supply.

"Ritter said Denmark could be an example for his state and the United States to follow. The crown prince and his wife also visited Dana College in Blair, Neb., and attended a groundbreaking for a new ethanol enzyme plant being built by Danish-based Novozymes."


CHINA STIM STIMS CHINA SUN
Solar Company Shares Jump On Chinese Energy Subsidy
Shara Tibken, March 26, 2009 (Dow Jones Newswire via Wall Street Journal)

"Shares of solar companies soared Thursday after the Chinese Ministry of Finance said on its Web site that it will offer a subsidy for solar energy…[that] will provide RMB20 ($2.93) per watt for projects over 50 kilowatts…Raymond James analyst Pavel Molchanov said the subsidy is comparable to what California is paying as part of its solar-rebate program.

"Analysts called the subsidy generous and some estimated it could cover more than half the cost of a solar panel… [But one analyst] believes the market reaction is overdone because the subsidy's impact on demand for solar projects is going to be relatively minor."

In rural China, solar energy provides for necessities. (click to enlarge)

"Chinese-based solar companies gained the most…[because they] stand to benefit the most from any Chinese subsidies…Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd. (STP) soared 47% to $11.50, and Yingli Green Energy Holding Co. Ltd. (YGE) rose 44% to $5.98. LDK Solar Co. Ltd. (LDK) jumped 40% to $8.25, and Trina Solar Ltd. (TSL) rose 46% to $12.65. China Sunergy Co. Ltd. (CSUN) climbed 34% to $3.35, and JA Solar Holdings Co. Ltd. (JASO) gained 43% to $3.79…

"Non-Chinese companies also traded higher, though they are less likely to benefit from the subsidies…First Solar Inc. (FSLR) gained 13% to $151.43, while SunPower Corp. (SPWRA) rose 16% to $27.95. Both are U.S. companies."

Who WOULDN'T subsidize this kind of growth? (click to enlarge)

"Analysts at Piper Jaffray said the Chinese subsidy is a long-term positive…[But] some analysts expressed caution over how much the subsidy would help the companies…[I]t's unclear whether the subsidy is restricted to building-integrated PV, or BIPV, cells - which means the modules have to be an element of the building structure - or whether it could also be used for retrofit modules, which are less expensive and can be put on an existing building…BIPV solar panels are a small niche market in China and account for only about 2% to 3% of solar demand.

"Barclays Capital analyst Vishal Shah said in a note the program is applicable for both BIPV and regular solar module applications, but analysts at Piper Jaffray said in a note only building owners and manufacturers of PV products can take advantage of it. In addition, analysts at both Piper Jaffray and Barclays said the new subsidy program likely won't be capped."


AUSSIES IN EMISSIONS TRADING TRIAL RUN
Test drive on carbon trading
Valerina Changarathil, March 23, 2009 (Adelaide Advertiser/Sunday Mail)

"Australian businesses will get a chance to test drive the Federal Government's Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme in May, through KPMG's new auction simulation program.

"A national pool of up to 100 participants will buy and sell ``dummy'' permits based on their actual emissions under the Carbon Permit Auction Simulation program, to test their readiness ahead of the proposed rollout of the scheme next year.

"KPMG, which has held such programs in the UK, will hold three half-day auctions over the program's six months and offer participants anonymity."

The real world of emissions trading. (click to enlarge)

"There will be a cap on the number of permits auctioned off and the price of the permits will be demand-driven…For [Australia] the simulation includes trading forestry/carbon offsets…KPMG claims the program is the first of its kind in Australia and expects strong participation…[so companies can] understand the "complicated'' CPRS scheme in a "learn-by-doing'' fashion…

"The simulation will help businesses consolidate and field-test emissions data collection systems and procedures, bring in a disciplined approach to managing greenhouse gas emissions and price-test carbon reduction strategies.

"Each participant will receive a report and performance feedback at the end of the exercise…"