QUICK NEWS, November 7: PEOPLE WANT SUN; INCREASING DEMAND FOR DEMAND RESPONSE; CONGRESS CAN AGREE ON WIND

PEOPLE WANT SUN
New Poll: 9 out of 10 Americans Support Solar, Across Political Spectrum; Survey by Kelton Research finds continued widespread public support for development of solar energy, federal incentives for solar, across political spectrum.
November 1, 2011 (Solar Industries Energy Association)

"Americans overwhelmingly support the use and development of solar energy as well as federal investments for solar, according to a new national poll…in the 2011 SCHOTT Solar Barometer(TM)…by independent polling firm Kelton Research…For the fourth consecutive year…about nine out of 10 Americans (89 percent) think it is important for the United States to develop and use solar energy…with 80 percent of Republicans, 90 percent of Independents and 94 percent of Democrats agreeing…

"The survey also found that…[m]ore than eight out of 10 Americans (82 percent) support federal tax credits and grants for the solar industry similar to those that traditional sources of energy like oil, natural gas and coal have received for decades. Seventy-one percent of Republicans agree, as well as 82 percent of Independents and 87 percent of Democrats."

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"…[W]hen asked to select an energy source they would financially support if they were in charge of U.S. energy policy, 39 percent of Americans chose solar over other sources such as natural gas (21 percent), wind (12 percent), nuclear (9 percent) and coal (3 percent). Among Independents, solar is more than twice as popular as any other energy source (43 percent for solar compared to 20 percent for natural gas)…

"Despite weeks of news coverage about the bankruptcy of solar panel manufacturer Solyndra…the vast majority of Americans support solar manufacturing in the United States. Eight out of 10 (82 percent) think it is important for the federal government to support U.S. solar manufacturing…"


INCREASING DEMAND FOR DEMAND RESPONSE
Demand Response; Curtailment Services, Systems Integration and Consulting Services, and Outsourcing Services for Commercial, Industrial, and Residential Markets: Global Market Analysis and Forecasts
4Q 2011 (Pike Research)

"Demand response (DR) continues to evolve as the smart grid’s ‘killer application’, leveraging technology infrastructure to deliver measurable value to utilities, grid operators, and customers…

"The demand response market encompasses hardware, software, and services, but it is the services sector that is defining [its] future direction…in the United States which is the leading market for DR…[and] in Europe and Asia Pacific, where the DR market is developing quickly…"

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"The DR services market is segmented into three main areas: curtailment services, systems integration/consulting services, and outsourcing services…[It is still] an evolving market…with an estimated worldwide spending of $1.3 billion in 2011…[It] is projected to experience a robust compound annual growth (CAGR) rate of 37% to become a multi-billion market by 2016…

"Of the three key segments, curtailment services are the largest with an expected global market of $748 million in 2011. The systems integration/consulting services and outsourcing markets…[are expected to have] CAGRs of 32% and 31% respectively, on a worldwide basis. All world regions offer good demand response services prospects, but North America is currently the leading region and is projected to represent the biggest and best market opportunity over the next 5 years…"


CONGRESS CAN AGREE ON WIND
Reichert, Blumenauer Introduce Bipartisan Extension of Renewable Energy Tax Incentive; Bill extends production tax credit through 2016
November 3, 2011 (American Wind Energy Association)

"U.S. Representatives Dave Reichert (R-WA) and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), members of the tax-writing House Committee on Ways and Means, today introduced the American Renewable Energy Production Tax Credit Extension Act (H.R. 3307). This bipartisan bill extends the tax incentive for the production of wind power, geothermal power, hydropower, and other forms of renewable energy through 2016…

"H.R. 3307 provides a clean, 4-year extension of the existing production tax credit…It was created in the Energy Policy Act of 1992 and has frequently been extended in year-end packages of expiring tax provisions, as well as in the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The current incentive is set to expire next year for wind and in 2013 for other renewable energy forms…"

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"Advocates note that historically, at least six to eight months before the tax credit expires, financial lenders hesitate in providing capital for projects because of the uncertainty created by the pending expiration of the credit, stalling projects…

"The rush to complete projects as the PTC nears expiration also reduces projects and adds costs, resulting in higher electricity prices…"