QUICK NEWS, February 2: COMBINING WIND AND SUN; FARMERS FOR SOLAR; TRADING OLD COAL FOR EE

COMBINING WIND AND SUN
GE banks on solar-wind link
Ros Davidson, 30 January 2012 (Windpower Monthly)

"General Electric is wooing its wind-turbine customers with thin-film solar panels made at GE's new solar assembly plant in Colorado…GE recently unveiled its first 'hybrid' sale of 23MW of solar panels to a US-based wind customer, Invenergy, for installation next to the latter's 210MW Grand Ridge wind project in Illinois."

[Vic Abate, vice president for renewables, GE:] "Putting wind and solar in an interconnected system can more effectively use the transmission system, and energy can be more easily dispatched…Wind tends to blow more at night and solar captures power during the day…Most wind farms have power lines [that are] used 40% of the time; [for] solar [it's] about 20%..."

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"Turbine manufacturers are facing plummeting sales in the US, and the wind industry faces expiration of eligibility for the federal Production Tax Credit on 31 December. Congress is discussing an extension to the ten-year subsidy.

"Solar projects can instead draw on the Investment Tax Credit, which does not expire until 2016. Solar panel costs have now dropped enough to justify GE's strategy of hybrid sales…[U]sing solar panels in wind farm locations was attractive because…the [developer already knows the] community, how to get the permits and secure interconnections to the grid…"


FARMERS FOR SOLAR
USDA Invites Applications for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Projects
January 20, 2012 (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

"…USDA is seeking applications to provide assistance to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to complete a variety of energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. Funding is available from USDA's Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) authorized by the Food, Conservtion, and Energy Act of 2008 (Farm Bill)…

"The Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) is designed to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses reduce energy costs and consumption and help meet the Nation's critical energy needs. For 2012, USDA has approximately $25.4 million budget authority available to fund REAP activities, which will support at least $12.5 million in grant and approximately $48.5 million in guaranteed loan program level awards."

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"USDA is accepting…renewable energy system and energy efficiency improvement grant applications and combination gant and guaranteed loan applications until March 30, 2012…renewable energy system and energy efficiency improvement guaranteed loan only applications on a continuous basis up to June 29, 2012…renewable energy system feasibility study applications through March 30, 2012; and…energy audits and renewable energy development assistance applications through February 21, 2012…

"This funding is an example of the many ways that USDA is helping revitalize rural economies to create opportunities for growth and prosperity, support innovative technologies, identify new markets for agricultural producers, and better utilize our nation's natural resources…The Obama Administration is working to promote domestic production of renewable energy to create jobs, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, combat global warming, and build stronger rural economy…"


TRADING OLD COAL FOR EE
Avoiding a Train Wreck: Replacing Old Coal Plants with Energy Efficiency
August 22, 2011 (American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy)

"Changes in fossil fuel markets and updates to environmental regulations may result in the retirement of existing coal-fired electric power plants, putting on the order of 40,000 megawatts of generation at risk of retirement. This capacity is primarily located in the Ohio Valley, Upper Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeast. The investments required for replacing or upgrading these plants would raise electricity rates for all customers…Customer-side investments in energy efficiency and combined heat and power can replace this capacity at a lower cost, reducing customer rate impacts…"

EE is the best deal in energy. (click to enlarge)

"Energy efficiency investments by large energy consumers, particularly manufacturing firms, should be the target. Many manufacturing firms are poised to make major new capital capacity investments as the economy recovers and demand for manufactured products increases. These investments would modernize manufacturing, generating local job creation and enhanced environmental compliance for the facilities…Current utility regulatory and business models do not encourage utilities to make these customer-side investments. A new utility regulatory business model…[should allow utilities] to invest ratepayer funds in the demand-side projects and…earn a preferred return on these investments…"