QUICK NEWS, June 4: THE BEST COUNTRIES FOR NEW ENERGY; NEW 900MW WIND PROJECT FOR WYOMING; U.S. SUN DEMAND TO JUMP 20% THIS YEAR

THE BEST COUNTRIES FOR NEW ENERGY A 'New Era' For Global Renewable Energy Industry

31 May 2013 (Solar Industry)

“A new era is dawning in the renewable energy industry….According to the Ernst & Young 10th anniversary edition of the Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index (RECAI), global annual clean energy investment totaled $269 billion in 2012, representing a five-fold increase on 2004…The sector now competes for investment with more traditional energy sources, and new technologies - such as solar panels, biomass boilers and mini wind turbines - are enabling energy users to run their own small power plants, changing the way businesses and consumers think about energy…

“…South America [especially Chile, Peru, and Brazil] and the Asia Pacific region [especially Japan, Australia, and Thailand] continue to rise as Europe and the Middle East stall…The index sees the U.S. regain the top spot, as high barriers to entry for external investors realign China into second place. However, the report says growth prospects for the sector in China remain strong with continued gross domestic product growth, increasing energy demand and the ongoing strategic importance of the sector to the local economy…”

click to enlarge

“In Europe, the report says Romania became the latest to slash its subsidies, reinforcing the relatively somber mood in Eastern Europe as policymakers try to find the balance between growth and sustainability…[A] number of Middle Eastern and North African countries, including Egypt, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), have fallen out of the top 40 due to a slow recovery from the Arab Spring and an absence of clear policy frameworks…

“…[Recent deal activity] has been characterized by incumbents and new entrants driving industry consolidation. There is also a strong appetite from Far East construction groups and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) seeking development pipelines of solar and wind assets to provide a distribution channel…The mismatch between project sponsors’ capital expenditure plans and the corporate capacity to finance this investment will continue to drive more asset disposals, Ernst & Young adds. Both financial investors and OEMs under pressure from overcapacity are likely to remain the most active …”

Tweet

NEW 900MW WIND PROJECT FOR WYOMING Wyoming company plans 300-turbine wind farm...

AdamVoge, May 29, 2013 (Casper Star-Tribune)

“…Wyoming Wind and Power, based in Cheyenne, will build a 300-turbine, 900-megawatt wind farm on private land in eastern Platte County and western Goshen County. The facility — moving forward under the name Wyoming Wind Farm — will begin first production in 2016 with full operations scheduled by December 2019…Company officials and associated contractors used [the company’s first open house] to show why Wyoming Wind Farm is suitable to the area…

“The wind farm is split into two main parcels — Antelope Gap and Chugwater…[T]he sites were chosen for…contiguity of land owned by more than 75 cooperating landowners, proven wind resources in the area and access to transportation infrastructure needed to receive parts for the project’s turbines…Power generated at the farm will be transported via the planned Wyoming-Colorado Intertie…The line is a joint venture between the Wyoming Infrastructure Authority and LS Power and could be operable by 2017…”

click to enlarge

“…Wyoming Wind and Power is licensed to access all 900 megawatts of the line’s capacity…When completely built, Wyoming Wind Farm will use that transmission capacity to become one of the state’s largest projects…No single Wyoming wind project operating in 2012 included more than 125 towers, but…The 1,000-turbine, 2,500-megawatt Chokecherry and Sierra Madre project south of Rawlins and the 2,000-megawatt Pathfinder-Zephyr project near Chugwater both could begin operations late this decade or early next.

“Wyoming Wind and Power plans to file for a series of state and local applications this summer and fall and begin construction in November. About 140 workers will be needed to build the facility during normal work, with about 360 needed at peak construction…The facility will also generate about 30 full-time positions during normal operations…Platte County’s economic development director said the positions won’t make a huge impact, but will still benefit the county…”

Tweet

U.S. SUN DEMAND TO JUMP 20% THIS YEAR Solar Photovoltaic Demand in the US to Grow by 20% in 2013 to 4.3 Gigawatts…Strong Contributions from Utility-Based Projects and Renewable Portfolio Standards to Drive 2014 US Solar PV Above 5 GW

June 3, 2013 (SolarBuzz)

“Demand for solar photovoltaic (PV) panels in the US is forecast to grow significantly during 2013 and post another record high of 4.3 gigawatts (GW), an increase of almost 20% compared to 2012…Solar PV demand from the US market now contributes over 12% of annual global demand, compared to just 5% three years ago.

“Demand in Q2’13 is forecast to reach 1 GW, with over 70% coming from California, Arizona, New Jersey, and North Carolina. Residential and small commercial rooftop PV installations will account for 18% of this demand, with another 14% from large commercial rooftops. The utility-dominated ground-mount segment will account for the remaining 68% of new PV demand this quarter.”

click to enlarge

“Large utility-based solar PV projects in Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas will drive US demand above 2.5 GW during the second half of 2013. Strong year-end contributions will also come from Hawaii, Massachusetts, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, and Ohio. PV demand from the US is forecast to exceed 5 GW in 2014, representing a 70% compound annual growth rate since 2009…

“New solar PV incentive policies and additional utility-scale projects are also starting to diversify PV demand across a greater number of states within the US…Six of the ten fastest-growing US states for solar PV demand in 2013 are located in the South or the Midwest, providing annual growth rates averaging above 180%...[But sustaining the growth] remains heavily dependent on…nine states [which] will account for more than 85% of all US solar PV demand in 2013. As a result, the US solar PV market remains highly vulnerable to any abrupt policy changes in the leading US PV states…”

Tweet