QUICK NEWS, June 26: TEXAS PROVES MORE WIRES MEANS MORE NEW ENERGY; DUKE’S BIGGEST SUN IN THE EAST FOR GWU, AU; WHAT TO WATCH IN FUEL CELLS

TEXAS PROVES MORE WIRES MEANS MORE NEW ENERGY Fewer wind curtailments and negative power prices seen in Texas after major grid expansion

June 24, 2014 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

Texas wind power reached a new instantaneous peak output of 10,296 megawatts on March 26, 29% of total electricity, after setting new records twice in the previous week and, according to grid operator Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), more new records are expected as Texas’s 12,000-plus megawatt wind capacity continues to grow…Texas wind’s record-setting performance is partially due to the completion of the Competitive Renewable Energy Zones (CREZ) transmission expansion specifically designed to deliver West Texas and Panhandle winds to ERCOT load centers in Dallas, Ft. Worth, Austin, and San Antonio and to reduce wind curtailments…Curtailment dropped steadily as the 3,500 mile CREZ transmission system build out advanced and wind-related negative electricity pricing decreased as the new transmission reduced oversupply problems by taking wind energy-generated electricity to a wider range of demand areas…

Negative pricing occurs when there is more electricity supply than demand and wind generators become willing to accept below zero prices for their output because they have no fuel costs and can get a $0.023 per kilowatt-hour production tax credit for the electricity the grid takes…A perhaps more important factor in Texas wind’s new records is that wind’s vital Production Tax Credit was restructured last year to allow eligibility to projects that commenced construction during 2013 instead of only to those that went online during the year, resulting in more than 7,000 megawatts of in-construction capacity that began coming online this year... click here for more

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DUKE’S BIGGEST SUN IN THE EAST FOR GWU, AU George Washington University, American University make deal to buy solar power farms

June 24, 2014 (AP via ABC News)

Duke Energy Renewables has contracted to supply solar from its Capital Partners Solar Project solar power plant to be built in North Carolina to George Washington University, American University and the George Washington University Hospital…Duke will break ground on the 52 megawatt project at the first of three sites this summer, build in three stages, bring the first 20 megawatts online this year and add the final 32 megawatts to be fully operational in 2015…The 20 year contract between Duke and the universities is the biggest solar power purchase agreement (PPA) with a non-utility off-taker in the U.S. and the PV project is the biggest east of the Mississippi River, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association…Duke won the PPAs in a competitive bidding process that included 28 wind and solar developers…University officials expect the move to solar to save “millions of dollars” as the cost of conventional generation rises… click here for more

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WHAT TO WATCH IN FUEL CELLS The Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Industries: 10 Trends to Watch

2Q 2014 (Navigant Research)

“…Over the past 18 months, there has been a real divergence in the fortunes of various fuel cell sectors. The stationary sector has seen 2 years of strong growth while some sectors, such as portable, have continued to struggle…[or] been in a holding pattern…[T]he fuel cell vehicle (FCV) market is poised for the launch of commercial vehicles, spurring a flurry of investment in hydrogen infrastructure…[The key trends are]:

1-Fuel cells back on the radar of the skeptical U.S. media

2-Stationary sector continues to lead the fuel cell industry

3-Investors cautiously coming off the fence on fuel cells

4-FCVs continue to be compared to plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs)

5-Hydrogen infrastructure stakeholders must prove they can build stations

6-[Combined Heat and Power (CHP)] is on path to surpass prime power stationary fuel cells

7-Fuel cells face stiff competition from engine- or turbine-based CHP 8-Booming North American microgrid market offers opportunity for fuel cells

9-Power-to-gas concept will be proven in Europe 10-Portable fuel cells still struggling to hit the right value proposition…” click here for more

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