QUICK NEWS, July 13: FIRST BIG WIND FOR SOLID SOUTH; THE BIG NEW SOLAR OPPORTUNITY; GEOTHERMAL’S BEST BETS

FIRST BIG WIND FOR SOLID SOUTH South Getting Its First Big Wind Farm Soon

Jason Dearen, July 12, 2015 (AP via ABC News)

“…[In North Carolina, Spanish developer Iberdrola Renewables is] getting ready to build something the South has never seen: a commercial-scale wind energy farm…[The $600 million project will build 102 turbines] with plans to add about 50 more. Once up and running, it could generate about 204 megawatts, or enough electricity to power about 60,000 homes…[It would be the first large onshore wind farm] in nine states across the Southeast from Arkansas to Florida…But taller towers and bigger turbines are unlocking new potential in the South…[The average tower height now in the U.S. is about 260 feet; the new technology allows turbines to mine air at 460 feet] and the industry is already looking to invest…And with the electricity system in the region undergoing a period of change as coal plants are phased out, some experts believe the door is open for renewables like wind…” click here for more

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THE BIG NEW SOLAR OPPORTUNITY Buying into solar energy

Nathan Bowe, July 12, 2015 (DL-Online)

“…[R]ural electric cooperative and city municipal electric utilities are [beginning to offer] community solar gardens…[that] offer customers the chance to ‘buy into’ solar without having to pay in full up front, and without having to worry about installing and maintaining solar energy units in their homes or businesses…Although there are different models,]solar gardens are generally built by the utility and the panels ‘purchased’ by customers, who get a discount on their electric bill…Buying into a solar garden may or may not save customers money, but it will give them a way to stabilize at least part of their electric bill over the next 20 years…If electrical rates go up over the next 20 years, which seems like a pretty safe bet, those who buy into solar gardens will save money, since they have locked in a rate…Of course, if rates go down, they lose out…If a customer moves out of the area, they can give away their panels or try to sell them to another customer…[Minnesota’s Lake Region Electric Cooperative] charges $1,400 for a full panel, which at current rates would generate about $66 a year for the customer over 20 years…” click here for more

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GEOTHERMAL’S BEST BETS Are There Stocks to Watch in Geothermal Energy? Geothermal power has the potential to power the U.S. for 130,000 years but with wind and solar power prices falling so quickly should investors even bother with geothermal stocks?

Adam Galas, July 8, 2015 (Motley Fool)

"Mounting global concerns about climate change have made the development of renewable and clean energy a major priority…One largely ignored source of near limitless, carbon free energy is geothermal power…[but] investing in this sector can be rather challenging…[because] with or without government subsidies, geothermal is at a substantial cost disadvantage to utility scale solar and wind energy -- meaning that only its ability to generate base load power works in its favor...[Most companies involved with geothermal power are so well diversified that geothermal makes up just a token amount of their business, or they're highly speculative penny stocks that most investors should steer clear of…[T]here is one company that represents a large enough pure play in geothermal energy that it might be worth keeping on your investing radar…[Ormat Technologies] has 50 years of experience designing, operating, and building geothermal projects around the world…Over the past eight years the company has posted 11% annual sales growth and managed to outperform the S&P 500…” click here for more

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