WIND MOVES INTO SUN

As economics shift, wind developers see the light on solar power

Dan Haugen, February 25, 2013 (Midwest Energy News)

“…An ongoing lull in wind projects and falling solar panel prices has wind companies looking to add solar projects to their portfolios…In the U.S., 2013 is projected to be a lost year for the wind industry, which added more than 13 gigawatts of capacity in 2012 but could do as little as 3 gigawatts this year in the aftermath [of the PTC controversy and delay]…

“…[S]olar is surging…[and] could surpass new wind additions this year for the first time ever…[I]nstead of sitting on their turbines, wind developers are diversifying, hiring solar experts and broadening their portfolios to include photovoltaics…The trend extends throughout the supply chain, from consultants to construction and engineering firms. Some companies are even dropping the word “wind” from their names.”

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“EDF Renewable Energy…is developing one of the country’s largest solar-wind hybrid projects in California’s Mojave Desert, pairing a 140-megawatt wind farm with a 143-megawatt solar farm…Solar is still a relatively small part of EDF’s portfolio — it’s developed less than 300 megawatts of solar compared to more than 3,500 megawatts of wind. But its solar business been growing in recent years with an eye towards the current wind slowdown…

“…[D]isruptions have been an unavoidable part of doing business in the renewable energy world, idling industries every few years as incentives come up for renewal…As much as uncertainty over incentives pushed wind companies to think about other opportunities, the pull of solar power’s rapidly improving economics has been a more important factor...[Much] existing expertise easily transfers from wind to solar..[like] GIS mapping, real estate contracts, and transmission issues…And the customers are often the same, too…”

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