QUICK NEWS, May 28: U.S. SOLAR TO DOUBLE AGAIN BY YEAR’S END; WIND DEVELOPERS CAN INCLUDE SOLAR; THE LULL IN WAVE POWER

U.S. SOLAR TO DOUBLE AGAIN BY YEAR’S END Cumulative US PV Market to Approach 20 GW by the End of 2014

Michael Barker, May 19, 2014 (SolarBuzz)

“Cumulative solar photovoltaic (PV) installations in the United States hit the 10 GW level in mid-2013 and are on course to double by early 2015, approaching the 20 GW figure by the end of 2014…Continuing cost declines – and a push by project developers to move projects towards completion before a reduction in the federal investment tax credit (ITC) – are helping to drive growth…[N]ew capital continues to flow into the sector, and novel business models are opening up markets where solar is competitive with retail electricity rates…[The] compound annual growth rate (CAGR) [is] above 50% since 2006…While large-scale ground-mounted systems continue to account for the largest share of the US market, all segments are seeing growth…With solar PV systems being recognized as a source of (relatively) low-risk long-term revenues, this asset class is proving increasingly attractive for installers and utility companies, as well as institutional investors and private owners/municipalities…” click here for more

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WIND DEVELOPERS CAN INCLUDE SOLAR Piggybacking Wind And Solar: Can Two Renewable Energy Sources Peacefully Co-Exist?

Mark Del Franco, May 22, 2014 (North American Windpower)

“…[T]o maximize existing generating assets, several wind developers are now beginning to look at adding solar generation on existing wind sites…to monetize the investment tax credit, which, for solar, expires Dec. 31, 2016. The production tax credit for wind expired at the end of last year…Federal tax credits aside, there are many benefits of co-locating wind and solar generation…[including] a more levelized joint output…to firm the power supply to the grid…[and] avoid supply-demand gaps…Because wind and solar projects must obtain approvals from the same agencies and jurisdictions, wind developers are already well versed in the basic requirements of renewable energy projects…[Factors to consider include] Location…Spacing…[and] Interconnection…” click here for more

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THE LULL IN WAVE POWER Why Wave Power Has Lagged Far Behind as Energy Source

Dave Levitan, 28 April 2014 (Yale Environment 360)

“…[N]umerous studies have concluded that wave power — and to a lesser extent, tidal power — could contribute massive amounts to the overall energy picture. But while the industry has made halting progress, experts agree that it remains decades behind other forms of renewables, with large amounts of money and research required for it to even begin to catch up…No commercial-scale wave power operations now exist…In February, U.S. corporate giant Lockheed Martin announced a joint venture to create the world’s biggest wave energy project, a 62.5 megawatt installation slated for the coast of Australia that would produce enough power for 10,000 homes. Scotland, surrounded by the rough waters of the Atlantic and the North Sea, has become a hotbed of wave-energy research and development, with the government last year approving a 40-megawatt wave energy installation in the Shetland Islands…But a central challenge has proven to be the complexity of harnessing wave power, which has led to a host of designs…From a technical point of view, operating in the ocean is far more difficult than on land…A recurring theme among wave power experts is that wave energy is where wind energy was three decades ago…In spite of the challenges inherent to the medium, the industry is progressing, albeit slowly…” click here for more

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