Alliance for Renewable Energy

Climate Change Policy and Safe Investing

From the New York Times Green Inc. blog:

"Countries that adopt policies obliging utilities to purchase a percentage of their power from renewable sources at above-market prices — also known as a “feed-in tariff” — represent the safest harbors for investors looking to finance clean-energy ventures, according to a broad-ranging risk analysis released Monday by Deutsche Bank’s global asset management group and Columbia University’s Earth Institute.

In an accompanying ranking of 109 countries and regions, Deutsche Bank found that those with such clean-energy-friendly regulatory regimes included Australia, France, China and Germany.

By contrast, North America presents a higher-risk environment that is considered less attractive to investors, although a growing number of states and provinces are adopting feed-in tariff strategies."

Read more.

San Antonio Boosting Incentives for Solar

From My San Antonio: "CPS Energy wants to spur San Antonio's solar industry by promising to buy power produced by local solar facilities.

The plan, based on feed-in tariffs that helped launch the solar industries in Spain and Germany, offers local solar producers 20-year contracts for their power at 27 cents per kilowatt-hour. That's roughly three times the rate that local residents pay CPS Energy for power." Read more.

(Photo courtesy of Flickr user 'J', shared under a Creative Commons license.)

What's New?

Paul Gipe, from Wind-Works.org, has compiled this list of updates on the state of Feed-In Tariffs around the world...

• Vermont's Public Utility Board Rules on Interm FIT Rates for 2009--Vermont's Public Utility Board (PUB) ruled in a decision September 30 2009 on interim feed-in tariffs for the remainder of 2009. . .
• Reuters: New German government won't slash solar power rates--Germany's conservatives and their Free Democrat allies will reform the Renewable Energy Act (EEG) but cuts for solar power rates will be modest to prevent harming the fast-growing industry, a coalition source said on Sunday. . .
• SB 32 CalSIA FIT Bill Becomes Law--Could Bring Incremental Improvement--SB 32, one of several feed-in tariff bills in the California legislature passed the night of September 11, 2009. Governor Schwarzenegger signed the bill into law October 11, 2009. . .
• The Spanish solar collapse by Craig Morris--There has been a lot of talk in the U.S. about the collapse of the Spanish solar market this year, commonly held to have been a solar bubble. However, few U.S. commentators seem to understand the Spanish market enough to go beyond the standard quip that the Spanish were simply throwing too much money at solar­and that feed-in rates were the culprit. A closer look reveals what Spain’s real problems were, and where those problems could happen in the U.S. as well. . .
• Taiwan Proposes Renewable Tariffs--Taiwan's Bureau of Energy has proposed specific feed-in tariffs by technology in response to legislation passed mid summer. . .
• Italy Likely to Surpass California in Solar PV in 2009--Italy is expected to surpass California in total installed solar PV by year end 2009 according to recent statistics. . .
• Ontario Rockets to Top Ten of Solar PV in North America--With activation October 5th of a 9.1 megawatt (MW) solar PV project in eastern Ontario, the Canadian province has rocketed to the top ten solar jurisdictions in North America. . .
• German Energy Consumer Association opposes cuts in solar rates--The Association of German Energy Consumers opposes a drastic cut in compensation for PV arrays. A dramatic reduction in the feed-in rate would be fatal for the PV sector and destroy the momentum of previous years overnight. . .
• CDU opposes strong cut in solar rates--A few days ago, CDU politician Tanja Gönner, who is "tipped to become federal environment minister," made the following statement about the future of solar rates in Germany in an interview . . .
• Prices for Renewable Energies in Europe by Doerte Fouquet, European Renewable Energy Federation (a 2009 extensive survey of feed-in tariffs in Europe)
• Hawaii PUC Decision on Feed-in Tariffs Summary--The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission (PUC) decision on implementation of feed-in tariffs for the state is 128 pages long. Below is a quick summary of key points in the decision. . .

(Photo courtesy of Flickr user alancleaver_2000, shared under a Creative Commons license.)

India's 1.1 Billion Move to Feed-in Tariffs

From Wind-Works.org: "The world's largest single political jurisdiction to date, India, has made a strategic move to use a comprehensive system of feed-in tariffs to develop its renewable energy potential.

China had previously announced feed-in tariffs for wind energy only. The country is expected to reveal feed-in tariffs for solar energy later this year.

India's Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) in New Delhi announced September 17, 2009 new regulations launching a system of feed-in tariffs for renewable energy, including both wind and solar energy.

India's 1.1 billion people together with China's 1.3 billion and the bulk of Europe's 300 million inhabitants --about one-third of the world's population-- have committed to developing renewable energy with feed-in tariffs."

Read more.

(Image courtesy of Flickr user Prabhu B, shared under a Creative Commons license.)

Report on FITs Commissioned by Colorado Public Utility Commission

 
This report on "The Application of Feed-in Tariffs and Other Incentives to Promote Renewable Energy in Colorado," was prepared by the staff of the Colorado PUC for its use in analyzing the pros and cons of Feed-in Tariffs for Colorado. Read more.

(Image shared under a Creative Commons by Flickr user Wolfgang Staudt.)

Ontario Rockets to Top Ten of Solar PV in North America

From Wind-Works: "With activation October 5th of a 9.1 megawatt (MW) solar PV project in eastern Ontario, the Canadian province has rocketed to the top ten solar jurisdictions in North America.

Ontario was already one of the leaders in solar energy development in North America with 1.7 MW of solar PV projects operating in the province."

Read more.

(Photo shared under a Creative Commons license.)