Alliance for Renewable Energy

What Feed-in Tariffs Could Do for Japan's Electricity Shortage

 

What Japan Could Do if It Followed Germany's Lead on Renewable Energy

Within one Decade Japan Could Halve its Dependence on Nuclear Power

April 14, 2011

By Paul Gipe

If Japan adopted an aggressive renewable energy policy like that of Germany, it could, within ten years, generate more than four times the electricity lost at the Fukushima 1 nuclear power plant, cutting the country's reliance on nuclear power by one-half or more.

As Japan expands the evacuation zone around the damaged Fukushima 1 nuclear plant from 20 km to 30 km and Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) skirts the edge of bankruptcy, the country confronts a stark choice: undertake a massive construction program to replace the nuclear reactors with more of the same, or, instead, follow a new, less risky, and potentially more strategic path toward rapid renewable energy development. The stakes are high and the fight is already intense as Japanese elites debate the future of their electricity system, and literally, the future of their country.

2,100 Miles Later, "Rocket Trike" Nearing Washington, DC

The Alliance for Renewable Energy is sponsoring one man's ride to Washington, DC. Learn more:

And check out his blog for beautiful photos and updates from his trek across the United States!

Los Angeles Solar FIT Proposed

From Wind-Works.org:

The Los Angeles Business Council (LABC) today released a report calling for a modest solar photovoltaic (PV) feed-in tariff program in the City of Angels.

The second of two reports by UCLA's Luskin Center lays out a detailed economic proposal for creating a multi-tiered system of feed-in tariffs (FIT) for solar PV that would result in 600 MW of solar PV within ten years.

The proposal's limited objective will contribute to only 3% the city's electricity supply in 2020. Further, LABC's proposal considers only solar PV and not any other form of renewable energy.

However, the study itself, Bringing Solar Energy to Los Angeles: An Assessment of the Feasibility and Impacts of an In-basin Solar Feed-in Tariff Program weighs the costs and benefits of a program installing up to 1,000 MW of solar PV by 2020, the equivalent of 5% of electricity supply under conditions in southern California.

Read more.

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

Italy Surpasses US in Solar PV

 

From Wind-Works.org:

In a dramatic display of the power feed-in tariffs have in driving markets, Italy installed more solar photovoltaics (PV) in 2009 than the entire US. Moreover, within the first quarter of 2010, Italy's total installed solar PV capacity was expected to exceed that of the US.

Italy installed 720 MW of solar PV in 2009, nearly all of that on rooftops. In contrast, the US installed 435 MW during the same period, according to a draft report by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC).

Italy introduced a system of feed-in tariffs for solar PV in February, 2007 after concluding that the previous program of Tradable Green Certificates was not delivering the results desired.

By the end of 2007, Italy had installed five times more solar PV than in the previous year. Despite numerous bureaucratic roadblocks, the solar industry took off in 2008 and installed nearly 350 MW, then a record-breaking number. Solar PV installations have been doubling since then and are expected to reach 1,500 MW in 2010.

Read more.

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

San Francisco Feed-in Tariff Conference

From the press release:

Pacific Environment, the World Future Council, the Boell Foundation and others are hosting a one-day conference titled “Feed-in Tariffs: A Time for Real Action on Renewable Energy.” The event will be held in San Francisco on July 12, 2010 to discuss the rapid deployment of renewable energy in the U.S. using Feed-in Tariffs (FiT), a policy mechanism that has been successfully implemented in Europe and other areas of the world. Focusing mainly on California and the West Coast, industry experts from government, business, and the environmental field will discuss Feed-in Tariffs as a policy option, and as a way to stimulate investment in renewable energy, increase energy security and promote economic development inCalifornia.

 

Key objectives of the conference include:

• Increasing understanding of Feed-in Tariffs (FiT), including their significant potential to address climate change, create new jobs and rapidly develop renewable energy
• Discussing how to draft and implement renewable energy laws in the United States, with a focus on California and the West Coast, looking specifically at Feed-in Tariffs
• Developing political strategies for implementing robust Feed-in Tariffs
• Building new coalitions and networks

Learn more and register.

Oregon’s New Solar Law Not a Good FIT

Sad news from Oregon:

Contrary to what some commentators are saying, Oregon did not just adopt a feed-in tariff (FIT).  ELAW has been working diligently to ensure that Oregon adopts a FIT because FITs have been proven to be the most effective and efficient means of moving renewables onto the grid. Sadly, Oregon’s program falls far short of the mark.

Read more.

Fascinating, Simple Explanation of How FITs (a.k.a REPs) Work

Feed-in Tariffs are also referred to as "Renewable Energy Payments," or "REPs." This video from the non-profit Solar One explains how FITs work:
How Renewable Energy Payments (REPs) Work. from Chris Neidl on Vimeo.

Also, please take a moment to become a fan of Feed-in Tariffs on Facebook!

Dow Corning Sees Bright Future for Solar - If FITs are Adopted

From The Energy Collective:

The first objective is to establish “a broad federal legislative and regulatory package” to accelerate the growth of the solar industry and encourage consumer adoption of solar technologies. This includes specific incentives for U.S.-based clean energy manufacturing – the company recommends a permanent extension of the Section 48c advanced manufacturing tax credit – and a package of policies to clear hurdles to market adoption and provide strong, consistent domestic demand for solar power.

This package of incentives includes a broad and robust national renewable electricity standard (RES) to “get the whole country marching in the right direction,” Mr. Peeters said, as well as targeted and robust production incentives in the form of feed-in tariffs or other “renewable energy payment” policies.

These targeted incentives are particularly important, Mr. Peeters said, “because solar is an infant industry really. It's young. There is a lot to learn. Technology development is very very fast. Solar will get to a cost where it is competing with traditional sources of energy … We will see it in the next ten years the technology will evolve fast enough so that in many places, those incentives will go way way down, maybe down to zero. But right now, today,” Peeters noted, “[production incentives] are an important tool to bring some people over this initial barrier, to give the activation energy to make this happen."

Read the full article.

New York Solar Energy Society Calls for Feed-in Tariffs

 
From Paul Gipe:

The New York Solar Energy Society (NYSES) has sent out an action alert calling on its members to support Senate Bill S2715A, the New York Renewable Energy Sources Act. The bill was introduced by State Senator Antoine M. Thompson (D-Buffalo), Chair of the Senate's Standing Committee on Environmental Conservation.

NYSES' alert includes 14 talking points that explain why New York state needs renewable energy now and how feed-in tariffs will make it happen.

Previously, the New York State Solar Energy Industry Association (NYSEIA) had called for action on feed-in tariffs in support of Senator Thompson's bill. See New York SEIA Calls for Feed-in Tariffs.

Both Florida's SEIA and California's SEIA have called for various versions of feed-in tariffs in their respective states.

Neither the American Solar Energy Society nor the national Solar Energy Industries Association has explicitly called for feed-in tariffs. Recently, however, the Solar Alliance, a trade association of solar PV manufacturers and developers, posted its policy in support of feed-in tariffs. See Solar Alliance Position Paper on Feed-in Tariffs.

NYSES' campaign for feed-in tariffs in the Empire State is being led by Wyldon Fishman, the founder and current president of NYSES.

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

What's New with Feed-In Tariffs?

From Paul Gipe (Wind-Works.org):

• We Actually Can?! by Miguel Mendonça--When first writing on this site a few years ago, and advocating the feed-in tariff policy for market development of renewables, there were no such laws in Britain or North America. They are now coming into being, and this is in part due to the fact that initially small, but ever-snowballing groups of people, made it their business to push for legislative progress. . .
• South Africa's Nersa makes Refit phase two decision; contracts expected in November by Christy van der Merwe--The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) on Friday published it’s decision on the second phase of the Renewable Energy Feed-in Tariff (Refit), and stated that the power purchase agreement could be expected in November. . .
• What solar will cost in Germany by Craig Morris--The RWI study is therefore roughly 50 percent off the mark according to her calculation, i.e. solar is not that expensive. . .
• Michael Eckhart, ACORE, on the RWI "study" of German FITs--So, they figure, if they are to justify coal and nuclear, they must first discredit the FIT. . .
• Craig Morris German PV Investment Summary
• Germany Installs 2.34GW, FIT to Decline 9-11% by Ucilia Wang, Greentech Media--Demand in Germany has picked up since mid-year. The new ruling coalition seeks to calm fears of a cut to the country’s solar incentives. . .
• Globe & Mail: New rules could fuel green bonanza--Ontario's new Green Energy Act could pump as much as $4.5-billion into the hands of the province's renewable energy companies, utilities and power distribution firms. . .
• German coalition steers away from solar tariff cuts--The recently elected German coalition government has dropped plans for major cuts to solar photovoltaic (PV) feed-in tariffs. . .
• New York Times: Worldwide Feed-in Tariffs Best for Investors By John Lorinc--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. . .
• Grist: Why solar won’t topple in Germany by Craig Morris--Since the new center-right coalition won the elections a few weeks ago in Germany, onlookers from the U.S. have been expecting the country to drastically cut its support for solar. . .
• 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. .