SEBANE News |
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Vol. 5 No. 3 |
June 2007 |
Table of Contents
Connecticut CCEF funding continues to be available for both large and small PV projects. There have been no changes to these programs. Massachusetts Massachusetts Technology Collaborative Incentives for Large PV MTC has announced another round of its popular Large On-site Renewables Initiative (LORI) with applications due August 21, 2007. With respect to larger PV projects, the only change in this round of funding is a reduction of the Base Incentive from $2.25 to $2.00 per watt. Applications are available on-line at the MTC web site . Round 3 LORI awards made in May included 9 PV projects with a combined capacity of 628 kW (with the size of projects ranging from 41 kW to 101 kW). The aggregate incentive awarded by MTC for the 9 PV projects totaled $2,088,710, for an average incentive per installed watt of $3.33. Massachusetts Technology Collaborative Incentives for Small PV Project support for PV installations under 10 kW continues to be available from the Massachusetts' Renewable Energy Trust. Information and details are available at the MTC web site. Maine Solar Rebates Extended Maine's solar energy rebate program is being extended for two more years. A bill signed into law in late May by Gov. John Baldacci extends the rebate offer through the end of 2010. The program was launched in 2005 and is administered through the Public Utilities Commission. Because of the program's popularity, rebates for solar electric systems had been curtailed due to limited funds, though rebates for solar thermal systems were still available. Now, solar photovoltaic systems are once again eligible. For more information, visit the Maine State Energy Office. New Hampshire New Hampshire Enacts Renewable Portfolio Standard with a Solar Carve Out On May 11, Gov. John Lynch signed the Renewable Energy Act, which is a key step in moving New Hampshire closer to reaching the goal of ensuring that 25 percent of New Hampshire's energy comes from renewable sources by 2025. New Hampshire currently has a renewable energy generation capacity of 8-10%, depending on how much electricity is exported to neighboring states. The RPS will increase that renewable generation percentage by about 15% in the next 18 years, bringing it to the 25% target. The new standard will support technologies such as biomass, hydro, wind, solar, and geothermal. The modest carve out for PV is 0.04% in 2010, growing to 0.3% in 2025. The solar Alternative Compliance Payment (ACP) is set at $150 per MW and will be used to fund a PV program. In another bill, New Hampshire extended net metering to systems up to 100 kW, with the cumulative maximum increased to 1% of the utility peak. Vermont VT Department of Public Service issues RFP for Renewable Vermont has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for state projects that promote the development and deployment of cost-effective and environmentally sustainable electric power resources - primarily renewable energy resources and combined heat and power technologies - for the long-term benefit of Vermont electric customers. Of particular interest to the solar industry is the Large-Scale Systems category. This category includes renewable energy and combined heat and power projects greater than 15 kW in capacity located at commercial, industrial, institutional, and public facilities. Renewable energy projects may include, but are not limited to, solar electric; farm, landfill and sewer methane recovery; low emission, advanced biomass power; and wind (except projects which are eligible for the Solar and Small Wind Incentive Program as noted below). This may include utility-scale installations. All electric generation projects must be grid-connected. The maximum grant award for this category is $250,000 and requires a 50% match, no more than 25% of which can be in-kind match. Projects should be completed within 2 years of award. Proposals must arrive to the Department of Public Service (DPS) office by 4:00 P.M. on Monday, July 9, 2007. More information can be obtained at Public Service of Vermont. Solar and Small Wind Incentives In July, 2006, the Vermont Clean Energy Development Fund had authorized an additional $500,000 to the Vermont Solar and Small Wind Incentive Program for incentives for renewable energy systems. Along with money left over from solar projects that were not completed in the previous rounds, these contributions result in a total of $980,000 of new incentive funding for all technologies. The Renewable Energy Resource Center anticipates that additional funding will be made available through state legislature-authorized funds before current incentives are exhausted. More information is available at The Renewable Energy Resource Center. New York The Solar Initiative of New York has published a solar roadmap for the state calling for an increase in solar generation in NY from 12 MW to over 2,000 MW by 2017. More information is in the document "Objective: Increase the Solar Power in NY State," including links to New York's Solar Roadmap and background information at Renewable Energy Access.
SatCon Technology Corporation® has announced that its PowerGate(R) commercial grade inverters have been installed as an integral part of a 375 kW building- integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) system at the Murphy National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) facility in Waltham, Massachusetts. The NARA facility demonstrates a completely integrated roof and solar system--the solar panels are the roof. The flexible, flat panel photovoltaic array is heat-welded into the roofing material and qualifies as a "Cool Roof" under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's EnergyStar program. Solar Integrated Technologies, Inc. provided the building's 143,000 square feet of integrated photovoltaic roofing system. SatCon's PowerGate high-efficiency inverters are a critical component of the system. To date, SatCon has shipped more than 30 MW of its industry leading commercial grade inverters in North America. Evergreen Solar, Inc., a manufacturer of solar power products with its proprietary, low-cost String Ribbon wafer technology, has announced that it has filed a preliminary prospectus supplement to its existing shelf registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission relating to an underwritten public offering of 15,000,000 shares of its common stock. U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced that Boston is one of 13 cities that will share in nearly $2.5 million from DOE to increase the use of solar power across the country. Boston and the other cities selected for the Solar America Cities cooperative agreements will receive awards to promote solar-powered technologies, with the goal to make solar energy cost-competitive with conventional sources of electricity by 2015. Other cities receiving Solar America Cities grants include: Ann Arbor, MI; Austin, TX; Berkeley, CA; Madison, WI; New Orleans, LA; New York, NY; Pittsburgh, PA; Portland, OR; Salt Lake City, UT; San Diego, CA; San Francisco, CA; and Tucson, AZ. In addition to the funding, DOE will provide selected cities with hands-on assistance from technical and policy experts to help cities integrate solar technologies into city energy planning, zoning and facilities; to streamline city-level regulations and practices that affect solar adoption by residents and local businesses; and promote solar technology among residents and local businesses through outreach, curriculum development, and incentive programs. DOE plans to select a new round of Solar America Cities in 2008. Industrial Park Grant for 615-kWdc PV The Connecticut Clean Energy Fund (CCEF) has announced a grant of $1,228,500 to help defray a portion of the total project cost of installing a 615-kWdc PV system at an industrial park located in Danbury. American Capital Energy will function as the general contractor with Aztech Engineers performing system design and engineering. Click here for more information. Plainville High School Grant for 172.6kWdc PV CCEF has approved a grant of $763,736 to help defray just over half of the total cost of installing a 172.6-kWdc PV system for Plainville High School. Click here for more information. GE HQ in Fairfield to Install 168-Wdc PV System A CCEF grant of up to $722,000 will help defray a portion of the total project cost of installing a 168-kWdc PV system at the headquarters facility of General Electric Company in Fairfield. The system will make use of modules manufactured by GE. Click here for more information. PV System Dedicaqted at Connecticut Marina The Fund hosted a dedication ceremony to unveil a 4-kW PV system installed at Milford Lisman Landing Marina, with remarks made by representatives from the City of Milford, CCEF, SmartPower and PV Squared. Click here for more information. Solar Connecticut, an association of more than 50 area business professionals, state government representatives, and citizen groups working in the solar power industry, has named energy communications professional Michael Trahan to be the group's new executive director. Trahan succeeds SolarOne® Solutions President and CEO Moneer Azzam, who is Solar Connecticut's founding executive director, and will continue as a member of the board of directors. Solectria Renewables announced in late May that its entire line of 3-phase, 480VAC PV inverters received top ratings for energy efficiency from the California Energy Commission (CEC). Solectria offers 480VAC PV inverters at a wide range of power levels-13.2kW, 15kW, 60 kW, 82kW and 95kW-and are for use in systems from 10kW to MW-level installations. The inverters are also available in other voltages such as 208 and 240VAC, and are listed to the new UL1741/IEEE1547 standard. With premium components, advanced design and software, the Solectria 95kW-480VAC inverter has a peak efficiency of over 96.5% (as tested by independent laboratories) and a CEC efficiency rating of 95.5%. No commercial 3-phase inverter achieved a higher efficiency rating in CEC's testing. Furthermore, according to CEC data, the unit has a higher efficiency than larger 225 and 500kW inverters on the market, making it the best choice for larger systems, from hundreds of kW to multi-megawatt systems. Solectria's inverters have been chosen for use in PV systems across the United States by leading PV system design and installation companies such as Solar Design Associates, Spire Corporation, Solar Works, Inc., SolarWrights, Schott Solar, Sunlight Solar Energy, GroSolar/Energy Outfitters and Nexgen Energy Solutions. GT Solar Incorporated, has signed a $39.5 million contract to sell polysilicon reactors and converters to the Chinese company, Jiangsu Shunda Electronic Materials and Technology. GT Solar's reactors and silicon tetrachloride converters will be installed at Shunda's facility near Nanjing, China, which will allow Shunda to produce silicon feedstock for PV cells. Jiangsu Shunda Electronic Materials and Technology Company is located in Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province. Shunda Group focuses on the PV market and has expanded in recent years to produce single crystalline ingots, wafers, photovoltaic cells as well as photovoltaic modules.
Gov. Deval Patrick has announced plans to install photovoltaic panels at 12 state facilities this year as part of a plan to help make Massachusetts a leader in clean energy technology. The panels will be located at Worcester and Salem state colleges; Mount Wachusett, North Shore and Springfield Technical community colleges; the Soldiers Home in Chelsea; the MWRA's Deer Island wastewater treatment plant; state prison wastewater plants in Norfolk, Concord and Bridgewater; and at the Cedar Junction and South Middlesex state prisons. The cost of the systems will be covered in part by federal Clean Renewable Energy Bonds. According to the Governor, the $9 million dollar solar initiative represents a nearly 50 percent increase in the amount of solar power installed in Massachusetts.
The North American Board of Certified
Energy Practitioners has announced that the Task Analysis for Solar
Electric/PV Installers has been updated to keep current with technology and
National Electric Code changes. The PV Task Analysis defines the general
set of knowledge, skills and abilities typically required of practitioners
who install, maintain and troubleshoot PV systems. Click here for the PV
Task Analysis. Applications are available for the September 29, 2007 Solar Electric (PV) and Solar Thermal exams for installer certification. Click here for exam information.
SEBANE members voted in three Board members in an election held this month. Ron French of Solar Works, Inc., William Stillinger of Pioneer Valley Photovoltaics, and Richard Gottlieb, of Sunnyside Solar were elected for three year terms. They join Moneer Azzam of SolarOne Solutions, Mark Farber of Evergreen Solar, Clayton Handleman of Heliotronics, Inc., Steven Strong of Solar Design Associates, and Christopher Kilfoyle of Bershire County Photovoltaics on the Board of Directors.
SEBANE's Annual Meeting on June 14, 2007 in Northborough, MA was attended by over 60 members and proponents of solar and renewable energy technology. The organization has continued to grow steadily in the past year and now has a membership of nearly 75 companies and organizations. Mark Farber, SEBANE's President and a Vice President at Evergreen Solar provided an overview of the continuing double digit expansion of the global solar electric industry and an update of state initiatives outside of New England. He also highlighted a number of pieces of federal legislation, which, if passed, would give a significant boost to investment in solar technology across the U.S. Executive Director Paul Gromer described the major legislative initiatives affecting solar in New England states, focusing on Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. Connecticut's legislature passed an aggressive energy bill in June 2007 that streamlines interconnection standards, increases the net metering cap for PV to 2 MW, and exempts PV from certain property and sales taxes. It also requires the DPUC to establish a $25 million grant program for distributed generation other than fuel cells and authorizes $30 million in bonds for DG projects on state buildings. The featured presentation was by David Cash of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, who serves as Assistant Secretary for Energy Policy. Mr. Cash provided an update on initiatives that the Patrick administration is undertaking to strengthen renewable energy markets in the state and to continue to expand the economic development impact of local clean energy businesses. His remarks were supported by the results of a recent study presented by Karl Jessen of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative on jobs created by these businesses.
Blue Wave Strategies is an advisor to real estate and energy projects with expertise in promoting environmental benefits. Core work focuses on renewable energy, green building, brownfields redevelopment, and environmental restoration. Eco Green Systems and Supply promotes the use, supply, and distribution of Green building supplies, paints, flooring, cabinets,sustainable solar systems, electrical systems, and water heating systems. Robert Botelho is president and they are located in Braintree, MA. KeySpan Energy Delivery offers residential KeySpan customers solar hot water and solar pool heating rebates up to $1500 per account. Commercial KeySpan customers are eligible for solar hot water, solar air heating and solar pool heating rebates up to 50% of the project cost. Christina Halfpenny oversees KeySpan's solar programs. Madico is a laminator and coater of films and foils for the Energy Consevration, Renewable Energy, Safety and Security Markets. Frank Mannarino is sales manager of the Woburn, MA-based company. S&H Construction is a general contracting firm in the Cambridge, MA area offering full service remodeling and home building services, as well as several green building programs, including full turnkey PV installation. Jamie Leef is project manager. Red Carpet Electric (also known as T.A. Phillips Electric) is a full-service electrical contractor with expertise in residential solar projects. Red Carpet performs work in southern New England and New York state. Tom Phillips is vice president of the Brookfield, CT firm.
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Solar Energy Business Association
of New England |