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CT
Clean Energy Fund enhances PV program
Expanded opportunities for commercial, industrial and
institutional projects
 The Connecticut Clean Energy Fund has issued a new and
more flexible RFP for PV installations on commercial, industrial, and
institutional buildings. Key features of the new program include:
- Applications will be
accepted at any time
- $5.00 per watt incentive
- $3 million in funding
- No system size limitation
- The CT Fund will not
retain the renewable energy certificates (RECs) generated by the PV systems
"We continue to solicit input from
industry leaders on ways to improve our solar program," said Charlie
Moret, Managing Director, Connecticut Clean Energy Fund. "We believe
the current modifications are responsive to the market and will greatly increase
the number and size of projects brought forward in Connecticut. We are excited about the
possibility of having the largest solar PV installation in New England".
For more information, contact the CT Clean
Energy Fund.
Audubon
Society of RI installs PV system at environmental education center
 With support from the RI Renewable Energy Fund, the Audubon
Society of Rhode Island has installed an 8.1 kW PV system at its
Environmental Education Facility in Bristol.
The project was developed by EverPower Global of New York.
"Using solar energy to power our
operations is consistent with our mission and creative approach to
protecting our precious natural resources," said Audubon Society
Director, Jeff Hall.
"The Rhode Island Renewable Energy
Fund is delighted to support this project," said Janice McClanaghan, Rhode Island's Chief
of Energy and Community Services. "The project advances our goals of
increasing the use of renewable energy in Rhode Island and of promoting renewable
energy outreach and education."
"EverPower Global is glad to be a
part of the Audubon Society's effort to reduce costs and protect the
environment," said EverPower Global's President Jim Spencer. "By
placing a solar array on their facility, the Audubon Society will not only
be generating clean power from the sun but will also be an example and
educator to all those that visit the center each year."
Mass. Renewable Energy Trust
awards seed funding to 8 companies
Funds will advance new technologies, strengthen
renewable energy cluster
The Massachusetts
Renewable Energy Trust has awarded $1.6 million in seed funding to eight
high-tech companies across the state. The funds will help companies
commercialize new clean energy technologies and products including solar,
fuel cells and wind.
Solar companies receiving funding include:
- Solectria Corp., a
manufacturer of PV inverters
- SolarOne Solutions, a
designer and developer of PV applications
- Seahorse Power, a
manufacturer of PV powered trash compactors
"It is tremendously exciting to
support such a broad array of businesses and entrepreneurs, which are
developing path breaking products and technologies that will advance
renewable energy solutions," said Rob Pratt, Director of the Renewable
Energy Trust. "This funding is leveraging significant private
investment while delivering new jobs and business operations to the
Commonwealth."
Konarka
acquires Siemens' organic PV research activities
Joins two leading efforts to develop a new generation of
PV
 Konarka Technologies, Inc. of Lowell, MA
has acquired Siemens AG's organic photovoltaic research activities. The
acquisition brings together two leading efforts to develop and
commercialize a new generation of photovoltaics that are inexpensive,
easy-to-manufacture and versatile. These new plastic power cells will make
it possible for any electronic device or structure to carry its own on-
board source of renewable energy.
Until now, both Konarka and Siemens had
been working independently to harness breakthroughs in materials science
and nanotechnology to create efficient, lightweight, flexible polymer-based
electronics. The new combined effort empowers Konarka with Siemens'
intellectual property related to organic photovoltaics and the renowned
scientific team led by Dr. Christoph Brabec, who becomes Konarka's director
of polymer photovoltaic research.
New Jersey issues renewable
energy market assessment
NJ is on its way to 90 MW of PV by 2008
 New Jersey can meet its goal of 90 MW of PV by 2008 according to
a newly released report, New Jersey
Renewable Energy Market Assessment.
The report was issued by Rutgers University's
Center for Energy, Economic and Environmental Policy (CEEEP) at the request
of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. Rutgers University
retained SEBANE member Navigant Consulting to prepare the report. Copies of
the report are available from Rutgers
University.
EIA
issues report re PV manufacturing
PV prices continue to decline
 PV prices are continuing to drop according to a report
issued by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) of the US Department
of Energy. According to EIA, the average price of PV modules declined over
15% in 2003, from $3.74 per watt to $3.17 per watt.
EIA also found that US PV shipments
declined slightly in 2003, ending a nearly 20-year streak of annual
increases. The decline was attributed to the bankruptcy of AstroPower,
whose assets were subsequently purchased by General Electric's solar
division. The report also found that the top PV export market was Germany,
which accounted for more than half of US PV exports.
Massachusetts PV Collaborative
SEBANE working with Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust
The Massachusetts
Renewable Energy Trust (MRET) has established a PV collaborative to help
formulate the Trust's policy on PV and to recommend PV program designs and
budgets.
SEBANE has been participating very
actively in the collaborative. SEBANE representatives include: Rex
D'Agostino, Stephen Cowell, Steven Strong, Mark Farber, Bob Fabian, Paul
Lyons, Linda Raven, Clayton Handleman, and Paul Gromer.
Additional information about the PV
collaborative is available on the MRET website. For further information,
contact Paul Gromer at SEBANE 617-227- 6980.
Brockton unveils its newest
power plant
First step in "Brockton Solar Champions
Partnership"
 The City of Brockton has
unveiled its newest power plant: a 2.4 kilowatt (kW) solar power project on
the roof of Brockton
High School.
"This project is just the first in a
series that will make Brockton
a regional leader in the use of clean, renewable energy," said
Brockton Mayor John T. Yunits. "By using solar on roofs all over the
city and turning an empty, blighted piece of property into a 'solar energy
park,' the Solar Champions project will place Brockton among a select few
cities in the U.S. to really focus on providing green power
solutions."
The project received partial funding from
the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust. It features 24 Evergreen Solar
panels and was installed by CSG Services.
The high school project is part of a
larger effort, the "Brockton Solar Champions Partnership." This
Partnership seeks to put Brockton in the forefront in deploying solar
energy through the development of a 1 Megawatt (MW) solar Brightfield, and
the installation of 100 kW of rooftop solar citywide, including the high
school.
October
4 - 6, 2004 - Green Power Marketing Conference: Albany,
NY.
October 25, 2004 -
Northeast Energy Efficiency Council - Association of Energy Services
Professionals annual conference: Marlboro, MA.
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