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The companies will develop two 150-kilowatt pilot community solar projects in Rutland as part of GMP’s Solar Capital initiative. In addition, NRG will establish an office in Rutland to support projects there. “Through this partnership, customers who have no space for solar or can’t afford to build it themselves will be able to rely on solar energy and support its construction through a low-cost lease program,” GMP President and CEO Mary Powell said. “Many participants are likely to pay less for solar energy than they are paying today on their electric bills.”

“We appreciate that GMP is actively exploring ways to make solar a vibrant energy source for the company and its customers. As we looked around the country for the optimal partner to create this pilot, the innovative spirit of GMP and the city of Rutland made them the perfect partner for this pilot program,” said Scott Fisher, director of alternative energy at NRG.

“Our goal is to use this pilot to create a solar community between 50 and 100 customers, whose enrollment will support the two projects we will initially build in Rutland,” Fisher explained. “We see this as a test case for new ways to bring the benefits of solar to more people.”

Under the pilot projects, GMP customers can enroll in the leasing program with no upfront costs, according to GMP. They will lease part of one of the two photovoltaic arrays that NRG is building. Then the amount of electricity generated by their portion of the array will offset part or all of their electric bills. The idea of community energy projects first took off in Europe in places like Germany and Denmark, where communities invested in wind projects. Community wind projects have also been installed in the U.S. in places like Minnesota, but the first community solar gardens started cropping up a few years ago and now are starting to take off in Colorado and other states.

The projects are pending approval by the Vermont Public Service Board. But, starting this summer, customers will be able to enroll in a NRG Residential Solar leasing program with no upfront cost and become part of a solar community that supports the development of specific solar projects, GMP said. The companies intend to build the first project this year and another next year.

Engineer Lyndon Than, who transformed his Ontario bungalow into an energy efficient passive house, has been exploring the option of collecting rainwater with his solar PV panels.

“The fact that PV panels are glass-clad means they present a premium surface for rainwater collection. The trouble is that they are not designed for this task, which I certainly feel they should be,” Than says. “In fact, I would like to see PV panels made as large interlinking panels that shed water all the way down the roof.” This would improve the quality of the water, he adds.

Questions have been raised regarding the quality of water harvested off photovoltaics. Researchers at the United States Geological Survey conducted a study to measure the potential of heavy metals leaching from PV panels into the harvested rainwater. They concluded that a newly installed (amorphous silicon thin film) solar panel would increase concentrations of cadmium and lead in potable water. As far as non-potable purposes, the metal concentration levels were low enough that the water could safely be used for activities like toilet flushing, irrigation, laundry, etc.

The study did not, however, address the use of filtration systems. Today’s filtration systems run the gamut of purification techniques, from the state-of-the art systems used by developing nations to eliminate bacteria and viruses to the simple method of adding sand to make rainwater drinkable. Some purifiers use ceramic filters to absorb pesticides and organic compounds while others utilize ultraviolet light to kill bacteria. There are also solar-powered water purification systems, but the ones sold commercially are often designed for remote locations, or areas where the water is highly contaminated. For the do-it-yourself individual, solar purification systems can even be constructed with household materials.

Harvesting rainwater has been a touchy subject in recent years. Until 2009, it was illegal in Colorado to collect rainwater from your roof, but the state now allows small-scale collection. Eleven other states and the U.S. Virgin Islands also impose laws for rainwater harvesting. However, recent droughts and concerns with water shortages have been encouraging state governments to allow rainwater collection for home use, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

For residents who already catch rainwater, the addition of roof-mounted PV panels should not present compatibility issues. “I don’t see any problem with solar [photo]voltaics on a water harvesting roof,” said permaculture expert Penny Livingston-Stark.  “As ever, you need mechanisms to ensure the stored water is actually clean. If you’re going to drink it that’s doubly important.”

The increasing need for fresh water, combined with the current energy crisis could make solar PV systems a more attractive option for their multi-faceted role in our sustainable future.

In 2012 the bank was selected as the financier for Solarize Connecticut’s Durham program, which led to 117 homes in the city going solar—more than any other city that participated in the program, explains Admirals’ head Marketing Officer Charlie Angione. It was the pilot year for the program and based on its success, Connecticut is offering it again this year.

The Solarize programs began in Portland, OR, and have since been supported by the Department of Energy’s SunShot Initiative and adopted in a growing number of communities across the country. The programs allow communities to work with installers and financiers to access discounts on solar arrays through collective purchasing. The more people that go solar through the program means access to greater discounts on the cost of a system.

Under the Solarize Durham program, BeFree Solar was selected as the exclusive contractor. When customers weren’t able to pay for a system out-of-pocket, BeFree Solar referred them to Admirals, which provides financing directly to the consumer. “Our financing was able to influence the purchasing decision of the homeowners. They bought the systems based on convenience of the loan and how it fit in their budget,” Angione explains.

Now, based on the success of last year, Admirals is participating both the second version of Solarize Connecticut and SolarizeMassachusetts. In addition to its participation in Solarize programs, and based on the interest homeowners are increasingly showing in renewable energy, Admirals launched a new lending division called Admirals Alternatives. Launched in April, this division can offer loans specifically tailored for solar, wind and other renewable energy improvements.

The new offering is an alternative that allows homeowners to finance and own the system themselves, rather than through a third-party ownership model. It’s based on Admirals’ Title I home improvement loans, which as a federally chartered financial institution, it can offer nationwide. “This loan worked perfectly with the products,” Angione asserts. “The focus then shifted into solar renewable energy industry.” As popularity of solar has grown, the bank realized it needed to be more than just a focus and more than just its Solar Step Down Loans. “We needed to create…finance products for interested customers.” Under the new division, homeowners can qualify for loans of up to $40,000.

“We are comfortable financing a product like solar and renewable energy,” Angione says. He explains that the rebates as well as the federal tax, and other incentives make the purchase of solar attractive. The loans also allow the homeowners to apply the value of the tax credits and other incentives directly to the loan’s principal balance once during the first two years, allowing them to re-amortize the loan and reduce payments.

Both Bellingham and Brookfield have recently signed 20-year power-purchase agreements (PPAs) with Washington Gas Energy Systems for PV arrays. Brookfield’s PPA for a 434 kilowatt array was announced today (May 15), while the 3.8 megawatt Bellingham project was announced in April. The 2.7 megawatt project in Ludlow, MA, is being installed by Borrego Solar Systems Inc. at a former landfill at Holyoke Street and is nearing completion.

Each of the arrays are helping the cities reduce their energy costs. For instance, The Republican reports that Borrego will sell the energy produced by the landfill to Ludlow for five cents per kilowatt hour. That’s almost half the nine cents per kilowatt hour it currently pays. Plus the energy rates is locked in on the installation throughout the contract, so the town can estimate its future energy spend with more certainty.

Brookfield sees the array as not just a way to reduce its energy spend, but as a revenue producer. “Small towns like ours were hit hard by the economic downturn, and anytime we can find a way to generate revenue for the town, it’s a plus,” said Brookfield Selectman Rudy Heller, who has worked on this project with a committee of volunteers since its inception. “If at the same time we reduce our carbon footprint, everybody wins. We are very pleased that this project is coming to fruition.”

“The town of Brookfield has embraced an innovative way to make use of its capped landfill by installing renewable energy resources, and should serve as a model for other towns and neighborhoods,” said Sanjiv Mahan, vice president of business development for Washington Gas Energy Systems. “We are committed to bringing clean energy solutions to communities throughout Massachusetts and across the country, and will continue to invest in renewable energy assets.”

The savings on such PPAs can be substantial for local governments. Bellingham’s schools will save nearly $6 million in energy costs over the 20-year life of the project, according to Michael Soter, Bellingham Board of Selectman chairman.

Construction on the systems in Bellingham and Brookfield is slated for completion this June. Construction on the Ludlow project is also slated for this summer.

The original article by Chris Meehan was posted on the SolarReviews blog. 

“Consumers want choice,” says renewable energy strategist Carl Siegrist. “Customer-owned distributed solar is one that will change the utility model.”

Some utility companies, like the municipally-owned CPS Energy in San Antonio, are taking a defensive stand to protect profits. The Texas energy company plans to raise rates for all consumers or reduce the credits allotted for rooftop solar. With 30-year recovery costs for their capital investments, utility companies argue that they need to maintain their infrastructure as more people are installing solar and decreasing the demand for traditional electricity.

“Competing demands from consumers is exactly why a one-size-fits-all approach won’t work anymore for utilities,” says Dr. Julie Albright, managing director at the USC Energy Institute.

Although utilities can restructure their fees to cover lost revenue, “the longer-term threat of fully exiting from the grid (or customers solely using the electric grid for backup purposes) raises the potential for irreparable damages to revenue and growth,” the EEI report states.

This certainly isn’t the first time utility companies have felt threatened by distributed solar. But the report that predicts the demise of utility companies—issued by the utilities themselves—has fostered headlines with words like “destroy” and “smackdown.” It appears the battle is becoming more heated.

But does it have to be ‘us versus them?’ Can utilities and renewables coexist?

Duke Energy seems to think so.

The company’s non-regulated unit, Duke Energy Renewables, will more than double its production from solar, wind and biomass by 2020, according to its most recent sustainability report. This would total about 6,000 megawatts of power derived from renewable sources. Motivated by federal tax credits, the Charlotte, N.C.-based utility company added nearly 650 megawatts of clean energy just last year.

“If utilities don’t adopt solar business models, stockholders will lose significant value—and if given a choice [they’ll lose] customers too,” Siegrist says.

Sixteen states in the U.S. currently require utility companies to generate more of their power from the sun. Minnesota may be next, as the state House passed a bill on May 7, requiring investor-owned utilities to obtain 4 percent of their power from solar energy by 2025.

Incorporating clean energy into their mix can help electric utility companies secure premium rates for solar power—since solar peaks at midday with a higher demand for air conditioning. Utility companies can also purchase excess energy from residential and commercial solar systems, and then sell the energy at peak prices. Profit opportunities also exist in energy storage to ensure grid stability—a relatively untapped market.

Mike Taylor, Director of Research at the Solar Power Electric Association, says there is a large retirement turnover taking place among electric utility companies. This may be the perfect opportunity to revise the traditional business model.

“Utilities need motivated, educated, vibrant staff to effect change,” Taylor says. “Clearly, utilities play a role and provide a need in managing and maintaining the grid. How that role evolves remains to be seen.”

The original article was posted on the SolarReviews blog. 

While the full report may not be out yet, Business Insider posted the Top 10 earlier this week. The report anticipates that the cost of solar will continue to fall. “Its nature means that the technology keeps getting cheaper, while alternatives gradually become more expensive, and so the ‘problem’ only becomes exacerbated,” Citi said. The company found that utility-scale solar already is competitive with natural gas-based generation in some markets—not the U.S., and that it’s continuing to get cheaper.

In fact, Citi thinks the potential for solar is even higher than the International Energy Agency thinks it is. The IEA’s base case forecasts that solar will have $1.3 trillion in investments in new capacity between 2012-2035, Business Insider reported. It also anticipated that solar will represent 13 percent of the total global investment in power generation. That will make it a larger market than gas and just behind coal, a lot of which is being built in China to support growth in that country.

Such proclamations help companies like Citi determine where to make future investments and it looks like the banking giant may consider more investing in solar in the future. It’s also a vote of confidence in the technology and shows that after a long period—the first commercial PV modules started showing up in the 1970s—solar is finally becoming a mainstream energy source.

Solar wasn’t the only disruptive energy technology on the list however; fossil fuel energy exploration technologies made the list, too. The U.S. has invested billions in newer types of fossil fuel exploration, which include hydraulic fracturing (fracking), horizontal drilling, and subsea exploration. Fracking, which may be more controversial than some of the other forms of energy exploration has been generating headlines as well as cheaper sources of fuel that was previously considered too difficult to access. Citi anticipated that it could be a $100 billion market annually.

The original article was posted on the SolarReviews blog. 

Cleaning up a contaminated site improves the environmental quality of the area, while restoring community pride with an aesthetically pleasing and productive piece of land. Faced with liability uncertainties, permitting challenges and land-use ordinances, developers haven’t been overly anxious to construct clean energy facilities on brownfield sites. To encourage the reuse of contaminated lands for renewable energy projects, the EPA launched its RE-Powering America’s Lands Initiative in 2008. By offering incentives, technical advice, and assistance to local communities to identify potential sites through mapping and screening tools, the EPA has facilitated installations in 26 states.

An April 2013 update on the RE-Powering initiative reveals that more than 70 renewable energy projects have been completed on contaminated lands, combined with 99 projects in development for a total 217 megawatts of clean energy—a majority of which is solar PV. “Mining waste sites have been converted into solar arrays, abandoned industrial sites into wind farms, and closed landfills into solar farms,” the report states.

“When the EPA develops and announces a protocol to encourage alternative energy development on contaminated sites, states respond,” says environmental attorney Lanny Kurzweil of McCarter & English, LLP. “The potential liability regime has a very wide net, and the risk that a developer may become saddled with the cost of cleanup could easily affect the financing of a project.”

In December of 2012, the EPA amended the “polluter pays” CERCLA law to expand its “bona fide prospective purchaser” protection to more tenants who acquire ownership of a contaminated facility. The expanded liability protection hopes make the estimated 490,000 contaminated sites throughout the U.S. more attractive to clean energy developers.

From an old Florida refinery to an industrial park in New Mexico, the EPA and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have conducted feasibility studies for a number of contaminated properties across the nation. Recommendations have been based qualities such as existing electrical infrastructure, transmission capacity, industrial zoning and access to roads. The EPA’s Re-Powering program includes utility-scale and small-scale clean energy projects, with solar PV projects that range from a 10 kilowatt system on a landfill in Wisconsin to a 35 megawatt solar farm on “disturbed land” at the Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory on Long Island. But the New York facility pales in comparison to the anticipated 2,400 megawatt Westlands Solar Park in Kings County, California.

The Westlands Solar Park project would span about 24,000 acres of land contaminated by selenium and saline due to years of heavy irrigation. Although the master plan is in place, the details still need to be hammered out. “We’ve already done years of environmental analysis. Now it’s managing the political process and understanding where the commercial interests are,” said Bob Dowds, CEO of Westside Holdings, which conducted the impact report. If development of the Westlands Solar Park begins this year as intended, 200 megawatts will be constructed annually for the next 12 years. This could generate enough electricity to power between 2.5 million and 4 million homes.

“We’re very interested in finding the least environmentally sensitive places to develop,” said Carl Zichella, Director of Western Renewable Energy Programs for the Sierra Club. “Early on, we felt Westlands had a lot of potential in this regard … it takes the pressure off of other lands that are more ecologically sensitive.”

The original article was posted on the SolarReviews blog. 

NESEA wants to to engage, educate and lift the next wave of building professionals. In order for us to do that, we need to hear from you!

We are in the process of creating the  NESEA Emerging Professionals “Planning Committee” to create and implement new ways to attract emerging professionals to attend and contribute to NESEA BE14 and beyond. In the past we have done resume swaps, student design competitions, discounts,  mentoring, events.. etc.  This time we want to use the old ideas that worked, coupled with new ideas to try out to create a solid formal campaign for BE14.

Getting Involved Matters: As an emerging professional, this is your opportunity to help shape the NESEA Emerging Professional outreach for years to come. You will be working along side with some of the best building science nerds in the nation and make some of the best connections ever – one’s that may hire you in the future.

If you are interested in being a part of this NESEA Emerging Professionals Planning Committee, contact Bernice Radle  for more details -  bernice@buffalo-energy.com .

Here are a few photos I’ve taken from the past NESEA events that featured Emerging Professionals including the student design competition, drink meet ups and presentations!

As such, Patrick now wants to see more—significantly more. Upon announcing that the state met the threshold on May 1, the Patrick administration set an even more ambitious goal that would increase the state’s solar energy to 1.6 gigawatts—more than six times what installed in the state now, by the end of the decade. That’s like ripping off the rearview mirror in a rocket-ship. “When we set ambitious goals and invest in achieving them, Massachusetts wins,” Patrick said.

The jump to 250 megawatts of solar was significant. When Patrick assumed the governorship of Massachusetts in 2007 the commonwealth only had 3 megawatts of solar installed. Since then it’s increase 80 times, according to the office. And last year the price of residential solar energy fell, 28 percent—the second highest fall in costs in the U.S., according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).

The growth hasn’t gone unnoticed. Earlier this year the SEIA ranked Massachusetts seventh among all states in the U.S. for the overall amount of solar installed in the state, which was at 198 megawatts at the end of 2012. It said the growth rate is among the fastest in the nation.

Upon hearing yesterday’s news, Carrie Cullen Hitt, senior vice president of state affairs at the SEIA, responded: “Governor Patrick should be commended as a solar champion. We thank him for his leadership. Based on the capabilities of the growing Massachusetts solar industry and the commonwealth’s solar potential, the new 1.6 gigawatt solar goal is great news.…By setting the bar higher for solar, Governor Patrick will help to build a robust, sustainable clean technology economy in Massachusetts for many years to come. We look forward to working with the Governor, the legislature and other stakeholders to move this initiative forward.”

The SEIA said that several important incentive programs have contributed to the growth of solar in Massachusetts, among them, Solarize Massachusetts, Commonwealth Solar Green Communities and Leading by Example. “These programs allow Massachusetts residents and businesses to leverage incentives to buy or lease solar power systems. Solar customers are also permitted to sell any unused power they generate back to an electric company,” the SEIA said.

To help reach the new targets, the state is already beginning to change its programs. Its renewable portfolio standard has a 400 megawatt solar carve-out program, which helped established the solar market there. “As that target approaches, state energy officials are fast-tracking revisions to expand the program,” Patrick’s administration said. It also attributed success to Patrick’s Green Communities Act in 2008, which established the Green Communities designation and a grant program that provides technical assistance and incentives to support solar development in communities.

The investments have led to jobs and economic growth. The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center’s 2012 Massachusetts Clean Energy Industry Report showed clean energy jobs grew an 11.2 percent clip between 2011 and 2012, the state said. It added that it spends billions annually on importing fossil-fuel based energy sources from South America, Canada and the Middle East. “That is lost economic opportunity that Massachusetts stands poised to reclaim through investments in home-grown renewable energy programs,” it said.

The original article by Chris Meehan was posted on the SolarReviews blog.