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SLevy | April 21, 2013
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Retail Electric Business Predicted to Loose Market Share

The Edison Electric Institute has issued a report predicting that there will be a change in the market share for retail electric business if the present trend towards distributed renewable energy continues at it’s rapidly changing mix of standard electric power production and the increasing percentage of renewable energy sources, particularly solar PV continues to evolve. The report dated January 2013 entitled “Disruptive Challenges: Financial Implications and Strategic Responses to a Changing Retail Electric Business” was authored by Peter Kind of Energy Infrastructure Advocates. The key premise is that the increasing inclusion of solar PV will reduce market share for the electric power industry which will lead to higher risk for investors. The result of a higher risk will be increased cost for borrowing money for the power industry. The report sites two similar industries that were drastically changed by market forces and regulatory changes: the airlines and the telephone (AT&T) industry. The report concludes that near term actions are to “institute a monthly customer service charge”, develop a tariff structure to reflect the cost of service and value provided to DER (solar PV) customers and to “analyze revision of net metering programs in all states so that self-generated DER (solar PV) sales to utilities are treated as supply-side purchases at a market-derived price.”

It is my suggestion that the industry adapt itself to incorporate solar PV in such a way as to improve its retail electric business position. My advice to the industry: constructively adapt renewables into your energy mix: it is not a curse but a blessing.

The full report is available on the web at: http://www.eei.org/ourissues/finance/Documents/disruptivechallenges.pdf

Category: Business / Economics, Call to Action, Energy Storage, financing, Global, Grants and Incentives, National, Political, Renewable Energy, Solar, Solar Performanc, Technology, Tennessee |
SLevy | April 16, 2013
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IMPORTANT – REAP Larger Budget Authority Than First Announced

I just got off a call with D.C.

They have indicated to us that we should have a larger budget authority than the amount stated in the Notice of Funding Authority for the Renewable Energy for America Program (REAP). In 2012 there was a limitation on funding but that limitation is not imposed on 2013 so budget authority will be higher. This translates to more money for our statewide allocation, in particular, for $20,000 or less grants. At this time I do not know how much more money, I just know we will have more funds and the deadline for the program will be moved back from the current deadline of April 30, 2013 to May 31, 2013 in order to solicit more applications.

I will send you more information as I find out. Towards early May I should get a better account of what our allocation will look like and will let you know that amount. In the meantime, if you have some projects that you were holding off on sending that are in the $20,000 or less range or can apply for that amount I would encourage you to submit them as it looks like we will have more funding at this point and your projects will be more competitive for funding.

Will Dodson | Business & Energy Programs
Rural Development – Tennessee State Office
U.S. Department of Agriculture
3322 West End Avenue, Ste. 300 | Nashville, TN 37203
Phone: 615-783-1350 | Fax: 615-783-1395
www.rurdev.usda.gov/tn

Category: Business / Economics, Call to Action, East Tennessee News, financing, Grants and Incentives, National, Political, Renewable Energy, Solar, Tennessee, West Tennessee News |
SLevy | April 15, 2013
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Solar PV Training in Knoxville Saturday May 11th

John Kemmery, our latest business member, is hosting a solar PV training workshop at the Jubilee Banquet Hall, 6700 jubilee Center Way, Knoxville for the beginner planning to break into Sales or Installation. The workshop schedule is below:
8 am – 8:30 am Registration
8:30 am Introduction and Overview with films and slides
9:30 – 10 am Systems available by John Kemmery
10:00 am – 11:00 am System Sizing with Garret Hendrix PE
11:00 – 12:00 Requirements for Connection to the Grid (John Kemmery and Garret Hendrix)
12:00 – 1:00 pm Lunch
1:00 – 2 :00 pm Newest developments; Best choice options (John Kemmery)
2:00 – 4:00 pm Comprehensive off grid Program Design, sizing including proper equipment selection
4:00 – 4:30 Open discussion

Cost for an individual is $90.
Cost for two or more reservations is $80 each

Who should attend?
Green businesses
Engineers planning to be working with PV equipment
Architects
Contractors planning to add PV installing to their business
Homeowners thinking about adding solar for their home
Business owners planning for a future PV system
Electricians needing the tools and information to be successful in expanding into PV
Sales people needing an understanding of PV in order to sell PV systems
Anyone wishing to learn the newest advancements

Category: Business / Economics, Call to Action, East Tennessee News, financing, jobs, Renewable Energy, Solar, Technology, Tennessee, Training |
SLevy | April 12, 2013
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IMPORTANT Proposed Rule Changes to the Department of Agriculture REAP Program

The proposed rule for REAP has been posted to the Federal Register at the link below. The proposed rule will revise the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) found in 7 CFR part 4280, subpart B. There is now an opportunity to comment on this regulation in order to provide suggestions to potentially change components of the program. Please review this document closely and if you have any comments to make, please do so. There is instruction within the document to provide your public comment on the program. The deadline for public comment is June 11th.

Go To: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-04-12/pdf/2013-07273.pdf

Some of the changes:
The Agency is proposing to allow the purchase of refurbished renewable energy systems and the retrofitting of an existing renewable energy system as eligible projects under this subpart.
For energy efficiency improvement projects, the Agency is proposing ensuring that energy efficiency improvements use less energy on an annual basis.
Simplifying the energy efficiency improvement technical report; simplifying the technical report for renewable energy system projects with total project costs of $200,000 or less

Category: Business / Economics, Call to Action, financing, Grants and Incentives, National, Political, Renewable Energy, Solar, Solar Thermal, Technology, Uncategorized |
SPartin | April 11, 2013
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Knoxville Green Drinks April 16th @ 5:30PM

Join us at Green Drinks in the Bearden Beer Market 5:30PM!!

James Rose, Senior Lecturer & Interim Director for the Institute for Smart Structures in the College of Architecture and Design at the University of Tennessee, will provide a presentation on the UT Solar Decathlon team. Find out more info on the team here: www.livinglightutk.com

Enjoy a beer and green conversation AND check out Bearden Beer Market’s brand new 5 kilowatt solar array!

If the weather doesn’t cooperate, we will congregate in the Yazoo Room. Don’t let the rain or cold weather keep you away!!

Please help us spread the word, and don’t forget to Like us on Facebook to make sure you get all the updates!

Category: East Tennessee News, Fun |
SLevy | April 10, 2013
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Empowered by the Past: Red State Co-ops Go Green

Charles Cotton never gave much thought to the fact that he owns a piece of Jackson Energy Cooperative, the utility that delivers power to his home in Berea, Ky. But last November, Cotton’s membership paid off in a way he hadn’t expected: The cooperative gave him an energy upgrade, installing a plastic moisture barrier underneath his house and replacing his old furnace with an efficient heat pump. Jackson Energy’s status as a cooperative led directly to Cotton’s retrofit. It is one of four rural electric cooperatives participating in a pilot program called How$martKY, run by the Mountain Association for Community Economic Development (MACED). The program will let Cotton slowly pay back the cost of the retrofit: His bill is smaller than before, but he’s actually paying a bit more than the cost of the electricity he uses. The extra charge is how he repays the cost of the retrofit. It’s a scheme called on-bill financing—a way for people of all financial backgrounds to reap the benefits of energy efficiency without a big up-front cost.

more

Category: Business / Economics, Call to Action, financing, Global, Grants and Incentives, jobs, National, Political, Renewable Energy, Technology, Tennessee, Training, West Tennessee News |
SLevy | April 10, 2013
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LightWave expands into north Alabama and southern Middle Tennessee.

LightWave Solar, Tennessee’s largest solar contractor, has announced their expansion into north Alabama and southern Middle Tennessee.

Michael E. Kelley will represent the company in the area, pursuing commercial, industrial and large-scale solar projects. Kelley brings more than 20 years of technology-oriented sales, marketing and corporate communications experience.
Founded in 2006 with offices in Nashville, Johnson City and Memphis, LightWave Solar has installed nearly 350 solar installations to-date. LightWave Solar provides turn-key solar PV systems for homes, businesses, municipalities and non-profits across the Mid-South.

original article

Category: Business / Economics, jobs, Middle Tennessee News, Renewable Energy, Solar, Tennessee, West Tennessee News |
SLevy | April 8, 2013
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Solar Summit to Explore Past and Future of Solar Power in Tennessee

A UT group is partnering with the US Department of Energy and statewide leaders to explore the growing field of solar energy.

UT’s SunShot Initiative Rooftop Solar Challenge is sponsoring the Tennessee Solar Summit in Chattanooga on Wednesday and Thursday, April 10 and 11. The conference will be held at the Sheraton Read House.

The goal of the conference is to educate attendees about the past and future of solar energy in Tennessee. It will include several speakers and breakout sessions. Breakout sessions will include historic zoning and land issues, impact of solar energy on property appraisals, large-scale solar installations, and unique case studies.

“Attendees will meet the diverse group of solar stakeholders we have in Tennessee and form new partnerships to keep the momentum going in moving solar power forward in our state,” said Bruce Tonn, principal investigator for UT’s Rooftop Solar Challenge grant at the Howard Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy.

original article

Category: Business / Economics, Call to Action, East Tennessee News, financing, Grants and Incentives, jobs, Middle Tennessee News, Political, Renewable Energy, Solar, Technology, Tennessee, West Tennessee News |
SLevy | April 3, 2013
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Citigroup: How solar module prices could fall to 25c/watt

Energy analysts at global investment bank Citigroup suggest that the cost of solar PV modules could fall beyond most expectations in coming years – and reach a cost of just 25c a watt by 2020. The US Department of Energy, for instance, says its Solar Sunshot program aims to get the cost of solar PV down to $1/watt by 2020 (50c/W for the modules, the rest in balance of systems costs) – a situation that would deliver energy at a levelised cost of around $60/MWh, making it cheaper than new coal and gas-fired generation.

Bloomberg New Energy Finance makes a similar forecast. Greentech Media recently lowered its forecast for solar modules to 42c/W by 2015. On the other hand, Australia’s official government forecaster, The Bureau of Resource and Energy Economics, suggests that the starting point is higher than most current estimates, and predicts solar PV will not fall much below $140/MWh by 2020, and then make little progress over the following decade.

Citigroup’s report paints a very different picture in the two scenarios painted by the Citi team led by Jason Channell.

Category: Business / Economics, Call to Action, financing, Global, jobs, National, Political, Renewable Energy, Solar, Technology, Tennessee, Training |
SLevy | March 30, 2013
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You Want to Know More In-Depth Information About Solar, Then Join the Solar MOOC Academy

Here is a website for all of our readers that want to enter the solar PV field but lack the funds to take formal courses. The Solar Academy is free and very intensive for the avid learner. Go to the following website and sign up. There are many topics covered, all important to the knowledge you will need to become a solar PV professional. That is not to say that this is the only pathway to learning the trade, because there are many training programs that will lead to NABCEP certification. But I am saying that the solar academy will give you a exposure to help solidify your interest in becoming a solar professional.

The sign up page is here

Go to the following website to learn more about the free solar training

Category: Business / Economics, Call to Action, financing, jobs, Solar, Technology, Training |
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