Solar ... In the news

spgsc531

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/feb/18/nuclear-power-ministers-reactor

That looks very costly..

spgsc531

http://www.earthtechling.com/2013/02/wind-power-overtakes-nuclear-energy-in-china/

Not Solar, but interesting nonetheless.

spgsc531

http://www.theoildrum.com/node/9841#more

Interesting article.

Energetic_2

http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2250357/government-dismisses-antigreen-media-spin that the treasury encourages IMO

The_Green_Hornet

Germany is discovering that virtue comes at a price.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21575288

At the moment, renewable sources provide about a quarter of Germany's electricity supply but the aim is to raise it to 80% by 2050 - truly a green revolution.

Martyn1981

Anti-dumping taxes! We knew they were on the way, but what will they mean to prices?

http://renewables.seenews.com/news/chinese-pv-panels-coming-to-europe-may-get-registered-report-336546

http://www.pv-magazine.com/news/details/beitrag/chinese-pv-modules-face-mandatory-european-registration_100010296/#axzz2M7HmOGQI

With US and EU factories struggling, and China still expanding production, my guess is for very messy pricing during 2013, before worldwide demand and supply finally find a new level. Then back to long term trends as prices continue down (a bit more) as the industry starts to approach maturity.

Looking for the worst outcome, PV installs start to surge again as FIT to price ratio is high. This will cause a large digression in the FIT rate from 1/8/13 just in time to meet an increase in panel prices - then we get yet another collapse in PV installs on this weird and wonderful rollercoaster ride.

Looking for the best outcome, demand for panels outside of the US and EU will expand as poorer countries are now able to install PV (thanks to lower prices), this demand keeps up with the enlarged Chinese supply. Prices, duties and dumping settle down, and by next year we get back on track.

To quote Miranda's mum, 'what fun!' (but maybe not for the installers).

Mart.

Martyn1981

Germany 'only' intends to install another 20GW of PV:

http://www.pv-magazine.com/news/details/beitrag/germany-hits-326-gw-cumulative-pv-capacity_100010394/#axzz2MScoXjNV

".... cumulative photovoltaic capacity has reached an impressive 32.66 GW, of which over 26.5 GW were installed between early 2009 and late 2012. Once Germany reaches 52 GW, the Federal Government plans to phase out support for solar power."


and Japan offers the highest FIT rate at approx 2x the UK's:

http://www.pv-magazine.com/news/details/beitrag/pv-expo-tokyo--japan-most-attractive-pv-market-globally_100010429/#axzz2MScoXjNV

"With 42 yen per kWh (€0.35) for large photovoltaic installations, Japan offers the world’s highest FIT. Together with low interest rates from the banks, a high environmental and quality awareness, a high degree of legal and planning certainty, and a high demand for replacement power following the shutdown of most nuclear plants following the Fukushima disaster, have fueled the growth of the country’s photovoltaic market."

Mart.

Martyn1981

Planned 13MW solar park in Cambridgeshire (plus others):

http://www.solarpowerportal.co.uk/news/tgc_renewables_plans_13mw_solar_park_in_cambridgeshire_2356

"The potential solar park is the latest in a long line of >5MW solar parks that are being developed under the Renewable Obligation (RO) scheme, which will see the eligible rate for solar drop from 2ROCs to 1.6ROCs on 1 April 2013. However, as this application proves, developers are still confident that developments will continue under the lower RO rate."


For more information on ROCs and FIT rates, read on,

Update: UK cuts large-scale FiTs by 3.5%:

http://www.pv-tech.org/news/uk_cuts_large_scale_fits_by_3.5

"Installations from 250kW to 5MW have decreased from £0.710 to £0.685 [edit: I believe the author meant £0.071 to £0.0685] even though there has been extremely low deployment in the higher tariff bands. The rates have been cut by 3.5% automatically due to stipulation from the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) that if there was no degression for nine months then the tariff would automatically degress by 3.5%, regardless of installation levels."


ROC rates set for solar pv installations until 2017:

http://www.fwi.co.uk/blogs/agribusiness/2012/12/roc-rates-set-for-solar-pv-installations-until-2017.html

""Farmers with new projects between 50kW and 5MW will have to decide which payments system they choose. The higher rate for building mounting systems is particularly welcome. We calculate building-mounted arrays will receive up to 7.4p/kWh under the ROCs compared to 7.1p/kWh under the FiTs."

The decision on what support to take will depend on how farmers used their buildings, but one key advantage of ROCs is that there is no need for an Energy Performance Certificate for buildings, he added."

Mart.

Martyn1981

Martyn1981 wrote: »

Germany 'only' intends to install another 20GW of PV:

http://www.pv-magazine.com/news/details/beitrag/germany-hits-326-gw-cumulative-pv-capacity_100010394/#axzz2MScoXjNV

".... cumulative photovoltaic capacity has reached an impressive 32.66 GW, of which over 26.5 GW were installed between early 2009 and late 2012. Once Germany reaches 52 GW, the Federal Government plans to phase out support for solar power."

Mart.

Me again, sorry! But reading on from that article, you also find this one:

'PV hits profits margins and sales of central German power generators'

http://www.pv-magazine.com/news/details/beitrag/report--pv-hits-profits-margins-and-sales-of-central-german-power-generators-_100010349/#axzz2MScoXjNV

"Decreasing costs of installing photovoltaic systems in Germany are leading to negative effects on margins and sold electricity volumes of the large central generators," stated the report published by Renewable Analytics LLC, a U.S.-based research and consulting firm specialized in the photovoltaic industry.

The report, "The effects of photovoltaic electricity generation on the German wholesale power prices," suggests that conventional power generation business models are being threatened by an increase in photovoltaics. This has consequently led the generators to push back by lobbying against decentralized renewable generation.

Meanwhile, on any given day in 2012, German spot market prices plummeted when the sun came out, and remained low until the sun set. Yet back in 2008, prices spiked during the day as demand peaked.

No going back now, looks like we're heading for a new world order?

Mart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qrriKcwvlY

tunnel

"Installations from 250kW to 5MW have decreased from
£0.710 to £0.685 [edit: I believe the author meant £0.071 to £0.0685] even
though there has been extremely low deployment in the higher tariff bands. The
rates have been cut by 3.5% automatically due to stipulation from the UK
Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) that if there was no degression
for nine months then the tariff would automatically degress by 3.5%, regardless
of installation levels."


ROC rates set for solar pv
installations until 2017:

http://www.fwi.co.uk/blogs/agribusin...ntil-2017.html

""Farmers with new projects between 50kW and 5MW will have to
decide which payments system they choose. The higher rate for building mounting
systems is particularly welcome. We calculate building-mounted arrays will
receive up to 7.4p/kWh under the ROCs compared to 7.1p/kWh under the
FiTs."

Based on these tariffs surely it would be better for someone considering a large scale solar farm to negotiate a better rate direct with an energy company. If they "sold" the electric at say 10p a kWh the energy company can make a nice healthy 10-20% markup(based on average price 11-14p a unit) on something they may only have to invest a small amount to improve the infrastructure to handle the power.

It doesn't make sense....or am i missing something?