Biggest US Community Solar Project Opens in Colorado

Biggest US Community Solar Project Opens in Colorado The biggest community solar garden in the US has opened in southwestern Colorado, the San Miguel Power Association Community Solar Array. At 1.1 megawatts (MW), covering 7 acres, it can serve over 200 customers that live in the territory of rural electric coop San Miguel Power Association. Solar garden pioneer Clean Energy Collective built and maintains the array. People can buy individual solar panels for $705 after rebates - they can buy just one panel or as many panels as they want to offset their electricity and receive credit for the power produced on their monthly utility bills. The price includes the same tax credits and electricity discounts as if the panels were installed on a customer's roof, and they don't have to worry about maintenance or repairs. Clean Energy Collective maintains the panels for 50 years. "We are leveraging scalability to the benefit of individual panel owners. You don't even need a roof to adopt clean energy today, says Paul Spencer, founder and CEO of Clean Energy Collective. This is Clean Energy Collective's 15th solar garden that's operating or under construction, representing more than 5.3 MW of community-sited solar PV. By the end of 2013, the group expects to reach about 10 MW and by 2015, 100 MW. In June, it began construction of the Kit Carson community solar garden in New Mexico, which will sit atop parking lots and a school. Community solar legislation failed in California after lobbying efforts by PG&E, but it will be re-introduced early next year. Last month, the world's biggest community solar garden came online in the UK - the 5 MW project serves 1500 households.

2-megawatt solar farm proposed in Grand Junction

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. - The City Council of Grand Junction is considering whether to approve using city property for a solar energy farm. Xcel Energy and Ecoplexus would initiate and run the proposed 2-megawatt solar farm. Energy generated at the solar farm would be divided up among subscribers like School District 51 and Colorado Mesa University. The Daily Sentinel reports that according to a city report on the project, construction is expected to occur next summer for about three months and create up to 20 jobs if the propos

Colorado's solar industry continues to gather steam

Colorado's solar industry continues to gather steam The solar industry continues to gather steam in Colorado, even as many subsidies have been changed or reduced. Colorado was one of only five states to increase its third quarter photovoltaic (PV) solar portfolio more than 5 megawatts in the third quarter of this year, compared to last year’s third quarter, according to a report from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and GTM Research released on Dec. 11. Overall, the U.S. solar PV market grew by 684 megawatts in the third quarter of 2012, 44 percent more than in the third quarter of 2011. Neal Lurie, the Executive Director of the Colorado chapter of SEIA, attributed much of that growth mostly to reduced installation costs. Most of the growth appears to be coming from larger or third-party installations, especially after the changes to the Xcel Solar*Rewards program last year eliminated up-front rebates for residential solar PV installation. “Costs for solar modules have decreased up to 70 percent in the past three years,” said Lurie, noting that Colorado has been a top-10 state for solar PV & thermal for most of the past decade. Jesse Morris, a solar consultant with the Rocky Mountain Institute in Snowmass, said the changes to the Xcel Solar*Rewards program mean there are a better incentives for larger commercial and third-party installations that can take advantage of the federal tax incentive and business equipment depreciation. “In 2011, Colorado ranked 5th in the nation as far as solar installs go, although we've been leapfrogged by Arizona and Hawaii more recently thanks to a combination of large incentives and good sunlight,” Morris said. While Xcel continues to rebate much of the PV installation that hooks into its grid – small residential systems are given larger rebates than larger commercial and utility-sized systems – it no longer offers an up front rebate for residential installations. For a 4-killowatt residential solar system, that rebate was about $8,000 in the first year, a rebate that Xcel now pays out over a 10- or 20-year term with monthly checks or reduction to utility bills. “Essentially, that has stretched out the time it takes to get the return on that investment well beyond 10 years,” said John Shaw the sales manager for Solectria Renewables’ Mountain West office in Denver. “The average ROI time for a commercial installation that can take advantage on the federal incentives and depreciation is seven years.” But while incentives may not be as large as other states, Colorado has moved to create other means of increasing solar power, Morris said. Some of the most significant moves were placing a $500 cap on residential permit fees and creating the Solar Communities program, he said, which enables utility customers to participate in a solar program even if they can not place solar panels on their roofs. Through Xcel’s Solar*Rewards program, the Solar Communities program is designed to produce 4.5 megawatts of new solar electricity, by allowing project developers to build “solar gardens.” Developers could then sell shares in these systems, which are limited to a 500-kilowatt maximum, to utility customers. When the program opened its doors in August it had received applications for three times the power it was trying to generate within 30 minutes and applications were closed one hour after the program was opened. Many of these solar gardens will be built in the Denver-Boulder area. Denver has also been named the country’s first “Solar Friendly Community” in a program begun by COSEI and RMI. In fact, the program was essentially created by looking at the best practices initiated by Denver over the last four years, which includes a $50 over-the-counter permit fee for standard residential rooftop installation, said Jessica Scott, the city’s sustainability strategist. Homeowners who want to enjoy the benefit of solar power without the up-front costs also have options in third-party installers – companies that install, maintain and own a home’s solar panels and charge a fixed rate for the electricity they generate. That allows these companies to also take advantage over the tax incentives and depreciation. Ronald M. Abramson, chief executive and chairman of NexGen Energy Partners LLC, said the ability to “monetize” those incentives are a very important part of his third-party installation business, but not the only way to create profits in the renewable energy field. “If you look at incentives they really create some incredible cycles in business. You only have to look at what happened with all the layoffs in the wind energy field to see the negative consequences,” said Abramson, whose company also installs wind systems. “I think we can be competitive now. I’d rather see an elimination of subsidies for the fossil fuel industry so we’d all be playing on an even field.”

Colorado receives $4.2 million to make solar energy cost-competitive

The U.S. Department of Energy announced Friday that it is investing $4.2 million in a Colorado project "that will help advance affordable, reliable clean energy for U.S. families and businesses." The money is part of the department's SunShot Initiative. The initiative is a collaborative national push to make solar energy cost competitive with other forms of energy by the end of the decade. The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, based in Boulder, will research methods to understand cloud impact and develop short-term prediction techniques based on its work. The project will also work with the Energy Department and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association to improve the accuracy of solar forecasts and share the results of the work with industry and academia. "The price of solar panels has fallen dramatically in recent years, but we also need to reduce the cost and time required to actually install them in homes and businesses and help utility companies better integrate renewable energy into the grid," said Energy Secretary Steven Chu. "Projects like these can help reduce the cost of solar power and make it easier for American families and businesses to access clean, affordable energy." The announcement is part of a broader $8 million investment by the Energy Department to help utilities and grid operators better forecast when, where and how much solar power will be produced at U.S. solar energy plants. The department says enhanced solar forecasting technologies will help power system operators to integrate the cost-competitive, reliable solar energy into the electricity grid and provide clean, renewable energy to U.S. consumers. The Energy Department says that reducing the installed cost of solar energy system by about 75 percent will drive widespread, large-scale adoption of this renewable energy technology and restore U.S. leadership in the global clean energy race

Is Colorado's "new energy economy" still viable in light of recent setbacks in the industry? Yes

Mark Twain famously said, "The report of my death was an exaggeration." Today, we read similar reports concerning the demise of Colorado's "new energy economy." The fact is, due to comprehensive efforts toward regulatory, legislative and programmatic reform taken during the Ritter administration, Colorado's new energy sector continues to thrive, serving a growing market here and around the globe. Clean Edge, Inc., has ranked Colorado's new energy economy fifth in the country for the second year in a row. Colorado has moved up to third in the country (behind California and Massachusetts) for venture capital directed toward innovative advanced-energy companies. These are companies that will not only supply Colorado consumers with clean and secure advanced-energy technologies, but that also will serve a rapidly growing global market. Smart grid companies like Boulder-based Tendril are developing products for our domestic market, as well as finding international markets to serve. Another, Spirae, is virtually running a utility grid in Denmark — from its offices in Fort Collins! The stimulus bill allowed hundreds of companies to set up shop and trained thousands of Coloradans for careers in advanced energy. The low-income weatherization program in Colorado went from serving about 4,000 families per year to over 8,000 per year. Those families have seen their utility bills go down by an average of 40 percent, leaving more money in their pockets at the end of the month and their homes more comfortable. Today, Xcel is on track to meet Colorado's nation-leading renewable energy standard early while staying within the 2 percent cost cap. In 2007, Colorado had electricity rates 19 percent below the national average. In 2011 — after four years of record renewable deployment and economic development — Colorado's rates were 22 percent below the national average. The 400 megawatts of new wind announced last week cost less than other traditional resources, saving money for Xcel's ratepayers while protecting them from future fuel-price increases. Solar is also strong in Colorado. Even in a recession and an uncertain economic environment, Colorado installed 91 MW of solar last year, enough to power nearly 19,000 homes every year. The costs to install solar have dropped 70 percent in the past three years and the industry has contributed $1 billion to Colorado's economy. Even more important: Today, solar is a $93 billion global industry, up from $17 billion only five years ago. Just ask Colorado's Juwi Solar, now one of the leading solar developers in the world. But what about Solyndra and Abound Solar? It is true that increased competition globally (and China flooding the market) has made it a tough marketplace for solar manufacturers, although falling prices are also what is making solar more affordable and speeding installation. Just as with any early high-growth industry, consolidation will occur. Some companies will be swallowed up or just won't be able to compete. While this may be painful, it is a sign of growing maturity in the industry and will lead to a stronger sector overall. In the wind industry, Colorado has experienced some temporary setbacks with layoffs in the Vestas plants due to congressional inaction on the production tax credit. The industry and financial markets need certainty, and once they have it Colorado manufacturing plants will again provide the North American market with the latest turbine technology Vestas has to offer. Over the past five years, wind energy has experienced a staggering 25 percent average growth rate. A recent International Energy Association report predicts another 40 percent growth in renewable generation over the next five years. Colorado is well-positioned to meet this global demand. While our political leaders need to ensure a stable policy and regulatory environment for the industry, Colorado's new energy economy is on a strong and stable footing that will provide the state with economic, energy and environmental benefits for generations to come. Tom Plant, former energy chief under Gov. Bill Ritter, is now vice president for state policy for Advanced Energy Economy in Nederland.

Grand Junction Water Treatment Plant to Receive New Solar Panels

Grand Junction Water Treatment Plant to Receive New Solar Panels The Grand Junction City Council has approved the purchase of solar panels for the city's water treatment plant. Officials say after looking over 11 applicants for the project, they have decided to go with Sunsense Solar out of Carbondale. The company has built solar panels for several other locations in the city including the Two Rivers Convention Center and the Visitor and Convention Bureau. "For the water treatment plant we'll save roughly $10,000 a year in a $5 million water enterprise fund ... every dollar, even every penny that we save is one that we don't have to give to Xcel Energy that we can use for something else, or keep our rates just a little lower," said Terry Franklin, utilities and streets manager of Grand Junction. The solar panels would add 55 kilowatts (kW) to the current plant, which runs on a 100-kW system.

Layoffs in Colorado New Energy Economy

The resilience of Colorado's vaunted "new energy economy" is being tested after a series of job cuts, financial setbacks and political firestorms. The latest loss was Phillips 66's announcement last week that it is pulling the plug on a major alternative-fuels research-and-development center that was planned on the former StorageTek site in Louisville. That followed the recent news that Vestas Wind Systems was making its biggest round of Colorado layoffs, bringing the job-cut tally to about 500. The Weld County district attorney's office is investigating the failure of Colorado solar-panel manufacturer Abound Solar, and congressional Republicans are asking tough questions about Abound's federal loan guarantees. Also in the loss column is General Electric's recent decision to suspend development of the proposed $300 million PrimeStar Solar plant in Aurora that would have employed 355 workers. At the least, the setbacks are a speed bump in Colorado's effort to maintain a leadership status in renewable energy. At worst, they could significantly impair growth of the industry. The combined layoffs, plant closure and mothballed projects in Colorado represent the loss of more than 1,000 existing and projected jobs, plus millions of dollars of tax revenue and spinoff economic activity. Hard times for the green industries stem from a combination of technical challenges, low-cost foreign competition and an uncertain outlook for government support of alternative energy. "It's not just Colorado," said William Yeatman, an energy analyst with the Competitive Enterprise Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based free-market think tank. "Renewable-energy manufacturing is taking a beating across the country, primarily due to the fact that federal subsidies have run their course," he said. "The 2009 stimulus has been spent, and the wind production-tax credit is set to expire in December. Without taxpayer handouts, these green industries simply cannot compete." Volatility expected Advocates for renewable energy say tax credits and loan guarantees are necessary tools for the wind and solar industries to survive and grow until they reach scales to compete with other power sources. Former Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter, who coined the term "new energy economy" during his 2006 gubernatorial campaign, said he remains convinced that Colorado will be a center for renewable-energy commerce and research despite the recent spate of layoffs and bankruptcies. "People still see Colorado as a state that moved forward with an aggressive agenda," said Ritter, a Democrat who now serves as director of the Center for the New Energy Economy at Colorado State University. "There is going to be some volatility within this industry," he said. "But what I would argue is that we will not go backwards. The public demand for clean energy is very strong. And our R&D corridor is as strong as any place in the nation." Ritter blamed layoffs at manufacturer Vestas Wind Systems on "congressional inaction" to extend the expiring wind-energy production-tax credit, or PTC. "If the PTC comes back for three years, Vestas would be at full-tilt boogie," he said. Failure to extend the PTC would devastate the wind-energy industry, according to a report by Navigant Consulting, commissioned by the American Wind Energy Association. Wind-supported jobs in the U.S. would drop nearly in half, from 78,000 in 2012 to 41,000 in 2013, the report said. Installations of wind generation would decline from 12 gigawatts this year to 2 gigawatts next year. Investment in wind energy would fall from $15.6 billion in 2012 to $5.5 billion next year. While solar energy is not affected by the production-tax credit — solar has its own investment-tax credit through 2016 — the industry is not immune from problems. The Chapter 7 bankruptcy and subsequent closure of solar-panel manufacturer Abound Solar this year has become a hot issue in political and government circles. While Abound officials blamed the shutdown on crippling competition from low-cost Chinese manufacturers, others — chiefly Republicans in Congress — say Abound was selling faulty equipment. They are investigating to determine if the U.S. Department of Energy was aware of Abound's technical problems before it authorized a $400 million loan guarantee in 2010. Abound drew about $70 million in guaranteed loans. The DOE has estimated that U.S. taxpayers will be on the hook for about $40 million to $60 million following Abound's liquidation. The Weld County district attorney's office is saying little about its investigation of Abound, reported this month by 7News. "I can confirm that there is an investigation into Abound Solar from our office," said spokesman Heath Montgomery. "As it pertains to the nature of that investigation, I can't comment on that." House investigation U.S. Rep. Cory Gardner, a Colorado Republican whose district includes Abound's former office and manufacturing sites, serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which is investigating the Abound loans. "Did the DOE rush to issue a loan guarantee on a product that wasn't ready for prime time?" Gardner said. "We need to know what the DOE knew and when they knew it." He said the investigation seeks to address the issue of the government "picking winners and losers" through the issuance of loan guarantees to a handful of companies. Gardner said he supports a short-term extension of the wind-production tax credit because, unlike selective solar loan guarantees, any company producing wind power can claim the tax credit. DOE spokesman Damien LaVera declined to comment specifically on the House investigation. He noted that Abound, since its founding in 2007 under the name AVA Solar, had Republican and Democratic backing as it requested government incentives for operations in Colorado and Indiana. "Abound had strong bipartisan support — first in the form of a grant from DOE under the Bush administration, and later in the form of letters and public statements from members of Congress from Colorado and Indiana and the governor of Indiana," LaVera said. Namaste Solar of Boulder, one of Colorado's largest solar-system installers, has used Abound panels for two projects. On one of the installations, using an early version of Abound panels, the equipment malfunctioned and needed to be replaced. The second project using a later version operated normally. Blake Jones, president of Namaste, said he was intrigued with the idea of using a Colorado-based supplier. But Abound was "late to the game" compared to more established panel manufacturers, Jones said, and had difficulty scaling up its production enough to be cost-competitive. Jones said the failure of Abound is not representative of the solar manufacturing sector, nor should it be used as a reason to curtail financial incentives to the industry. "Oil and gas is subsidized; nuclear is subsidized," he said. "The playing field needs to be leveled in order to support the solar industry during its maturation phase. I do believe we'll reach a point where unsubsidized solar can compete with other technologies."

Government to streamline solar development in West

SAN FRANCISCO – Federal officials on Friday approved a plan that sets aside 445 square miles of public land for the development of large-scale solar power plants, cementing a new government approach to renewable energy development in the West after years of delays and false starts. At a news conference in Las Vegas, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar called the new plan a “roadmap ... that will lead to faster, smarter utility-scale solar development on public lands.” The plan replaces the department’s previous first-come, first-served system of approving solar projects, which let developers choose where they wanted to build utility-scale solar sites and allowed for land speculation. The department no longer will decide projects within the zones on a case-by-case basis as it had since 2005, when solar developers began filing applications. Instead, the department will direct development to land it has identified as having fewer wildlife and natural-resource obstacles. The government is establishing 17 new “solar energy zones” on 285,000 acres in six states: California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico. More than half of the land – 153,627 acres – is in Southern California. Interior also established 19 million acres – nearly 30,000 square miles – of so-called “variance zones” that will allow developers to propose solar projects in those areas. Environmental and other review of projects proposed in variance zones would be handled on a case-by-case basis. The Obama administration has authorized 10,000 megawatts of solar, wind and geothermal projects that, when built, would provide enough energy to power more than 3.5 million homes, Salazar said. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu said the effort will help the U.S. stay competitive. “There is a global race to develop renewable energy technologies – and this effort will help us win this race by expanding solar energy production while reducing permitting costs,” Chu said. The new solar energy zones were chosen because they are near existing power lines, allowing for quick delivery to energy-hungry cities. Also, the chosen sites have fewer of the environmental concerns – such as endangered desert tortoise habitat – that have plagued other projects. Environmental groups such as the Nature Conservancy that had been critical of the federal government’s previous approach to solar development in the desert applauded the new plan. “We can develop the clean, renewable energy that is essential to our future while protecting our iconic desert landscapes by directing development to areas that are more degraded,” said Michael Powelson, the conservancy’s North American director of energy programs. Some solar developers that already are building projects were complimentary of the new approach, saying it will help diversify the country’s energy portfolio more quickly. Still, some cautioned that the new plan could still get mired in the same pattern of delay and inefficiency that hampered previous efforts, and they urged the government to continue pushing solar projects forward. “The Bureau of Land Management must ensure pending projects do not get bogged down in more bureaucratic processes,” said Rhone Resch, president of the Solar Energy Industries Association. Salazar said the country four years ago was importing 60 percent of its oil, and that number has dropped to 45 percent today. “We can see the energy independence of the United States within our grasp,” he said.

Colorado Leaders Aim to Lead Nation in Clean Energy

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.- One of the issues talked about at the Club 20 debates hits close to home for Coloradans and that's energy. Natural gas, wind, solar and coal are just a few. The way people get from point A to B is changing, and many hope it will continue to change for the better. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., said, “I don’t want my daughters to have to buy their oil from the Persian Gulf. That doesn’t make any sense for them to have to do that. We ought to fix this problem.” Those behind the vehicles that are not well known for being environmentally friendly are fighting back against the stereotypes. Paul Witt, a spokesperson for Ford Motor Company, said, “You need a truck with a lot of capacity and that can haul, but on the other hand, you still want a truck that is going to be burning cleaner and burning cheaper. This is a great option for you." With just a flip of a switch a person can go from using gasoline to compressed natural gas, known as CNG. “You can switch it while you’re driving. It doesn’t affect the operation, the engine at all,” Witt said. In 2011, CNG filling stations were opened in Rifle and Grand Junction. “CNG burns cleaner, it reduces emissions, it’s got about the same power per unit volume as gasoline does, and it’s cheaper," said Witt. There are also plans for more filling stations. David Ludlam, the executive director for the West Slope Colorado Oil and Gas Association, said, “There’s a collaborative effort in the Roaring Fork Valley and there’s also a collaborative effort in Grand Junction to add additional stations. We are trying to get one in every municipality on the I-70 corridor.” “We have incredible entrepreneurial horsepower in this state that’s thinking about how we create a 21st century energy equation for our people. I think our state could be the leader of 50 states.” The West Slope Colorado Oil and Gas Association says that teamwork with political leaders is a huge asset as they move forward. “Thanks to Senator Bennet and Governor Hickenlooper’s great leadership, they’ve helped take what we’ve achieved locally and help bring a national voice, the need for national infrastructure," said Ludlam. Parties involved with the CNG movement are ready to see it expand, and they say Colorado should lead the way.

Solar Friendly Communities in Colorado

Solar Friendly Communities, a coalition of Denver, Fort Collins, Golden, Boulder County, the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (COSEIA) and Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) have joined to help bring down the cost of installing solar in Colorado by streamlining permitting and inspection. The project is supported by a SunShot Initiative grant as one of the 22 national Rooftop Solar Challenge teams. The nearly $500,000 grant is aimed at reducing permitting and interconnection costs by 25 percent through online tools, hands-on support and quantifiable progress assessments, according to the Department of Energy. The problem is local permitting and inspection processes add about $2,500 to the cost of each residential system, according to some recent reports. In addition, the permitting requirements vary dramatically across states like Colorado. For instance, the coalition said Colorado has more than 200 municipalities, 64 counties and 65 utilities, each with their own permitting and inspection processes. The workshops, being held in Centennial, on Sept. 18; Denver, on Sept. 19 and Boulder on Sept. 20, mark the introduction of the coalition’s “12 Best Practices: A Roadmap to a Solar Friendly Community”. “The workshops are primarily intended for municipal and county officials as many of the best practices we recommend involved local permitting, inspection and policy issues,” said Rebecca Cantwell, senior program director for Solar Friendly Communities. “But the workshops are open to all and we expect more than 60 attendees including community members, business leaders, solar installers and municipal leaders.” The coalition launched in February, 2012 and this represents a step forward in its goals to lower costs. “We have been working with our core partner communities of Denver, Boulder County, Fort Collins and Golden since February and held in-depth workshops with each community in May and June to review their current practices and explore opportunities for streamlining,” Cantwell said. Chief building and key permitting officials from each jurisdiction participated. “We have been working with them individually on a variety of topics identified in the workshops since then,” she said. Since the initial meetings, the campaign has been doing outreach in the communities. “We have been working with a solar industry group and other stakeholders to understand what steps would be most helpful in helping them overcome barriers to solar deployment,” Cantwell said. The outreach and earlier meetings, as well as discussions with representatives of local governments, industry, and other stakeholders allowed them to create the roadmap. “Dozens of stakeholders were involved in many different conversations. The product of these months of work will be explained and presented at the workshops,” she said.

Solar gardens to bloom on Colorado rooftop, farm field and parking lot

Where do you plant a solar [3] garden? In Colorado [4] they’ll be found on the roof of an old airplane hangar, on pillars hovering over a vegetable field and a school parking lot. Those are a few of the places that the first solar gardens – photovoltaic arrays that residents will able to buy shares in – are set to be built under a new program [5]. Xcel Energy, the state’s largest electricity utility, Tuesday announced that it had awarded contracts for its first 10 solar gardens – totaling 4.5 megawatts. “This is very exciting for the solar industry,” said Blake Jones, chief executive officer of Namaste Solar, a Boulder-based installer participating on two of the projects. Only about a quarter of the nation’s rooftops are big enough and sunny enough for rooftop solar, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden and not everyone can afford a rooftop array that can cost $12,000 to $180,00 in Colorado. Solar gardens enable people who don’t have a sunny roof or the money to buy a full array to buy or lease a piece of an array — in some cases for as little as $1,000. The Colorado Community Solar Garden Act was passed in 2010 to promote the community solar installations and directed the state Public Utilities Commission to include gardens in renewable energy plans. Xcel’s new incentive program for 18 megawatts of gardens in the next two years came out of that effort. Xcel opened it program on August 15th and within 30 minutes had three times as many applications [6] as it could fill. Operators will get paid on a sliding scale — 14 cents to 10 cents — for each kilowatt-hour the garden produces. Residents will get a credit on their bill of about 6.8 cents a kilowatt-hour. The Carbondale-based Clean Energy Collective, a private developer specializing in solar gardens, will develop six projects. Among them are two gardens in Denver, where space is at a premium. One 400-kiolwatt array will cover the curved roof of the Lowry Hangar 2 and another 500-kilowatt installation will form a parking lot awning at the Evie Dennis school campus. At the Golden Hoof Sustainable Demonstration Farm, in East Boulder, the collective will build a 500-kilowatt solar garden on pillars over a farm field. “We’ve looked for innovative solutions for each community,” said Paul Spencer, chief executive officer of Clean Energy Collective. The collective’s other solar gardens include one 108-kilowatt project in Arvada and two 500-kilowatt units in Breckenridge. Solar Panel Hosting, Namaste Solar and Solar Power Financial teamed-up to win 497-kilowatt projects in Aurora and Saugache County. “Installation will be similar to any other array,” Namaste’s Jones said. “The more complex aspect will be dealing with subscribers.” Community Energy Solar, a Boulder-based project developer, and Bella Energy, another Boulder-based commercial solar installer are developing two 500-kilowatt projects in the City of Lafayette. The projects will be on municipal land, one is adjacent to Lafayette’s water treatment plant and the city will be the prime customer for the garden, said Community Energy’s Eric Blank. Lafayette officials and Community Energy executives are planning to donate output to low-income families, who would become subscribers to the garden for free. “These ten projects are in areas that serve a million people, so the gardens will only be able to take a fraction of a percent of the potential customers,” said the Clean Energy Collective’s Spencer. Information about the projects can be found at Xcel’s solar garden site [7].

Black Hills Energy pulling plug on solar program in southern Colorado

Black Hills Energy, which serves Pueblo and 52 towns and cities in southern Colorado, is set to pull the plug on its solar panel incentive program. The Rapid City, S.D.-based utility is proposing cutting its current program by about 75 percent, according to a renewable energy plan filled with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission. Low natural gas prices make adding renewable energy sources uneconomical, said Christopher Burke, vice president for Colorado utility operations. "This is a pretty good punch in the gut," said JD Johnson, owner of SolStore, a Pueblo-base solar installer. "We are just looking for some consistency." The move by Black Hills comes after Xcel Energy, the largest electric utility in the state with 1.4 million customers, trimmed its Solar Rewards program. As investor-owned utilities, Xcel and Black Hills are required by state law to generate 30 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2020. Xcel says that it will meet the standard in 2018. Black Hills gets 12.5 percent of its power from renewable sources and will file another renewable energy plan in 2015. "We will get there," said Burke. In 2010, Black Hills, which serves 94,000 Colorado customers, suspended its solar rebate program, sparking criticism from some PUC commissioners and negotiations between the utility and the solar industry. In a settlement, Black Hills agreed to provide incentives for almost 1 megawatt of projects in 2011 with a comparable number of installations this year, said Neal Lurie, executive director of the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association, a trade group. The Black Hills program offers a direct rebate up to $3,000 for the cost of the system and a 9.5-cent credit for every kilowatt-hour put onto the grid by a small residential installation, for a nine-year period. Under Black Hills' proposal, the utility would add no new capacity but take 238 kilowatts of remaining capacity from the settlement for use in 2013 and 2014. The solar energy industry association's Lurie said he hopes continuing talks with the utility will lead to a larger program. "The low natural gas price has changed the business model," said Black Hill's Burke. "It has made it a lot less cost effective to incorporate renewables in our portfolio, especially solar which is the most expensive." Black Hills recently spent $487 million on two new gas-fired power plants in Pueblo and received PUC approval for a $10.5 million rate increase. That boosted the average monthly residential bill by $17.50, a nearly 5 percent increase. "With the price of electricity going up people are looking for alternatives," said SolStore's Johnson. "Black Hills is taking one of those away." Read more: Black Hills Energy pulling plug on solar program in southern Colorado - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_21385680/black-hills-energy-pulling-plug-solar-program-southern#ixzz24QxKQMU3 Read The Denver Post's Terms of Use of its content: http://www.denverpost.com/termsofuse

Xcel flooded with solar garden applications

Xcel flooded with solar garden applications Earlier this week, Xcel Energy began accepting applications for the first time from developers who want to build small solar gardens in Colorado. Just 30 minutes later, the company closed down the process, having already received proposals to build about three times the capacity allowed. "It really does show that there was a niche out there that wasn't being previously addressed," said Xcel spokesman Mark Stutz. The idea behind solar gardens, called the Solar Rewards Community program by Xcel, is to allow people who aren't able to install solar panels on their properties -- such as renters and condo owners, who don't own their roofs, and homeowners with shady roofs -- to harness solar power (and the available rebates). "Solar Rewards Community makes solar energy available to a new, broad group of customers and we are pleased with the interest shown today," David Eves, president and CEO of Xcel's Colorado operation, said Wednesday when the utility began accepting applications. And while the interest in developing solar gardens appears to be strong, until recently, solar gardens weren't legal in Colorado. That changed in 2010 when state Rep. Claire Levy, D-Boulder, introduced a bill into the General Assembly outlining rules for the community solar arrays. The bill was signed into law that June by Gov. Bill Ritter. "When I proposed the legislation in 2010, I didn't know how feasible it was going to be and how much demand there was," Levy said. "The fact that they sold out in 30 minutes -- it says that there is still a lot of potential for small-scale solar development." The legislation divides solar gardens into two types: those smaller than 500 kilowatts, and those with a capacity between 500 kilowatts and 2 megawatts in size. The total capacity of each type of solar garden is also limited for the first three years of the program. The idea, Levy said, was to make sure that the program would work and to make sure that small local solar providers -- which focus mostly on rooftop installations -- were not negatively affected by a big surge in solar garden development. After three years, future limits will be set by the Public Utilities Commission, said Levy, who noted that the PUC will be able to take into account the amount of demand at that time. The limit set for the capacity of all smaller solar gardens -- the ones for which applications were accepted Wednesday -- for this round is 4.5 megawatts. At least one of the small gardens will be built in the Boulder area, according to the Clean Energy Collective, a Carbondale-based company that won approval this week from Xcel to build six solar gardens in the utility's service area, including one just east of Boulder. The 500-kilowatt solar garden will be built on property of the Golden Hoof Sustainable Demonstration Farm, and the solar panels themselves will be artistically grouped into "solar trees" on the north side of the property, according to the collective. The garden will be incorporated into the program's educational program. "It worked out that it was a really nice approach to creating an ideal location for having a community solar array and being part of a sustainable environment and an educational environment," said Thomas Sweeney, Clean Energy Collective's chief operating officer. The permitting process has not yet begun for the solar garden, but Sweeney said rules created by Xcel say that the project must be finished within a year. A full list of which project applications were accepted -- which may include other Boulder-area gardens -- will be released next week, according to Xcel.

Two Grand Junction energy companies merge

Two Grand Junction energy companies merge Altasta Solar Center & EnergyWise Companies will now operate together as one entity August, 9 2012 Caitlin Row crow@gjfreepress.com To create Grand Junction's newest one-stop energy shop, Atlasta Solar Center and EnergyWise Companies recently joined forces in everything but name. Now, EnergyWise's energy efficiency and conservation methods, along with Atlasta's solar-production installations, will be offered under one umbrella. According to EnergyWise founder and president Darin Carei, operations for EnergyWise and Atlasta merged July 1. This came on the heels of another big event, the retirement of Atlasta's owner and founder Virgil Boggess. “Right now, (both companies) will maintain their own identities, but we're merging into one location,” Carei said. “We're looking actively for a brand-new building.” As one of the first solar companies in Grand Junction, Atlasta has been installing solar technologies in the Grand Valley since 1979. From its inception, it sold and installed solar thermal technologies. Then it added “off-grid solar” and “a steady increase of solar with grid tie photovoltaic systems being installed valleywide in commercial, residential, and utility applications,” its website said. EnergyWise formed locally in 2008 to perform energy efficiency services, such as audits, building improvements and ENERGY STAR® certifications. It works with new and existing buildings, and it provides insulation installations, air-sealing, crawl-space retrofits, specialized retrofit services and general contracting. “It always makes sense to look at conservation, and the demand side of energy before looking at production,” Altasta solar sales representative Lou Villaire said. “If you reduce consumption first, then you may pay less for a solar installation. ... EnergyWise can come in before the solar is done, and do an energy audit. It's a relatively simple procedure. You may find good opportunities for savings, and — through low- to no-cost measures — reduce your energy bill by 20 percent. That will in turn reduce your solar installation cost, as you may not need as big of a solar set-up.” Even though Atlasta and EnergyWise joined forces to provide full-service energy offerings, customers may pick and choose from its wide variety of services to fit their needs. “If someone comes to us with a relatively new home, we'd just do solar,” Villaire said. “You don't have to do a solar installation if you just need an energy audit.” For more information about EnergyWise, visit www.energywisecompanies.com. For more information about Atlasta, visit www.atlastasolar.com.

Solar gardens nourished by Xcel incentives set to bloom in Colorado

Solar gardens are poised to sprout across Colorado — from Fort Collins to Leadville to the Paradox Valley near Utah — and some are already taking root. Looking to take advantage of a new incentive program from Xcel Energy, the state's largest electric-utility company, community groups and developers are crafting garden proposals. Solar gardens enable people who don't have a sunny roof or the money to buy a full array to buy or lease a piece of an array — in some cases for as little as $1,000. "This is a way to make solar available to all our customers," said Robin Kittel, Xcel's director of regulatory administration. "We are also looking for creative low-income projects." More than a dozen states — including Massachusetts, Washington, Illinois, Arizona, Nevada and California — are promoting solar gardens, according to the Interstate Renewable Energy Council. But Colorado could set the pace for the nation. The state has a solar-garden law, developers specializing in the collective solar installations and innovative private financing. "There are a lot of elements that just come together in Colorado," said Jesse Morris, an analyst with the Rocky Mountain Institute, an energy consultant in Snowmass. In Leadville, 20 residents and a private school are proposing a small, 50-kilowatt solar garden near the base of Mount Elbert. Just off Interstate 70, at the Garfield County Airport near Rifle, the country's largest community solar garden — 858 kilowatts — is up and running. About 200 people have bought a piece of the garden's 3,575 panels. The complex was built by the Carbondale-based Clean Energy Collective, a private developer specializing in solar gardens. "This is a big, untapped market," said Paul Spencer, the collective's president and founder. "We've worked to develop a business model without subsidies, but the Xcel program will open up solar gardens to 55 percent of the state." The collective is hoping to use the Xcel incentive program to build a solar garden in Denver's Lowry neighborhood. But even without the Xcel incentive, the company is building a 1.2-megawatt garden in the Paradox Valley desert, in southwest Colorado, in cooperation with the San Miguel Power Association, and it has a contract with Colorado Springs Utilities for a garden. There are already two other solar-garden projects in Colorado Springs by SunShare LLC, a 1-year-old startup. One 575-kilowatt garden went into operation in December at Venetucci Farm, and the other 573-kilowatt project is under construction at a church. "I had seen solar gardens in Europe and wondered why we didn't have them here," said David Amster-Olszewski, 25, president of SunShare. "The answer was that there were regulatory and financial roadblocks, but those are being removed." Xcel will be offering incentives for 9 megawatts of solar gardens in 2012 and another 9 megawatts in 2013, divided among small systems (10 to 50 kilowatts), medium-size systems (50 kilowatts to 500 kilowatts) and large systems of 500 kilowatts to 2 megawatts. Operators will get paid on a sliding scale — 14 cents to 10 cents — for each kilowatt-hour the garden produces. Residents will get a credit on their bill of about 6.8 cents a kilowatt-hour. "There is a lot of interest," said Amster-Olszewski. "It looks like it is going to be somewhat of a raffle." There are, however, obstacles: The cost of the systems runs into the millions of dollars, and finding a piece of land large enough for a garden may be difficult in urban areas. "There is a lot of organizing and politics," said Jeff Evans, sales manager for solar installer Simple Solar. Simple Solar tried and failed to put together a garden project in Grand Junction. Still, groups and individuals across the state — from Aurora to Fairplay to Saguache County — are trying to organize solar gardens, said Joy Hughes, founder of the Westminster-based Solar Gardens Institute, a nonprofit advocacy group. "There is huge interest because this is a way that people who would never have access to solar power can participate," Hughes said. "It is a way to bring communities together." Only about a quarter of the nation's rooftops are big enough and sunny enough for rooftop solar, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden. And with the price of a rooftop array ranging from $12,000 to $180,000 in Colorado, not everyone can afford one. While sharing panels might sound simple, the details are complex. Issues include whether individuals can sell their shares and how they will be credited for the energy produced. The Colorado Community Solar Garden Act — sponsored by Claire Levy, a Boulder Democrat, and passed in 2010 — sought to address those issues. The act directed the Public Utilities Commission to include gardens in the state's renewable- energy plans. Xcel's new incentive program for 18 megawatts of gardens in the next two years came out of that effort. In Leadville, the High County Conservation Center organized the local group and was able to get a site on county land 7 miles from town. Solar Panel Hosting, a for-profit spin-off from the Solar Gardens Institute, is set to develop and manage the garden. If the project is selected, Xcel will pay the developer and its financial backers, under a 20-year contract, 14 cents for every kilowatt-hour the garden generates — as small gardens get the highest incentive. Residents will buy into the garden at $2,000 to $3,000 a kilowatt — depending on financing and construction costs, according to Lynne Greene, energy director at the conservation center. "I'm buying 1 kilowatt, which covers about a third of my electricity use," said Greene, who is a Leadville resident. Homeowners will get a credit on their bill for their share of the garden equal to Xcel's base residential rate, minus transmission and renewable-energy charges. The payback on the investment is estimated to be about 10 to 15 years, Greene said. Finding financing for solar gardens is a new challenge, since it is a new and expensive product. The energy collective has worked with private investors, who gain some federal tax credits as well as a return, and also JPMorgan Chase, Spencer said. But financing for homeowners looking to buy into a solar garden remains a challenge. Sooper Credit Union, which initially served King Soopers employees and now operates in four states, has jumped into that market as the first solar-garden lender in the country. Working with the energy collective, the credit union is offering three- to 10-year loans with interest rates of 2.25 percent to 6.5 percent to consumers and businesses. "At the outset, you are paying a little more than the benefit, but at some point you catch up," said Don Kester, the credit union's chief executive. "Our main business is car loans, but this looks to be a promising market — and it's green," Kester said. Read more: Solar gardens nourished by Xcel incentives set to bloom in Colorado - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_21073777/solar-gardnes-nourished-by-xcel-incentives-set-bloom#ixzz22vemLZYY Read The Denver Post's Terms of Use of its content: http://www.denverpost.com/termsofuse

Forecast for local solar industry: sunny

Forecast for local solar industry: sunny Article date: Jul 31 2012 Given increases in both the number of solar energy systems and businesses installing them in Mesa County, the outlook for the industry appears as bright as the sun from which a growing amount of electricity is produced. Financial incentives and technological advances — not to mention all that sunshine — are expected to drive additional growth, said Lou Villaire, founder of the Grand Valley Solar Center and sales manager at Atlasta Solar Center in Grand Junction. Lou Villaire, sales manager at Atlasta Solar Center in Grand Junction, expects third-party financing and technological advances to continue to bolster growth in the solar energy industyr in Mesa County. (Business Times photo by Phil Castle) The trends bode well not only for solar energy companies, but also the overall economy, Villaire said. “It’s making a modest, but significant, impact on the local economy, and we’d like to see that continue.” Villaire detailed some of the results of a study conducted by the Grand Valley Solar Center, a market research entity, in conjunction with the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association and Colorado Mesa University. The complete results of the study should be released within a month. Since 2006, more than 1,200 residential and commercial photovoltaic systems have been installed in Mesa County. The pace of installations has quickened to a total of between five and 10 residential and commercial systems a week, Villaire said. Ten to 15 companies are directly engaged in the solar energy industry in the county. Those companies collectively employ 40 to 50 people and indirectly account for another 25 to 30 jobs, he said. The numbers point to what’s estimated as an industry worth between $10 million and $15 million annually, Villaire said. Business similarly has increased at Atlasta Solar over the past five years, as has staffing, Villaire said. Mesa County constitutes something of a hot spot for solar energy in one of the top states for growth in the industry, Villaire said. Customers enjoy a sense of self-sufficiency from their solar systems as well as satisfaction from doing their part to generate electricity from a clean and renewable source, he said. But Villaire also attributes growth in the local solar industry in large part to financial incentives and technological advances that have made solar systems more widely available at a lower cost. A state law requiring utilities to generate an increasing proportion of power from renewable energy sources led to rebates for the installation of solar systems. Federal tax credits also are available, he said. At the same time, technological advances have made it possible to connect photovoltaic systems into the power grid and eliminate the need for battery storage. Mass production and imported solar energy panels have brought down prices, he added. One of the most significant developments of all has been the emergence of third-party arrangements in which companies and organizations pay for the purchase and installation of solar systems, then lease the electricity generated by those systems to home owners, businesses and other end users, Villaire said. The companies and organizations take advantage of the rebates and tax credits, while end users purchase solar power at what are usually lower rates and without any upfront costs. That makes solar energy available to to just about anyone with a home or building and good credit, he added. Although utility rebates have decreased and tax credits are scheduled to expire in 2016, Villaire expects the solar energy industry to continue to grow on the basis of cost. Even as the price of solar panels decreases, the price of electricity purchased from utilities increases, he said. Given the combination of recent growth and what’s expected to be continued growth, Villaire said the outlook for the solar industry appears, in a word, well … “sunny.”

Local solar energy market growing

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo (KKCO) The industry is not only booming on the Western Slope, but worldwide. A new study by Colorado Mesa University and the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association show that solar energy is now the single fastest growing energy source in the world. Since 2006, the U.S. solar market has grown by 110% per year. Experts say more affordable options are leading to increased demand. Solar used to be too expensive for many people, but times have changed. "The availability of the solar lease," says Dr. Lou Villaire with the Grand Valley Solar Center. That's one of the reasons for the huge increase in solar sales. "Now, so many more people can get into solar for their home without outlaying any capital, and immediately begin to save money on their bills," explains Villaire, also a salesman at Atlasta Solar Center in Grand Juncton. Since 2006, more than 1,200 residential and commercial solar electric systems have been installed in the Grand Valley. "We've had no problems with the panels at all," says Ladonna Ishida. Ishida bought and installed solar panels on her Orchard Mesa home in 2009 for $26,000, but saved $17,000 in rebates and tax credits. "You see your meter going backwards, and you have a 9 or 10 dollar electric bill, and it's like I can live with that," adds Ishida, who plans to recoup the costs in no time. "We're really energy conscious so we don't have lights on all the time, and don't run computers needlessly, so I think we'll recoup it before 12 years." Mesa county now represents a 15 million dollar annual solar industry. "We started as a company in 2005 with two people, myself as one of them, and my husband; and we've grown to 20 employees," says Heidi Ihrke, owner of High Noon Solar in Grand Junction. Now, over a dozen residential and commercial solar systems are being installed in the Grand Valley every week. "All of this has been very much a collective effort in making a real positive impact on the local economy," says Villaire. There are currently over a dozen solar companies in the Grand Valley, employing nearly 100 people. Colorado is also among the top five states in solar energy growth. Installing solar panels also makes you eligible for rebates, and state and federal tax credits. However, officials say you'd better hurry, because as demand increases, rebates and tax incentives are decreasing.

Solar power spreads in valley

By Matthew Berger Thursday, July 26, 2012 Solar power installation is accelerating in Mesa County, according to an upcoming report from industry groups. Residential and commercial systems are being installed at a rate of 10 to 15 each week, they said, more than double the weekly rate last year. The pace means installations in 2012 are expected to roughly double the total from last year. That has brought the cumulative total of residential and commercial solar systems installed in Mesa County since 2006 to more than 1,200 and given rise to a local solar industry that supports around 80 jobs and does around $15 million in annual sales. Those installations are now also offsetting eight to 10 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year, according to Lou Villaire of Grand Valley Solar Center and Atlasta Solar. Villaire spoke to the annual Western Slope stakeholders meeting of the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association Wednesday afternoon at Colorado Mesa University. The report on the growth of solar in Mesa County is being produced by Grand Valley Solar Center, COSEIA and CMU’s Natural Resource Center and is expected to be released this fall. The report is an update of one released several years ago, Villaire said, and shows that since then growth of the solar industry on the Western Slope and Mesa County in particular has accelerated. One big driver of that trend is a leasing program through which residential customers can pay a monthly rate to lease the solar equipment rather than buy the expensive equipment all at once at the start, Villaire said. He called the program a game-changer, comparing it to the way in which cellphones were able to replace many landline phones. “You can now get the same amount of electricity (from solar) and pay less for it,” he said, noting that a lease agreement can typically involve paying nothing down and $60 to $75 a month to a third-party solar leasing company over a 20-year contract. Neil Lurie, executive director of COSEIA, said installing solar is already cost-effective and will only become more so if those costs go down a little bit more. “Today, it’s economically attractive. Tomorrow, it could be a no-brainer,” he said Wednesday. Speaking of the state as a whole, Lurie said Colorado is now the top state in the country in solar jobs per capita and that over the past four years the number of solar businesses in Colorado has jumped from 40 to 400. Solar in Colorado may get another boost in the coming years after the U.S. Department of the Interior announced Tuesday it had identified 17 tracts of public land across the southwestern U.S. on which utility-scale solar projects could be feasible. Four of those sites are in Colorado, all around the San Luis Valley area. The sites were chosen because solar development there would have fewer impacts on wildlife or other resources than elsewhere and the identification of these sites allows development of large solar projects there to be streamlined, the agency said.

New Report Shows Fast Growing Solar Market in Grand Junction and Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (COSEIA) visits Western Slope for Annual Solar Industry Stakeholder Meeting.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: New Report Shows Fast Growing Solar Market in Grand Junction and Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (COSEIA) visits Western Slope for Annual Solar Industry Stakeholder Meeting. Grand Junction, Mesa County, Wednesday 25 July 2012, 2-5 PM, Colorado Mesa University, University Center, West Ballroom, 2nd Floor. Solar Energy is now the single fastest growing energy source in the world. Since 2006, the U.S. solar market is growing by 110% percent per year. Colorado is among the top five (5) US states in solar growth. Colorado now has a growing solar energy market spurring nearly $1 billion in clean tech investment, deploying 200 megawatts of solar, and creating thousands of quality jobs at more than 400 Colorado solar companies. And according to a new report from the Grand Valley Solar Center and the Colorado Mesa University (CMU) Natural Resource Center, The Western Slope of Colorado, specifically Mesa County, is experiencing tremendous solar growth that has a large local economic impact. Since 2006, there have been over 1200 residential and commercial solar electric systems installed in the Grand Valley. In Mesa County, this now represents a $10-15 million annual industry. In the Grand Valley, there are 10-15 companies directly engaged in the solar industry. Initial estimates indicate that the industry in the Grand Valley now directly employs 40-50 people, and indirectly employs another 25-30. The pace of solar installations in Mesa County has increased so much in 2012, that 5-10 residential and commercial solar electric systems are now being installed in Mesa County every week! The full Report “Residential and Commercial Customer Sited Solar In Grand Junction, CO” will be released in the Fall of 2012 by the Grand Valley Solar Center and the CMU Natural Resource Center. CMU Business Department student interns contributed to the New GJ Solar Market Report in 2012. The New GJ Solar Market Report Press Conference, offering highlights of the upcoming report, will take place from 2-2:30PM, and then the COSEIA Western Slope Annual Stakeholder Meeting will take place from 3-5PM. Contacts: Dr. Lou Villaire, Grand Valley Solar Center, lvillaire@yahoo.com, 970.314.4413, http://grandvalleysolarcenter.blogspot.com/ Rebecca Cantwell, Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association, 1536 Wynkoop Suite 300, Denver CO 80202, 720-209-6000, rcantwell@coseia.org, www.coseia.org

GE Suspends Solar Factory Plans

General Electric Co. (GE) has stopped construction of a solar-panel factory in Colorado in the latest sign of the U.S. solar manufacturing industry's decline. GE initially planned to make thin-film solar panels at a factory in Aurora, Colo., using a cadmium telluride technology developed by PrimeStar, which GE acquired in 2011. GE planned to use the panels in solar farms that it would develop, or sell them to other developers. GE now plans to continue its solar power-plant development business, but the company has put the solar-panel factory on hold, said Lindsay Theile, a GE spokeswoman. Ms. Theile cited steep price declines and a global oversupply of panels as factors in GE's change of plan. Plunging solar-panel prices amid an influx of cheap Chinese panels and a global oversupply of solar manufacturing capacity have driven smaller solar firms out of business, while larger companies have struggled against falling profits and stock prices. The difficulties prompted SolarWorld AG's (SWV.XE) U.S. unit and other U.S. firms to file a trade case against Chinese rivals. The competition and lower prices have benefited developers and investors in solar projects, which are eligible for federal tax credits and other incentives. The U.S. Department of Commerce has slapped preliminary antidumping duties of 31% to 250% on panels made with Chinese solar cells. While that case has been pending, U.S. solar-panel makers have continued to struggle. Solar-panel maker Abound Solar, of Colorado, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection last week after taking more than $68 million in federal loans to expand manufacturing. California solar-panel maker Solyndra LLC filed for bankruptcy last September after accepting more than $500 million in federal loans, triggering criticism of the Obama administration's clean-energy policies. Other companies have decided to curtail production or stop making solar panels. U.S. solar-power giant First Solar Inc. (FSLR) said earlier this year it would shut its German factory by the end of the year, cut 2,000 jobs and halt work on a new factory it had planned to open in Arizona. First Solar, which also builds solar farms, has seen its market capitalization fall by more than 85% to $1.26 billion. In June, Germany-based glass maker Schott Glas AG said it would stop making solar panels at its Albuquerque factory as part of a larger effort to end production of solar panels made with silicon. Developing and owning solar-power projects have been more lucrative than making the panels, thanks to federal subsidies and state renewable-energy requirements. The MidAmerican Energy Holdings unit of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRKA, BRKB) started a renewable-energy company earlier this year after it bought a large California solar farm from First Solar. Other power companies, such as NextEra Energy Inc. (NEE) and NRG Energy Inc. (NRG) also own solar farms. In January, GE said it would provide the solar equipment for a 23-megawatt solar farm in Illinois being built by Invenergy. The solar panels are being supplied by Showa Shell Sekiyu's (5002.TO) Solar Frontier unit. GE also is supplying the inverters and racking equipment. Although GE is putting its Colorado solar-panel factory on hold for at least 18 months, company researchers will continue working to improve the company's thin-film technology, Ms. Theile said

Bankruptcy of Colorado's Abound Solar could cost taxpayers $60 million

The bankruptcy of Abound Solar, the solar panel maker with facilities in Longmont, Loveland and Fort Collins, will cost taxpayers $40 million to $60 million, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. The company will close its doors next week and file for liquidation, according to a company statement. The closing will affect about 125 workers. In July 2010, Abound received a $400 million loan guarantee from the DOE to build an Indiana factory and expand its Longmont plant. The company has used about $70 million of the loan guarantee, and after bankruptcy liquidation the loss to taxpayers is estimated to be $40 million to $60 million, Damien Lavera, a DOE spokesman, said in a statement. Abound has been struggling with the falling price of solar panels. The company's technology made a solar cell out of a piece of glass by applying a thin chemical film. It was supposed to be cheaper than traditional silicon panels, but since 2009 the price of those panels has dropped from $2.79 a watt to less than $1, according to industry consultant Solarbuzz. In February, Abound cut its workforce by about 70 percent, firing about 180 full-time workers and 100 part-time employees. It also put on hold plans to build the Indiana factory. California-based Solyndra, another thin-film solar panel maker, went bankrupt in 2011, leaving taxpayers responsible for a $535 million loan guarantee. After the Solyndra failure the DOE tightened its loan guarantee process and Abound appears to have gotten caught in the middle. "The firm awaited $10 million from the DOE and $10 million from its investors but had a bit of a chicken-and-egg problem," Eric Wesoff, a GreentechMedia analyst, wrote in his blog. "The DOE was waiting for the investors and the investors were waiting for the DOE," Wesoff wrote.

Solar energy investing increasing locally

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) Industry officials say there are a lot of misconceptions about solar panels. Some may think they're too expensive, others think they're ugly. We found people that say they are neither, and could be the investment of the future. "It's great for us," says Ron Wilson, who leases panels from High Noon Solar on his Fruita home. "There was no down payment of any money required from us," he says. Wilson's electricity bill has gone down from $120 dollars to $41 dollars a month. "While they were doing the installation on it, one of our neighbors noticed it and came over and they got the pamphlet and contacted them, and they ended up putting them on their home," explains Wilson. The idea caught on. "We also have a close friend from church; they've installed them on their home." The idea caught on like wildfire. "Our other neighbor just to the left of us; they're considering putting them on their home and business," says Wilson. And the Wilsons were pleasantly surprised by the look. "It turned out great because we have quite a few people that don't even know that we have solar panels until we mention it to them," says Wilson. "Leasing has really become prevalent for people, because either they have a hesitation to put a big upfront investment in buying a system, or they just don't have the money available," says Heidi Ihrke, owner of High Noon Solar. Ihrke says if you buy solar panels, you'll recoup your money in ten years. "If they want to have an out-lie of cash at the beginning, and know that they have investment over the long term, and cash flow positive rather quickly," says Ihrke. Ihrke says after those ten years, you won't be paying an electric bill. "As solar gets more and more popular, manufacturing costs come down dramatically, and when manufacturing costs come down dramatically, for anything, it means that the product ends up being less expensive," she explains. Making it a win-win for consumers like the Wilson's. "Anybody that I come across, I truly want to let them know about the system, and take advantage of it," says Wilson. The Excel Energy compliance rebate plan for 2012-2013 opened Wednesday. The program was approved a week and a half ago. The rebate offers incentives for folks to get solar systems on their homes and businesses. They get rebates every month based on the production of the solar system, in addition to the electricity savings they're already getting from not having to buy that power from Excel. Limited megawatts are available under the rebate plan.

Nonprofit SEI reorganizes, cuts staff

CARBONDALE, Colorado — Financial and other pressures have forced Solar Energy International (SEI), a nonprofit, alternative-energy training center based here and in Paonia, into what is being called an organizational restructuring. “A long-term decline in income from our renewable energy training classes and grant revenue forced the board to act,” said SEI board chairman Ed Marston, of Paonia, in a statement issued late Wednesday afternoon. The decision to lay off several staff members, and to accept the resignation of former executive director Trési Houpt, came after a meeting of SEI's board of directors on June 1. At that meeting, the board voted 3-2 to move forward with the changes, which were recommended by the organization's management, according to SEI founder and current board member Johnny Weiss. “There's growing pains, and there's shrinking pains,” said Weiss. “These are shrinking pains.” He said he voted against the changes, but declined to elaborate about the board's discussion or how others voted. Marston noted that the organization underwent “a kind of a boom in 2009, when we couldn't teach enough classes. We ramped up our activities to deal with it, and when the boom ended we didn't cut expenses to match.” With the reorganization, he said, the board believes the organization is on firmer financial ground and will grow again. Officials with the organization were quick to say that the changes do not mean that SEI will immediately abandon Carbondale, the town where the organization was founded more than two decades ago. “We have no intention of deserting Carbondale,” Marston emphasized. The most immediate change so has been to terminate five positions, four of them in Carbondale, said SEI Interim Executive Director Kathy Swartz. The statement about SEI's changes also mentioned the possibility of sub-letting some of its office space, although Marston said a decision about the fate of the Third Street Center offices has been put off until the end of August. The organization has been renting a single space in the Third Street Center since before the school building was remodeled into a center for nonprofit organizations. But SEI recently expanded its quarters, spending approximately $150,000 to remodel two former classrooms into one space, and last month held its 20th anniversary party there. Marston said the board pays “about $3,000 a month” in rent on its 2,240 square feet of office space, which he termed “quite a lot, even for what had been a $2 million a year budget.” “It didn't help,” Swartz said of the move's effect on the organization's finances. As things stand now, she said, SEI has a full-time staff of 15 — six in Carbondale, nine in Paonia — and an annual budget that still is “close to $2 million.” She explained that roughly 90 percent of SEI's income comes from classes on photovoltaic installations held at the six-acre Paonia campus. According to Weiss, that campus was created about eight years ago in response to the rising costs of doing business in the Roaring Fork Valley. The Carbondale offices, Weiss explained, have focused on administrative functions and on the outreach programs. Those outreach programs offer low-cost, alternative-energy education to students locally and elsewhere in the U.S., including Native American communities, and around the world. The outreach programs, Weiss said, “don't really make us any money. They cost us money.” Those costs, he said, have been largely covered by grants and other sources of income, many of which have dried up in the national recession. Swartz and others said the goal is to find other grant income to replace what has been lost, with the hope of retaining the outreach programs.

Colorado regulators tighten rooftop solar-energy incentives

The Colorado Public Utilities Commission on Thursday approved a new solar rewards program for Xcel Energy that does away with upfront cash incentives for solar panels that amount to thousands of dollars to homeowners. The commissioners also capped the number of solar installations eligible for subsidies in part to address a $32 million deficit in the fund that finances the program. The decision was one of "balancing competing views" from consumer and renewable-energy advocates, said PUC chairman Josh Epel. The plan will provide total financial subsidies for up to 36 megawatts a year of commercial, residential and "solar gardens" for 2012 and 2013. Under the present plan — in which 38 megawatts were added in 2011 — the upfront subsidy is $1 a watt. It also pays 9 cents for each kilowatt that a solar installation generates. The average solar installation for a Colorado home is about 5.5 kilowatts, and the upfront incentive is on average worth about $5,500. The plan approved Thursday provides a subsidy on a sliding scale for kilowatts generated, without the upfront payment. The first residential units approved this year will get a 15-cent per kilowatt payment. By the end of 2013, the payment for new systems will be down to 11 cents. "We don't know if residential customers are going to want to pay for systems without upfront subsidies," said Ron Davis, a commission staff adviser. The plan also dedicates six of the megawatts to "solar garden" community-based installations that several homes share. That leaves 30 megawatts to homes and business, industry executives say. Xcel had offered the commission three options: • A minimum plan: 16 megawatts. • A medium plan: 36 megawatts. • A high plan: 60 megawatts. The utility's preferred plan was for 36 megawatts, and a commission administrative law judge agreed. Since 2006, Xcel has provided $256 million in rebates and credits for about 10,500 commercial and residential solar arrays. The money has come from a 2 percent renewable-energy charge on customer bills — but that fund is now $32 million in the red. The state Office of Consumer Counsel and the PUC staff argued that the 16-megawatt plan be adopted to curb the costs of the program. "Less than 1 percent of Xcel customers benefited, but we have to think about all the ratepayers," said Bill Levis, director of the consumer counsel office. Xcel said in its filings that the deficit will be erased by 2017. The commission is expected to issue its written order the first week in June, at which time the plan will go into effect. Mark Jaffe: 303-954-1912 or mjaffe@denverpost.com Read more: Colorado regulators tighten rooftop solar-energy incentives - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_20706345/colorado-regulators-tighten-rooftop-solar-energy-incentives#ixzz1wGykFqdC Read The Denver Post's Terms of Use of its content: http://www.denverpost.com/termsofuse

Denver mayor touts world energy forum and renewable energy job growth in Colorado

The inaugural World Renewable Energy Forum will come to the Denver Convention Center in a week, bringing thousands of representatives from 66 countries. The event "will be the first time that solar energy powerhouses will come together under one roof to advance the use of solar energy, energy efficiency and other sustainable technologies worldwide," Denver Mayor Michael Hancock said today. "We are excited to host this inaugural event with global energy leaders to discuss how to meet the world's economic, environmental and security challenges through the advancement of renewable energy technologies," said the mayor. While touting the forum, Hancock also said that Denver "is a national leader in the energy industry" and the forum will "shine a bright spotlight on this booming sector." "Job growth is happening right here in Denver by renewable energy companies from around the nation and around the world, and by the city and county of Denver," said the mayor. Hancock said that since 2010, more than 100 jobs have been created through programs and initiatives managed by the city. And as recently as this week, he added, the city has launched a call center and hired three employees to assist Denver residents and businesses on their path to save energy as a part of the Denver Energy Challenge. The program is a free residential and commercial energy program provided by the city to help residents and businesses to cut energy waste, save money and increase indoor comfort and air quality, he said. "Now as we look ahead, Denver's green economy is a top for my administration," said the mayor. "It is our intention under that plan to recruit more businesses in the sector and retain the ones that already call Denver home." The mayor's office noted that in the past two years, more than 20 solar and wind companies have announced they would either expand or relocate to Denver and the region, leading to an overall 6.4 percent growth rate in the energy sector in 2011 . This growth is directly attributable to some of the world's largest energy industry leaders such as SMA Solar Technology, General Electric and Vestas expanding or relocating in the region, which has resulted in the creation of more than 21,000 jobs and Colorado leading the nation in solar jobs per capita, the mayor's office said. Dr. Chuck Kutscher, who is the program chair for the World Renewable Energy Forum, praised Denver. "Denver and the metro-area are widely recognized as leaders in innovative, sustainable energy technologies which is exactly why it is the perfect venue for the conference," said Kutscher. Read more: Denver mayor touts world energy forum and renewable energy job growth in Colorado - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_20540819/denver-mayor-touts-world-energy-forum-and-renewable#ixzz1trREFWRp Read The Denver Post's Terms of Use of its content: http://www.denverpost.com/termsofuse

Colorado Governors Energy Office

The gas station near our neighborhood has raised the price of a gallon of gas by nearly 20 cents in just one week. It's the same everywhere. Gas is climbing to nearly $4 per gallon — essentially a job-killing tax on consumers just as we are beginning to see the economy improve. Like Yogi Berra said, "It's déj… vu all over again." We have seen this play before. In 1973, responding to our first energy crisis, Gov. John Love left Colorado to become the nation's first "energy czar." His charge in Washington, D.C, was to develop a plan that would help America become energy independent. Forty years and seven presidents later, our country is finally beginning to achieve domestic energy independence. But as Thomas Friedman said, "The biggest energy crisis we have in our country today is the energy to be serious — the energy to do big things, in a sustained, focused and intelligent way." It is why the Obama administration is calling for an "all of the above" energy policy that promotes development of a diverse mix of energy resources, including solar, wind, biofuels, natural gas, oil and coal. An "all of the above" energy strategy makes sense for the country. It also makes sense for Colorado, where we are already leading the way. Colorado is recognized as a leader in wind, solar and geothermal energy, and for what former Gov. Bill Ritter called the "new energy economy." Colorado is also home to abundant supplies of natural gas and low-sulfur coal. Colorado was the first state to pass a voter-approved renewable energy standard. We have an ambitious but achievable goal of using 30 percent renewable energy by 2020, giving Colorado one of the nation's strongest renewable energy standards. In 2010, a bipartisan group of legislators approved the Clean Air Clean Jobs Act, legislation that will improve Colorado's air quality by using clean-burning natural gas to generate electricity. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of industry and the environmental community, Colorado now has the country's strongest public disclosure rule on the process of fracking. We have partnered with Oklahoma to lead an effort aimed at creating a market for compressed natural gas vehicles, which run cleaner, cheaper and keep jobs and dollars in the U.S. rather than exporting them to foreign dictatorships. Eleven other states have joined in the effort to leverage the purchasing power of state fleets. Thanks to the bipartisan leadership of Democratic state Sen. Pat Steadman and Republican state Rep. Jon Becker, we have an opportunity in House Bill 1315 to expand the mission of the Governor's Energy Office and recast this agency as the Colorado Energy Office. The new Colorado Energy Office will promote all types of energy that protect the environment, lower consumer costs and increase energy security. The Steadman-Becker bill will extend funding for the Colorado Energy Office for five years and focus the office on long-term energy projects that have broad job creation potential. In short, this legislation creates an "all-of-the-above" Colorado Energy Office that builds upon our state's national brand as a leader in energy conservation and renewable clean energy. It will also enhance Colorado's reputation for energy innovation. The Steadman-Becker bill focuses the state's energy work on promoting innovative energy technology, no matter if the fuel source is wind, gas or coal, as long as that energy can benefit the environment and save consumers money. Tens of thousands of Coloradans are currently employed in the energy sector, and with sustained focus on promoting energy resources and technologies, the Colorado Energy Office can help grow this diverse industry. We need this bipartisan legislation to pass the General Assembly this year. The Steadman-Becker bill will help Colorado's economy create jobs and buttress Colorado as a national leader in developing an energy strategy that is both environmentally sensitive and economically sound. Democrat John Hickenlooper is the 42nd governor of Colorado.

Major Closures for First Solar, Sunpower

Major Closures for First Solar, Sunpower


First Solar closing a German plant and idling 4 production lines in Malyasia. SunPower also shutting down part of its overseas operations.
New Hampshire, USA -- Two American solar heavyweights built on overseas manufacturing are scaling back operations in an effort to keep up with a shifting landscape.
On Monday, San Jose, Calif.-based SunPower announced it was closing a 125-MW capacity manufacturing facility in the Philippines and pushing some of those operations to its 575-MW Fab 2 facility also in the Philippines. The company’s 600-MW plant in Malaysia remains its biggest operation.

Then on Tuesday, Arizona-based First Solar announced an even more drastic move to cut operating expenses. The world’s biggest thin-film manufacturer will close its facility in Germany and idle four of its 24 lines at its mammoth facility in Malaysia. The company will cut 2,000 jobs, or 30 percent of its workforce. The cuts and shutdowns are expected to reduce costs by $30 to 60 million this year and between $100 and 120 million annually after that.

First Solar said that through the layoffs, the company’s average manufacturing cost is expected to improve to $0.70-$0.72 per watt in 2012, below prior expectations of $0.74 per watt. In 2013 the company estimates average module manufacturing costs will range from $0.60 to $0.64 per watt.

“These restructuring actions are difficult to make and take, given all the important stakeholders involved" said Mark Widmar, First Solar's CFO, in a conference call. "The solar market has changed and so must we,” he continued.

Widmar explained that the restructuring actions are to "align our business to a demand profile that is highly reliable and predictable, which largely is our captive pipeline.” He indicated that the market for First Solar in Europe is largely drying up. The German factory that the company is closing had primarily supplied modules to third-parties, he said. “Clearly, you should take away from the European reductions that we’re doing from an op-ex [operating expense] standpoint, largely is all third-party module business. We’re not doing much of any systems business in Europe.”

Rumors that First Solar was looking for a buyer were shot down immediately. “I would not say that these actions are at all any indication of window dressing to position the company for sale. It is not that at all. It is integrated into a long-range plan that we feel highly confident in,” said Widmar.

First Solar continues to eye new markets in unsubsidized emerging regions of the world. “Over the next couple of years, we also intend to make progress in sustainable markets,” he said. More details will be announced during the company’s first quarter earnings call, which is scheduled for early May.

The moves by SunPower and First Solar, two of the world's biggest solar manufacturers, underscore the shift already underway in the solar industry and across much of the clean energy industries. Shifting policy, overcapacity and falling pricing coming from China continue to threaten future operations for many international players. In the past month alone, Q-Cells and Solar Trust of America have filed for bankruptcy. Also this week, reports indicated that Danish wind energy pioneer Vestas may become the target of a possible takeover from Chinese competitors.

According to Sam Wilkinson, a senior analyst at IMS Research, the moves point to the mounting pressure to reduce costs, even for a company like First Solar, long billed as a cost leader. First Solar's move also has much to do with changing policy and the overall difficulty stemming from the European market.

Hickenlooper, Bennet tout Colorado's energy leadership

If the United States is to pursue an “all of the above” energy policy, Colorado will be the model for the nation, said Gov. John Hickenlooper, speaking Tuesday at the Global New Energy Summit at The Broadmoor.

Colorado is a leader in wind and solar energy both in manufacturing and in production potential, Hickenlooper said, and has some of the largest natural gas reserves in the country, along with oil and coal resources.

“It allows us to be that test tube case where all those energies and technologies can be implemented,” Hickenlooper said. “We’re open to anything.”

He said the nation’s first priority should be developing natural gas resources, where recent advances in drilling technology have led to a huge boost in production, but that it was smart to invest in renewable energy at the same time.

“We don’t think our house is going to burn down, but we spend a tenth of a percent or two of our home’s value for fire insurance,” Hickenlooper said. “Long term, if we’re convinced about climate change, we have to continue looking at solar and wind.”

However, he said, the country should be open to all energy sources, touting Colorado Springs’ Neumann Systems Group and its clean coal technology as an example.

“I wouldn’t rule out coal — there’s a company here in Colorado Springs, Neumann Systems, that has a scrubbing system to pull the carbon dioxide off of coal,” Hickenlooper said. “As long as it’s data-based and science-driven, I think we should be open to all of those.”

Sen. Michael Bennet, speaking on a panel with former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota and former Sen. Bob Bennett of Utah, also talked up Colorado’s potential as an energy leader, but bemoaned the inability of politicians to work together to advance national energy goals.

Bennet said government will never be the driving force behind energy trends and innovation, but that it could play an important role in boosting new technologies. Bennet said partisan bickering in Washington, D.C., is harming those efforts.

“I don’t think we’ll see a comprehensive energy policy soon,” he said.

He cited the inability to pass an extension of the wind energy production tax credit as an example of political dysfunction that is hurting Colorado businesses.

“Washington has become the land of flickering lights,” he said. “We create a two-month extension over here, a four-month extension over there. Part of what we need to provide is predictability over a period of time.”

Read more: http://www.gazette.com/articles/leadership-136631-pursue-bennet.html#ixzz1sG1HuXcz

Effort advances to recast Colorado's "New Energy Economy" office

Former Gov. Bill Ritter often touted the "New Energy Economy," but a House committee Wednesday passed a bill recasting the mission of a state agency Ritter used to promote renewable energy — even airbrushing his catch phrase from the law.

House Bill 1315, sponsored by Rep. John Becker, R-Fort Morgan, but backed by Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, would change the mission — and the name — of the Governor's Energy Office. The agency, first created as the Office of Energy Management and Conservation in 1977, was reborn as the Governor's Energy Office under Ritter, a Democrat, in 2007 as the administration's spearpoint for promoting the "New Energy Economy."

Under Ritter, the office focused heavily on renewable energy sources, primarily wind and solar, but also concentrated on weatherization. Ritter touted successes like expansions of wind turbine factories and solar panel manufacturing, though Republicans often complained the agency ignored the state's substantial oil and gas industry.

Becker said that under the bill, the agency would be renamed the Colorado Energy Office and would be "a balanced energy office for the state of Colorado."

"Colorado is a true hub for all sources of energy," Becker said.

The bill specifically changes the agency's mission from promoting renewable energy sources and energy conservation to encouraging all sources of energy development. The bill specifically scrubs the term "New Energy Economy" from the law governing the agency, replacing it with language that says the state will promote energy solutions "that include traditional, clean and renewable energy sources in order to encourage a balanced energy portfolio."

A similar reorganization of the energy office backed by Hickenlooper failed last year.

Ritter, who now heads the recently created Center for the New Energy Economy at Colorado State University, declined comment on the bill.

The legislation also creates two separate pots of money in the office — one from severance tax on oil and gas production and for use to promote traditional energy sources, and the other from the state's general fund and for promotion of renewable sources.

Environmental groups had concerns about the fact that funding for renewable energy promotion would now be subject to an annual appropriation by the legislature rather than having a stable funding source. But supporters said severance tax money shouldn't subsidize renewable energy.

Rep. Matt Jones, D-Louisville, didn't like the bill.

"I'm really concerned that we're backing off of the thing that's made this office successful," Jones said, arguing the state would be "diminishing our brand" as a leader in the renewable energy industry.

Still, the House Agriculture, Livestock and Natural Resources Committee approved the bill on a 11-2 vote, with Jones and Rep. Su Ryden, D-Aurora, voting against. The bill, co-sponsored by Sen. Pat Steadman, D-Denver, now goes to the House Appropriations Committee before it can proceed to the full House.

Read more: Effort advances to recast Colorado's "New Energy Economy" office - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_20278479/effort-advances-recast-colorados-new-energy-economy-office#ixzz1qTpiL8Sy
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Banner Year for US Solar in 2011, Grows 109% in 2011

2011 was a banner year for solar installations in the US - the first year over a gigawatt (GW) was added in one year.

A record 1,855 megawatts (MW) of solar PV were added, double the previous record set in 2010, and representing a 109% growth rate.

As of year-end 2011, the US powers almost a million homes with solar, with 4,000 MW of solar PV and 500 MW of concentrating solar. It's the fourth largest solar market in the world after Germany, Italy, and China.

There are over 100,000 solar jobs across all 50 states in over 5000 companies.

"In 2011, the market demonstrated why the U.S. is becoming a center of attention for global solar," says Shayle Kann, Managing Director of GTM Research's solar practice. "It was the first year with meaningful volumes of large-scale PV installations; there were 28 individual PV projects over 10 megawatts in 2011, up from only two in 2009. Furthermore, the market continued to diversify nationally; eight states installed more than 50 megawatts of solar each last year, compared to just five in 2010. These are all indicators of a vibrant market."

10 concentrating solar PV projects came online and 1,000 MW are under construction, enough to power 200,000 homes. Some of that comes online this year, but the surge will be in 2013.

A 5 MW concentrating solar PV plant, the largest in the US, came online in New Mexico, the Hatch Solar Energy Center.

They expect another very strong year in 2012, with installations exceeding 2,800 MW, and forecast 30% annual growth through 2016.

"The solar industry is the fastest growing industry in the US for the second year in a row. Policies are opening new markets and removing barriers for solar," says Rhone Resch, president and CEO of SEIA. "The industry is poised for years of multi-gigawatt growth and the creation of tens of thousands of jobs, but a number of challenges could slow this growth. SEIA is coordinating the industry's federal and state policy initiatives to present a unified, cohesive voice for the solar industry."

GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), who produced this latest U.S. Solar Market Insight report, estimate the U.S. solar market's total value surpassed $8.4 billion in 2011.

The commercial sector installed 800 MW, led by California and New Jersey. Utilities installed 758 MW, nearly triple that of 2010, mostly in the Southwest.

Homeowners installed 297 MW, led by California (114 MW), and followed by New Jersey, Arizona, Hawaii, Pennsylvania and Colorado.

College campuses now have 137 MW installed.

Over 61,000 solar PV systems were installed in 2011, bringing the total to about 214,000.

California hit a major milestone of 1 GW of solar PV on rooftops across the state - a threshold reached by just five countries.

What spurred this growth? It costs 20% less for an installed solar system because of lower component costs, greater installation efficiency, expanded financing options, and a shift toward larger systems nationwide.

Developers also rushed to commission projects before the end of the year, when the federal 1603 Treasury Program (cash instead of tax credits) expired.

Community Solar Gardens — Bright Spot in a Tough Year for Solar

It started with Xcel Energy’s announcement last spring that it was substantially reducing the Solar*Rewards rebate program, which directly impacted solar installers in Colorado, accelerating a shake-out that was already underway. Then, later in the year, the Solyndra debacle took center stage in the media, and only last week, Abound Solar announced a major workforce reduction, as it ‘abandons work on its first-generation module and switches to a next-generation module that will be much more efficient,’ according to a company release.

One bright spot,however, has been the interest and growth of solar gardens.

In the latest indicator, Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association (PVREA) announced is partnering with Carbondale-based Clean Energy Collective (CEC) to launch a community solar program with a development at PVREA’s headquarters site near Windsor. The facility will provide an opportunity for members of the electric cooperative to purchase solar panels to offset their electric use.

The project will encompass more than 400 solar panels generating 115,000 watts of electricity. CEC will fund construction of the project, slated for late spring, 2012. Once completed, PVREA consumers will be able to purchase panels for $618 per panel and will receive monthly bill credits for the power produced by their panels. Under the power purchase agreement, the project may beexpanded up to 2 megawatts as new members join.

“We are committed to economically incorporating renewable energy initiatives and seeking ways for our consumers to benefit from a more diverse energy portfolio,” said Poudre Valley REA CEO Brad Gaskill. “Clean Energy Collective provided a turn-key solution that we can easily integrate and will be attractive for our consumers.”

The solar garden concept allows all consumers to participate in renewable energy, including renters, those with poorly sighted properties and individuals of all income levels, without having to build a costly system of their own, and reap the benefits directly on their monthly electric bills through the utility.

“Poudre Valley is an ideal partner for community solar and we look forward to offering all of their consumers the opportunity to benefit from solar ownership,” said Paul Spencer, Clean Energy Collective founder and president.

Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative serving more than 35,000 consumers in Boulder, Larimer and Weld Counties in Northern Colorado. PVREA has 98 consumers with small renewable energy projects and over 650 PVREA consumers already participate in the utility’s Green Power program. In 2011 they purchased more than 24 million kilowatts of electricity from renewable sources.

Lease or buy solar? Either choice will save you money in the long run

Here is something that your utility neglected to tell you last time they sent you your big bill: It now costs less to make your own solar power than it does to pay the utility for that power.

So why buy the solar when you can lease it for less? This is a question that many people in Mesa County are now asking themselves. At first glance, the answer appears simple. Yet, as with most situations, there is a lot more to it than meets the eye.

Let me give you an introduction to the relative advantages and disadvantages of buying solar versus leasing solar for your home or business. The more you know the two options, the better decision you can make.

Whether you decide to buy the solar or lease it, either way you save money right now. The worst decision you can make is to do nothing. Why? Your utility bills increase 5-15% on a compounded basis every year! This means that your current $1,200 annual utility bill will be $1,800 inside 5 years — a 50% increase from what you pay now!

Purchase or lease solar now and you have guaranteed yourself a long-term lower rate for your electricity. The solar lease now makes solar available to a much larger segment of society. Over 50% of all of the residential solar electric systems installed in Mesa County are now leases. Now, let's look at leasing solar versus buying solar.

The main advantage of leasing solar is that you are saved the larger upfront costs of buying solar. A solar lease can be done for as little as $0 down. Although, the more that you can invest in the solar lease upfront, the greater will be your immediate savings from the solar. When you lease solar, the solar maintenance is the responsibility of the leasing company. And your leasing company may provide you with a solar performance guarantee. You get the financial, personal, and environmental benefits of solar without all the responsibility of a purchase. Solar leases typically last 20 years and the payer of the solar lease must have a minimum credit score of 700.

When you purchase solar, your all-around returns are much greater. When you purchase the solar, you collect the rebates, tax credits, and other environmental benefits rather than the leasing company. When you own the solar, the utility usually pays you much more for the power you produce. When you purchase the solar, you make money on the added value that solar has given your home or business. Homes with solar do have a higher resale value. And as the owner of the solar electric system, there is relatively little maintenance.

The principal trade-off to consider in buying or leasing the solar is the amount of the upfront expense versus the long-term savings. Purchasing solar offers the highest long-term return, but involves a large up-front cash expense. The solar lease offers reduced monthly lease payments, which gives you immediate and modest savings over your previous electricity bill. However, the lease results in less money saved over 20 years as compared to the solar purchase.

Whichever way you decide to do solar, do it now and start saving today. Remember what your utility forgot to tell you — solar power is now less in cost than the power that you purchase from your utility.