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February 14, 2012
Below is a guest column written by executive director of the Georgia Solar Energy Association, Debbie Day, which was featured in veteran Atlanta business journalist Maria Saporta's periodical e-news report -- The Saporta Report.
Debbie Day, Executive Director, Georgia Solar Energy Association
Solar power industry grows in Georgia — creating jobs in green emerging industry
DEBBIE DAY (February 12th, 2012) -- Taking the reins of the Georgia Solar Energy Association (GSEA) is an exciting opportunity. My recent arrival coincides with the results of GSEA’s effort to amass a comprehensive snapshot of solar development so far in Georgia. The picture it creates is impressive.
More than 900 solar installations now cover the Georgia landscape, with many more in the planning stages. The state’s total solar capacity has now topped 15 megawatts, which is enough energy to power 2,000 homes.
Significantly, this acceleration of solar development in Georgia has increased awareness of what renewable energy can mean for our state. We have taken a great stride forward in energy diversity, security and innovation.
The best news of all is that we are only beginning to realize our widely recognized and academically analyzed solar potential. A 2010 analysis by an Arizona State University professor ranked Georgia third in the nation in solar potential.
Solar development’s pace and promise in Georgia is not the only bright sign of what our energy future holds. Our research also reveals that solar installations are currently operating in 82 of Georgia’s 159 counties. From wineries and schools in North Georgia to farms and manufacturers in Middle Georgia to homes and small businesses in Coastal Georgia, solar is becoming a more prominent feature of our energy portfolio.
Georgia’s solar industry continues to grow rapidly, and firms are hiring workers in manufacturing, installation, sales and distribution, as well as a variety of other roles. The Solar Foundation’s 2011 Census places Georgia in the top 20 nationwide with more than 1,700 solar jobs.
And Georgia-made products, Georgia-based companies and Georgia workers have created this trend.
What does this tell us? The proliferation of solar development in Georgia is not an isolated, urban phenomenon. Solar energy can be applied in every geographic region of the state and in every sector of the state’s economy. Solar energy is making Georgia’s farms more viable, its small businesses more efficient and homes statewide more affordable and valuable for their owners.
Read the column in its entirety here.
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January 24, 2012
We're all anxiously waiting to hear President Barack Obama's third State of the Union Address tonight. And while exactly what he will say is a mystery until then a few topics will surely be cover. The one we're concerned with is (of course) energy; more specifically, what he'll say about the state of the advanced, clean energy market.
Hopefully, we see president Obama stress the importance of progress within the energy sector. The United States has the opportunity to not only make itself the worldwide authority on clean energy but also corner the international market. Clean energy is one of the only sectors in today's economy that has such a tremendous potential for growth.
The science behind new energy sources can drive our research and development arms; while the actual manufacturing of clean energy equipment can put the American factory worker back to work. Not to mention the jobs and cash flows associated with the construction of these projects.
It's time that Americans, all Americans stop fighting the energy sector's desire for progress and embrace it as a way to once again be king of the hill.
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January 18, 2012
Amidst talk of the infeasibility of renewable energy projects, there is a literal "light" at the end of the figurative tunnel. One of the solar industry's leading solar panel manufacturers, First Solar, announced this week that they had broken the previous record for solar panel efficiency.
The company reports that their new cadmium telluride solar panels converted a record 14.4 percent of sunlight into energy. This may not seem like a large number, but you have to consider how much sunlight there is and how much power 14.4 percent equates to.
Not only are solar panels becoming more efficient; they are also becoming more affordable. According to the Department of Energy’s National Laboratories the price of the non-technical parts of solar panel systems fell by 18 percent – and that’s between 2009 and 2010.
The price of the panels themselves has fallen so significantly over the past year that we’re seeing what many refer to as a “solar boom.” This “boom” has even caused a sort of solar power arms race between the United States and China. While these Chinese-American disputes are not productive to the green energy cause; they are indicative of the industry’s growth and potential for continued expansion in the coming years.
New breakthroughs and developments are being made every day so I encourage you to reach out Power Gateway if you’re wondering how you can stay in front of the eight-ball and develop a solar panel project within your facilities.
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January 17, 2012
According to Bank of America -Merrill Lynch's forecast for the upcoming year, 2012 will be a tough one for cleantech.
This is due to the technology's high-cost and (now) low amount of government support by way of subsidies and tax credits. BoAML does, however, estimate that the sector will see an uptick in 2013.
Despite this rather daunting forecast, we have seen a 5% increase in clean energy investment in 2011--according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance. In spite, also, of BoAML's prediction, clean energy saw its one trillionth dollar invested last year. And, according to new data, these types of investments are expected to double over the next decade.
It's no secret that government subsidies of clean energy projects are drying up, but we're seeing the private sector picking up the slack--though not overnight. BofAML is all too familiar with this after they provided over $1 billion in financing for solar projects last year.
Despite a few negative outlooks for this year, Power Gateway is encouraged by last year's landmark year and is excited for what's to come.
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January 4, 2012
The new year seems to have taken everyone by surprise (again), and people are finally migrating back to their desks and workstations. We're pretty happy about that.
We at Power Gateway are also very pleased and proud to announce the official installation of our financing director Mr. Bradley Keebler. Brad has worked for financial power houses such as Sumitomo Bank and Lehman Brothers over his 35+ year career dealing in (among many, many other things) insurance loan underwriting and equity origination for commercial real estate projects.
Find out more about Brad on our Directors page here.
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December 15, 2011
Energy in the Southeastern United States may not be efficient, but it sure is cheap. In places like New England if your rate is under 14 cents per kilowatt-hour than you're getting a good rate. In states like Georgia, Tennessee, and South Carolina a good rate means you're paying less than 5.5.
The cost of living in Ole' Dixie is cheap relative to costs associated with land, utilities, and taxes in the Northeast or on the West coast. This has been a road block for many green energy efforts in the region, but we are seeing the cost-effectiveness of such projects rising with the implementation of renewable portfolio standards, tax credit equity, and EPA mandates.
In addition to increased federal regulation, the South actually is one of the best environments in the United States for renewable and alternative energy projects. Due to the large logging industry in the area; like the one in Mississippi where there is plenty of lumber that is prime for use in woody-biomass boilers. The Appalachian Mountains help to facilitate large amounts of wind gusts for wind turbine farms. And the entire region features, for the most part, a sunny and warm climate perfect for solar paneling.
The South is a virgin territory for renewable energy project development so let’s get on it, folks.
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December 14, 2011
Today the headlines were dominated by several stories; one of which was the stalled NRG wind project just offshore from Delaware. NRG bought the Bluewater Wind unit in 2009, but has recently halted all development of the project mostly due to the expiration of wind energy government subsidies.
This could be an example of the beginning of the end for the wind energy sector, or it could become the turning point for offshore wind development. The Bluewater Wind unit is still up for grabs and holds the potential to bring about foreign investments. In Europe we've seen a tremendous interest in offshore wind energy projects, more specifically through German and Italian investments.
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December 13, 2011
Two major federal subsidies of renewable energy projects are set to expire at the end of this year. According to Forbes's Todd Woody, this will be another "white knuckle Christmas" for many in the industry. And today's headlines seemed to mirror the notion that the death of government support of green energy will spell the end for green energy development.
Bank of America recently broke the renewable energy-financing mold by delivering on their loan despite the failure of the Department of Energy to guarantee it; Facebook announced that it will use clean energy systems to power its datacenters; and Duke Energy acquired two solar farms in Arizona adding to its ever-expanding renewables portfolio. The list goes on and on.
The market will shift to account to for the vacuum left by the government subsidies if they do in fact expire at the end of this year. The need for energy is too great and the desire to see that energy produced cleanly and efficiently too strong.
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December 12, 2011
Many economists blame America's current economic state on our country's inability to manufacture products to export. And that America must do something to counteract this in order to remain competitive in the international markets.
The answer could quite literally be blowing in the wind with the recent development of renewable energy manufacturing in the United States. Colorado, for example, produces wind turbines while the state of Tennessee has three solar panel manufacturing plants and is competing with North Carolina and Georgia for a fourth.
The renewable energy sector has already moved billions of dollars into the U.S. economy and is one of the few areas that is seeing job growth. Green energy may be America's New Hope.
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December 9, 2011
The renewable energy sector is seeing a continued interest in technologies from various U.S. defense departments. It seems logical; any organization that depends entirely on the burning of fossil fuels for its energy is at the mercy of those fuels' supply line.
Throughout its history, the U.S. Army has been at the forefront of technological advancement, and for the DoD and various branches of the armed services to be investing so heavily in our green energy market (wanting 25% of their energy to be in the form of renewables by 2025) sends waves of confidence throughout the industry. For example, Buffett's recent $2 billion purchase of Southern California's Topaz Wind Farm.
Since 2004, when fuel prices first spiked to the near $100-barrel range; the green sector has seen over $1 trillion invested. And this is just the beginning.
What is your organization doing to invest in its sustainability?
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December 8, 2011
The city of Atlanta announced at the beginning of this month that Denise Quarles, formerly a VP of environmental affairs and director of business development of SouthWire (Carrolton, Georgia), has been appointed as the new sustainability director for the city.
Quarles is taking over as sustainability director for Mandy Mahoney who left in the spring of 2011, and she is already working to make the city more energy efficient and sustainable.
Very recently Rep. McDonald (D-GA) became the first on the Georgia state legislature to ask for regulations requiring utilities to sell a higher percentage of energy produced from renewable sources. This type of mandate is called a Reformed Portfolio Standard (RPS) which has already been inacted in over 30 states nationwide.
This may be the beginning of the state of Georgia's push for more renewable energy projects in the state including the entire Southeastern region.
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December 7, 2011
Although the 1603 grant may expire at the end of this year; the White House announced today a plan to improve the efficiency of government buildings across the country. The Federal government will spend $2 billion dollars over the next two years with Energy Savings Performance Contracts.
Another $2 billion has been committed by over 60 CEO's, mayors, and university presidents. This represents energy efficiency upgrades for over 1.6 billion square feet space across the country.
All this is in addition to the Clinton Global Initiative meeting which features about $500 million in energy efficiency projects spanning about 300 million, American square-feet.
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December 6, 2011
Iowa-based utility company, MidAmerican Energy Holdings, has acquired First Solar's 550-megawattAC solar farm in Topaz, California. This is noteworthy not only because the deal is worth over $2 billion but also because MidAmerican, which has a portfolio dominated by wind power projects, is owned by the Oracle of Omaha himself--Warren Buffett.
Wind powered projects have taken a bit of a beating in recent weeks due, in part, to the likely expiration of the 1603 grant. This explains why MidAmerican is making such a large investment into other renewables.