News for September 7, 2004

Andrea Long, a teacher at Pioneer School in Brentwood, shares the secret to
success in building model solar cars at the recent Summer Institute for Educators
hosted by Rahus' Solar Schoolhouse program. Andrea's class will be building
model solar homes, solar cookers, and model solar cars as part of an effort to
integrate energy lessons into classroom curriculum this school year. The brand
new Pioneer School is host to a 42kW PV system, provide electricity to the school
and a working example of clean technology for students and community alike.
Read more below.[photo: T. Allen - Rahus]

Daggett solar plant might not be built (SCE 5MW)

World events spark interest in solar cell energy start-ups [Bay Area]

Solar integrated into brand new Pioneer School [Brentwood]

Inderkum High Unlike Any Other [Natomas]

SMUD celebrates 20 years of solar power

SMA America Sets a New Standard with the Sunny Boy 6000

Zero Energy Program, With Its Many Pluses, Makes for More-Efficient Home Construction [W.Post]

PUC votes to allow liquefied natural gas to flow from Mexico into Calif

St. Francis Winery and Vineyards Dedicates 457 kW Solar Electrical System [Santa Rosa]

IN BRIEF

Legislative Update - Bam! it's over. The California legislative session ended August 27th with a small, yet important solar bill sent to the Governor's desk for signature. The Bill, AB 135 [Reyes], gives the California Energy Commission permission to spend $60 million, to be collected between 2007 and 2012, for small solar system rebates (<30kW). The Commission would otherwise not have access to the money until 2007, leaving a two year gap in rebates. The current CEC rebate program is expected to run out funding by the end of this year. The Governor has til September 30th to sign the bill into law.

The legislature, governor's office, and various organizations, flirted with pushing through several solar bills (most prominently SB 1652 Murray)that would have created a requirement of solar systems for new homes, a new source of funding for solar incentives, raised net meter caps, and a few other items. Unable to gain consensus on the details and enough votes to pass, we ended up with the stopgap bill AB 135, and much work to do in the months ahead, to craft a truly workable and visionary solar solution for California.

A series of articles regarding the Governor's solar initiative and the Murray Solar home bill - ran during August, when the legislation was considering these various configurations. Note that only AB135 emerged, and that any other feature will be put in the pot for consideration in 2005.

Power to the people -Proponents lobby lawmakers for $1 billion solar bill [SF Chronicle 2004.8.11]

Governor Schwarzenegger Calls for One Million Solar Energy Systems in California Homes [Governor Office Press Release 2004.8.20]

Solar Bill Supported [2004.8.21 San Francisco Chronicle]

San Diego Rebuild Program offers fire victims incentive to incorporate solar - Through a local San Diego Partnership (Rebuild a Greener San Diego), Residents who lost their homes in the 2003 Cedar Fires, are offered extra assistance and financial incentives to rebuild their homes incorporating maximum energy efficient design. A special rebate of $4/watt is available to incorporate photovoltaics. The program will accept applications through Nov. 30, 2005.

Here comes the sun - How Butte County arrived at the forefront of the solar revolution - Article in Chico News & Review 2004.8.16

California PV Rebate Programs Status - Oversubscribed - In 2001, following the Emerging Renewables Program, the CPUC began its Self-Generation Incentive Program, offering rebates for 30 kW to 1 MW of PV generation and other distributed generation capacity for gas and electric customers of PG&E, SCE, SDG&E, and the Southern California Gas Company. There is a total of $125 million per year available for rebates across three tiered levels. Approximately one-third of the funding goes to Level 1 technologies, with the remaining split between Level 2 and 3 technologies. Level 1 technologies include PV, wind, and renewable fuel cells. The amount of incentive available for Level 1 has remained at $4.50/watt or 50 percent of system costs.3 As of July 2004, SCE had $3.8 million in available funds for Level 1 technologies through the Self-Generation Incentive Program, while PG&E, SDG&E, and the Southern California Gas Company had exhausted their 2004 Level 1 funds for renewable technologies. In this year alone, the demand for rebates from PV system installations (Level 1) has increased dramatically, with applicants reserving $228.4 million from the Self-Generation Incentive Program. Program administrators have exercised the discretion granted in D.01-03-073 to reallocate unencumbered funds from other incentive categories or administrative budgets, carrying forward unused funds from prior program years. Even so, as of May 31, 2004, SCE, Southern California Gas, and the San Diego Regional Energy Office combined had only $27 million Level 1 funds remaining. PG&E had a waiting list of Level 1 projects totaling 11.76 MW.

More recently, data on the program administrators’ websites indicates Level 1 applicants reserved additional funds in June 2004. The San Diego Regional Energy Office created a waiting list in late June and PG&E has a waiting list of over 100 proposed projects. If current demand continues, the Self-Generation Incentive Program will be out of funds before the end of the year. As of the end of May, the Self-Generation Incentive Program reported supporting 114 installations representing 21 MW of PV currently installed in California. There are another 443 PV projects representing 61 MW and 3 wind projects representing over 3 MW under review or with funding reserved.

The Emerging Renewables Program and the Self-Generation Incentive Program provide rebates to IOU customers. Households receiving gas service from an IOU and electric service from a publicly owned electric utility may have the opportunity to receive PV rebates from both the Self-Generation Incentive Program and their local electric utility. There are 14 PV incentive programs offered by publicly owned electric utilities in California. Some of these programs began as recently as 2003. The two largest publicly owned electric utility PV incentive programs in California are offered by SMUD and LADWP. SMUD has been supporting PV since 1984, while LADWP began supporting PV in 1999. SMUD sells cost-reduced PV systems to its utility customers. LADWP offers a rebate of $4.50/Watt to its utility customers. If a utility customer uses PV panels manufactured in Los Angeles, the rebate level is $6.00/Watt. [Source: CEC report 100-04-003D 2004.7.30]

CEC studies accelerated RE development, Performance Based Incentives [CEC] - The California Energy Commission recently conducted a workshop (8-27-04) to get input on it's Accelerate Development of Renewable Energy white paper. The draft report includes a section on further developing Photovoltaic Distributed Generation, with particular focus on Performance based Incentives (PBI) and the new home market. The CEC is looking into piloting or switching completely to a performance based incentive, most likely to start in 2005. The PBI would pay system owners based on energy produced (kWh) vs. the rated capacity of the system. The paper, along with public comments from the workshop, are posted online.

2004 report on SMUD's renewable energy programs - This report, released on July 29, 2004, summarizes the SMUD's current policies, plans and activities in renewable energy development. SMUD is continuing its renewable energy leadership in the utility industry with an expanded renewable energy program. While SMUD's aggressive solar energy program continues, the current SMUD renewable energy program has been broadened to include targeted renewable energy procurements, growing SMUD ownership of wind energy projects, biomass development support and expanded purchases of geothermal energy. This expanded renewable energy program is now supported by a base of research, development and demonstration projects. .

Solar Car Sets Record Distance - An intrepid team of solar car enthusiasts from Canada's University of Waterloo has set a world record for the longest journey by a solar-powered car. Called the Midnight Sun North American tour, the trip started from the campus in Waterloo, Ontario, crossed Canada to Vancouver, then headed down through Seattle and down the length of California. On August 26th, the team crossed the border into Arizona, surpassing the world-record distance of 7,043.5 kilometers (4,376.6 miles) set by Queen's University in July 2000. The team is now setting its sights on an unofficial record of 13,054 kilometers (8,111 miles) set in Australia. As of Monday (8-30-04), the team had left Terrell, Texas, heading for Little Rock, Arkansas, and had traveled more than 10,000 kilometers (6,214 miles). Although the team originally planned to travel a total of 19,336 kilometers, or just over 12,000 miles, they have decided to bypass the Southeast, since Hurricane Frances is expected to bring unfavorable weather into the region by this weekend. See the "Tour News" section of the Midnight Sun North American tour Web site,

California Hydrogen Highway Network Gains Momentum - California's Hydrogen Highway Network is moving ahead with the opening of a new hydrogen fueling station in southern California and plans for three more fueling stations underway. In mid-August, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) opened one of southern California's first hydrogen fueling stations at its headquarters in Diamond Bar, east of Los Angeles. The publicly available station, built by Stuart Energy, is among the first of 13 hydrogen fueling stations slated for construction in four southern California counties. To help implement that plan, Air Products announced in mid-August that it will build three fueling stations for AQMD, collaborating with Proton Energy Systems, Inc. on two of the stations. The new fueling stations will be located in Burbank, Riverside, and Santa Ana, and should be completed in 2005. According to Texaco Ovonic Hydrogen Storage Systems LLC (TOHS), the AQMD is also looking ahead to the vehicles that will fuel up at those stations. By next spring, the AQMD will add five hybrid sedans with hydrogen fuel tanks using TOHS' solid hydrogen storage system, which works by absorbing hydrogen in a metal powder. The California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP) is also looking ahead, and released a study in mid-August on the safety of parking hydrogen vehicles in garages. The study found that even non-ventilated garages can safely house hydrogen vehicles, so long as the vehicles are equipped with hydrogen leak detectors and automated hydrogen shut-off valves. The California Hydrogen Highway Network initiative, established in April by executive order of Governor Schwarzenegger, aims to install a network of 150 to 200 hydrogen fueling stations throughout California by 2010. See the California Hydrogen Highway Network Web site.

Information Request - Online Performance Data from PV systems. Please send an email and url link to any public webpages posting performance data from gridtie PV systems in California. We hope to post these links to these via a single webpage on the californiasolarcenter.org site. send email to pvonline@rahus.org

San Francisco issues 2 new RFPs - The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) this week issued two Requests for Proposals for new solar electric systems across the city, one for a large commercial system, the second for multiple small PV system installations. The RFPs are part of SFPUC's plan to create a pipeline of solar projects over recent years. It's first solar project under this plan was anPV installation of 675 kilowatts on Moscone Convention Center. A second solar project has been awarded to install a 229 kilowatt system on Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant at 750 Phelps in San Francisco. Further details and RFPs for: Solar Photovoltaic Installation at Pier 96, Norcal Recycling Center and Public Schools & Libaries Due early October.

Events

2004.10.02 Solar Home Tours [California] - Saturday October 2nd. Join NorCal Solar on a tour of solar homes. From Monterey to Arcata and East to Yolo County. Homes are open for tour and include a wide variety of features. Come learn what you could be doing in your home. To Learn more about Nor Cal sites and to register.Part of the nationwide Solar Homes Tour promoted by American Solar Energy Society.Other California tours are in Long Beach, San Mateo, and Wrightwood.

2004.10.09 Palo Alto Solar Home Tour, Workshop, & Vendor Fair [Palo Alto] - Palo Alto Reaches High for Solar Power. On Saturday, October 9, 2004, you’ll learn about solar energy and whether a photovoltaic (PV) system makes sense for you. Sign up now for our free Palo Alto Solar Homes Tour, Workshop and Vendor Fair. Since 1999, more than 80 Palo Alto homes and businesses have installed clean and quiet PV systems through our PV Partners Program. This is equivalent to reducing pollution by 280 metric tons of carbon dioxide or planting 37,000 trees.

2004.10.19-21 Solar Power 2004 [San Francisco] - Join us at the premiere U.S. conference and expo for residential and commercial solar applications. Learn from others’ experience, initiate business deals, influence federal and state policy, and help grow solar markets. Here from Governor Scwharzenegger, PG&E President Gordon Smith, and others on the role of solar energy in the 21st century. To learn more and register. [Ed note: we normally don't do booths, but we'll be at this one. see you there. TA.]

2004.9.26 Renewable Hydrogen Alliance Festival 2004 [Lakeport] - Sunday, September 26, 2004 from 10am to 5pm. ENTERTAINMENT: Broken Ground (Hard Southern Rock), Bill Noteman and the Rockets (Blues/Rock), Root Stock (Reggae), The Horse You Rode In On (Jazz/Blues), PLUS: Renewable Energy Technology & Products, Electric Vehicle Demos, Hydrogen (H2) BBQ, Solar Pathfinder Lab, Watts-Up Measurements, And more fun activities for kids and adults! for more information

2004.12.02 Solar Hot Water Systems for Commercial Applications [Pacific Energy Center - San Francisco] - Josh Plaisted will provide an overview of the design, specification, and installation aspects of solar water heating systems for commercial applications. He will present a wide range of possible installations, from small facilities such as restaurants and laundromats to large facilities such as multi-family housing and hospitals. Different system types (open-loop, closed-loop, and drainback) will be discussed, focusing on each system’s particular advantages and disadvantages. The course is intended to provide architects and designers with the information necessary to estimate system costs and savings, design and specify systems, and review installation issues that will guarantee proper operation of the system. Also offered in San Jose, Stockton, and Oakland. check website for more info and to register. FREE

2004.9.29 Basics of Photovoltaic (PV) Systems for Commercial Applications [PEC - San Francisco]- 9:00 am to 4:30 pm San Francisco--Also offered in San Jose (9/24)- Darren Bouton will provide an overview of the fundamentals of solar electric systems, technically known as photovoltaics (PV). He will provide the basic vocabulary and technical details necessary to understand and evaluate grid-connected PV projects from a project manager’s, architect’s, and/or owner’s perspective. He will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of various PV technologies (monocrystalline, polycrystalline and thin-film), including module efficiencies and their implications on the space requirements of a project. PV installation options for non-residential projects, including roof mounted, ground mounted, building integrated and PV as public art, will be presented through project examples.The course will prepare participants to evaluate the technical feasibility of a potential PV project by presenting implementation issues that affect site selection and PV installation. Discussion topics will include available solar insolation, orientation, tilt angles, shading, space requirements, and aesthetic concerns. In addition, participants will learn the basic steps involved with sizing a grid-connected PV system. Finally, a discussion on PV system costs and payback will include figures based on real world systems ranging in size from less than 30 kilowatts (kW) to over 1 megawatt (MW). Incentives from both the California Energy Commission (CEC) and Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) will be presented. to register

2004.10.15 Photovoltaic (PV) Systems for Residential Applications [PEC- San Francisco]- Also in Stockton(9/21). Darren Bouton will provide an overview of the fundamentals of solar electric systems, technically known as photovoltaics (PV). He will provide the basic vocabulary and technical details necessary to understand and evaluate grid-connected PV projects from a project manager’s and/or owner’s perspective. He will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of various PV technologies (monocrystalline, polycrystalline and thin-film), including module efficiencies and their implications on the space requirements of a project. PV installation options for residential projects, including roof mounted, ground mounted, and building integrated, will be presented through project examples. The course will prepare participants to evaluate the technical feasibility of a potential PV project by presenting implementation issues that affect site selection and PV installation. Discussion topics will include available solar insolation, orientation, tilt angles, shading, space requirements, and aesthetic concerns. In addition, participants will learn the basic steps involved with sizing a grid-connected PV system. Finally, a discussion on PV system costs and payback will include figures based on real world systems and include an overview of available State incentives. more info and to register

Fall 2004 Solar Living Institute Workshops [Hopland] - The home of the infamous Solfest festival, and the Solar Living Institute. A variety of workshops are offered. some are telecast. Grid-tie PV system design/install, ecological design, jobs in solar, etc. read more and register here.

2004.10.7-8 Central Valley Renewable Energy Tour [Sacramento] - October 7&8th. The Renewable Energy Program of the Great Valley Center invites you to join us on our first annual "Central Valley Renewable Energy Tour." This two-day tour will travel through the Central Valley highlighting the current success stories and future opportunities for renewable energy and energy efficiency programs and investments - large and small - in one of California's fastest growing regions. The tour will be full of information - in terms of technology and also where investments could be made. Along the way, a host of experts will offer insights on these and other renewable energy and energy efficient technologies. Speakers will place special emphasis on the financial aspects behind each technology, their possible impacts on the future of the region, and potential pathways to greater market adoption. At each site we will meet a host who will serve as a "tour guide" sharing their thoughts on why they elected to deploy each technology and their experience to date. More information and to register. Register by Sept. 24th. Starts downtown Sacramento.

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