Welcome to Solar e-Clips. A weekly summary of news and information about solar energy issues in California. Brought to you by The Rahus Institute and Californiasolarcenter.org

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Solar News from around the State...

State authority to work for green power sources - The newly formed California Power Authority gave a boost to environmentally friendly energy sources Friday, deciding to begin negotiating with companies to build new solar panels and windmills. The decision had been anticipated, but it was clear Friday that the state government's newest agency plans to give a higher profile to green energy sources. "We're actually ready to take renewables seriously," said Linda Chou, the power authority's spokeswoman. The power authority plans to line up an additional 1,000 megawatts of renewable electricity by next summer. Today, California gets about 12 percent of its electricity, or about 6,000 megawatts, from renewable energy sources, with the bulk of that coming from small hydropower dams and geothermal plants. Only 4 percent of the state's electricity comes from solar, wind and biomass sources. But power authority Chairman S. David Freeman said green energy will be at the front of the line as the state moves to increase its electricity supply. "We are giving renewable energy the first priority for a change," Freeman said. "And the renewable energy communities are taking seriously the role of the power authority to find a way to work in partnership to power California with renewable resources for decades to come." Gov. Gray Davis has set a goal of boosting renewable energy to 17 percent of the state's total electricity load. A spokesman for several green electricity generators welcomed the authority's action, saying statements Friday by the power authority "sound great." "Green energy has been largely ignored," said Jack Raudy, who represents 10 companies that together generate enough electricity for more than 3 million homes. "We fully support what they are saying." Mike Taugher in CONTRA COSTA TIMES 2001.09.08

Solar Legislation Update - RPS bill detours, while Tax Credit eyes the finish line.- Sacramento.- SBX2 17, the Solar Tax Credit Bill, made it out of the assembly committee on Sept. 6th and is getting closer to the finish line. Read the assembly analysis. The Bill will provide a state tax credit for both residential and commercial customers for PV and Wind systems up to 200 kW in size.
SB 532, Renewable Energy Portofolio Standard (RPS), would expand California renewable energy contribution to 20% by 2010. SB 532 also contained the Renewable Energy Plan, which authorizes continuing the Emerging Renewables Buydown Program, and the PIER (Research) program, for 5 years starting in 2002. Unfortunately, the RPS portion of the bill wasn't well received and the whole bill didn't make it out of committee (Sept. 6) [read the analysis]. Efforts are now being made to transfer the REP and PIER elements to other bills.

AstroPower Announces Agreement With The Home Depot - World's Largest Home Improvement Retailer to Offer AstroPower Solar Electric Home Power Systems - AstroPower, Inc. (Nasdaq: APWR - news) today announced an agreement with The Home Depot® (NYSE: HD - news) to sell residential solar electric power systems, beginning in the greater San Diego area. The Home Depot agreement is a key element of a broad AstroPower initiative aimed at moving solar electric power technology into the mainstream market. AstroPower's SunUPS® and SunLine(TM) solar electric home power systems are currently featured at The Home Depot's Escondido, Carmel Mountain, and Sports Arena stores. Customers visiting these stores can learn about AstroPower systems through interactive displays that show how easy it is to generate their own electricity with clean home solar electric power systems. The systems are being sold and installed under The Home Depot's ``Installed Products'' initiative, a full service program which provides product sales, financing, installation, and service. The Home Depot offers consumers two convenient financing options -- The Home Depot Consumer Credit Card and The Home Depot Home Improvement Loan. Both programs provide customers an easy application process, same day purchase power and competitive interest rates. ``We are excited to be working with The Home Depot to bring solar electric power to the mainstream consumer market,'' said Howard Wenger, AstroPower's Vice President, Premium Power Business. ``Our pilot program with The Home Depot makes getting solar power easy in an area that has been hit hard by electricity rate increases. Now, San Diego residents can take direct control of their energy future.''... more Yahoo Bizwire Press Release 2001.09.04

Converting to Solar just got Easier - San Diego - The Board of Supervisors has approved a proposal by Supervisor Ron Roberts to eliminate the permit fee and streamline the permitting process for those seeking to install solar panel systems at their homes. "Sunshine is one of San Diego's most precious resources," said Supervisor Roberts. "Our sunny weather adds to our quality of life, and makes our region a world-renowned tourist destination. Now our famous sunshine may also help us do something more - enhance our energy independence." Under the plan the County will abolish its $100 permit fee, and call on each of the County's 18 cities to eliminate their fees, some of which can run in excess of $1,000. The fee elimination by the County applies only to residents who live in the unincorporated areas of San Diego County...more. 2001.07.17

Generators flock to get low-cost loans for new plants - Despite energy companies' claims that California is a bad place to do business, dozens of electricity generators want to cash in on low-cost state loans to build power plants. Giants like Enron Corp. and Reliant Energy, along with a handful of small companies that generate electricity through windmills and solar power, have submitted proposals to the California Power Authority. The authority has billions to spend on new power plants that would keep Californians' homes from going dark when electricity is scarce. Generators have complained that the state hasn't paid them in full for power deliveries, and they say pending legislation could make it more difficult to do business in California. But financing deals offered by the brand new power authority are too good to pass up...more Mark Martin & Lynda Gledhill in SF Chronicle 2001.09.07

Consumer choice issue put on back burner by California power regulators - State regulators on Thursday delayed the repeal of a deregulation law that gives Californians the right to choose their electricity supplier. Members of the Public Utilities Commission put off the repeal so they can vote on it next week with a number of other proposals that could affect electricity bills. Critics of the delay said it might lead to the continuation of the consumer choice program, called direct access. They suggested the program may leave a dwindling number of local utility customers for the state to tap as it pays off energy purchases that kept the lights on across California. "I think we are being negligent in failing to respond to this threat," said PUC Commissioner Carl Wood. "What we are faced with, with the likelihood of direct access continuing, is that the cost will be dumped on small businesses and consumers." ...more. KAREN GAUDETTE AP San Francisco Chronicle 2001.09.06

Economists urge state to invest in renewable energy sources - Expanding California's energy sources to include more solar, wind and other "green" electricity sources will help stabilize the state's volatile wholesale power market, several economists said Wednesday. The seven economists were brought together for a panel discussion by the California Public Interest Research Group and the League of Woman Voters of California. They urged lawmakers to consider requiring utilities to get at least 20 percent of the electricity they sell from renewable energy by 2010. About half the state's electricity comes from natural gas-fired plants. State power traders, purchasing electricity for customers of three utilities, recently locked in 10 years' worth of electricity, most from natural gas-fired plants. Many of those contracts are tied to natural gas prices, and if they rise, as they did earlier this year, so too will the price the state pays for electricity. "We need a portfolio like a stock portfolio, where we don't put all our eggs in one basket," said Mark Bernstein, an energy analyst with RAND Corp., a think tank in Santa Monica.... more. JENNIFER COLEMAN AP SF Chronicle 2001.09.05

Well Done in the Sun - Solar cooks swear by the power of Old Sol. - It's a hot summer afternoon in energy-parched California, but that's not stopping Eleanor Shimeall from baking a cake, even in Borrego Springs. Up north, in sun-drenched Davis, Rick Palkovic is cooking sweet corn. And as the Southland simmers, Doug Edwards coolly lifts a loaf of homemade beer bread from his oven in Cerritos. These cooks aren't worried about heating up their kitchens, nor does the threat of rolling blackouts faze them. They are solar cooks, and although their numbers may be few, their ovens are fired by a force mightier than the power company: Old Sol himself. Solar cooking has been around since at least 1767, when Swiss naturalist Horace de Saussure tapped the sun's rays to cook fruit in an experiment. Today groups such as Rotary International tout its use in developing countries where firewood and clean water are scarce. And, of course, science teachers and environmentalists love it. While solar cooking has not exactly settled into the mainstream, the hard-core insist that California's energy crunch could change that... more. LYNN O'DELL for LA Times 2001.09.05

Cooking Without Fuel? - Solar cooking is so low-tech that it's hard to believe it really works. There's no flame. No glow. No hum. The simple materials most solar ovens are made from--cardboard, aluminum foil and glass--make it seem even more unreal. Solar ovens are simply heat traps. They heat up much the same way that the interior of a car does on a hot day, says Rick Palkovic, electrical engineer, technical writer and co-author of a solar cookbook. In a closed car, sunlight enters through the windows, is absorbed by dark interior material and turns into heat, which radiates back from the material as infrared energy. The longer wavelength of infrared keeps it from escaping back through the windows, and the car gets hotter and hotter....more. Lynn O'Dell in LA TIMES 2001.09.05

Texaco looks to solar energy to reduce costs - TROY, Mich. - Texaco Inc. burns a barrel of oil for every three it brings out of the ground from its Bakersfield, Calif., oil field, the company’s technology chief says. But a project to begin this fall will use technology developed by a Michigan company to reduce that ratio by harnessing the power of the sun. A 4- to 5-acre array of thin solar panels is being erected at Texaco’s Kern River oil field near Bakersfield. The panels, developed by Troy-based Energy Conversion Devices Inc., convert sunlight into electricity. Their use will allow the oil company to use electricity instead of fossil fuels to power steam generators necessary for drilling operations... more. ED GARSTEN Associated Press 2001.09.05

Solar Energy Could Be the Next Big Provider of Green Power -The following is an advisory by Industrialinfo.com (Industrial Information Resources, Inc.; Houston, Texas). Larger demand for environmentally friendly green power is creating an interest in solar/photovoltaic power sources. Currently only about 300 mega-watts (MW) per year are being developed, primarily in 100 kilowatt or smaller increments. Industrial Energy Producers (IEP) are playing a leading role in the development of solar power and consuming the energy internally to satisfy electrical needs. Arizona Public Service Company (APS), a subsidiary of Pinnacle West Capital (NYSE:PNW - news; Phoenix, Arizona), has 1MW that is being sold to the gridand plans to double this by the second quarter of 2002. Composite Power Corporation (Nasdaq: CPWW - news; Las Vegas, Nevada) is considering a large solar power generation plant in Nevada that could produce in excess of 100MW. ...more. Press Release 2001.09.05

VS2 Announces Negotiations With Merger Candidate- VS2 Inc. (OTC:VSII) announced commencement of negotiations with a California corporation for a merger with VS2 Inc. The merger candidate is a joint venture partner with a U.S. solar energy generator systems manufacturer that owns the most advanced High Concentration Photovoltaic (HCPV) technology in the world. The merger objective is to enable the company to deliver electrical and thermal solar energy generators to residential, commercial, industrial and utility scale end-users on an economic basis superior to all other forms of renewable energy generators and more than competitive with fossil fuel generators. ...more Bizwire 2001.09.06

SDREO Issues Request for Proposal (8/15/01) - San Diego Region Energy Infrastructure Study to Support Regional Energy Plan -The San Diego Regional Energy Office (SDREO) has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to conduct a study of the electricity and natural gas infrastructure needs for the San Diego region through 2030 to support development of the San Diego Regional Energy Strategy.

SPECIAL OFFER to Solar e-Clips readers - Discount Registration to Solar Electric Builder Opportunities Conference- San Mateo Mention Solar e-Clips and register by September 14th at the discounted registration fee of $595 vs.$995 published price. Read below for the conference details or Download a conference brochure here. (800kb) ENERGY CRISIS BRINGS BUILDERS AND SOLAR ELECTRIC SUPPLIERS TOGETHER AT STRATEGIES UNLIMITED CONFERENCE -Silicon Valley based Strategies Unlimited, the leading market research firm for the solar-electric industry, announces its conference program focused on Solar-Electric - Builder Opportunities in the California Energy Crisis. A one-and-one-half day conference at the San Mateo Marriott in San Mateo, California,
brings builder and solar-electric industries together to address market solutions to the energy crisis. The program on September 20 and 21, 2001 includes presentations and panel discussions on: The growth surges in U.S., German and Japanese Residential PV markets /The NAHB Research Center experiences in developing residential solar power. /Leading U.S. homebuilder descriptions of their growth in PV powered projects / Commercial rooftop and facade installations in Europe and the United States. /Growth in capacity and product development by leading U.S. PV manufacturers. /Design and aesthetic issues addressed by a pioneer in residential PV architecture /Site management challenges in the retrofit installation market /Testing and certification issues, providing confidence in PV system reliability /PV module design for building integration /U.S. national programs - net metering and state incentives /Program support by the California Energy Commission /Customer choice and support by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power /The municipal perspective by the Sacramento Municipal Utility District. /The road to investment in photovoltaics, the initial public offering. /The investment perspective from Wall Street.

...Eye on the World - Solar Power Is Reaching Where Wires Can't - Two hours outside Durban, South Africa, deep in the Valley of a Thousand Hills, Myeka High School had no electricity. Students struggled to read by candlelight, and few textbooks and newspapers were available. The school was clearly having a hard time doing its job: only 30 percent of the students graduated, and even those had little hope of going beyond their isolated village. [photo: Solar Electric Light Fund - Solar power is opening doors to the Internet for many people with no access to traditional energy sources.] Then, in the spring of last year, solar energy came to town. Photovoltaic solar panels, firing up 2.4 kilowatts of power, were brought into the school by the Solar Electric Light Fund, a nonprofit group based in Washington. SELF also persuaded Dell Computer and Infosat Telecommunications to donate computers and a satellite uplink so that the students could haveInternet access. Now that the students can download materials from the Internet and have access to the Learning Channel, the graduation rate has shot up to 70 percent. Some students have won science awards, and many are applying for college. "I never thought the sun could do all this," said Melusi Zwane, the school's principal. Myeka is a vivid example of the impact of computers on society. But what makes this tale stand out is the arrival of solar power. "It's the reason for all that we have now," Mr. Zwane said. "Everything comes from power." ...more. DAVID LIPSCHULTZ in New York Times 2001.09.09

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ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER
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ABOUT THE EDITOR
Tor Allen is the President of The Rahus Institute, a non-profit organization. Tor has 10 years experience in the renewable energy field including: design, research, marketing, program and policy development, and installation work. He is currently the coordinator of the California PV Alliance, a collaborative group working to accelerate the market for photovoltaics in California.

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Email at solareclips@californiasolarcenter.org or phone 925.370.7262 Your news items are welcome, please send with a link to the online article. thx.

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