Senator Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bingaman (D-NM) has just introduced his clean energy standard legislation, and yes, it has every energy source in it, except energy efficiency. Can a clean energy standard include all energy sources – and should it?
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Top Six Reasons We Need a Better Definition of Clean Energy
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First Solar (Nasdaq:FSLR), despite some recent body blows to its stock price and morale, remains the standard-bearer of the American and perhaps global solar industry. No solar company has grown as fast as First Solar with as much continual progress in execution and technology. The next few years will be a challenge for the company, as for every firm in the solar industry, but despite short-sellers and politicians with suspect agendas, First Solar remains the thin-film module technology leader and the world leader in terms of price per watt.
News for First Solar, both good and bad, has been coming at a fast pace lately. Here's a roundup of news and recent coverage:
President Obama Visits Copper Mountain
Obama visited the largest operational U.S. photovoltaic plant — the 55-megawatt (DC) Sempra Copper Mountain solar facility in Boulder City, Nevada, which uses more than 775,000 First Solar solar panels. First Solar also served as the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor. Here are extracts from his energy-focused speech.
For a novel take on this project, here's Fox News likening this plant to Solyndra — as they will everything related to solar from now on. Note that Copper Mountain is privately financed and did not receive any DOE loans.
First Solar's "Manufacturing Excursion"
An estimated 4 percent to 8 percent of the cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film modules manufactured by First Solar between June 2008 and June 2009 had a “process control” issue which resulted in a potential “premature power loss once in the field,” according to First Solar Chair and Interim CEO Mike Ahearn.
The process control issue, which the company has been dealing with in financials since 2010, involved global production and all three of First Solar’s CdTe manufacturing facilities at the time (in Ohio, Germany, and Malaysia). The issue was identified in June 2009 and the process factor was “addressed.” Subsequently, First Solar has been fulfilling its warranty obligations with its customers. “The vast majority were in Europe,” said First Solar’s Vice President of Communications Ted Meyer. Most were in Germany, where the bulk of First Solar’s modules were being sold at the time.
First Solar’s remediation program includes module removal, testing, replacement and logistical services and additional compensation payments to customers under certain circumstances. First Solar has now “processed over 95 percent of the total claims submitted” and, to date, “the total cost of remediating the manufacturing excursion is $ 215.7 million,” said Ahearn. That includes, he added, “$ 145.6 million above and beyond our standard warranty.”
For First Solar, the issue is largely resolved, and “while the cost of the program has been much higher than we would’ve liked,” Ahearn said, “we believe we have done the right thing in demonstrating our commitment to our customers beyond our product warranty.”
Panel Power Degradation
In a separate issue, Credit Suisse's Kumar cited a National Renewable Energy Labs (NREL) report finding “high temperature degradation of CdTe panels” an issue.
According to First Solar, panel underperformance “was unrelated to climate” and First Solar has no concern about the performance of the panels it has subsequently installed and is installing in its solar power plants. The company, he said, has tests showing that CdTe thin-film modules get better “energy yields” and “performance ratios” than silicon modules.
But, Meyer pointed out, because the company is now building in the U.S. desert Southwest, the Middle East and other places much hotter than Europe, its Q4 financials included a 1 percent higher set-aside in the event of warranty-related expenses. The set-aside, a completely separate matter from the manufacturing excursion, is listed as a “warranty rate change” of $ 37.8 million. That $ 37.8 million, Meyer said, “covers all of the 5-plus gigawatts we have in the field going forward.”
“Our experience has shown that our warranty rates for hot climates are slightly higher than the return rates for temperate climates,” explained First Solar Chief Financial and Accounting Officer Mark Widmar. The 1 percent extra set-aside will “account for potential returns going forward.”
More on Degradation
In a rare and likely reluctant release of actual data, First Solar presented some NREL degradation test results of CdTe panels. NREL found a 0.53 percent per year long-term and linear degradation rate over 16.5 years — a degradation rate comparable to other established photovoltaic technology. This data was presented by Raffi Garabedian, First Solar Vice President of Advanced Technology, at a recent IEEE PV Silicon Valley event at PARC.
Enbridge Purchases First Solar’s 50-Megawatt Silver State North Power Plant
Enbridge bought the 50-megawatt Silver State Power Plant in Nevada in what a representative of First Solar called "continued momentum in realizing our project pipeline, getting projects built, [and] selling them to top tier players." Enbridge is Canada’s largest oil-pipeline operator. The project, to be operational in May of this year, is built on federal land. Pricing was not disclosed.
Silver State North Solar Project at a glance:
Making Solar Power Plants Better Grid Citizens
Robert Jenkins, First Solar's Director of Utility Interconnection, works on plant performance requirements and utility requirements. Greentech Media spoke with him on Thursday. In an effort to be a good grid citizen, First Solar has begun to add low voltage ride-through (LVRT) and dynamic voltage support to the Antelope Valley Solar Ranch and the Agua Caliente solar power plants.
"LVRT is is the ability of a PV plant to stay connected to the grid during voltage and frequency excursions and return to the pre-disturbance power levels once the disturbance has been cleared," explained Jenkins. As soon as the fault is cleared, the plant goes back to producing power.
"Dynamic voltage support is the ability of the plant to monitor the grid voltage and match the reactive output to a prescribed band, added Jenkins. If voltage starts starts to sag or rise, reactive power is used to inject or withdraw the variations.
These functions are performed at or near the inverter, a piece of hardware First Solar does not build, but specifies and purchases in high volumes.
Darrell Issa Committee Attacks DOE loans to AVSR and Agua Caliente
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, chaired by Darrell Issa, is investigating the DOE loans to the innovative and doomed Solyndra solar panel factory. But the committee is also going after the DOE loans to California's Antelope Valley Solar Ranch and Arizona's Agua Caliente solar power plant because the technology was not innovative enough. Both of those plants were developed by First Solar, which is suggesting that the advanced technology in the plants involves new power electronics technologies such as low voltage ride-through and dynamic voltage support (see above).
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Herman Trabish contributed to this article.
We all dream of a renewable-dominant future and are working hard to get there.
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Is Education the Fuel We Need for a Renewable Future?
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Ontario’s Feed-in Tariff, which has been under constant and considerable pressure from conservative party legislators, received significant cuts Thursday as part of its first review.
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Ontario Slashes FiT for Solar, Wind
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The Department of Commerce's preliminary verdict on unfair subsidies for Chinese solar panels was handed down today, along with what amounted to surprisingly low tariffs. The preliminary determination indicates the DOC’s intention to impose a duty of 4.73 percent on U.S. imports from Trina Solar, 2.9 percent from Suntech, and 3.59 percent from all other remaining Chinese manufacturers.
These tariffs should not have a significant impact on the price of solar panels, although SolarWorld can contest the figures between now and the final determination. The other shoe to drop will be the dumping finding and any potential tariffs related to that finding, the announcement of which is scheduled for May. Any additional tariffs will be added to the unfair subsidies tariff.
Here are some reactions and statements from concerned parties in the industry:
President Barack Obama, from a speech on Wednesday at the Copper Mountain Solar Project in Boulder City, Nevada
"We’re also enforcing our trade laws to make sure countries like China aren’t giving their solar companies an unfair advantage over ours. And that’s important because countries all around the world — China, Germany, you name it — they understand the potential. They understand the fact that as countries all around the world become more interested in power generation — their population is expanding, their income level is going up, they use more electricity — and we’re going to have to make sure that we’re the guys who are selling them the technology and the know-how to make sure that they’re getting the power that they need.
In fact, just yesterday, our administration determined China wasn’t playing fair when it came to solar power. And so we took the first step towards leveling the playing field, because my attitude is, when the playing field is level, then American workers and American businesses are always going to win. And that’s why we’ve got to make sure that our laws are properly enforced."
The Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing (CASM)
“Today’s announcement affirms what U.S. manufacturers have long known: Chinese manufacturers have received unfair and WTO-illegal subsidies,” said Steve Ostrenga, chief executive officer of Helios Solar Works in Milwaukee, Wis., a founding manufacturer of CASM. “We appreciate the Commerce Department’s hard work in bringing these subsidies to light, and we look forward to addressing all of China’s unfair trade practices in the solar industry.”
In 2010, the U.S. Department of Energy estimated that the Chinese government provided its manufacturers with more than $ 30 billion in subsidies. As a result of China’s subsidies as well as its industry’s dumped pricing, CASM contends, at least 12 domestic producers have undertaken layoffs, gone bankrupt or closed plants in all regions of the country over the past two years.
“If we address unfair trade practices in the U.S. solar market, we can get back to our business of expanding American manufacturing and jobs in the renewable energy sector,” said Carlo Santoro, director of business development at MX Solar USA in Somerset, N.J., a founding manufacturing member of CASM. “We look forward to getting back to the fair and legal competition that serves everyone best.”
SEIA (The Solar Energy Industries Association)
Rhone Resch, president and CEO of SEIA, said in a release, "It is important to note that this is a preliminary determination and the anti-dumping decision will be rendered in May. If the tariffs remain at these levels, we do not think that this will have a material impact on the U.S. market."
Resch added, "The trade action against Chinese imports is indicative of a growing trend of trade conflict in the global solar energy industry that threatens to curtail the rapid growth we have seen in this market — both in the U.S. and abroad. Governments and industry must recognize that while trade remedy proceedings such as anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations are an important part of the global trade rules, so too are collaboration and negotiations. This is why SEIA is taking a proactive lead to create a dialogue with several leading national solar trade associations and governments from around the world."
Suntech Power Holdings
"This initial decision reflects the reality that Suntech's global success is based on free and fair competition. Nonetheless, unilateral trade barriers, large or small, will further delay our transition away from fossil fuels at a time when the majority of Americans demand cleaner and more secure energy such as solar," said Andrew Beebe, Suntech's Chief Commercial Officer."
"As a global company with global supply chains and manufacturing facilities in three countries, we are well prepared for the future. Regardless of whether tariffs are imposed on solar cells from China, we can provide our customers in the U.S. with hundreds of megawatts of high-quality and affordable solar products that are not subject to tariffs. As a local manufacturer with production in Arizona, we will continue to remain an active member of the American solar industry and maintain focus on making solar energy affordable for everyone, everywhere," continued Beebe.
Jigar Shah, President of the Coalition for Affordable Solar Energy (CASE)
Today’s preliminary determination by the Department of Commerce imposing low tariffs on imported crystalline solar cells/modules from China, will, by itself, have a limited negative impact on the U.S. solar industry and its 100,000 employees. It also demonstrates that the Commerce Department did not find the Chinese government engaged in massive subsidization, as SolarWorld and CASM claim.
But before we can rest easy, there will be another, and what is likely to be, a much bigger shoe that will drop when the Commerce Department announces anti-dumping duties in May.
As we have stated before, imposing high tariffs would undercut President Obama’s effort to expand renewable energy just as solar power is realizing unprecedented growth and competitiveness in the marketplace.
This is an initial victory for America’s solar industry and its 100,000 employees.
Yingli Green Energy
"As we stated in our testimony to the International Trade Commission, we are not dumping, nor do we believe that we are unfairly subsidized," said Robert Petrina, Managing Director of Yingli Green Energy Americas. "We will continue to fight for affordable solar energy and further growth of the tens of thousands of U.S. solar jobs that we help to create. Regardless of the outcome of this proceeding, we remain dedicated to the U.S. solar market."
Today's preliminary decision on the anti-subsidy side will be followed by another preliminary decision for anti-dumping, scheduled for May 16, 2012. No final tariff decisions will be made until the International Trade Commission completes its investigation as well, which is scheduled to occur before the end of 2012.
"The important thing to remember is that tariffs are bad for the entire solar industry," said Liansheng Miao, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Yingli Green Energy. "We will continue to support the U.S. as an important solar market, and believe that global trade and fair competition will persevere. Today's decision validates that."
CAP (Center for American Progress)
Today’s Commerce Department decision to levy import tariffs on Chinese solar panels is a positive step forward in a much larger effort to level the clean energy playing field between the United States and China. I applaud SolarWorld for pursuing this case and utilizing the trade institutions designed to address these types of complaints. Too many U.S. companies avoid filing trade petitions because they fear Chinese government retaliation. When U.S. companies allow those fears to prevail, the end result is tacit accommodation to illegal trade behavior, and that can erode U.S. competitiveness and drive entire U.S. industries out of business.
This countervailing duty (subsidy) tariff is lower than many industry analysts expected. It is important to note, however, that in trade cases where subsidy and dumping petitions are filed in tandem, the dumping tariff is generally the higher import duty. The Commerce Department is expected to issue the SolarWorld dumping determination in May. At this point, it is far from clear what the end result of this case will be and how it will impact manufacturers in the United States and China.
One thing that we can say based on this relatively low tariff is that the Commerce Department did not apply punitive duties in this ruling. Instead, the Commerce Department based this decision on its own review of the evidence and only levied tariffs based on what it could prove. Chinese companies and officials are watching this case very closely, and hopefully this action will serve as an example in China for how these cases can and should be handled impartially and according to law.
The United States and China are the world’s biggest energy consumers. Keeping our borders open to allow and encourage clean energy trade can stimulate competition, speed innovation, and bring down costs to speed our transition toward a clean energy economy. To be equally beneficial for both countries, however, it is critical that U.S. and Chinese companies compete on a level playing field. At present, it is clear that the field is often far from level. Allowing and encouraging U.S. companies to file trade petitions such as this one is critical for correcting that imbalance.
These tariffs are designed to counteract government subsidies in China that artificially suppress Chinese manufacturing costs and give Chinese solar panels a pricing advantage in the U.S. market. Today’s announcement is the first of two long-awaited tariff verdicts on two trade petitions filed last October by SolarWorld Industries America Inc. A Commerce Department decision on the second trade petition (dumping) is expected in May, and the May ruling could substantially increase the cumulative import tariffs levied on Chinese solar panels in the United States.
Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley
“American workers can compete with anyone in the world when we have a fair playing field. Unfortunately, China’s subsidies have distorted the solar panel market and cost Americans good manufacturing jobs. This ruling will begin the process of making China play by the rules, enabling our businesses to compete on a level playing field.”
Solar panels generate direct current (DC) power, and computers, printers, telephones, lights, and pretty much every other typical office power load use DC power. Why waste energy converting all that power to alternating current (AC) and back again, just to satisfy a century-old convention for how we electrify buildings?
That’s the premise behind a fascinating project underway at China’s Xiamen University that’s using DC power to connect rooftop solar panels to lights, HVAC systems, data centers and plug-in vehicle chargers. Nextek Power Systems is providing the solar-to-building DC power technology, China-based Canadian Solar provides the solar panels, and Palo Alto, Calif.-based startup People Power will provide the cloud-based software platform to connect it to people in the building.
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory will provide “algorithms for the optimal equipment choice and operation of direct-current microgrids.” LBNL hosts the U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center, part of the joint U.S.-Chinese smart grid partnership formed by Energy Secretary Steven Chu in 2009. Intel is providing “technical expertise and advice,” and has been working on DC power research at an Intel Labs energy research facility in New Mexico.
Overall, shifting power loads to DC can improve building energy efficiency by 25 percent to 35 percent, said John Teeter, People Power’s chief scientist. Mainly, that’s achieved by cutting power conversion losses: “We’re looking at a general loss of about 15 percent to 20 percent on each transition” from DC to AC and back again, he said.
That’s a general figure — next-generation power electronics systems can cut conversion losses down to the low single digits. But direct DC power cuts that down to zero.
Buildings still have to convert DC to different voltages, of course, depending on the application. The EMerge Alliance, a DC building power consortium of big names in the electronics and buildings fields, has set a 380-volt standard for powering data centers, and a 24-volt standard for its “occupied spaces” category, which includes offices and anywhere else people roam freely.
That’s where People Power comes in. The startup, founded by former Bitfone and Computer Motion CEO Gene Wang, has taken a winding path through various smart-energy plans, from building its own chipsets for in-home networked devices to creating the cloud-based software management platform that runs them in unison. It is working with Texas Instruments, Ricoh, Blue Line Innovations and others, though it hasn’t claimed any big deployments yet.
In the case of Xiamen, People Power will run the system that lets people interact with building energy use, setting office cubicles to turn off when they’re not being used, powering data centers up and down to meet IT demand, and the like. The startup wants to embed its operating system in office equipment, lights, power strips and anything else that can connect to the internet.
Data centers have been a major focus for DC building power, with companies like ABB, General Electric and Emerson getting involved. Facebook’s super-efficient Oregon data center runs on DC power, and using LEDs instead of fluorescent lights also benefits from the fact that LEDs run on direct current. As for the solar connection, AMD, HP and others are looking at ways to tap wind and solar power directly to feed servers, though of course, they all need steady backup power to keep humming.
While the Xiamen project isn’t taking on direct-to-the-desktop DC power, the EMerge Alliance has launched a task force to work on the idea of powering computers, printers and other plug-in office gear without those pesky, wasteful converters on every power cord. Of course, that also means switching out all the outlets in the office with a DC equivalent of some kind, which limits its potential as a retrofit technology.
Xiamen, one of China’s main energy technology R&D hubs, plans to outfit three buildings with the technology by summer, Teeter said. Monday’s press release said the work should serve as a “global showcase for distributed direct-current microgrid innovation and commercialization,” with an emphasis on the last word in that sentence.
A bipartisan group of Senators who proposed an extension of the federal Production Tax Credit on Thursday. Proposing the two-year extension were Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Mark Udall (D-Colo.), Scott Brown (R-Mass.), Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Dean Heller (R-Nev.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.).
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Bipartisan Group of Senators Propose New PTC Extension
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The equatorial island nation of Kiribati, located in the Pacific just west of the International Date Line, may become the first climate change refugees. Via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: many of [Kiribati’s] atolls rise just a few feet above sea level. Tong said some villages have already moved and there have been increasing instances of sea…
Going Green
Via Don Carli on the Facebook machine, a new report published by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) offers guidance for those seeking to plan “green events.” The new Event Organizers Sector Supplement (EOSS) will enable event organizers to report their sustainability performance in a comparable way. The sustainability reporting guidance, tailored for the events sector,…
Going Green
A new report released today by the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research shows that Minnesota can meet 100% of its electricity needs with in-state wind and solar power, and (with ample energy efficiency investments) at a comparable cost to its existing electricity supply. The notion that solar and wind energy cannot be the mainstay o
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Minnesota Electricity Could Be 100% Renewable, 100% Local
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