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What is a Renewable Energy Credit?

Renewable energy credits (RECs), also known as credits, green certificates, green tags, or tradable renewable certificates are tradable certificates of proof that one MWh of electricity has been generated by a renewable-fueled source.

Customers can buy green certificates whether or not they have access to green power through local utility entities or a competitive electricity marketer; without having to switch electricity suppliers, thereby making REC buying and selling independent of geography.

Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS)/ Renewable Electricity Standard (RES)

Renewable Energy Credits are central to the RPS (also known as RES). The RPS requires all electricity generators (or electricity retailers, depending on policy design) to demonstrate, through ownership of credits, that they have supported an amount of renewable energy generation equivalent to some percentage of their total annual MWh sales. For example, if the RPS is set at 10%, and a generator sells 100,000 MWhs in a given year, the generator would need to possess 10,000 credits at the end of that year. Renewable Energy Credits are a tradable commodity and the pricing of RECs primarily vary by supply/ demand within a state/ region and how the RECs are packaged for sale.

The Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) is a flexible, market-driven policy that can ensure that the public benefits from wind, solar, biomass, and geothermal energy. It also ensures that renewable energy generation continues to be recognized and utilized as electricity markets become more competitive. The policy states that a minimum amount of renewable energy is included in the portfolio of electricity resources serving a state or country, and — by increasing the required amount over time — the RPS can put the electricity industry on a path toward increasing sustainability. Because it is a market standard, the RPS relies almost entirely on the private wholesale and retail electricity markets for its implementation. Private market implementation will result in competition, efficiency, and innovation that will deliver renewable energy at the lowest possible cost. The RES provides a predictable, competitive market, within which renewable generators compete with each other to lower prices (as more renewable energy is generated within a state/region, this also generates more RECs, ultimately driving the cost of the RECs in that state/region to be lowered as the supply increases). Mandatory RPS policies currently exist in 29 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.

As renewable energy generators automatically earn credits (RECs), they actually earn extra income from the sale of the credits. These credits then have to be purchased by electricity generators or retailers to compensate for the electricity that is generated from non-renewable sources (i.e. mostly fossil fuels). Therefore, a mandatory RPS directly benefits the growth of the wind power industry and also provides extra income for wind farms as the RPS requirements are increased over time. As not only existing states continue these requirements, but as states that have yet to adopt a mandatory RPS develop such guidelines, the wind industry hopes to continue to see considerable growth.

Vert Investment Group (“Vert”) is a leading renewable energy investment advisory firm focused on small to medium-sized utility-scale generation projects in strong power markets. Vert utilizes its proven methodology, the Staged Progression Model, to guide development projects to construction ready and identify investment opportunities that generate out-sized returns.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/what-is-a-renewable-energy-credit-1450653.html

Posted by GreenPowerGuy on November 12th, 2009

World’s Largest Solar-Powered SkyBridge-Solar Charger

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Queensland, Australia Brisbane, the capital city of the central business district has recently built the world’s largest solar powered sky bridge, October 4 and was open to the public.

Bridge called Kurilpa bridge, it is estimated that about 36500 people a week walking or cycling from the bridge over. Kurilpa bridge across the Brisbane River, connecting the central business district and the Brisbane City South Bank area of art.

Kurilpa the bridge looks like a knitting needle, it is not only the world’s longest pedestrian bridge, one of the bridge but also the installation of an advanced light-emitting diode (LED) lighting systems.

The energy from the sun to provide lighting systems can produce a wide variety of lighting effects. LED lighting systems will be used for a variety of festivals and the lighting along the river Lot. The bridge has 84 solar battery provides power for the LED light arrays, which portabale solar charger-Nissan 100 kwh electricity (100 kWh), the average annual output of power 38 megawatt-hours (38000 kWh). These energies entirely provide the energy needs of the flyover and most lighting needs.

Light-emitting diode (LED) lighting systems than other lighting efficiency is much higher. LED lighting systems will be used for a variety of festivals and the river lot lighting, for example, for the annual Brisbane River Festival, held in Riverfire. The bridge has 84 solar battery provides power for the LED light arrays, which solar batteries, Nissan 100 kwh electricity (100 kWh), the average annual output of power 38 megawatt-hours (38000 kWh).

It is learned that, Kurilpa bridge cost about 63 million U.S. dollars. It is alleged that the longest bridge of its kind, the span of 470 meters wide and 6.5 meters, the bridge thickness of 25 cm. Kurilpa bridge is estimated that 37.8 tons per year will reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

Background About Solar Energy

Solar energy is the sun’s interior or the surface of sunspots continuous fusion reaction produces energy. Earth’s orbit, the average solar radiation intensity 1367w / ?. Circumference of the Earth’s equator as 40000km, in order to calculate the earth to obtain the energy up to 173000TW. At sea level on the standard peak intensity 1kw/m2, a point on the earth’s surface 24h of the annual average radiation intensity of 0.20kw / m², equivalent to a 102000TW energy, human beings rely on these energy to survive, including all other forms that can be renewable energy (except for geothermal resources), although the total amount of solar energy resources is equivalent to the energy used by humans are now ten thousand times, but the solar energy density is low, and it varies from place to place, because from time to time change, which is development and utilization of Solar facing a major problem. These characteristics make it solar charger in the whole role of integrated energy systems are subject to certain restrictions.

Although the solar radiation energy to the Earth’s atmosphere, only its 22 billionth of the total radiation energy, it has up to 173,000 TW, that is exposure to the sun to Earth per second of energy is equivalent to five million tons of coal. Earth wind energy, hydropower, ocean thermal energy, wave energy and biomass, as well as part of the tidal energy comes from the sun; even the Earth’s fossil fuels (such as coal, oil, natural gas, etc.) that is also fundamentally storage of solar energy down from time immemorial, it covered a broad range of solar energy is very large, narrow solar mobile charger is limited to solar radiation of light and heat, photoelectric and photochemical direct conversion.

Solar energy and portble solar charger is primary energy, but also renewable energy. It is rich in resources, both free of charge, but also without transportation, without any pollution to the environment. For mankind to create a new lifestyle, so that social and human energy conservation to reduce pollution entering an era.

drogbagoogle works for a solar cell phone charger company. so,talk with me about solar energy.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/worlds-largest-solarpowered-skybridgesolar-charger-1444386.html

Posted by GreenPowerGuy on November 11th, 2009

Solar Energy Not Effective

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A new report from Dow Jones and the solar manufacturing sector indicates that consolidation, or mergers, is likely to be the next wave for solar.

Lawmakers, already struggling to balance energy independence and the availability of oil, recognize the inevitability of market consolidation if America’s solar manufacturing industry is to achieve any kind of worldwide presence, let alone domination.

Let’s face it, at this point, U.S. solar is not a cost-effective solution for foreign firms. Land and labor are both too expensive, and even U.S. firms are struggling with solar impediments like efficiency, reliability, deployment speed and transmission availability.

The way to make solar effective in a world market may be to consolidate small solar and solar startups so that, in the very near future, solar manufacturers can offer the sort of workmanship, life-span guarantees, and service solutions to solar installations that are currently enjoyed by the traditional energy industry.

In other words, notes Michael Liebreich of New Energy Finance, if a company like NRG buys 100 megawatts of solar energy, it needs the certitude that system failures will be addressed by an experienced maintenance crew in a timely and affordable fashion under a contract maintained and operated by the same company for the lifespan of the solar farm. Currently, Liebreich notes, only a few solar cell manufacturers are at that point, and only a few more will reach it in the next several years.

Phil Schneider of Deloitte Consulting agrees, and notes that for foreign investment in U.S. solar to occur, a whole platform of incentives needs to be present, not the least of which are government tax incentives. But reliability, and serviceability, remain a huge part of the equation.

How confident are foreign investors that the U.S. is ‘good ground’ for emerging solar? Quite confident, if Schott Solar’s new Albuquerque, New Mexico, manufacturing facility is any indication. This plant, estimated to eventually cost more than $500 million, will ramp up over a decade to 800,000 square feet and employ 1,500 people.

More recently, eSolar leased its concentrating solar power technology to Indian company ACME Group for one gigawatt of solar power. But eSolar and First Solar are among the leaders in solar technology, with First Solar showing signs of the times by recently acquiring solar installer Turner Renewables and purchasing a 10-percent interest in SolarCity, another installer.

What about all the little guys, the solar startups? The recession has dampened investment, and many are struggling with high inventories, deflated revenues and a sense that solar has seen, and passed, its peak, at least in America – an impression driven by falling natural gas prices (80 percent since the summer of 2008) that have created cheaper manufacturing capacities and manageable (if not delightful) home heating bills.

The World Solar Energy Index fell 60 percent during the same period, suggesting a correlation that Liebreich describes as: “Solar and wind versus gas.” In Liebreich’s estimation, solar doesn’t, and can’t, compete with oil. But when natural gas prices start rising again, as they surely will, solar becomes more viable, and the field will be ripe for solar mergers and acquisitions, and these can and should be seen as the natural evolution of a new market becoming solidified.

There are about 60 solar panel manufacturers in the U.S. large enough to gain a position on the U.S. Energy Information Agency’s website, with another 20 companies vested in peripheral solar parts (batteries, parabolic collectors, etc.). There are an equal number of solar startups too new, or vested in such currently arcane technology, to be noted anywhere.

This isn’t to say that the newer technologies aren’t promising, because they are. But they haven’t been field-tried and proven durable, efficient at collecting solar energy, or cost-effective on a commercial scale – the three tests of solar technology that allow it to survive, let alone thrive.

In that respect alone, the current recession may be a proving ground for solar, allowing the winners to push forward and the losers to go back to the drawing board. All in all, it’s an inevitable shakeout for solar, and may the best team win.

Cooler Planet is a leading solar resource for connecting consumers and commercial entities with local solar Installers. Cooler Planet’s solar energy resource page contains articles and tools about solar panels to help with your solar project.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/solar-energy-not-effective-1317143.html

Posted by GreenPowerGuy on October 9th, 2009

Nevada Fails To Promote Solar Energy

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As the nation’s capital creates legislation that is likely to transform the landscape of America from a fossil-fuel nation toward a renewable energy nation, states like Nevada – with its abundant sunshine, wide open spaces and concentrated population located in two major cities – stand to gain.

Nevada has already heeded the call of renewables. Plans for two coal-fired generating plants in White Pine County – by LS Power and Nevada Energy – have been canceled. Another coal-fired plant near Mesquite hit the skids earlier in the year.

Cap-and-trade, which threatens to make global warming emissions incrementally more expensive over time, is one of the bigger incentives to move away from coal, oil and natural gas. But another, a $3.2-billion provision hidden away in the economic stimulus bill passed in February, gives power companies in the West access to low-cost loans via the Western Power Authority that will help extend the nation’s transmission system to incorporate renewable energies like solar.

It’s a first step toward a smarter grid, and an essential step if renewable alternatives like solar and wind farms, commonly built well outside inhabited areas, are to reach the thousands in cities who need more energy, and would prefer it clean and green.

At least, this is the conclusion reached by a new Roper survey, which shows that almost 90 percent of Americans think new home construction should offer a solar option. This is up from 79 percent a year ago, according to the study commissioned by Sharp Electronics Corp.

The $3.2 provision, introduced by Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nv.), the current Senate Majority head, solves a long-standing Catch 22: investors are reluctant to finance renewable projects unless the transmission lines exist to transport it. But investors are also reluctant to invest in transmission lines until said renewable projects are up and running.

Up to now, the solution to this dilemma has been to build more fossil-fuel plants close to existing plants and tie the plant in to existing transmission. Coal-fired plants are cheap to build, domestic coal is believed to be plentiful, and is also inexpensive, allowing builders to recoup their construction costs quite rapidly.

But let’s go back to that plentiful coal. According to a report released by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) late in 2008, coal reserves in the Gillette, Wyoming field are – thanks to reevaluation and a redefining of the term “accessible” – a scarce 6 percent of previous estimates.

Another report from 2007, which dismisses previous methods of evaluating coal reserves, suggests that actual coal reserves across the country might be much smaller than previously supposed. In effect, say some experts, the U.S. only has enough coal to last about 20 years.

In light of this, it suddenly makes sense to build a $500-million line between Las Vegas and Ely to carry solar power. And both LS Power and NV Energy, having scrapped coal plans, are going ahead with transmission planning, because Nevada – with its 2005 mandate on utilities to provide 9 percent from renewables – is finally catching up, even if four years late.

Nevada’s Senate Bill 358, which will allow NV Energy to recover conservation losses through higher rates, is another incentive to go green, even though regional enviros regard it as a utility bailout.

The 2005 law mandates utilities like NV Energy and Nevada Power to produce 20 percent of power via renewables by 2015, and 25 percent by 2025. With the new power line a go, solar energy firms like First Solar should begin flocking to Nevada’s wide open spaces and 360 days of sunshine a year any time now.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/nevada-fails-to-promote-solar-energy-1317434.html

Posted by GreenPowerGuy on October 9th, 2009

ISKRA Wind Turbine suppliers rebrand to Evance – Powering Progress:

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Evance: International wind turbine suppliers

The wind power industry is advancing in the exploration and development of better and more efficient ways of converting wind power into useful energy. Primitive techniques of harnessing the power of the wind already existed many centuries ago and today, modern wind turbine suppliers aim to better their designs and technology to meet current and future energy demands.

ISKRA Wind Turbine suppliers recently announced its decision to change the company name to Evance. The company was already established in the wind generator UK market and is fast expanding into the international market. As a leading manufacturer of small wind turbines, ISKRA, now Evance, anticipated a potential trademark dispute concerning the name ISKRA. The company has released a range of reputable wind turbines and a new corporate look and feel suits its rapid international expansion and production of new, innovative small-scale wind turbines.

Evance is an appropriate amalgamation of the terms advance and energy, illustrating Evance’s role as pioneers in the field of renewable energy generation, in particular wind turbine technology. The rebrand was announced earlier this year in May, and the timing of this brand-evolution strategy was carefully calculated to accompany the release of the new smaller, more efficient Evance wind turbine. Evance is confident that their latest wind energy system, called the EVANCE ISKRA R9000, will do well in the international and UK wind generator markets.

EVANCE ISKRA R9000: Less wind power, more energy

The EVANCE ISKRA R9000 is a new 5kW wind turbine that exhibits a variety of high-tech qualities. This wind turbine was carefully designed with the smaller wind market in mind. Some of this small wind turbine’s attractive features include reduced noise level, easy installation, power generating capabilities and efficiency. This small-scale wind turbine can generate the same power as some 6kW turbines, and in certain conditions also surpassing some 10kW turbines.

Evance aims to expand their current wind energy communication platform to reach both the local and international market more effectively. They recently signed up with four new international resellers and the company plans to export at least 50% of their products over the next twelve months. At this stage international wind turbine resellers include countries such as Scotland, Ireland, Italy, Germany and most importantly USA. Evance plans to further grow and expand its supply into on and off grid applications in the U.S, greater Europe and Emerging Market Regions with the best available wind turbines on the market and supported with highest after sales support standards. The UK is emerging as a world leader in the production and supply of wind turbines and Evance’s new ISKRA R9000 sets the highest standard for international and UK wind turbine suppliers.

(ArticlesBase ID #1244780)

Small Wind Turbines UK – Evance is pioneering the production of exceptional small scale wind turbines, enabling people all over the world to harness wind energy, and power their future with a clean conscience. The Evance Iskra R9000 Advanced Small Wind Turbine is the result of 10 years of dedicated research and development, and is based on our experience of designing utility small scale turbines

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/iskra-wind-turbine-suppliers-rebrand-to-evance-powering-progress-1244780.html

Posted by GreenPowerGuy on September 18th, 2009

SPG Incorporates Solar Panels to Mammel Life

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At The Marine Mammal Center (TMMC) in Sausalito, California, where sea otters, dolphins, seals and even whales that have been abandoned or abused come for healing, SPG Solar has installed a solar panel system that both shades open enclosure areas for greater comfort and healing and provides 10 percent of the facility’s needed electricity.

Measured at peak capacity, the photovoltaic (PV) array will deliver 37,000 kilowatt hours annually from a 22.5 kWp system. The kWp designates kilowatts at peak (p) performance, or output.

Working with the TMMC staff, SPG Solar – which designs and installs custom PV systems – created a uniquely suitable marine mammal shelter by analyzing the pitch of individual PV panels in relation to the slopes where they were installed to provide optimum shade. SPG also used materials designed for stability and maximum performance in the damp, salty environment where the mammals take shelter, and insured the animal’s safety by concealing the wiring inside the PV panel’s columnar supports.

As a final touch, SPG installed an interactive kiosk which allows the approximately 100,000 annual visitors from around the world to see how the system is performing in real time.

TMMC, which rescues and rehabilitates up to 1,200 marine mammals each year with a full-time staff of 30, went solar in order to set an example for other organizations, according to Tony Promessi, TMMC’s director of Life Support and Facilities. Because TMMC is an educational facility, as well as a marine hospital, it seemed the ideal way to promote clean, renewable solar energy, Promessi noted.

According to figures from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, TMMC’s solar installation will cut emissions of carbon dioxide – which would have been produced by a fossil-fuel burning power plant – by 664 metric tons over the next 25 years, which is the lifetime of the system. This is equivalent to taking 122 cars off the road or planting 4,000 trees.

Carbon dioxide, implicated not only in global warming but in the rising acidity of oceans, is destroying phytoplankton. Phytoplankton, the ocean’s equivalent of trees, shrubs and grasslands, drive the entire ocean food chain. Without them, ocean fish will disappear, leaving marine mammals without their staple food, so the TMMC solar installation is also another facet of marine mammal rescue, insuring that the oceans remain viable food sources not only for seal and dolphins but for humans.

SPG, which recently completed the largest PV theater installation in the U.S. on the roof of Livermore Cinemas in California, also partnered in February with SunRun, which leases solar systems to homeowners at rates that are usually less than the utility charges.

(ArticlesBase ID #1235639)

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/spg-incorporates-solar-panels-to-mammel-life-1235639.html

Posted by GreenPowerGuy on September 16th, 2009

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