Donaldson Company, Inc. (NYSE:DCI) Ratings Update

Wall Street analysts polled by Zacks Research have given Donaldson Company, Inc. (NYSE:DCI) a rating of 3.1 on a consensus basis. Using a simplified scale where 1 is a Strong Buy and 5 a Strong Sell, this is the average number of the 4 brokerages surveyed. The stock had a rating of 3.1 when analyst ratings were averaged three months ago.

The covering analysts have a one year price objective of $29.5 on Donaldson Company, Inc. (NYSE:DCI). The most bullish brokerage firm sees the stock heading to $32 , while the most conservative estimate has an objective of $24.

Earnings Look

Wall Street will be paying close attention when Donaldson Company, Inc. reports their next quarterly earnings report on 2016-02-23. Analysts polled by Zacks are expecting earnings per share of $0.43 for the period ending 2016-01-31. This is the consensus number based on the 4 broker predictions taken into consideration. On a longer term basis, sell-side analysts who project long term growth are expecting earnings of $10.04. This is the three to five year estimate for both earnings and sales.

Most recently Donaldson Company, Inc. reported actual earnings of $0.34 per share for the quarter ending on 2015-10-31. The actual reported number was $0.01 away from what analysts had expected, yielding a surprise factor of 3.03%.

Donaldson Company, Inc. (Donaldson) is a worldwide manufacturer of filtration systems and replacement parts. The Company’s product mix includes air and liquid filtration systems and exhaust and emission control products. The Company operates in two segments: Engine Products and Industrial Products. Products in the Engine Products segment consist of air filtration systems, exhaust and emissions systems, liquid filtration systems, and replacement filters. Products in the Industrial Products segment consist of dust, fume, and mist collectors, compressed air purification systems, air filtration systems for gas turbines, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane-based products, and specialized air filtration systems for applications including computer hard disk drives. Donaldson’s products are manufactured at 40 plants around the world and through three joint ventures.

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Donaldson Company, Inc. (NYSE:DCI) Ratings Update

LETTER: County residents deserve say on wind farm

In The Daily Republic article dated Dec. 31, Jeff Bathke, the Davison County zoning administrator, was interviewed about the zoning issues surrounding the proposed Juhl wind project west of Mitchell.

In the article, Bathke confirmed that the Davison County Commissioners have been working on updating the zoning ordinances prior to the Juhl application. Bathke explained the process for developing the wind ordinances, wherein his recommendations would first be presented to the commissioners for their input and changes, then to the public for input and changes. Finally, the commissioners would vote to include the resultant items in the revised Davison County zoning ordinance, which would apply to all future wind conversion projects.

But wait! What about Juhl’s permit that is still on the table? Its permit contains no conditions or safeguards. Bathke’s reported view in the article was, “If Bathke’s recommendations are approved in early 2016, Juhl Energy’s proposal would already meet the new guidelines.”

That sounds like the Juhl proposal is a done deal and the county should, in good faith, approve its permit with no conditions because they are voluntarily agreeing to comply with a set of standards that they wrote and that he assumes will, in the future, be in compliance anyway.

Bathke’s assumptions that the people of Davison County even want wind energy conversion projects and that his already formed recommendations would weather the process he laid out for creating them are, well, presumptuous.

Shouldn’t the process he outlined for drafting these recommendations be followed prior to the approval or denial of Juhl’s permit? Wouldn’t it be prudent of the Board of Adjustment in the upcoming Feb. 9 meeting to simply deny the permit on grounds that it is not in the best interest of the citizens of Davison County because it lacks any conditions or safeguards?

Concerning industrial wind conversion projects, there are so many controversial issues related to them, let’s first find out what the people of Davison County want and how they want to do it and then act on their behalf for the safety and protection of everyone.

Jerry Scott

Mitchell

LETTER: County residents deserve say on wind farm

Koraput admin plans solar power units in 56 sevashrams

Koraput: To ensure continuous power supply to sevashrams (residential school meant for SC and ST students) in the interior pockets of Koraput, the district administration has decided to set up rooftop solar power units at 56 hostels during the current financial year.

“Owing to remoteness, these schools are either not electrified or the power supply is erratic. The students face difficulties while studying at night,” said collector (Koraput) Jaya Kumar V.

Official sources said eight sevashrams with 250 to 600 students from each of the 14 blocks in the district have been shortlisted for the project. The final 56 will be picked from these. The units will be set up in at least four sevashrams in each block.

“Bulbs and fans could be run using solar energy. These schools will be supplied LED bulbs, which consume less power,” said district welfare officer (Koraput) Trinath Rao.

Around 5 lakh will be spent on installing each unit and funds from Gopabandhu Gramin Yojana will be used for the purpose, he said.

“Depending on students’ strength, we get monthly electricity bill ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000. The solar power units will bring down the expense,” Rao added.

There are 154 sevashrams in the district and these are being run by ST and SC development department. arlier, the administration had installed solar energy-powered hand pumps in 151 sevashrams to help the students draw water from tubewells.

Koraput admin plans solar power units in 56 sevashrams

Change Air Filters When You Move Into a New Home

There’s a lot to do when you move into a new home, from unpacking to popping some bubbly to celebrate. One thing that’s easy to overlook? Swapping out all those air filters.

As Bankrate points out, most homes have a lot of air filters. Chances are, many of them haven’t been replaced in a while. Here are a few they suggest swapping:

• Aeration filters in kitchen and bathroom spigots.


• The air filter in the heating and air conditioning unit.


• The vent filter above the stove.

…aerators cost about $7 each, and if there’s been an accumulation of sediment over the years, replacing them will improve the water pressure. Range vent filters can run $10 to $30, while heating and air filters are available for $5 to $30.

Next time you move into a new place, add this to your list. For more to-do list items, check out Bankrate’s full post at the link below.

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5 Things To Do Immediately When You Move Into a New Home | Bankrate

Change Air Filters When You Move Into a New Home

Coal Will Struggle To Survive Australian Solar Surge

Anyone looking for evidence that solar power is more than just a passing fad need only look at Australia’s newest solar plants. Recently, the country saw two new solar plants officially open in the sunny state of New South Wales. The mammoth projects cover nearly 1,000 acres and are owned and operated by AGL Energy. Between them, the two plants will generate roughly 360,000 megawatt hours of electricity – enough power for more than 50,000 homes.

Australia is uniquely positioned to capitalize on solar energy and it is entirely possible that the country will be mostly reliant on solar power rather than coal within a decade or two. Australia is much like the American west – vast, sunny, and with a relatively small population compared to its size. Australia actually receives more solar radiation per square foot than anywhere else on the planet. Between that fact, and the reality that much of the Australian outback is simply desolate uninhabited desert, Australia has a natural confluence of advantages that align with solar.

Related: Saudi Aramco Chairman Talks Oil Down

Australia has vacillated between taking advantage of its abundance of opportunity in solar, and looking beneath the surface for opportunity with coal. The national government put forth a Clean Energy Plan legislating that 20 percent of power for electricity come from renewables by 2020. It’s unclear if that mandate will survive in the long run, but Australia clearly has the potential to economically produce renewable energy unlike many other areas of the globe.

Australian coal operators recognize the potential damage to their industry that solar can do and are actively interested in squashing that competition. Currently coal companies have a near monopoly in many areas of Australia when it comes to generation capacity. To the extent that solar is a fundamentally cheaper way to generate electricity, coal generators are in trouble. Environmental concerns are largely irrelevant in this case – the situation is being driven by economics. Solar power becomes cheaper as larger and more efficient solar farms are developed, but coal operators and those with a stake in coal power realize this and are naturally interested in doing whatever they can to avoid growth in this nascent competition.

Related: Oil Crash Only The Tip Of The Iceberg

But solar power is cheap in Australia and getting cheaper. As solar panel costs have fallen dramatically, up-front capital costs for generating solar have declined. This is critical because unlike coal, solar’s costs are mostly front-end loaded. Eventually, then, solar might win a significant market share against coal on its own anyway.

Solar has another advantage going for it though – the slowdown of China. As China has slowed down, demand for Australian produced commodities from iron ore to metallurgical coal has fallen through the floor. As this has occurred, many existing Australian mines for these products have become uneconomical. That wouldn’t normally affect Australian thermal coal used for electrical generation. But it does in this case. Coal mining requires large upfront investment and it also requires significant on-going expenses over time. As the price of complementary commodities like thermal coal falls, Australian coal miners lose economies of scale. With miners in Australia and everywhere else looking to any possible project to make money, thermal coal prices are also way down (since supply is up). The result is that thermal coal producers are under tremendous pressure.

Related: How Soon Could A Sustained Oil Price Rally Occur?

Coal producers today are fighting like cornered animals to keep their market share, but external factors from commodity prices to financial market conditions are conspiring against them. As this difficult macroeconomic environment continues, coal producers may eventually find themselves forced into financial distress and unable to marshal the resources needed to hold onto their market clout. When that happens, it will create an opening for Australian solar power. The start-up of these two vast new Australian solar plants suggest that solar’s opportunity may be closer than many assume.

By Michel McDonald of Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:

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Coal Will Struggle To Survive Australian Solar Surge

Report: Britain Faces a Major Energy Crisis Within 10 Years

Britain is heading for a major energy crisis within ten years, says a report published today by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

The loss of coal by 2025, along with growth in demand and the closure of the majority of our nuclear power stations will therefore be significant, leaving a potential supply gap of 40%–55%, depending on wind levels.

What the report doesn’t explain properly is that this is a direct result of the decision by Prime Minister David Cameron and his Energy Secretary Amber Rudd to engage in green gesture politics by announcing the premature phasing out of all Britain’s coal-fired power plants. These currently supply about one quarter of the country’s energy needs.

According to the report’s author, Jenifer Baxter:

“The UK is facing an electricity supply crisis.

“As the UK population rises and with the greater use of electricity use in transport and heating, it looks almost certain that electricity demand is going to rise.

“However, with little or no focus on reducing electricity demand, the retirement of the majority of the country’s ageing nuclear fleet, recent proposals to phase out coal-fired power by 2025 and the cut in renewable-energy subsidies, the UK is on course to produce even less electricity than it does at the moment.

“We cannot rely on CCGTs alone to plug this gap as we have neither the time, resources nor enough people with the right skills to build sufficient power plants.”

Combined Cycle Gas Turbines (CCGTs) are the state-of-the-art form of gas power generation which could, theoretically, fill that yawning energy gap. The problem is, says the report, that at least 30 of them would need to be built within ten years: something which certainly isn’t going to happen in the current climate when renewables are so heavily subsidised that it is quite impossible for fossil fuels to compete on a level playing field.

In other words technologies that work are being driven out of the market by technologies that don’t work, simply because of misplaced green squeamishness about “carbon” emissions.

The report is absolutely correct in its concerns. As with Islam, so it is with energy: Britain’s political class – in common with Europe’s political class – has neither the understanding nor the appetite, let alone the courage, to take the actions necessary to avert the inevitable crisis.

Even so, the organisation that produced the report – the Institution of Mechanical Engineers – is as much a part of the problem as it is the solution. Like so many institutions it has been swallowed up by the Green Blob.

Here, for example, is the CV of the report’s author Jenifer Baxter: (H/T Climanrecon at Paul Homewood’s place)

“Jenifer entered engineering in 1995 undertaking a BTEC in general engineering at North Hertfordshire College with an aim to change the world and create a cleaner environment through engineering. Following this Jenifer gained a BEng in Environmental Engineering in 2001 and an MSc in Sustainability, Planning and Environmental Policy in 2003, both from Cardiff University. Following an early spell in research, Jenifer went to work for the waste strategy team at the Welsh Government for six years until she left to study a PhD in technological innovation for hydrogen production from waste also from Cardiff University.”

So, instead of analysing the issue from a strictly engineering perspective – as perhaps, you might hope from something which calls itself the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and not, say, the Institution of Big Fluffy Pie In The Sky Green Fantasies – Baxter does insist in imposing her environmentalist slant. Just have a read of this bit:

The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change has said that the Government’s focus is “to create policy to ensure energy is affordable and secure and that in the past the balance had swung too far in favour of climate change policies”.

However it is far from clear that this market-led, consumer-based approach would lead to carbon reduction. With historically low oil prices and significant reserves of coal globally, there is potential for the cheapest fuel for power generation to be the one that is most polluting.

Green finger-wagging editorialising, or what? Woman, get this: it is not your job as an engineer to be telling us what Britain’s energy policies will or won’t do for “carbon reduction”. Your job is to tell us whether or not the lights are going to go out. And then to make recommendations as to how we might stop them going out.

Preferably recommendations that don’t include drivel like “investment in research and development activities for renewables”. What do you think it is that created this problem in the first place?

Report: Britain Faces a Major Energy Crisis Within 10 Years

Mainstream finds partners for 448-MW wind farm off Scotland

InterGen-led tie-up ready to take on 448-MW wind project off Scotland

Jan 26, 2016 13:57 CET by Tsvetomira Tsanova

Siemens turbines at Westermost Rough wind farm. Source: Siemens AG. www.siemens.com/press

January 26 (SeeNews) – An equity consortium that includes InterGen, Siemens Project Ventures, The Marguerite Fund and Infrared Capital is ready to take the 448-MW Neart na Gaoithe wind project off Scotland into construction.

Ireland’s Mainstream Renewable Power, which developed the project, said today it is in exclusive discussions with the InterGen-led tie-up to take the wind farm to financial close and into construction. 

In July it was reported that Mainstream is negotiating the sale of the project to InterGen and Siemens Project Ventures. The developer did not reveal any further details on the talks today.

The project, planned for the Outer Forth Estuary in the North Sea, will use Siemens’ 7-MW turbines. It has secured a 15-year Contract for Difference (CfD) at a strike price of GBP 114.38 (USD 162.3/EUR 149.7), which Andy Kinsella, chief operating officer (COO) at Mainstream, says is the lowest rate achieved for offshore wind in the UK.

The Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind farm has already received several offers for power purchase agreements (PPAs) for its full output over the term of the CfD, Mainstream added. The deals are currently under negotiation.

Subject to the outcome of a judicial review by Scottish courts, the power plant could be fully operational by 2020. The contracts for the equipment and construction have been agreed and the needed debt funding has been sourced from commercial banks, Kinsella added.

According to the developer’s estimates, GBP 540 million will be directly spent in Scotland during the offshore wind park’s construction, followed by GBP 610 million during the operational phase.

(GBP 1 = USD 1.419/EUR 1.309)

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Mainstream finds partners for 448-MW wind farm off Scotland

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Reasons why switching to solar panels makes sense

We all appreciate the idea of saving money while saving the planet, so solar panels seem like a no-brainer for every household. But navigating through the jumble of upfront costs, incentives and even leasing options make many homeowners hesitant to jump on the photovoltaic bandwagon.

More than a half million homes in the United States are now solar-powered and most of those are in California. San Diego is a prime spot for solar energy with plenty of sunshine, solar-friendly regulations and high electricity prices. San Diego has one of the highest electric utility rates in the nation, with the average bill ranging from $100 to $130 a month. And those rates will go up. Switching to solar will reduce rates, whether buying or leasing solar panels. It’s just a matter of how much and how soon you will see the savings.

If you’re in the market for a new home, consider one with solar panels.

“Our homes are already among the most energy-efficient available today, and our solar program raises the bar even higher and makes our homes even more affordable,” said Craig LeMessurier of KB Home. “For example, we estimate that a 1.4-kilowatt, high-efficiency SunPower solar system, which is our smallest system, installed as a standard part of a 1,975-square-foot Energy-Star certified home would yield a monthly savings of $216 or about $25,900 over 10 years. We have seen numerous examples of homeowners experiencing monthly energy bills as low as a couple dollars; however, depending on the size of the system and their home, a buyer can reduce their energy bill by anywhere between 20 percent to 80 percent. Once a buyer understands these savings, they are more than ready to jump on board with solar. It’s more than a game changer; it’s a lifestyle changer.”

Installing a solar system costs anywhere from $20,000 to $40,000, depending on the size of the system. The cost is calculated in dollars per watt. Currently that cost is averaging $4 to $6 per watt, according to the Center for Sustainable Energy. A federal solar tax credit of 30 percent is still available through the end of the year to substantially lower the cost of a system. Numerous websites, such as solar-estimate.org, will help you determine the size of the system you need based upon your energy use.

Check with your lender for low-interest solar loans. With a 10- or 20-year loan, homeowners can see immediate savings over standard electric rates because the monthly loan payments can be lower than the electric bill.

Many solar companies are now offering a lease option. Under this plan the solar provider installs and owns the panels and wiring. The homeowner then pays the company a monthly fee, which is usually less than the electric bill. This is a carefree way to convert to solar with no upfront costs, immediate savings and maintenance included.

Solar customers are currently getting a full retail value credit from San Diego Gas & Electric for the extra power they use. Called Net Energy Metering, that arrangement helps homeowners eliminate their energy bills. But new legislation, through Assembly Bill 327, will change the rules, which will likely be less generous. The legislation will go into effect by July 2017 or once rooftop solar power hits 5 percent of the area’s peak demand. Most experts believe that will be before July 2017. Homeowners who install solar before the rules change will be guaranteed the more favorable rates for 20 years.

If you’re thinking about going solar, now is the time to make the switch.

If you have stories and feedback to share, please contact me at pat.setter@sduniontribune.com.

Reasons why switching to solar panels makes sense

Despite nuclear fears, Japan solar energy sector slow to catch on

FUKUSHIMA, Japan — Morihiko Shimamura has a vision for the future, depicted in a cartoonish community map on his partially biomass-powered truck. In the drawing, solar panels sit atop self-sufficient buildings, as waterways generate hydropower alongside wind turbines, and transmission cables are buried underground.

As he drives around this large prefecture, teaching schoolchildren how to make rudimentary photovoltaic cells, the 57-year-old cofounder of an umbrella of not-for-profit sustainability organizations advertises his optimistic vision.

But current reality is very different. The landscape here still bears the scars of a 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and subsequent nuclear reactor meltdown. Piles of black bags containing contaminated topsoil litter hillsides; display panels along an expressway show high radioactivity readings; and some villages remain ghost towns, largely off-limits to residents.

“I want people to know that the technology, we can make it, and then also we can make by ourselves the energy … [and] create the society without nuclear plants,” Shimamura explained through a translator.

Local officials endorse his plan, in theory. They too want Fukushima to get all its energy from renewables by 2040. Solar panels are already visible on rooftops, in backyards and open spaces, while green enterprises and research institutes are encouraged to locate there. Nor is the prefecture is not alone in its hope to use the tragedy as the catalyst for change. In opinion polls, a majority of Japanese citizens consistently support the goal of abandoning nuclear power while harnessing more renewable energy. Former prime ministers, leading businessmen and a one-time nuclear industry executive are among those urging rapid transformation.

Proponents now argue the national energy landscape of Japan has already been altered irreversibly, but that progress could be expedited. “Now I know that without nuclear energy we can still carry on people’s lives and also the Japanese economy,” former Prime Minister Naoto Kan told Al Jazeera. “There are obstacles but in the long term … there will be more renewable energy.”

But a survey of the complex landscape of Japan’s power industry also reveals a complicated picture remains, with entrenched corporate and government interests resisting a full embrace of renewable energy sources. 

Panels in a small hillside solar park in Fukushima prefecture operated by Morihiko Shimamura.Joe Jackson

In the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, Kan, then premier, ordered all 50 of the country’s reactors shut down. They had accounted for nearly a third of Japan’s needs, but required rigorous safety assessments and upgrades. Once a proponent of building more nuclear power stations, Kan announced Japan would instead phase out all its existing plants.

Meanwhile the government reengineered a subsidy scheme, called a feed-in tariff, which mandated and incentivized utility companies to buy renewable energy at favorable prices — initially ¥42 ($0.36) per kilowatt-hour for big projects, guaranteed for a 20-year period. The price then declines in subsequent years of the program, funded by a surcharge on electricity bills.

Pacifico Energy, a subsidiary of the California-based Jamieson Group, was a newcomer attracted to the rates. The company started Japanese operations in 2012 and has four mega-solar projects (over 10 gigawatts) in the pipeline. 

“You have to go where there’s going to be a market,” said Nate Franklin, Pacifico’s Tokyo-based country manager. “Japan was very aggressive wanting to procure renewables and solar, and so that really was the driver.”

The tariff has achieved some of its aims; by April 2015, Japan had added nearly 88 GWs of renewable energy capacity, though only around a fifth was operational. Meanwhile, solar generation contributed to about 10 percent of the peak power supplies in Japan last summer, equivalent to more than 10 nuclear reactors.

However, growth has come almost exclusively in solar. Other renewables have barely budged, due to overly long and stringent permitting processes, according to analysts. And with tariff rates falling, they note solar growth may slow now too.

Furthermore, Japan’s utility companies have begun blocking access to their still-monopolized grids, claiming they are overwhelmed and solar supply is unreliable, which led the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to review and alter aspects of the scheme, creating further uncertainty.

Dr. Yoshiro Owando, director-general of the Fukushima Renewable Energy Institute, in Koriyama, Japan, looks out over a small solar park and wind turbine, which help power pioneering research into renewable energy.Joe Jackson

Yoshiro Owando, director-general of the Fukushima Renewable Energy Institute (FREA), conceded some solar installation projects approved were “unsound.” The institute, part of the prestigious government-funded National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, is pioneering research into solar power storage to help create more consistent output, as well as developing next generation panels.

But Owando believes the limits to Japan’s electrical grid capacity and intra-regional transmission are the real barriers to growth. “Things are changing,” he added. “Many people are saying the mega-solar period [has] ended.”

Japan is one of a few advanced economies without a fully deregulated energy market: regional utilities monopolize power supply. Among other problems, it also lacks a single national grid; instead, the east operates at 50 Hz, the west at 60 Hz, with conversion capacity limits badly exposed after Fukushima.

“[We are] a very rich country, we have technology, but we don’t have any tools to deploy renewables,” said Mika Ohbayashi, director of the Japan Renewable Energy Foundation (JREF), established in 2011 by Masayoshi Son, one of the country’s wealthiest men.

Long overdue reforms are finally underway, with the gradual introduction of electricity market competition. Residential power customers will be able to choose a provider for the first time later this year, and a total unbundling of the system should happen by 2020. “The transmission system has to be neutrally managed,” Ohbayashi added. “It has to be very much separated from power generation.”

Other Japanese inefficiencies, such as in construction, also stop solar from expanding. Comparisons show Germany, a global leader in solar power, has half Japan’s panel installation costs, despite higher labor rates. “You can sell the power for more money here, but it costs more to build projects,” said Franklin.

In 2012 the longtime incumbent Liberal Democratic Party of Japan ousted the Democratic Party of Japan, after three years in charge, immediately altering the energy landscape. The powerful nuclear industry, frozen in the immediate aftermath of the disaster, has since reasserted itself. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe allowed the first reactor to be turned back on last year and has announced nuclear power will account for over 20 percent of the nation’s needs by 2030, with renewables making up closer to 25 percent.

Professor Kenichiro Ota, chair of the Green Hydrogen Research Center at Yokohama National University, believes it could actually take 50 years to create a comprehensive renewable energy network. “In that time we need energy resources, so I think partly using nuclear power is very reasonable,” he said, though he doesn’t favor building new reactors.

Ota and Owando, of FREA, believe at most ten reactors can come back online given the new safety requirements, making the government’s nuclear ambitions difficult to meet. Meanwhile, critics claim the renewables target is woefully unambitious. “We should be able to exceed [that],” Owando added. “The goal is lower than world standards.”

‘[Japan is] a very rich country, we have technology, but we don’t have any tools to deploy renewables.’

Mika Ohbayashi

director, Japan Renewable Energy Foundation

The reemergence of nuclear angers some in Fukushima. “Prime Minister Abe is trying to sell nuclear power plants to foreign countries, to continue on with nuclear policies … they should clean up all the radiation first,” said Yoshitomo Yoshida, 76, a coffee shop owner in Minamisoma, less than 20 miles from the stricken power station.

Critics also claim the so-called “nuclear village” — a term applied to the various intersecting groups with an interest in the industry — has deliberately thwarted renewables progress, through things like grid access refusal and misrepresenting costs. 

“[There’s] a community that gets profit from nuclear energy,” Kan, the former prime minister, told Al Jazeera. “In order to protect their right, they’re trying strongly to revive nuclear energy. They are strongly against the progress of renewable energy.”

The Abe government has also announced plans to build 41 new coal-fired power plants over the next decade, claiming they are needed to meet demand and counter costly imports of natural gas and rising consumer energy bills. “This is the worst policy of Prime Minister Abe,” added Kan.

Ohbayashi, of JREF, also called the plan “crazy” given Japan’s already-rising CO2 emissions. She said Japanese officials at the recent COP21 climate change talks were conspicuously silent and thinks Tokyo will fail to meet the mandates set in Paris without a rethink. “Japan’s energy policy, especially the renewable energy policy, is quite behind the other advanced renewable energy countries’ policies.”

The entrance to FujisawaSST, a sustainable smart town being built by a collaboration of 19 companies in Kanagawa prefecture, south of Tokyo, Japan, where planners hope the community will emit 70 percent less CO2.Joe Jackson

Despite resistance, parts of the private sector believe public attitudes have changed. An hour south of Tokyo by commuter train, a community is emerging that resembles the mural on Shimamura’s truck. Fujisawa Sustainable Smart Town, a collaboration of 19 companies, sprawls over a 47-acre former Panasonic factory site.

More than 200 of the 1,000 planned housing units have been completed, as well as some commercial areas. The site, to be finished by 2018, aims to use 30 percent renewable energy and cut CO2 emissions by 70 percent through solar panels, storage batteries and energy-saving equipment, while reducing water consumption by 30 percent. A central office gathers household energy usage data that it shares with residents monthly.

“At first, I didn’t think that much [about energy use],” admitted resident Yuko Ogata, 38, cradling her infant son at the community playground. “But once I started living here … I think I have to save more power.”

Households elsewhere are taking matters into their own hands independently. Kevin Meyerson, 52, a retired online entrepreneur, has constructed a certified “Passive” house — a style that meets high levels of energy efficiency — in Karuizawa, 80 miles northwest of Tokyo. He claims the property, featuring arm-length wall insulation, triple-glazed windows and a naturally ventilating heat exchange system, is the most advanced in the nation.

Meyerson sells surplus power from rooftop panels back to the grid, while lowering his bills through efficiencies. He sees these kinds of incentives, coupled with electricity market deregulation and other coming reforms, as powerful drivers of renewables.

“The political system is fighting it, but there’s the opposite pressure because they opened up Pandora’s box and allowed people to invest in renewable power and get a reasonable return,” he said. “So it’s just a matter of time now.”

Despite nuclear fears, Japan solar energy sector slow to catch on

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Smug about your solar roof? Not so fast.

If you’ve installed solar panels on your roof and feel aglow with environmental virtue, you may be in for a rude awakening. There’s a good chance someone else has purchased your halo and is wearing it right now.

In most states (including California), rooftop solar panels earn Renewable Energy Certificates, which quantify how much clean electricity they produce. But if panels are leased or installed under a power purchase agreement, it’s the “third-party owner” — not the homeowner — who gets those certificates. Most then turn around and sell the RECs, a process that magically turns brown electrons green.

Here’s how it works: Joe’s Solar puts panels on your roof that produce 7,500 kilowatt-hours a year, and Joe sells you the electricity under a power purchase agreement. Because Joe still owns the panels, he gets credit — in the form of RECs — for that renewable electricity. Meanwhile, Bob’s all-fossil utility wants to “green up” so it buys RECs from Joe. That allows Bob to relabel 7,500 kilowatt-hours of his coal- or gas-fired power generation as “renewable energy.”

It may sound strange, but a market to sell or trade RECs can be extremely useful. California, for instance, has a mandate for its utilities to generate 33% renewable power by 2020, but some parts of the state have little sun or wind resources. Still, utilities in sunny or windy spots can produce more than their requirement and then sell the extra RECs to areas where it would be much more costly, or impossible, to hit the target. Thus, the RECs market allows a utility in one region to finance additional green energy production in another where it is cheaper, supporting more carbon reduction at a lower cost to consumers.

That seems sensible enough. But something’s wrong if the buying and selling utility companies both claim that green power as their own. And that’s essentially what’s been going on with solar rooftops.

Today about 70% of new solar systems are owned by third parties that typically resell the associated RECs to a company with a well-publicized goal of being “carbon neutral” or to a power company that wants to claim it’s delivering a high percentage of green energy. (Homeowners are notified of this in the fine print of their contracts, which they probably never read.)

One might see this as a creative way to make both the solar homeowner and the REC buyers feel good about saving the planet. But the Federal Trade Commission is a real killjoy when it comes to such double counting of virtue.

The FTC recently issued legal guidance stating that if a solar company sells its certificates, it is deceptive to tell homeowners they are getting “clean,” “renewable,” or maybe even “solar” electricity with their lease or power purchase agreement. The FTC guidance uses this illustration:

A toy manufacturer places solar panels on the roof of its plant to generate power, and advertises that its plant is “100% solar-powered.” The manufacturer, however, sells Renewable Energy Certificates based on the renewable attributes of all the power it generates. Even if the manufacturer uses the electricity generated by the solar panels, it has, by selling renewable energy certificates, transferred the right to characterize that electricity as renewable. The manufacturer’s claim is therefore deceptive.

To be clear, there is nothing necessarily wrong with installing solar panels in one location and letting someone in another location claim credit, as long as everyone understands that this is happening. But many individuals who signed up for a rooftop solar system might be unhappy to learn that they were enabling some fossil-powered company to claim it has gone green.

The lesson here is that if you choose to go solar, find out what will happen to the RECs. If they are sold to someone else, you get to use the electricity, but you have to give back the halo.

Severin Borenstein is a professor of business and public policy at UC Berkeley.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook

Smug about your solar roof? Not so fast.

Alt-Energy Stock Outlook - Jan 2016

Governments, businesses, and cities around the globe are making concerted efforts to speed up the energy evolution. As the global energy system transformation is the backbone of climate action, the world has come closer under a set of major cooperative initiatives. Indeed, environmental considerations have been driving demand for alternative energy sources.

A U.S. Energy Information Administration (“EIA”) report projects that electricity generation from renewable sources to increase to 18% by 2040 in the country from 13% in 2013. For 2016, EIA expects total renewables used in the electric power sector to increase by 9.5%. A more comprehensive study by the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) shows that the country can generate most of its electricity from renewable sources by 2050.

These favorable demand growth trends notwithstanding, the abundant availability of fossil fuels and the resultant drop in oil prices have emerged as key competitive challenges for the industry. The industry’s long-term fundamentals nevertheless remain favorable.

Below we discuss some of the major alternative energy sources:

Solar

A major growth area in the renewable space is solar energy. An EIA report indicates continued growth in utility-scale solar power generation, which is projected to average almost 129 gigawatt (“GW”) hours per day in 2017. This marks a 45% increase from the 2016 forecast. In spite of a rapid uptake, solar will still be just 1.1% of total U.S. utility-scale generation in 2017, indicating room for immense growth.

Solar growth has historically been concentrated in customer-sited distributed generation installations. The EIA expects utility-scale solar capacity to expand over 126% between 2014 and the end of 2016, with about 38% of this new capacity being built in California.

Per the latest report released by the Solar Energy Industries Association (“SEIA”), the U.S. trade association of approximately 1,000 companies in the solar energy industry, the U.S. solar energy industry reached 1,361 megawatt (“MW”) DC in the third quarter of 2015, bringing the cumulative PV installations to 22.4 GW DC mark, buoyed by strong contributions from each of the three segments: utility, commercial and residential.

Particularly, the residential market grew 69% year over year, setting a new quarterly record.

The SEIA expects the U.S. PV market in 2015 to witness yet another strong year with installations reaching 7.4 GW DC, representing a 19% increase over 2014.

Solar in China: Although Chinese economic woes continue to hit the market, the longer-term prospects for solar in China remain intact. China has established itself as the world’s largest market for solar panels and will likely be the home to a quarter of the planet’s new energy capacity from solar panels in 2015, according to a report from GTM Research. China is speedily adding as much power generation as possible, and solar is just one source of new energy generation in the country.

While outlining its clean energy goals for 2016, China’s National Energy Administration (NEA) has set a target of 15 GW of new solar PV capacity, which is slightly lower than the goal of 17.8 GW of new additional capacity set for 2015. The country has a larger goal of reaching 150 GW of solar PV capacity by 2020. According to the NEA, China will end 2015 with 43 GW of cumulative solar PV capacity installed.

China has also pledged to attain peak carbon emissions by 2030 or earlier if possible. The country has set a daunting target of boosting the share of non-fossil fuels to 20% of its energy mix by 2030.

The following leading Chinese solar stocks are sure to make the most of the favorable government stimulus: JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. (JKS – Snapshot Report), JA Solar Holdings. Inc. (JASO – Analyst Report) and Trina Solar Ltd. (TSL – Snapshot Report).

Ontario, Canada-based solar product manufacturer Canadian Solar Inc. (CSIQ) is also well positioned with its diversified manufacturing base and project portfolio in Canada, China, Japan and the U.S.

Wind

The American Wind Energy Association (“AWEA”) reported that the U.S. wind industry installed 1,602 MW during the third quarter of 2015, bringing installations in the first nine months of 2015 to 3,596 MW. This is more than double the capacity installed in the first nine months of 2014. This brought the total installed capacity to 69,471 MW. Nearly a record level of wind capacity of over 13,250 MW is currently under construction. The majority of wind construction activity continues to be focused in Texas.

As per the EIA, wind capacity grew by 13% in 2015 and it is expected to increase by 14% in 2016 and 3% in 2017.

As per AWEA, wind power added more capacity than any other energy source, leading the country with 47% of all new electric generating capacity in 2015 (followed by natural gas at 35% and solar at 14%). Since 2008, total capacity more than quadrupled with over 70 GW installed as of Nov 2015, up from 16,702 MW installed at the start of 2015. That is enough to power over 19 million American homes.

Zacks Industry Rank – Mixed Outlook

We rank all the 257-plus industries in the 16 Zacks sectors based on the earnings outlook and fundamental strength of the constituent companies in each industry. To learn more visit: About Zacks Industry Rank. http://www.zacks.com/stocks/industry-rank

The way to look at the complete list of 257+ industries is that the outlook for the top one-third of the list (Zacks Industry Rank of #88 and lower) is positive, the middle 1/3rd or industries with Zacks Industry Rank between #89 and #176 is neutral while the outlook for the bottom one-third (Zacks Industry Rank #177 and higher) is negative.

Within the Zacks Industry classification, the Zacks Industry Rank for Solar is #15 out of 257. This corresponds to the top one-third of the list, implying a positive outlook.

The Zacks Industry Rank for the Other Alternative industry is #213 out of 257. This puts the industry in the bottom one-third of all industries. The decline in oil prices has dragged down prices of renewable stocks (both U.S. and Chinese solar stocks on the whole), thereby offering them at attractive valuations.

Renewable sources of energy accounted for about 10% of total U.S. energy consumption and 13% of electricity generation in 2014. Hence, the recent losses suffered by some of the fundamentally strong solar stocks can be good buying opportunities for investors with longer-term horizons. The U.S. solar market continues to grow as it registered 30% year-over-year growth in 2014, per the SEIA.

Please note that the Zacks Rank for stocks, which is at the core of our Industry Outlook, has an impressive track record going back years, verified by outside auditors, to foretell stock prices, particularly over the short term (1 to 3 months).

JA Solar Holdings, JinkoSolar and ReneSola Ltd. (SOL – Analyst Report) carry a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), whereas 8point3 Energy Partners LP (CAFD), First Solar Inc. (FSLR), Solar3D, Inc. (SLTD – Snapshot Report), Trina Solar and Hydrogenics Corporation (HYGS – Snapshot Report) hold a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

We remain apprehensive of the Zacks Ranked #4 (Sell) stocks Yingli Green Energy Holding Co. Ltd. (YGE – Snapshot Report), Ormat Technologies Inc. (ORA – Snapshot Report) and Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide Inc. (QTWW – Snapshot Report).

EARNINGS TRENDS

As far as the overall results of the alternative energy industry were concerned, the third quarter of 2015 was quite impressive. A number of solar stocks came up with higher earnings last season, while a few plunged considerably from their year-ago levels.

In spite of sluggish numbers from SunPower Corp. (SPWR – Analyst Report), JinkoSolar, SunEdison Inc. (SUNE – Analyst Report) and Canadian Solar, earnings beat from First Solar and JA Solar along with upbeat performance at ReneSola were particularly encouraging, spreading optimism in the broad sector.

The top rooftop solar installer in the U.S. — SolarCity Corp. (SCTY – Snapshot Report) — posted a wider loss in the third quarter due to rising expenses. Yet, its revenues soared 95.1% year over year and the company reported impressive installations for the quarter.

For 2016, we expect solar companies to witness an impressive year with more emphasis on installations. The companies seem to be channeling most of their revenues into installations with the solar and wind-tax credit extensions.

For more information about earnings for this sector and others, please read our Earnings Trends report.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >>

Alt-Energy Stock Outlook - Jan 2016

Five Ways to Show Love for Someone with Allergies or Asthma this Valentine's Day

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Newswise — ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, ILL (January 19, 2016) –While we often think of over-the-top gifts on Valentine’s Day, the true romantic can make a huge hit just by keeping a sweetheart’s allergies and asthma in mind when making plans for February 14.

“Little gestures are important and appreciated,” says allergist Bryan Martin, DO, president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI). “Let your loved one know you’re paying attention to their health as well as to romance. After all, what good are a dozen roses for the sweetheart who is too stuffed up to smell them? Help your valentine sleep, breathe and better appreciate the taste of that romantic dinner for two. That might even outshine a dozen roses!”

Following are five tips from ACAAI for this Valentine’s Day:

Dial back the perfume or cologne – Some people have a response to strong fragrances. It is generally a reaction to odors created by volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which can cause headaches, sneezing, watery eyes and runny noses. If your loved one doesn’t wear perfume, it’s probably for a reason, and a gift you should avoid this year. And you shouldn’t wear fragrance either.

Where there’s smoke, there’s coughing and wheezing – You may think a fire is romantic, but your loved one could find the smoke makes it hard to breathe. Smoke is a common asthma trigger, and can make someone with asthma uncomfortable. (Switch on an LED candle instead!) Also, don’t subject your loved one to second-hand smoke from cigarettes. Studies have linked secondhand smoke exposure with increased asthma prevalence, poorer asthma control and increased symptoms.

Provide a relaxing (and romantic) environment – Helping your loved one relax could actually help relieve their allergies. A recent study showed stress can create several negative effects on the body, including causing more symptoms for allergy sufferers. Think about scheduling a massage for your loved one, or give one yourself. Ahhh.

Cook a healthy meal: Cook up romance – A healthy diet is important for managing both allergies and asthma. You’ll want to take food allergies into account, of course, and steer clear of anything that might cause your loved one to have a reaction. Valentine’s Day isn’t the time to add new, untested ingredients to your culinary repertoire. And because obesity is associated with more severe asthma, a meal that doesn’t go over the top calorie-wise is a good choice.

Sweep your valentine off his or her feet by picking up a broom – It won’t cost you a dime, and it could have a big payoff. Those who are allergic to dust mites, mold, cockroaches and pets suffer when the house isn’t clean. You can get a head start on cleaning the house by changing your air filters every three months and using filters with a MERV rating of 11 or 12. Also be sure to vacuum regularly to get rid of dust mites. Use a cyclonic vacuum, which spins dust and dirt away from the floor, or a vacuum with a HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter. Wash bedding and stuffed animals weekly, and scrub bathrooms to get rid of mold.

For more information about the diagnosis and treatment of allergies and asthma, or to locate an allergist in your area, visit AllergyAndAsthmaRelief.org.

About ACAAI
The ACAAI is a professional medical organization of more than 6,000 allergists-immunologists and allied health professionals, headquartered in Arlington Heights, Ill. The College fosters a culture of collaboration and congeniality in which its members work together and with others toward the common goals of patient care, education, advocacy and research. ACAAI allergists are board-certified physicians trained to diagnose allergies and asthma, administer immunotherapy, and provide patients with the best treatment outcomes. For more information and to find relief, visit Twitter.

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Five Ways to Show Love for Someone with Allergies or Asthma this Valentine"s Day

NALCO to expand Suzlon-built wind power project to 27000 households capacity

National Aluminium Company or NALCO has awarded to Suzlon a contract to double its wind energy production capacity to 100.80 MW, the wind energy company said.

The project will be capable of providing power to around 27,000 households and reducing “0.10 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per annum.

NALCO which is a public sector enterprise of the Government of India is also Asia’s largest integrated aluminum company.

The corporate forayed into the renewable energy space in the year 2011 by entering into a partnership with Suzion for setting up its maiden 50.40MW wind power project in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

Suzlon will be responsible for the entire project lifecycle, from development to construction and commissioning including operations, maintenance and services of the project for an initial period of 10 years.

The project comprises of 24 units of S97-90 m tubular towers with rated capacity of 2.1Mw each and is scheduled for completion in FY2017.

The S97-90 m hub height wind turbine generator features Doubly Fed Induction Generator (DFIG) technology.

NALCO to expand Suzlon-built wind power project to 27000 households capacity

Space: the new frontier in clean energy

Col. Michael “Coyote” Smith(Photo: Contributed)

Sci-fi isn’t all fiction anymore. Harnessing the power in outer space is closer than we think, and in just a few years, electrical energy from the sun could be beamed down to charge the smartphone in your pocket.

Think Bluetooth, but on a galactic scale.

The concept dates back to science fiction authors of the 1940s, but it was proposed recently by Air University professors at Maxwell and leading scientists across the globe. The idea is to launch massive solar paneled satellites into outer space. From space, the panels would harness the energy of the sun and transmit it to Earth as clean electrical power.

Solar panels placed in space would allow continuous absorption of solar energy without the hassle of atmospheric and day-to-night disruptions.

Space-based solar power could be used for saving other natural resources, lowering consumer electricity costs and powering Third World countries. The possibilities are endless, and it could all start in Montgomery.

A decade ago, Col. M. V. “Coyote” Smith, while working for the Pentagon’s National Security Space Office, was given a mission to save the world – without any money and a six-month deadline.

He jumped at the challenge.

Now, his team’s revolutionary project on space-based solar power is in the running to win perhaps as much as $10 billion to develop and deploy such systems.  This could result in a portion of this development being done here in Alabama – in Huntsville and maybe across the state.

Titled “Carbon-Free Energy for Global Resilience and International Goodwill,” the proposal is one of six finalists selected out of 500 entries for the Department of Defense’s first-time innovation challenge for the D3 [Diplomacy, Development, Defense] Summit.

A decision on the winning proposal will be made Jan. 25 after teams brief the Secretary of Defense, DOD senior leaders, the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C.

If selected, the plan may not come to fruition for another decade. Still, the long-term benefits and applications are endless.

Smith said energy that is “broadcast” from space will not only power the grid, but eventually could power everything wirelessly, from household appliances, cell phones, and even transportation.

He also said that, in his opinion, Alabama and the U.S. have the lead in the research, although Europe, China and Russia are working on similar technology.

“Right now, we do have a lead should we choose to use it,” Smith said. “We have the potential of becoming the Saudi Arabia of safe, clean energy for the 21st century.”

The design falls in line with Maxwell’s new Cyber College, spearheaded by Air University’s commander and president Lt. Gen. Steven Kwast, to increase national security against cyber attacks.

“We are extremely honored to have been one of the few ideas selected out of over 500 entries. Air University personnel have been championing this idea since our early futures work in the mid-’90s,” Kwast said in a release.

Alabama is seemingly an unlikely candidate to station such a powerhouse of energy, but it is, in Smith’s opinion, an ideal location for interested corporations looking to invest in this kind of technology with the close proximity of Huntsville as a “Silicon Valley,” and Montgomery on its way to becoming the next “Gig City,” Smith said.

“I can easily envision this concept having massive appeal to industries who are looking for areas with low cost of living and low property taxes to establish major satellite plants here. This could be where the central control station would be established to operate the satellites that feed electricity into into power grids, not just here in Alabama, but around the globe,” Smith said.

“I’ve already had interested corporations speak with me, who were looking at the Hyundai plant and how attractive their business has become here,” Smith added.

Smith emphasized the project, if approved, would not be owned or affiliated with the military, but rather the Air Force would like to be a customer.

“I would really like to see investments from the petroleum and coal industries working collaboratively with government to establish a commercial space-based solar power enterprise to provide safe, clean energy to electric companies and co-ops,” Smith said. “This comes at a time when environmental concerns about carbon are going to cost a lot in fees.”

When Smith was assigned the project a decade ago, he was working at the Pentagon.

“We were supposed to solve the world’s energy crisis through an alternative energy source that was not only clean, but safe,” Smith said. “So that’s when I decided to lead the first crowd-sourcing study on the Internet to gather ideas.”

Smith invited the world’s best minds to contribute ideas and theories in an open forum. His boss didn’t take to the idea at first.

“’We’re the Department of Defense, we don’t do studies on the open Internet,’ he said, but he changed his mind, because this was too important of an idea,” Smith explained.

Within a month, Smith had received more than 200 responses from space scientists, engineers, businesses, lawyers, insurance companies, satellite designers and those from Maxwell looking to help in the process.

What they came up with hopes to reassert the U.S. as a leader not only in space, but also in energy production and other technologies, as well as fight climate change, create jobs and make the U.S. a clean energy exporter.

Smith, who teaches at Air University’s School of Advanced Air and Space Power Studies and Lt. Col. Peter Garretson at Air Command and Staff College – both at Maxwell – brought the team together to include Air University’s Center for Space Innovation, Department of State Bureau of Energy Implementation, Defense Advanced Projects Agency, Joint Staff Logistics Directorate, the Naval Research Laboratory, with industry stakeholders Mankins Space Technology Inc. and Northrop Grumman.

Even if the concept is selected on Jan. 25, however, it may be another decade before production begins.

“It’s going to be a crawl, walk, run process … There’s a lot of moving pieces to be considered,” Smith said.

Read or Share this story: http://on.mgmadv.com/1Rth51N

Space: the new frontier in clean energy

Suzlon makes solar power entry with projects in Telangana

Last Modified: Thu, Jan 14 2016. 02 57 AM IST

The projects will be completed through six separate special purpose vehicles across the state—one of 100 MW, one of 50MW and four of 15MW each

Mumbai: Wind turbine maker Suzlon Energy Ltd on Wednesday announced its official entry into the solar energy segment, receiving letters of interest (LoI) for the 210 megawatts (MW) of solar power projects that it won in Telangana through a competitive bidding process in August 2015.

The projects will be completed through six separate special purpose vehicles (SPVs) across the state—one project of 100 megawatts, one of 50MW and four of 15MW each, Suzlon said. The firm had quoted tariff of between Rs.5.49 and Rs.5.69 per kilowatt hour (kWh) for the six projects.

Suzlon did not disclose the investments for these projects, but people in the industry with knowledge of the matter said the total cost for setting up a similar solar power capacity would be roughly Rs.1,300 crore.

State utility Southern Power Distribution Co. of Telangana Ltd had in April 2015 invited bids for 2,000MW in solar photovoltaic projects by way of competitive bidding. The auction attracted more than 100 bidders and several firms, including SkyPower Global, Suzlon, Shapoorji Pallonji and Co. Ltd, Mytrah Energy Ltd, Acme Solar Energy Pvt. Ltd, ReNew Power Ventures Pvt. Ltd, won parts of the 2,000MW capacity at tariffs upward of Rs.5 per kWh.

Suzlon hopes to sign six power purchase agreements (PPAs) with state utilities for a 25-year period this month. The projects will be commissioned within the current financial year.

For Suzlon, which in recent years had struggled with muted growth, falling market share and high debt, the foray into the country’s sunrise sector will be a new avenue of growth. The company, which supplies turbines for wind energy producers, had a total consolidated debt of Rs.10,801.28 crore as of September 2015.

“Several companies that had earlier been focusing on the wind power market in India have now actively started looking at the solar market. This includes Ostro Energy, Mytrah and CLP Power India, apart from Suzlon,” said Jasmeet Khurana, associate director (consulting) at Bridge to India, a boutique consultancy.

India has a target of installing 100 gigawatts (GW) of solar power capacity and 60GW of wind power capacity by 2022.

Overseas investors and global renewable energy firms along with domestic firms are making a beeline for India—a market that is gaining prominence in the renewable energy segment.

At the state-held auctions, which require companies to manage land acquisition on their own, tariffs quoted have been upward of Rs.5. But projects won under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (NSM), where state-run NTPC Ltd is looking to provide ready infrastructure to developers within its solar parks, tariffs bids have turned aggressive.

Solar tariffs for projects bid under NSM touched a record low of Rs.4.63 when US-based SunEdison Inc. won a 500 MW tender by NTPC in November.

The Indian renewable energy unit of Japan’s SoftBank Group Corp. also won a project under NSM at Rs.4.63 in December.

“Solar and wind are complementary, hence we will leverage our project execution capabilities and end-to-end solutions to deliver solar projects,” said Tulsi Tanti, chairman of Suzlon Group, in a statement. “We are also working on integrated renewable energy solutions by combining wind and solar projects at a single location.”

Of the six SPVs, one is already a Suzlon subsidiary while the other five have been acquired, the firm said in the statement. “These acquired companies do not have any operations or assets currently and are acquired primarily to be used as SPVs for the proposed solar projects,” said Suzlon in the statement.

Mint’s Gireesh Chandra Prasad in New Delhi contributed to this story.

First Published: Thu, Jan 14 2016. 12 34 AM IST

Suzlon makes solar power entry with projects in Telangana

MSMEs yet to tap solar energy

The Micro, Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises (MSMEs) here that incur huge electricity bills say they cannot go in for solar energy unless the Government announces a special scheme for these units.

The powerloom units in Coimbatore district have appealed to the Union Government to extend loans at lower interest rates for those opting for solar energy.

J. James, president of Tamil Nadu Association of Cottage and Micro Enterprises, says the MSMEs need nearly eight kW solar energy and this will involve investment of about Rs. 8 lakh.

Scheme

If the Government announces a scheme for the MSMEs to go in for solar energy, at least those that operate from their own premises can install solar panels.

According to S. Ravikumar, president of Coimbatore Tirupur District Tiny and Micro Enterprises Association, a unit that has four lathes will pay a bi-monthly power bill of nearly Rs. 8,000.

Though the electricity bill is high, these units do not have financial resources to go in for solar energy. This is one of the reasons why micro units are unable to develop, he said.

The Union Government recently earmarked Rs. 5000 crore to promote rooftop solar panel installations at households, government buildings, hospitals and educational institutions. Industry sources say the average investment in a micro unit is between Rs. 2 lakh and Rs. 10 lakh. Hence, the units need financial support to install solar panels.

According to an official of Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency here, three or four units have gone in for solar energy of 20 kW to 50 kW each.

These are medium-scale units and have installed solar panels for captive use.

MSMEs need nearly eight kW solar energy and this will involve investment of about Rs. 8 lakh

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MSMEs yet to tap solar energy

Half Of the World's Newest Power Plants Are Using Renewable Sources

Nearly half of all the world’s power plants brought online in 2014 produce their energy by renewable means. No longer a niche market, rapidly expanding green energy is set to become the world’s main source of electricity within twenty years.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) says that green energy is currently the second-largest source of the world’s electricity, and it is gaining ground against its non-renewable and more polluting fossil fuel counterparts. A record high of 130 GW of renewable energy capacity was added to the power sector in 2014, in part due to supportive government policies and subsidies for solar and wind projects. While coal is still the world’s most relied-upon fuel for power plants, there has been a clear shift towards cleaner renewable energy sources, according to IEA’s World Energy Outlook 2015 report, published in November. They predict that at the current rate of the industry’s growth, renewables-based generation will reach 50% in the European Union, 30% in China, and 25% in the United States and India by 2040.

Global economic growth is expected to continue at current rates, and energy demand will grow by nearly one-third between now and 2040, according to the IEA report. They predict that China will soon reach a plateau of economic growth, and their demand for coal will remain stable or decrease in the next decade, but there will be dramatic increases in the energy demands of other countries in the developing world, like India and Indonesia. By 2040, Asia will be the consumer of up to 80% of all regionally traded coal and oil. But even as they pour more energy into their growing economies, many of those nations are also working towards better energy efficiency, adopting new technologies and government policies that aim to reduce energy waste. With improved efficiency and a global and regional shift towards wind and solar energy, we can expect a dramatic reduction in the rate of growth of energy-related carbon emissions coming from the energy industry.

Even so, emissions are expected to continue rising, with a global average temperature increase of almost 3C predicted by 2100. That temperature rise would have global implications: changing weather patterns and a rise in sea level will affect agriculture and increase water scarcity in many regions. The IEA report suggests that a “major course correction” will be necessary in order to reverse that trend and reach the world’s climate goals. The report also warns that measures towards energy efficiency and the shift towards renewable energy could be undercut by consistently low oil prices. With cheap fuel giving less incentive to developing economies to reduce their oil consumption, up to 15% of the potential energy savings from efficiency measures would be lost. Up to $800 billion of energy efficiency investments planned for the next 25 years could be discouraged if the price of oil remains low.

The price alone, though, isn’t enough to cripple green energy’s rise to the top spot in energy production: continued subsidies and government policies that benefit oil and coal companies are keeping the playing field uneven and putting green competitors at a disadvantage. It says something about current global attitudes towards climate that green energy power plants are being built so quickly despite the cheap appeal of the status quo.

Half Of the World"s Newest Power Plants Are Using Renewable Sources

Siemens secures 53MW Scotland wind order

Siemens has secured the order for the Blackcraig Hill onshore wind power plant in Scotland. The 53 megawatt (MW) wind project located in the Scottish council area Dumfries and Galloway will consist of 23 wind turbines of the Siemens G2 platform. The contract also includes a 20-year service agreement. Commissioning is scheduled for the spring of 2017.

This is the second project in which the customer Blue Energy, one of the UK’s leading investors and developers of renewable energy infrastructure, has worked together with Siemens after the 21MW Middlewick project on the Dengie peninsula three kilometers east of Southminster, completed in 2014. For the Blackcraig project, Blue Energy has again selected the proven technology of the geared Siemens G2 onshore turbine as well as the expert service and maintenance offered by Siemens. The Blackcraig Hill site is exposed to strong and consistent winds from the Irish Sea and the SWT-2.3-93, with a rotor diameter of 93 meters, will provide high energy yields. The project relies heavily on local content including construction work as well as service and maintenance jobs once the plant is operational. The project is expected to supply clean energy for more than 35,000 households and at the same time generate annual community benefits of nearly 7,000 Euros per MW capacity since Blue Energy allocates a share of revenues to community benefit initiatives.

Christopher Dean, CEO of Blue Energy, commented, “We are delighted to be working with Siemens again. Both the proven performance of the G2 platform and the specific characteristics of the site itself made the SWT-2.3-93 the clear choice for us.”

“Wind energy makes a significant contribution not only to a clean energy supply in Scotland but also to the local economies,” says Thomas Richterich, CEO Onshore of the Siemens Wind Power and Renewables Division. “In this context we are glad to collaborate again with Blue Energy to make wind energy the most beneficial energy source for society.”

Source: Siemens

Siemens secures 53MW Scotland wind order

Tiller Parts

For use with the 4-Cycle Honda-Powered Mantis Tiller/Cultivator (25cc engine; current model). Includes: 2 bottles of premium 4 cycle engine oil (2.6 oz. ea.), 1 funnel, 1 spark plug, 1 air filter pad, 1 2oz. tube of transmission grease, 1 transmission gasket, 1 fuel filter, 2 tine retaining pins, and combo wrench.

Tiller Parts