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News:
| 06.01.2012 |
Federal Network Agency reports record numbers for photovoltaics in December
December last year apparently saw a sharp rise in the number of photovoltaic systems reported to the Federal Network Agency in Germany.
A total capacity of 3,000 Megawatt was installed, reports the “Handelsblatt” under reference to the German Press Agency.
As a comparison, the figure was 2,100 Megawatt in the record month of June 2010. This also breaks the previous record year, 2010, by 7,400
Megawatt. Federal Environment Minister Norbert Röttgen (CDU) attempts to explain away the surprising figures as last minute panic. The discussions
about an absolute cap on the allowance in December resulted in considerable uncertainty, and hence to reactions similar to those experienced
during closing down sales. The fear of citizens is that the allowance could disappear completely sooner or later. If the figures reported are
officially confirmed, a further reduction of the allowance by 12 percent would be a certainty, and a reduction by 15 percent highly probable,
according to estimations by PHOTON.
Source: Handelsblatt, summary: PHOTON
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| 12.10.2011 |
Solar power: Usage on the up, costs remain stable
Consumer apportionment for solar power stable.
The spread of solar power usage is no longer a reason for increasing electricity prices. Over recent years, a sharp drop in production costs and considerably reduced reimbursement rates
for solar power have meant that even intense continued spreading of photovoltaic installations in Germany will barely have an effect on electricity pricing.
According to expectations from energy experts, solar power will reach the delivery level of electricity from offshore wind turbines by 2014 at the latest, and in the long-term will become
one of the cheapest forms of energy production.
Latest calculations by the Federal Association for Renewable Energy on the size of the so-called EEG apportionment, with which electricity consumers finance the switch to regenerative energy,
substantiate this. Every Gigawatt solar power capacity built in addition in Germany from 2012 increases the cost apportionment regulated in the Renewable Energy Law (EEG) by only 0.03 cents
per kilowatt hour electricity. "Solar energy can no longer be used as the scapegoat for increasing electricity prices. Now there is nothing in the way of continued, intense expansion of solar
power usage, not even from a financial viewpoint", said Carsten Körnig, CEO of Bundesverband Solarwirtschaft e.V. (BSW-Solar), in Berlin today.
Whilst the cost of solar power continues to fall, the amount of solar power generated is increasing sharply at the same time. The amount of solar power tripled during period 2009 to 2011. During
the first half of 2011, solar power, with 3.5% of gross power consumption, surpassed hydro-electric power for the first time. According to expectations from the German Solar Industry Association
(BSW- Solar), the figure for solar power is set to rise to at least 10% by 2020. "Solar power is becoming a price-breaker and a supporting pillar of the energy system of the future", said Körnig.
This year, BSW-Solar estimates around five Gigawatts of newly installed photovoltaic capacity. The new year will see solar power funding again be reduced by 15 percent.
Source: BSW
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| 29.08.2011 |
Half-year results for 2011: Renewables are providing more than 20 percent of power
BDEW publishes figures for renewable energies: The first half-year sees wind power rise to 7.5 percent / Photovoltaics overtakes hydroelectric power for the first time
Renewable energies surpass for the first time the 20 percent mark in the first six months of 2011. According to initial estimations from the German Association of Energy
and Water Industries (BDEW), renewable energies met 20.8 percent of the German power requirement in the first half-year with 57.3 billion kilowatt hours (first half-year
of 2010: 50.4). As a comparison, the figure was 18.3 percent in the first half-year of 2010.
At 7.5 percent (2010: 6.6), wind power remains the most important renewable energy. Biomass follows with 5.6 (5.4) percent. Photovoltaics has been able to almost double its
contribution by virtue of a surge in the installation of systems and sunny months early on in the year, ousting hydroelectric power down into third place for the first time.
Photovoltaic systems provided a total of 3.5 (2.0) percent of power. The BDEW reported that the contribution of hydroelectric power for electricity generation was 3.3 (3.6) percent
due to the weather conditions. The share of regenerative power from waste power plants and other renewables remains unchanged at 0.8 (0.8) percent.
Source: German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW)
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| 16.06.2011 |
Federal Network Agency confirms no reduction in solar funding as of 01.07.2011
Following recent announcements, the Federal Network Agency has also responded. It confirmed that photovoltaic in-feed tariffs
will not drop on 1st July. Additional installations in the first five months of 2011 totalled around 1000 Megawatt.
According to the Federal Network Agency, the period between March and May 2011 saw photovoltaic systems with a total capacity
of around 700 Megawatt brought on line in Germany. Extrapolating this to the whole year gives expected additional installations
of about 2800 Megawatt of photovoltaics capacity.
For this reason, there is to be no further reduction in solar funding on July 1st. “The allowance rates for systems entering operation
after July 1st are not set to fall“, explained Matthias Kurth, President of the Federal Network Agency.
The now published data on the photovoltaics market was to create clarity for further investment as quickly as possible. A curtailing
of photovoltaic in-feed tariffs would only have come into force if forecasted installations for the whole year had exceeded a value
of 3500 Megawatt.
Now, however, allowance rates to the end of the year are set to remain at between 21.11 and 28.74 Cents per Kilowatt of solar power
fed in, depending on the size of the photovoltaic system.
Source: Photovoltaik.eu
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| 04.02.2011 |
Photovoltaics on the verge of economic breakthrough
Photovoltaic power could be meeting up to twelve percent of the European electricity requirement by 2012, and up to nine percent of the worldwide
requirement by 2030 – provided appropriate investments are made.
These are the findings of the latest study, “Solar Generation 6“, by Greenpeace International and the European Photovoltaic Industry Association, EPIA.
Worldwide, photovoltaic investment to 2015 could double from the current 35 to 40 billion Euro to a proud 70 billion Euro – provided political funding turns
photovoltaics into an established method of power generation and provided photovoltaics is understood to be a key technology in the battle against climate
change. In the European Union alone, estimated investment could rise from today’s 25 to 30 billion Euro to over 35 billion Euro in 2015. According to the new
“Solar Generation 6“ study from Greenpeace International and the European Photovoltaic Industry Association EPIA, this paradigm change is expedient and possible.
According to EPIA president Ingmar Wilhelm, “Photovoltaics has been developing into a more powerful and more economically priced technology for many years now”.
The pricing of photovoltaic systems has fallen by about 40 percent since 2005 and a further 40 percent reduction is possible by 2015. As a consequence, the costs
for photovoltaic power in many EU countries could compete with standard electricity prices for private customers.
According to the study, the photovoltaic capacity installed globally could grow from around 36 Gigawatt today to almost 180 Gigawatt in 2015. In Europe, EPIA is
expecting a growth from today’s 28 to almost 100 Gigawatt. It may even be possible to achieve an installed photovoltaic capacity of up to 350 Gigawatt by 2020.
This could save 1.4 billion tons of CO2 – 220 millions tons of which within the EU. And the European solar industry, already employing over 300,000 people, could
be employing 600,000 people by 2015, even 1.5 million by 2020, if the general political funding programmes continue to take effect.
Source: solarserver.de
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| 13.12.2010 |
South Africa’s market is offering opportunities for renewable energies: Solar and wind projects with an overall capacity of 20,000 MW are planned
The Renewable Energies export initiative is reporting that the signs for expansion of renewable energies in South Africa are favourable. The industry
is set to gather pace with efforts to strive towards liberalisation of the electricity market, introduction of in-feed tariffs and tendering of large-scale
projects showing promise. South Africa’s energy supply is currently based virtually exclusively on the domestic mining of coal. Power generation from renewable
energies is therefore still playing a secondary role. To reduce the dependency on coal-based power, and to reduce CO2 emissions, there are, according to
current indications, 384 tenders from private companies who are looking to generate a total of 20,000 MW from renewable energy projects. A quarter of this is to
be achieved with solar and wind energy. Since October 2010, the country has also been looking for partners to invest in the construction of a 5GW solar project
(photovoltaics, solar thermal power plants and concentrator photovoltaics). South Africa’s Energy Minister, Dipuo Peters, hails the project as a "milestone" in
the development of the supply of power based on renewable energies.
Source: solarserver.de
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| 08.12.2010 |
COP16 – European solar industry appeals to the governments of the world: Photovoltaics is the solution to global energy supply and the reduction of greenhouse gases
December 7th 2010 saw the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA) use the COP16 Climate Conference in Cancun (Mexico) as a platform
to present facts on the accelerated development of photovoltaics across the globe to supply solar power to industrialised and developing nations.
According to the EPIA scenario of a paradigm change by 2020, electricity generated with photovoltaics could cover 12 percent of Europe’s electricity
demand. With an overall installed photovoltaics capacity of 390 Gigawatt (GW), 220 tons of CO2 could be saved annually. This corresponds to the CO2
emission of Thailand or that of 98 million cars.
Photovoltaics can accelerate sustainable development by safeguarding the basic supply.
A photovoltaics capacity of up to 1100GW is possible in the sunbelt by 2030.
The installed photovoltaics capacity in the global sunbelt could be between 60 and 250GW by 2020 and between 260 and 1100GW by 2030. According to the latest
EPIA report, "Unlocking the Sunbelt Potential of Photovoltaics", this would correspond to 27-58% of the forecasted photovoltaics capacity installed globally.
This is significantly different to today’s situation of the region, which spans all countries between the 35th parallel north and the 35th parallel south.
Despite the unusually high solar radiation, the sunbelt only accounts for 9% of the photovoltaics capacity installed worldwide.
"The sunbelt makes up about 75% of the world’s population and 40% of the global power requirement, but our analysis shows that about 80% of the additional global
demand for electricity will come from this region over the next 20 years. The delegates at the Climate Conference must recognise the massive photovoltaics potential
in these countries, largely not yet developed, and ensure that the right legislation and funding guidelines are introduced to bring clean renewable energy to this
region", says Despotou.
Source: EPIA | solarserver.de
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| 29.11.2010 |
New study: EU climate protection targets for 2020 are being exceeded with renewable energies
Renewable energies are playing a prominent role in reducing greenhouse gases within the European Union. This is the finding of a new study
conducted on behalf of the German Renewable Energy Association (BEE). Energy production from renewable energies rose by about 80 percent in
all 27 European countries between 1990 and 2007 - from 760 to 1350 Terawatt hours (TWh). Forecasts from the renewable energy industry in
individual EU member states together indicate a rise in regenerative energy production of 150 percent to about 3500 TWh. Compared to the gross
energy consumption in 2020 forecasted by the EU Commission, envisaging an energy efficiency increase of 20 percent, renewables will have a 23.2
percent share. This would mean renewable energies would exceed the 20 percent target by 2020.
Source: Bundesverband Erneuerbare Energie e.V. | solarserver.de
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| 23.08.2010 |
Market research: Germany will see a 71% growth in photovoltaics capacity in 2010
According to market research company iSuppli Corp (El Segundo, California, USA), attractive investment conditions in the first half of 2010 are
indicating an excellent year for the photovoltaics sector in Germany. In 2010, iSuppli is expecting a photovoltaics capacity of 6.6 Gigawatts
(GW) in Germany, a 71 percent increase over 2009 (3.9 GW). According to iSuppli, the situation in Germany is to be better still in 2011 with a
capacity of 9.5 GW. "The reduction in the solar power feed allowance, coming into force from July, has resulted in a sharp increase in installations
in the second quarter because consumers are looking to take advantage of the national feed allowance before it is reduced", comments Dr. Henning Wicht,
Director and Chief Analyst for Photovoltaics at iSuppli.
"Despite the reductions, iSuppli is forecasting continued strong demand for on-roof solar systems in the second half but turnover will not reach that of
the second quarter". Germany will continue to play a leading role in the photovoltaics market in Europe and the whole world, stresses iSuppli.
Germany is not only where the most photovoltaic systems are being built, it is also where German funding policy and feed allowances are setting examples
for other countries and their support for solar energy.
Source: iSuppli Corporation
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| 11.05.2010 |
New study: Germany as a location for solar – Medium-sized businesses anticipate increase in the number of jobs in the photovoltaics sector
Medium-sized businesses see a high level of attractiveness in the German photovoltaics market and sustainable growth in the number of jobs – both now and in the future.
Furthermore, those taking part in the study soon anticipate grid-parity: Power from photovoltaics at fair market prices for the end consumer.
Germany continues to be considered the most attractive photovoltaics market.
Those participating in the study currently rate Germany as the most attractive solar power
market. Even in three years the market relevance of Germany is assessed as high, albeit exceeded by USA and Southern Europe.
Eastern Europe, Asia and, in particular, USA will gain significantly in attractiveness in years to come. Further funding of renewable energies from political parties is expected.
Grid parity is drawing nearer quickly. Half the companies questioned (70% in the sunbelt) expect grid-parity in Germany in less than 5 years. 10% (in the sunbelt: 20%) even
expect this to occur within the next 2 years.
Source: Concentro Management AG Solarserver.de
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11.01.2010 |
Germany remains an attractive photovoltaics market
According to a recent photovoltaics survey right across the industry, continued market growth is expected for the whole
of 2010. The wholesalers, project planners, manufacturers and fitters asked expressed their views on expectations as regards
order situation, the German market, pricing and financing in 2010. Almost all companies are anticipating an increase in
turnover of at least 10 to 15 percent. Some are even estimating a doubling of turnover in the coming year. We are expecting
an increase of up to 3 gigawatts in Germany in 2010. Prices will drop in line with the EEC degression and suppliers will
have to shoulder this otherwise investors will jump ship.
Source: Photovoltaik
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| 14.10.2009 |
BSW-Solar: Tax revenues from the photovoltaic industry are higher than solar funding
Photovoltaic companies and employees paid some 3 billion in taxes in 2008. Germany’s solar industry has experienced rapid
growth over recent years, reports BSW-Solar, the German Solar Industry Association, in a press release. It is not only the climate
that is benefitting from this, it is also the state - according to BSW-Solar, Germany generated tax revenues totaling some 3 billion
Euro from the direct and indirect taxation of German photovoltaic companies and their 50,000 or so employees in 2008 alone. Initial
investment granted in the same year through the Renewable Energy Law, on the other hand, accounted for about two billion Euros,
stresses BSW-Solar. According to the press release from the Solar Association, Germany’s solar industry is therefore defending
itself against accusations from the conventional energy industry and its closely associated economic institutes and politicians
that the market launch of solar power technology (photovoltaics) is too expensive and funding must therefore be reduced more quickly.
Source: Solarserver
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| 08.06.2009 |
Greece decides upon promotion of photovoltaic roof systems
A new program in Greece is to drive forward the installation of small-scale
photovoltaic roof systems. It is to be up and running by December
2019.
The end of last week saw the Greek Development Ministry announce a
new program for the promotion of photovoltaic roof systems. These
are systems rated at up to ten kilowatt hours on private houses and
business buildings.
The approval process for the installation of solar power systems
is to be simplified and licenses are to be issued more quickly.
The program is to be up and running by December 2019.
Owners of small-scale photovoltaic systems are to first cover their
own power requirement. They can then sell the remaining solar power
to the public energy provider DIE SA at an inflated price. The ministry
is hoping the new program will stimulate the Greek photovoltaic
market and increase sales of solar panels, inverters and other accessories.
At the beginning of the year, the Greek Parliament adopted a new
law to promote solar power. According to this law, the highest in-feed
tariff is 50 cents for solar power from systems rated at up to 100
kilowatts installed on the Greek islands. Solar power from larger
systems is compensated with 45 cents per kilowatt hour. 5 cents
less per kilowatt hour is paid for systems on the mainland. A degression
is not envisaged until August 2010. According to the Greek photovoltaics
association HELAPCO, existing funding applications are to be approved
by the end of 2009. When installed, these systems would have a volume
of more than three gigawatts of nominal power. As a result, HELAPCO
are currently no longer accepting applications.
Source: Photovoltaik Magazin
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| 27.04.2009 |
Photovoltaics potential in excess of 22 Gigawatts
Farmers are important dynamos of the German photovoltaics market. The expectation this year is that they will install modules with a total rating of at least 285 megawatts, corresponding to a market share of almost 20%.
Farmers value mainly service alongside attractive yield and good
price-performance ratio. These are the key findings of a new study
on photovoltaics in agriculture.
Two thirds of farmers have a fundamental interest in acquiring a photovoltaics
system.
Agriculture has for years been deemed an important driver of the photovoltaics
market. But the search so far for more accurate analysis and up-to-date
figures on this customer segment has been to no avail. Lower Saxony,
Schleswig-Holstein and the federal states in the east of Germany in
particular have many roofs on free-standing stable and barns. Financing
options for photovoltaics systems in the agricultural sector are good
because farmers have relatively favourable access to credit, as the
study showed. The 258 machinery syndicates, in which a number of farmers
join ranks to share usage of or jointly acquire agricultural machinery
more cost-effectively, play an important role in the spread of photovoltaics
systems in this sector. As regional contact points and representative
bodies of farmers, they have raised both the profile and proliferation
of solar power generation amongst farmers.
Source: Photovoltaik Magazin
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| 24.03.2009 |
Japan starts new funding program
January 13th this year saw Japan start its new funding program
for photovoltaics - earlier than scheduled. Originally, solar power
technology was not supposed to be funded again until the beginning
of the new fiscal year in April - after expiry of the last program
in 2005.
Nine billion Yen (€78m) is available to the end of March
31st for starters, a figure that should suffice for the installation
of 35,000 systems with an overall capacity of 122.5 megawatt. Another
20.05 billion Yen (€174m) should be made available from April
onwards for a period of one year. Parliament is to decide in March
on the coming fiscal year and hence potential changes can not be ruled
out. If the figure remains at 20 billion Yen, we estimate 280 megawatt
could be attained.
Thanks to its program of subsidies, started in 1994, Japan headed
for many years the list of countries with the highest installed
power rating - until it was knocked off top spot in 2004 by Germany.
Since the old subsidy law expired, Japan has almost completely disappeared
off the photovoltaics map - the estimated installation capacity
in 2008 was only 180 megawatts, between 3 and 4% of the global market
size.
Source: Photon
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| 08.01.2009 |
Sharp is channeling energy into
solar
Japanese electronics manufacturer Sharp is looking to start up
its solar cell factory in Sakai near Osaka several months earlier.
"We are making efforts to be ready before March 2010", said
a Sharp spokesperson yesterday. Sakai is where liquid crystal panels
for televisions and also solar cells are to be produced.
With this new factory, Sharp is looking to again outrival the
current world market leader in solar cells, Q-Cells in Germany.
Q-Cells built its first factory outside of Germany (in Malaysia) and
is seeking to double production.
The Germans are aiming to exceed the billion mark in 2009, measured
in kilowatt equivalents. Sharp is currently at about 700 million with
this set to rise to two billion kilowatts by 2010. This urgency is
likely to pay dividends because the market is defying the crisis in
the financial markets.
According to industry journal PV News, it is set to grow by 30 to
40% annually.
Source: Cash Daily
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| 24.11.2008 |
New Study from Energy Watch Group
Rapid expansion of renewable energies is affordable - new nuclear
power plants are unnecessary!
According to a press release from the Energy Watch Group (EWG), formed
by the initiatives of international parliamentarians, the phasing
out of fossil/nuclear energy supplies is feasible financially with
manageable investments. This was the conclusion drawn by the authors
of the new study, "Renewable Energy Outlook 2030". According
to the study, at least 17-30% of the worldwide power and heat demand
can be met by regenerative sources by 2030.
The annual capital expenditure requirement necessary will reach
€62 to €124 per head of the global population by this
time. Overall, required investments have ranged between €510bn
and €1.021bn, depending on the speed of expansion. As a comparison,
2005 saw a worldwide expenditure of about €800bn for armaments,
€120 per head of the global population. According to the press
release, Germany is currently spending about €100 per citizen
for investments in culture.
The "Renewable Energy Outlook 2030" study analyses two
scenarios of the expansion of renewable energies - a lower and an
upper variant. Supply with fuels is not considered. It deals exclusively
with electrical power and, with certain limitations, with heat.
Channelled into the study are technology costs, learning curves
for manufacturing costs, projected investments, the different economic
power of regions across the world, available potential for renewable
energies and growth progression. The analysis was compiled on behalf
of the Energy Watch Group by Stefan Peter (Institute for Sustainable
Solutions and Innovations, ISUSI) and Dr. Harry Lehmann. The English
version of "Renewable Energy Outlook 2030" is available
from the Internet (155 pages, PDF format) under www.energywatchgroup.org.
An abridged German version (14 pages) is also available.
Source: Energy Watch Group (EWG)
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| 06.10.2008 |
Spain puts the brakes on growth
in the solar industry: Solar power feed allowances are being reduced
and photovoltaic expansion is being limited
The Spanish government has re-regulated the funding of solar power.
As reported by Corporate Law firm Rödl & Partner in a press
release, feed allowances for electricity from photovoltaic systems
are sinking less than previously expected (by about 30% to 34 Cent/kWh
for roof installations and 32 Cent/kWh for ground installations),
but the maximum rating of roof installations will be limited in the
future to 2 Megawatt (MW) and of ground installations to 10MW. The
annual allocation payment is being capped for the whole of Spain at
267MW for roof installations and at 133MW for ground installations
(upper limit of funding). An additional 100MW capacity has been approved
for roof installations and a 60MW capacity for open-area solar parks
as part of a transition ruling for 2009 and 2010. The new ruling is
based on Royal Decree 1578/2008 that came into force on 28.09.2008.
In the future, allowance tariffs are to be increased/decreased in
accordance with the trend of the allocation payment applied for. If
all allocation capacity is used up in one round of allocations, the
tariff is reduced in the next round, whilst, conversely, the tariff
is increased in the next round of allocations in the event allocation
payment remain free.
Rödl & Partner: Photovoltaic projects in Spain can also be
cost-effective in the future. The Spanish government justifies the
measures with the objective of braking, and better controlling, the
rapid development of photovoltaics, whilst at the same time promoting
research and development. "In the future, however, it will only
be those investors applying for projects at an early stage and submitting
the required documents in their entirety who have good chances of
success."
Source: Rödl & Partner: |
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| 05.08.2008 |
Gabriel rejects nuclear plans from
Glos: "We need sustainable energy policies, not nuclear energy lobbying"
"The coalition agreement is unequivocal - an exit from high-risk
atomic energy technology remains in place. If the Federal Ministry
of Economics tinkers with strategies to re-address it, it is not only
a clear violation of the coalition agreement, it demonstrates above
all that Glos is conducting out-and-out atomic lobbying". This
is how Federal Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel commented on the
plans from the Federal Ministry of Economics for a "nuclear energy
deployment law". Sustainable energy policies must, however, rely
on a massive increase in energy efficiency and on renewable energies.
Because it is only this way that price rises for consumers can be
curbed, security of supply be guaranteed and the climate protection
objectives of the Federal Government be achieved, says Gabriel. Gabriel
emphasizes that Germany is profiting like no other national economy
from the developments in renewable energies. 250,000 people are already
working in the industry sector. Environmental technology "made
in Germany" is a major export. By 2020, the number of jobs in
this sustainable sector will have risen to at least 500,000. "A
Finance Minister looking to stall this boom is in the wrong job",
says Gabriel. Prolonging the service lives of older nuclear power
stations does not make fuel or electricity any cheaper. There is no
safe place of disposal anywhere in the world for highly radioactive
nuclear waste. At the same time, advocates of nuclear power in particular
have refused a candid search for a site here in the past. Anyone wanting
longer service lives without having a safe place of disposal is playing
politics at the expense of future generations. According to Gabriel,
prolonging the service lives of older nuclear power stations would
not reduce the price of fuel or electricity. It would simply result
in even higher profits for the four major energy suppliers. "Ludwig
Erhard would turn in his grave if he knew his successor was confusing
regulatory politics with lobbying", says the Federal Minister
for the Environment.
Source: BMU |
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| 30.07.2008 |
Solar study course in Jena successfully
accredited
When the new academic year beings this autumn, the Technical College
in Jena will start a study course quite unique within Germany - Photovoltaics
and Semiconductor Technology. The Technical College in Jena reports
in a press release that the Bachelor course has now been accredited
without any conditions attached.
The new course of study, a highly topical scientific field, enriches
the range of courses offered at the Technical College. The Carl
Zeiss trust is supporting the Technical College through a trust
professorship in the setting up of this new focus. The new course
paves the way for future employment within one of the most promising
high-tech technologies - production technologies for solar cells
and microelectronic chips. The goals and academic content of the
course have been developed jointly by representatives of the industry
so as to satisfy the growing demand for qualified engineers and
to provide graduates a successful start to their professional careers.
The Photovoltaics and Semiconductor course is being run in conjunction
with the Institute for Photonic Technologies in Jena (IPHT). The
institute has been working for years in the field of photovoltaics
research. This experience and the excellent technical equipment
also benefit the new course.
Source: Technical College in Jena
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| 14.07.2008 |
Photovoltaics: Solar roofs continue
to pay off.
Real-estate portal Immowelt.de gives the all-clear to housebuilders
relying on solar power. State aid is not being cut anywhere near as
much as feared, stresses Immowelt in a press release. Anyone installing
a photovoltaics system and feeding the solar power generated from
the sun into the public grid will, in the future, receive a not insubstantial
level of support from the state. This is because the new allowance
rates for solar power have not been cut anywhere near as much as feared.
The allowance rates in the Renewable Energies Law (REL) for new
solar roof systems are to sink by 8% in 2009 and 2010 and by 9%
in 2011. This means that the allowance for a solar roof system with
a maximum rating of 30 Kilowatt is exactly 43.01 cents per Kilowatt-hour
in 2009, 39.57 cents in 2010 and 36.01 cents in 2011. To date, solar
power allowances have decreased by 5% annually. The new ruling affects
those who, from next year on, install a solar system and feed power
into the grid. A right of continuance applies for systems already
installed. Immowelt: A return in capital is expected despite a lowering
of the allowance. The REL regulates the prices at which electricity
suppliers must take the power generated. Thanks to the support of
the REL, consumers generally receive more money for the solar power
fed into the grid than they need to pay for the power sourced from
the supplier. An appropriate allowance is paid depending on the
year in which the system was installed. This is deemed a security
of investment over 20 years and remains constant.
Source: Immowelt AG
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| 15.01.2008 |
German solar power industry continues
on expansion course - turnover rose in 2007 by 23% to €5.5bn.
Berlin - 2007 was a year of records for the German photovoltaic sector.
According to the German Solar Industry Association (BSW-Solar), the
number of solar power systems, mounted primarily on German roofs,
increased by about 130,000 to a total of 430,000 systems. BSW-Solar
announced that, with 1100 MWp of additional solar power output, more
solar power systems were connected to the grid in Germany last year
than ever before.
The turnover of German photovoltaic manufacturers rose last year by
23% to about €5.5bn. German solar companies created 10,000 new
jobs in 2007. According to the German Solar Industry Association,
the total number of employees in the solar industry rose to 40,000.
The German Association is expecting double-digit market growth for
2008 as well.
According to BSW-Solar, solar power systems with a total rating of
about 3.8 Gigawatt peak have been installed to date. The amount of
electricity generated, 3000 Gigawatt hours, is theoretically sufficient
to power all of the homes in Hamburg. After an expansion of 850 MWp
in both 2005 and 2006, about 1100 MWp of photovoltaic power was installed
in Germany in 2007.
Source: iwr |
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| 20.12.2007 |
Two years ago, Google embraced
the concept of solar energy and installed a large photovoltaic system
at their company headquarters. Now the Internet group also wants to
generate revenue through the development and operation of other renewable
energy generating plants.
The self-styled world-changers in Mountain View are aiming extremely
high. Yet the technology with which they are looking to achieve their
goals does not yet exist.
Google wants to enter the renewable energy business on a large scale.
Up to now it has only been apparent that the successful company has
ambitious goals. Firstly, Google wants to build plants rated at one
Gigawatt (solar-thermal power plants, wind power systems and geothermal
power plants). Secondly, the plants are to generate electricity cheaper
than coal-fired power plants (at a cost of 1 to 3 US cents, 0.6 to
2 Euro cents, per Kilowatt hour). Thirdly, the end of November saw
Larry Page, founder of Google, announce that construction work should
take years rather than decades.
Source: Photon |
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| 29.11.2007 |
World climate protection needs
new political approaches
Dr. Hermann Scheer: World climate protection needs new political approaches.
World climate conferences can no longer be the measure of all things
for global climate protection. We need a global alliance of states
really willing to act." Dr. Hermann Scheer, Member of the Bundestag,
president of EUROSOLAR and chairman of the World Council for Renewable
Energy (WCRE), commenting on the outcome of the world climate conference
in Bali:
The conference in Bali has once again demonstrated that negotiations
aimed at an all-encompassing global agreement on climate protection
can collapse on the smallest common denominator of a minimal compromise.
But the organised pyromania of burning fossil fuels can not be stopped
this way.
Whatever the outcome of such conferences, it is not sufficient to
keep pace with the challenge actually posed and world civilization
is at risk of losing the race against time. Introducing rapid and
comprehensively laid-out steps for a turnaround in energy thinking,
whilst reaching world consensus from all governments at the same time,
is like squaring a circle. This is the experience borne out again
from Bali.
What is necessary is an international alliance of states willing to
act, "a coalition of the willing" against the on-going world war to
destroy nature, which leads by setting a good example and, with it,
triggers worldwide radiation of a technological revolution in the
use of renewable energies. Nobody will be able to shirk away from
such a dynamic.
Source: Solarnews |
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| 21.10.2007 |
Nobel peace prize winner Al Gore
guest at 2nd German EnBW climate congress
Just a few days after being awarded the Nobel peace prize, former
US Vice-President Al Gore is set to make his first public appearance
in Germany - at the 2nd German EnBW climate congress at Energie Baden-Württemberg
AG. October 23rd 2007 will see Gore hold his talk "An Uncomfortable
Truth" as part of the event's evening program. Besides Al Gore, other
renowned international climate protectors and academics will be participating
in the one-day EnBW climate congress. The aim of the congress is to
create an international, cross-discipline forum which allows interexchange
between experts and decision-makers from the worlds of science, industry,
politics and business. Federal Foreign Minister Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier
and Head of the State of Baden-Württemberg Günther Oettinger will
hold the opening speeches. They will shed light on "conflict risks
through climate change" and the "sustainability strategy in the state
of Baden-Württemberg"
Source: EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg A |
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| 08.10.2007 |
Solar lamps for the world's poor
in the era of global climate protection
In the age of space travel, has reading in the light of petroleum
lamps finally been consigned to the past once and for all? Not by
any means... Over two billion people still do not have access to electricity.
But petroleum lamps only provide weak lighting - and release harmful
soot particles. The solarprojekt-freilassing e.V association has sought
to address the problem, developing an alternative not harmful to the
environment or health with the help of the German Environmental Foundation
(DBU): SOLAR 2000-LED mobile solar lamps. "In Africa alone, it is
estimated there are more than 50 million petroleum lamps in use. This
is not only harmful to health, it is also expensive and damaging to
the environment - an average of three litres of petroleum is required
every month for lighting each lamp. The upshot is an annual emission
of 80 kilograms of carbon dioxide", says DBU General Secretary Dr.
Fritz Brickwedde. Continuing, he says "For 50 million petroleum lamps,
this equates to 40 million tons of harmful gas in one year".
Source:DBU |
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| 19.09.2007 |
Solar shares flying high
Whilst the dreary autumn weather takes hold in Germany, the sun continues
to shine for the prices of solar shares. This week, Solon, Solarworld
& Co rallied impressively and reached new record highs. Is this the
start of renewed solar hype? Anyone who thought prices of German solar
shares had surpassed their Zenith is very much mistaken. Over the
last few days, virtually all solar prices listed on TecDax scaled
to new peaks. Q-Cells boss Anton Millner triggered the solar rally.
Millner prophesized worldwide year-on-year growth of at least 40 percent
in the solar industry, demonstrating far more optimism than the Bundesverband
der Solarwirtschaft (German Solar Industry Association). Their forecasts
show a year-on-year annual increase of just 20 percent.
This growth forecast does not surprise experts.
Source: ARD Börse |
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| 07.09.2007 |
German solar boom continues
The boom in the German solar sector continues unabated. According
to the Bundesverband Solarwirtschaft (German Solar Industry Association),
solar cell production in Germany in the first 6 months of 2007 rose
by a third to 300 Megawatts compared to the same period last year.
Around 15 new solar factories are to be constructed in Germany by
2008. The worry concerning radical change to the Renewable Energies
Act has since receded. The federal government is apparently not looking
to restrict solar production and has decided against a capping of
funding.
Besides Germany, hopes for the solar industry are pinned primarily
on Southern Europe and the USA. A rethink in environmental protection
issues has taken place in the land of endless opportunities. The funding
of solar power is set to undergo expansion on a massive scale. The
American Photovoltaic Exhibition Solarpower is currently taking place.
This could generate new impetus.
Source: solarserver.de |
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| 13.08.2007 |
Solar power: On-roof photovoltaic
system with 1.2MW on grid
One of the world's largest roof-mounted photovoltaic systems, in Grosselfingen
(Baden-Württemberg), has been connected to the grid. Rated at 1.2
Megawatt, the system extends over 13,000m2 on three commercial buildings
and is fitted with around 6,500 solar modules. The system could meet
the entire alternative energy supply of 255 households. This power
rating elevates the system into the Top 10 on-roof systems worldwide.
The system is also impressive in regard to energy balance and environmental
friendliness. An annual emission of 705 tons of carbon dioxide is
prevented with the implementation of this system.
Source: solarserver.de |
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| 09.05.2007 |
Index shows: China and India catching
up
According to a study by Ernst & Young, India and China will be
the countries with the most potential for renewable energies in the
coming years. Consequently these countries are considered to be worthwhile
investments for the future. The quarterly appearing index, which examines
the attractiveness of investments, sees the USA as the clear-cut number
1, but India and China are gaining considerable ground.
The reasons given are extremely strong economic growth and the associated
"hunger" for energies. On the other hand, legislation favours
these developments in terms of environmental protection and increased
public sensitivity.
Internationalisation of this issue demonstrates the global importance
attached to climate change.
Source:Ernst & Young |
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| 02.05.2007 |
Photovoltaics - enormous future
potential
Whilst wind and hydro power have geographical limitations, photovoltaics
has the greatest potential and the shortest distance from producer
to consumer. In addition to the benefit of lower environmental pollution,
this short "supply chain" means low transportation costs
(if any at all).
A photovoltaic system can be installed on the smallest of roofs. No
harmful CO2 gasses are emitted and even the visual aspect of a PV
system argues more in favour of an investment than against.
Last but certainly not least, the service life of a good PV system
is at least 25 years for this type of investment in the future.
Source: ENDS |
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| 12.04.2007 |
Spain to achieve 100% independence
through renewable energies by 2050
According to a new Greenpeace study, Spain will be able to cover its
entire electricity requirement using renewable energies by 2050. Various
corners, however, are not buying into this study despite the fact
that Spain also has a pioneering role in the field of renewable energies.
This quota now amounts to a proud 25%.
Further studies indicate that the costs up to this point in time will
amount to a maximum of 1/3 of the costs required for atomic/gas energy
A figure of 12 cent per kwh (Germany 18 cent, California 13 cent)
is anticipated by 2010. This means that solar power is not only attractive,
it is also already more cost-effective than conventionally generated
power.
Source: ENDS |
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