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California continues to set daily records for utility scale solar energy

June 25, 2014 in EIA, Environment, EV News, Solar, Wind

By US Energy Information Administration

Source: CAISO Daily Renewables Watch Note: Data do not include distributed generation solar electricity where output is behind-the-meter. Courtesy of EIA

Source: CAISO Daily Renewables Watch
Note: Data do not include distributed generation solar electricity where output is behind-the-meter.
Courtesy of EIA

On June 1, 2014, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) recorded a record midday hourly peak of 4,767 megawatts of alternating current (MWAC) of utility-generated solar electricity delivered into the California grid. With rapidly growing utility-scale solar capacity, CAISO has regularly recorded new hourly output records going back to 2010 when it first began publishing the daily data. When the hourly data are averaged over the course of a month to control for weather variation, the average peak hourly generation in May 2014 of 4,086 MWAC was 150% greater than the level in May 2013.

In 2013, 2,145 MW of utility-scale solar capacity entered service in California, of which more than 500 MW came from large-scale solar thermal plants. California accounted for more than 75% of U.S. utility-scale solar capacity installed in 2013.

Total solar electricity output in May 2014 constituted 6% of the total CAISO electricity load that month, compared with 2% in May 2013. However, during the average peak solar output hour, between 11:00 a.m. and noon for May 2014, solar supplied 14% of total power, compared with 6% in May 2013.

Solar generation facilities generally provide power to the CAISO grid from early morning until the evening, and reach peak output around midday. When solar electricity is being generated, less electricity from other sources such as natural gas or interstate electricity imports is required. Conversely, when there is little-to-no solar generation, the shares of other fuels used in California’s supply mix rise.

Source: CAISO Daily Renewables Watch Note: This chart shows a set of 24 hours for each month, calculated from CAISO's average hourly output data by taking the average output for each hour in a given month. The peaks therefore do not exactly correspond to actual peak outputs, but should approximate the average peak hourly output in a given month. Courtesy of EIA

Source: CAISO Daily Renewables Watch
Note: This chart shows a set of 24 hours for each month, calculated from CAISO’s average hourly output data by taking the average output for each hour in a given month. The peaks therefore do not exactly correspond to actual peak outputs, but should approximate the average peak hourly output in a given month.
Courtesy of EIA

Source: CAISO Daily Renewables Watch Note: This chart shows a set of 24 hours for each month, calculated from CAISO's average hourly output data by taking the average output for each hour in a given month. The peaks therefore do not exactly correspond to actual peak outputs, but should approximate the average peak hourly output in a given month. Note: The fuels above generally reflect CAISO's categorization of renewable fuels that meet the eligibility requirements of California's Renewable Portfolio Standard. Small hydroelectric includes facilities with generation of 30 megawatts or less. (EIA defines all conventional hydroelectric generation as renewable.)  Courtesy of EIA

Source: CAISO Daily Renewables Watch
Note: This chart shows a set of 24 hours for each month, calculated from CAISO’s average hourly output data by taking the average output for each hour in a given month. The peaks therefore do not exactly correspond to actual peak outputs, but should approximate the average peak hourly output in a given month.
Note: The fuels above generally reflect CAISO’s categorization of renewable fuels that meet the eligibility requirements of California’s Renewable Portfolio Standard. Small hydroelectric includes facilities with generation of 30 megawatts or less. (EIA defines all conventional hydroelectric generation as renewable.)
Courtesy of EIA

Source: CAISO Daily Renewables Watch Note: This chart shows a set of 24 hours for each month, calculated from CAISO's average hourly output data by taking the average output for each hour in a given month. The peaks therefore do not exactly correspond to actual peak outputs, but should approximate the average peak hourly output in a given month. Courtesy of EIA

Source: CAISO Daily Renewables Watch
Note: This chart shows a set of 24 hours for each month, calculated from CAISO’s average hourly output data by taking the average output for each hour in a given month. The peaks therefore do not exactly correspond to actual peak outputs, but should approximate the average peak hourly output in a given month.
Courtesy of EIA

While solar generation follows a relatively consistent pattern throughout the day (see tab 1), CAISO also faces challenges in integrating other renewables (see tab 2). Wind output during the summer months frequently coincides with the afternoon and evening peak demand hours, but it is also an intermittent resource and therefore has a limited ability to provide firm capacity. Hydroelectric power, which provides 12% of California’s net generation, is typically a flexible, dispatchable resource—but is also subject to seasonal variability, drought effects, and restrictions on dispatch created by the needs of other water users.

Solar and renewables still constitute a relatively small share of generation for California in the context of all fuel sources (tab 3). Natural gas accounted for 59% of net generation in 2013, and 3,940 MW of new natural gas capacity came online in 2013, which will help address some of the reserve capacity needs for balancing renewables, as well as replace some of the baseload power that was lost when two of the state’s four nuclear units were retired in 2012.

California’s utilities are less than two-thirds of the way toward meeting their 2020 RPS goals. With declining solar manufacturing costs, and the federal investment tax credit in place through the end of 2016, utility-scale solar installations are expected to continue through 2014. Projects currently reporting to EIA have indicated plans for an additional 1,728 MWAC of new utility-scale solar to be installed between May and December 2014.

In addition to leading the nation in utility-scale solar capacity, California also has a significant level of behind-the-meter residential and commercial solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, approximately 700 MWDC of residential and commercial/industrial solar PV capacity was also installed in California in 2013, further reducing midday baseload power demand.

AC/DC Measurement of Solar

EIA collects electric capacity data in alternating-current megawatts (MWAC), the type of electricity used in homes and on the grid. Solar photovoltaic generators produce electricity in direct-current megawatts (MWDC), which is how organizations like the Solar Energy Industries Association report capacity. Generally, PV systems are associated with an AC-to-DC ratio between 80% and 90%.

Principal contributors: Gwendolyn Bredehoeft, Robert McManmon, Tyson Brown

This article is a repost, credit: EIA.

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The Climate Group, SEIA Join Forces to Expand Solar, Reduce Pollution

April 22, 2014 in Climate Change, Environment, EV News, Greentech, Solar

Image courtesy of SEIA

Image courtesy of SEIA

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In celebration of Earth Day – and as a way to encourage the widespread use of non-polluting energy sources – The Climate Group and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) have teamed up to create a Facebook campaign designed to accelerate the adoption of solar energy in the United States.

The “I LIKE SOLAR” initiative centers around solar energy’s widespread popular appeal – demonstrated by a recent national Hart poll which shows that 9 out of 10 Americans favor more solar deployment – as well as the power of social media to spread the “buzz” about solar energy. In fact, researchers at the University of Texas, Austin found that interaction with a friend, relative or neighbor with solar can spur someone to “go solar” three times faster.

According to SEIA President and CEO Rhone Resch and The Climate Group Executive Director Amy Davidsen, the primary goals of this innovative, new Earth Day campaign include:

  • Substantially increasing the use of residential solar in America
  • Significantly reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions
  • Harnessing Facebook’s powerful social network to create a virtual solar neighborhood
  • Optimizing solar messaging on Facebook and other social media platforms

According to the most recent GTM Research and Solar Energy Industries Association’s (SEIA) Solar Market Insight Year in Review 2013 there are 13 gigawatts (GW) of installed solar capacity in the United States. When it comes to greenhouse gas emissions, that’s enough clean electricity to displace 14.2 billion pounds of coal or 1.5 billion gallons of gasoline. Put another way, it’s the equivalent of taking 2.7 million passenger cars off U.S. highways.

“As we celebrate Earth Day, we are facing a watershed moment in our nation’s history,” Resch said. “Today, climate change is a real and growing threat to America and the rest of the world. It’s indisputable. Sea levels are rising. We’re experiencing more intense and unpredictable storms. And droughts plague the world. Clearly, climate change threatens our economy, our future progress, our health and safety, and even our way of life. Every day, the Earth suffers a little more from human neglect. We can’t wish this problem away, and pointing fingers won’t solve it, either. There’s no better way to celebrate Earth Day – and pay respect to our planet – than to embark on a campaign which can have a positive, demonstrable and measurable impact on our environment.”

Amy Davidsen, The Climate Group Executive Director U.S., said, “The recent Working Group II and III reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) highlight the need for rapid and ambitious scale-up of low carbon technologies to reduce emissions – the good news is that 70 to 80 percent of these technologies are available today. Residential solar is a leading renewable energy technology that will reduce a household’s energy bills and emissions footprint. The ‘I LIKE SOLAR’ initiative will capitalize on the declining costs of installation, which SEIA reported as declining by 15 percent during 2013, and create a grassroots movement to highlight the benefits of solar to a potential audience of millions of Americans.”

Solar is the fastest-growing source of renewable energy in the United States, employing 143,00 Americans and accounting for nearly 30 percent of all new electric generation capacity installed in 2013 – second only to natural gas.  In fact, more solar has been brought online in the past 18 months than in the prior 30 years combined. All totaled, solar is now generating enough clean, reliable and affordable electricity to effectively power nearly 2.5 million homes.

“We are excited about this new collaborative effort,” said Resch and Davidsen. “Facebook has 180 million users in the United States and reaches 71 percent of all online adults. Creating a robust community of solar owners to share their stories and offer personal testimonials about the value of solar – both from an economic and environmental standpoint – will certainly pay dividends in our fight against pollution and climate change. Working together, we plan to make this an Earth Day that will be long remembered.”

About SEIA

Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2014, the Solar Energy Industries Association® is the national trade association of the U.S. solar energy industry. Through advocacy and education, SEIA® is building a strong solar industry to power America. As the voice of the industry, SEIA works with its 1,000 member companies to champion the use of clean, affordable solar in America by expanding markets, removing market barriers, strengthening the industry and educating the public on the benefits of solar energy. Visit SEIA online at http://www.seia.org.

About The Climate Group

The Climate Group is an award-winning, international non-profit. Our goal is a prosperous, low carbon future. We believe this will be achieved through a ‘clean revolution’: the rapid scale-up of low carbon energy and technology.

We work with corporate and government partners to develop climate finance mechanisms, business models which promote innovation, and supportive policy frameworks. We convene leaders, share hard evidence of successful low carbon growth, and pilot practical solutions which can be replicated worldwide.

Our offices are in Greater China, North America, India and the Europe. 2014 is The Climate Group’s 10th Anniversary.

This article is a repost, credit: SEIA.

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National Solar Schools Consortium Aims to Bring Solar to Every School in America

April 3, 2014 in Environment, EV News, Greentech, Solar

Image courtesy of SEIA

Image courtesy of SEIA

BOSTON, MA – Nonprofit organizations and solar companies from across the nation today announced the launch of the National Solar Schools Consortium at the widely-attended National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) Conference, which began today in Boston.

The goal of the Consortium is to act as a unified voice for the growing solar schools movement, promoting the use of solar energy on K-12 and post-secondary schools, consolidating and coordinating current and future solar curriculum and resource development, and providing tools designed to help schools explore solar energy options both on campus and in the surrounding community.

“It’s estimated that thousands of schools across America have already installed solar panels – but tens of thousands of others are still tethered to fossil fuels,” said Prof. Sharon Dannels, Chair of the Educational Leadership Department at the GW Graduate School of Education and Human Development. “According to a recent study of California schools, an average-sized 313-kilowatt solar system prevents the emission of an estimated 200 pounds of smog-forming pollution a year.”

To kick off its efforts, Consortium representatives will be presenting at several workshops at the NSTA Conference, held at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. During these presentations, teachers and other education professionals will be encouraged to share their needs for expanding access to solar energy and related educational resources for their schools. Interested stakeholders can also communicate these needs by completing a brief form on the Consortium website, www.solarschools2020.org.

“More and more schools across the country are discovering the benefits of going solar,” said Rhone Resch, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). “Today, solar is the fastest-growing source of renewable energy in America, creating thousands of new jobs, pumping billions of dollars into the U.S. economy and helping to reduce pollution. For schools, solar can provide a curriculum where science, economics and the environment all intersect. SEIA is honored to be part of the National Solar Schools Consortium.”

The Consortium comprises representatives of leading environmental, educational, and solar-focused non-profit organizations, as well as for-profit solar businesses. Founding Consortium members include the Brian D. Robertson Memorial Solar Schools Fund, Community Power Network, Elephant Energy, the Foundation for Environmental Education, KidWind, Make It Right Solar, Mosaic, the National Energy Education Development (NEED) Project, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Solar Energy Industries Association, The Solar Foundation, SolSolution, The Three Birds Foundation, and Women in Solar.

For more information on joining the Consortium, contact Andrea Luecke at [email protected].

About SEIA:  Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2014, the Solar Energy Industries Association® is the national trade association of the U.S. solar energy industry. Through advocacy and education, SEIA® is building a strong solar industry to power America. As the voice of the industry, SEIA works with its 1,000 member companies to champion the use of clean, affordable solar in America by expanding markets, removing market barriers, strengthening the industry and educating the public on the benefits of solar energy. Visit SEIA online at www.seia.org.

About The Solar Foundation: The Solar Foundation® (TSF) is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is to increase understanding of solar energy through strategic research that educates the public and transforms markets. Since 2010, TSF has published its annual National Solar Jobs Census, which established the first credible solar jobs base line for the U.S. The Solar Foundation is considered the nation’s authority on the solar labor force and advises many organizations on the topic. TSF is also a leading provider of educational materials on the economic impacts of solar for local governments through its work with the U.S. Department of Energy. In addition, TSF chairs the National Solar Schools Consortium, a group of stakeholders seeking to make solar a larger part of the national K-12 system. More at TheSolarFoundation.org

This article is a repost, credit: SEIA.