Solar future looks bright as $1.3b boost gives power to the people

BusinessDay, May 13, 2009

THE Federal Government will try to make the most of Australia's sunny climate by investing $1.3 billion in solar power initiatives.

The measures will be aimed at households and researchers alike as part of a bid to vastly increase the amount of power that comes from an environmentally friendly source.

A new solar flagships program will be created to turn Australia into a world leader in the generation of solar power.

The Government said it would also increase the rebate for people who want to replace electric hot water systems from $1000 to $1600.

The Government has set itself the target of creating an additional 1000 megawatts of solar power - three times the size of the largest solar energy project in operation.

It also hopes householders will do everything they can to increase the energy efficiency of their homes.

Energy efficiency is often referred to as low-hanging fruit by environment groups because it is relatively easy and cheap to achieve and can deliver significant greenhouse gas reductions.

The Government has already announced a program to offer people with little or no ceiling insulation up to $1600 to install the energy-saving batts.

The energy-efficiency drive will also see the introduction of new building codes to make sure new houses are as energy- and water-efficient as possible.

The Government will investigate how to install smart meters in houses and flats. These devices will allow people to see how much energy they are using.

The Government hopes its focus on energy efficiency will create thousands of new jobs, in a similar manner to Barack Obama's green jobs strategy for the US.

"This package will support thousands of jobs for trades people and workers employed in manufacturing, distribution and installation during the global financial crisis," the Minister for the Environment, Peter Garrett, said. "The benefits of this energy-efficiency transformation will be felt for many years to come."

As part of the budget, the Government also released the Wilkins review, a report by the former head of the NSW Cabinet Office, Roger Wilkins, on the effectiveness of the Government's energy-efficiency measures. The Herald was repeatedly denied access to the report despite freedom-of-information requests. The report recommended a significant streamlining of existing programs.

Learn step-by-step with DIY Solar Panels for Under US$200

Metro Man Pioneers Way with Home Wind Power

fox4kc.com   May 13, 2009

INDEPENDENCE, MO - When the American flag in Gus Spencer's Independence blows in the wind, it's a moment of pride. But when his new wind turbine blows in the wind, it's hours of inexpensive electricity.

Spencer is using a wind turbine and solar panels to power his home 30 minutes east of downtown Kansas City. He may be a pioneer with this technology, but he says that he expects others to soon follow.

"It don't supply all of our electricity, but it supplies most of our electricity," said Spencer, who installed the wind turbine last September. He says that the turbine provides about 75 percent of his electricity needs, and that you can barely hear it hum if you're standing beneath it, and you only need a small breeze to benefit.

"It is a cost, but it will save you money and it's helping the energy of the United States," said Spencer.

On Tuesday, a workshop was held for businesses that want to get into wind power. Experts say wind turbines will increasingly be built close to wind farms because of shipping issues, and they say that means an opportunity to create thousands of jobs in Kansas and Missouri.

"Each of those turbines has between 5,000 and 10,000 components to it everything from gears to control systems to gear boxes," said Christopher Chung of the Missouri Partnership. "These are all products which can be made right here in the Midwest in the Kansas City region."

As for Gus Spencer, he says that the wind turbine and solar panels cost about $25,000 each, but he believes that they'll pay for themselves in 10 to 15 years through lower utility bills.

"I think the more people get involved in it the price will come down," said Spencer.

Click Here to Learn step-by-step with DIY Solar Panels for Under US$200

Green Energy Rising

Kiplinger.com   May 13, 2009

Business isn't so sunny these days for SolarCity, the country's largest installer of residential solar-power systems. But Lyndon Rive, chief executive of the Foster City, Cal., firm, says it's an absence of financing, rather than a lack of demand, that has caused the slowdown. "Once you address that bottleneck," he says, "solar power will boom." So, too, will the entire spectrum of renewable-energy stocks, which lately have generated as much sizzle as a solar panel in an eclipse.

A year ago, alternative energy shone brightly. Then came the financial crisis, which starved the industry of its lifeblood: capital. Lack of it caused demand to tumble and inventories to grow. Says Gregory Wetstone, of the American Wind Energy Association: "Our astronomical growth came to a screeching halt in late 2008." As a result, alternative-energy stocks crumbled. The WilderHill Clean Energy Index, which tracks 51 companies around the world, lost 60% over the past year through April 9.

Enter President Obama. His stimulus package, enacted in February, represents a Herculean effort to reinvigorate the renewable-energy industry. The White House sees a trifecta of benefits from alternative energy: New jobs, a reduction in our dependence on foreign oil, and the beginning of the end of global warming.

Washington is sparing no expense. It plans to spend $150 billion on renewable energy over the next ten years. Consider a typical solar-energy system installed by Rive's SolarCity. Uncle Sam used to pay for 30% of the cost, with a $2,000 cap. But installing solar panels on your roof that produce 5 kilowatts—enough to power an average-size house in some areas—costs $40,000. Under the new program, the feds will still pay for 30% of the system, but there is no longer a cap. If you add in subsidies from state governments, the cost of a home solar system could drop to $20,000.

Big businesses will also benefit from Uncle Sam's largess. Federal incentives will help pay for large renewable-energy projects that will cost hundreds of millions of dollars and generate thousands of megawatts of power. And those incentives will take the form of outright payments, not the generous tax credits the government once offered for such pro-jects. "Tax credits are great, but you need profits to use tax credits, and in this economy nobody's making profits," says Christopher O'Brien, a U.S.-based executive of Oerlikon Solar, a Swiss company.

Guarantees in action

To further spur financing, the Department of Energy is finally guaranteeing loans for renewable-energy projects. The operative word is finally, given that the guarantee program became law in 2005. The Obama administration has lit a fire under the department, which recently announced its first guarantee—on a $535-million loan to Solyndra, a solar-energy company in Fremont, Cal. The loan, from the U.S. Treasury, will be used to expand Solyndra's solar-panel factory in California. That's right, one branch of the government is making a loan that another one is guaranteeing; the feds aren't leaving anything to chance.

But the ultimate government stimulus for alternative energy may yet be an energy bill that sets renewable-energy goals for all 50 states. Currently, 28 states have their own renewable-energy standards. "We're in a window where renewable energy is a policy-driven market," says O'Brien.

Despite the Obama administration's efforts, spending on renewable energy hasn't yet exploded. The short-term holdup is that applicants must wait for the government to produce new forms and guidelines that detail how to tap stimulus dollars; they should be ready soon. Regarding large projects, the rules essentially state that if you start building a project before the end of 2010 and it comes online before 2017, you can expect to get a check from the Treasury.

Uncle Sam is willing, but getting private capital still isn't easy. Says Fred Morse, senior adviser to Spain's Abengoa Solar: "You could take your federal guarantee to your bank and they'd say, ‘I'm not worried about you defaulting; I don't have money to lend.'"

Venture capitalists seem more eager to back renewable energy. In 2008, they invested $4.1 billion in alternative-energy projects, from research and development to construction of solar farms. That's a 54% hike from 2007, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers. That's despite an 8% drop to $28.3 billion in overall venture-capital financing from 2007.

At the moment, says Pricewaterhouse's Tim Carey, venture capitalists' favorite alternative-energy technology is solar. Last year, 45% of the money went to solar projects, compared with 23% in 2007. Much of the money is being used to finance the move by solar companies from development to full production, Carey says. Still, the financial crisis dampened even venture capitalists' ardor for renewable energy, he says. Funding fell 14% from the third quarter of 2008 to the fourth.

The second major constraint on the expanded use of alternative energy is the power grid, or lack thereof. Massive wind farms in the Midwest and solar farms in the Southwest aren't much use if they aren't connected to major cities. Says Morse: "It's not enough to build a car factory. You have to build some roads." Wetstone, the wind-energy association official, says the extent to which the power grid is developed will ultimately determine whether wind meets 3% to 4% of the nation's energy needs, or as much as 20%.

Utilities build and own most of the grid, and they've stepped up funding. However, experts say the federal government may have to step in with a "national transmission policy" to spur grid development if it expects solar and wind generation to thrive.

These problems make the timing of a renewable-energy boom tough to call. Investors say they're ready when it does come, though. According to a study by Allianz Global Investors, 78% of investors believe green technology could be the "next great American industry," and nearly all investors (97%) say exploring alternative fuel sources will remain important even if oil prices remain low. Says Steven Berexa, managing director of research for RCM Informed, an Allianz subsidiary: "Alternative energy's rise isn't going to be smooth, but it's going to be one of the great new growth industries."

Stocks that will survive

Renewable-energy bulls like to say that if you think the dot-com boom was big, just wait for the watt-com explosion. That may be wishful thinking. But you can bet that the dot-com and watt-com booms will be similar in one respect: Just as many Internet companies fell by the wayside, many alternative-energy firms will disappear in the coming shakeout (for a look at individual alternative-energy sectors and their prospects, see 5 Pillars of Renewable Energy).

So if you want to buy individual stocks, invest in companies that are already profitable and likely to survive. The standout in the solar sector is First Solar (symbolFSLR). "As other competitors suck wind, First Solar will be getting their market share," says Morningstar analyst Rick Hanna.

First Solar's strengths and the shortcomings of its rivals became evident in March, when the Tempe, Ariz., company bought the solar-power assets of rival OptiSolar for $400 million worth of stock. OptiSolar had landed a contract to build the world's largest photovoltaic solar farm for PG&E, a huge California utility, but it couldn't handle the project. "It's becoming pretty clear that some of these companies can't produce power at the cost they said they could," says Hanna.

First Solar's technology produces electricity at the lowest cost-per-watt in the industry. Most solar cells use silicon wafers to generate electricity from sunlight. Silicon wafers are also the basic component of semiconductors, which makes solar-cell firms compete with chip makers for materials. But by using cadmium telluride to make its thin-film panels, First Solar is immune to silicon supply problems.

When it comes to alternative-energy stock prices, profitability and viability don't necessarily add up to stability. First Solar went public in November 2006 at $20 per share, skyrocketed to $317 by May 2008, then cratered to $85 last November. The stock closed at $142 on April 9. At that price, it trades at 22 times estimated 2009 profits. But given the vagaries of the market, earnings estimates for alternative-energy companies turn on a dime.

Although solar and wind generate the most renewable-energy buzz, geothermal energy is cheaper and more dependable (it works rain or shine). The go-to company in this area is Ormat Technologies (ORA). Some geothermal companies are larger, but they're privately held, and the stocks of smaller public firms are riskier than Ormat. That makes Ormat "the only blue-chip geothermal company you can invest in," says Brian Yerger, head of research for AERCA Advisors, a Wilmington, Del., consulting firm. Ormat's scarcity value translates into a premium price. At $31, the stock trades at 23 times 2009 earnings of $1.35 per share. (Ormat was a member of the original Kiplinger Green 25; see the table below.)

Ormat, headquartered in Reno, Nev., is a soup-to-nuts supplier. Its plants turn hot water and steam from the earth into electricity. In its simplest design, water and steam are pumped from underground to a heat exchanger, which boils a fluid that drives an electricity-producing turbine. The water is then returned to the earth.

Ormat's electricity unit, which accounts for three-fourths of sales, sells power from plants it builds and owns. The rest of the company's business is building power plants for others.

Financing is an issue: The money behind some of Ormat's biggest projects sounds like a who's who of beleaguered Wall Street firms (think American International Group). Still, notes Yerger, the company expects $120 million in project sales this year, and revenues should hit $405 million, up 17% from last year.

A $4.5-billion piece of the White House's renewable-energy plan will help utilities convert to "smart grid" technologies. And the key player in smart grid is Itron (ITRI), which makes automated meters that collect and analyze data on resource use. Of the 2.6 billion meters in operation at U.S. utilities, only about 6% are of the automated variety that Itron sells, and the company supplies half the market.

Automated meters help utilities increase efficiency by better monitoring how electricity, gas and water are used. "A lot of the stimulus money is going to upgrade government buildings, and Itron equipment will logically be included in that," says John Rubino, author of Clean Money: Picking Winners in the Green-Tech Boom (Wiley, $27).

Rubino says Itron will also be a major player in "smart metering," which lets utilities turn off appliances in customers' homes in exchange for lower rates. Florida Power & Light, a subsidiary of FPL Group, already has a half-million customers who allow partial control over certain appliances at certain times. That lets the utility shift demand from peak to off-peak hours, improving its efficiency.

When the financial crisis hit home last September, Itron's stock plunged, falling from $99 in mid September to $34 in mid November. At $47, it trades at 14 times estimated 2009 earnings of $3.41 per share. That's a tiny bump up from last year's profits, but analysts see earnings jumping 22% in 2010.

Conservative choice

Speaking of FPL Group (FPL), what has long been considered a traditional electric utility may be the best domestic play on wind energy. In addition to owning Florida Power & Light, a regulated utility, FPL also owns NextEra Energy Resources, which has operations (mostly wind farms) in 25 states and Canada.

In 2008, 55% of FPL's profits came from NextEra, marking the first time the lion's share of FPL's profits came from the unregulated side of the company. And NextEra is aggressively adding wind capacity. As more states—and perhaps the federal government—start mandating renewable energy, FPL will be ready to rake in contracts.

Because of its regulated utility business, FPL is clearly the most staid stock on this list. At $52, it trades at 13 times estimated 2009 earnings of $4.06 per share, which would be a 6% increase over last year's earnings. But analysts may be underestimating the impact of the pending green-energy boom. In a move that separates FPL from most of corporate America, the Juno Beach, Fla., company raised its dividend earlier this year, marking the 14th consecutive year of higher payouts. The stock yields 3.6%.

Smart-metering systems, geothermal plants and solar farms cost millions. But you can buy a cutting-edge bit of green tech at your local hardware store for $20. That's the price of a flashlight that uses a light-emitting diode (LED) instead of a standard incandescent bulb. Kind of expensive for a flashlight, you say? True, but consider that the LED will shine for 50,000 hours—almost six years—before burning out. It also uses 85% less power than an incandescent bulb, and half as much as a fluorescent bulb.

A leader in LEDs is Cree (CREE), which supplies illumination for electronic devices and the lighting market. Because LEDs cost many times more than incandescent or fluorescent bulbs, you won't be lighting your home with them anytime soon. But LED products can be a smart choice for commercial buildings. Already, about 1,000 facilities in the U.S. use Cree's suspended ceiling lighting unit, the LR24. Cree will benefit directly from White House energy-efficiency goals -- a point underscored by the use of Cree products in renovations at the Pentagon and the Federal Reserve.

Impressive results

Cree's business has exhibited resilience in the face of recession. Sales of LED products, which account for 84% of its revenues, increased 28% in the second fiscal quarter, which ended December 24, from the same period in 2007. The Durham, N.C., firm is also developing a reputation for bucking trends. For example, although analysts expect personal-computer sales to fall in 2009, they see Cree selling more LEDs to backlight laptop screens.

Cree's shares recently fetched $27, or 45 times estimated earnings of 60 cents a share for the fiscal year that ends June 28. Analysts see earnings growth of 18% annually over the next three to five years. If Cree's earnings do grow that fast, the lofty price-earnings ratio may be justifiable.

Solar Power And Water Consumption

Energy Matters   May 4, 2009

In a country as dry as Australia, water is one of our most valuable resources. 
Water is also required in large quantities for many forms power generation - whether in direct consumption or for cooling purposes.

According to the American Wind Energy Association, to generate one kilowatt hour of electricity from nuclear power 2.3 litres of water are needed. Coal requires 1.9 litres and oil consumes 1.6 litres.

While solar power and wind energy are overwhelmingly green by general comparison when it comes to power generation, considerable amounts of water are also needed for the most (currently) cost-efficient type of large-scale solar farms - those that utilize concentrated solar power; also known as CSP.

Some CSP technology utilizes rows of curved mirrors focus heat onto a tube filled with oil which boils water to make steam, in turn spinning a turbine a turbine -  this is called a trough system. Another  uses reflective mirrors called heliostats to reflect and concentrate sunlight onto liquid-filled tubes used to generate steam and spin turbines.

In the case of trough technology, the water footprint is considerable - around 3.6 litres per kilowatt hour. Heliostat and other CSP technologies use far less, but the problem of using water in desert conditions, where many of these plants are located, remains.

One breakthrough we reported on last week is being used in Israel - still based on a water-based cooling system, but provides hot water suitable for use in homes. This could be an excellent option where the farm is very close to residential areas; but where it's placed outside a township, the energy in pumping the water to households couple with heat loss in transit may make it unviable.

Wind power uses the least water - around 4 millitres per kilowatt hour and that's just to keep the turbine clean. But wind isn't always suitable in still desert-type conditions.

While still more costly than other forms of solar and wind power per kilowatt, when it comes to water, solar panel based solar farms appear to be by far the most water friendly at 110 millilitres per kilowatt hour - again, this water is used primarily for cleaning solar panels.

Cost can be a very relative concept when it comes to the elixir of life. In some places in Australia where water is abundant, CSP technologies may be the cheapest options, but environmentally and financially speaking in other regions it may be still far cheaper over the long term to implement photovoltaic based large scale power production.

Mother Nature Can Save You Money on Your Electric Bill

WYTV   May 4, 2009

A Beaver township family wants to harness the power of the wind, and pave the way for the use of wind turbines here in the Valley.

After switching from a propane to an electric furnace last fall, the Naples of Beaver Township saw a significant increase in their energy bill.  According to Anne Marie Naples, "Nine-hundred dollars for an all electric home.  We're about 2500 square feet here and we like to keep it a little bit warm, and honestly, we were shocked at the price."

Phillip Naples added, "When we first got our electric bill, real heavy one, that's when we decided, okay, we have to do something about this."  So they turned to mother nature for some help.  They had so much wind out there and decided to take advantage of it.   

They're doing just that by building a 45 foot tall wind turbine.  The cost of the tower comes in at $16,000, but the Naples qualified for a 50% grant from the state and will also receive a 30% renewable energy tax credit from the federal government.

After the initial investment, they should cut their monthly electric bill in half.  Greg Courtney with Wind Turbines of Ohio is helping them achieve this goal.  "The turbine has, should go 20-25 years without any maintenance what-so-ever.  Once it's up and running, it's up and running."

However, before that happens, the Naples need Beaver Township and Mahoning County to give them the okay.  There's currently no local zoning laws regarding wind turbines.  Phillip Naples said, "They're going through the process because it's not on the books, so it's taking them a while to put it in the books and get it written out."

They meet with township officials to work out the details next week.

Program offers incentives for renewable energy

Knoxville News Sentinel   April 30, 2009

TVA has released details of an expanded renewable-energy program, offering more incentives such as $1,000 toward installation costs for solar, wind, biomass and other renewable-energy systems that homes and businesses can use to produce electricity and sell it to TVA.

The incentives are offered through the Generation Partners pilot program, in which customers sell all the power they generate to the federal utility and their local power providers reimburse them through credits on their monthly electric bills.

Under the new guidelines, instead of paying a flat 15 cents per kilowatt hour to residential and small-business customers and 20 cents per kilowatt hour to larger customers, TVA will pay 12 cents per kilowatt hour above the local electric rate and any fuel cost adjustments for solar power and 3 cents per kilowatt hour above those rates and adjustments for other low-impact sources such as wind, hydro and biomass.

Also, TVA has increased the maximum installation size allowed from 50 kilowatts to 999 kilowatts.

TVA spokesman Jim Allen said these incentives are not yet available but will be soon as the utility signs contracts with area distributors such as KUB.

TVA started the Generation Partners program in 2003 and now has 68 Tennessee Valley homeowners taking part. The program is taking on added significance as TVA prepares to meet anticipated federal mandates that could call for as much as 20 percent of the power it sells to be produced through renewable sources. TVA has announced a goal of buying 2,000 megawatts of renewable or clean energy by 2010 and eventually intends to produce half the electricity it sells through renewable sources by 2020.

The costs of a renewable energy system can vary, but TVA estimates that a typical solar system, producing 1.5-2 kilowatts, would cost $8-$10 per watt for parts and installation, or $12,000-$20,000. A 2-kilowatt solar system would produce about $44 per month in energy credits for its owner, according to TVA.

Solar systems are among the more expensive renewable systems. Wind systems, for example, typically cost $2-$4 per watt for parts plus installation, TVA said.

Through its Generation Partners program, TVA offers technical support to install renewable energy systems. To qualify for the program, the equipment and its installation must undergo an environmental review and meet other standards. The system must have a total generating capacity of at least 500 watts but less than 1 megawatt.

Texas maintains strong lead in wind energy

Bizjournal.com, April 30,2009

Two more states have joined the “gigawatt club,” according to the first-quarter report from the American Wind Energy Association — but Texas remains firmly in the lead.

The list is comprised of states with more than a gigawatt of wind-power generating capacity.

Kansas and New York are the newest members of the gigawatt club, at 1.014 and 1.261 gigawatts of capacity, respectively. Texas’ 7.907 gigawatts is more than twice that of second-place Iowa, which has 2.883. Alternative energy darling California, with 2.653 gigawatts, is third on the list. Minnesota, Washington, Oregon and Colorado round out the list.

Texas also is on track to exceed the 8 gigawatt mark. After completing another portion of the Roscoe project in Central Texas — the largest wind energy project in the nation — EON Climate & Renewables North America’s total generation has hit 584.5 megawatts. The next 197-MW phase, scheduled for completion soon, should push Texas over the 8 gigawatt mark.

Across the nation, more than 2.8 GW of new capacity was installed in the first quarter of 2009

The report was released in advance of the annual Windpower conference that kicks off in Chicago on May 4. Last year, the event took place at Houston’s George R. Brown Convention Center.

Biofuel Guide - Ethanol and Biodiesel as alternative energy

27.04.2009 06:11:47 biofuelguide.net : Comprehensive guide to Biofuels. Learn about Ethanol and Biodiesel - environment-friendly, and renewable sources of energy.

(live-PR.com) - biofuelguide.net : Ethanol, as in beer and wine, is an alcohol modified to utilize it as a fuel and making it undrinkable. Ethanol is produced by fermentation through a method similar to beer brewing of any biomass containing carbohydrates. At the present time, ethanol is derived from starches and sugars however there have been constant research to allow it to be produced from fibrous substance which consists the bulk of most plant matter - the cellulose and hemicellulose. Ethanol is widely used as a blending agent with gasoline to boost octane and at the same time reducing carbon monoxide and other toxic smog-causing emissions.

In contrast to other renewable energy resources, biomass, an organic material, can be converted directly into burnable fuels, termed as “biofuels,” to assist in meeting transportation fuel demands. The two most widely used types of biofuels are ethanol and biodiesel.

On the other hand, biodiesel is produced by the combination of alcohol which is usually alcohol with vegetable or animal oil/fats, or recycled cooking grease. In order to lessen harmful vehicle emissions, it can be utilized on its pure form or as an additive (normally 20%) as a renewable substitute fuel for diesel engines.

Biodiesel and ethanol are both clean, grow-your-own fuels which can be produced on-site in local villages or communities from locally available, renewable resources, for the most phase using equipment that a local workshop can make and maintain. This can make biofuels an economical option to fossil fuels and can aid in strengthening local communities both socially and economically.

Cleaner burning energy sources lessen the toxic pollutant emissions produced by burning gasoline, and it cuts down on the dumping of used oil. Another gain is that many alternative fuels can be generated, while oil is a non-renewable resource. Demand varies, and there is always the possibility of discovering new reserves. In the contrary, fact remains that the supply may well run out one day. Present estimates predict that world oil production will reach its peak some time in the next 10 to 15 years. It thus makes sense to search for new alternatives before that day arrives. In addition, a much-hyped reason is that lessening dependence on oil will, in turn, reduce dependence on unreliable foreign oil.

Biofuel is made from agricultural crops developed in the different parts of the United States and other countries as well. Increased utilization of biofuel can generate new markets for American products. A number of jobs can also be produces especially in rural communities. As a result, it can keep the money circulating all the way through the domestic economy. Moreover, it promotes American energy independence just by generating a percentage of our fuel at home.

More importantly, biofuel is capable of improving the performance of your engine. Biofuel is a “quality” fuel that cleans your fuel system, increasing octane and lessening harmful emissions, all of which help to lengthen the life of your vehicle. As an alternative to this “traditional” diesel fuel, biofuel is expected to yield significant energy security and environmental advantage to its consumers.

S. Korean scientists develop highly efficient plastic-based solar cell

Thai News Agency MCOT, April 27, 2009

SEOUL, April 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korean scientists said Monday that they have created a highly efficient plastic-based power cell that can speed up commercial use of solar energy.

The team led by Lee Kwang-hee at the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), said the solar cells are designed to mimic the photovoltaic activities of plants, and reached an unprecedented energy efficiency rate of 6.2 percent.

"This is the highest number reached by any single-layer plastic, organic photovoltaic solar cell created in the world to date and should greatly help commercial use of power generation using sunlight," the material science professor at the state-run laboratory said.

If fully developed the solar cells, which can easily bend, could be attached to coats, bags, various electronic appliances and building windows.

The breakthrough has been confirmed by the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory and published in the latest on-line international journal of Nature Photonics.

Energy efficiency indicates the percentage of sunshine that solar cells turn into electricity.

Lee's team's said they used a new material that have "open circuit voltage" properties and titanium oxide to bring about high efficiency.

He added that under so-called green light conditions, the energy efficiency of the new plastic power cells reached 17 percent, which is more than enough to start commercial power generation. Experts said an efficiency rate of 7 percent must be reached for plastic solar cells to become commercially viable.

Conventional inorganic silicon-based solar cells used in homes have an efficiency rate of 7 to 8 percent, while very expensive panels placed on satellites have numbers reaching 15 percent.

The technology, developed jointly with U.S. researchers led by Alan Heeger of the University of California, Santa Barbara, is an extension of cutting edge research carried out in the past.

The Lee-Heeger team announced in 2007 that they had built a stacked or double-layered organic photovoltaic that had a power efficiency of 6.5 percent.

The result was published in the journal Nature. (Yonhap)

Sunny outlook for solar energy

Financial Times, Published: April 22 2009

“This was a good day” for solar power, according to Andrew Lee, general manager of Sharp Solar UK, after the chancellor announced £45m for small-scale renewable energy.

Mr Lee had feared the government would leave solar power companies in limbo, because one subsidy system had ended and the new regime will not be introduced until next year.

“This would have been a death year for solar companies,” he said. “Installers [of solar panels] would have had to cut jobs immediately if this Budget had not been positive.”

Sharp employs 580 people and has invested £20m at its Wrexham plant, which used to make video recorders,

Mr Lee is concerned the money is disbursed soon. “The proof of the pudding is not just in nice words on Budget day – they need to get the money out.”

Wind power: Homeowners, small businesses install turbines to cut long-term energy costs

Chicago Tribune, April 24, 2009

In two weeks, Chicago will host the 2009 Windpower Conference & Exhibition, which is the world's largest annual wind energy event.

Steve and Sue Kirkham's home sits atop a hill where the wind can be strong enough to mute conversations and rattle lawn chairs. Instead of complaining, they decided to harness its power.

The Harvard couple is installing a small wind turbine on their property -- a 34-foot-tall modern-day windmill that they say will make them a bit more energy self-reliant and they hope will save them money.

"It's primarily to reduce our electric bills long term and to do something good for the environment," Steve Kirkham, 52, said. "We have all this wind up here, we might as well utilize it."

Residential wind turbines are becoming a larger part of the renewable energy picture, and more Illinois homeowners are harnessing the wind to help them reduce energy costs. The small turbines also are being purchased by some small businesses and schools.

Rhodes School in west suburban River Grove installed a wind turbine April 9, as a teaching tool and to conserve energy, said John Mertes, director of technology for Rhodes School District 841/2. He said he believes Rhodes is the first urban school in the state to install a small turbine. It is expected to generate 400 kilowatt hours of electricity a month, which is about half the energy needs of a small household.

In two weeks, Chicago will host the 2009 Windpower Conference & Exhibition, which is the world's largest annual wind energy event and is sponsored by the American Wind Energy Association. The association said Illinois is ranked eighth among the states in the number of wind turbines installed.

New federal incentives also are spurring interest, energy experts say.
For 2008, homeowners could claim a federal tax credit for 30 percent of the cost of a wind turbine, though the credit was capped at about $4,000. The stimulus bill that President Barack Obama signed in February removed the caps.

Depending on the size, the cost of buying and installing a turbine ranges from $14,000 to $20,000, experts say.

"We've definitely seen an interest for small wind turbines, especially in Illinois, which is a great place for wind especially as you move further away from the city and get a lot of open land," said Miriam Robbins, marketing director for Southwest Windpower in Flagstaff, Ariz., the largest producer of small wind turbines in the country.

The company began manufacturing small wind turbines in late 2006. They've sold more than 3,500 nationally, Robbins said.

Most turbines need at least 10-m.p.h. winds to be efficient, which is what the Kirkhams say they have in rural Harvard. Their electricity bill has been going up about $300 a year -- to about $1,500 in 2007 -- and they hope their investment -- just under $20,000 -- will pay off.

The turbine is expected to generate 40 to 90 percent of their power needs, said Ray O'Connor, the McHenry County electrician who installed it.

Any extra energy that the Kirkhams' turbine produces will be fed back to Commonwealth Edison. When this happens, ComEd will keep track of the amount of power and provide a credit to reduce any future energy draws.

Last year, Ivanhoe Nursery near Mundelein had a 100-foot-tall wind turbine installed to augment solar energy panels, which generate energy for the 400-acre farm.

"We got great tax incentives," said farm manager Tony Zimmerman. "Ours is much larger than what a homeowner would get, but I would say it is generating 15 to 20 percent of our energy needs. But it is fairly new. We'll have to wait and see."

Troy Rudy said his company, Northern Illinois Wind Power in Freeport, Ill., has installed 19 residential and small-business turbines in seven counties. He has sold five this year, and next month will put one in the Smart Home exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry