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SFCE Dec 11
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California and Germany, Opposites With a Common Energy Goal
Dec 10, 2015 | The New York Times
By Melissa Eddy
One is a European country known as “the powerhouse of Europe” that struggles against soggy winters and seemingly endless gray skies. The other is a digitally driven American state, known as “the Golden State,” for its abundant sunshine and year-round growing season. -
China Faces Balancing Act in Slowing Business to Reduce Pollution
Dec 11, 2015 | The Wall Street Journal
By Alyssa Abkowitz And Brian Spegele
As Chinese authorities lifted Beijing’s “red alert” on smog, businesses were assessing the impact of 2½ days of pollution shutdown and grappling with the prospect of more. At the Shahe Jindong Glass Co., about 270 miles south of Beijing in China’s industrial heartland, Vice President Liu Zhiqi said the company was trying to do its part to... -
China to receive $300m loan to combat pollution levels
Dec 10, 2015 | BBC
China is to receive a $300m (£198m) loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to help it combat dangerous pollution levels in Beijing city and its surrounding area. The ADB said that poor air quality had reached such a serious level that it was "jeopardising health and sustainable growth". -
ADB Lends India $1 Billion For Renewable Energy Transmission Network
Dec 10, 2015 | Clean Technica
By Saurabh Mahapatra
India’s Green Energy Corridors project has received a major funding boost with the Asian Development Bank providing $1 billion loan. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced that it will provide $500 million in government-backed loan and an additional $500 million in non-sovereign loan, which will be provided to Power Grid Corporation of... -
Scatec Solar completes Utah's first utility-scale PV plant
Dec 11, 2015 | PV Magazine
By Edgar Meza
Norway's Scatec Solar ASA has commissioned the first utility-scale solar park in the U.S. state of Utah. Located in Parowan, the 104 MW Utah Red Hills Renewable Park (URHRP) will more than double the state's current solar footprint. The plant covers approximately 632 acres (256 hectares) of privately-owned land, consisting of more...
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California and Germany, Opposites With a Common Energy Goal
Dec 10, 2015 | The New York Times
By Melissa Eddy
One is a European country known as “the powerhouse of Europe” that struggles against soggy winters and seemingly endless gray skies. The other is a digitally driven American state, known as “the Golden State,” for its abundant sunshine and year-round growing season.
One is determined to lead an energy transformation through carefully drafted laws and regulations; the other is driven by an inventive spirit of boundary-pushing and experimentation.
And one is a crucial player in behind-the-scenes negotiations in the Paris climate talks, while the other has no formal role whatsoever but is a ubiquitous, cheerleading presence, with its governor and former governor popping up all over town this week at high-profile events.
In many facets, Germany and California could not differ more. Yet they share one overarching goal: to develop climate-friendly energy solutions that can serve as a model for the countries now meeting in Paris, as they each try to curb carbon emissions.
The two locuses of energy innovation have recognized their mutuality and have become close collaborators, traversing the nearly 5,700 miles to share ideas and study the other’s best practices.
California’s “million solar roof” program, started under former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (who is one of the active California representatives in Paris), mirrored Germany’s “hundred-thousand solar roof” initiative that began a few years earlier.
LichtBlick, a clean-energy provider based in Hamburg, Germany, has teamed up with Tesla Motors to help homeowners in Germany integrate its renewable energy storage cells into the country’s grid.
Beyond the mutual benefits, the experiences of California and Germany — both of which have managed to keep their economies chugging, and even growing — are seen as laboratories for the kinds of ideas that could help 195 countries and the European Union reach emissions targets that they have at least generally pledged to meet. Photo Wind turbines at the Imperial Valley town of Ocotillo, Calif. Both Germany and California are expanding their clean power, especially wind and solar, to ensure that it accounts for more than a third of all energy generated by 2025.
“Germany and California have to become learning hubs for the rest of the world,” Robert Weisenmiller, chairman of the California Energy Commission, said this year during a visit to Berlin, where he exchanged ideas with policy makers and others involved in Germany’s renewable energy programs.
Germany, with nearly 83 million people, has more than twice the population of California. Both are expanding their clean power, especially wind and solar, to ensure that it accounts for more than a third of all energy generated by 2025. Both want to slash their carbon emissions to 80 percent of 1990 levels by 2050. And both are seeking ways to improve their respective transportation sectors, in which they share a love of fast, gasoline- or diesel-powered cars.
“There have constantly been conversations between California and Germany regarding renewable energy and how to bring it into service in the best possible way,” said Angelina Galiteva, a founder of the California-based Renewables 100 Policy Institute, which promotes the transition to renewable energy and recently showed a group of German and other European experts around Sacramento and Silicon Valley.
For all the similarities, there are also profound differences that reflect the local cultures, the makeup of the power grid and the role of government in determining energy policy.
One of the elements that most baffled the Germans visiting California was the realization that residents with solar panels on their homes were not required to share information with operators about how much power they planned to generate, or the amount they would draw from the grid.
Such a laissez-faire approach would be unthinkable in Germany, where the grid is overseen by a government entity, and “smart” meters that gather and relay such information will be required from next year.
Yet Ms. Galiteva said she envied Germany’s ability to impose that level of control on renewables and the grid.
The German government began its solar program in 2000 by offering generous payments to anyone generating power through solar, wind or biomass that was fed into the grid — which was required by law. That move is widely viewed as having helped make renewables attractive on a global scale, with investment in renewable energy worldwide reaching $270.2 billion in 2014.
But Germany’s policies have come at a price, especially for citizens: The monthly power bill for a three-person household has more than doubled since 2000, to $94 a month. California, by contrast, has been able to avoid that steep jump through stringent conservation measures and by including the utilities in its renewable expansion plans; the average monthly bill in California, air-conditioning and all, is $88.
The envy works both ways. Many Germans look longingly to California, not only for its abundant sunlight, but for the prowess of its tech industry, which is increasingly linked to the growth of renewable energy. And Germany lacks the capital and regulatory ease to allow innovations to become viable businesses.
Philip Schöder knows both sides well. The 32-year-old German helped Tesla Motors launch in Germany before returning this year to Sonnenbatterie, a German-based renewable energy storage company with a branch in Los Angeles, where he got his start.
He points to the culture of risk-taking in California, supported by easier-to-navigate corporate laws and abundant venture capital, as one reason for the state’s energy transformation.
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China Faces Balancing Act in Slowing Business to Reduce Pollution
Dec 11, 2015 | The Wall Street Journal
By Alyssa Abkowitz And Brian Spegele
As Chinese authorities lifted Beijing’s “red alert” on smog, businesses were assessing the impact of 2½ days of pollution shutdown and grappling with the prospect of more.
At the Shahe Jindong Glass Co., about 270 miles south of Beijing in China’s industrial heartland, Vice President Liu Zhiqi said the company was trying to do its part to reduce emissions by slashing production by 50% this week, even though it meant postponing some orders. “We realize the seriousness of the pollution, and we need to cooperate,” he said.
For now, a few days of such factory closures is likely to barely register on growth or at least to be a smaller blip than clampdowns to clear Beijing’s skies ahead of a summit of world leaders last year or a military parade to mark the end of World War II in early September.
But the first-ever red alert over Beijing smog highlights the dilemma for leaders of whether to sacrifice economic activity at a time of already sagging growth to curb pollution.
On the one hand, leaders are already trying to steer away from a reliance on industries that are among the severest polluters, and many economists say the heightened awareness of pollution damage could speed a shift toward cleaner and higher-value industries that can drive growth.
But any loss of economic activity is a challenge as authorities struggle to meet a growth target of about 7% this year.
Since the alert was announced Monday, Yuan Qiwei, manager of a Beijing gym chain called I Fitness, which operates three gyms in the city, said he saw a 30% drop in visitors, as residents huddled indoors. “We are trying to figure out ways to tackle this,” he said.
School closings or the ordering of thousands of cars off the road are only some of the inconveniences for Beijing residents as authorities respond to growing public pressure to fight smog.
“For residents of large cities like Beijing, I think tolerance for red-alert days will quickly dissipate,” said Mary Gallagher, director of the University of Michigan’s Lieberthal-Rogel Center for Chinese Studies.
On Wednesday, Mr. Wang, a driver for Uber, picked up about 17 passengers, down from his typical 24 rides a day. “It’s kind of annoying,” he said as he drove his tan Volkswagen Passat, one of seven cars he owns that all have even-numbered license plates. “My wife doesn’t work so it affects me a lot.” Mr. Wang, who declined to give his first name, said if such alerts become commonplace, he will need to buy an odd-numbered license plate to ensure he gets steady work.
In Beijing alone, about 2,100 factories shut down or limited operation around the capital during the 2½-day alert, according to the Beijing Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology.
That appeared to be a less severe measure than during the lead-up to a military parade to mark the end of World War II in early September, when the government ordered more than 10,000 factories across northern China to shut down for about one week. It was unclear how many factories were closed in the latest shutdown.
The parade shutdown contributed to the Caixin Manufacturing PMI falling to a six-and-a-half year low in August, according to research firm Capital Economics. Industrial production was also weaker than expected in the month ahead of the parade.
This time, “the impact is transitory,” said Mizuho Securities Asia chief economist Jianguang Shen.
Both in August and now, authorities called for a halt to construction, to limit dust from building sites. But this late in the year, many construction sites had already closed down for winter.
However, Li Zifeng, 37, who has been working at a construction site in Tianjin since August, said “no one has asked us to stop working.” Mr. Li, who makes 200 yuan (about $31) a day, said that wasn’t the case during the military parade in early September, when the pollution shutdown prompted him to return to his hometown as work dried up.
In most cases, regular employees—such as workers at the Shahe Jindong Glass factory—still get paid even during shutdowns. But temporary workers don’t get paid when they don’t work, which could lead to more discontent and unrest if pollution shutdowns become commonplace.
“People will suffer economic losses if they are not able to work and make their salaries, especially lower-level workers who are paid by the hour,” said Ms. Gallagher of the University of Michigan.
Economists say frequent warnings in the future could have an impact on many sectors of the economy, such as tourism. Euromonitor senior analyst Fangting Sun called Beijing’s pollution a “major threat” to inbound tourism.
In the long term, economists say red alerts could promote a sense of urgency that could help break the nation’s decadeslong dependence on manufacturing for growth.
Leaders say investment in clean energy infrastructure—such as wind, solar and other technology—will serve as growth drivers in the coming decades, as cities try to limit pollution while still meeting high energy demand. Such state-led spending will ultimately provide an economic boost, says HSBC economist John Zhu.
More frequent red alerts could also spur Beijing and neighboring regions to reduce their reliance on coal, which still heats many homes. “It’s a good thing to remind people how serious the pollution is,” Mizuho’s Mr. Shen said. “These alerts could accelerate green-energy projects and create a new era for investment.”
On Thursday, the Asian Development Bank approved a $300 million loan to China to clean up Beijing’s air by helping Hebei province—often considered the area most in need of cleanup—develop programs to reduce pollution and guide clean-energy investments. Hamid Sharif, China director for the bank, said one of the most important parts of the loan was providing funding for monitoring and enforcement.
Beijing plans to double the 36 air-pollution monitoring stations it has set up around the city, Vice Mayor Li Shixiang told reporters on Thursday. Hebei, meanwhile, is requiring polluting enterprises to install monitoring systems that make it harder to turn off pollution-scrubbing equipment when regulators aren’t looking.
“When it comes to controlling pollution, we basically know what we need to do. But it’s really not easy,” said Yang Chongyong, Hebei’s executive vice governor.
As blue skies returned to Beijing, Shahe Jindong Glass turned to full capacity Thursday. Mr. Liu said there were no subsidies from the government to help with lost revenue as a result of the shutdown. “We have to bear the loss by ourselves.”
He said, “We surely will be asked to reduce production again. That will make it harder for us to operate.”
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China to receive $300m loan to combat pollution levels
Dec 10, 2015 | BBC
China is to receive a $300m (£198m) loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to help it combat dangerous pollution levels in Beijing city and its surrounding area.
The ADB said that poor air quality had reached such a serious level that it was "jeopardising health and sustainable growth".
The loan is intended to cut the region's coal use, among other pollution issues.
China is the world's biggest polluter.
The loan will target Beijing city and surrounding areas including Hebie and Tianjin. The region is home to more than 100 million people and accounts for 10% of China's gross domestic product, the ADB said.
"Poor air quality has reached such a serious level that it is jeopardising health and sustainable growth in the capital region," said ADB's urban development specialist Satoshi Ishii.
"[Our] assistance will help reduce emissions and strengthen the environment regulatory framework and capacity of environmental monitoring and enforcement.
"Better air quality will benefit the economy and people's health, both in the region and beyond," he added.
The money from the ADB follows the latest World Climate Summit which is concluding in Paris this week.
The bank said in a statement the loan was expected to be accompanied by co-financing from Germany's KfW Development Bank of €150m ($164m; £108.2m).
The agreement follows Beijing's first "red alert" warning over pollution levels earlier this week.
It was issued late on Monday and lasted until Thursday, and was the first time that China had declared a red alert under the system, which was adopted a little over two years ago.
Schools in Beijing were closed, outdoor construction was halted, limits were placed on car use and some factories were ordered to stop operations.
Emissions from coal-powered industries, cars and heating systems, together with dust from construction sites all help create the dangerous smog.
When the red alert was declared, the US Embassy's air pollution monitor in Beijing said the intensity of the tiny particles known as PM 2.5 were at 291 micrograms per cubic metre.
A reading of 25 micrograms per cubic metre is recommended by The World Health Organization as the maximum safe level.
Despite large investments in renewable sources, China still depends on coal for more than 60% of its power.
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ADB Lends India $1 Billion For Renewable Energy Transmission Network
Dec 10, 2015 | Clean Technica
By Saurabh Mahapatra
India’s Green Energy Corridors project has received a major funding boost with the Asian Development Bank providing $1 billion loan.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced that it will provide $500 million in government-backed loan and an additional $500 million in non-sovereign loan, which will be provided to Power Grid Corporation of India, which is implementing a national-level project to set up transmission lines dedicated to carrying electricity from renewable energy projects.
These transmission lines will be spread across the country to supply electricity from states rich in renewable energy potential to those with low potential. The entire program is critical for India to achieve its target of increasing the share of renewable energy in electricity consumption to 15% by 2022, which includes a target for increasing the share of solar power to 3% by 2022 — which the government is considering to increase to 10%.
Germany’s KfW had also announced financial assistance worth €1 billion for this project. The latest funding will be used for setting up new direct current terminals in the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Chhattisgarh.
The Power Grid Corporation of India has already started work on the green energy corridors project, having operationalised the second phase of the green corridor program, and allocated a transmission project in Andhra Pradesh, while completing the tendering process for projects in Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. All these states have completed multiple auctions under their respective solar power policies.
The Indian Government has planned to set up 25 ultra mega solar power projects with cumulative capacity of 20 GW. The success of these projects relies heavily on the success of the green energy corridors project.
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Scatec Solar completes Utah's first utility-scale PV plant
Dec 11, 2015 | PV Magazine
By Edgar Meza
Norway's Scatec Solar ASA has commissioned the first utility-scale solar park in the U.S. state of Utah.
Located in Parowan, the 104 MW Utah Red Hills Renewable Park (URHRP) will more than double the state's current solar footprint. The plant covers approximately 632 acres (256 hectares) of privately-owned land, consisting of more than 340,000 PV modules on a single-axis tracking system.
Scatec Solar teamed up with Google to form a joint partnership that owns the plant. The $188 million project was financed by Google, which provided tax equity, Prudential Capital Group, which provided debt financing, and Scatec Solar, which provided sponsor equity. Swinerton Renewable Energy oversaw engineering, procurement and construction services for the solar park. Scatec Solar will manage and operate the plant, which was constructed in less than a year.
The plant, which is expected to be fully operational in a week, will generate some 210 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity per year, equivalent to the electric power used by approximately 18,500 homes annually, to be fed into the grid under a 20-year power purchase agreement with PacifiCorp's Rocky Mountain Power.
Scatec Solar CEO Raymond Carlsen described the commissioning of the plant as "a significant landmark" for the company. "The fact that we were able to build this 104 MW plant within 12 months is the proof of our company's capability to deploy solar power rapidly."
Scatec Solar is currently developing a second PV plant of equal size, the Three Peaks Power Plant, in the surrounding Iron County.
With its sunny days and cool temperatures, Utah is among the top seven U.S. states with the greatest solar capacity potential. In 2008, Utah enacted the Energy Resource and Carbon Emission Reduction Initiative, setting a renewable portfolio goal of 20% by 2025 and requiring utilities to pursue renewable energy to the extent that it is cost-effective to do so.
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