Original article: http://www.thestarpress.com/article/20101108/LIFESTYLE/11080325
THE STAR PRESS • November 8, 2010
MUNCIE -- The Hoosier Environmental Council (HEC) recognized Ball State University as its "Technology Innovator of the Year" during the Third Annual Green Policy Forum Nov. 6 in Indianapolis.
In 2009, Ball State broke ground on a new ground-source geothermal district heating and cooling system that, once completed, will be the largest district system in the country.
The system will replace four coal-fired boilers and save the university about $2 million every year in operating costs, not to mention reduce its carbon footprint by about half.
"Ball State is truly leading by example," said HEC Executive Director Jesse Kharbanda. "When it came time to make a decision about future energy needs, the university made a choice that not only benefits its bottom line but the environment as well."
In a press release, Gora cited not only the geothermal project but also the all-electric vehicle used to distribute campus mail as ways to lessen Ball State's environmental impact and encourage others to do the same.
More information about Ball State's district geothermal project can be found at www.bsu.edu/geothermal .
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Powers Energy Hires Three Lake County Construction Firms for Garbage-to-Ethanol Plant in Schneider, IN
November 10, 2010
BY DIANE KRIEGER SPIVAK, (219) 648-3076 Powers Energy on Tuesday named the three Lake County construction firms that will hire 400 union workers to build a $254 million garbage-to-ethanol plant in Schneider.
Superior Construction Co., Inc., of Gary; Morrison Construction Co., of Hammond; and Continental Electric Co., Inc., also of Gary have formed a joint venture, SMC LLC, for the project, according to a news release Powers issued late Tuesday afternoon.
Powers Energy has also contracted with Robinson Engineering Ltd., Merrillville, to provide civil engineering support during design and permitting.
Powers has a 20-year-renewable contract with the Lake County Solid Waste Management District to process 8,000 tons of municipal waste into ethanol per day.
Funding for the project should be completed some time next month, according to company president Earl Powers, who promised no taxpayer dollars would be involved.
"One hundred percent of the project funding is from debt financing," Powers said, adding that financial backers, none of whom are from Indiana, would be identified after funding documentation is finalized.
"Lake County residents and public entities will have no financial liability for any portion of the project before or during construction and operation, or after facility closure," Powers said.
The plant is projected to operate for 30 years.
Powers hopes to break ground on the two-year project next summer, Powers engineer Ken Bosar said. The company must first apply for various permits from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, which should take place early next year, Bosar said.
"We're pleased the project is moving forward and happy that Powers Energy is keeping its promise," Solid Waste attorney Cliff Duggan said Tuesday.
Northwestern Indiana Building & Construction Trades Council Business Manager Randy Palmateer said all three companies are contractors with the council.
"They employ local building trades men and women," Palmateer said.
"We've looked at manpower projections with Mr. Powers," Palmateer said. "It's going to be a great project for our trade council. We're not at full employment, so this will be a nice jump-start."
Palmateer said a building trades presence will attend the Nov. 18 Solid Waste Board meeting in support of the project.
Powers Energy is scheduled to attend the meeting to answer questions submitted regarding the project.
"We're 100 percent behind this," Palmateer said, adding that 20 percent of the 50,000 union trades workers are currently unemployed.
"Hopefully, individual municipalities will sign into these local agreements to send their trash there," he said. "We're in a green era now."
This article brought to you by the Indiana Renewable Energy Association.
BY DIANE KRIEGER SPIVAK, (219) 648-3076 Powers Energy on Tuesday named the three Lake County construction firms that will hire 400 union workers to build a $254 million garbage-to-ethanol plant in Schneider.
Superior Construction Co., Inc., of Gary; Morrison Construction Co., of Hammond; and Continental Electric Co., Inc., also of Gary have formed a joint venture, SMC LLC, for the project, according to a news release Powers issued late Tuesday afternoon.
Powers Energy has also contracted with Robinson Engineering Ltd., Merrillville, to provide civil engineering support during design and permitting.
Powers has a 20-year-renewable contract with the Lake County Solid Waste Management District to process 8,000 tons of municipal waste into ethanol per day.
Funding for the project should be completed some time next month, according to company president Earl Powers, who promised no taxpayer dollars would be involved.
"One hundred percent of the project funding is from debt financing," Powers said, adding that financial backers, none of whom are from Indiana, would be identified after funding documentation is finalized.
"Lake County residents and public entities will have no financial liability for any portion of the project before or during construction and operation, or after facility closure," Powers said.
The plant is projected to operate for 30 years.
Powers hopes to break ground on the two-year project next summer, Powers engineer Ken Bosar said. The company must first apply for various permits from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, which should take place early next year, Bosar said.
"We're pleased the project is moving forward and happy that Powers Energy is keeping its promise," Solid Waste attorney Cliff Duggan said Tuesday.
Northwestern Indiana Building & Construction Trades Council Business Manager Randy Palmateer said all three companies are contractors with the council.
"They employ local building trades men and women," Palmateer said.
"We've looked at manpower projections with Mr. Powers," Palmateer said. "It's going to be a great project for our trade council. We're not at full employment, so this will be a nice jump-start."
Palmateer said a building trades presence will attend the Nov. 18 Solid Waste Board meeting in support of the project.
Powers Energy is scheduled to attend the meeting to answer questions submitted regarding the project.
"We're 100 percent behind this," Palmateer said, adding that 20 percent of the 50,000 union trades workers are currently unemployed.
"Hopefully, individual municipalities will sign into these local agreements to send their trash there," he said. "We're in a green era now."
This article brought to you by the Indiana Renewable Energy Association.
Richmond Power & Light (RP&L) might buy excess power
Original Article: http://www.pal-item.com/article/20101108/NEWS01/11080320
Utility considers allowing customers with wind, solar power or generators to sell power back
By Pam Tharp • Correspondent • November 8, 2010
Richmond Power & Light customers who also generate their own power might soon be able to sell extra kilowatts to RP&L.
Customers with wind or solar power systems or generators could sell their excess power back to the electrical grid if RP&L adopts a net metering ordinance, RP&L general manager Steve Saum said. The RP&L board will review a proposed ordinance for net metering at its Nov. 15 meeting.
The amount of electricity a customer could sell to the grid is limited to 10 kilowatts at any one time. Customers with higher generation capacity would need an agreement with the Indiana Municipal Power Agency, Saum said.
RP&L charges its customers 7.5 to 8 cents per kilowatt hour. Customers with extra power to sell would be paid at half of that rate, about 4.5 cents, because the higher rate includes the utility's fixed costs for line maintenance and overhead, Saum said.
Saum's unsure how many customers are generating power using solar panels or wind turbines but said he's had some inquiries about selling power back to the grid.
"Green" energy systems that power the sustainable living house at Centerville's Cope Environmental Center have transferred 540 kilowatts to Whitewater Valley REMC since April 2009, said Cope executive director Stephanie Hays-Mussoni. A 1-kilowatt wind turbine and a 900-watt solar panel power the sustainable living house.
Cope staff gets numerous inquiries about wind and solar power for home use, Hays-Mussoni said. Few follow through because of the substantial capital investment required -- about $20,000 to $25,000 for the systems and extra insulation, she said.
"We aren't currently selling the power back, but it does go back to the grid," Hays-Mussoni said. "It's not a whole lot of power. The turbine and solar panel provide 60 percent of the energy used by the residents of the sustainable house throughout the year. The systems don't provide energy all the time because sometimes the sun doesn't shine and the wind doesn't blow."
A disconnect switch is required for any system that would send power back to RP&L or other utilities. The switch automatically disconnects the private system line from the utility during a power failure, Saum said. Without the switch, a lineman working on a power failure issue could be injured by electricity flowing back into the line from a home generation system. The disconnect switch also must be inspected by the city building inspector before power sales can begin, Saum said.
RP&L board member Larry Parker was concerned earlier this week about the safety of RP&L linemen if a power outage occurred.
"How will we know if the disconnect switch has been installed?" Parker asked. "I don't want one of our linemen being killed because of this."
Those who enroll in the net metering program would be required to sign a form verifying the disconnect switch was installed, Saum said. Linemen also are trained to be cautious during outages, he said.
"If the line is out and we see lights, they know there's a generator or something producing power in the home," Saum said.
Board member Jack Elstro questioned the wisdom of the program.
"Why do we want to do this? To me, it's foolish," Elstro said.
The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission is encouraging utilities to allow customers who generate excess electrical power to sell it to the power grid, Saum said.
"The IURC is trying to push it pretty hard. They've had complaints from customers whose utility didn't have a net metering ordinance," Saum said. "It's not mandatory yet for utilities to do this. We're trying to be proactive and be ready to handle it."
For more information
A customer interested in selling electricity to Richmond Power & Light should contact the utility for additional information, RP&L manager Steve Saum said. The net metering agreement is a legal document that includes acceptance of liability, and the required disconnect switch must be inspected and approved by the city of Richmond's building inspector, Saum said.
Comment on this story at palitem@pal-item.com.
This article brought to you by the Indiana Renewable Energy Association.
Utility considers allowing customers with wind, solar power or generators to sell power back
By Pam Tharp • Correspondent • November 8, 2010
Richmond Power & Light customers who also generate their own power might soon be able to sell extra kilowatts to RP&L.
Customers with wind or solar power systems or generators could sell their excess power back to the electrical grid if RP&L adopts a net metering ordinance, RP&L general manager Steve Saum said. The RP&L board will review a proposed ordinance for net metering at its Nov. 15 meeting.
The amount of electricity a customer could sell to the grid is limited to 10 kilowatts at any one time. Customers with higher generation capacity would need an agreement with the Indiana Municipal Power Agency, Saum said.
RP&L charges its customers 7.5 to 8 cents per kilowatt hour. Customers with extra power to sell would be paid at half of that rate, about 4.5 cents, because the higher rate includes the utility's fixed costs for line maintenance and overhead, Saum said.
Saum's unsure how many customers are generating power using solar panels or wind turbines but said he's had some inquiries about selling power back to the grid.
"Green" energy systems that power the sustainable living house at Centerville's Cope Environmental Center have transferred 540 kilowatts to Whitewater Valley REMC since April 2009, said Cope executive director Stephanie Hays-Mussoni. A 1-kilowatt wind turbine and a 900-watt solar panel power the sustainable living house.
Cope staff gets numerous inquiries about wind and solar power for home use, Hays-Mussoni said. Few follow through because of the substantial capital investment required -- about $20,000 to $25,000 for the systems and extra insulation, she said.
"We aren't currently selling the power back, but it does go back to the grid," Hays-Mussoni said. "It's not a whole lot of power. The turbine and solar panel provide 60 percent of the energy used by the residents of the sustainable house throughout the year. The systems don't provide energy all the time because sometimes the sun doesn't shine and the wind doesn't blow."
A disconnect switch is required for any system that would send power back to RP&L or other utilities. The switch automatically disconnects the private system line from the utility during a power failure, Saum said. Without the switch, a lineman working on a power failure issue could be injured by electricity flowing back into the line from a home generation system. The disconnect switch also must be inspected by the city building inspector before power sales can begin, Saum said.
RP&L board member Larry Parker was concerned earlier this week about the safety of RP&L linemen if a power outage occurred.
"How will we know if the disconnect switch has been installed?" Parker asked. "I don't want one of our linemen being killed because of this."
Those who enroll in the net metering program would be required to sign a form verifying the disconnect switch was installed, Saum said. Linemen also are trained to be cautious during outages, he said.
"If the line is out and we see lights, they know there's a generator or something producing power in the home," Saum said.
Board member Jack Elstro questioned the wisdom of the program.
"Why do we want to do this? To me, it's foolish," Elstro said.
The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission is encouraging utilities to allow customers who generate excess electrical power to sell it to the power grid, Saum said.
"The IURC is trying to push it pretty hard. They've had complaints from customers whose utility didn't have a net metering ordinance," Saum said. "It's not mandatory yet for utilities to do this. We're trying to be proactive and be ready to handle it."
For more information
A customer interested in selling electricity to Richmond Power & Light should contact the utility for additional information, RP&L manager Steve Saum said. The net metering agreement is a legal document that includes acceptance of liability, and the required disconnect switch must be inspected and approved by the city of Richmond's building inspector, Saum said.
Comment on this story at palitem@pal-item.com.
This article brought to you by the Indiana Renewable Energy Association.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Imperial e-Biofuels Subsidiary Nearing Twenty Five Million Gallon Annual Sales Pace
EVANSVILLE, Ind.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Imperial Petroleum, Inc. (OTCBB:IPMN.ob – News) announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, e-biofuels, LLC, a Middletown, Indiana biodiesel producer, sold 1.98 million gallons of biodiesel in October 2010 resulting in revenues of approximately $6.3 million for the month. First quarter revenues from biodiesel sales represent approximately $16.7 million on 5.2 million gallons sold.
“It’s been very exciting to see the daily increases in activity at the e-biofuels plant translate into increased sales and revenues for the Company,” said Jeffrey T. Wilson, President of Imperial. “Sales in calendar 2009 averaged 7 million gallons and we are now on pace to maintain biodiesel sales at around an annual pace of 24 million gallons with revenues approaching $70 million per year. We’ve been able to use the increased cash flow to mitigate some of the past financial issues faced by e-biofuels and strengthen our financial position in the industry.”
Mr. Wilson went on to say, “Our proto-type tests are going very well on process enhancements and we hope to finish our financing initiatives in the short term to position the Company for even more explosive growth going forward.”
Imperial is an energy company headquartered in Evansville, Indiana.
This press release may contain “forward-looking statements” as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are based on management’s current expectations and are subject to a number of factors and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those described herein. Although the Company believes that the expectations in such statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct.
Contact:
Imperial Petroleum, Inc.
Jeffrey T. Wilson, CEO
Phone 812-867-1433 Fax 812-867-1678
email: jtwilsonx1@aol.com
“It’s been very exciting to see the daily increases in activity at the e-biofuels plant translate into increased sales and revenues for the Company,” said Jeffrey T. Wilson, President of Imperial. “Sales in calendar 2009 averaged 7 million gallons and we are now on pace to maintain biodiesel sales at around an annual pace of 24 million gallons with revenues approaching $70 million per year. We’ve been able to use the increased cash flow to mitigate some of the past financial issues faced by e-biofuels and strengthen our financial position in the industry.”
Mr. Wilson went on to say, “Our proto-type tests are going very well on process enhancements and we hope to finish our financing initiatives in the short term to position the Company for even more explosive growth going forward.”
Imperial is an energy company headquartered in Evansville, Indiana.
This press release may contain “forward-looking statements” as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are based on management’s current expectations and are subject to a number of factors and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those described herein. Although the Company believes that the expectations in such statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct.
Contact:
Imperial Petroleum, Inc.
Jeffrey T. Wilson, CEO
Phone 812-867-1433 Fax 812-867-1678
email: jtwilsonx1@aol.com
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
The price of solar in California
Original article: http://www.renewablesinternational.net/the-price-of-solar-in-california/150/511/29293/
California's Division of Ratepayer Advocates (DRA) says that although the price of solar has plummeted in recent years, the bids for utility-scale projects in the state are paradoxically rising.
In the study (PDF) released last Tuesday entitled "California's solar PV paradox: declining California solar initiative prices and rising investor owned utilities bid prices," the DRA authors Nika Rogers and Derek Fletcher of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) find that the price of retail solar PV – the small rooftop systems on family homes and small businesses – dropped by 19-22 percent from Q4 2008 to July 2010. However, the price of utility-scale solar projects (defined as “mostly 10 MW or more”) slightly increased from 2007 to 2009.
The authors identify three main risks behind the latter:
John Geesman, a former member of the California Energy Commission (CEC), says he is not surprised by the study's findings as his criticism of California's RPS goes along similar lines: "the lack of transparency creates little downward pressure on price; the feel good, happy talk about contracts signed creates little pressure for actual delivered energy; and the distinction between flexible compliance and regulatory capture remains murky.” It is interesting to note that, while feed-in tariffs for solar have been accused of overpaying, feed-in tariffs have been plummeting in countries like France and Germany during the timeframe under investigation here, whereas the policy used in the US has apparently been overpaying solar.
The California Solar Initiative at the heart of the study only covers solar rooftops, not utility-scale field arrays, and some of the largest solar projects announced recently concerned concentrated solar power (CSP), not photovoltaics, but one of the study's authors Nika Rogers told Renewables International that "we only looked at solar PV projects and filtered out any solar thermal or solar trough projects.” Overall, the study provides an interesting overview of the California solar market for anyone looking to understand it better.
By Craig Morris (cm)
This article brought to you by the Indiana Renewable Energy Association.
California's Division of Ratepayer Advocates (DRA) says that although the price of solar has plummeted in recent years, the bids for utility-scale projects in the state are paradoxically rising.
In the study (PDF) released last Tuesday entitled "California's solar PV paradox: declining California solar initiative prices and rising investor owned utilities bid prices," the DRA authors Nika Rogers and Derek Fletcher of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) find that the price of retail solar PV – the small rooftop systems on family homes and small businesses – dropped by 19-22 percent from Q4 2008 to July 2010. However, the price of utility-scale solar projects (defined as “mostly 10 MW or more”) slightly increased from 2007 to 2009.
The authors identify three main risks behind the latter:
- difficult credit markets,
- deadlines for California's RPS, and
- the CPUC’s “reluctance to reject high-priced contracts providing a disincentive for developers to price their bid competitively.”
John Geesman, a former member of the California Energy Commission (CEC), says he is not surprised by the study's findings as his criticism of California's RPS goes along similar lines: "the lack of transparency creates little downward pressure on price; the feel good, happy talk about contracts signed creates little pressure for actual delivered energy; and the distinction between flexible compliance and regulatory capture remains murky.” It is interesting to note that, while feed-in tariffs for solar have been accused of overpaying, feed-in tariffs have been plummeting in countries like France and Germany during the timeframe under investigation here, whereas the policy used in the US has apparently been overpaying solar.
The California Solar Initiative at the heart of the study only covers solar rooftops, not utility-scale field arrays, and some of the largest solar projects announced recently concerned concentrated solar power (CSP), not photovoltaics, but one of the study's authors Nika Rogers told Renewables International that "we only looked at solar PV projects and filtered out any solar thermal or solar trough projects.” Overall, the study provides an interesting overview of the California solar market for anyone looking to understand it better.
By Craig Morris (cm)
This article brought to you by the Indiana Renewable Energy Association.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Pre-election Look at Federal Energy Legislation Options by Neil Brown with Office of Sen. Lugar
Join us for a Webinar on October 21
Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar Seat Now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/792913553
The Indiana Renewable Energy Association in conjunction with Indiana Distributed Energy Advocates are sponsoring a Special Webinar with Neil Brown with the Office of Sen. Dick Lugar of Indiana.
Sen. Lugar and his proposed federal energy policy was the subject of a recent Indianapolis Star Guest Editorial by John Mutz. See http://indianarenew.blogspot.com/2010/10/mutz-says-lugar-plan-outshines-other.html
Although no one can predict the outcome of the November 2nd elections and its impact on federal energy policy, we can look back at what policies and proposals were introduced and look forward to see those that might be on the table during the lame duck session of Congress.
In early June, Sen. Lugar introduced his Practical Energy and Climate Plan or S. 3464. Later in June, the Congressional Research Service (CRS) prepared a memorandum that provided a short summary and comparison of four legislative proposals that were under some level of consideration in the U.S. Senate. Sen. Lugar's proposal was one of the four discussed. While all four proposals fall within the broad category of energy and climate change policy, the specifics of the proposals vary significantly, and their approaches vary in many ways.
For more details and a link to the CRS report, visit http://indianadg.wordpress.com/2010/06/27/crs-comparison-of-selected-energy-climate-change-bills/
Brown will both look back and look forward on these federal energy and climate change proposals.
Neil Brown is an advisor to Senator Dick Lugar of Indiana. He serves as a Senior Professional Staff Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, with responsibility for energy security and the Nunn-Lugar non-proliferation program. Neil earned masters degrees in political theory and forced migration while studying as a Rhodes Scholar at University of Oxford (UK). He also holds a BA from Harvard University. He has done substantial field work while living in South Asia, Namibia and Egypt, and he has previously worked with the Harvard Institute for International Development and the Center for Strategic and International Studies. In 2009, Neil was a Washington Fellow of the National Review Institute. He is a board member of the Association of American Rhodes Scholars, a trustee of the Merton College Charitable Corporation. Neil is from Iowa, where his family farm is located.
Webinar Title: Pre-election Look at Federal Energy Legislation Options by Neil Brown with Office of Sen. Dick Lugar
Date: Thursday, October 21, 2010
Time: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM EDT
This article brought to you by the Indiana Renewable Energy Association.
Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar Seat Now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/792913553
The Indiana Renewable Energy Association in conjunction with Indiana Distributed Energy Advocates are sponsoring a Special Webinar with Neil Brown with the Office of Sen. Dick Lugar of Indiana.
Sen. Lugar and his proposed federal energy policy was the subject of a recent Indianapolis Star Guest Editorial by John Mutz. See http://indianarenew.blogspot.com/2010/10/mutz-says-lugar-plan-outshines-other.html
Although no one can predict the outcome of the November 2nd elections and its impact on federal energy policy, we can look back at what policies and proposals were introduced and look forward to see those that might be on the table during the lame duck session of Congress.
In early June, Sen. Lugar introduced his Practical Energy and Climate Plan or S. 3464. Later in June, the Congressional Research Service (CRS) prepared a memorandum that provided a short summary and comparison of four legislative proposals that were under some level of consideration in the U.S. Senate. Sen. Lugar's proposal was one of the four discussed. While all four proposals fall within the broad category of energy and climate change policy, the specifics of the proposals vary significantly, and their approaches vary in many ways.
For more details and a link to the CRS report, visit http://indianadg.wordpress.com/2010/06/27/crs-comparison-of-selected-energy-climate-change-bills/
Brown will both look back and look forward on these federal energy and climate change proposals.
Neil Brown is an advisor to Senator Dick Lugar of Indiana. He serves as a Senior Professional Staff Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, with responsibility for energy security and the Nunn-Lugar non-proliferation program. Neil earned masters degrees in political theory and forced migration while studying as a Rhodes Scholar at University of Oxford (UK). He also holds a BA from Harvard University. He has done substantial field work while living in South Asia, Namibia and Egypt, and he has previously worked with the Harvard Institute for International Development and the Center for Strategic and International Studies. In 2009, Neil was a Washington Fellow of the National Review Institute. He is a board member of the Association of American Rhodes Scholars, a trustee of the Merton College Charitable Corporation. Neil is from Iowa, where his family farm is located.
Webinar Title: Pre-election Look at Federal Energy Legislation Options by Neil Brown with Office of Sen. Dick Lugar
Date: Thursday, October 21, 2010
Time: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM EDT
This article brought to you by the Indiana Renewable Energy Association.
Duke Energy, Integrys Energy Services and Smart Energy Capital Launch Partnership to Build and Finance Solar Projects Throughout U.S.
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Duke Energy, Integrys Energy Services and Smart Energy Capital today announced the launch of a partnership to build and finance distributed solar projects throughout the United States.
Through the partnership, Duke Energy Generation Services (DEGS) and Integrys Energy Services (Integrys) will focus on jointly owning rooftop and smaller ground-mounted photovoltaic (PV) solar projects that deliver electricity to investment-grade commercial, government and utility customers under long-term power purchase agreements. Smart Energy Capital will develop the projects and arrange financing, enabling DEGS and Integrys to create a streamlined, end-to-end approach to bringing solar projects to market.
"What makes this partnership unique in the marketplace is its focus on distributed solar solutions that produce renewable electricity close to where it is used, rather than at centralized power plants," said Greg Wolf, DEGS senior vice president and head of the unit's commercial solar business. "The companies involved bring a wealth of project development, construction, management and financing expertise to the partnership."
DEGS, part of Duke Energy Corporation's (NYSE: DUK) Commercial Businesses, and Integrys Energy Services, a subsidiary of Integrys Energy Group (NYSE: TEG), believe the majority of PV solar growth over the next several years will involve commercial-scale ground-mounted and rooftop applications. While DEGS and Integrys will continue to independently develop commercial solar projects pursuant to their respective strategies, this partnership will serve as a way to cooperatively boost growth in an attractive segment of the solar market.
"We have invested more than $65 million in 20 different distributed generation solar projects across the U.S. with a combined capacity of more than 10 megawatts," said Joel Jansen, managing director and head of energy assets at Integrys Energy Services. "Partnering with DEGS and Smart Energy Capital enables us to expand our presence in this market in an efficient, strategic manner."
DEGS and Integrys will equally supply the necessary equity capital for construction and ownership of the distributed solar projects. Over the next two years, the companies intend to invest up to $180 million in total project capital. Individual project size is expected to be 500 kilowatts and up, depending on the needs of the customer. DEGS and Integrys will be responsible for operating and maintaining the projects.
Smart Energy Capital will work with its strategic origination partners, including CB Richard Ellis (under the name CBRE Solar) and Tremco Roofing, to help customers achieve their sustainability and energy objectives on optimal terms. The financing structure of the partnership enables DEGS and Integrys to monetize all available federal tax benefits associated with the distributed solar projects.
"We believe this partnership provides a solution to one of the fundamental challenges in the commercial segment of the solar market – reliability and certainty of financing," said Rob Krugel, managing partner of Smart Energy Capital. "We are excited to form a strategic partnership with such large, experienced and well-capitalized power project owners as DEGS and Integrys to pursue distributed solar projects wherever market opportunities in the U.S. present themselves."
About Duke Energy Generation Services
Duke Energy Generation Services, part of Duke Energy's Commercial Businesses, is a leader in developing innovative renewable energy solutions, including wind, solar and biopower projects. DEGS builds, owns and operates electric generation for large energy consumers, municipalities, utilities and industrial facilities. DEGS is also working to build commercial transmission capacity to help the U.S. meet its energy needs of the future. Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is a Fortune 500 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available on the Internet at: www.duke-energy.com.
About Integrys Energy Services, Inc.
Established in 1994, Integrys Energy Services, Inc. provides competitive energy supply solutions, structured products, and strategies that allow retail residential, commercial, and industrial customers to manage their energy needs. Its principal energy marketing operations are in the northeastern quadrant of the United States. Through its subsidiary, Integrys Energy Services – Natural Gas LLC, Integrys offers natural gas products to a full range of end-users throughout the Midwest. Areas of generation expertise include cogeneration, distributed generation, renewables such as solar and landfill gas, as well as clean fuel generation, with facilities in selected markets throughout the United States. More information about Integrys Energy Services is available online at www.integrysenergy.com.
About Smart Energy Capital
Founded in 2009, Smart Energy Capital is a leader in the financing and development of solar energy projects. The company manages the development, financing, installation and operations of distributed power plants throughout the United States and Canada using proven photovoltaic technologies. The company delivers fully managed, predictably priced solar energy services for its commercial, government and utility customers. More information about Smart Energy Capital is available at www.smartenergycapital.com.
MEDIA CONTACTS
Duke Energy:
Greg Efthimiou 704-382-1925
24-Hour 800-559-3853
Integrys Energy Services:
Joel Jansen 920-617-6029
Smart Energy Capital
Rob Krugel 914-595-2641
This article brought to by the Indiana Renewable Energy Association.
Through the partnership, Duke Energy Generation Services (DEGS) and Integrys Energy Services (Integrys) will focus on jointly owning rooftop and smaller ground-mounted photovoltaic (PV) solar projects that deliver electricity to investment-grade commercial, government and utility customers under long-term power purchase agreements. Smart Energy Capital will develop the projects and arrange financing, enabling DEGS and Integrys to create a streamlined, end-to-end approach to bringing solar projects to market.
"What makes this partnership unique in the marketplace is its focus on distributed solar solutions that produce renewable electricity close to where it is used, rather than at centralized power plants," said Greg Wolf, DEGS senior vice president and head of the unit's commercial solar business. "The companies involved bring a wealth of project development, construction, management and financing expertise to the partnership."
DEGS, part of Duke Energy Corporation's (NYSE: DUK) Commercial Businesses, and Integrys Energy Services, a subsidiary of Integrys Energy Group (NYSE: TEG), believe the majority of PV solar growth over the next several years will involve commercial-scale ground-mounted and rooftop applications. While DEGS and Integrys will continue to independently develop commercial solar projects pursuant to their respective strategies, this partnership will serve as a way to cooperatively boost growth in an attractive segment of the solar market.
"We have invested more than $65 million in 20 different distributed generation solar projects across the U.S. with a combined capacity of more than 10 megawatts," said Joel Jansen, managing director and head of energy assets at Integrys Energy Services. "Partnering with DEGS and Smart Energy Capital enables us to expand our presence in this market in an efficient, strategic manner."
DEGS and Integrys will equally supply the necessary equity capital for construction and ownership of the distributed solar projects. Over the next two years, the companies intend to invest up to $180 million in total project capital. Individual project size is expected to be 500 kilowatts and up, depending on the needs of the customer. DEGS and Integrys will be responsible for operating and maintaining the projects.
Smart Energy Capital will work with its strategic origination partners, including CB Richard Ellis (under the name CBRE Solar) and Tremco Roofing, to help customers achieve their sustainability and energy objectives on optimal terms. The financing structure of the partnership enables DEGS and Integrys to monetize all available federal tax benefits associated with the distributed solar projects.
"We believe this partnership provides a solution to one of the fundamental challenges in the commercial segment of the solar market – reliability and certainty of financing," said Rob Krugel, managing partner of Smart Energy Capital. "We are excited to form a strategic partnership with such large, experienced and well-capitalized power project owners as DEGS and Integrys to pursue distributed solar projects wherever market opportunities in the U.S. present themselves."
About Duke Energy Generation Services
Duke Energy Generation Services, part of Duke Energy's Commercial Businesses, is a leader in developing innovative renewable energy solutions, including wind, solar and biopower projects. DEGS builds, owns and operates electric generation for large energy consumers, municipalities, utilities and industrial facilities. DEGS is also working to build commercial transmission capacity to help the U.S. meet its energy needs of the future. Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is a Fortune 500 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available on the Internet at: www.duke-energy.com.
About Integrys Energy Services, Inc.
Established in 1994, Integrys Energy Services, Inc. provides competitive energy supply solutions, structured products, and strategies that allow retail residential, commercial, and industrial customers to manage their energy needs. Its principal energy marketing operations are in the northeastern quadrant of the United States. Through its subsidiary, Integrys Energy Services – Natural Gas LLC, Integrys offers natural gas products to a full range of end-users throughout the Midwest. Areas of generation expertise include cogeneration, distributed generation, renewables such as solar and landfill gas, as well as clean fuel generation, with facilities in selected markets throughout the United States. More information about Integrys Energy Services is available online at www.integrysenergy.com.
About Smart Energy Capital
Founded in 2009, Smart Energy Capital is a leader in the financing and development of solar energy projects. The company manages the development, financing, installation and operations of distributed power plants throughout the United States and Canada using proven photovoltaic technologies. The company delivers fully managed, predictably priced solar energy services for its commercial, government and utility customers. More information about Smart Energy Capital is available at www.smartenergycapital.com.
MEDIA CONTACTS
Duke Energy:
Greg Efthimiou 704-382-1925
24-Hour 800-559-3853
Integrys Energy Services:
Joel Jansen 920-617-6029
Smart Energy Capital
Rob Krugel 914-595-2641
This article brought to by the Indiana Renewable Energy Association.
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