[GWSG] Plugin pv; FL film/cell farm; SP energy prod.; JEA picks nukes; Lemieux backs renewables; frozen coral; windstalks; tax credits

[Tilley, Al]

1.  Clarion Power has developed a microinverter which allows a homeowner to plug up to five solar panels into their power supply directly, producing up to a kilowatt of power for under $1,000.  It is undergoing tests by UL.  Lowe’s and Costco are interested in marketing it as early as next spring.  http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/16/for-lean-budgets-a-plug-and-play-solar-system/

2.  A planned thin film solar farm in Walton County will use part of its photovoltaic power to produce hydrogen and then use the hydrogen in fuel cells to produce a steady power output of 74 megawatts around the clock.  The 550 acre farm will be the largest solar installation in Florida.  http://www.sowal.com/story/cutting-edge-solar-facility-planned-for-walton-county

3.  Spain’s new concentrating thermal solar plant puts the nation’s annual solar production at 432 megawatts, topping the US production.  Another 600 megawatts are due to come on line in Spain this year; projected solar output in the country by 2013 is 2500 megawatts.  Spanish windfarms already produce 20,000 megawatts, 53% of Spain’s energy needs on one day in November.   Spain’s general target is 22.7 % renewable by 2020.  http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jul/13/spain-solar-power

4.  JEA, Jacksonville’s utility, is going with nuclear power for up to 30% of its needs by 2020.  http://jacksonville.com/business/2010-08-17/story/jea-wants-nuclear-option  JEA believes the nuclear power could be a cheap as that from coal.  They do not compare the costs of renewables or of efficiency measures (which they are developing).  They do anticipate that nuclear power is unlikely to be included in renewable portfolio targets.  http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2010/08/16/daily21.html  This press release from the Southern Association for Clean Energy indicates that the two major Florida nuclear projects are in sufficient trouble to bring their completion into doubt.  http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/experts-to-florida-psc--we-told-you-so-101087674.html

5.  Senators Lemieux (R, FL) and Cantwell (D, WA) are cosponsoring an amendment to extend support of renewable energy projects.  I mention this both for the significance of the program and for the significance of Senator’s Lemieux’s support of renewable energy.  http://www.seia.org/cs/news_detail?pressrelease.id=983

6.  The Smithsonian Institution and the U. of Hawaii are preserving coral cells to restore populations after a catastrophe.  http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100818/sc_afp/environmentussciencecoral  Rising water temperatures are destroying many of Asia’s coral reefs.  http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100818/ap_on_sc/as_indonesia_dying_coral

7.  The windstalks of Abu Dhabi look like a grove of saplings but produce as much power per acre as a conventional windfarm.  http://www.goodcleantech.com/2010/08/windstalks_harvest_wind_energy.php

8.  David Reed sent this summary of federal tax credits available for home energy improvements.  http://www.energysavers.gov/pdfs/48148.pdf