Ontario poised to be the world's next leading solar market

Recent announcement of FIT Contracts issued by the OPA are pointing to a very robust solar market in Ontario. Hundreds of contracts have been awarded and the FIT program is off to a great start.

More information can be found at: http://www.powerauthority.on.ca/

German solar PV Market leading the way: one of five householders are thinking about solar PV

Germany has been leading the way towards a healthy solar energy market for some years now. Despite the global economic crisis and a decreasing feed-in tariff, the German market has been reporting growth figures of around 20 to 30 % per year, and solar energy companies in Germany are reasonably optimistic about the near future, SolarPlaza.com, an independent global marketplace for photovoltaic solar energy reports in a press release.

German installers certainly have sufficient reason to be optimistic with lower prices for solar energy systems sparking new consumer interest.  According to the results of the the solar industry association BSW-Solar's recent business climate index, solar companies’ commercial expectations are at their highest level since measurement began back in 2005.

More information can be found at: http://www.globaldemandconference.com

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) reports that 2008 was the first year that new power generation investment in renewables was greater than investment in fossil fuel technologies.

According to the report $140 Billion went into renewables worldwide in 2008, while $110 Billion went into fossil fuels.

Source: http://www.unep.org

Ontario is poised to introduce new electricity pricing to encourage the development of renewable energy from a diverse range of producers including homeowners, community-based groups and larger scale commercial generators.

Proposed prices and program guidelines announced yesterday will form the basis of an eight-week consultation process with renewable energy stakeholders and several general information sessions for the interested public.

Solar micro-generation, 10 kilowatts and under, will enjoy the highest tariff in order to incent Ontarians to participate. If the proposed FIT program leads to 100,000 residential solar rooftop installations, it will amount to one percent of Ontario's supply mix.

The proposed FIT prices were developed based on experience here in Ontario and in other jurisdictions. Prices differ based on project size and type of renewable energy technology. They cover capital, operating and maintenance costs and allow for a reasonable rate of return on investment over an approximate 20-year period. They also provide special categories for community-based projects.

Solar PV roof top systems below/equal to 10 kilowatts would receive a tariff of Canadian 80c/kWh; 10 - 100kW 71.3c/kWh; 100 - 500kW 63.5c/kWh; > 500 kW 53.9c/kWh. For ground mounted systems below or equal to 10MW, the rate would be Canadian 43c/kWh.

"The proposed feed-in tariff program would help spark new investment in renewable energy generation and create a new generation of green jobs," said George Smitherman, Deputy Premier and Minister of Energy and Infrastructure. "It would give communities and homeowners the power and tools they need to participate in the energy business in the new green economy."

"Ontario has made great progress in procuring renewables, becoming Canada's leading province for wind power," added Colin Andersen, CEO of the Ontario Power Authority. "This proposed FIT program would build on our success and ensure that more contracts turn into projects sooner."

The proposed Green Energy Act (GEA), if passed, would establish Ontario as a leader in renewable energy, drive green investment in the province and create 50,000 jobs in the first three years. Additional changes proposed under the GEA would also make it easier and faster for projects to get connected to the grid.

www.solarbuzz.com - March, 2009

Once an importer of Germany's solar technology, South Korea is now partnering with the world champion to help build up its own home-grown photovoltaic (PV) industry with an eye on supplying the growing Asian market in the future.

"The more players, the more dynamism, the better for Germany because it creates an incentive to go for even better technology and build on our solid foundation."

Tobias Homann, PV Expert, Germany Trade and Invest

South Korea's shift in strategy is a sign of how emerging solar nations are finding new ways of working together with established players to drive the development of the PV industry around the world, kicking off what promises to be a more dynamic phase.

Partnerships and tie-ins with countries like South Korea are vital to develop solar technology also in Germany, said Homann.  Germany's own commitment to producing cutting-edge solar energy is strong, and there is a new, concerted effort to advance research and innovations.

"The more players, the more dynamism, the better for Germany because it creates an incentive to go for even better technology and build on our solid foundation," Homann said.

Germany's rapidly changing solar industry is quickly responding to new competition from around the world. In 2008, Spain saw its PV market grow almost fivefold in one year from 560 MW in 2007 to more than 2,511 MW in 2008, representing more than 45% of the global PV market, according to the EPIA.  For comparison, Germany installed around 1.5 GW, the U.S. 342 MW and Japan 230 MW. The EPIA expects the strong performance to continue: it forecasts that the European Union PV market will grow from 4.5 GW in 2008 to 11 GW by 2013, the U.S. PV market from 0.3 GW to 4.5 GW, the Japanese market from 0.23 GW to 1.7 GW and the rest of the world (i.e. including China and South Korea) to grow from 0.5 GW to more than 5 GW by 2013.

by Jane Burgermeister is a RenewableEnergyWorld.com European Correspondent based in Austria. www.RenewableEnergyWorld.com