What's New on Feed-in Tariffs

 

Serbia Issues Decree on Feed-in Tariffs

December 7, 2009

By Paul Gipe

Serbia Issues Decree on Feed-in Tariffs <http://www.wind-works.org/FeedLaws/Serbia/SerbiaIssuesDecreeonFeed-inTariffs.html> --According to English-language reports on the web, Serbia's government has issued a decree instituting a system of feed-in tariffs sometime this fall. . . This puts Serbia, along with China, India, Mongolia, Slovenia, and other countries that have recently announced feed-in tariffs far ahead of US states such as California that offer either one single tariff (California) or base the tariffs on the avoided cost of natural gas fired generation. . .

More on Japan and the Political Context for FITs <http://www.wind-works.org/FeedLaws/Japan/

MoreonJapanandthePoliticalContextforFITs.html> --Timely articles by Andrew DeWit on Japan's role in climate change and in introducing feed-in tariffs. . .

Deutsche Bank: What Investors Want is Transparency, Longevity and Certainty-FITs <http://www.wind-works.org/FeedLaws/USA/

DeutscheBankonFITs.html> --In a 36-page report issued in October, Deutsche Bank Climate Advisors identified feed-in tariffs as a key tool to develop renewable energy on the scale needed. . .

The Nation: Where's the Clean Energy? <http://www.thenation.com/doc/20091207/eshelman>  by Robert Eshelman--It was in Germany that Ed Regan realized Gainesville, Florida, was going about things all wrong. The assistant manager at Gainesville Regional Utility (GRU) was out looking for ways to boost his city's renewable energy capacity. "Germany was a game-changer," Regan says. Wind turbines and solar panels seemed to be everywhere. He soon learned the secret. . .

Proposed Indiana (Midwest) Feed-in Tariffs 2009 <http://www.wind-works.org/FeedLaws/USA/

ProposedIndianaMidwestFeed-inTariffs2009.html> --The tariffs suggested are applicable throughout the Midwest and not solely to Indiana. The tariffs, or prices paid for renewable generation per kilowatt-hour, are based on my professional judgment of current best practice worldwide and best practice specifically in North America. . .

Vermont Demand for FIT Contracts Exceed Supply <http://www.wind-works.org/FeedLaws/USA/

VermontDemandforFITContractsExceedSupply.html> --When the program opened its doors electronically on October 19, 2009 it received applications for 208 MW, 172 MW of which were for solar PV projects. . .

National Journal: States Test Ways To Turn Consumers Into Producers <http://energytopic.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/

feed-in-tariffs-energy-incentives.php>  by Emily Vaughn--Four states this year implemented feed-in tariffs, incentives that pay customers for the renewable energy they produce and "feed" back into electricity grids. Three did it for the first time, joining Washington state and California, which beefed up its law. . .

Reuters Blogs: Catching rays + cutting emissions <http://blogs.reuters.com/environment/2009/11/27/catching-rays-cutting-emissions/>  by Erik Kirschbaum--Two years ago, after writing this feature on why Germany leads the world in photovoltaic electricity production despite being covered by clouds half the time, I decided to crack open my piggy bank and borrow some money on top of that to invest in a modest 6.8 kWp solar power system for my roof (below left). I added a carport (above right) so that I could put up more solar panels. . .

Grist: Feed-in tariffs­the new school of thought <http://www.grist.org/article/2009-11-05-feed-in-tariffs-the-new-school-of-thought>  by Craig Morris--As a boy growing up near the Louisiana Gulf Coast, I remember looking out of the car window at times and seeing gigantic flames over the bayous: gas flares. Around 1970, the flaring of natural gas peaked. Oil prices were so low back then that marketing gas would not have been profitable. . .

Summary Statistics of Emissions Avoided and Fossil Fuels Offset in Germany 2008 <http://www.wind-works.org/FeedLaws/

Germany/SummaryStatisticsofEmissionsAvoidedandFossilFuels

OffsetinGermany2008.html> --The following are just some of the data found in a report by the German government on the development of renewable energy. The data should put the lie to (but probably won't) il-informed or malicious charges that renewable energy development in Germany either doesn't offset any emissions of global warming gasses or doesn't offset the burning of any fossil fuels.

Renewable energy sources in figures - national and international development <http://www.erneuerbare-energien.de/files/english/renewable_energy/downloads/application/pdf/

broschuere_ee_zahlen_en_bf.pdf>  June 2009--has been published annually by the German Environment Ministry (BMU) since 2002, and contains information on the development of renewable energy sources in Germany, the European Union and worldwide through 2008. . .

Ontario Will Pay Farmers 14.5 cents/kWh for Their Wind Generation <Click Here> --The Ontario Power Authority (OPA) has confirmed that it will pay Ontario farmers $0.145 CAD/kWh for their wind generation under the province's new feed-in tariff program launched October 1, 2009. . .

 

This feed-in tariff news update is partially supported by the Jan  David Blittersdorf Foundation in cooperation with the Institute for Local Self Reliance. The views expressed are those of Paul Gipe and are not necessarily those of the sponsors.

 

 

Paul Gipe