Green Energy

The Portuguese government’s national investment programme (PNI2030) included projections of private-sector investments of over €1 billion in offshore renewables in the next decade.

EDPR, the lead company developing Portugal’s only current offshore wind project, the 25MW pre-commercial WindFloat Atlantic plant, affirmed that it has no knowledge of any existing plans to develop other offshore wind farms.

António Sá da Costa, president of the Portuguese renewables sector association APREN, told Windpower Monthly: “No one is going to step forward to invest in offshore until we see what happens to the second phase of the WindFloat — unless public support is forthcoming from the EU.”

“How could we invest €1 billion over the next ten years if the driver is to produce electricity as cheaply as possible?

“I sincerely doubt any private investor is going to invest in offshore before the existing opportunities in solar and repowering onshore wind are fully exploited,” he added.

Although floating turbines have proved their reliability in tough weather conditions off the Atlantic coast, the economic conditions don’t yet exist in Portugal to drive a major expansion of offshore of the kind seen, for example, in the UK.

Solar power, which still has major growth potential in Portugal, offers a more cost-efficient alternative for at least the next decade.

In projecting the potential growth of different renewables technologies over the next three decades the Portuguese government’s Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality 2050 published at the end of 2018 shows offshore wind capacity growing to 400MW by 2030 and to 1.9 GW by 2050.

“I sincerely doubt any private investor is going to invest in offshore before the existing opportunities in solar and repowering onshore wind are fully exploited”

— António Sá da Costa, president, APREN

It seems likely that the €1.15 billion investment in offshore renewables by 2030 included in PNI2030 could have been based on this projection.

However the roadmap also states that offshore wind will not become cost-efficient in Portugal until the decade from 2030 to 2040.

Francisco Ferreira, one of the team responsible for drawing up the roadmap, told Windpower Monthly: “We have the impression it was wishful thinking by the ministry for the sea.”

The ministry was jointly involved in drawing up PNI2030 alongside the environment/energy and planning/infrastructure ministries.

“On the other hand it’s good that we have this target and it’s good to have initiatives highlighting that offshore wind will play an important role in the future,” he added.

Neither the environment nor the planning ministries were prepared to comment on the credibility of the investment projection for offshore renewables in the PNI2030.

For electric-car drivers looking to emit less pollution as the drive, 2019 could be a banner year.

The U.S. electric grid has been getting gradually greener as utilities replace coal fired powerplants with primarily wind and natural gas.

That trend is due to reach a tipping point in 2019, according to numbers by the Energy Information Agency at the U.S. Department of Energy.

In 2019, that surge in wind power is set to surpass the nation’s longstanding renewable mainstay, hydroelectric power.

Wind power, which only started making up a significant portion of U.S. electricity generation this century, is set to increase by 30 percent, making up almost 8 percent of total U.S electrical generation by the end of 2019 and 9 percent in 2020, up from 6 percent in 2017, according to the EIA numbers.

That represents an increase from 96 gigawatts of power, to 107 gigawatts by the end of 2019, and to 114 gigawatts forecast by the end of 2020.

Most of the wind power in the U.S. is produced in the Midwest, where the electric grid was is still fairly heavily dependent on coal power, and in Texas.

Hydroelectric power, a renewable that the EIA points out has a 100-year head start, has seen very slow growth, as permitting requirements have grown stricter in an effort to protect fish and other wildlife. Hydro made up about 7.4 percent of electricity production in the U.S. in 2017.

Solar is growing even faster, expected to rise 29 percent by 2020. In 2017 it accounted for only 1.3 percent of total electricity generation, which is expected to reach about 1.7 percent in that time frame.

After a gap of several months, the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has issued a national-level tender to set up large-scale solar power projects.

SECI has issued the third tranche of tenders inviting project developers to set up large-scale solar power projects at any site of their choosing in the country. This time SECI will allocate 1.2 gigawatts of capacity, and has set a maximum allowed tariff bid of Rs 2.65/kWh (3.72¢/kWh), down from Rs 2.93/kWh (4.11¢/kWh) in the previous tender.

The capacity on offer has also been reduced significantly, a likely result of the industry-wide problems being faced by project developers (like import duty on solar modules and cells, and imposition of Goods and Services Tax). The last similar tender had offered a capacity of 3 gigawatts, and was the largest solar power tender in the country.

Project developers would be able to bid for a minimum capacity of 50 megawatts, and in multiples of 10 megawatts thereafter, up to a maximum of 300 megawatts. A group of companies with the same ultimate parent shall be able to bid for a maximum cumulative capacity of 300 megawatts.

While the maximum tariff bid has been reduced by almost 10%, SECI has been lenient with the timelines for financial closure and project implementation. As per conditions of the latest tender, SECI shall allow 12 months for financial closure, compared to seven months in the last such tender. Deadline to fully commission the project has been increased from 15 months to 18 months, while the maximum allowable time to commission the project remains unchanged at 24 months.

This would be a crucial tender by SECI as participation by developers would help gauge their overall interest in India’s solar power sector. SECI was forced to first downsize, and then cancel, several large solar power tenders due to multiple issues flagged by project developers.

While availability of transmission capacity to support new projects, and duties and taxes on solar equipment have been contentious issues for developers for several months now, the problems with the last tender were unheard of in the country’s history.

Of the 3 gigawatts of solar power capacity SECI awarded to six developers, the allocation of 2.4 gigawatts capacity was annulled. The tariff bids ranged from Rs 2.44/kWh (3.42¢/kWh) to Rs 2.71/kWh (3.80¢/kWh) — a difference of Rs 0.28/kWh (0.38¢/kWh), but the difference between the lowest and second-lowest bid was significantly high at Rs 0.20/kWh (0.28¢/kWh). This led accusation of cartelization among some developers, which ultimately led to cancellation of 2.4 gigawatts of capacity allocated to five developers.

Entering or exiting Cochin International airport in India’s southern Kochi city, it is hard to miss the sea of solar panels glinting under the sun on a vast stretch of land on one side of the road and on top of a massive car park. Close by, a huge billboard proclaims the airport’s status as the world’s first airport fully powered by solar energy.

The journey to that title began with a pilot project five years ago as airport authorities searched for ways to minimize ever-growing power bills.

“We put solar panels on the rooftop of Terminal One, we observed it for a year and we found it is quite good and can be safely scaled up,” said the airport’s managing director, V.J.Kurian.

Now, the energy being produced by the sun-drenched airport’s solar plant meets its needs round the clock. The excess power harnessed by tens of thousands of solar panels during the day is stored in the city’s energy grid.

“We will produce the entire energy during these morning 10 hours and directly we will use some part of energy,” explained project manager Jerrin John Parakkal. “Excess energy we will bank to grid and then during nighttime we will take it back.”

UN award

In 2018 Cochin airport won one of the United Nations top environmental awards: Champions of the Earth Award for Entrepreneurial Vision. The project is a testament to India’s ambitions of rapidly scaling up the use of solar power to reduce its carbon emissions and has prompted other airports and infrastructure projects to explore the potential of solar energy.

Kurian, who led the project, recalls that initially there were doubts about the project’s financial viability — the cost of producing one megawatt of power was pegged at $1 million. But the falling price of solar panels in recent years brought down costs and helped make the ambitious project a reality.

“We get back our investment in less than six years time, which I thought was an excellent investment opportunity and next 25 years is meant for all profit,” Kurian said.

Expanding capacity

To retain the title it received in 2015 as the world’s first fully solar powered airport, the facility has steadily expanded capacity. The more than 29 megawatts currently produced will soon be scaled up to nearly 40 megawatts to meet the needs of ever-growing passenger traffic in a city that is Kerala’s commercial capital and a gateway to tourist destinations.

The solar panels had been placed on a large tract of unused land set aside for future cargo, but because usable land is the biggest challenge for solar projects, airport authorities have searched for alternatives. They found available space on top of the airport’s car park and a 2-kilometer canal.

Airport authorities estimate that the elimination of carbon emissions over 25 years would be equal to planting 3 million trees. And to make the green project even greener, organic vegetables are being grown under the solar panels and on spare land on the side. About 60 tons were produced last year and were sold to airport staff.

Interest in solar grows

The project has prompted interest from other airports in India and in some African countries, which are also eyeing the potential of solar power.

“We have signed an MOU (memorandum of understanding) with the government of Ghana. We have had a team from Liberia who were interested in us helping them to put up solar panels specially in the airport sector,” Kurian said.

The Cochin airport is being seen as a model of how from household rooftops to big infrastructure projects, sunny India is increasingly turning to solar power.

“They have a demonstration effect also. So many people walk through the airport. If they get to know that solar energy is being utilized on such a scale, that means it is a viable solution,” said Amit Kumar, a solar energy expert with the Energy and Resources Institute in New Delhi.

India’s massive rail sector is also turning to solar energy. Solar panels are being placed on top of some train coaches. A rail station in the northeastern city of Guwahati has begun generating enough solar power to meet its needs. The government is also exploring how highways could be lighted with solar lights.

India’s target of increasing its solar capacity to 100,000 megawatts by 2022 has attracted big investments in the sector. Japan’s SoftBank has promised to invest $20 billion in Indian solar projects, and some of the world’s largest solar parks are being built in the country. That has raised hopes that India will be able to meet its commitment of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions about 35 percent below 2005 levels by 2030.

However experts warn that the imposition of import duties last year on solar panels from China and Malaysia amid a push to increase indigenous manufacturing has affected the momentum of growth.

“It is moving fast, but in recent times there have been some hiccups (disruptions). I would say it is moving towards its target, at the moment a bit slowly,” Kumar said.

Solar energy will be the focus of Monday’s Town Board meeting.

The board will consider a resolution calling for a Feb. 25 public hearing, part of the board’s next regular meeting, on the introduction of Local Law 1 of 2019. The legislation is entitled “Solar Energy Systems, Chapter 134.”

A Florida company called NextEra Energy Resources wants to build an 80 megawatt solar facility in the town. The company is rumored to be eying 200-500 acres in the area of Pre-Emption, Serven, Packwood and Border City roads.

The proposed local law would provide guidance as to the installation of residential, small-scale and large-scale commercial solar installations in the town. It defines such facilities, based on acreage, with large-scale projects to be located on non-prime farmland with marginal soil quality. It also includes a requirement that developers post a bond for 20 years, with a renewal after 15 years, to protect against a project being abandoned once it stops producing electricity.

Also Monday, the board will consider a motion notifying interested agencies of the town’s intention to be lead agency in the State Environmental Quality Review process.

Monday’s agenda also includes:

• A motion to remove Robert Dwello as a Planning Board member and Michael Toombs as alternate Planning Board member, effective immediately. That would be followed by a motion to appoint Toombs to fill Dwello’s term, which expires Jan. 31, 2025.

• Supervisor Don Trout will discuss the possibility of the town taking ownership of a new road in a potential housing subdivision off Route 96 proposed by Joseph Dendis. Trout has said he will recommend the town take ownership of the road once at least $2 million worth of new homes are built. Dendis is proposing around 30 homes, valued at $250,000 to $300,000 each, for the subdivision.

Bob Bishop is a 61-year-old farmer living in dairy country in southwestern Wisconsin. Today he is helping his two sons pull a downed tree off of a fence line, stepping through piles of cow manure and corn stalks as he drags the branches into the big claw of a skid loader.

Soon, the family will stop raising dairy cows because the industry is in trouble. In 2018, Wisconsin lost 638 dairy farms because of falling milk prices. And the Bishops, who farm in Iowa County, still carry debt from when hog prices tanked in the 1990s.

Yet a rare opportunity has come the Bishops’ way. For at least a generation, the family would receive double or more the market rental rate on about 650 acres to be used for a giant solar power project. The Badger Hollow Solar Farm would be the largest such project in the Midwest.

“This was a good answer for the lagging ag economy … This provides us an excellent looking future, a very bright future we’ll say,” Bishop said.

His son Andrew, 29, wants to raise a family here and have something to pass along. Renting out about one-third of their land for the project, most of it now used to grow corn and soybeans, will help the farm stay in business, Andrew Bishop says.

“I’d like my kids to take over running my farm someday,” he said. “I have to have the financial future in front of them to make it viable.”

Invenergy’s Badger Hollow Solar Farm is one of the largest solar utility projects planned for cropland anywhere in the country. Most large-scale solar arrays have been built in the desert Southwest, where both land and sun are plentiful.

Here in Wisconsin, the 300-megawatt project, which the company says could power about 77,000 homes, is envisioned for 3,500 acres of prime agricultural land. It is dividing the area’s farming community, pitting neighbor against neighbor in this county of about 24,000 people. The Bishops are among several local farmers who plan to lease a checkerboard of parcels between Cobb and Montfort to Invenergy.

Some residents who vocally oppose the project generally support renewable energy; some of them even have their own solar panels generating power for their rural homes. But because of the size of the project — nearly 5½ square miles — they fear the area will become a “solar wasteland.”

Replacing corn and soy with sun

Invenergy is based in Illinois and has 135 wind, solar and natural gas projects around the United States, Europe, South America and Canada, with proposals to build elsewhere.

Badger Hollow is slated for completion in 2023, pending approval by the Wisconsin Public Service Commission. It plans to use 2,200 acres of the site for up to 1.2 million solar panels.

The company was attracted to Iowa County because of the availability of flat, cleared lands, nearby transmission lines, low environmental risk and community support.

“This is an opportunity to generate electricity locally, generate jobs locally, tax revenue locally, and support local farmers,” said Invenergy’s renewable energy manager, Dan Litchfield, adding the project could bring $1.1 million in annual tax revenue to the county.

And the project would help Wisconsin — which is heavily reliant on coal and behind most states in solar power generation — to shift to cleaner energy.

Wisconsin Public Service Corp. and Madison Gas & Electric plan to purchase interests equivalent to half of the plant’s generating capacity. Public utilities cannot easily build such a project themselves. State law requires them to show a need for such development, whereas private companies are not obligated to meet this standard.

As the sun sets over recently harvested fields, Litchfield walks near a sample of the native grasses that would be used as ground cover. The plants would help replenish soils and provide habitat for birds and insects such as bees, around the solar panels.

The panels will face east in the morning and tilt throughout the day to catch the most sun. They will transfer power to machines called inverters. Underground power collection lines will carry the energy to an overhead line, which will send it to the power grid.

Litchfield points to a property on the horizon, about 4 miles from the Badger Hollow project office, where he hopes to place rows of dark glossy solar panels, 15-feet tall, in a spot where rows of corn and soybeans normally stand.

Litchfield says the project will be visually unobtrusive, and the farm’s inverters would make only a low humming noise.

“As far as energy generation technologies go, I think it’s as low impact as it gets,” he said. “We’re not burning anything, we’re not stockpiling ash, we don’t create odors.”

‘Ugly, ugly mark on the land’

Alan Jewell and Richard Jinkins sit at a round table drinking tea in Jewell’s living room. Exposed stone lines the interior walls of his roughly 160-year-old farmhouse.

Both men are farmers who trace their heritage in this area back generations. Jinkins says his family purchased farmland before Wisconsin became a state in 1848, and his son hopes to become a fifth-generation farmer.

Jewell and Jinkins both have family land next to acres leased for the solar project. They have joined the formal process at the Public Service Commission to intervene in the Badger Hollow case.

They love this countryside for its scenic beauty and feel the solar project would change that.

“This is an ugly, ugly mark on the land,” Jewell said. “Why am I having to have this thrust upon me?”

They say too much high-quality farmland needed for food production would be tied up in energy generation, and they fear more of their neighbors will move away because of the project’s unsightliness.

To Jinkins, utility-scale solar is a threat to Wisconsin’s farming legacy.

“If I want to rent land, if my son wants to farm, there’s just so much farm near our property, right? It doesn’t turn over that often. It doesn’t come up for sale,” Jinkins said.

Jewell says he is for renewable energy, but he thinks it should happen on an individual scale. People like him, who are not a part of the project, will live with the downsides but no benefit, he says. Jewell and Jinkins are also among residents critical of the proposed Cardinal-Hickory Creek power line planned to run near the solar project.

Wisconsin has no siting rules specific to solar projects. And Jewell says the proposed local restrictions for the project are inadequate. An operating contract with Iowa County requires 50 feet between the project and property lines of non-participating owners or any public road. It also requires a 100-foot setback from any dwelling of a non-participating property owner.

Jewell’s attorney, Carol Overland, requested the Public Service Commission create solar siting rules that would include a required environmental review of large solar projects. After opting to conduct an initial environmental assessment, commission staff concluded that there would be a low probability of harm.

“The proposed project is not expected to significantly affect historic resources, scenic or recreational resources, threatened or endangered species, or ecologically important areas,” the assessment found.

Rates to go down —  or up?

Tom Content, executive director of Citizens Utility Board, noted that MG&E and WPS also plan to buy a 1,300-acre solar project at Two Creeks in Manitowoc County.

Content said the commission should conduct a “more holistic and thorough review” of whether these projects are needed — and how much ratepayers should be required to pay for them. The utilities say acquisition of this solar capacity would lower rates. An expert for CUB, which intervenes in utility cases to protect ratepayers, says it is possible the cost of electricity could go up.

“We’ve had a concern that utility profits in Wisconsin have been too high for a long time,” he said, noting that Wisconsin has the 13th highest electric rates in the country. “Any time you build something, rates go up.”

Jewell says he also wants more oversight, someone to further weigh the tradeoffs of such an unprecedented use of agricultural land for a solar utility.

“To an accountant, it’s dirt,” Jewell said. “To somebody that works with land and feels it’s a partnership … it’s not an element to buy or sell, it’s an element to respect.”

Advocate: Solar ‘all good’ 

Michael Vickerman, policy director of the nonprofit Renew Wisconsin, which promotes renewable energy, says solar power has been slow to catch on here.

He hopes 2019 will be a “breakout” year for solar. In the unlikely scenario that all 15 of Wisconsin’s proposed solar projects are approved, along with several proposed wind projects, renewable energy would provide about 20 percent of the state’s power by 2025, Vickerman says.

As of October, renewable energy, including hydroelectric, provided about 8 percent of the state’s utility-scale electricity generation, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Coal-fired plants produced 51 percent of Wisconsin’s electricity, followed by natural gas at 29 percent, nuclear power at 11 percent, and other sources.

According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, Wisconsin ranks 40th nationwide in the generation of solar energy. Currently, the state has about 100 megawatts of solar power generation. The proposed Badger Hollow project would provide three times that amount.

Solar power has finally become a low-cost option for replacing fossil fuels, Vickerman says; that is why large utilities are now investing in it.

“Solar is homegrown. Solar is clean. Solar is dependable, and solar is economic,” Vickerman said. “When you add all those characteristics together, you have a pretty compelling argument for expanding our use of solar.”

The Public Service Commission has scheduled March 6 oral arguments on whether the utilities should be allowed to purchase the extra solar capacity by investing $389.7 million in Badger Hollow and Two Creeks.

Said Vickerman: “We embrace solar from a large installation in rural Wisconsin to rooftop solar, whether it’s a big box store or somebody’s house — we think it’s all good.”