Utah poised to begin transition to alternative energy - Deseret News

Currently, Utah only receives roughly 10 percent of its energy from renewable sources

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Even the most ardent defenders of fossil fuels are forced to concede that the energy they provide comes at a steep environmental cost. That's why many activists insist that we leave fossil fuels behind entirely and switch to greener energy sources like wind and solar power. The problem with making that switch is that none of the alternatives to fossil fuel have been economically viable. Furthermore, such alternatives have not been available on the scale necessary to replace traditional fuel sources.

The good news is that there are promising signs that this may be changing.

SolarCity, which established a presence in Utah with its installed solar panels at the Utah National Guard Building and the Olympic Skating Oval, announced that it is establishing a regional headquarters in the Beehive State that is expected to create 4,000 new jobs over the course of the next 10 years. In addition, VivintSolar, a similar company that operates out of Lehi, anticipates adding another 3,000 jobs in the solar industry over the same time frame.

Brendon Merkley, SolarCity's executive director of customer operations, praised Utah's "wonderful business climate" and noted that not only will this expansion have a positive environmental impact, it will also "save money at the same time," which he rightly notes is "the best of both worlds."

It's also a frank acknowledgement that a move away from fossil fuels is far more likely when the transition is in the economic best interests of the public at large. Currently, Utah only receives roughly 10 percent of its energy from renewable sources, mainly because such energy is far more expensive than fossil fuels, and often requires government subsidies in order to make it affordable for consumers.

Indeed, the state of Utah is providing almost $37 million in tax credits for these two solar companies as incentives to create these jobs. That's a bargain, since it won't require any direct revenue from state coffers and will increase economic activity that will result in greater tax receipts down the road. But while tax credits are not direct subsidies, they are evidence of the reality that renewable energy sources still aren't quite ready to stand on their own.

Debate over energy use usually includes a good deal of vilification of "Big Oil" or other such forces. Such demonization is designed to shame people into abandoning traditional fuel sources, and, for the most part, it's both ineffective and unnecessary. The vast majority of people would be more than happy to use alternative fuels if they were both abundantly available and cost effective. When it comes to green energy, people respond to the carrot much better than the stick.

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Alternative-energy funds are better at absorbing oil's spill - San Antonio Express-News (subscription)

Eagle Ford & Energy

Stan Choe, Associated Press

August 9, 2015

Alternative-energy stocks have long been known as some of the riskiest in an area that’s already prone to big swings. Over the last year, though, alternative-energy stocks generally have proven to be the steadier ride. An exchange-traded fund tracking the S&P Global Clean Energy index is down about 4 percent over the last 12 months, a milder drop than the 54 percent plunge in oil or 18 percent for Exxon Mobil. It’s the latest sign of maturation for alternative-energy stocks.

NEW YORK â€" Even as the tumble in oil prices pummels the industry, one small â€" and perhaps surprising â€" group of energy stock funds has held up better than its peers: those investing in solar, wind and other alternative-energy sources.

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Alternative-energy stock funds have grown up - The Denver Post

Even as the tumble in oil prices pummels the industry, one small â€" and perhaps surprising â€" group of energy stock funds has held up better than its peers: those investing in solar, wind and other alternative-energy sources.

It's an unexpected bright spot because alternative-energy stocks long have been known as some of the riskiest in an area that's already prone to big swings. The group historically has shown flashes of promise, only to plummet in disappointment. Alternative-energy stocks often have struggled when the price of oil was falling. The S&P Global Clean Energy index plunged 66 percent in 2008, more than the broad stock market or the price of oil.

In the past year, though, alternative-energy stocks generally have proved to be the steadier ride. An exchange-traded fund tracking the S&P Global Clean Energy index is down about 4 percent in the past 12 months, a milder drop than the 54 percent plunge in oil or 18 percent for Exxon Mobil. It's the latest sign of maturation for alternative-energy stocks.

"The whole industry feels like it's about to move to being a grown-up, real industry, where we won't have such high volatility," says Edward Guinness, portfolio manager of the Guinness Atkinson Alternative Energy fund. His fund has lost roughly 6 percent in 2015, but that's better than 91 percent of the other energy funds in its category.

To be sure, investing in alternative-energy funds still can be risky. The industry largely remains dependent on subsidies and government support to drive growth, and a key U.S. tax credit for solar power is set to curtail sharply in 2017.

Clean energy is also a global industry, as much as it's a global issue. That means funds often keep the bulk of their portfolios abroad, opening up U.S. investors to fluctuations in foreign-currency values.

Alternative-energy stocks also remain far below their peaks before the worst of the Great Recession. The S&P Global Clean Energy index, for example, is more than 80 percent below where it was in late 2007.

Still, alternative-energy fund managers remain optimistic, and some say they're not satisfied with just beating other traditional energy stock funds over the past year.

"Yes, we've outperformed the rest of the energy market," says Colm O'Connor, portfolio manager at the Calvert Global Energy Solutions fund. "But we've underperformed the rest of the market, and I think that's unwarranted."

Among the reasons for optimism:

Oil doesn't matter much. For years, alternative-energy stocks often would rise and fall with the price of oil. The thinking was that higher-priced oil would mean more demand for alternative energy, while cheap oil would mean less pressure to develop solar and other new sources of energy.

But that mind-set started to break down a few years ago, for a simple reason: Oil doesn't compete with wind or solar power to fuel U.S. power plants.

Costs are coming down.The alternative-energy industry is getting closer to the point where the electricity that it produces is the same price as power generated from traditional sources. When prices are comparable, the industry won't need subsidies and can become a much healthier competitor. In some areas of the world, that's already beginning.

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Alternative-Energy Funds Are Better at Absorbing Oil's Spill - ABC News

Even as the tumble in oil prices pummels the industry, one small -- and perhaps surprising -- group of energy stock funds has held up better than its peers: those investing in solar, wind and other alternative-energy sources.

It's an unexpected bright spot because alternative-energy stocks have long been known as some of the riskiest in an area that's already prone to big swings. The group has historically shown flashes of promise, only to plummet in disappointment. Alternative-energy stocks also have oftentimes struggled when the price of oil was falling. The S&P Global Clean Energy index plunged 66 percent in 2008, more than the broad stock market or the price of oil.

Over the last year, though, alternative-energy stocks have generally proven to be the steadier ride. An exchange-traded fund tracking the S&P Global Clean Energy index is down about 4 percent over the last 12 months, a milder drop than the 54 percent plunge in oil or 18 percent for Exxon Mobil. It's the latest sign of maturation for alternative-energy stocks.

"The whole industry feels like it's about to move to being a grown-up, real industry, where we won't have such high volatility," says Edward Guinness, portfolio manager of the Guinness Atkinson Alternative Energy fund. His fund has lost roughly 6 percent in 2015, but that's better than 91 percent of the other energy funds in its category.

To be sure, investing in alternative-energy funds can still be risky. The industry largely remains dependent on subsidies and government support to drive growth, and a key U.S. tax credit for solar power is set to curtail sharply in 2017. The U.S. is the world's second-largest solar market, which means any decline in demand will be significant for the industry.

Clean energy is also a global industry, as much as it's a global issue. That means funds often keep the bulk of their portfolios abroad, opening up U.S. investors to the risk that fluctuations in foreign-currency values can eat into returns.

Alternative-energy stocks also remain far below their peaks before the worst of the Great Recession. The S&P Global Clean Energy index, for example, is more than 80 percent below where it was in late 2007.

Still, alternative-energy fund managers remain optimistic, so much that some say they're not satisfied with merely having beaten other traditional energy stock funds over the last year.

"Yes, we've outperformed the rest of the energy market," says Colm O'Connor, portfolio manager at the Calvert Global Energy Solutions fund. "But we've underperformed the rest of the market, and I think that's unwarranted."

The Calvert fund is nearly flat this year -- down less than 1 percent -- making it the top fund in the energy category, according to Morningstar. But the broad S&P 500 index has returned 3 percent over the same time. The Calvert fund holds everything from solar-equipment makers to wind-farm managers to companies that help customers get more energy efficient.

Among the reasons for optimism:

â€" OIL DOESN'T MATTER MUCH.

For years, alternative-energy stocks would often rise and fall with the price of oil. The thinking was that higher-priced oil would mean more demand for alternative energy, while cheap oil would mean less pressure to develop solar and other new sources of energy.

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Utility execs see shift to more natural gas, worry about alternative energy ... - Kansas City Star

Changing regulations and technologies are big concerns for electric utilities, according to an annual survey of utility executives released Tuesday. But utilities also are embracing the challenges of alternative energy sources, electricity generated by their customers’ home systems and a changing fuel mix that includes more natural gas.

Those were among the findings in the ninth annual “Strategic Directions: U.S. Electric Industry Report” by Black & Veatch, the global engineering and design firm based in Overland Park.

The release of the report, based on responses from mid-May to early June from 435 respondents, comes on the heels of President Barack Obama’s announcement Monday of the final version of his Clean Power Plan, which is designed to reduce carbon emissions from U.S. power plants.

Some key points of the Black & Veatch report:

▪ Although respondents hadn’t seen the final rules, they agreed that natural gas “will take market share away” from coal and nuclear plants “to meet emissions goals under the Clean Power Plan.” But the responses were mixed on whether natural-gas production would increase enough to meet demand without price increases.

▪ Nearly two-thirds of utilities said they would increase their investment in renewable generation, such as solar and wind, in the next five years. Only 2.4 percent said they would decrease it. The rest would keep it the same or weren’t sure.

▪ Almost 80 percent of respondents said distributed generation â€" such as home solar power â€" was a serious business challenge. But nearly 75 percent said they were investing in, or were likely to invest in, technologies to accommodate or encourage such generation.

The area also is complicated because such generation, outside a utility’s control, could alleviate the need to build a new generating plant, or it could leave costly generating capacity idle.

▪ Just more than 51 percent of those responding said “balanced regulatory treatment between utility and consumer” was a top need for their utilities in the next five years. Regulatory issues that were much the same for decades now are complicated by the shift to alternatives, in part because solar and wind don’t generate constant power. That means more transmission lines, storage capacity and backup power can be needed, and how to compensate utilities â€" and charge customers â€" for those costs is an issue.

Nearly 60 percent also said they were reviewing their “net metering” policies, which include compensating customers who in effect sell power to the utility when their solar units generate more electricity than the customer needs.

▪ Thirty percent were planning investments in so-called behind-the-meter technology such as microgrids and energy storage and distributed generation. More than 40 percent were weighing the value of such investments.

▪ Utilities say they want customers’ help and plan to do more to reach out to them. More than half planned to invest more in social media in the next five years.

▪ Utilities’ responses on threats from hackers were mixed. More than half said they were ready to meet new cybersecurity requirements that take effect next year. But more than a quarter said they didn’t know how they would meet those requirements.

Dean Oskvig, the president of Black & Veatch’s energy business, summed up the situation for many U.S. utilities: “Today’s policies are based on a fixed-grid operator selling power to its customers. Times are changing. Customers can now generate their own power and put it back on the grid. At the same time, host utilities must maintain their complex infrastructure to meet government mandates for reliability. Utilities must continue engaging stakeholders and regulators in ways that harness technology gains and support environmental goals. They must do so while maintaining the reliable grid that consumers rely on.”

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Michigan's first alternative energy fueling station coming to Ottawa County - MLive.com

BORCULO, MI â€" Michigan's first alternative energy fueling station is coming to a contaminated site that once held a traditional service station.

Borculo Fuel Services, LLC, an affiliate of Zeeland Farm Services, Inc., will build an "Anew" station and convenience store that will offer customers four types of ethanol-blended fuel options.

The options will include regular E-10 gasoline, E-15 approved for vehicles built in 2001 or newer, an E-30 blend and an E-85 blend for flex fuel vehicles.

Anew will invest more than $2.4 million to remove contaminated soil and groundwater from the property and build the fueling station with a 3,070-square-foot convenience store.

"Ottawa County is where we wanted to invest in our flagship facility, selling fuel made from grain grown and processed in West Michigan while reducing vehicle air emissions," said Beth Westemeyer, vice president of operations for Anew, in a July 30 news release.

When the project is complete, it will create two full-time and 10 part-time jobs. Anew hopes to build additional alternative energy fueling stations over the next several years, Westemeyer said.

Ethanol-blended fuel offers more than 40 percent reduction in tailpipe emissions, increased octane, lower cost, the news release said. The fuel will came from feedstock grown and processed in West Michigan.

The new station and convenience store will be built on the southeast corner of 96th Avenue and Port Sheldon Road, a contaminated site that previously was home to a gas station and several previous industrial uses.

As a "brownfield site," the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners approved tax increment financing (TIF) benefits on Tuesday, June 28, that will help clean up the site and prepare it for construction.

The TIF benefits will allow Anew to be reimbursed $318,354 for eligible site remediation activity costs. The reimbursement dollars will be captured from the increase in taxable value of the property as a result of Anew's redevelopment.

The Blendon Township board also approved a resolution in support of the redevelopment project at its July 16 meeting.

"Ottawa County and Blendon Township are excited that Anew has selected this site to construct its first alternative energy fueling station in Michigan" said David C. Miller, chair of the Ottawa County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority.

"It is very likely that this property would have remained vacant and contaminated for many more years if Anew had not stepped in to clean up and redevelop the site."

The Ottawa County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority also approved $31,000 in EPA grant funds in December 2014 to conduct environmental site assessments on the property.

Jim Harger covers business for MLive/Grand Rapids Press. Email him at jharger@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter or Facebook or Google+.

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Clinton Promises All American Homes Will Run on Alternative Energy - The Fiscal Times

Even though solar energy provides a mere four-tenths of 1 percent of the energy consumed in the U.S. today, Hillary Clinton plans to power every home in the country by 2027 with renewable sources of energy. That would give her 10 years, if elected president, to realize her plan, which includes a huge increase in solar energy and other alternatives.

The front-running Democratic presidential candidate unveiled the broad outlines of her plan on Sunday that promises to install a half-billion solar panels nationwide by 2021. That represents a 700 percent increase from the current rate of installations. Clinton also vowed that if she is elected there would be enough renewable energy produced â€" including solar, wind, hydro and geothermal â€" to fulfill her energy goals.

Related: Hillary Clinton Sets Renewable Energy Goals to Spur More Wind, Solar Power

“We can make a transition over time from a fossil fuel economy, predominantly, to a clean renewable energy economy, predominantly,” Clinton said in Iowa on Sunday as part of the roll out. In a three-minute campaign video, the former secretary of state and U.S. reprimanded skeptical Republican presidential candidates â€" including former Florida governor Jeb Bush -- for questioning the adverse impact of industrial greenhouse gas emissions on climate change.

“It’s hard to believe that people running for president refuse to believe the settled science of climate change,” she said.

To her credit, Clinton is among the first major presidential candidates to make the dangers of climate change a central issue. During her formal announcement last month in New York, she vowed to make America “the clean energy superpower of the 21^st century.” And as part of the plan she announced yesterday, Clinton vowed to fight Republican efforts to roll back provisions of the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan.

Her campaign also outlined a new “Clean Power Challenge,” including competition for grants for renewable energy products, more federal assistance to state and local governments to encourage expanded use of alternative energy sources, and other incentives for consumers.

Related:  Where’s Clinton on the Environment? That Depends

“Through these goals, we will increase the amount of installed solar capacity by 700 percent by 2020, expand renewable energy to at least a third of all electricity generation, prevent thousands of premature deaths and tens of thousands of asthma attacks each year, and put our country on a path to achieve deep emission reductions by 2050,” Clinton said.

Clinton’s sharp focus on solar energy and other alternative energy sources is not unlike President Obama’s big push throughout his first term to spark expansion in the solar energy industry, largely with the use of Energy Department grants and loans to private producers of solar panels and batteries.

However, that approach backfired in August 2011 after a California based solar panel manufacturing plant called Solyndra went bankrupt and left taxpayers on the hook for $535 million of federal green energy loans. Obama had visited the plant the year before and praised it for “leading the way toward a brighter and more prosperous future.”

The proposal released by Clinton over the weekend provided few details of how federal, state and local governments would fund a major expansion in solar energy production The federal investment tax credit, which has helped the solar industry compete against other more entrenched electricity sectors, will significantly decline at the end of 2016 unless it is renewed, experts warn.

Related: Green Groups Divided on Hillary Clinton's Oil Interest Ties

While on the face of it, Clinton is vowing an ambitious new push towards greater reliance on solar energy and other alternatives to fossil fuels, the solar industry has made substantial headway in recent years, suggesting that Clinton’s target may well be in reach.

For example, Brad Plummer of Vox notes that solar capacity grew 418 percent between 2010 and 2014 â€" starting from a very small base. So a 700 percent growth rate between 2014 and 2020 is conceivable, although it would require additional policy changes and government incentive.

Related: Where Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley Stand on the Issues

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has projected that solar panels may be in use on almost 1 million homes by 2020. And if solar costs significantly decline from today’s levels, DOE’s so-called SunShot study predicts that solar installations could grow to nearly 4 million homes by 2020.

Yet while solar technologies are improving, the industry research group cautioned, meeting current U.S. electricity needs with today’s photovoltaic technology would require about 10,000 square miles of solar panels, “an area the size of New Hampshire and Rhode Island combined,” according to the Institute for Energy Research. 

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Clinton Promises All American Homes Will Run on Alternative Energy | The ... - The Fiscal Times

Even though solar energy provides a mere four-tenths of 1 percent of the energy consumed in the U.S. today, Hillary Clinton plans to power every home in the country by 2027 with renewable sources of energy. That would give her 10 years, if elected president, to realize her plan, which includes a huge increase in solar energy and other alternatives.

The front-running Democratic presidential candidate unveiled the broad outlines of her plan on Sunday that promises to install a half-billion solar panels nationwide by 2021. That represents a 700 percent increase from the current rate of installations. Clinton also vowed that if she is elected there would be enough renewable energy produced â€" including solar, wind, hydro and geothermal â€" to fulfill her energy goals.

Related: Hillary Clinton Sets Renewable Energy Goals to Spur More Wind, Solar Power

“We can make a transition over time from a fossil fuel economy, predominantly, to a clean renewable energy economy, predominantly,” Clinton said in Iowa on Sunday as part of the roll out. In a three-minute campaign video, the former secretary of state and U.S. reprimanded skeptical Republican presidential candidates â€" including former Florida governor Jeb Bush -- for questioning the adverse impact of industrial greenhouse gas emissions on climate change.

“It’s hard to believe that people running for president refuse to believe the settled science of climate change,” she said.

To her credit, Clinton is among the first major presidential candidates to make the dangers of climate change a central issue. During her formal announcement last month in New York, she vowed to make America “the clean energy superpower of the 21^st century.” And as part of the plan she announced yesterday, Clinton vowed to fight Republican efforts to roll back provisions of the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan.

Her campaign also outlined a new “Clean Power Challenge,” including competition for grants for renewable energy products, more federal assistance to state and local governments to encourage expanded use of alternative energy sources, and other incentives for consumers.

Related:  Where’s Clinton on the Environment? That Depends

“Through these goals, we will increase the amount of installed solar capacity by 700 percent by 2020, expand renewable energy to at least a third of all electricity generation, prevent thousands of premature deaths and tens of thousands of asthma attacks each year, and put our country on a path to achieve deep emission reductions by 2050,” Clinton said.

Clinton’s sharp focus on solar energy and other alternative energy sources is not unlike President Obama’s big push throughout his first term to spark expansion in the solar energy industry, largely with the use of Energy Department grants and loans to private producers of solar panels and batteries.

However, that approach backfired in August 2011 after a California based solar panel manufacturing plant called Solyndra went bankrupt and left taxpayers on the hook for $535 million of federal green energy loans. Obama had visited the plant the year before and praised it for “leading the way toward a brighter and more prosperous future.”

The proposal released by Clinton over the weekend provided few details of how federal, state and local governments would fund a major expansion in solar energy production The federal investment tax credit, which has helped the solar industry compete against other more entrenched electricity sectors, will significantly decline at the end of 2016 unless it is renewed, experts warn.

Related: Green Groups Divided on Hillary Clinton's Oil Interest Ties

While on the face of it, Clinton is vowing an ambitious new push towards greater reliance on solar energy and other alternatives to fossil fuels, the solar industry has made substantial headway in recent years, suggesting that Clinton’s target may well be in reach.

For example, Brad Plummer of Vox notes that solar capacity grew 418 percent between 2010 and 2014 â€" starting from a very small base. So a 700 percent growth rate between 2014 and 2020 is conceivable, although it would require additional policy changes and government incentive.

Related: Where Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley Stand on the Issues

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has projected that solar panels may be in use on almost 1 million homes by 2020. And if solar costs significantly decline from today’s levels, DOE’s so-called SunShot study predicts that solar installations could grow to nearly 4 million homes by 2020.

Yet while solar technologies are improving, the industry research group cautioned, meeting current U.S. electricity needs with today’s photovoltaic technology would require about 10,000 square miles of solar panels, “an area the size of New Hampshire and Rhode Island combined,” according to the Institute for Energy Research. 

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Consumers Will Pay Big for Obama's Alternative Energy Push - Newsmax.com - Newsmax

President Obama’s war on coal brings new meaning to his lead from behind strategy. It involves replacing reliable fossil energy sources with pixie dust-powered alternatives.

Only one day following the Supreme Court’s ruling to block EPA’s planned power plant mercury emission regulations, he committed the U.S. to a goal of generating 20 percent of all electricity from renewable sources by 2030.

That means at least three times more subsidies than we currently blow on windmills and burn with sunbeams . . . and that’s a lot.

Wind and solar each already receive more than 50 times more subsidy support per megawatt hour than conventional coal, and more than 20 times more in terms of average electricity generated by coal and natural gas.

According to U.S. Energy Information Administration figures, annual “Federal interventions and subsidies” for wind (4.4 percent of American electricity) costs for taxpayers ranged from $5.5 billion and $5.9 billion between 2010 and 2013, and from $1.1 billion rocketing up to $4.5 billion for solar (0.4 percent of our electricity) during that period. For comparison, those allocated to fossil fuels (about 60 percent of total electricity) dropped from $4 billion to $3.4 billion.

Although lemming powers of observation aren’t highly regarded, wouldn’t you think witnessing fellow critters plunge en masse over cliff edges would offer cause for some among them to reconsider the perilous path ahead?

Painful EU experiences offer teachable lessons. Consider Denmark for example. On Earth Day, 2010, President Obama praised the country as a great green power model. And yes, while the country theoretically produces about 20 percent of its electricity from wind and solar, CEPOS, a Danish think tank reported that this only supplied between 5 percent and 9.7 percent of average annual demand over the previous 5-year period.

Danish consumers pay the highest electricity rates in Europe, more than three times more than we do.

Existing German energy policies, where 7.8 percent of electricity comes from wind and 4.5 percent derives from solar, force households to fork out for the second highest power costs in Europe â€" often as much as 30 percent above the levels seen in other European countries.

Such circumstances are only likely to worsen with Angela Merkel’s plans to wean the country off fossil fuels and nuclear power. Subsidies for wind power which deliver only about one-fifth of the theoretical installed capacity are three times higher than those paid for conventional electricity.

President Obama also lauded Spain as a fine example of renewable energy progress. Yet a study released by researchers at the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos a few months later presented a far less enviable picture.

Over the previous eight years the Spanish government had spent $791,597 in subsidies to create each green energy job, and exceeded $1.38 million per wind energy job.

Each of those green jobs cost 2.2 jobs in lost opportunities elsewhere in the workforce, and each MW of installed wind energy capacity destroyed 4.27 other jobs.

Italy’s wind and solar experience record is even worse. According to a study conducted by researchers at the Bruno Leoni Institute, the amount of capital required to generate one job in the renewable sector would create between 4.8 and 6.9 in the industrial sector or elsewhere just based upon subsidies alone.

Of the 50,000 to 120, 000 renewable jobs they propose to create by 2020, 60 percent will be temporary.

Experiences in the United Kingdom are reportedly similar to those in other EU countries. A study by Verso Economics determined that each renewable job “created” by subsidies displaced 3.7 others in their general economy. “Renewable Obligations” which increase market prices for electricity from renewable sources cost U.K. consumers an additional $1.75 billion during 2009/2010.

In 2011 British wind turbines produced a meager 21 percent of installed capacity (not demand capacity) during good conditions.

As in Germany this has necessitated importation of nuclear power from France. Also similar to Germany, the government is closing some of its older coal-fired plants â€" any one of which can produce nearly twice the electricity of Britain’s 3,000 wind turbines combined.

Yeah, and then there’s our own uber-green California, which mandates that renewables provide 33 percent of the state’s electricity by 2020 and proposes to increase to 50 percent by 2030.

Over just the past three years their electricity rates have already risen by 2.18 cents per kilowatt hour â€" about four times the national rate â€" as more and more wind and solar came on line.

Meanwhile, so long as natural gas drilling is restricted, climate crisis hoax-premised EPA regulations strangle fossil power generation, and nuclear energy expansion is delayed, we are racing hell-bent along the same road to perdition. Let’s consider the peril before joining the EU and California lemming pack in a final, fatal jump.

Larry Bell is an endowed professor of space architecture at the University of Houston where he founded the Sasakawa International Center for Space Architecture (SICSA) and the graduate program in space architecture. He is the author of “Scared Witless: Prophets and Profits of Climate Doom”(2015) and “Climate of Corruption: Politics and Power Behind the Global Warming Hoax” (2012). Read more of his reports â€" Click Here Now.

© 2015 Newsmax. All rights reserved.

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Panel weighs changes to Ohio's alternative energy targets - The Morning Journal

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) â€" With months of public testimony concluded, a committee studying the future of Ohio’s alternative-energy targets is weighing what changes to recommend to the law.

Chairman Troy Balderson said the Energy Mandates Study Committee, which has been meeting since February, says one thing’s for sure: a complete repeal is out.

“This is not about eliminating the mandates. That will not happen,” he said. “We haven’t even considered that.”

But reducing the requirement that 25 percent of Ohio’s energy to come from alternative sources such as wind and solar by 2025 is under consideration, as are changes to the energy efficiency goals laid out in the 2008 law. 

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The law has been paused for two years. If lawmakers fail to act, phase-in of the standards will resume in 2017.

The study panel wrapped up its hearings Monday. It has until Sept. 30 to submit recommendations to the Legislature.

Witnesses laid out essentially the same competing arguments that have divided the state for years, Balderson said. Some said such targets hurt businesses and raise electric bills. Others contended the targets benefit the environment and preserve diminishing natural resources.

The debate has been raging across the country.

Over about a decade, nearly 30 states, the District of Columbia and two U.S. territories adopted renewable energy portfolio standards, with others setting goals for alternative energy use. Ohio’s target of 25 percent was on the high end nationally, with percentages ranging from 15 percent to 29 percent around the country.

Federal data show a majority of states with renewable targets are on track to meet them, but a countermovement was emerging.

Lawmakers in Ohio and elsewhere began pushing back â€" saying years of living with the standards had shown they were not bringing the benefits supporters had predicted and, in fact, were hurting economies. 

“These energy mandates â€" like virtually all government mandates â€" amount to nothing less than the government picking winners and losers in the marketplace,” Greg Lawson, a lobbyist for the conservative Buckeye Institute for Public Policy, told the Ohio committee. “Unsurprisingly, such market manipulation and ‘bureaucrat-knows-best’ thinking has yielded poor results for Ohio, her businesses, and her citizens.”

When Gov. John Kasich signed the bill pausing the mandates last year, it represented a compromise with those who sought a full repeal of the standards. Lawmakers in 17 states were considering 30 bills to repeal the standards around the same time, though none passed, according to data compiled by the nonpartisan National Conference of State Legislatures.

The American Wind Energy Association’s Tom Vinson was among those who asked the Ohio committee to preserve the targets. He said the wind industry’s potential in the state is “enormous.”

He said wind companies have made a cumulative capital investments in Ohio of $890 million and 11 construction projects are certified and waiting to be built. Another four are waiting in the wings.

Vinson argued current and future projects provide Ohio residents with more work opportunities, lower electric rates, improved air quality and other benefits.

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Panel weighs changes to Ohio's alternative energy targets - The News-Herald - News-Herald.com

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) â€" With months of public testimony concluded, a committee studying the future of Ohio’s alternative-energy targets is weighing what changes to recommend to the law.

Chairman Troy Balderson said the Energy Mandates Study Committee, which has been meeting since February, says one thing’s for sure: a complete repeal is out.

“This is not about eliminating the mandates. That will not happen,” he said. “We haven’t even considered that.”

But reducing the requirement that 25 percent of Ohio’s energy to come from alternative sources such as wind and solar by 2025 is under consideration, as are changes to the energy efficiency goals laid out in the 2008 law. 

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The law has been paused for two years. If lawmakers fail to act, phase-in of the standards will resume in 2017.

The study panel wrapped up its hearings Monday. It has until Sept. 30 to submit recommendations to the Legislature.

Witnesses laid out essentially the same competing arguments that have divided the state for years, Balderson said. Some said such targets hurt businesses and raise electric bills. Others contended the targets benefit the environment and preserve diminishing natural resources.

The debate has been raging across the country.

Over about a decade, nearly 30 states, the District of Columbia and two U.S. territories adopted renewable energy portfolio standards, with others setting goals for alternative energy use. Ohio’s target of 25 percent was on the high end nationally, with percentages ranging from 15 percent to 29 percent around the country.

Federal data show a majority of states with renewable targets are on track to meet them, but a countermovement was emerging.

Lawmakers in Ohio and elsewhere began pushing back â€" saying years of living with the standards had shown they were not bringing the benefits supporters had predicted and, in fact, were hurting economies. 

“These energy mandates â€" like virtually all government mandates â€" amount to nothing less than the government picking winners and losers in the marketplace,” Greg Lawson, a lobbyist for the conservative Buckeye Institute for Public Policy, told the Ohio committee. “Unsurprisingly, such market manipulation and ‘bureaucrat-knows-best’ thinking has yielded poor results for Ohio, her businesses, and her citizens.”

When Gov. John Kasich signed the bill pausing the mandates last year, it represented a compromise with those who sought a full repeal of the standards. Lawmakers in 17 states were considering 30 bills to repeal the standards around the same time, though none passed, according to data compiled by the nonpartisan National Conference of State Legislatures.

The American Wind Energy Association’s Tom Vinson was among those who asked the Ohio committee to preserve the targets. He said the wind industry’s potential in the state is “enormous.”

He said wind companies have made a cumulative capital investments in Ohio of $890 million and 11 construction projects are certified and waiting to be built. Another four are waiting in the wings.

Vinson argued current and future projects provide Ohio residents with more work opportunities, lower electric rates, improved air quality and other benefits.

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Panel weighs changes to Ohio's alternative energy targets - Washington Times - Washington Times

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - With months of public testimony concluded, a committee studying the future of Ohio’s alternative-energy targets is weighing what changes to recommend to the law.

Chairman Troy Balderson said the Energy Mandates Study Committee, which has been meeting since February, says one thing’s for sure: a complete repeal is out.

“This is not about eliminating the mandates. That will not happen,” he said. “We haven’t even considered that.”

But reducing the requirement that 25 percent of Ohio’s energy to come from alternative sources such as wind and solar by 2025 is under consideration, as are changes to the energy efficiency goals laid out in the 2008 law.

The law has been paused for two years. If lawmakers fail to act, phase-in of the standards will resume in 2017.

The study panel wrapped up its hearings Monday. It has until Sept. 30 to submit recommendations to the Legislature.

Witnesses laid out essentially the same competing arguments that have divided the state for years, Balderson said. Some said such targets hurt businesses and raise electric bills. Others contended the targets benefit the environment and preserve diminishing natural resources.

The debate has been raging across the country.

Over about a decade, nearly 30 states, the District of Columbia and two U.S. territories adopted renewable energy portfolio standards, with others setting goals for alternative energy use. Ohio’s target of 25 percent was on the high end nationally, with percentages ranging from 15 percent to 29 percent around the country.

Federal data show a majority of states with renewable targets are on track to meet them, but a countermovement was emerging.

Lawmakers in Ohio and elsewhere began pushing back - saying years of living with the standards had shown they were not bringing the benefits supporters had predicted and, in fact, were hurting economies.

“These energy mandates - like virtually all government mandates - amount to nothing less than the government picking winners and losers in the marketplace,” Greg Lawson, a lobbyist for the conservative Buckeye Institute for Public Policy, told the Ohio committee. “Unsurprisingly, such market manipulation and ‘bureaucrat-knows-best’ thinking has yielded poor results for Ohio, her businesses, and her citizens.”

When Gov. John Kasich signed the bill pausing the mandates last year, it represented a compromise with those who sought a full repeal of the standards. Lawmakers in 17 states were considering 30 bills to repeal the standards around the same time, though none passed, according to data compiled by the nonpartisan National Conference of State Legislatures.

The American Wind Energy Association’s Tom Vinson was among those who asked the Ohio committee to preserve the targets. He said the wind industry’s potential in the state is “enormous.”

He said wind companies have made a cumulative capital investments in Ohio of $890 million and 11 construction projects are certified and waiting to be built. Another four are waiting in the wings.

Story Continues â†'

Read More

Albany/El Cerrito/Kensington briefs: Skinner wins alternative energy honor ... - Santa Cruz Sentinel

'Champion of Change' honor for Skinner

Former Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner last week was given the "Champion of Change" award for her work promoting alternative energy.

The second annual honor was given by Intersolar North America, an alternative energy trade group representing hundreds of solar businesses, in collaboration with the California Solar Energy Industries Association on July 15 during their joint conference in San Francisco.

Skinner was cited for work on legislation expanding California's net metering law; rules mandating that the state have a 33 percent renewable portfolio standard; prioritizing energy storage for grid-wide and distributed energy applications; funding solar and energy upgrades for schools.

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"Skinner has long been a solar and renewable energy champion, and has worked on global warming and environmental policy since the late 1980s."

Other finalists for the award were California State Sen. Fran Pavley and Richard Kauffman, chairman of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.

Skinner, a former Berkeley councilwoman, served for six years representing Assembly District 15 and is now a candidate for State Senate District 9 in 2016.

Free dance lesson event at Memorial Park

The Albany Recreation & Community Services Department is hosting a free Dancin' in the Park event from 5 to 6 p.m. July 25. The event on the outdoor stage at Memorial Park, 1325 Portland Ave., will be led by dance instructor Beth Ellis-Dickson.

No reservations are needed. The event is part of a series for Parks Make Life Better month.

For more details call 510-524-9283 or visit www.albanyca.org/rec.

Artist demonstration at upcoming meeting

Clark Mitchell will demonstrate making a pastel paining on sanded paper when the El Cerrito Art Association holds its monthly meeting at 7 p.m. Aug. 10 at the Community Center, 7007 Moeser Lane.

"Rather than working on one piece from beginning to end, he'll have examples of several stages in progress. After a review of materials and information on scene selection, composition and sketching, Clark will make an underpainting with wonderfully vibrant colors, working from one of his small plein-air paintings. He will then touch on the later stages and cover questions to ask to decide if a painting is finished."

The meeting begins with social time and a show of members' work. A brief business meeting is held at 7:30, followed by the speaker.

Meetings are open to the public. For more detail about the program contact Barbara Daniell at 510-277-6996 or bdaniell1943@gmail.com.

City seeks applicants for advisory vacancies

Albany is seeking residents who want to be involved in local government by applying for vacancies on city advisory boards., including the new seven-member Economic Development Committee.

The EDC "will be tasked with identifying ways to further economic development and vitality in the city while engaging with our local business community."

Other panels with vacancies include the Social and Economic Justice Commission, the Arts Committee, Parks and Recreation Commission and the Charter Review Committee.

Learn more about serving on an advisory body and download an application by visiting the city website, www.albanyca.org.

Weekly vegetable garden swap is back

The weekly Veg Mob Crop Swap hosted by El Cerrito Community Garden Network resumed this week and continues at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays at Fairmont Park near the sidewalk on the west side of the BART tracks where Liberty Street and Eureka Avenue intersect.

"Bring whatever veggies from your garden you would like to share. And you can walk down to the garden to see what is growing down there."

The start time is later than last year's swaps, but organizers advise people to come early because goods go fast.

"Feel free to come even if you don't have anything to swap -- there is almost always more than anyone can take. And it's fun to chat about what everyone is growing in their gardens."

Details and directions are available at sites.google.com/site/elcerritocommunitygarden/veg-mob.

Contestants welcome to enter Trivia Night

Entrants as individuals or teams are sought for Albany Trivia Night from 7 to 8:30 p.m. July 31 at the Albany Community Center, 1249 Marin Ave.

"Bring a team or just come as a solo free agent," say organizers of the free pub trivia event. They promise "multiple rounds, topics and maybe even a few wild cards."

-- Chris Treadway

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Albany/El Cerrito/Kensington briefs: Skinner wins alternative energy honor ... - Oroville Mercury Register

'Champion of Change' honor for Skinner

Former Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner last week was given the "Champion of Change" award for her work promoting alternative energy.

The second annual honor was given by Intersolar North America, an alternative energy trade group representing hundreds of solar businesses, in collaboration with the California Solar Energy Industries Association on July 15 during their joint conference in San Francisco.

Skinner was cited for work on legislation expanding California's net metering law; rules mandating that the state have a 33 percent renewable portfolio standard; prioritizing energy storage for grid-wide and distributed energy applications; funding solar and energy upgrades for schools.

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"Skinner has long been a solar and renewable energy champion, and has worked on global warming and environmental policy since the late 1980s."

Other finalists for the award were California State Sen. Fran Pavley and Richard Kauffman, chairman of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.

Skinner, a former Berkeley councilwoman, served for six years representing Assembly District 15 and is now a candidate for State Senate District 9 in 2016.

Free dance lesson event at Memorial Park

The Albany Recreation & Community Services Department is hosting a free Dancin' in the Park event from 5 to 6 p.m. July 25. The event on the outdoor stage at Memorial Park, 1325 Portland Ave., will be led by dance instructor Beth Ellis-Dickson.

No reservations are needed. The event is part of a series for Parks Make Life Better month.

For more details call 510-524-9283 or visit www.albanyca.org/rec.

Artist demonstration at upcoming meeting

Clark Mitchell will demonstrate making a pastel paining on sanded paper when the El Cerrito Art Association holds its monthly meeting at 7 p.m. Aug. 10 at the Community Center, 7007 Moeser Lane.

"Rather than working on one piece from beginning to end, he'll have examples of several stages in progress. After a review of materials and information on scene selection, composition and sketching, Clark will make an underpainting with wonderfully vibrant colors, working from one of his small plein-air paintings. He will then touch on the later stages and cover questions to ask to decide if a painting is finished."

The meeting begins with social time and a show of members' work. A brief business meeting is held at 7:30, followed by the speaker.

Meetings are open to the public. For more detail about the program contact Barbara Daniell at 510-277-6996 or bdaniell1943@gmail.com.

City seeks applicants for advisory vacancies

Albany is seeking residents who want to be involved in local government by applying for vacancies on city advisory boards., including the new seven-member Economic Development Committee.

The EDC "will be tasked with identifying ways to further economic development and vitality in the city while engaging with our local business community."

Other panels with vacancies include the Social and Economic Justice Commission, the Arts Committee, Parks and Recreation Commission and the Charter Review Committee.

Learn more about serving on an advisory body and download an application by visiting the city website, www.albanyca.org.

Weekly vegetable garden swap is back

The weekly Veg Mob Crop Swap hosted by El Cerrito Community Garden Network resumed this week and continues at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays at Fairmont Park near the sidewalk on the west side of the BART tracks where Liberty Street and Eureka Avenue intersect.

"Bring whatever veggies from your garden you would like to share. And you can walk down to the garden to see what is growing down there."

The start time is later than last year's swaps, but organizers advise people to come early because goods go fast.

"Feel free to come even if you don't have anything to swap -- there is almost always more than anyone can take. And it's fun to chat about what everyone is growing in their gardens."

Details and directions are available at sites.google.com/site/elcerritocommunitygarden/veg-mob.

Contestants welcome to enter Trivia Night

Entrants as individuals or teams are sought for Albany Trivia Night from 7 to 8:30 p.m. July 31 at the Albany Community Center, 1249 Marin Ave.

"Bring a team or just come as a solo free agent," say organizers of the free pub trivia event. They promise "multiple rounds, topics and maybe even a few wild cards."

-- Chris Treadway

Read More

Asian ADRs Edge Up as Chinese Alternative Energy Firms Gain - Nasdaq

American depository receipts of Asian stocks were trading 0.9% higher at 150.67 on the Bank of New York Mellon Asia ADR Index on Tuesday.

Decliners in north Asia were led by casual menswear company Zuoan Fashion ( ZA ), down 2.9%, followed by financial services provider Orix Corp. ( IX ) 2.6% lower and South Korean wireless telecom operator SK Telecom Co. ( SKM ) down 2.5%.

In southern Asia, Indian banking and financial services firm HDFC Bank ( HDB ) and Indian pharmaceutical company Dr. Reddy's Laboratories ( RDY ) fell by 1.7% and 1.5%, respectively while diversified natural resources firm Vedanta (VEDL) slid by 1.4%.

Gainers in north Asia were led by China Ming Yang Wind Power (MY), a wind turbine manufacturer, up 6.7%, followed by state-owned telecommunications operators China Unicom (CHU) and China Mobile Limited (CHL) , up 4.5% and 3.6%, respectively.

In southern Asia, IT consulting firm Infosys (INFY) jumped 11% followed by Wipro (WIT), a provider of IT services up 2.6%, and information and communications technology firm Sify Technologies (SIFY) up 1.9%.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc.

Copyright (C) 2014 MTNewswires.com. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

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3 Smart Ways to Take Advantage of the Alternative Energy Boom - Motley Fool

Image Source: Sunpower.

Historically, energy hasn't exactly been the most dynamic sector in which to invest. Sure, oil and gas prices could swing up and down with the market, but outside of coal and oil, there haven't been many other options. That isn't the case anymore, though, because today the emergence of other energy options is uprooting the long-held positions of those traditional energy sources. 

So, we asked our contributors to dig through the energy market and share some companies that could be very smart investments that play off the alternative-energy boom. Here's what they had to say. 

Dan Caplinger: One of the biggest challenges that investors face is figuring out which of the many companies in a given sector will be the big winner from a favorable trend. For instance, in the solar energy arena, many producers of solar cells have turned out to have an apparent competitive advantage over their rivals, leading to disparate performance that has put a premium on having picked the right company from the outset.

A SunEdison planned and constructed solar facility. Image Source: SunEdison. 

One way to deal with the challenge of stock picking is to look for diversified exchange-traded funds that target an entire industry. The solar ETF Guggenheim Solar (NYSE MKT:TAN) is a good example, with shares having advanced an average of 22% annually over the past two years. The ETF has just over two dozen holdings, with its largest happening to be one of the best performers in the industry so far this year: SunEdison (NYSE:SUNE). Exposure to Chinese solar producers has weighed on the ETF's results in 2015, but that diversification has helped moderate losses compared to investing directly in individual stocks.

Similar ETFs cover other areas of alternative energy, such as the WilderHill Clean Energy Portfolio (NYSE MKT:PBW) and its broader holdings of fuel-cell, electric-vehicle, and thermal-energy companies, as well as solar businesses. By betting on the whole industry, you can avoid the need to find the winners early on and instead focus on the prospects for alternative energy more universally.

Rich Smith: The alternative energy idea I'd like to suggest can't be bought yet -- but soon. It's called TerraForm Global, and it's an operator of nearly 1,000 megawatts' worth of solar, wind, and hydro-electric projects around the globe. TG is a subsidiary of SunEdison, which is expected to IPO the company soon. In anticipation of this event, I recently had the opportunity to review TG's IPO prospectus, its SEC Form S-1. What I found there was intriguing, to say the least.

According to the S-1, TG collected just under $300 million in 2014. In the first quarter of this year, that number had already grown to $100 million, implying an annual revenue run rate of $400 million -- 33% annualized growth in sales. Profits-wise, the company earned just over $50 million last year, resulting in a net profit margin of 16.7%. The $24 million it earned in Q1 similarly implies a net profit margin of perhaps 24% this year. So, at the same time sales are ramping up rapidly, so is the profitability of those sales.

TG aims to pay out the bulk of its profits as distributable income -- dividends. The exact dividend hasn't been announced yet. But Wolfe Research analyst Gordon Johnson, who's been following TG's move toward an IPO for some time now, predicts that as much as 85% of operating profit could be earmarked for dividends after TG goes public, and that these dividends could grow as fast as 15% annually from there on out.

While many of TG's numbers are in flux, with many blanks yet to be filled in on the S-1, what I see so far makes me think that TerraForm Global is one alternative-energy stock worth watching.

Image source: Clean Energy Fuels.

Tyler Crowe: Perhaps the only thing that has changed the energy landscape more than the spectacular growth in solar and wind power projects has been the emergence of cheap natural gas in the U.S. It's not just having a massive impact on power generation, but it's also making rather noticeable changes to our oil-heavy transportation sector. While it may not be noticeable on an everyday basis, natural gas is slowly becoming a player in the long-haul trucking and fleet-vehicle markets, and one company that is the most visible sign of this change is Clean Energy Fuels (NASDAQ:CLNE).

Clean Energy Fuels is building the one thing that has always prevented natural gas from being a viable transportation fuel: a fueling infrastructure. Today, that doesn't look like the most lucrative company to invest in, especially considering the massive amounts of capital that it will take to build a suitable fueling network. That said, Clean Energy Fuels has grown its fueling network to more than 550 stations that fuel close to 35,000 vehicles a day and has more than tripled revenue over the past five years. 

It will probably take a while before Clean Energy Fuels is able to turn a sustainable profit as its growth spending still outpaces the cash it can generate from operations, and investors should keep in mind that the company is in a pretty low-margin industry that won't blow your minds with profit. But as a more robust fueling network is built, it should be able to turn that network into a profit center. For an investor who has the patience to see this through, Clean Energy Fuels could be a smart way to profit from this emerging shift to natural gas as a prominent transportation fuel.

This $19 trillion industry could destroy the Internet
One bleeding-edge technology is about to put the World Wide Web to bed. And if you act quickly, you could be among the savvy investors who enjoy the profits from this stunning change. Experts are calling it the single largest business opportunity in the history of capitalism... The Economist is calling it "transformative"... But you'll probably just call it "how I made my millions." Don't be too late to the party -- click here for one stock to own when the Web goes dark.

Read More

Hydrogen heats up: Alternative energy source gains traction - Washington Times - Washington Times

HONOLULU (AP) - Hydrogen-powered vehicles are beginning to roll onto Hawaii’s transportation scene.

Two 25-seat hydrogen-powered buses will soon be shuttling tourists between the visitors center and the Thurston Lava Tube at Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, and hydrogen might someday fuel the Wiki-Wiki shuttles at Honolulu Airport.

There are two hydrogen fueling stations on Oahu: one at Marine Corps Base Hawaii at Kaneohe Bay and one at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. They serve several vehicles on the bases but are not available to the public.

Hydrogen fuel vehicles run on hydrogen gas rather than gasoline and emit no harmful tailpipe emissions. Toyota introduced a fuel-cell car, the Mirai, last year.

Gov. David Ige signed a bill into law in June creating a state working group for hydrogen.

“As soon as it was signed, I already had a working group ready to stand up,” said Stan Osserman, director of the Hawaii Center for Advanced Transportation Technologies.

Osserman’s company is converting to hydrogen the two 25-seat buses for Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

Hydrogen-fueled cars have two main advantages over their battery-powered rivals, said Salim Morsy, a New-York based analyst for Bloomberg New Energy Finance. They are faster to refuel and have much longer ranges than electric ones. A hydrogen car can refuel in five minutes and go 400 miles on one tank. Many electric vehicles take up to seven hours to charge and can travel only 200 miles on each charge.

Hydrogen cars also have disadvantages. Producing the hydrogen can involve burning fossil fuels and contributing to greenhouse gases. The current lack of fueling stations also makes the vehicles impractical.

Elon Musk, CEO?of electric car company Tesla Motors, has argued that most commercial hydrogen used to run fuel cells is made from natural gas in a process that consumes energy and emits carbon. Hydrogen is also dangerous to store and transport, he has said.

Still, Osserman said Hawaii and federal officials are planning to convert state vehicles to hydrogen and support the electric grid with the renewable fuel.

Two hydrogen fueling stations planned on Hawaii island at Volcanoes National Park will be the first to serve the public.

Mitch Ewan, systems program manager for Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, said the first station for shuttles on the Big island would be in place by the end of September and the second one at Volcanoes National Park in October.

Ewan said adding the stations will help the deployment of hydrogen in Hawaii as the institute has seen a lot of interest from automobile dealers.

“The automobile dealers are all in now. The challenge for us is to have minimal infrastructure in place for someone to fuel their vehicles,”?he said.

Story Continues â†'

Read More

3 Smart Ways to Take Advantage of the Alternative Energy Boom - The Motley Fool - Motley Fool

Image Source: Sunpower.

Historically, energy hasn't exactly been the most dynamic sector in which to invest. Sure, oil and gas prices could swing up and down with the market, but outside of coal and oil, there haven't been many other options. That isn't the case anymore, though, because today the emergence of other energy options is uprooting the long-held positions of those traditional energy sources. 

So, we asked our contributors to dig through the energy market and share some companies that could be very smart investments that play off the alternative-energy boom. Here's what they had to say. 

Dan Caplinger: One of the biggest challenges that investors face is figuring out which of the many companies in a given sector will be the big winner from a favorable trend. For instance, in the solar energy arena, many producers of solar cells have turned out to have an apparent competitive advantage over their rivals, leading to disparate performance that has put a premium on having picked the right company from the outset.

A SunEdison planned and constructed solar facility. Image Source: SunEdison. 

One way to deal with the challenge of stock picking is to look for diversified exchange-traded funds that target an entire industry. The solar ETF Guggenheim Solar (NYSE MKT:TAN) is a good example, with shares having advanced an average of 22% annually over the past two years. The ETF has just over two dozen holdings, with its largest happening to be one of the best performers in the industry so far this year: SunEdison (NYSE:SUNE). Exposure to Chinese solar producers has weighed on the ETF's results in 2015, but that diversification has helped moderate losses compared to investing directly in individual stocks.

Similar ETFs cover other areas of alternative energy, such as the WilderHill Clean Energy Portfolio (NYSE MKT:PBW) and its broader holdings of fuel-cell, electric-vehicle, and thermal-energy companies, as well as solar businesses. By betting on the whole industry, you can avoid the need to find the winners early on and instead focus on the prospects for alternative energy more universally.

Rich Smith: The alternative energy idea I'd like to suggest can't be bought yet -- but soon. It's called TerraForm Global, and it's an operator of nearly 1,000 megawatts' worth of solar, wind, and hydro-electric projects around the globe. TG is a subsidiary of SunEdison, which is expected to IPO the company soon. In anticipation of this event, I recently had the opportunity to review TG's IPO prospectus, its SEC Form S-1. What I found there was intriguing, to say the least.

According to the S-1, TG collected just under $300 million in 2014. In the first quarter of this year, that number had already grown to $100 million, implying an annual revenue run rate of $400 million -- 33% annualized growth in sales. Profits-wise, the company earned just over $50 million last year, resulting in a net profit margin of 16.7%. The $24 million it earned in Q1 similarly implies a net profit margin of perhaps 24% this year. So, at the same time sales are ramping up rapidly, so is the profitability of those sales.

TG aims to pay out the bulk of its profits as distributable income -- dividends. The exact dividend hasn't been announced yet. But Wolfe Research analyst Gordon Johnson, who's been following TG's move toward an IPO for some time now, predicts that as much as 85% of operating profit could be earmarked for dividends after TG goes public, and that these dividends could grow as fast as 15% annually from there on out.

While many of TG's numbers are in flux, with many blanks yet to be filled in on the S-1, what I see so far makes me think that TerraForm Global is one alternative-energy stock worth watching.

Image source: Clean Energy Fuels.

Tyler Crowe: Perhaps the only thing that has changed the energy landscape more than the spectacular growth in solar and wind power projects has been the emergence of cheap natural gas in the U.S. It's not just having a massive impact on power generation, but it's also making rather noticeable changes to our oil-heavy transportation sector. While it may not be noticeable on an everyday basis, natural gas is slowly becoming a player in the long-haul trucking and fleet-vehicle markets, and one company that is the most visible sign of this change is Clean Energy Fuels (NASDAQ:CLNE).

Clean Energy Fuels is building the one thing that has always prevented natural gas from being a viable transportation fuel: a fueling infrastructure. Today, that doesn't look like the most lucrative company to invest in, especially considering the massive amounts of capital that it will take to build a suitable fueling network. That said, Clean Energy Fuels has grown its fueling network to more than 550 stations that fuel close to 35,000 vehicles a day and has more than tripled revenue over the past five years. 

It will probably take a while before Clean Energy Fuels is able to turn a sustainable profit as its growth spending still outpaces the cash it can generate from operations, and investors should keep in mind that the company is in a pretty low-margin industry that won't blow your minds with profit. But as a more robust fueling network is built, it should be able to turn that network into a profit center. For an investor who has the patience to see this through, Clean Energy Fuels could be a smart way to profit from this emerging shift to natural gas as a prominent transportation fuel.

This $19 trillion industry could destroy the Internet
One bleeding-edge technology is about to put the World Wide Web to bed. And if you act quickly, you could be among the savvy investors who enjoy the profits from this stunning change. Experts are calling it the single largest business opportunity in the history of capitalism... The Economist is calling it "transformative"... But you'll probably just call it "how I made my millions." Don't be too late to the party -- click here for one stock to own when the Web goes dark.

Read More

Gathering to talk about alternative energy | StarNewsOnline.com - StarNewsOnline.com

<p>WILMINGTON -- The Cape Fear Economic Development Council will hold an informal gathering next week at Flytrap Brewing in downtown Wilmington to discuss alternative energy issues, including the region's wind, solar and natural gas resources.</p><p>The meeting won&rsquo;t have a particular agenda or specific panelists, but will allow attendees to meet the board and friends of the council and talk about alternative energy. There also will be a cash bar.</p><p>The meeting will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday. Flytrap Brewing is located at 319 Walnut St.</p><p>For more information about the council and the upcoming event, go to www.capefearedc.org.</p><p>-- Gareth McGrath</p>

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Alternative Energy Investments Higher Than Reported - The Green Optimistic - The Green Optimistic (blog)

The alternative energy investments by a Bloomberg investment group are much higher than previously released.

The Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) group has made a correction to their initial investment numbers for the second quarter of 2015, indicating that they spent more money on clean energy than previously thought.

While 2015’s numbers were looking disheartening when compared to 2014’s investments, the company stated in a Friday press release that BNEF has changed some of its figures because of mistakes made when aggregating project and deal-level data. Previously, the amount spent on clean energy was thought to be $53 billion, a substantial number, but the correction indicates that the financial group spent $73.5 billion in the second quarter of 2015.

The chairman of the advisory board for BNEF, Michael Liebreich, admits that these numbers could be revised slightly in the future, and that the company had expected clean energy investments to be less this year than in 2014 because of the current strength of the dollar.

The new numbers mean that second quarter investments are only 0.2% less than the second quarter last year, and that investments made in both the first and second quarter ($127.9 billion in 2015) are only 3% less than those made in 2014.

The report indicates that the BNEF investment in China was $27.9bn, a 15% increase from last year. The United States invested $12.2bn, 3% more than in the same quarter in 2014. Europe contributed $12.7bn, 27% less than they invested last year. India is increasing its its clean energy expenditures by 75%, a total of $2.2bn in investments, while Brazil reduced its expenditures by 50%, to $1bn. Japan also invested $8.3bn, though that is 8% less than in the second quarter of 2014.

Wind investments are down by 13%, to $27.8bn. However, solar energy received $41.9bn in investments, a 23% increase from this quarter last year. Small-scale solar projects also received 29% more, after seeing investments of $20.4bn.

Image (c) The David Casey Copley ’70 Library

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Government pulls the plug on household solar - Sydney Morning Herald - Sydney Morning Herald

Another blow to renewable energy: The government has pulled the plug on investments in rooftop and small-scale solar. Photo: Marc Stapelberg

The Abbott government has opened up another front in its war on renewable energy by pulling the plug on investments in the most common form of alternative energy, rooftop and small-scale solar.

As a storm raged over the government's directive to the Clean Energy Finance Corporation to no longer back wind energy projects, it emerged that it has also put a stop to solar investments other than the largest industrial-scale projects.

Abbott government ending investments in solar energy: Treasurer Joe Hockey. Photo: Jerome Favre

The solar industry has been left fuming by a letter to the CEFC by Treasurer Joe Hockey and Finance Minister Mathias Cormann in which they direct investments in household and small-scale solar to be "excluded" from the $10 billion fund in future.

The draft investment mandate calls for "mature and established clean energy technologies … to be excluded from the corporation's activities, including extant wind technology and household and small-scale solar".

Currently, about a third of all CEFC investments involve small-scale solar. The corporation, which has produced more than a $1 profit for the government for every $1 invested, was assessing $500 million in finance for solar projects valued at more than $1 billion.

There are 1.3 million rooftop solar systems in Australia and most households receive publicly-backed rebates to install, but the CEFC has made a priority projects that help people who do not own their own homes, those who live in apartments and community groups to invest in solar panels.

This month, a $100 million deal between the profit-making corporation Origin Energy to facilitate solar take up was announced.

The CEFC would not comment on Sunday but solar industry leaders have become aware of the contents of Mr Hockey and Senator Cormann's letter.

Australian Solar Council chief executive John Grimes accused Tony Abbott of playing "cynical politics" after the Prime Minister insisted on Sunday that his government "supports renewables" but wants to "reduce the upward pressure on power prices".

Mr Grimes said the CEFC had made it possible for low-income people and retirees to invest in solar and take advantage of the power bill savings that flow.

"Tony Abbott is keeping people trapped paying higher electricity prices," Mr Grimes told Fairfax Media.

The government tried and failed to abolish the profit-making CEFC after failing to get Senate support and its latest strike against wind and solar is expected to further scare renewable energy investors away from Australia, Labor and the Greens claim.

"While the CEFC exists, what we believe it should be doing is investing in new and emerging technologies, certainly not existing wind farms," Mr Abbott said.

In a letter to Mr Hockey and Mr Cormann in February, CEFC chairwoman Jillian Broadbent pointed out that the act governing the corporation compelled it to "facilitate increased flows of finance into the clean energy sector" rather than only pursue emerging technologies.

A copy of the latest investment mandate from the government in March does not specify anything about not investing in established renewable, only that the CEFC should "help mobilise investment in renewable energy, low-emissions and energy efficiency projects".

The CEFC website states its investment focus as being on projects at the "later stages of development which have a positive expected rate of return and have the capacity to service and repay capital." The CEFC Act currently only excludes investment in carbon capture and storage, nuclear technology or nuclear power.

Shadow environment spokesman Mark Butler said: "These proposed changes go well beyond Tony Abbott's opposition to the aesthetic values of wind farms - it's a wholesale attack on renewable energy.

"Tony Abbott is broadening his assault on renewable energy technologies putting thousands of Australian jobs and billions of dollars in investment at even further risk."

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Crestmark Helps Growing Alternative Energy Development Group - PR Newswire - PR Newswire (press release)

TROY, Mich., July 9, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Crestmark is pleased to announce the funding of Alternative Energy Development Group (AEDG) LLC, and affiliated company SolarSense LLC, headquartered in Berwyn, Pa., with a combination of sale and leaseback transactions. Crestmark provided sale-leaseback financing for three 500kW (AC) solar projects to deliver clean, reliable and renewable energy to the State of Vermont on a Power Purchase Agreement basis.

The first project, located at the State of Vermont Northeast Corrections Complex in St. Johnsbury, VT, closed and funded in the fourth quarter of 2014 for $2 million. The second project for the State's Correctional Facility in Springfield and the State Office Complex closed June 30, 2015 for $1.7 million; a third project is scheduled to close in August. All Earth Renewables, Inc., a Vermont-based manufacturer of the AllEarth Dual Axis Tracker, and a full-service engineering, procurement and construction firm, partnered with SolarSense on the projects.

"We're excited about being able to help this company, and the growing alternative energy industry," said Larry Pearce, senior vice president, managing director of Corporate Joint Ventures. "The AEDG team is solid with a great reputation, and we look forward to working with them as they move forward and develop future projects."

"We've been impressed with Crestmark Bank, a team of bright, personable, creative and committed professionals who live their mission to help growing companies grow with lending solutions," said Chris Fraga, founder and CEO of Alternative Energy Development Group and SolarSense. "We moved from relationship building through deal due diligence to the close of the first multi-million-dollar financing in the span of three months. What's remarkable is the fact that Crestmark learned and mastered the Solar PV and Energy Project Finance space while performing deal due diligence as their first Solar PV financing transaction. We strongly endorse Crestmark as a lending partner to help growing companies grow."

ABOUT ALTERNATIVE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT GROUP: Alternative Energy Development Group (www.aedgonline.com), and its affiliate SolarSense, helps commercial-scale clients reduce their energy demand, reduce their energy supply costs, and become more sustainable and resilient. Our clients, who span mid-market to Fortune 50 entities in the for-profit, not-for-profit, and public sectors, have entrusted us to provide 751,000,000 kWh's of clean, reliable and affordable power under long-term contracts. Our singular focus is solving customers' energy needs by utilizing proven technologies that deliver meaningful financial, sustainable & resiliency benefits. AEDG's range of services include source, develop, design, build, finance, own, and operate Distributed Generation energy systems, while providing Energy Advisory, Capital and Financing services to customers, partners and other developers.

ABOUT CRESTMARK: Crestmark (www.crestmark.com) is an FDIC-insured bank that provides innovative financial solutions for businesses nationwide. Financing solutions include asset-based lending, accounts receivable financing, lines of credit, term loans, factoring, machinery/equipment financing and equipment leasing. Crestmark has extensive experience in helping many industries including transportation, manufacturing, staffing, petrochemical, government contractors, apparel/footwear/furniture distribution/manufacturing, hospitality/hotels, insurance agencies, and technology hardware/software. Headquartered in Michigan, with additional offices in California, Florida, Louisiana, Tennessee, New York, and Illinois; and representatives nationwide.

 

SOURCE Crestmark

RELATED LINKS
http://www.aedgonline.com
http://www.crestmark.com

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