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The California Solar Initiative Solar Thermal Program launched January 20th, 2010,

The climate-change fighting, energy efficiency California Statewide solar water heating rebate program, called "CSI-Thermal" seeks to place @200,000 solar water heaters in California in its single family and multi-family program that runs through 2017.

Applications will be accepted April 1, 2010.

The CSI - Thermal program is being developed and is expected to run from April 2010 through 2017. A 30 percent federal tax credit is also available on the installed cost of the system less the rebate.

The goals of the CSI Thermal Program are to:

· Significantly increase the size of the solar water heating market in California by increasing the adoption rate of solar water heating technologies, including achieving:

o Installation of natural gas-displacing systems that displace 585 million therms, equivalent to placing a solar water heater on 200,000 single-family homes;

o Installation of electric-displacing solar water heating systems that displace 275.7 million kilowatt-hours per year of electricity by the end of 2017; and

o Expansion of the market for other solar thermal technologies that displace natural gas and electricity use, in addition to solar water heating.

· Support reductions in the cost of solar water heating systems of at least 16 percent through a program that increases market size and encourages cost reductions through market efficiency and innovation.

· Engage in market facilitation activities to reduce market barriers to solar water heating adoption, such as high permitting costs, lack of access to information, and lack of trained installers.

Eligible Customers for the CSI-Thermal Incentive Program

Eligible customers are gas or electric water heating customers of SDG&E, PG&E and SoCalGas & SoCal Edison. The program will run for 8 years, until December 31, 2017, or until the program funds are exhausted, whichever occurs first.

This rebate program is a four-step declining incentive structure over the life of the program and the rebate is calculated based on the expected energy savings of your solar water heating system. Incentive amounts depend upon your current water heating fuel source (natural gas or electricity).

Residents who heat their water with natural gas may receive a maximum incentive of $1,875.

Residents who heat their water with electricity may receive a maximum incentive of $1,250.

Commercial or multifamily buildings who heat their water with natural gas may receive a maximum incentive of $200,000, while commercial or multifamily buildings who heat their water with electricity may receive a maximum incentive of $100,000.

Eligible SWH Equipment for the CSI-Thermal Program

Solar water heating ( SWH) equipment must be certified by the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation ( SRCC). SRCC OG-300 certified equipment must be installed on single-family homes and SRCC OG-100 certified collectors must be installed on multifamily and commercial buildings. At the start of the program, only solar water heating technology will be eligible for the rebate. Other Solar Thermal technologies such as space heating, radiant floor heating, space cooling, etc will not be eligible. We expect that those technologies may be introduced into the rebate program at a later date.

Administration: PG&E, SoCalGas, Edison and California Center for Sustainable Energy

The CSI Thermal Program will be administered by PG&E, Edison, SoCalGas, and by the California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE) in the SDG&E territory.

PG&E and SDG&E, in coordination CCSE, will disburse incentives to both electric and natural gas ratepayers who install eligible solar water heating systems in their territories.

Edison will disburse incentives through the CSI Thermal Program to customers who install electric displacing solar water heating systems. SoCalGas will disburse incentives to customers in its territory who install natural gas displacing solar water heating systems.

Incentives are as follows:

Natural Gas Displacing Incentives:

Step	Incentive for Average Residential Solar Water Heating System	Incentive per Therm Displaced
1	$1,500	$12.82
2	$1,200	$10.26
3	$900	$7.69
4	$550	$4.70

· Incentives are paid up-front based on estimated first year therms displaced.

· Incentives decline in four steps based on program participation.

· Forty percent of the incentive budget is reserved for single-family residential systems; 60 percent for commercial and multifamily systems.

Electric Displacing Incentives:

Step Level	Electric Displacing Incentive ($/kWh)	Incentive for Average Residential System
1	0.37	$1,010
2	0.30	$820
3	0.22	$600
4	0.14	$380

· Incentives paid up-front based on estimated first year kWh displacement.

Contactor Participation Requirements

The requirements for contractor participation are currently being developed. We expect that contractors will need to attend a training workshop to learn about the application process, program guidelines and SWH installation techniques. We may also ask for verification of liability insurance, workman's compensation and auto insurance coverage. This requirement will be determined by March 1, 2010.

Contractors Submit Paperwork

Contractors will be responsible for submitting the rebate applications. The Program Administrators (PG&E, SoCal Edison, SoCalGas and the California Center for Sustainable Energy) are currently developing the application process and creating an appropriate online application database.

Installation Team Training

Some great technical resources posted in our "Contractors Corner." We recommend you become very familiar with the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation installation guidelines (www.solar-rating.org). It is also strongly encouraged for you to seek training from SWH equipment manufacturers.

The California Public Utilities Commission

CPUC will be holding public workshops in the first quarter of 2010 to discuss the following: system sizing requirements, development of an online incentive calculation tool that estimates energy savings, development of energy-efficiency requirements and metering requirements. Your input is welcome and encouraged! Refer to the CPUC website for postings on workshop details.

CSI Program Calendar

Do I have to wait until April 1, 2010, to sell and install SWH systems in order to receive the incentive? No. The CSI-Thermal Program will provide a rebate to projects that meet the program requirements and were installed after July 15, 2009. You will have to wait until April 1, 2010, to apply for the rebate for single-family projects and May 1, 2010, for multifamily and commercial projects.

San Diego Solar Water Heating Pilot Program

As part of the California Solar Initiative, the Solar Water Heating Pilot Program (SWHPP) provides incentives to business and customers who install qualifying solar water heating systems. The California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE) is administering the program.  CCSE is authorized to provide $1.5 million in rate payer funds as incentives for the Solar Water Heating Pilot Program. These incentives will go to qualified, licensed contractors to promote the installation of clean, renewable solar water heating systems.

How can I learn more about the CSI Program?

If you are a SDG&E electric customer seeking to retrofit your current water heating system, contact the California Center for Sustainable Energy for an informational packet and list of registered installers. You may contact them directly for additional details: swh@energycenter.org

As of January 20th, 2010, the California Solar Initiative Solar Thermal Program is underway. 

A new California Statewide solar water heating rebate program, called CSI-Thermal applications will be accepted April 1, 2010.

The CSI-Thermal program is currently being developed and is expected to run from April 2010 through 2017. A 30 percent federal tax credit is also available on the installed cost of the system less the rebate.

Solar water heating ( SWH) systems reduce greenhouse gas emissions and conserve fossil fuel resources, while cutting energy use and saving money on utility bills. Systems can offset up to 75% of the natural gas, electricity or propane used by your current water heater. SWH systems work to supplement the existing water heater - you do not need to replace or remove it.

SWH systems preheat the water used in a home or business (such as showers, dishwashers or sinks) and can help protect consumers against future gas and electricity shortages, as well as price increases. They help preserve the environment by eliminating carbon dioxide emissions and reducing harmful pollutants. For more information visit the Solar Water Heating Resources.

Siemens to decisively strengthen its position in the growth market solar thermal power

"After the rapid and highly successful expansion of our wind power business, we now want to continue this success story in the solar sector.

"With the acquisition of Solel, Siemens can now strengthen its market position in the promising business of solar thermal power plants. We can thus further expand our extensive Environmental Portfolio - and, as already announced, we will become even greener," said Siemens President and CEO Peter Löscher. 

Siemens AG is to acquire the solar thermal power company Solel Solar Systems Ltd.

To date, the majority stake has been held by Ecofin Ltd., a London-based investment firm, and another major shareholder.

Solel Solar Systems has a workforce of over 500 and is one of the world´s two leading suppliers of solar receivers, which are key components of so-called parabolic trough power plants. The high-growth company, which posted revenue totaling almost $90 million in the first six months of its current fiscal year (January 1 to June 30, 2009), is also a leader in the planning and construction of solar fields. The purchase price is about $418 million (currently equivalent to around €284 million *). The transaction is subject to approval by the responsible authorities. It is anticipated that the closing will take place before the end of this calendar year.

The California Solar Initiative (CSI) is overseen by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and provides incentives for solar system installations to customers of the state's three investor-owned utilities (IOUs): Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), Southern California Edison (SCE) and San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E). The CSI Program provides upfront incentives for solar systems installed on existing residential homes, as well as existing and new commercial, industrial, government, non-profit, and agricultural properties within the service territories of the IOUs.

The CSI Program expanded state support for solar technology and is the product of Governor Schwarzenegger's "Million Solar Roofs" vision for the State of California. The CSI Program was authorized by the CPUC through a number of regulatory decisions throughout 2006. In addition, the legislature expressly authorized the CPUC to create the California Solar Initiative in 2006 in Senate Bill 1 (Murray). When it launched in January 2007, the CSI Program built upon nearly 10 years of state support for solar, including other incentive programs such as the Emerging Renewables Program (ERP) and the Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP). Both programs still exist to provide incentives for other technologies but have been closed to new solar projects as of the end of 2006.

CSI Program Components

The CSI Program has a budget of $2.167 billion over 10 years, and the goal is to reach 1,940 MW of installed solar capacity by the end of 2016. The goal includes 1,750 MW of capacity from the general market program, as well as 190 MW of capacity from the low income programs. The general market program is the main incentive program component of the CSI, and is administered through three Program Administrators: PG&E, SCE, and California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE) in SDG&E territory.

In addition to the general market program, the CSI Program has four other program components, each with their own program administrator and 10 year budgets:

• A research and development (RD&D) program, providing grants to solar technologies that can advance the overall goals of the CSI Program; the RD&D program is administered through the RD&D Program Manager, Itron, and has a budget of $50 million.
• The Single-family Solar Affordable Solar Housing (SASH) program, providing solar incentives to single family low income housing; the SASH program is administered through the SASH Program Manager, GRID Alternatives, and has a budget of $108 million.
• The Multifamily Affordable Solar Housing (MASH) program, providing solar incentives to multifamily low income housing; the MASH program is administered through the same Program Administrators as the general market program: PG&E, SCE, and CCSE, and it has a budget of $108 million.
• The Solar Water Heating Pilot Program (SWHPP), providing solar hot water incentives to residences and businesses in San Diego only; the SWHPP is administered through CCSE.

In addition to the CPUC's CSI Program, Senate Bill 1 envisioned that the State of California would also have other programs to support onsite solar projects, including the California Energy Commission's New Solar Homes Partnership (NSHP), and a variety of solar programs offered through publicly owned utilities (POU). The statewide effort includes the CSI - as well as the NSHP and the POU programs - and it is known collectively as Go Solar California. The statewide goal of the Go Solar California campaign is 3,000 MW and there is a statewide budget of $3.3 billion.

The CSI Program is a subset of the wider solar effort in California.

Get ready for a month of celebrating the joys of going solar during California Solar Energy Month this October 2009. Get involved and Go Solar, California! Solar Energy Month provides a showcase for solar events happening statewide--and we want to promote YOUR solar event, too! Simply click to the Go Solar California! Community Solar Calendar and submit the details about your event.  Then, we will publish your events in weekly emails to over 7,000 subscribers of the California Solar Initiative Newsletter. The focus of Solar Energy Month 2009 is to Get Involved and Go Solar, California!  We're inviting everyone--from residential solar beginners to savvy solar pros--to join with their communities in taking a solar class or workshop, attending a solar tour or fair, and talking with their neighbors and local businesses about going solar and generating their own clean energy. View the poster.

Here are 10 easy ways you can Get Involved and Go Solar:

• 1. Submit YOUR local solar event to the Go Solar, California! Community Solar Calendar and reach out to thousands of solar enthusiasts statewide! 
• 2. Attend one of the many free solar classes held everyday throughout California.  Whether you are completely new to solar, or a seasoned solar contractor, there are dozens of workshops and classes for you.  As a start, the California Solar Initiative Program Administrators in your utility service territory--PG&E, Edison and the California Center for Sustainable Energy (for SDG&E customers)--offer basic and technical solar classes.  Sign up today!
• 3. Hop on the bus for guided solar tours--or take a self-guided solar tour!  The American Solar Energy Society will sponsor the annual National Solar Tour at over 20 locations in California.  These tours are a lot of fun and incredibly informative, as you get story from real solar system owners. 
• 4. Already got solar? Wonderful!  Now wouldn't it be great if more and more of your neighbors began installing solar systems, too?  Well, spread the word. Become a Solar Ambassador--the go-to person for solar in your neighborhood--so that when your neighbors have questions about the way solar works, the costs and savings, and how to find a good solar contractor they will have someone to talk to.  (Print out a Go Solar, California! window or lawn sign to announce that you're the neighborhood solar expert!)
• 5. Hey San Diegans:  Be sure to have fun during Solar Energy Week September 27-October 3, sponsored by the California Center for Sustainable Energy.  Solar Family Fun Day, a Solar Conference, and organized solar homes and commercial tours are just some of the highlights.
• 6. Looking for an entry into solar's green collar workforce? Solar Energy Month is a stage for green job seekers and employers alike.
  • A recent workforce development survey by the Vote Solar Initiative found 27 programs delivering solar-specific instruction throughout the state, with more than 5,400 prospective new solar workers currently enrolled.
  • The Emerging Industry and Occupations Report (2008) by the Centers for Excellence states that 70% of the businesses surveyed would hire within the next 12 months.
  • The Environmental Defense Fund has published  a Green Jobs Guidebook, which profiles more than 200 green jobs currently in California, including details on 25 different types of solar jobs.
• 7. Find your solar potential on a solar map.  Both San Francisco and San Diego have developed highly accurate interactive maps for customers and installers to determine how much solar a given rooftop can produce.  The maps account for attributes like tilt, shading, and climate zone, plus allow people to enter other inputs such as historical energy usage and the effects of energy efficiency measures.  Location arrows show other solar systems in the vicinity, and many system owners provide system output and other relevant details to help you get a clear picture of your true solar potential. 
• 8. Attend a solar expo or conference.  October kicks off with San Diego's Solar Week, then West Coast Green in San Francisco.  The end of October boasts the largest solar conference and exposition in the U.S., Solar Power International, held the 27th-29th in Anaheim. (This year's Keynote Speaker will be Robert Kennedy Jr.)  Mark your calendar: Solar Power is FREE to the public on Wednesday October 28th from 5:30--8:30 p.m., with the whole expo floor open for browsing and several workshops scheduled.
• 9. Go Solar!  Contact eligible solar contractors for competitive bids; a qualified contractor should hold a valid A, B, C-10, or C-46 California Contractors license, and can be found (among other places) on the State's Eligible Contractors List.  Your contractor will get you started with a simple energy efficiency audit, then show you the most affordable system design for your property--whether to displace your entire load or simply skim off the highest, most expensive energy use tiers--and assist you by applying for California Solar Initiative rebates on your behalf.  Building a custom home?  Make solar part of your home's design from the start. 
  
• Your architect or builder can help you with New Solar Homes Partnership incentives. 
  
• Go solar and you're also eligible for 30 percent federal tax credit (plus other business perks like accelerated depreciation.) 
  
• And homeowners, did you know that your solar system will increase the value of your home without a property tax assessment? 
  
• Plus, you get to generate free energy each month, earn bill credits for your surplus generation, AND do something good for the environment.  
• 
  

• 10. Help inform others. If you know someone who is considering solar--as an energy solution, investment, or career--then forward the California Solar Initiative electronic newsletter their way.  You can also send them the option to subscribe themselves.  Click here for the opt-in form. For serious data fans, take a look at the CSI Program's Performance in the CPUC Annual Program Assessment to the Legislature.  California now boasts a half gigawatt of solar power in over 50,000 locations.

The US Department of Energy has finalized a $535 million loan guarantee for Solyndra, Inc., which manufactures innovative cylindrical solar photovoltaic panels that provide clean, renewable energy.

The funding will finance construction of the first phase of the company's new manufacturing facility. Annual production of solar panels from the first phase is expected to provide energy equivalent to powering 24,000 homes a year or over half a million homes over the project's lifetime. Solyndra estimates the new plant will initially create 3,000 construction jobs, and lead to as many as 1,000 jobs once the facility opens. Hundreds more will install Solyndra's solar panels on rooftops around the country.

"This announcement today is part of the unprecedented investment this Administration is making in renewable energy and exactly what the Recovery Act is all about," said Vice President Biden. "By investing in the infrastructure and technology of the future, we are not only creating jobs today, but laying the foundation for long-term growth in the 21st-century economy."

"It is time to rev up the American innovation machine and reclaim our lead on clean energy," said U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu. "This investment is part of a broad, aggressive effort to spark a new industrial revolution that will put Americans to work, end our dependence on foreign oil and cut carbon pollution."

The Recovery Act is changing America's economy, making significant investments that are catalyzing private funding sources, creating sustainable green jobs and transforming how America produces and uses energy.

Secretary Chu has made it his priority to accelerate important DOE investments under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, helping move America's energy policy forward. Finalizing this agreement with Solyndra, which was issued a conditional commitment earlier this year, solidifies DOE's focus on expediting loan guarantees and other funding opportunities.

Solyndra is the first recipient of a loan guarantee under the Recovery Act and Title XVII of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. In addition, the loan guarantee issued to Solyndra is the first issued by DOE since the 1980s.

Over its lifetime, the first phase of the facility could manufacture up to 7 gigawatts of solar panels, which can generate electricity equivalent to 3 or 4 coal fired power plants. This plant will produce about as many new solar panels as the US produced in 2005.

The project will introduce into large-scale commercial operation a new and highly innovative process for manufacturing a breakthrough design for photovoltaic panels. Solyndra's panels will be primarily used in the fastgrowing market for large, flat rooftops.

Solyndra designs and manufactures solar photovoltaic systems for the commercial rooftop market.

Solyndra

Commercial rooftops represent an enormous potential resource for alternative energy production.

The US Department of Energy has finalized a $535 million loan guarantee for Solyndra, Inc., which manufactures innovative cylindrical solar photovoltaic panels that provide clean, renewable energy.

The funding will finance construction of the first phase of the company's new manufacturing facility. Annual production of solar panels from the first phase is expected to provide energy equivalent to powering 24,000 homes a year or over half a million homes over the project's lifetime. Solyndra estimates the new plant will initially create 3,000 construction jobs, and lead to as many as 1,000 jobs once the facility opens. Hundreds more will install Solyndra's solar panels on rooftops around the country.

"This announcement today is part of the unprecedented investment this Administration is making in renewable energy and exactly what the Recovery Act is all about," said Vice President Biden. "By investing in the infrastructure and technology of the future, we are not only creating jobs today, but laying the foundation for long-term growth in the 21st-century economy."

"It is time to rev up the American innovation machine and reclaim our lead on clean energy," said U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu. "This investment is part of a broad, aggressive effort to spark a new industrial revolution that will put Americans to work, end our dependence on foreign oil and cut carbon pollution."

The Recovery Act is changing America's economy, making significant investments that are catalyzing private funding sources, creating sustainable green jobs and transforming how America produces and uses energy.

Secretary Chu has made it his priority to accelerate important DOE investments under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, helping move America's energy policy forward. Finalizing this agreement with Solyndra, which was issued a conditional commitment earlier this year, solidifies DOE's focus on expediting loan guarantees and other funding opportunities.

Solyndra is the first recipient of a loan guarantee under the Recovery Act and Title XVII of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. In addition, the loan guarantee issued to Solyndra is the first issued by DOE since the 1980s.

Over its lifetime, the first phase of the facility could manufacture up to 7 gigawatts of solar panels, which can generate electricity equivalent to 3 or 4 coal fired power plants. This plant will produce about as many new solar panels as the US produced in 2005.

The project will introduce into large-scale commercial operation a new and highly innovative process for manufacturing a breakthrough design for photovoltaic panels. Solyndra's panels will be primarily used in the fastgrowing market for large, flat rooftops.

Solyndra designs and manufactures solar photovoltaic systems for the commercial rooftop market.

Solyndra

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct05) authorizes the U.S. Department of Energy to issue loan guarantees to eligible projects that "avoid, reduce, or sequester air pollutants or anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases" and "employ new or significantly improved technologies as compared to technologies in service in the United States at the time the guarantee is issued".

Early Commercial Use

Title XVII of EPAct05 provides the basis of DOE's program. This title provides broad authority for DOE to guarantee loans that support early commercial use of advanced technologies, if "there is reasonable prospect of repayment of the principal and interest on the obligation by the borrower." Loan guarantees will be another tool that DOE will use to promote commercial use of innovative technologies. This tool is targeted at early commercial use only, not energy research, development, and demonstration programs.

DOE believes that accelerated commercial use of new or improved technologies will help to sustain economic growth, yield environmental benefits, and produce a more stable and secure energy supply.

The US Department of Energy is expected to open the window in 2009 to apply for federal loan guarantees on loans to wind, solar, geothermal, biomass and other renewable energy projects that use commercially proven technologies.

In the first round, the Department evaluated loan guarantee pre-applications for projects that employed technologies in the following areas:

1. Biomass
2. Hydrogen
3. Solar
4. Wind and Hydropower
5. Advanced Fossil Energy Coal
6. Carbon Sequestration practices and technologies
7. Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability
8. Alternative Fuel Vehicles
9. Industry Energy Efficiency Projects
10. Pollution Control Equipment

Financial Institution Partnership Program (FIPP)

This new program--called the "Financial Institution Partnership Program" or "FIPP" because of the key role played by private lenders-- differs substantially from the prior program that guarantees repayment of loans to projects that use innovative technologies. It will use radically different processes than those used so far to apply, evaluate, rank and award guarantees for projects.

The department will release a set of rules for the loan guarantee program at the same time it opens the window--and anyone who wants to apply is expected to have negotiated his or her loan first with a bank or insurance company and then the lender will apply to DOE for a guarantee.

Department of Energy
1000 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC 20585
www.lgprogram.energy.gov

Intelligent Charging System for EVs

Ford Motor Company has developed an intelligent charging system that previews how its production vehicles will interact with the grid. The unnamed system enables all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle owners to restrict charging to when electricity prices fall below a certain threshold, or even "when the grid is using only renewable energy such as wind or solar power," according to Ford.

There's a natural synergy for customers to put solar on their homes and buy hybrids/EVs, who can then drive free of fossil fuel guilt.

In its ongoing testing of converted PHEV Ford Escapes, the company is leveraging communications systems it designed including SYNC, SmartGauge, and Ford Work Solutions. The vehicles are communicating with the grid through smart meters over a wireless network using the Zigbee protocol, but Ford hasn't committed to a network platform for its production vehicles.

Open Source Design Comes to Green

I've been waiting for the advent of "open source" strategies in design to hit the green and climate change arena.  It's coming... I wonder if Obama's approach to greening faster, stronger, better had anything to do with this strategy.

Ford said its final communications system will be designed to work with a variety of smart meters.

The first generation of EVs is likely to use a mix of proprietary and "open" standards that are still in development. Each company will likely offer some part of their charge management technology to others in hopes that it would become industry standard.

The batteries in the 21 test vehicles are from Johnson Controls-Saft, which will also be supplying the batteries for its production PHEV.

Ford will spend $14 billion over 7 years to retool to manufacture advanced vehicles.

Ford has lined up some impressive utilities to help with the tests, including Southern California Edison, American Electric Power, Progress Energy, and 10 others, which will each receive some of the test fleet.

The agreement is to continue testing for three years, which is interesting because the company plans to have a commercial PHEV for sale in 2012 -- you might think that testing of PHEV grid interaction would be moot at that point. Ford received $30 million in DOE grant money to pay for part of the testing.

Ford is rigorously testing PHEVs now, but the all-electric Ford Focus (due out a year earlier) is not being tested in a similar broad fashion. Is developing an EV easier than a plug-in hybrid (with its two systems for locomotion)?

SOURCE: courtesy of Matter Network.