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tide-generated electricity, all accounting for just emerging technologies, from solar and fuel cells With these, cooperatives should be able to draft
2.2% of global consumption in 1998. to microturbines and wind turbines. rules, policies, tariffs and contracts required to
The proposal by Jose Goldemberg, For more information contact: Allied Business respond positively to consumer requests for
environment secretary of the state of Sao Paulo, Intelligence, Inc, 69 Hamilton Avenue, Oyster Bay, interconnection.
and former national minister of the environment New York 11771, USA. Tel: 516.624.3113 Email: For more information :
info@allied world.com Http://www.alliedworld.com
and education, was taken up by the government Http://www.nreca.org /leg_reg/DGToolKit/
of Fernando Henrique Cardoso, and will be
presented in Johannesburg.
Distributed generation Missouri opposes DG
Distributed generation toolkit The US Solar Energy Industries Association
futures Consumer cooperatives provide electricity to
(SEIA) has urged governor Bob Holden of
the State of Missouri to veto SCS House Bill
35m people in the US. Now the National
1402, the so-called Consumer Clean Energy
Global distributed generation capacity will Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the
Act. This places extensive roadblocks in the
increase from 20,000MW to near Cooperative Research Network, the National
way of homeowners and small businesses
300,000MW by 2011 states ‘Distributed Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corp and
who want to supply excess electricity
Generation - Global MarketAnalysis,’ a new Energy Co-Opportunity have developed
generated to the grid.
study by Allied Business Intelligence. resources to help electric cooperatives and
Glenn Hamer, SEIA’s executive director, urged
‘Distributed generation (DG) markets have to others address legal, economic and technical
a veto. ‘This legislation puts Missouri at odds
be examined after Enron, the California energy issues raised by consumer-owned generation. with the more than 30 states that have passed
crisis and uncertainty in the Middle East. These comprise: • A business and contract guide consumer-friendly, pro-environment, clean en-
Quality and reliability issues are proving for interconnection to help cooperatives move ergy legislation,’ Hamer said. ‘This will add
themselves to be crucial,’ says author Atakan through the interconnection process. • A DG rates hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in extra
Ozbek, director of Energy Research. ‘Our study manual to help think through tissues required to costs to Missouri homeowners who use clean,
demonstrates that the need for DG is certain, yet design a rate to meet specific goals. renewable energy, costs that other states have
emerging technology manufacturers, developers • Consumer guidelines for interconnection. eliminated.’
and governments across the globe are crucial • A technical application guide so engineers can In 2001, the Missouri Energy Policy task force
stakeholders, that must speed up their rollouts in develop detailed technical interconnection require- presented its final report. SCS HB1402 ignores
this decade,’ he added. ments for their systems. • A model the report recommendation, which urged
A key finding is that incumbents interconnection application for consumers expansion of net metering in Missouri.
(reciprocating engines and small gas turbines) interested in installing their own generation.
will keep their dominance through 2005–2006. Resources from NRECA include a model
By 2005, fuel cells will penetrate commercial short form interconnection contract for PSC gives: utilities take
markets starting in North America, Europe, and consumers installing small DG units with up to
Japan.Quality and industrial power supply This year the Florida Public Service
3kW and a longer form interconnection contract
markets expect to see higher growth rates than Commission (PCS) decided how homeowners
for installation of 3kW to 3MW.
residential markets. The largest growth potential can install and hook up solar power to the
Materials are to provide models and guidance
will be in small-to-medium-sized industrial state's grid, selling any excess they provide.
adaptable to unique needs after consultation
markets. The study analyses a broad range of DG Utilities finally agreed to relax a requirement
with management, legal counsel, and engineers.
that homeowners, with puny generating capacity,
buy the same $m liability insurance that major
cogen plants must have and agreed to accept the
$100,000 cover of most homeowners’ policies.
But while Federal law requires utilities to buy
Annual Aggregate Capacity (Gigawatts)

excess power from cogen plants, it doesn’t state

price. The simplest arrangement is net metering,
buying and selling at the meter price, a solution
34 states have adopted. But Florida’s utilities
don't buy retail, they buy wholesale. Overpaying
for solar penalises customers. Utilities would
install a second meter to track outflow, paying at
‘avoided cost.’ PSC agreed. So utilities will buy
excess solar for about 3 cents kWh and sell it for
8 cents. This prolongs break-even for a $16,000
residential system from 10 to 15 years, making a
correspondingly unattractive market.

PV Installer Analysis
Global Distribution Generation Capacity, World Market, 2001-2011. The North American Board of Certi-
fied Energy Practitioners has approved a

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Photovoltaics Bulletin July 2002