Citing high energy bills as a result of the colossal cost of importing electricity, the Jamaica Energy Council assembled on April 20 to discuss the implementation of an energy policy, reported the Jamaica Information Service. The focus of the council, comprised of bi-partisan and stakeholder members and chaired by the minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Phillip Paulwell, alongside opposition energy spokesman, Gregory Mair, set the agenda with renewable and indigenous energy source development for energy security, energy conservation and efficiency as well as opportunities to achieve and sustain price competitiveness as the priority.
A Japanese government panel is said to be on its way to setting a feed-in tariff of ¥42 per kilowatt hour (approximately US$0.51), according to a Reuters report that in turn cited the Nikkei business daily. The new subsidy scheme is to come into play from July and is a response to the global disapproval of the country’s handling of the Fukushima nuclear crisis in March 2011.
This weekend, Spain will be following in the footsteps of its European cousins, having organised a demonstration against cuts to its solar incentive scheme and energy moratorium. April 22, Earth Day, at noon, Spaniards will march from Santo Domingo Opera Dos de Mayo in the hope their government will take heed of their warning even though similar events in Germany and Italy fell on deaf ears. The UK is currently the only European country to have had any success against curtailing feed-in tariff cuts, no matter how short term the result may be.
Subsequent to the announcement last week of Los Angeles’ approval of a feed-in tariff, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has signed an ordinance authorizing the city’s Department of Water and Power to now establish a pilot program. Approval of the program by the Board of Water and Power Commissioners has been scheduled for April 17.
Despite our reports in March and earlier this month, the Brazilian Secretary of Energy Planning and Development of the Ministry of Mines and Energy, Altino Ventura Filho, has announced that solar energy will not form part of auctions in order to augment generation of solar power.
Subsequent to the completion of the 10MW plant in Gujarat, Wararee has announced it has won an order to supply water pumps to the government of Rajasthan. Under the JNNSM & RKVY solar incentive policies, Waaree will provide 154 solar pumps.
As per the modifications to the German Renewable Energy Act last week, effective April 1st, 2012, new feed-in tariff payments for rooftop PV plants smaller than 10kW will be €0.195/kWh (USD$0.261/kWh). The rates for rooftop PV up to 1MW will be €0.165/kWh (USD$0.221/kWh) and rates for ground-mounted and rooftop PV of 1-10MW in size will be €0.135/kWh (USD$0.180/kWh).
The German Bundestag has voted in favour of cuts in solar incentives and approved new guidelines for renewable energies. With a majority of votes from the coalition, the law to change regulation regarding renewable energies (17/8877) passed the Bundestag on Thursday.
The Italian PV association, Gruppo Imprese Fotovoltaiche Italiane (GIFI), had previously demanded the government provide verification for the drafts of the new energy bill to replace Conto Energia four floating around the internet. However, market research company Jefferies, following its attendance at a photon conference has advised caution to its investors to not believe a fifth energy bill has already been released. The government is to announce its decision either late spring or early summer.
Market research company, Five Star Equities, has released figures showing last week’s determination from the US Department of Commerce putting up barriers against Chinese manufacturers, had a negligible effect on solar stocks.
