Solar parking canopies to save California schools millions

We know that parking canopies are there for one reason - to shield your car from the scorching sun and prevent you from getting wet as you alight from your car during rainy days.

It doesn't have to stop there.

The roofs have done their job nicely, but they can give you more - lighting up the canopies, parking lots, charging mobile devices (and electric cars), and powering up communication towers placed in the vicinity. The list doesn't end there. The point is, installing solar roof is doable and can be profitable.


Case in point - a 325kW solar canopy system in the parking lot of Whole Foods in Brooklyn, NY. Image by: Solitaire Generation


Schools save $$$ with 7.4 MW solar PV on parking canopies

While this happened in California, SunEdison no stranger to the Malaysian local RE community.

Back in 2014 it inked a deal with Malaysia Airport Berhad to make Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) the first airport in Malaysia with solar power system. Of the 19MW proposed solar PV system, 10MW was to be installed on parking canopies.

In January this year, SunEdison signed solar power purchase agreements with 25 elementary, middle and high schools in California to install high-performance solar parking canopies at each of the campuses, which is expected to save the schools more than $30 million on energy costs over the next 20 years.

The 5 unified school districts to benefit from the new solar systems are Dixon, Downey, Duarte, Livermore and Newman Crows Landing. These districts signed 20-year PPAs with SunEdison for more than 7.4 MW of solar to be installed on parking canopies in each school's parking lot.

"Using parking lot space for solar solves two problems: It provides much-needed shade for cars from the scorching California sun, and it lowers electricity costs - typically a school's second largest expense," says Sam Youneszadeh, SunEdison's regional general manager of its Western U.S. solar business.

"We've helped more than 150 schools become not only more self-sufficient, but also enabled them to free up funds to maintain their buildings and ensure they continue to be safe and positive learning environments," adds Youneszadeh.

With SunEdison's solar PPAs, these schools can enjoy the benefits of solar energy without any upfront cost. SunEdison will install, own and operate each system while the schools buy electricity at rates lower than those offered by their local utility.

The solar systems are expected to generate enough energy to offset more than half of all the electricity used at each school - that same amount of electricity can power 1,700 Californian homes a year.

SunEdison expects to complete the parking canopies this year.

The Green Mechanics' two cents:
Our schools in the interior are most suitable for such installation as electricity is mostly consumed during schooling hours when the sun is up there providing solar power. Airports in the remote areas are also good prospects as their operations are the busiest during daytime.

Source: Solar Industry Magazine | 14 January 2016 

Solar PV Leases available for 6 million EU homes

This looks like an interesting business model for entrepreneurs and venture capitalist.

If the growth and prices of solar panels are in check, and the government have a clear long term policy on RE development, leasing one's roof for installation of solar PV may be viable. Look at what EU did in that part of the world:

Solar leasing for home with no upfront costs, anyone? Image credit: MSS Powertech


Joint effort by different craft specialists

European municipal utility network Trianel GmbH and Conergy launched a partnership that enables municipal utilities in the Trianel network to offer solar leasing for homes with no upfront costs. Under the terms of the agreement, Conergy will design, install and maintain solar installations tailored for each customer.

Trianel is a network bringing together municipal electric utilities that develops new business models to support their independence and competitiveness. Its 100-plus shareholders supply a combined 6 million homes in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and Switzerland. 

“Services such as Trianel’s ‘EnergieDach’ follow a trend that will boost solar installations in the residential segment.” - Anke Johannes, CEO at Conergy Deutschland GmbH

Trianel’s “EnergieDach” service enables municipal utilities to install residential PV systems at no cost to homeowners. The utility undertakes the initial investment, set up, and operational management of the system. 

The customer, as system operator and leaseholder, uses the electricity generated for their own consumption. Tests in Heidelberg, Germany demonstrated that customers should save as much as €9,000 (US $13,000) over the 25-year term of the lease, with the option to buy additional electricity at preferential rates.


The Green Mechanics' two cents

The quota for the individual Solar PV installation - also called rooftop solar PV in Malaysia - is available for a longer period of time compared the non-individual (utility scale) quota. This is partly due to the apparent lack of awareness on the benefits, particularly in Sabah. It is understood that individual quota in Peninsula Malaysia is snapped up as soon as they become available.

When we have ran out of quota under the FiT system, and as prices of solar PV components become more competitive, we could perhaps give solar PV leasing a go.


Reference: REW Magazine | Mar/Apr 2015 Issue 18

Hyundai installed South Korea's largest rooftop solar PV

What comes to your mind when someone mentioned Hyundai?

I don't know about you, but I tend to associate it with Korean cars such as Elantra, Sonata and Santa Fe because these are Hyundai cars that ply on our roads everyday.

Their cars have come a long way in terms of design and sportiness since the arrival of a former BMW designer at Hyundai, along with the arrival of a former Audi designer at their sister company, Kia.

Apparently Hyundai is not just about cars - they did not joke when they said they wanted to fight global warming by reducing carbon footprint. The Korean giant car maker, had last month installed the country’s largest rooftop PV installation!

South Korea's largest rooftop PV installation: 40,000 panels producing 11.5 million kWh of electricity per year from solar has been installed  on top of Hyundai manufacturing plant in Asan City of South Korea.

Photo: Hyundai plant in Asan
Photo credit: Green Packs









Hyundai plant in Asan city to generate energy from its roofs

The South Korea's largest car maker, has this week installed the country’s largest rooftop PV installation  atop its production plant in Asan, a city some 95 kilometers south of the capital, Seoul.

Spread across 213,000m² and covering 68% of the ceiling space, the installation will be capable of producing enough clean PV energy to power 3,200 local households annually, delivering enough clean electricity to mitigate 5,600 tons of carbon emissions a year.

Korea Electric Power Corp. has agreed to purchase the electricity generated to distribute in the local Asan area.

The panels provide an additional benefit for plant workers, too, as they help reduce temperatures inside the plant during summer, reducing reliance on air conditioning and helping to improve efficiency and working conditions.

Source: Hyundai Blog


TheGreenMechanics: What a way to make cars!

Housing developers urged to use Solar Thin-Film PV technology

You read the Bernama report below and you quickly think of the additional cost it will cause to the  price of your dream house, which would be hefty.

For a conventional solar PV installed on rooftop, 1kWp would cost around RM9,000 to RM10,000 without storage/battery. So, for an average size of 4kWp, a house buyer would have to pay an additional sum of RM40,000 which is about 15% of the price of a medium-cost house. For thin-film PV, there is no price reference yet in Malaysia.

Housing developers will hesitate. House buyers will be reluctant.

If SIRIM (and that would mean, the government) wants housing developers to incorporate solar PV technology in their construction, they need to give these developers carrot.

I don't know what that carrot would be, but both developer and buyer need to be convinced of the quantum of benefit of having solar PV built-in into their buildings.


"Lightweight and flexible solar technology" - as demonstrated here by Solopower System. Photo: Solopower

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SIRIM: Use solar Thin-film PV technology in your construction

Sirim Bhd is proposing that housing developers use Solar Thin-Film Photovoltaics (PV) technology in their construction to further develop the use of green technology and add value to new buildings.

Solar Thin-Film PV is the state-of-the-art renewable energy technology which uses thin layers of semiconductors to absorb solar energy which can be transformed into electricity.

Renewable Energy Research Centre General Manager Mohd Fauzi Ismail said besides encouraging developers to be more competitive, house owners would also be able to enjoy cost savings in electricity consumption.

"The use of this technology can have a far reaching impact on the buildings as indirectly the building structure will have a dual-function.

"Solar Thin-Film PV not only can be used for roofing, walls and ceilings, but also as a source of power generation," he told Bernama after the launch of the Application of Wind Technology System for Energy Generation and Sustainable Thin Film PV Building and, the Renewable Energy Generation projects in Kudat on Sunday (Dec 8).

Solar Thin-Film PV technology had many advantages compared with other technologies as it required only low raw material input, was highly automated and efficiently produced.

The technology can be easily integrated with buildings, had a high performance level and as less sensitive under high temperatures, he added.

He said Sirim was ready to share its expertise with any housing developer who wished to apply the renewable energy in their construction.

Extracted from: Bernama, Dec 8, 2013


TheGreenMechanics: A demo house/building with solar thin-film PV installed on its rooftop would be very interesting. Where can I see one?

1 MW solar PV installed on Verona’s Bentegodi football stadium

Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi stadium in Verona, Italy, is the home of both Chievo Verona and Hellas Verona football teams of Serie A and Serie B respectively.


Impressive! Over 13,300 photovoltaic solar panels are installed on its roof. Photo - Knowledge Allianz


What's interesting is that the dome of Verona’s Bentegodi stadium has now become the largest photovoltaic sports complex roof in Italy. PV solar panels with a total installed capacity of 1MW help reducing annual C0₂ emissions by more than 550 tons.

Commissioned at the end of November 2009, there are a total of 13,321 thin-film cadmium telluride (CdTe) solar modules on the rooftop, mounted on aluminum mounting system. It uses 141 SMC 7000HV inverters to 'collect' power.


Do we have a case here?

Bukit Jalil Stadium is among the Top-10 largest football stadium in the world. Top spot used to be Estadio do Maracana in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, although it had been reduced significantly after redesigned.


100,000 capacity Bukit Jalil National Stadium is bigger than Manchester United's Old Trafford.
Photo - funonthenet



Likas Stadium, Kota Kinabalu. Photo - Skyscrapper


This is something to think about for the 100,000-seat capacity Bukit Jalil Stadium, or the 35,000 capacity Likas Stadium in Kota Kinabalu. By comparison, Verona's Bentegodi stadium capacity is 38,400 - not too far different from our humble Likas Stadium.

We are not asking that our stadiums be covered or shaded with solar panel; it's just an idea. It's good for space saving and at the same time provide clean power for the sport complex.

Polish city of Lublin welcomes solar powered buses

In public transportation system, buses and trains have always been the suitable vehicles to install solar panels. This is primarily due to their flat and wide roofs. I'm pretty sure many of us have thought about this idea.

What MPK Lublin Ltd in Poland did was to put this into work.

If you think our cities don't have the market to make this feasible, Lublin is a city with just about 350,000 inhabitants.


The system's payback period is estimated at a mere 2 years. Image by AGM


Lublin powers buses with solar cell from Midsummer

In a move to reduce energy consumption and make public transport 'grenner', the Polish city of Lublin has installed flexible thin film solar cells from Midsummer on the roofs of its municipal buses.

The Municipal Transport Company (MPK) in Lublin has installed photovoltaic thin film CIGS solar panels on its buses' roofs. The solar panels turn solar energy into electric energy and are used to load the buses’ batteries. This will decrease the buses' alternators load, leading to lower fuel consumption and bringing both economic and ecological profits.

Potential savings are estimated at up to 8,000 zloty (1,900 euro) per bus per year. The system's payback period is estimated at a mere two years, taking into consideration only the fuel consumption reduction and not the overall environmental benefits. After two years, the solar energy solution will create compound surpluses for MPK for the remainder of the panels’ life span that will outlast the lifetime of the bus.

The Lublin solar bus project will initially run for two years, after which it will be evaluated. The first solar bus is already in operation.

The thin film solar cells have been manufactured by Midsummer, a leading Swedish supplier of equipment for cost effective manufacturing of CIGS thin film flexible solar cells, and installed on MPK’s fleet of Scania buses. The project is a cooperation between MPK and the Lublin University of Technology.


Ideal for vehicles and buildings

"As opposed to the more traditional silicon-based solar cells, thin film CIGS solar panels are flexible and light weight and therefore ideal to be mounted on moving vehicles – and also on many buildings, landfills etc," said Sven Lindström, CEO, Midsummer. "If a city in north central Europe can install thin film solar panels on its public transport vehicles with energy cost efficiency and a short payback period, imagine the potential for larger cities in sunnier parts of the world for introducing solar energy to its vehicles and buildings."
"We firmly believe that thin film CIGS solar cells are the solar cells of the future. They are increasingly efficient and have many advantages over traditional silicon-based solar cells. They are durable, can withstand vibrations, can be curved and bent, and can be manufactured cost-efficiently in small volumes."

Midsummer’s "DUO" is a unique and compact CIGS turn-key system with a 5 MW annual production capacity. Midsummer’s CIGS cells looks like crystalline silicon solar cells, but are made on stainless steel substrates. This makes the cells suitable not only for regular solar panels, but also for flexible, light weight panels that can be used on membrane roofs, landfills or other structures where the traditional glass modules cannot be applied.

"The thin film panels on the buses in Lublin are characterized by flexibility and shock resistance," said Professor Miroslaw Wendeker from the Faculty of Thermodynamics, Fluid Mechanics and Aerospace Propulsion at University of Technology in Lublin in an earlier interview with the Polish Press Agency. "These cells have better absorption feature than traditional silicon wafers. They can be configured at will and placed on any roof."

MPK Lublin Ltd. is the biggest public transport carrier in Lublin with a fleet of 60 trolleybuses and 215 buses. Lublin is a city on eastern Poland with a population of approx. 350,000 inhabitants.

TheGreenMechanics: Kuala Lumpur and Georgetown seem like great cities to start with an initiative.


News source: pv-magazine

Thailand preparing to make it easier for households to install solar rooftops

Earlier this month, pv-magazine reported that the Thai government is preparing an easier permitting regime for the residential solar installation requirement.

What this could mean is that it will be easier for households to install solar rooftops in future.


Thailand staying ahead in RE competitiveness. Image by Doug Beckers


Easing of residential solar requirements

Bangkok-based English language newspaper The Nation has reported the Thai government is considering relaxing the rules relating to household solar systems.

Under the current Thai regime, domestic installations require an industrial licence, but The Nation reported the government's Industrial Works Department is considering removing the requirement for household systems generating up to 20 kW.

Quoting Industrial Works Department director-general Nattapon Nattasomboon, the report states all the relevant government departments back the idea, which could be ready to put before cabinet for approval.

Under the proposed change, residential system installers would still be required to notify their local industry agencies.

Market research consultancy IHS has predicted Thailand will lead the charge of emerging solar markets – which it predicts will account for 19% of new solar by 2017 – with its popular adder FIT scheme set to drive 2.9 GW of installations in the next four years.


TheGreenMechanics: Great move by our northern neighbour! Thailand seems to be always ahead of us in the renewable energy industry, but let's take this as a challenge. A challenge and task that is not beyond our reach, really.


News source

Useful information from the recent SEDA Malaysia Open Day

The SEDA Open Day was organised on October 20, 2013 in Kuala Lumpur and although I am not one of the participants, it appeared to be a great session for licence holders and enthusiasts alike.

I posted an article about the Open Day a couple of weeks ago and felt obliged to post this one here in appreciation to a comment by one of our readers. The reader provided very good tips and information. Among others, they are:

a) What happen after the 21-year agreement between FiAH and TNB?

After the expiry of the 21-year  Renewable Energy Power Purchasing Agreement (REPPA) between FiAH and TNB, a Net-Metering scheme would probably be used. In Net-metering, energy generated from the solar panel can be used by the home owner and any excess electricity not used will be exported to TNB's grid and the amount will be deducted from the owner's energy consumption bill.

b) Issue pertaining to additional bonus rate in the FiT

Additional bonus rate for solar panels used as a building material will be subject to verification by SEDA inspector. Bonus rate can only be given if SEDA is satisfied with the installation.

c) What happen if my solar PV system is not performing, i.e. it is not feeding into TNB's grid?

Although REPPA states that FiAH would feed all electricity generated from the solar PV system, there will be no penalty from TNB in case of non performance. This is applicable only to residential installations, and not non-individual installations.

d) Can I increase the capacity of my solar PV installation?

Existing FiAHs can submit application to SEDA to increase the capacity of their solar systems. Approval by the authority is subject to availability of quota at the time the application is submitted.

e) I saw that there is a projected degression rate in the SEDA website. Will there be changes to the published rates?

Degression rate may change as SEDA sees fit. For 2014 degression rate, SEDA has submitted its proposal to the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water (KETTHA) for approval. A revised rate would be published at its website.

f) Is the income from solar PV installation at home subject to taxation?

Income from solar PV installation at homes are subject to income tax. SEDA informed that the Treasury has rejected its proposal to exempt domestic installations from income tax.

g) There seem to be delays in payment to FiAHs from TNB?

TNB's Dr Ahmad Jaafar assured that TNB will pay licence holders (FiAHs) within 30 days of verified invoice as contained in the REPPA. FiAHs can check TNB e-Services website after mid Nov 2013 to view their Renewable Energy Payment Advice.


Note: SEDA informed that there will be no more quota release for 2013. As such, home owners interested to install grid connected solar PV system at their homes will have to wait for 2014 quota.

Credit to the our commenter, Unknown, for this information.


Abbreviations:
REPPA - Renewable Energy Power Purchase Agreement
FiAH - Feed-in Approval Holder

Petronas Solar PV project wins Asean Energy Award 2013

Earlier this year, I posted about ASEAN Energy Award 2013 program to reward individuals and organisations that promote the implementation of renewable energy (RE) in Asean nations.

For the Malaysian sub-sector, SEDA was the coordinator and owners/managers of the better managed RE installations get to compete at the regional level. Our strong contender, Petronas, won one of the trophies at the ASEAN Energy Award 2013 ceremony in Bali, Indonesia last month.


The solar PV installed on the rooftop of Suria KLCC. Photo: de engineur


Petronas' rooftop solar PV emerged 2nd place

PETRONAS’ Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Project which has been installed on Suria KLCC shopping mall rooftop emerged as first runner-up in the Commercial Based On-Grid Category of the ASEAN Energy Award 2013.

The project, which was PETRONAS’ first venture into renewable energy, uses six different types of solar technologies with the objective to study and identify a solar technology that applies well with the Malaysia’s climate.


Apart from the rooftop solar PV, the shopping mall is also decorated with greenery. Photo: de engineur


The 685 kWp system installed on the 9,000 square-meter rooftop is able to generate power capacity up to 600 megawatt hours per year. This is equivalent to generating clean energy for 250 typical Malaysian households annually with an average consumption of 50,000 kilowatt hours each month.

The clean energy generated from the system currently supplies 30% of Suria KLCC’s energy requirement. It also contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gas emission by approximately 360 tonnes carbon dioxide (CO2) annually.

The Solar PV Project signifies PETRONAS’ commitment towards sustainable development and paves the way for it to explore opportunities in green and renewable energy.

The winner of the Commercial Based On-Grid Category of the ASEAN Energy Award 2013 was the Sathingphra District in Songkla Province, Thailand for its electricity-generating wind turbine project.

The Asean Energy Award 2013 received 18 participations from across ASEAN countries vying for recognition for their outstanding works in renewable energy and best energy efficiency practices.


Source: Bernama

Singapore's largest rooftop PV system to be completed this year

Singapore prospers in many aspects but lacks one thing - Land.

But this does not stop the city state from venturing into this space-consuming solar PV project with the installation of its largest photovoltaic arrays on rooftops measuring 2.7 acres in total.


The CMM building rooftop is expected to be fully utilised with this PV installation. Photo by Phoenix Solar


1.2 MWp rooftop solar PV, Singapore's largest so far

Phoenix Solar will develop a 1.2 MWp rooftop installation for CMM Marketing Management HQ  and centralised distribution centre at Mandai Link in the northern part of Singapore. CMM is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sheng Siong, the third largest supermarket chain in Singapore.

The PV system will cover around 11,000 square metres (approx.2.71 acres) and have a rated capacity of at least 1.2 MWp. The system is expected to be completed by the end of 2013.

Approximately 15% of CMM's electricity consumption will be covered by the rooftop PV system. This will mitigate at least 730 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year from Singapore's gas-fired power plants.

"The commercial and environmental returns of this project make it a viable business decision, which will continue to yield benefits for a long time."

- Lim Hock Chee, CEO of  Sheng Siong


Potential main source of electricity in Singapore?

Phoenix Solar believes the demand for bigger PV systems is growing in Singapore, where an industrial rooftop PV system can be expected to pay for itself in 7-10 years resulting in an unlevered project internal rate of return of 8 to 13%.

The attractive returns on investment is expected to spur further installations and by the end of 2013, Phoenix Solar predict that there would be at least 20 MW installed capacity in the country.

If this growth rate continues, then within a decade PV will become a mainstream source of electricity in Singapore, the company believes.

In February this year, Phoenix Solar also announced the development of a 435 kWp PV system for Greenpac (S) Pte Ltd, a manufacturer of environmentally-friendly industrial packaging solutions on its new integrated manufacturing and R&D centre facility.


TheGreenMechanics: Average retail electricity price in Singapore is currently SGD0.2628/kWh (approximately RM0.67/kWh) based on Q1/2013 data. That makes solar PV investment pays itself back faster than in Malaysia.


Reference: pv magazine

SEDA Malaysia announced final release of 1,500kW Solar PV quota for Individuals

Rooftop solar PV. Image credit: Green Remodel Forum

Sustainable Energy Development Authority Malaysia (SEDA Malaysia) announced the release of 1,500kW of solar photovoltaic (PV) quota for the individuals in three batches.

The quota for individual under the Solar Home Rooftop Programme will be released at noon on:-

• 28th August 2013 (Wednesday)       - 500kW
• 4th September 2013 (Wednesday)   - 500kW
• 11th September 2013 (Wednesday) - 500kW

After 11th September 2013, there will be no more release of any solar PV quota for the individuals because it is not realistic for these individual Feed-In Approvals Holders (FiAHs) to be able to achieve commercial operation of their PV system by year end.

Any renewable energy projects which are supposed to achieve commercial operation by this year and fails to do so will incur further degression to their FiT rate as stipulated in their Feed-In Approval (FiA) certificate. It is thus important for all FiAHs to note for solar PV for the individuals, the degression rate is 8% whilst for the non-individuals, it is 20%.


Preventing potential abuse

In order to prevent any potential abuse of solar PV quota for the individuals, effective 28th August 2013, the solar PV quota for the individual will be applicable only for residential premises under individual names only.

However applicants who are applying as an enterprise/sole proprietor/partnership for buildings or premises registered under individual names will also be allowed to apply for a FiA under the individual quota.


Useful reminder

SEDA Malaysia reminds all interested FiA applicants to comply with all the requirements during application as follows:

1. Ensure all information submitted through the e-FiT online system is accurate, clear and precise as any ambiguity may result in automatic refusal;
2. Declaration form must be uploaded to the e-FiT online system within three (3) calendar days from the application date; and
3. The hardcopy of the declaration form and proof of payment of application and processing fees must be received by SEDA Malaysia within seven (7) calendar days from the application date.

TheGreenMechanics: According to SEDA Malaysia, as at end of July 2013, it has approved renewable energy capacity is 509.75 MW but so far only 112.44 MW is connected to the grid. We are a bit slow in implementing approved projects!


Source: SEDA Malaysia press release, dated 27th August 2013

People's power: Western Australia reversed decision to cut FiT rate for residential Solar PV

Australians living in Western Australia enjoy rooftop solar PV feed-in tariff rate of A$0.40/kWh (approx. RM1.19/kWh) and this is slightly lower than Malaysia's rate of RM1.37/kWh.

But what's interesting here is the state government's reversal of its earlier decision to halve the currently A$0.40 per kWh to A$0.20 per kWh amidst strong protest from people with solar panels installed on their rooftops.

It's encouraging to note that there are about 75,000 solar-owning voters in Western Australia. This shows that at a rate lower than Malaysia's, solar power is very much viable.

Here are the details:

6-panel solar PV array on suburban Australian rooftop. Image by: REW

Western Australia backs down on Solar Feed-in Tariff cut

Western Australia’s government today announced a reversal of its earlier decision to retrospectively halve its AUD $0.40/kWh feed-in tariff (FiT) for residential solar power, only four days after announcing it.

Premier Colin Barnett said during weekly cabinet meeting that the decision to cut the FiT had been a mistake.

The state’s budget, announced last Thursday, said the FiT would be retroactively halved to $0.20/kWh in a bid to save $51.2 million over the next four years. But since then MPs have been deluged with protests from angry voters, including a petition organised by solar advocacy group Solar Citizens which the group said gathered 8000 signatures in just three days.

Solar Citizens also began a campaign to focus on unseating politicians holding marginal seats in solar-heavy areas.

The strength of the protest caused a political firestorm, with The West Australian newspaper reporting that criticism even came from within the governing party.

But the real surprise was the mobilisation of what the government estimates are 75,000 solar-owning voters in the state, which apparently frightened politicians in light of Australia’s upcoming federal election on 7 September.

“Quite simply, we got this decision wrong and we have to fix it. We have listened, and we appreciate the commitment that many people have made to take up renewable energy, like solar power.” - Western Australia Premier, Colin Barnett.

TheGreenMechanics: Our FiT rate is considered more attractive and is funded by consumers that consume more energy. Small energy users are not affected. That's fine by me.


Source: REW

Residential Solar PV system financing packages by Senheng

Climate is certainly good for the solar PV industry in Malaysia; at least where financing is concerned.

Just a couple of months ago, Alliance Bank Bhd came up with Home Complete Plus-Solar Panel Financing. Then, earlier this month, Bank Muamalat became the second bank in Malaysia to offer financing for solar PV under the Home Solar Rooftop Programme by SEDA.

Simplified details of the 3 packages offered by Senheng

Latest to join in the bandwagon is Senheng Electric (KL) Sdn Bhd, an electrical and electronic retail chain store with more than 130 outlets nationwide, with its financing package themed “Green Energy, Green Money”. It is slightly different in that the package includes consulting, installation and maintenance of the solar PV system, whereas Alliance Bank and Bank Muamalat only provide financing after the customer has fulfilled all the installation requirement on his own.


Green Energy, Green Money

The theme “Green Energy, Green Money” is derived from the idea that the residential solar PV system is one of the most effective ways in producing green energy, while at the same time able to provide a source of income. Consumers will now be able to play a very important role in decreasing the harmful impact of traditional energy sources (fuel, coal, etc) to the environment, whilst generating a side income.


3 Packages available

Senheng offers 3 residential solar PV system packages, all come with free first 3 years maintenance service:-

4kWp system - cost around RM40,800

8kWp system - cost around RM81,600

12kWp system - cost around RM122,400

Senheng provides 85% financing with special low interest rate for customers, and as a carrot, customers are entitled to 15% cash rebate after full installation.


Availability

This will initially be available only at Klang Valley Senheng outlets and senQ Digital Stations, but the company will expand to other states over time.


TheGreenMechanics:

Very attractive prepositions, especially with the 15% cash rebate upon full completion. A bold move by the company. But the 'special low interest rate' now seems like a distant reality as the company needs to recoup the rebate amount - RM6,120, RM12,240 and RM18,360 - respectively for each package.

Note: The total revenue and total surplus mentioned in the brochure are only estimations. Actual revenue will be determined by weather condition and efficiency of the solar PV system.

An interesting alternative though, for the consumers.

Reference: Senheng Electrical website

Bank Muamalat launches rooftop Solar PV financing

Interested individuals have been hoping that more commercial banks will help finance the installation of solar PV on their rooftops. It seems that they are getting what they've been wishing for.

This week on Thursday, Bank Muamalat became the second bank in Malaysia to offer financing for solar PV under the Home Solar Rooftop Programme by the SEDA.  The first was Alliance Bank, which announced its solar PV loan program in June 2013.

Deputy Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water, Datuk Mahdzir Khalid launching the smart financing. Photo credit: Bernama

Smart Green Mortgage for Solar PV FiT plan

Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd has launched the "Smart Green Mortgage for Solar Photovoltaic Feed-in Tariff Plan", offering financing services to its customers to purchase and install solar systems in their house. The plan will be the first Islamic financing package which is fully Shariah compliant, offered to the market.

"Bank Muamalat is assisting the government to develop green technology via introducing this innovative service as it will help boost investment and awareness on green technology in Malaysia."
- Deputy CEO, Musa Abdul Malek at the launch.

The plan was in line with the implementation of the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) mechanism administered by SEDA which enables Malaysians to generate electricity from renewable sources while earning a fixed income for up to 21 years by selling electricity to Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB).


Features (visit your nearest branch for more information)

• special deal via refinancing of customer's existing home financing facilities with Bank Muamalat,
• easy moving cost feature with legal and valuation fees absorbed by the bank,
• limited period of special financing package to reduce financing cost, resulting in affordable monthly installments,
• expected return on investment of up to 16% annually, with estimated average revenue of RM580 on the solar PV system, depending on installation type and location.

The income will be generated monthly for the next 21 years and it will be credited directly by TNB into the customers savings or current accounts maintained by the bank.


TheGreenMechanics: Participation from more financial institutions buds well with public/investors' confidence in the viability of the Rooftop Solar PV program. This investment would be a good source of income during retirement years. - 21 years of passive income.


Source: Bernama

SEDA Malaysia releases 500 kW of solar PV for individuals

Typical grid-connected rooftop solar PV system.

Date of release  : 30th July 2013
Quota size          : 500 kW
Category            : individuals

Putrajaya (Tuesday, July 30,  2013): In response to the individuals' demand for the FiT for solar PV, SEDA Malaysia has released another 500 kW of solar PV quota for the individuals today. This will give opportunity to about 120 homes/individuals based on installation size of 4kWp.

In an announcement on its official website, SEDA Malaysia said it will monitor the quota especially for the individuals on regular basis and release quota on the premise of RE Fund allocation.


Loans for home Solar PV systems

In the previous article, I wrote about the loan for financing your home solar PV system. Margin of financing is up to 90% with tenure of up to 10 years.

Now that the quota for individuals has been released, it is time to grab the opportunity.


AUGUST UPDATES:

August 5, 2013:  SEDA Malaysia released 500kW of solar PV for the individuals

August 1, 2013: SEDA Malaysia released 900 kW of solar PV for the individuals

Loans for home Solar PV systems

When solar rooftop FiT scheme was introduced in 2011, many prospective applicants lamented the difficulty in getting financing for the installation of home solar PV. Although cost has gone down quite substantially, price for a typical 4kWp solar PV system is RM40,000, which is still expensive.

Here comes the answer, or at least an alternative.

A couple of days back, Alliance Bank Bhd came up with Home Complete Plus-Solar Panel Financing , a scheme developed jointly with the Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA). It's a kind of personal financing scheme for solar panel.


Datuk Dr. Maximus speaking during the launching. Photo credit: The Star


While not in any way trying to promote the financing scheme, here is a brief overview and features of the loan (Kudos to Alliance Bank for taking the first mover’s risk by offering financing solution for solar PV in homes):

Competitive interest rate for installation of Solar Panel

Up to 90% margin of finance

Monthly repayment could potentially be set-off with Feed-in Tariff payment

Tenure                    :  Up to 10 years
Age requirement     :  21 - 55 years of age
Minimum income    :  RM3,000 per month
Loan limit               :  Up to RM150k
Interest calculation :  Term loan, Reducing balance

Financing type       :   Single borrower only
                                No collateral or guarantor needed
                                Landed property owner only

"I have been informed by SEDA Malaysia that for now, most of the houses which have solar PV systems installed and are able to benefit from the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) scheme are those where the majority of the financing comes from house owners."
Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Johnity Ongkili during the launching.

Other than Alliance Bank, SEDA is currently in talks with Bank Negara on approaching another three banks, mostly local, to participate in the scheme.

Read more at The SunDaily

Find out more about the financing at Alliance Bank

SolarCity gets $500mil financing from Goldman Sachs for Solar Leasing

The amount of financing demonstrates that Financial Institutions have confidence in solar power as a viable business venture.

This initiative by SolarCity:-

• $500 million in financing (approx. RM1.5 billion)
• 110 MW of solar power generated,
• Largest single financing agreement for rooftops in the US, so far
• Little or no up-front cost for homeowners and businesses who invest in the system

Rooftop solar leasing, anyone? The Solar Settlement in Freiburg, Germany. Photo credit: Rolf Disch Solar Architecture

SolarCity is getting more than $500 million in financing to develop and implement solar roof systems in the United States. Similar solar 'leasing' on rooftops was mooted in Australia last year.

SolarCity scores $500 million in financing

SolarCity Corp. (SCTY), a solar-energy developer chaired by billionaire Elon Musk, won financing from Goldman Sachs (GS) Group Inc. for more than $500 million in rooftop solar systems that the company will complete this year.

The lease-financing agreement will help SolarCity build about 110 megawatts of solar power systems with little or no up-front cost for homeowners and businesses, San Mateo, California-based SolarCity said today in a statement.

The deal is the largest single financing agreement for rooftop systems in the U.S. and will raise awareness of the quality of the solar-lease asset class, SolarCity Chief Executive Officer Lyndon Rive said in a telephone interview.

“We hope it sends a signal that solar is a stable and reliable asset to invest in,” Rive said in an interview. “These aren’t luxury yachts we’re talking about, it’s your energy, and the default rates are lower than mortgages.”

During the first quarter, SolarCity said it invested $138.2 million in solar systems as demand for rooftop panels from homeowners and businesses surged.

For New York-based Goldman Sachs, the SolarCity agreement will help reach the Wall Street bank’s goal of financing $40 billion in renewable energy during the next decade, said Stuart Bernstein, global head of clean technology.

“SolarCity’s range of distributed solar solutions targeting a wider customer base will help us move toward a low carbon energy future,” Bernstein said in the statement.


Source: REW

Solar cartoon Wednesday

The truth, I'm afraid, is not far from the following illustration.

Mr Solarman with his bags of 'cash from the sun'.

Look on the brighter side - on the right hand side that is.


The solar truth...

The Feed-in Tariff mechanism in Malaysia actually makes it possible for you to accumulate $$. Of course not in a similar fashion as our Mr Solarman here, but you get the idea - you have a net-cash generator on top of your roof.

Read about the Rooftop Solar PV scheme in Malaysia here.

Alternatively, you can go to SEDA Malaysia website.

Rooftop solar PV launched at SM St. Michael, Sabah

While 10 schools in Sabah celebrate their achievement of 100% passes in the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) this year, SM St Michael has a bonus reason to celebrate.

Greenery welcomes you as you approach St. Michael secondary school.

The school became the first in Sabah to have the solar photovoltaic (PV) system installed on its roof to reduce the school's electricity consumption. More importantly, this will pave the way for Malaysians to learn and appreciate the technology at early stage.

The installation of the 5.4kWp rooftop solar here was completed in January 2013, thanks to a worldwide project named dena Solar Roofs Programme, coordinated by the Deutsche Energie-Agentur GmbH, and co-financed by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology.

Brief information of the rooftop installation:

Installed capacity       : 5.4 kWp
Solar module              : 24 panels
Area of roof covered  : 41m²
Panel rating                : 225W
Inverter                       : 2 nos (to convert DC to AC supply)
Energy production     : 6,800 kWh annually. Approximately 567 kWh per month
Cost                             : €2,000 to €2,500 per kWp without battery (RM8,000 - RM10,000)

For educational purposes:
A display panel has been installed in the centre of the school to display the actual power in kW and the accumulated generated energy (in kWh) and CO₂ savings over the entire period.

"The main goal is to support the cooperation between German and Malaysian experts in the field of photovoltaic and also sharing of knowledge about the systems under the specific conditions in Malaysia." 

           - Gabriele Eichner of the German Energy Agency.

The school became the programme's first recipient in Malaysia

Another school with solar PV installation is SK Pulau Sepanggar, located half an hour boat-ride from Kota Kinabalu. This is a full capacity installation which means the school gets all its power requirement from this installation alone. The school is not connected to the power grid due to its location.

It is a self initiative by the government to improve the quality of life of the local community as well as to provide a better learning environment for the school children.

SK Pulau Sepanggar hybrid system: The 25kWp solar PV is coupled with diesel generator set

TheGreenMechanics' two cents:

While fully agreeing to the school selection, I am hoping that the "dena Solar Roofs Programme" will also look into the many underprivileged rural schools in the interior. They acknowledged that the programme is most suited for places such as those in the remote areas in East Malaysia.

Big name brands embrace Solar Power

We have huge shopping malls around us.

While many of the popular stores and consumer brands in US embrace solar power, we seem to be more laid back about it. Even the US-based IKEA in Peninsula Malaysia have not initiated anything similar to what their sister stores back home did.

A recent report from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), in conjunction with the Vote Solar initiative, offers a snapshot of some of America's biggest companies and their varying committments to commercial solar installations.


Most big brands in US have solar PV installed on top of their roofs. Image from www.seia.org


Why bother?

Energy costs make up a significant chunk of a business's operating expenses. A solar PV system helps to reduce these costs, improve the bottom line and allow a company to focus more energy and financial resources on their core competencies.

The rapidly falling cost of solar energy has made solar an increasingly appealing investment for American businesses. Between the second quarter of 2011 and the second quarter of 2012, the average price of a completed commercial PV system fell by nearly 14 percent.3 The economics of PV have become so attractive that many of the best managed corporations, which are synonymous with low cost and efficiency, are adopting solar energy on a massive scale across the U.S. 


Covered with solar panels. Walmart, Marina, California. Photo: seia.org

Source: Website of Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) - report