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Energy Analysis Newsletter — September 2009
Energy analysis at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) encompasses a broad range of energy analysis in support of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), NREL programs and initiatives, and the energy analysis community. Here is the latest news on energy analysis activities at NREL:
Upcoming Events
September Seminar: Renewable Energy Manufacturing
On September 10, NREL's Strategic Energy Analysis Center (SEAC) and DOE/EERE's Office of Planning, Budget, and Analysis (PBA) will present a seminar (in Golden, Colorado) discussing state policy and renewable energy manufacturing. The economic opportunities presented by renewable energy manufacturing are large but not infinite. An NREL-conducted analysis — which is based on scenarios from the NREL report Comparative Analysis of Three Proposed Federal Renewable Electricity Standards — estimates the value of domestic renewable energy equipment orders through 2030 at $14 billion to $20 billion. In addition, strategic advantages resulting from geography and existing manufacturing assets suggest that a large-scale renewable energy manufacturing facility will not be sited in every state. As a result, state economic-development efforts targeting renewable energy are likely to be best-served with a multifaceted economic development strategy. In this presentation, Eric Lantz of NREL will discuss the challenges in pursuing long-term policies as renewable energy manufacturing ramps up quickly. He'll also discuss how a thoughtfully developed long-term strategy is more likely to yield a sustainable outcome.
For more information on the seminar series — including log-in and call-in information for remote access — visit the Web site.
Upcoming Energy Analysis Seminars
- BONUS — October 1, 2009
(Note special time/duration: 1-2:30 p.m. ET, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. MT)
"The Profitability Index Method (PIM) for Calculating Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE): Application to Feed-in Tariffs and Investment Decisions" — Bernard Chabot (Consultant)
- October 8, 2009
"Demand-Side Response" — Robert Earle (Analysis Group)
- November 12, 2009
"A Stock Analyst's View of Renewable Energy Technologies" — Steven Milunovich (Merrill Lynch)
TAP Web Seminar: Feed-In Tariff Policies
The Technical Assistance Project (TAP) for state and local officials will sponsor a Web seminar on October 28 that discusses feed-in tariffs. The presentation, which will be 3-4:15 p.m. (EDT), is titled "Feed-In Tariffs: Best Practices and Application in the United States." During this presentation, speaker Karlynn Cory of NREL will discuss feed-in tariff (FIT) policies and explore the different FIT policies implemented in the United States. She will also highlight a few proposed policies as well as the best practices in FIT policy design, and examine how FITs can be used to target state policy goals.
You can register to attend the seminar, read about the presenter, and find links to background materials and reports on the TAP Section of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Weatherization and Intergovernmental Program Web site.
Publications and Web Sites
Some of the documents in this section are available as Adobe Acrobat PDFs.
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Technology and Program Market Data
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory is leading an effort to provide market data for renewable energy technologies and programs, presented in individual reports for each topic area. Data includes market penetration; industry trends; cost, price, and performance trends; policy and market drivers; as well as future outlook.
Initiated by the Strategic Planning and Analysis (SPA) group of the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), these 10 technology and program market reports represent each of the renewable energy areas managed by EERE.
Five of the reports have been published, and we'll keep you posted regarding completion of the other technology and program reports. New reports for this month include:
Previous Published
Renewable Energy Data Book
The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) has released the updated version of the 2008 Renewable Energy Data Book, which was produced by NREL. It can be accessed from the Maps and Data section of the EERE Web site (PDF 11.5 MB). This data book contains valuable information on U.S. energy statistics, renewable electricity in the United States, global renewable energy (RE) development, clean energy investments, and data on specific RE technologies, all presented in a graphical format.
Federal Solar Photovoltaic Financing
NREL analysts Karlynn Cory, Charles Coggeshall, Jason Coughlin, and Claire Kreycik recently published the report "Solar Photovoltaic Financing: Deployment by Federal Government Agencies" (PDF 3.3 MB)
This report examines how federal agencies can finance on-site solar photovoltaic (PV) projects. It explains availability of state-level cash incentives, the importance of solar renewable energy certificate revenues (in certain markets), and existing financing structures. It also discusses innovative financing structures being used by federal agencies to deploy on-site PV. The report also includes specific examples from the Department of Defense, Department of Energy, and other federal agencies, which help explain federal project financing in detail.
Response to Jobs Analysis
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SEAC analysts Suzanne Tegen and Eric Lantz recently published "NREL Response to the Report Study of the Effects on Employment of Public Aid to Renewable Energy Sources from King Juan Carlos University (Spain)" (PDF 404 KB)
Job generation has been a part of the national dialogue surrounding energy policy and renewable energy (RE) for many years. RE advocates tout the ability of renewable energy to support new job opportunities in rural locations and the manufacturing sector. Others argue that spending on renewable energy is an inefficient allocation of resources and can result in job losses in the broader economy. The report Study of the Effects on Employment of Public Aid to Renewable Energy Sources, from King Juan Carlos University in Spain, is one recent addition to this debate. This white paper discusses fundamental and technical limitations of the analysis conducted by King Juan Carlos University and notes critical shortcomings in assumptions implicit in the conclusions. The white paper also includes a review of traditional employment impact analyses that rely on accepted, peer-reviewed methodologies, and it highlights specific variables that can significantly influence the results of employment impact analysis.
Analysts Meet With Stakeholders
In partnership with the Santa Fe Institute, NREL's SEAC planned and conducted a summer study on sustainability. Participants, who were selected through a competitive process, included mid-career professionals as well as graduate students from leading programs throughout the United States. World-class speakers from the fields of integrated climate assessment modeling, economics, ecology, and complexity science hosted discussions on the concept of sustainability. Final projects will include several research products, many of which touch on the role of renewable energy in responding to climate change internationally and the imperative for speed and scale in the global deployment of clean energy technology.
SEAC Director Doug Arent participated in a workshop "Fossil Fuels to Green Energy: Policy Schemes in Transition for the North Pacific" hosted by the East-West Center and Korea Energy Economics Institute on August 19-20. Delegates from China, Korea, Japan, Norway, Russia, and the United States met to discuss the status of energy policy in their respective countries. They identified possible areas for collaborative policy analysis to evaluate policy effectiveness for renewable energies, energy efficiency, and other low-carbon technologies.
For the latest updates on information regarding energy analysis, visit the Energy Analysis Web site.
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