Despite the long and dark winter, solar panels keep lining Germany
ABSTRACT
Towards the Domestic Adoption of Wind and Solar Energy Technologies: Assessing Awareness, Knowledge, Attitudes and Predicting Householder Behaviour
Davina W. Gayle
This exploratory study assessed awareness and knowledge levels of Jamaican household heads, their attitude towards microgeneration technologies specifically wind turbines and solar panels, as well as the likelihood of them changing from conventional energy sources to renewable using these technologies.
The diffusion of innovations theory, theory of reasoned action and theory of planned behaviour formed the theoretical framework of the research.
Two hundred household heads living in urban and rural, lower to upper class neighbourhoods, with ages ranging 19 to 85, participated in a KAP survey. Respondents were selected based on a mix of quota, convenience and purposive nonprobability sampling.
The findings showed high awareness levels of microwind turbines and solar panels; low to moderate knowledge levels of these technologies and the renewable energy they generate; generally a favourable attitude towards both; and a modest percentage of household heads indicated the likelihood of installing a wind turbine or solar panel in the near future.
Further research is needed.
It is recommended that although some household heads may be willing to make the change from conventional energy sources to wind and solar powered using microgeneration technologies, intervention is needed from government and civil society, for there to be wide scale behaviour change.
Keywords: Davina W. Gayle; Wind and solar energy technologies; Jamaica
NB: This study was not commissioned by the JSEA, but was intended for the public domain, via organizations such as the JSEA, to help promote the use of Renerwable Energy in Jamaica
Full Document
http://jsea.org.jm/docs/Wind%
The European Union imposed tariffs as high as 67.9 percent on solar panels from China in the largest EU commercial dispute of its kind, seeking to help revive a withering industry in Europe.
The duties punish Chinese manufacturers of solar panels for allegedly selling them in the 27-nation EU below cost, a practice known as
GTM Research Senior Analyst Shyam Mehta provides actionable intelligence for the solar module manufacturing industry.
ERIC WESOFF: APRIL 25, 2013
GTM Research Senior Analyst Shyam Mehta spoke at this week’s Solar Summit in Arizona on solar module manufacturing. Rather than preaching “big ideas [and] grand narratives [that] don’t always give you actionable intelligence,” Mehta tried to provide real-world data points and tried to “start from the ground.”
Here are a few of his points and the accompanying data.
The performance gap between p-type mono-crystalline silicon and multi-crystalline silicon is narrowing
Efficiency gains in conventional multi c-Si have accelerated and the gains have come “without significant increase in capex or material cost,” according to Mehta. Yet mono crystalline still commands a 4 cent to 8 cent per watt premium in sales price. Mehta suggests that the value proposition for p-type mono continues to deteriorate.
P-type might make sense in highly real estate-constrained Japan, but in the long term, Mehta sees n-type mono as a key to maintaining the efficiency advantage of mono. Panasonic, SunPower and Yingli are working on n-type cells.
Are 72-cell modules the future?
Mehta noted that 60-cell modules are the current standard but there are 72-cell, 96-cell, and 128-cell modules available. He said that 72-cell modules have gained significant market share because large modules can reduce balance-of-system costs by up to 7 cents per watt.
The 60-cell modules still have an advantage over larger modules in that they are more rigid, can be carried by one person, and more modules can be fit onto complicated rooftops.
Mehta suggests we will start to see increasing numbers of larger and different sized modules that are “highly segment-specific.”
Will module prices just keep dropping?
Spot pricing for polysilicon, as well as for cells and modules, has actually risen 5 percent to 15 percent this year. Is this an indication of a sustained price increase? Mehta points to some salient data from GTM research — 81 percent of ASP reduction over the last two years has come from margin evaporation and polysilicon. He notes that non-silicon materials such as glass and encapsulants have little cost-reduction potential remaining.
Long
Energy efficiency services are attractive for solar companies
China will begin this year to see the results of a reorganization among solar-component manufacturers prompted by a more than 20 percent drop in prices and tighter margins, according toJinkoSolar Holding (JKS)
THE EDITOR, Sir:
I am disgruntled at the fact that I have to pay GCT for photovoltaic cells, while there is no GCT or import duty on photovoltaic panels.
I am pleading that Finance Minister Peter Phillips review this matter and make the final results known to the public and members of the Customs Department, as they seem to be unaware of what is happening.
L. GREEN
OLD Fort Village, a gated community being developed in St Ann, will supply its power independent of the Jamaica Public Service (JPS). The housing development, comprising 10 townhouses and apartments, will be the Caribbean‘s first development completely powered by renewable energy sources, the developers said.
“I have been 75 per cent energy independent with solar and wind at my own home in