Monday 17 August 2015

GRID Alternatives And Grand Valley Power To Develop Community Solar Garden For Low-Income Customers

an electric cooperative utility based in Grand Junction, Colo., have partnered to develop a 25 kW community solar garden dedicated exclusively to low-income ratepayers.

The array will provide electricity for six to 10 families living in the Grand Junction area, offsetting up to 90% of their electricity costs. GVP is providing land, interconnection and philanthropic support for the project, which is being designed and built by GRID Alternatives. The utility will own the solar equipment and provide retail bill credit for participating low-income households.

The project is also receiving support from Housing Resources of Western Colorado, Atlasta Solar and Alpine Bank. SunEdison, Enphase Energy and IronRidge are donating equipment for the project. The pilot installation is scheduled for completion by the end of May.

"We have seen a tremendous groundswell of hard-working families wanting solar and the benefits it brings," says Chuck Watkins, executive director of GRID Alternatives Colorado. "Community solar can provide solar to all Coloradoans regardless if they're renters or homeowners. We'd like to see this replicated all over Colorado."

An Opportunity For The Solar Sector Taken from the Solar Industry

On June 24, U.S. Sens. Christopher Coons, D-Del., and Jerry Moran, R-Kan.; U.S. Reps. Ted Poe, R-Texas-02, and Mike Thompson, D-Calif.-05; and their co-sponsors re-introduced legislation to broaden the definition of qualifying income for master limited partnerships (MLPs) to include renewable and alternative sources of energy, such as solar power.

This bipartisan MLP Parity Act (S.B.1656, H.B.2883), originally introduced in early 2013, aims to have the definition of qualifying income for MLPs include renewable and alternative sources of energy such as wind, closed- and open-loop biomass, geothermal, municipal solid waste, hydropower, marine and hydrokinetic energy, and fuel cells.
One of the key benefits of the MLP structure is that it is a publicly traded partnership combining the tax advantages of a partnership with the capital-raising and liquidity advantages of a publicly traded corporation.

Although a majority of Republicans and Democrats support an "all of the above" energy strategy, the largest component of the MLP universe has historically been MLPs that are focused on midstream oil-and-gas activities (i.e., pipelines). This is because midstream MLPs, with their mature business models that depend largely on long-term take-or-pay contracts for the transportation of hydrocarbons, are able to support the steady stream of cash distributions that income-oriented MLP investors demand.

The MLP Parity Act aims to level the playing field by extending MLP benefits to the alternative energy industry; supporters such as Sen. Coons note that the federal government should not be in the business of picking winners and losers in the energy market.

The act would require a powerful tweak to the federal tax code in that it would expose renewables and alternative sources of energy to significant private capital in the energy market. Note that only the transportation and storage of alternative fuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel, were added to the list of qualifying income in 2008 (more on this below).

Solar companies would benefit from the lack of "double taxation" with the MLP structure because income "passes through" to investors and is taxed at the individual investor level. The resulting lower tax burden means that, for a given level of risk in its underlying assets, operations and financing arrangements, a solar MLP would have a lower cost of capital than would a similar risk under a C-corporation structure.

In essence, a solar business with the MLP structure would have more financial flexibility, which would be supportive of distribution growth to MLP investors.

However, opponents of the MLP Parity Act might argue that this added financial flexibility to support growth may prove difficult for alternatives and renewables because many of the alternative energy technologies considered by the act are far less mature and inherently more risky. However, given inherent geopolitical risks associated with crude oil production, it may prove appealing to MLP investors seeking socially responsible investments.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration noted in its 2014 annual energy outlook that solar and wind energy are expected to remain the primary sources of renewable capacity growth in the U.S. going forward, given the limitations associated with geothermal, waste and biomass resources.

We believe this will be one of the key investment considerations should the MLP Parity Act make its way into the tax code. Additionally, other attractive factors include the expectation that solar technologies will achieve cost reductions - which, along with a larger resource base, could result in higher growth than other renewables under favorable conditions.

Note that the Internal Revenue Service's definition of allowable income for MLPs has been in existence for decades. Congress, worried that many corporations would convert to MLPs in order to gain access to cheaper capital and avoid corporate taxes, sought to limit conversions by passing legislation in 1987 that prescribed the type of income that a publicly traded partnership could earn while maintaining its pass-through tax status.

Congress' list of allowable or "qualifying" income included dividends, interest, rents, capital gains and income from natural resources-related activity. Originally, "natural resources" meant resources that are depletable under Section 613 of the Federal Tax Code (26 U.S. Code Section 613), such as oil, natural gas, coal and timber.

The MLP Parity Act enjoys bipartisan support, but with broader tax reform remaining an oft talked-about possibility on Capitol Hill and the 2016 presidential election fast approaching, prospects for its passage remain uncertain.

Tuesday 31 March 2015

Is my roof suitable for a solar PV system to be fitted?

Is my roof suitable for a solar PV system to be fitted?
If you can answer yes to each of the points below, your home may well be suitable for a solar system:

A. I already have a metered electricity supply in my home.
B. Can say yes to any of the 3 answers below:

                     1. I own the freehold of my property.
                     2. If you own a leasehold property, you will need permission from the freeholder.
                     3. If you rent your property, you will need written permission from the landlord.

C. My property is not a basement or mid-floor flat. These types of property are unsuitable for solar panels.

D. My property is not a listed building, nor is it in a conservation area. You do not need planning permission for most homes to have  solar panels fitted, but check first with your local planning officer, especially if your building is listed, or is in a conservation area or  is part of a World Heritage Site. If you are unsure, give your local council a call.

E. I have an unshaded roof space facing between east and west through south. Heavily shaded or north-facing roof spaces are unsuitable for solar panels.

F. The panels must face somewhere between SE and SW via South. Other directions are NOT suitable.
Check  Size
You must have at least 8 square metres of space to locate the panels. This is roughly the same size as two family saloon cars.
Check  Shading
If Solar PV Panels are shaded by buildings, trees, chimneys etc. they will work  less efficient.
Roof  Direction
The Solar PV panels must face somewhere between South East and South West via South.
Have you answered Yes, then either email us or telephone Evren or Myself (Colin) on 01708 223733.
If you are unsure, don’t worry as one of us will be able to help you over the telephone.

Smoke Alarm Clock


Time for a Clock with a Difference

Announcing The Smoke Alarm Clock - Combined smoke alarm and clock

As always safety is paramount and you have smoke alarms in your home so why not in your caravan, motorhome, boat, tent or just anywhere you want to feel protected.  The smoke alarm clock can go absolutely anywhere you want it.  No need to drill holes or use double sided sticky tape, just place the alarm clock anywhere.  No getting away with it standard smoke alarms do a vital job, but you can't escape their bland design. The Smoke Alarm Clock looks great in comparison, and does two jobs in one...

This ground-breaking product does far more than tell the time. It also notifies you if there's a fire, so it could be a life-saver.  Most people won't even realise it is a smoke alarm!

It just needs one AA battery to power the clock and one 9V battery to power the fire alarm. It can either eliminate those clunky alarms stuck to the ceiling or provide you with double the protection.

Dimensions: Width 27.6 x Height 27.6 x Depth 4cm

To Purchase yours  either email me with your details and telephone number so that I can telephone you back or  go direct to our main website and purchase from there.

The Ultra Bright Warning Light



The Ultra Bright Safety Warning Light
Ultra Bright Warning LED Light

Every now and again, an item comes our way at Select Solar that makes us think: "how come this hasn't been invented before?" – The Ultra Bright LED Warning Light is one of those items. At first glance, it might look like a rather odd orange disc, but switch it on, and you'll instantly and literally be dazzled by its amazingly bright 16 red LEDs!
Amazingly bright 16 LED warning light.
  • Can be seen from up to 10 miles away!
  • 9 different flashing modes
  • Crush proof – can even survive being run over
  • Waterproof and floats
  • Designed for police, fire fighters and rescue teams
  • Magnetic – ideal for attaching to cars in case of breakdown
  • Battery life of up to 10 years on standby!
The brightest, most versatile warning light we've ever seen!
Designed for use by the emergency services, this high quality light can be seen from up to 10 miles away, so if you're ever out and about, and are in a situation where you need to be easily located, this versatile light could be a life-saver! It's small and light enough to be carried in a rucksack (you could even walk with it in your hand if you wanted to), but we expect most people will keep one in their caravan, motorhome or your boat, as it's perfect to have with you if you need to alert other motorists or attract attention if you've had a breakdown at night,or you have a situation on your boat.
This incredibly versatile, rugged and durable device (it can even withstand being run over by a car), has no fewer than 9 different modes (including S.O.S and constantly on) which you can choose between, including some which are less blindingly bright than the "be seen from 10 miles away" defaults. This fantastic device is waterproof and even floats, so it can be used in bad weather and on boats too!
With a powerful lithium battery that will last for 100 hours in use, and up to 10 years on standby, we're sure you'll agree this is one of those unique items that you're really glad you discovered, as you never know when you might be in an emergency situation where it's just what you need!
Ultra Bright LED Warning Light Specs
  • Product dimensions: 11cm by 10.5cm by 3.4cm
  • Product weight: 195g
  • Powered by: Lithium CR123 Battery
  • To purchase yours Email me  or go direct to our website Purchase Yours Today