Here's How It's Looking Two Years In

Good SREC Price Again

Well, somehow the latest SREC sold at $640 again, same as it used to be. We do seem to be starting to pile up unsold ones, though. They used to sell like clockwork so I didn't bother keeping track. Guess I better get on it.

Other than that, things are going well. This is one of my favorite times of year -- still lots of sun, less energy needed = big monthly credit from electric company because of all the extra energy we're generating and dumping back onto the grid...

What Will Irene Do to Us?

I can't lie, I'm pretty nervous about what might happen to our 48 panels tonight. We're right in the path of Irene's hurricane strength winds...

Irene

SRECs Prices Declining in NJ (Yeah, We Know)

Here's an article from the Philadelphia Inquirer telling is what we already know.

SREC prices plummeting!http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif


I've just authorized my broker to sell the ones I have on hand basically for whatever they can get.

The weird part is how sudden this was. It was 600, 600, 600, etc., etc, straight to *worthless*. You'd think the decline would have been slower and steadier...

Guest Post I From SunRun

And now, this from SunRun!

Infographic by SunRun – Home Solar Leasing Made Easy

SREC Glut is Happening

The SREC Glut seems to be developing fast. In the most recent auction the prices dropped below the minimum threshholds of so many sellers that my broker is setting up a special mechanism to unload these. Here's part of what they announced:


Due to the price drop in the July auction, a significant number of New Jersey SRECs went unsold. You can read about the recent volatility in the NJ SREC market in our blog. For the past 3 years, prices have held at 95% of the ceiling in the market, so for many of you, this is the first month without a paycheck for your SRECs.

As we explained in the blog, there are reasons why pricing could get better for the 2011 SRECs and reasons why they may not. We suspect that you may be less interested in the complexities of the market than you are in getting your SRECs sold. For this reason, instead of waiting until the next auction, we are offering to take your SRECs to our buyers to see if we can get them sold for you sooner than later. We will use a tiered structure that promotes choice, while allowing us to go to the market with firm numbers.


I suppose that in a way, solar is a victim of it's own success and popularity. Hopefully this won't discourage anybody from going solar in the near future. Come to think of it, maybe I shouldn't post this for that reason, but hey, you all know I'm all about full disclosure!

Amber Waves of Solar Panels? The Turbined Plain?

There was an interesting letter in the Inquirer today, written by Matthew Blake, the Manager of Delaware Bay Program.

Matthew Blake Letter Here!

Although I'm a solar/wind advocate I kinda' see his point here. There are plenty of suitable places for wind and solar facilities to be developed. I'm not in favor of encouraging farmers to plow under their fields and replace them with these contraptions (which, while they might not look as ugly as a conventional power plant or electrical substation, are not as striking as a field of corn, a cranberry bog or a grove of peach trees). Of course, Blake is smarter than me and raises more substantial points than I'm going for, so by all means, read his letter!


"...would undermind the rural character of South Jersey's farm belt and many other communities along the Delaware Bay located within a high wind-generation zone." **

It's an interesting debate, one in which I agree with Blake. We haven't reached a renewable energy gold rush. Why waste the best land for this stuff when it can go anywhere?



** Yeah, I included that quote for you non-Jerseyans who think there's nothing here but the turnpike. And I was one of you before I came here!