photovoltaik.eu

Mittwoch, 01.02.2012 22:02

I think the PV side should stop defending against a cap and take the leadership position in this debate. BSW and Rottgen should propose an aggressive cut to the FiT and a smart roadmap forward. By aggressive I mean 20% across the board. There's been this talk that PV is going to be cheaper than off-shore wind starting next year or the year after - why not make it cheaper today by adjusting the FiT down to the off-shore wind rate? No more we'll be cheaper in a year - make it happen now. Cut the rest of the categories as well: For simplicity you could go to nice round numbers: 20, 19, 18, 17, & 16 cent/kWh for (1 to 30 kW, 30 to 100 kW, 100 to 1000 kW, >1000 kW and conversion areas).

As far as roadmaps go, from now on the digression should be tied strictly to the volume of installations instead of the calendar. You track each of the individual FiT categories (1 to 30 kW, 30 to 100 kW, 100 to 1000 kW, >1000 kW and conversion areas). Once the volume of installations in that category reaches 1 GW the FiT for that category gets cut. From here on, each GW within each bin would result in a 1 cent drop to that bin's FiT. So 5 GW of 1 to 30 kW PV would take that FiT down from 20 to 15 cents/kWh... 6 GW of conversion PV would take that FiT down from 16 cents to 10 cents/kWh and so on.

I know it would be painful but I think the industry could absorb 20% cuts. Remember that a 20% cut really isn't a 20% cut if you are an end user. If I use 50% of my PV electricity directly, the FiT is 24 cent/kWh and retail is 25 cent/kWh the effective value I'm getting from my PV electricity is (.50*24+.50*25) = 24.5 cents/kWh. If I chop the fit down 20% to 20 the effective value I'm getting is (.50*20+.50*25)=22.5 cents/kWh. In this example the FiT is chopped by 20% but the value is only changed by 6.25%. Imagine a more extreme case of chopping the FiT to 15 cents/kWh? The value the end user sees for their PV production is still 20 cents/kWh.

Some may think 50% is too high to suppose fior a direct consumption. That's true today but 50% direct consumption is possible if you implement the right set of technologies. We don't even need expensive batteries to reach these direct consumption figures - you actually want to avoid batteries. Smarter water heaters and practical PV system sizing would do it. SMA advertises a device (http://files.sma.de/dl/2485/HOMEMANAGER-AEN113110.pdf) that raises the direct consumption rate of a family of 4 from 30% up to 45%. Germany will have to mandate these devices eventually so start planning for it. How do you plan for it? You take a leadership position and changes the rules to better suit the energy future.

Here's a letter I wrote earlier this week in regards to changing the rules.

Hello Mr. Fell,

I'm writing to recommend you propose a new regulation in Germany to mandate that all new large appliances come with a "Grid Chip" and "Smart Start" button. The grid chip (or governor chip) would measure frequency/voltage and respond to system reliability issues when required. The idea in a nutshell is that if frequency dipped to 49.9 Hertz your washing machine (if running) would power down until frequency recovered. We have existing load shedding protocols which you could use as a guideline for developing the frequency response logic for appliances. I believe the cost should be marginal.

The reliability rules I sketched out would be hardwired into the "grid chips" but you'd also want to be able to influence/control the appliance according to user input. This is where the Smart Start button comes in. When you press the Smart Start button the appliance won't necessarily start immediately - if it anticipates the owners PV system will have some excess production between Noon and 3 pm it will plan to run then. With the feed-in rates now lower than retail electricity it is in the end-user's best interests to directly consume as much electricity from their PV system as practical. If all new appliances had governor chips and a smart start feature you'd greatly simplify the implementation of home energy management. If you can raise direct consumption from typical 30% rates up to 50% it will allow the photovoltaic industry to be more competitive and survive with significantly lower Feed in rates. Ultimately I believe you can drop the FiT down to a market based rate but to do that you need to have it so that direct consumption is maximized. Note also that people without PV system would still benefit from a Smart Start feature by utilizing time of use electricity rates.

I believe this proposed appliance standard would create a home market for a technology that Germany is uniquely able to develop and eventually export. I have no financial stake or affiliation in any company developing any of these technologies I've recommended. I am writing only because I believe it's critical for Germany to integrate load management into your renewable energy strategy - the sooner the better. You've changed things before... Here's another opportunity.

Respectfully,
...

Donnerstag, 19.01.2012 21:18

Ich stimme komplett mit der Meinung des photovoltaik Autors überein. Aber wo findet man die o.g. LEDs zu diesem Preis? Das würde ich gerne wissen, denn solche möchte ich haben.

Dienstag, 17.01.2012 12:39

Wenn die Hartz4 Empfänger die Photovoltaikanlagen zahlen, dann können sie ja gar nicht so teuer sein...
Und was soll man von einem Autor halten, der Subvention nicht von Umlage unterscheiden kann.
Mich würde nur interessieren, wer diesen Schreiberling bezahlt hat - RWE, Eon, Vattenfall oder EnBW.

Dienstag, 17.01.2012 12:14

Herr Remmers braucht diese Vorwürfe nicht zu entkräften, da jeder, der sich auch nur ein wenig mit dem Thema beschäftigt, weiß, dass die atomgetriebene Hetzkampangne des RWI und Spiegels totaler Schwachsinn ist und von RWE und Co. bezahlt wird. Wenn jemend schreibt, die Erde ist eine Scheibe, dann braucht derjenige, der daraufhin widerspricht, heutzutage auch keine Begrüdung mehr zu schreiben.

Montag, 16.01.2012 20:14

"Hetze", "Neoliberal", "menschenverachtendes Weltbild".
Herr Remmers wirft mit ziemlich kräftigen Worten um sich, macht aber nicht den leistesten Versuch die Vorwürde in irgendeiner Form zu entkräften oder sich zumindest inhaltlich damit auseinanderzusetzen...
Als PV-Intressierter muss ich sagen, das ist schon ziemlich enttäuschend.