Green Activist Prophet or Profit?

Posted by Jim Spence on Monday, September 20, 2010
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Danny Kennedy
As a former environmental activist, Danny Kennedy, 39, says he is “probably more missionary than mercenary” when it comes to clean energy. Still, the founder of Sungevity, a Berkeley (Calif.)-based company that sells solar power panels for homes, is “entirely comfortable with the fact that we’re going to make a killing in this industry.”
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2 comments:

Paul Lindsey said...

but not to worry here in Las Cruces, because Sungevity doesn't serve our area ... instead, we have EPE committed to a 20 yr power purchase agreement for solar PV from NRG's Santa Teresa PV plant (to be built) at 12.7 cents/kWh. That's EPE's payments to NM SunTower LLC, not your cost to EPE. Of course, the increase on a residential bill will be miniscule due to this one solar PV plant, but since state law requires EPE (and PNM) to get 20% of their power from solar by 2020, what do you think the effect will be then?

BTW, that 12.7 c/kWh is not the true cost of the solar power. Per pg 92 of the PPA, if New Mexico SunTower LLC is not awarded the solar Renewable Energy PTC per NM Statute 7-2A-19, then EPE's cost rises by 4.35 c/kWh. Furthermore, if a change in law eliminates the 309% federal Investment Tax Credit, then NM SunTower and EPE will negiotiate in good faith for a price adjustment, subject to NMPRC approval and cost recovery by EPE (can you say "rate hike"). So the true cost of the electricity is being subsidized by you (the public).

September 20, 2010 at 2:19 PM
Anonymous said...

Maybe Herb played a role in those negotiations?

September 21, 2010 at 10:49 AM

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