Competitive
BI-PV Primary Energy Producers
Electricity Trading Post
1% Chicago PV Rooftops
Enron-Amoco Anti-trust
Equal Access & Service
California Public Utilities Commission
Southern California Edison

2003 ALL ELECTRICITY GENERATION IN USA TO BE COMPETITIVE

The conference this year had an entirely different climate from the previous year. The entire energy industry agenda has changed with the 2003 date for competitive electricity generation in every state. Entire nuclear plants were being offered for sale either entirely or in parts to anyone in the world who would buy them. Other groups were buying nuclear plants. The primary goal appeared to be to reduce overhead and reorganize the industry as we all adjust to the dramatic change to a competitive energy industry. There was no one this year indicating it would be business as usual and not to worry. Everyone is anticipating dramaic changes in the industry as it becomes competitive across the nation by 2003. There was more interest in building-integrated photovoltaics (BI-PV) to increase portfolio diversity, reduce overhead, gain competitive autonomy, and to remain technologically literate about new types of energy production.

Building-Integrated Photovoltaics for Primary Energy Producers In United States of America (BI-PV PEP USA)

The Solar Development Cooperative was one of the few companies who presented papers on building-integrated photovoltaics (BI-PV). The audience was more balanced this year with a majority of genuinely interested people and a few skeptics that were convinced the plan to put a reflector in space and beam the sun back to the earth was the only way to make photovoltaics cost effective. This year it was easy to respond that the market is open. If that's what you want to do to sell electricity, then go for it. But, the government is going to have less investment in those types of costly deployment programs. I indicated I prefer as an architect to pursue BI-PV technologies. That is what the competitive industry is all about. It will increase use of practical and clean electricity generation. Bigger will not necessarily be better or affordable for private companies. The Million Solar Rooftops Program 1997-2010 Progam in the United States and the Million Solar Rooftops Program In the European Commission with 500,000 planned for 3rd World Nations will set the BI-PV industry in motion by the end of this century.

BI-PV TO BE INTEGRATED INTO INTERNET ELECTRICITY TRADING POST

In one session, the question was raised as to how BI-PV would be integrated into the Internet Electricity Trading Post. The first answer was, it isn't. By the time the session entitled "Equal Access" was completed, there were several models suggested and companies indicating they would be willing to work on the problem. The primary concern was an already over loaded database system that often slowed delaying trade during primary trade sessions. We also determined these were indeed separate issues because whether BI-PV is added to the Electricity Trading Post or not; we can expect a substantial increase in products and services added as commodities on the Electricity Trading Post.

1% PV on Chicago's 52 Square Miles = How Many Megawatt Hours?

Our exercise to discover how many Megawatt hours would be produced on 1% of Chicago's 52 Square Miles surprised everyone by producing more electricity than the entire city of Chicago needed. It may take up to one hundred years to install this approximately 600 million SF of PV surface. Any nation that has BI-PV installed within their constuction industry at this scale has the security of converting to demand-site generation for most of their electricity needs in times of man-made and natural disasters. The use of BI-PV is a national security issue as well as a pollution and aesthetics issue. While it provides the means to pursue war, BI-PV's most important function in future global management issues will be its potential to avoid war by providing national autonomy for all nations who depend on electricity.

IS ENRON-AMOCO-SOLAREX VIOLATING ANTI-TRUST LAWS?

The peak moment for me was being able to ask Kevin Hannon, President & CEO of Enron-Amoco-Solarex why they aren't marketing their photovoltaic products in California with competition/choice (deregulation) in place and the generous 50% Buydown for solar rooftops being offered by the California Energy Commission. They have always indicated in the past that there is no market or support for BI-PV in America, and that Americans just don't care about whether they pollute. His reply was that he simply knew nothing about this issue. He followed with the comment that it must be oversight or mismanagement. Over 500 Primary Energy Producers laughed heartily as I told him I fully agreed. He quickly went on to the next question. I gave him my business brochure after the opening session and assured him I could help. The market is definitely clamoring for that other choice -to own their own BI-PV system. What I didn't mention in my question was the important fact that Enron-Amoco-Solarex has been extremely astute in suing other PV businesses out of business like ARCO Solar which was one of the more innovative and market-driven companies in the United States. Since their brutal take-over of Solarex in the 80s, they have managed quite well to remain in heated litigation over patent lawsuits for eight of those years. Such litigation has actually shut down businesses as well as suppressed important new technologies being introduced into the marketplace. Peer scrutiny will no doubt redirect these resources toward marketing efforts or the selling of Solarex to an appropriate owner. The polycrystalline patent has run. Anti-trust litigation would certainly be appropriate and even more so with the fact that electricity generation is such a huge industry, society is dependent on it and traditional fuels are a detriment to the health and safety of society. The renewable technologies industry will grow rapidly in the next ten years. Enron-Amoco's ownership of Solarex is one resource in a growing competitive industry. They will either market their BI-PV products providing access for American consumers or be put out of business as they lose their lead in the industry and become very unpopular due to suppressive, abusive and anti-American business practices.

BI-PV Consumers Need Equal Access & Quality Service Industry From Distribution Grid

Another success that at first appeared to be a problem was the fact that the publisher left out one page of our paper discussing the lack of a service industry for Demand-side Consumers (distributed energy). When I discussed it with the good people who manage the conference, they came up with the solution to mail the missing page to everyone who registered for the conference. We all agreed it would, thereby, most likely be one of the few pages everyone would read. Southern California Edison will likely be relieved they followed up the described problems of lack of training of their telephone crew with a letter to our company promising to have them trained by May 1st. When I called on May 8th to test the system, the Edison operator still had no clue as to what photovoltaics or net metering are. This is a bit irritating with all the hype and publicity about the Angels Stadium they remodeled and renamed. Great community service, however they aren't doing their job as distributors of the electricity grid. It would cost very little to print up a one-page paper and distribute it to all of their operators. I realize deregulation is an adjustment for everyone, but it would be much less traumatic for everyone if the utilities could at least spend their time and energy adjusting pro-actively instead of forestalling needed services to support the new laws. Business is business for the distribution grid utility whether it is remote site or demand-site electricity generation. The fact is funding to open my BI-PV Studio(R) is being delayed until these services are in place due to low confidence in industry support by investors. And rightfully so, how many BI-PV systems can I install when the consumer cannot get timely connection to the grid and a reliable cooperative working alliance with the distribution utility. Southern California Edison is actually taking food off my table in delaying the training of their service staff and forestalling a reliable support system for BI-PV consumers. Perhaps they'd like to get my grocery bill. There are no benefits for them to delay. There will always be some detail to iron out and clarify with the Public Utilities Commission. This is a significant change in the industry. However, legally they must put the service in place. It is way past due, and is becoming a serious expense for my business and for the California Energy Commission that has at least $125 million dollars of solar rooftops to be installed in the next four years through the 50% Buydown program. Edison must service these consumers cooperatively and safely by law. Their lack of simple cooperation in an least educating their operators suggests potential danger in allowing them to continue to manage the distribution grid. This is a serious matter, and they must get serious about meeting their obligations or expect to have some other company contracted by the government to manage the distribution grid for consumers. Not because we don't appreciate the many years of excellent service and community support by Edison, but because they are forestalling an important transition in the energy industry and overtly being uncooperative. The grid is nothing to play around with and they should know this better than anyone. Instead of forestalling the transition, they must pro-actively and cooperatively manage it or get out of the business. It has to be that simple to protect the safety of the consumer and the grid technicians not to mention American interests in the rapidly growing silicon industry of BI-PV. We don't need -and will not tolerate a war on our hands in the field.

California Public Utilities To Include BI-PV In Deregulation Education The Last Go Around

We discussed the need to inform the public about their 3rd choice of energy producers -demand-site consumers in all the literature being generated by the California Energy Commission it is quite inefficient for them not to include mention of building-integrated photovoltaics or the 50% buydown. By law there should not be any difficulty for consumers to get connected and serviced by the existing grid. It is not competitive. Distribution access is mandatory for all accepted forms of electricity generation and demand-site photovoltaics is an accepted format to produce one's own electricity. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is indicating they are willing to put some mention of the 50% Buydown for BI-PV in their final edition of public information packets. If you have an interest by all means call and/or write the CPUC and the California Energy Commission to communicate to them your concern and provide documented demand for this service. The problem is that most people don't know the option exists. To find out more about the problems people have faced in getting connected read the March 27th front page article by Ann Mulkern of the Orange County newspaper. She indicates a Thousand Oaks homeowner has been waiting two years to get connected to the grid due to lack of cooperation by Southern California Edison. With a likely investment of at least $20,000 by this consumer, SCE is beginning to really mount of a liability expense. Certainly, I have encountered hardships due to their lack of cooperation delaying the opening of my BI-PV Design Studio(R). My goals and business activities are in-line with existing laws. SCE is stretching their assumed legal rights at the expense and damage to many people including consumers, government, community and commerce. It would be of interest for them to send me a letter of defense explaining to people the reason for this seeming irrational and negligent behavior. How serious are the issues in dispute? Perhaps, the public consumer can assit in getting them resolved more quickly than a closed door delay strategy. This information should be included in the California Public Utilities consumer education packets. We can handle the truth, but not unexplained delays. The reason for delay must be quite serious and consequential to justify the damage and expense they are causing consumers, government, community and commerce.

Southern California Edison has provided a packet of information to me including the contracts for grid connect, and they indicate they will assist me in getting my customers connected. Why is this service not being provided for every business/consumer? Equal access equals market competition. I really do appreciate the gesture of assistance, but my investors have trouble trusting such promises when I am singled out. All consumers and related businesses must be educated about these rights and assured timely connection to the grid with cooperative service from the distribution grid utility. My clients cannot afford to wait until their $40,000 system is installed to find out there is still a problem with getting connected to the grid. And all of a sudden there is this big turn-around saying they connect one person if they don't connect everyone, etc. Tom Dossey and Liz McDannels are the contact persons at SCE according to the letter until the organizational issues are resolved with the CPUC. SCE's operators need to know this and be able to immediately direct related phone calls. Every operator should know the words net metering, building-integrated photovoltaics, distributed electricity, and demand-site consumer. A check for management consulting from SCE and CPUC would greatly assist in covering the expenses ($50 hour) and related difficulties I have encountered due to the lack of appropriate and timely service on their behalf. Thank you.

We hope to have the SCE contract sample online for review by consumers within the next month. If you have questions or comments, please contact us and we will share them on the Internet.

The papers we presented for the 60th American Power Conference will be included as they are available to put online.

Photovoltaics In Commercial Structure