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Author

Walter Wang

Walter Wang

Walter’s contributions to CleanTechies over the past 4 years have been instrumental in growing the publications social media channels via his ongoing editorial and data driven strategies. He is the founder and managing director of Sunflower Tax, a renewable energy tax and finance consultancy based in San Diego, California. Active in the San Diego clean technology community, participating in events sponsored by CleanTech San Diego, EcoTopics, and Cleantech Open San Diego, Walter has also been a presenter at numerous California Center for Sustainability (CCSE) programs. He currently serves as an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego School of Law where he teaches a course on energy taxation and policy.

Review: 2014 VW Beetle TDI – One Efficient Beach Cruiser

written by Walter Wang

Few cars are as iconic as the Volkswagen Beetle. The original version of the VW Beetle was manufactured between 1938 and 2003. The original version was a fixture of American culture during the 1960’s and 1970’s and often associated with the hippie movement and surf culture. Driving through coastal Southern California today, you will see classic VW Beetles as well as VW vans with surfboards in tow.

The modern reincarnation of this classic appeared for the 1998 model year. The current 2014 VW Beetle expands on the new Beetle concept in a way that appeals to a wider audience. From the exterior, you notice that the car is slightly more aggressive than its predecessor without losing what I call the happiness factor (you can’t see a VW Beetle and not help but smile). From the interior, there are separate gauges for the turbo boost, a timer, and oil temperature that underscore that this Beetle is something more. Even the steering wheel has a flat bottom. This would make Kevin Bacon proud. It’s hard to drive this car and not think about Kevin Bacon and the classic VW Beetle he drove in the movie Footloose.

The VW Beetle that I tested was a 2014 VW Beetle TDI, meaning this bug runs on diesel. If you have read my reviews in the past, you’ll know that I have been singing the praises of the new generation of turbo diesels that have made their way to US shores. Diesel engines, while down on horsepower, have plenty of torque. The VW Beetle TDI has a 2.0L Turbo 4 cylinder engine good for 140 horsepower and 236 lb. ft. of torque. The car has plenty of giddy-up when called upon. Most importantly, the VW Beetle TDI is one efficient bug. The EPA rates the car at 29 mpg city and 39 mpg highway (automatic), 32 combined. In real world testing, I exceeded these numbers. For example, on the freeway, I hit 46.1 mpg en-route to Newport Beach. Point to point on that same trip, the final number was 45.7 mpg, well above EPA estimates. Overall, in mixed driving with a slight lead foot, combined fuel economy was 35 mpg. Depending on your driving habits, one tank of diesel will net you 500 miles or slightly more. Not bad at all!

Spending a week in a VW Beetle TDI puts you in a state of mind. With mild temperatures and great surf, it was time to hit the beach. Time to listen to some reggae tunes on the SiriusXM equipped audio system to set the mood! At the end of the day, you realize you’re relaxed, the fuel gauge has barely moved, and oh wait, come to think of it….the VW Beetle TDI is one efficient beach cruiser. The toffee brown metallic paint was unique and definitely set the car apart from the crowd. Over the course of the week, I did notice on several occasions how wide the C-pillar is when reversing out of certain parking spaces. That being said, no car is ever perfect.

The VW Beetle TDI starts at $24,595 and is real easy to live with. It corners reasonably well and has enough giddy-up for most drivers when needed. More than a few onlookers during the week inquired into the VW Beetle TDI. They were blown away when I mentioned the fuel economy. The VW Beetle is an iconic car no matter which era, now thanks to the diesel engine, it’s a more efficient icon that is sure to draw attention and reward you for many years.



September 1, 2014 0 comment
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Home Automation Dominates Internet of Things Conversation

Home Automation Dominates Internet of Things Conversation

written by Walter Wang

The Internet of Things is dominating the conversation in many technology circles today and will likely do so for the foreseeable future.  What exactly is the Internet of Things and just who is dominating the Internet of Things conversation?

Cisco has defined the Internet of Things as follows:

The Internet of Things (IoT) is the network of physical objects accessed through the Internet, as defined by technology analysts and visionaries. These objects contain embedded technology to interact with internal states or the external environment. In other words, when objects can sense and communicate, it changes how and where decisions are made, and who makes them.

Imagine a world where your car communicates with your home alarm system, home climate control system, and home lighting system.  Imagine a world where every machine on the factory floor communicates with each other to automatically solve problems on the production line.  This is the Internet of Things. Wired magazine has simply called it the “programmable world” and GE has called the industrial side of the Internet of Things, the “industrial internet”.  Got it?  That’s a whole lot of lingo for such a nascent industry.

A recent study conducted by Appinions sought to understand who the influencers are in the Internet of Things space.  Simply put, the study determined that home automation is the most popular branch of Internet of Things technology.  Large companies like Apple, Google, Phillips, Samsung, and Belkin are all getting in.

Home automation, as defined by the study, is “technology that makes household appliances, temperature controls, or electronics “smart” and connect them to the web so they can be programmed to function remotely.”  Influential products highlighted by the study include the Nest thermostat, Apple HomeKit, Honeywell Lyric Thermostat, and Phillips Hue Lighting.  And this is just the beginning.

iOT-TopProducts-Appinions

The study also found that privacy and cybersecurity are important concerns that weigh on the Internet of Things industry.  Setting these concerns aside, there seems to be an ever increasing popularity in the connected home.  Although the Internet of Things revolution is only beginning,  the popularity of home automation shows an undeniable connection with energy consumption.



July 13, 2014 4 comments
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Review: 2014 Mazda3 – The Zippy and Efficient Alternative

written by Walter Wang

It has been a year since we last test drove a Mazda3. What a difference a year makes. While the 2013 Mazda3 carried certain admirable traits, the 2014 Mazda3 blows the previous version out of the water.  All new for 2014, the Mazda3 has moved decidedly more upscale and modern.

Our tester was a 5 door hatchback equipped with the a 2.5L four cylinder Skyactiv engine good for 184 hp and 185 lb-ft of torque. The car is rated at 28 mpg city and 38 highway for a combined 32 mpg.  It was relatively easy to hit those numbers if you are not heavy handed with the pedal.  From West Los Angeles to Downtown San Diego, I averaged 38.6 mpg and completed the drive in 2 hours.  Around town, I typically averaged between 25 mpg and 28 mpg.

The exterior follows the company’s Kodo design language and follows closely the lines of the 2014 Mazda6. The attractive lines on the car flow nicely from front to back. One passenger took a look from the rear and immediately thought it looked like a miniature version of the Infiniti QX70.  The design of the interior is quite attractive as well.  The simple and effective layout utilizes better materials than the 2013 model.  The navigation, stereo, and phone are controlled with a circular knob similar to BMW’s iDrive.  The climate control buttons were easy to reach and are straight forward to operate. Our tester was also equipped with heads-up display, lane departure warning, satellite radio, regenerative braking system, and active grill shutters.

The longer track and wider wheelbase provide for more stability when cornering.  The car felt at home on winding roads as well as in normal traffic.  Put the car in sport mode and you can feel it come alive as the engine is kept in the meat of its powerband.  There was always plenty of power to move the Mazda3 around. The paddle shifters were a nice touch for a car in this category.  Probably, the only complaint was the amount of road noise that was coming into the cabin, especially at higher speeds.  Other than that there really is not much to complain about. A fuel sipper that is fun to drive!

Pricing for the Mazda3 starts at $18,945 for the base vehicle which is equipped with a smaller but more fuel efficient engine. Add in the options and a bigger engine like our tester, and the price can swell to $29,185.  The Mazda3 certainly holds its own in a very competitive compact segment competing with the likes of VW, Ford, Toyota, and Hyundai.  The sleek and stylish package both inside and out provide a compelling reason for the Mazda3.  Add in the driving dynamics and this car quickly rises to the top.



April 28, 2014 1 comment
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Challenges to Vehicle Electrification Come From Many Angles

Challenges to Vehicle Electrification Come From Many Angles

written by Walter Wang

Sales of electric vehicles are gradually growing in the US.  In 2012, 52,000 EV’s and plug-in hybrids were sold.  That number grew to over 95,000 in 2013 and sales during the first quarter of 2014 have outpaced the same period in 2013.  Growth is expected to continue as automakers will have to meet a fleet-wide average of 54.5 mpg by 2025, though consumers will see numbers closer to 36 mpg on the window sticker as the EPA uses a different method for window stickers, according to Jessica Caldwell, senior analyst at Edmunds.com.

While growth in this sector of the auto industry is all but assured, challenges ranging from raw materials to technology to infrastructure remain.  Each one of these areas presents unique challenges to the industry.  In a recent discussion with Mike Tinskey, head of vehicle electrification at Ford, we touched on a wide range of topics regarding the EV and plug-in hybrid market.  Tinskey was in San Diego for a quarterly meeting of the California Plug-in Electric Vehicle Collaborative, a group whose members include automakers, utilities, government bodies, and various policy institutes.  While other automakers have been developing platforms that are EV/plug-in specific, Tinsky noted that Ford is committed to offering consumers the power of choice, meaning Ford can leverage existing platforms for multiple types of vehicles.  For instance, with the Ford Fusion, you can have your choice of the traditional internal combustion engine, hybrid, or plug-in hybrid.

During our conversation, Tinskey noted that cities like San Diego where there has been a shift in recent years to high-rises and multi-family housing, EV charging infrastructure has become a big issue.  No longer can you simply drive into your garage and plug-in.  With high rises and multi-family housing, you might have to work with property management or the homeowner’s association (HOA) or both to obtain the necessary charging infrastructure.  This can be a big hurdle in getting consumers to buy EV’s or plug-in hybrids.

HOA’s may initially be reluctant to install charging stations that only benefit one or two of the homeowners.  The underlying thinking may be that this is only a benefit to one or two, so why should the HOA pay for it.  That thinking misses the point, which is homeowners and prospective homeowners are asking for this infrastructure now.  Absent this infrastructure, the long term value and attractiveness of a building may be lower compared to a building that has charging infrastructure in place.  What that means is if HOA is reluctant or unwilling to put in charging stations for one or two homeowners, the HOA does harm to the whole community by effectively limiting the pool of prospective buyers in the future where EV’s and plug-ins become more prevalent than they are today.

Because of the efficiency standards automakers are required to meet in the future, EV’s and plug-ins will become a greater part of the pool of vehicles available to consumers.  Assuming sales of EV’s and plug-in hybrids continue to rise, there will be a larger pool of people who own these vehicles, which means residential buildings which lack the charging infrastructure may lose out.  Put differently, if you are a homeowner in a high rise or multi-family housing complex, would you want the pool of prospective buyers to be limited simply because your HOA refuses to put in the charging infrastructure?

While in states like California, HOA’s cannot prohibit or restrict the installation or use of an EV charging station.  Reasonable restrictions that do not significantly increase the cost are permitted however.  Yet, despite this generally favorable law, the overall cost of installing a charging station by an individual owner in these circumstances may be significant and defeat the whole purpose of purchasing an EV or plug-in hybrid.  Third party solution providers are out there, but be wary of the monthly “membership fees” that such third party solution providers may charge.  These “membership fees” combined with the payment for electricity usage may in certain circumstances be equal to how much one might spend on gas depending on your habits.  The solution is for HOA’s to move forward, make the capital improvement that will benefit the entire community in more ways than one.

We hear daily about range anxiety, cost of these cars, and national and local infrastructure.  These are all valid challenges the industry faces.  Yet, as our living habits shift towards more urban environments, the challenges in dealing with HOA’s are brought to the fore and may be the most difficult challenge yet.  Technological innovation will solve range anxiety and cost issues.  National and local infrastructure will eventually take hold.  After all, it’s possible to drive a Tesla across the country using Tesla’s supercharger network.  The real challenge is getting the HOA to say yes to a capital improvement when HOA’s are often reluctant, skeptical, and not very progressive.



April 15, 2014 3 comments
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First Solar Signs 20 Year PPA for 52MW Jordan Project

First Solar Signs 20 Year PPA for 52MW Jordan Project

written by Walter Wang

First Solar and Shams Ma’an Power Generation announced yesterday that they have signed a 20 year power purchase agreement with National Electric Power Company for a 52.5 MW solar power plant in Jordan.

The power plant, when completed will represent one percent of the country’s overall generation capacity, supplying power to 35,000 homes.  It is estimated that the project will reduce the country’s carbon footprint by 90,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year, the equivalent of taking 20,000 cars off the road.

“This agreement marks a significant step towards fulfilling Jordan’s energy security goals. By efficiently harnessing the country’s most abundant energy resource, Shams Ma’an will help power sustainable growth and development with clean, affordable and reliable solar electricity,” said Ahmed S. Nada, Vice President of Business Development for First Solar in the Middle East.

In addition to supplying the company’s thin film photovoltaic modules, First Solar will also provide EPC and O&M services to the project.  The project is part of the Ma’an Development Area in southern Jordan, which when completed, will constitute four complementary clusters including a residential community and industrial park.



March 19, 2014 0 comment
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Uruguay Sees Value in Switching to Electric Vehicles

Uruguay Sees Value in Switching to Electric Vehicles

written by Walter Wang

In many parts of the world, reliance on fossil-fueled buses and taxis for transportation is the norm.  In Uruguay, this is no different.  However, for the past several months, the city of Montevideo has been testing the electric powered BYD zero emissions, pure electric Rapid Transit eBus (K9) and BYD e6 5 passenger pure-electric taxi.  Results of the testing were recently released and provide concrete evidence that electric vehicles provide long term economic and environmental value.

The bus was tested for 1,279 kilometers (800 miles) across four urban routes at different times and with different speeds.  The average range of the bus was 252 kilometers (157 miles) per night time charge.  The average energy consumption was 1.26 kWh/km for the 324 kWh battery pack.

According to Roberto Kreimerman, Minister of Transportation, “electric vehicles reduce environmental pollution, city noise pollution and national fossil-fuel dependence. Considering that the transportation sector represents over 30% of the total energy consumed in the country, it is very important to domesticate this fuel spend.”

The study also showed that the total cost of ownership of an electric bus was 60% less than a standard diesel bus.  For the electric taxis, the lifetime total cost of ownership was estimated to be 50% less than traditional gasoline taxis.

Because Uruguay imports a vast majority of their fossil fuels, “the use of electric vehicles increases national energy independence and security considering that 90% of the electricity ….could be purchased from renewable sources”, according to Mr. Mendez, National Director of Energy.



March 18, 2014 1 comment
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Microinverters Front and Center: SolarBridge Closes $42 Million Funding Round

Microinverters Front and Center: SolarBridge Closes $42 Million Funding Round

written by Walter Wang

The microinverter business is heating up. Installers and consumers alike are finding out that microinverter technology provides better return on investment than a string inverter. Using a conventional solar installation, any drop in a module’s performance will reduce the output of every other module in the string. With a microinverter system, the maximum amount of energy is extracted from each and every panel, thus isolating performance issues of any single module. The investment community has now joined the party and the microinverter business is poised to heat up.

This week, Austin based SolarBridge Technologies closed a $42 million round of funding led by Constellation Technology Ventures, part of Exelon Corp. The funding, according to the company, will be used to expand sales and marketing and focus on research and development as the company scales its customer base across North America and Australia.

In addition to Constellation Technology Ventures, previous investors Shea Ventures, Rho Ventures and Prelude Ventures participated in the financing. Michael Smith, Constellation vice president and head of Constellation Technology Ventures, will join the SolarBridge Board of Directors.

Regarding the company’s AC Module technology, CEO Bill Mulligan noted that “AC modules are changing the way distributed PV is sold, designed and installed. Quality and reliability are critical differentiators in the microinverter segment, and our performance has established SolarBridge as best-in-class technology for executing a TrueAC module.”

The funding provides SolarBridge with a war chest to scale up and eventually compete with market leader Enphase, whose 2013 shipments of microinverters far outpaced SolarBridge.

Walter Wang is an energy tax policy expert and managing editor of CleanTechies. A list of his publications can be found here. Follow Walter on Twitter: @energytaxprof

 



March 8, 2014 0 comment
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Trina Solar Sees Continued Demand in China and Japan

Trina Solar Sees Continued Demand in China and Japan

written by Walter Wang

Chinese company Trina Solar Ltd. announced financial results for 2013 today. The company shipped 2.58 GW of PV modules in 2013 compared to 1.59 GW in 2012. The company also saw net revenues increase 36.9% from 2012 to $1.77 billion. Gross profits also increased to $218.2 million, an increase of 281.2% from 2012. Year over year increaseswere driven largely by rising shipment volumes to China and Japan.

In releasing the financial results from 2013, Trina Solar also made some forward looking projections for 2014. The company expects to total PV module shipments for 2014 to be between 3.6 GW and 3.8 GW representing an increase of 39.5% to 47.3% respectively from 2013.

“In 2014, we are optimistic that solar PV demand will continue to be strong and expect China, Japan, as well as the broader Asia Pacific region and the Middle East to be key drivers of this increased demand. At the same time, we remain committed to securing ongoing growth in Europe. To capitalize on this growing demand, we will work towards solidifying our leading position in modules sales,” Chief Executive Officer, Jifan Gao said in a statement. The company expects continued growth in China following the government’s increased target of 14 GW of new solar installations for 2014.

Trina shares opened the trading day at $15.23 and at the time of writing are trading at $16.23 on the New York Stock Exchange.

 



March 4, 2014 0 comment
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High Net-Worth Individuals Getting in on the Solar PPA Game

High Net-Worth Individuals Getting in on the Solar PPA Game

written by Walter Wang

Investment in solar projects in the United States has largely been the purview of large financial institutions with the tax appetite to utilize the investment tax credit, thus favoring larger solar projects. Now, with innovative financing structures, high net-worth individuals can get in on the game and unrated credit customers with smaller solar projects can save money on future energy costs. A win-win. This week, Conergy a leading global solar photovoltaic downstream company, along with its owner, Kawa Capital Management, Inc. (Kawa) has closed one of the first leveraged tax equity partnership structures with individual investors who could utilize the investment tax credits.

The first project to utilize this innovative financing structure happens to also be Palo Alto’s second largest solar roof system. The system, installed at the Oshman Family JCC (OFJCC) in a partnership with THiNKnrg is a 397.5 kW system. Encompassing 1,840 solar panels spread across the rooftops of 12 buildings, the project is expected to save $26,000 in the first year and an estimated $1.5 million in energy savings over the 20 year PPA. The solar energy system will supply approximately 20 percent of the OFJCC’s energy needs. In addition to its financial savings, the OFJCC will reduce its carbon footprint by more than 3,000 tons of CO2 during the 20-year lease, which is the equivalent to planting 68 acres trees.

According to Anthony Fotopoulos, CEO, Conergy Americas, “Combining individual investor appetite for investment tax credits alongside debt from specialized financial institutions like Kawa in this new structure allows Conergy to uniquely finance projects that previously were too small for typical tax equity investors, or didn’t fit usual tax equity requirements. Solar projects that were previously considered un-financeable, can now be financed.” Fotopoulos further noted, “There’s no reason any building or land should be prevented from having solar on it should they want it.”

 



February 26, 2014 0 comment
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Pedal Power for Solar Power

Pedal Power for Solar Power

written by Walter Wang

We love a good adventure, especially for a good cause – so we’re excited to announce that we are one of Climate Ride’s newest beneficiaries, and we’re looking for intrepid cyclists to join us!

Climate Ride is the nation’s largest cycling event raising support for organizations dedicated to climate change issues, renewable energy and sustainability. Amazing riding, epic scenery, and great speakers all combine to make this a remarkable experience. And the best part? When you ride for Vote Solar your fundraising directly supports our work to power the country with clean, homegrown solar energy!

You can ride for Vote Solar in any of Climate Ride’s 4 events across the country this year. But the soonest one in May – a California wine country trek from San Francisco to Sacramento – is filling up fast. Other rides include NYC to DC and Grand Rapids to Chicago (both in September) and there’s even a hike in Glacier National Park if that’s more your thing.

Register for Climate Ride today and use your pedal power for solar power!

Need some more info? Check out the Climate Ride website for more details or give Ashley a holler at (415) 817-5063 or ashley@votesolar.org.

Vote Solar is a non-profit grassroots organization working to fight climate change and foster economic opportunity by bringing solar energy into the mainstream.



February 26, 2014 1 comment
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Offshore Wind Turbines May Weaken Hurricanes

written by Walter Wang

As one of nature’s most destructive forces, hurricanes are unstoppable storms that can cause total devastation for coastal communities. While Mother Nature is unpredictable and uncontrollable, there are researchers and scientists who think hurricanes can be weakened or even stopped. One idea: wind turbines.

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February 26, 2014 1 comment
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On Green Patenting, Sewage Sludge, and EPA Rulings and Regulations

written by Walter Wang

Environmental regulations can, of course, impact the development and implementation of green technologies. This can happen on an industry level, for example, when automobile fuel efficiency technology is improved in response to rising CAFE standards.

It can also happen on a smaller scale and affect

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February 25, 2014 0 comment
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Smart Grid Concepts from the U.S. Department of Energy

written by Walter Wang

Here’s a video just posted on the ARPA-E (Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy) YouTube video channel, presenting a bit of information on the U.S. Department of Energy’s involvement in smart grid.

By design, it’s not very detailed; it covers a great

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February 25, 2014 0 comment
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IBM Harnesses Crowdsourcing in the Amazon Rainforest to Educate and Conserve

written by Walter Wang

A year ago, we reported on an IBM effort called Water Watchers, an android app and portal that makes it possible for citizens to report water issues in South Africa. Now, IBM is at it again, harnessing its core competencies in big data and app development to solve social and environmental issues, while educating citizens and earning

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February 24, 2014 0 comment
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