Knollwood Energy : Blog

Announcing Knollwood Energy of MA LLC

2012-03-15T15:41:45+00:00

Effective March 8, 2012 Knollwood Energy, LLC assigned the rights to its facilities in Massachusetts to its affiliate Knollwood Energy of MA LLC. This new LLC will allow us to focus time and capital specifically on the needs of the dynamic Massachusetts market.

This transition is seamless to the customer. The current contracts of Massachusetts customers have been taken over by Knollwood Energy of MA LLC. MA DOER will be assigning all current Knollwood Energy LLC customers to the new entity.

The primary contacts remain the same:

Alane Lakritz - President, Alane@KnollwoodEnergy.com, 862-432-0259
Karen Adelman - VP of Sales, Karen@KnollwoodEnergy.com, 862-432-0370
Amy Molinaro - MA Operations Manager, Amy@KnollwoodEnergy.com, 908-955-0590

We thank all of our customers for their business and we look forward to continuing to provide you with outstanding service.

NJ SREC Update

2012-02-23T18:55:42+00:00

New Jersey solar installations hit a record in the month of January, with about 85MW getting installed in the month. The reason for the tremendous bulge is due to the timing of the end of the Treasury 1603 tax grant. This brings total installed capacity to about 650MW. As can be seen from the table below, this is about as much solar as is needed for the 2014 SREC year, which begins June 1, 2013.

We would expect the rate of installation to drop dramatically from the January level, but the 1603 impact should be impacting installations throughout the 2012 calendar year. We are estimating install rates to average 20MW/month for the period between now and the end of the 2013 SREC year, or May of 2013.

With these estimates, we expect to see depressed SREC prices in New Jersey for the foreseeable future unless there are either legislative or BPU changes to increase demand.

SREC                            RPS installation                    Projected Excess
Year                            requirements (MW)        installation (MW)* installation (MW)
2012                                      368 500 132
2013                                      497 730 233
2014                                      643 970 327
2015                                      804 1,090 286
2016                                      958 1,210 252
2017                                   1,131                                1,330                                  199
2018                                   1,326                                1,450                                  124
2019                                   1,548                                1,570                                    22
2020                                   1,803                                1,690                                 -113

*Assumes 20MW/month thru May 2013, then 10MW/month thereafter
Also, this does not include the cumulative impact of banked SRECs, which would increase the number of years until the market is in balance.

3rd Quarter Massachusetts SRECs Staying Strong

2012-01-31T15:17:17+00:00

Massachusetts minted third quarter (July-September 2011) SRECs on January 15th. Knollwood Energy sold all third quarter MA Solar Renewable Energy Credits for $541. We are committed to providing our customers with excellent customer service, low fees and competitive pricing.

The chart below represents Knollwood Energy's selling price for MA SRECs since the inception of the program.

2011 Credits		Knollwood Energy Sale price
First quarter		$539
Second quarter		$539
Third quarter		$541

2010 Credits		Knollwood Energy Sale Price
First quarter		$580
Second quarter		$580
Third quarter		$580
Fourth quarter		$580

Knollwood Energy is one of the largest institutional sellers of solar renewable energy credits in the country. We have been monetizing credits since 2006 with over 3700 residential and commercial systems. Our experience, size and direct relationship with utility buyers enables us to maximize the revenue for all of our customers. We transform our customers into a multi-megawatt institutional seller. The utilities pay us a premium to get a large quantity of credits in one transaction. Our customers benefit from Knollwood’s ability to strategically place anticipated SRECs when strong market conditions present themselves. We do not charge our buyers a fee, which in turn means better pricing for our customers!

**** Please note, the deadline to register installations that occurred prior to December 31, 2011 is February 15th. Please contact us ASAP to register your solar installation. We will take care of all the required paperwork to get a system approved and registered for MA SRECs before the deadline.

A Clean Energy Announcement from the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources

2012-01-31T14:20:26+00:00

This week, President Obama and Governor Patrick both confirmed their visions for our clean energy future. In the State of the Union speech, the President talked about the “promise of clean energy,” and said “nowhere is the promise of innovation greater than in American-made energy.” In the Governor’s State of the Commonwealth address, he brought it home, reminding us that the Green Communities Act fundamentally shifted our state’s energy focus toward efficiency and renewable energy.

Thanks to this leadership and the work of thousands across Massachusetts, we’ve made significant clean energy progress over the last year. Please take a minute and view my Massachusetts 2011 Clean Energy Year in Review post on our Energy Smarts blog to see many of the advances we made together in 2011.

Click the image below to see the advances in our energy agenda from last year. You can also view the Massachusetts 2011 Clean Energy Year In Review on this site: http://prezi.com/x07ifhovrdku/massachusetts-2011-clean-energy-year-in-review/

It’s been an exciting first year as commissioner and I look forward to continuing my work with you as we create a cleaner energy future together.

Thank You,

Commissioner Mark Sylvia

Department of Energy Resources

DOER Releases Solar Carve-out ACP Guideline to Establish 10 Year Forward Schedule

2011-12-28T19:40:09+00:00

After carefully reviewing the public comments that were received, the Department of Energy Resources (DOER) is pleased to publish the Guideline that establishes a rolling 10 year Alternative Compliance Payment (ACP) Rate Schedule for the RPS Solar Carve-out. The schedule maintains the ACP Rate at its current level through Compliance Year 2013, and then reduces the Rate at 5% per year. The ACP Rate Schedule was established with consideration of price levels necessary to maintain robust solar development, while protecting ratepayers from unnecessary cost impacts.

DOER recognizes the importance to project developers and project financers, along with retail electric suppliers with compliance obligations, of having greater certainty about the ACP Rate further into the future. DOER expects this newly provided certainty will enhance parties’ abilities to project SREC revenue streams and facilitate project financing and negotiations for long-term contracts for SRECs.

Process for Implementing Solar ACP Rate Schedule

DOER will shortly commence rulemaking with limited scope to revise 225 CMR 14.00 to integrate the Solar ACP Rate Schedule into the Solar Carve-Out provisions as substitute for the current section 225 CMR 14.08(3)(b)2 that provides DOER the discretion to reduce the Rate annually.

10-year Forward Schedule
Alternative Compliance Payment (ACP) Rate
MA Solar Carve-Out
RPS Program 225 CMR 14.00

Compliance Year	ACP Rate per MWh
2012	$550
2013	$550
2014	$523
2015	$496
2016	$472
2017	$448
2018	$426
2019	$404
2020	$384
2021	$365
2022 and after	added no later than January 31, 2012 (and annually thereafter) following stakeholder review

Rep. Ross’s Bill (1580) Hearing in Consumer Affairs Has Been Postponed

2011-11-20T14:42:07+00:00

Rep. Godshall put out the following statement on tomorrow’s scheduled first hearing on the bill to save solar in PA.

“Good morning. Tomorrow has been scheduled as a voting session day beginning at 11 AM. Due to the length of time that will be required to conduct hearing on HB 1580, Chairman Godshall has decided to cancel tomorrow's hearing. The Chairman regrets that the hearing had to be canceled however, knowing that many of you will be traveling a distance to Harrisburg to participate, he felt it necessary to make a decision as early in the day as possible to prevent any unnecessary travel."

The main implication of this delay, is that it will now be impossible for the bill to be signed this year. While it is possible that they could keep the state closing effective date Jan 1, 2012, the most likely scenario would be to delay the effective date to the day the bill is signed or June 1, 2012 which is the start of the new SREC year.

It is not too late to contact your Representative to ask for their support. Also, if your Representative is in the Consumer Affairs Committee (see list below), please make sure to call and ask them to support the bill and push for a vote in the committee.

Below is the list of the Rs on the Consumer Affairs Committee and not signed onto the Ross bill:

Robert W. Godshall - Hatfield (215) 368-3500; Harrisburg (717) 783-6428
Warren Kampf - Paoli (610) 251-2876; Audubon (610) 631-2865; Harrisburg (717) 260-6166
Brian L. Ellis - Lyndora (724) 283-5852; Harrisburg (717) 787-7686
Rob W. Kauffman - Chambersburg (717) 264-3943; Shippensburg (717) 532-1707; Harrisburg (717) 705-2004
Sheryl M. Delozier - Camp Hill (717) 761-4665; Harrisburg (717) 783-5282
Julie Harhart - Northampton (610) 502-2701; Slatington (610) 760-9805; Harrisburg (717) 772-5398
Hon. John D. Payne - Hershey (717) 534-1323; Harrisburg (717) 787-2684
Scott Perry - Dillsburg (717) 432-0792; Harrisburg (717) 783-8783
Tina Pickett - Towanda (570) 265-3124; Harrisburg (717) 783-8238
Todd Stehens - North Wales (215) 368-5165; Harrisburg (717) 260-6163
Marcy Toepel - Red Hill (215) 679-3082; Harrisburg (717) 787-9501

If you need help finding what legislative district you, your employees, or your customers are in you can look up districts by address here.

Below is the full member list of the CONSUMER AFFAIRS COMMITTEE:

Majority (Room 150 MC)

Godshall, Robert W., Chair (717) 783-6428
Kampf, Warren, Secretary (717) 260-6166
Ellis, Brian L., Subcommittee Chair on Telecommunications (717) 787-7686
Kauffman, Rob W., Subcommittee Chair on Public Utilities (717) 705-2004

Delozier, Sheryl M. (717) 783-5282
DiGirolamo, Gene (717) 783-7319
Evans, John R. (717) 772-9940
Farry, Frank A. (717) 260-6140
Harhart, Julie (717) 772-5398
Payne, John D. (717) 787-2684
Perry, Scott (717) 783-8783
Pickett, Tina (717) 783-8238
Reichley, Douglas G (717) 787-1000
Stephens, Todd (717) 260-6163
Toepel, Marcy (717) 787-9501

Minority (Room 202 IOB)

Preston, Joseph, Jr., Democratic Chair (717) 783-1017
Brennan, Joseph F., Democratic Secretary (717) 772-9902
Burns, Frank, Subcommittee Democratic Chair on Telecommunications (717) 772-8056
DePasquale, Eugene, Subcommittee Democratic Chair on Public Utilities (717) 787-7514
Barbin, Bryan (717) 783-1491
Kotik, Nick (717) 783-3780
Matzie, Robert F. (717) 787-4444
Neuman, Brandon P. (717) 783-4834
Parker, Cherelle L. (717) 783-2078
White, Jesse (717) 783-6347

And if you have another minute:

Contact your state senator and ask him/her to sponsor Senator David Argall’s version
of House bill #1580. Our goal is to have up to 25 Senators sign on and currently we are
half way there. Below shows the current list of senate co-sponsors (confirmed as of 11/11/2011).

State Senator                            County
Alloway, Richard L., II (R)           Franklin
Argall, David G. (R)                    Schuylkill
Blake, John (D)                           Lackawanna
Brewster, James (D)                   Allegheny
Corman, Jake (R)                       Perry, Centre
Costa, Jay (D)                             Allegheny
Dinniman, Andrew E. (D)            Chester
Erickson, Edwin B. (R)                Delaware
Farnese, Lawrence M., Jr. (D)    Philly, Center City
Ferlo, Jim (D)                              Allegheny
Fontana, Wayne D. (D)               Allegheny
Greenleaf, Stewart J. (R)            Montco
Leach, Daylin (D)                        Montco
Rafferty, John C., Jr. (R)             Montco
Solobay, Timothy (D)                  Washington
Stack, Michael J. (D)     Philadelphia
Schwank, Judith (D)                   Berks
Tartaglione, Christine M. (D)     Philadelphia

Is your senator one of them? Don’t know who your state senator is? You can check here.

Knollwood Energy Announces New Website and Blog

2011-11-10T18:14:05+00:00

Knollwood Energy is pleased to announce the rollout of our new website and blog. We will strive to provide the market with insight and updates on SREC and solar markets throughout the country. Also, we will focus some blogs on our customers and how solar is helping them.

Many of our existing customers have recently been utilizing the initial functionality of our new Knollwood Energy portal. The portal will provide our customers with information about their accounts and allow them an easy and efficient way to interact with us. Our installer partners will also find new functionality which will make Knollwood Energy the simplest and most efficient SREC partner in the market.

Finally, we will be making announcements about our upcoming consulting and expanded financing opportunities as we continue to evolve Knollwood Energy into the single best solar financing and SREC resource in the country.

Massachusetts SREC Program Update - October 2011

2011-10-14T22:37:23+00:00

Karen joins the Knollwood Energy MA team

Knollwood Energy is pleased to announce that Karen Adelman will be assisting with customer relations in Massachusetts. Karen has been with Knollwood Energy for the past year covering the Pennsylvania market. She can be reached at: Karen@KnollwoodEnergy.com or direct phone number 862-432-0370.

Alane Lakritz will be focusing on business development. She is actively working on enhancing Knollwood Energy's financial product offerings in Massachusetts. Stay tuned for information in the near future on this. She will also be responsible for expanding our market territory in existing SREC states and new states as SREC programs becomes available. Alane is always available to speak with customers, prospects and installers to answer specific questions on Knollwood Energy, the MA SREC program, or about the SREC market in general. She can be reached at Alane@KnollwoodEnergy.com or direct phone number 862-432-0259.

Q2 Minting

Knollwood Energy sold all Q2 credits for $539. Our customers will receive payment by the first week of November. If you are not an existing customer but would like to sell your credits to Knollwood, please contact us, we will be happy to assist.

Q3 SREC Deadline

MA DOER and MassCEC are tightening up the deadlines to submit paperwork. The deadline to submit paperwork for systems interconnected in the third quarter is November 15th. Please email Karen@KnollwoodEnergy.comimmediately if you have a system that interconnected prior to October 1, 2011 and is not set up for SRECs yet. If paperwork is submitted after this deadline, all production prior to October 1, 2011 will be lost.

Mass SREC Update - August 2010

2010-08-13T21:49:56+00:00

First Credits Minted

On July 15, 2010 Massachusetts minted a total of 7 credits under the new solar carve-out SREC program. These credits were generated from solar photovoltaic facilities that were registered and produced at least 1 mwh of production between January - March, 2010. Obviously, this is an extremely low number. It could be due to a couple of factors; facilities that were eligible were not registered and/or systems that were completed during the first quarter were actually started in 2009 under the previous program.

Next MA SREC Minting

The next credits will be minted on October 15th. These credits will be for production ending June 30, 2010. If you had a solar installation that started producing anytime between January - June 2010, it is very important that you contact us ASAP. Knollwood Energy will take care of all the paperwork required to get the facility registered with the MA DOER. We also monitor the facility on the MA Clean Energy Center so, if the system produced at least 1mwh by June 30, 2010, and we can get the system registered in time, we will pay immediately for all Massachusetts SRECs after they are minted - no need to wait for an auction to occur.

Systems that are completed between July - September, 2010 will be minted January 15, 2011. Does this mean you should wait? Absolutely not, we are registering new facilities daily. There is currently no registration backlog with the state. We submit the paperwork and it gets promptly registered.

MA SREC PRICING

Knollwood Energy anticipates that there will not be enough supply to meet the SREC compliance demand for the 2010 reporting year. We are paying our customers over $500 per SREC. We work with residential and commercial facilities of all sizes. The more facilities we have early on as part of our aggregation, the better positioned we are to negotiate with the utilities, which in turn means better pricing per SREC.