Perpetual Innovation

Category: SustainZine

  • USA, The OverConsumer of Paradise

    Despite comprising just 4.3% of the global population, the U.S.
    accounts for a staggering 32% of worldwide personal consumption. This
    statistic highlights the significant economic weight of American
    consumers, who drive demand both at home and abroad. However, it also
    underscores a profound social responsibility: as a dominant force in
    global consumption, U.S. consumers have the power to influence market
    trends, sustainability practices, and social equity. The choices made by
    American shoppers not only shape the economy but also have far-reaching
    implications for the planet and future generations.

    Source: International Monetary Fund; United Nations as of December 2023.

    Assistance of ChatGPT and Image by DALL-E (2024, Aug) with prompts by E. Hall. 

    #Sustainability #Consumption #EconomicDevelopment #IntellZine #SustainZine 

  • Renewable Energy and IRA 2022

    Quick take for Inflation Reduction Act 2022

    The Inflation Reduction Act is a huge
    legislation act passed in 2022. It includes increases in taxes (mostly
    corporate related), limits to some spending (like drugs), and a lot toward
    energy efficiency and renewable energy. See the overview on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inflation_Reduction_Act_of_2022

    Renewable Energy Incentives. The IRA has raised and extended the
    30% investment tax credit to qualified renewable energy investments. There are
    many limitations and additions. Look for updated blogs here and get informed
    from the IRS and Treasury. 

    The 30% ITC for 10 Years. The 30% Investment Tax Credit was being
    reduced over time. The rate had dropped to 26% but was held at 26% through the pandemic.
    Now 30% is held through 2032 before phasing down. In 2033 and 2034, the ITC
    rates will be 26% and 22% respectively. If no further legislation is passed the
    ITC would phase out after 2034.

    Certainty. These 14 years of Investment Tax
    Credit provides an amazing amount of certainty to businesses and residential
    customers as well as the whole solar manufacturing and installation complex.

    Something for Nonprofits and Governments. Note that the ITC applies to more
    than solar. It applies to qualified batteries, wind and more. One big complaint
    with the Investment Tax Credit of the past is that it only applies to residents
    and businesses that pay taxes. Nothing for low-income who pay no income tax,
    nothing for nonprofits, nothing for government. The IRA law provides for
    rebates to nonprofits and governments that install renewable energy systems. This
    is a 30% rebate. The details of this aspect of the law are still being refined
    as of November 2022, it would appear. So, check with your favorite tax advisor
    on how to apply for the rebate before jumping into the investment.

    Strategic Business Planning Company
    (and SustainZine) developed a calculator and produced blogs and videos in 2020
    related to solar for residential and commercial. That means that when you work
    through the numbers using 26% ITC, you should come up with a much more
    profitable investment. The ITC is 30% and power inflation is wicked high, maybe
    4% or 5% forecasted. The residential calculator will now work for nonprofits
    and governments at 30% rebate (not ITC)! This is a game changer. Without any tax incentives, a solar or wind installation is just a good thing to do, and an okay investment. Now it will be a good investment as well as (still) being a good thing to do for the future and for the planet.

    Sometime soon we at SBP will revisit the
    articles and calculators for the new tax laws under the IRA. For now, enjoy the
    options that are provided for us all to be much more self sufficient and reduce
    our energy bills.

    For anyone (or nonprofit) considering
    renewable energy, it is probably a good investment. For most businesses, it is
    a crazy good investment, that just got a little bit better.

     

    The US Treasury Department offers a Fact Sheet on IRA Clean
    Energy Incentives: https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/FactSheet-Implementing-IRA-Climate-CleanEnergy-TaxIncentives.pdf

    Here’s a pretty good overview of the law: https://www.mofo.com/resources/insights/220810-369bn-climate-deal-americas-path-to-climate-resilience

    #SustainZine #Solar #RenewableEnergy #SBPlan #IRA2022 #InflationReductionAct

  • Solar Investment is Crazy Profitable for Businesses and Good for Homeowners

    [Update. The Inflation Reduction Act 2022 has raised and extended the 30% investment tax credit to qualified investments. There are many limitations and additions. See our Blog post here. This makes all the financial discussions below much more profitable. Also, higher inflation and higher power inflation. The below Article was originally published in Summer of 2020.]
     
    SBP has done several detailed financial calculators for analyzing both residential and commercials solar projects. SustainZine has a main web page on Solar Profitability where
    we discuss examples from our Solar Profitability Calculators: https://www.sustainzine.com/p/solarinvest.html
    … Here are articles – and YouTube videos – discussing
    both:
    1. Quick Take on 
      Residential Solar      : Solar
      Invest 2020: Do Good and Save Money Too       … See the video related to
      Residential here:       Solar Residential: Good Investment & Doing Good
    2. Full Financial Analysis: SolarInvest2020:
      Residential Solar is Good, but Commercial Solar can be Crazy Profitable!       …
      See the video related to Commercial/Business here:       Solar for a Business can be Crazy Profitable: Do
      Good by Doing Well
    YouTube Video on Residential: Solar Residential: Good Investment & Doing Good https://youtu.be/p0pqg4ZeTjY
    Dr Elmer Hall talks about the doing good and making money at
    residential Solar. He discusses that subtilties of the financial analysis for a
    homeowner, and why it typically is a far better decision than a typical profit
    analysis would suggest. #SustainZine #Solar #RenewableEnergy #SBPLan
    YouTube Video on Commercial Business: Solar for a
    Business can be Crazy Profitable: Do Good by Doing Well     https://youtu.be/ulryBkhsKWg

    Dr Elmer Hall talks
    about the doing good and making money by a business installing Solar. He
    discusses the financial analysis for a business and why it probably is such a
    great investment. The investment for businesses has huge tax savings. Plus, the
    money to pay for power to operate the business is already committed if the
    building is used. This is Part 2: See part 1 related to Residential as well.
    #SustainZine #Solar #RenewableEnergy #SBPLan #Profitability #CrazyProfitable 

  • Big winners of Renewable Energy: IP and Manufacturing

    Renewable Energy Patents in 2019

    As you look at the companies
    that are winners in Renewable Energy (RE) you have distinct winners (and
    losers, especially in the fossil fuel world). But there are entire countries
    that stand to win as well. Several countries have become exporters of energy,
    for example, when they produce more regional energy than they can use. I like
    the image set related to 25 areas/countries that are winners in Renewable
    Energy (at     LoveMoney.com,
    The world’s greenest nations that are reaping the rewards    ). Here’s Love/Money’s
    take on China, both in terms of the technology (Intellectual Property) and the
    manufacturing/exporting:

    “Of all patents for renewable energy issued globally, as of 2016 China
    has 29%. That’s more than 150,000 patents, which underlines the focus of
    China’s investment in the industry. So it’s not a shock that the country
    has been dubbed a “renewable energy superpower” in a recent report issued
    by the Global Commission on the Geopolitics of Energy Transformation. The
    report argued that, as renewables come to fossil fuels globally, new energy
    leaders will emerge    .    ”
    The US had only 100,000
    patents (vs 150,000 for China) and Europe had 75,000 in renewables according to
    the Forbesanalysis in Jan 2019.  Overall,
    patents in renewables has made impressive progress, even though RE patents are
    only 1% of all patents (and other high-tech categories like computers are about
    6%). Check out the great article at the World Intellectual Property
    Organization (WIPO) on RenewableEnergy patents by James Nurton. More than half of the RE patents through
    the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) are in solar. Fuel Cell technology has
    consistently exceeded Wind in terms of patents. Fuel Cell (using hydrogen) is
    important because it can function as battery, battery backup, stationary power
    and portable power. Geothermal is trivial are of RE patent activity. When the
    RE “international” patents (PCTs) are registered at the national level the
    first three countries are: Japan, USA, and Germany.
    On the
    manufacturing/exporting side, China has been a huge producer of the world’s
    renewables (solar, wind and more). Here’s how LoveMoneysummarized Chinese production of RE:
     “China
    is currently the world’s largest exporter of solar panels, wind turbines,
    batteries and electric vehicles. The country is well-suited to wind power
    production, and it has an estimated potential capacity of 2,380 gigawatts.
    What’s more, many Chinese companies are investing in renewables    .”
    Keep in mind that many things sustainable are lower tech,
    not higher tech. Much, if not most of sustainable solutions does not require
    break-through solutions. Using less energy can be very low tech (turning the
    lights out when out). Driving less (by telework) can be no tech. But in the cases
    where leading tech can be a major competitive advantage, he owners of IP will
    win.
    Look also at GlobalTrends in Renewable Energy Investment in 2019 by UN Environment Program and
    Bloomberg. Where is RE coming from? The investment from 2010 through 2019 has
    been $2.6T with 52% in Solar and $41% in Wind.
    And the final question: how do we get to 100% renewable
    energy in a reasonably short period of time?
    #RenewableEnergy #REPatents #IntellectualProperty
    #IntellZine #SustainZine #WIPO #Sustainability #PCT #REInvestment #Solar #Wind
    #RE100

  • Innovation: Social Irresponsibility: Energy, cost of carbon

    Check out the workings for markets in Carbon…


    Cap n trade, tax and trade, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

    • Australia does Carbon Tax and shift.
    • Texas sets up a Carbon Exchange.
    • California has a huge lift in the prices of Carbon allocations (CCA) because of the down time of a nuclear power plant.

    Overall, the price per ton of carbon is now at between $8 and $23.


    Anything above free, is probably a very good thing for the true costs of energy.


    SustainZine: Social Irresponsibility: Energy, cost of carbon

    Coming soon to an eBook store near you: Social Responsibility by the www.RefractiveThinker.com.