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Today solar power is still dominantly presented to be expensive source of electricity. However, the profitability of solar and other electricity generation technologies is typically evaluated with the Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) approach. This paper questions the traditional investment evaluation logics of power production (LCOE) in the interesting case of rooftop PVs and based on customer value generation logics presents a new approach for evaluating the profitability of rooftop PV investments. The approach recognizes the value that PVs produce to real estate owners and utilize basic real estate investment models to evaluate the profitability of PVs. The results imply that, if PVs are considered as a part of the underlying property, rooftop PV systems are already today profitable in many European cities and can provide substantial returns on investment for property owners. More interestingly, the results imply that rooftop PV investments are most profitable in the dense urban cores instead of more remote (industrial) locations, and thus the current trend of urbanization seems to further strengthen the profitability of rooftop solar power. This paper points out that spatial locations drive the economic analysis of real estate, and thus it is likely that it will drive the economic analysis of decentralized on-site energy investments as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Greater penetrations of variable renewable generation on some electric grids have resulted in increased levels of curtailment in recent years. Studies of renewable energy grid integration have found that curtailment levels may grow as the penetration of wind and solar energy generation increases. This paper reviews international experience with curtailment of wind and solar energy on bulk power systems in recent years, with a focus on eleven countries in Europe, North America, and Asia. It examines levels of curtailment, the causes of curtailment, curtailment methods and use of market-based dispatch, as well as operational, institutional, and other changes that are being made to reduce renewable energy curtailment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper analyses the renewable energy issues and electricity production in Middle East compared with Iran. Nevertheless, the use of renewable energy has started to be an interesting issue for people and also governments in Middle East, especially in Iran where all different types of renewable energy sources (RES) are available and also possible to implement for gaining required energy. There are many different kinds of renewable energy sources like geothermal, bio fuel, tidal and so on, but wind and solar energies are more available and accessible than other types in Middle Eastern countries. Nowadays, the rapidly increasing demand for electrical energy and the high restriction on pollution levels have led to an increasing interest in large-scale utilization of renewable energies across many countries in Middle East. This paper analyzes the electricity production in Middle East and also reviews different aspects of renewable energy issues in Iran. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In some countries, photovoltaic (PV) technology is at a stage of development at which it can compete with conventional electricity sources in terms of electricity generation costs, i.e., grid parity. A case in point is Germany, where the PV market has reached a mature stage, the policy support has scaled down and the diffusion rate of PV systems has declined. This development raises a fundamental question: what are the motives to adopt PV systems at grid parity? The point of departure for the relevant literature has been on the impact of policy support, adopters and, recently, local solar companies. However, less attention has been paid to the motivators for adoption at grid parity. This paper presents an in-depth analysis of the diffusion of PV systems, explaining the impact of policy measures, adopters and system suppliers. Anchored in an extensive and exploratory case study in Germany, we provide a context-specific explanation to the motivations to adopt PV systems at grid parity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A significant number of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) analyses of renewable energy technologies is available in the literature, even though there is a lack of consistent conclusions about the life cycle impacts of the different technologies. The reported results vary consistently, according to the size and the technology of the considered plant, thus limiting the utility of LCA to inform policy makers and constituting a barrier to the deployment of a full awareness on sustainable energies. This variability in LCA results, in fact, can generate confusion regarding the actual environmental consequences of implementing renewable technologies. The article reviews approximately 50 papers, related to more than 100 different case studies regarding solar energy (Concentrated Solar Power, Photovoltaic), wind power, hydropower, and geothermal power. A methodology for the harmonization of the results is presented. The detailed data collection and the results normalization and harmonization allowed a more reliable comparison of the various renewable technologies. For most of the considered environmental indicators, wind power technologies turn out to be the low end while geothermal and PV technologies the high end of the impact range where all the other technologies are positioned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geothermal, solar and wind are all clean, renewable energies with a huge amount of resources and a great potential of electricity generation. Geothermal energy had definitely dominated the renewable energy market in terms of the installed electricity power about 30 years ago. The unfortunate fact is that the total installed capacity of geothermal electricity has been eclipsed by solar and wind in recent years. In this paper, benefits of using renewable energy resources (RER) have been summarized and attempt has been made to explain the recent trends causing the shift from geothermal energy to solar and wind. Cost, payback time, size of power generation, construction time, resource capacity, characteristics of resource, and other factors were to compare geothermal, solar, and wind power generation systems. Furthermore, historical data from geothermal, solar, and wind industries were collected and analyzed at the global scale. The data from hydropower were also considered in the comparison. Finally, we proposed suggestions for the geothermal industry to catch up with solar and wind industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Oman relies on gas and oil resources fuels for almost all of its energy needs. Almost 99% of its power generation is based on natural gas. However, the country''s natural gas supplies are currently largely committed, and it may become a net importer soon. Therefore, there is a need to look for alternative energy resources. This paper presents a review of the assessed potential of renewable resources and practical limitations to their considerable use in the perspective of present scenarios and future projections of the national energy for Oman. Solar and wind are likely to play an important role in the future energy in Oman provided that clear policies are established by the higher authority for using renewable energy resources. Rural Areas Electric Company has initiated solar and wind pilot projects in its concession area to confirm the performance and efficiency of renewable technologies in local conditions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]