Key trends in this Quarterly Update include: Tariffs on Chinese solar imports and revised FITs in Ontario altered the market landscape for 2012. Several new data points continue to document price declines, particularly for solar in the Southwestern US, for contracts executed in late 2010 and 2011. California utilities signed a nearly equal mix of wind and solar PPAs in Q1-accounting for 45% of all announcements-as SPP, MISO, WECC, and ERCOT focused heavily on wind and captured the remainder of PPAs. The US Army and Defense Logistics Agency accounted for nearly 60% of the MWhs sought in Q1 2012 RFPs-highlighting the growing role of the military for renewables growth. Minnesota Power's plan to use Manitoba Hydro's resources as a battery for wind power tops the list of innovative solutions for integrating renewable energy.
Key trends in this Quarterly Update include: