Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Indices: Global Highlights
Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Indices: Global Highlights
Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Indices: Global Highlights
Even though it’s now accepted that the Copenhagen climate JI/CDM in the developing world has not to date rivalled feed in
change summit will focus on policy and principles rather than a tariffs in the West as a means of funding renewables projects,
legally binding agreement, expectations remain high: certainly not to an extent sufficient to warrant their elevation in
the CAI: China and India, of course, have powerful independent
1. Will there finally be a deal involving strong commitment from
support mechanisms.
the US, given that the Kerry-Boxer Climate Bill is largely
dependent on the fortunes of President Obama’s healthcare It is interesting to note that the UK ROC scheme consultation
programs and is likely at the time of writing to slip to next potentially allocates 10% of the scheme towards overseas
year, with the prospect of free allocations watering down its projects. It would be good if all nations agreed that a similar
effectiveness in early years? proportion — or even 5% — of their domestic schemes could be
made available to overseas projects in poorer countries, on terms
2. Will China put further strong commitments on the table and
identical to those that would be received if they were domestic to
surprise the West, building on its announcements of very
the country providing such aid. It is, of course, not certain that
strong programs for wind and solar, its intentions to create
this was what the UK proposal had in mind when raising the issue.
its own carbon market and its new target to reduce its carbon
intensity by 40%-45%? The energy industry as a whole is now grappling with the issue
of marshalling unparalleled investment to replace and build new
3. Will European leaders be resolute and united, given
capacity and grid infrastructure with an entirely different mix of
taxpayer and consumer pressures over the cost of support
generating technologies. All this is in a business environment
programmes, or will they seek longer term tariff reductions as
where demand control via smart grids intermingles with
the price of continued feed in support?
consumers becoming producers: intermittent power in some
4. Or will the outcome be mixed, with apparently strong regions becoming the new baseload and in many economies
statements backed up with little substance? energy saving having greater value than production.
Personally I am optimistic, given a 12- to 15- month horizon, For businesses with a sensible eye on the future, Copenhagen
but also realistic in that it is unlikely that Copenhagen and its is likely to mean the death knell of carbon-intensive business
successor conference will answer all the questions: there is sure models and processes, with a degree of change likely that isn’t
to be some devil in the details if not in the rhetoric. yet fully understood. Energy efficiency (the silent renewable)
is likely to become a significant focus for investment as well as
The atmosphere of the climate change debate has shifted
onsite or offsite renewables for energy intensive industries if
radically since Kyoto: the debate centers more on how great the
regulatory mechanisms allow. Businesses will also need to make
cuts in carbon need to be and who pays, rather than whether
sure that fossil fuel-dependent assets are not in fact liabilities
substantial cuts are necessary at all.
or at best subject to accelerated depreciation. Many national
All significant economic powers are now addressing the issue one and global players are reviewing their entire property estate and
way or another, in some cases citing security of energy supply manufacturing facilities on this basis.
and the need to hedge against long-term rises in fossil fuel costs
But what are the implications for the renewables industry,
as significant reinforcing arguments.
which arguably ought to be best placed to deal with the post-
Whatever the specific outcome of Copenhagen, it is likely that Copenhagen world? It seems that the first signs of moving on
carbon and climate change will have come center stage as a key from the depths of recession are appearing and that green
arbiter of future energy and infrastructure investment. Not only is stimulus packages are having some effect; albeit hesitant and
the debate about replacing the aging electricity-generation fleets slower than had hoped — as opposed to planned — in many
of the West, but also the vast deployment of new capacity in the market economies.
East; the extent to which the latter is carbon friendly is the key
Given the scale of the challenge, it is likely that in most
determinant of success.
jurisdictions current support programmes are insufficiently
The debate about who will pay raises the issue of the fuel poor ambitious and will at best require continuation for some years to
and those countries least able to meet the new challenges. The come. “Critical issues in years to come are: how the burden will
concern is that JI/CDM mechanisms have not yet lived fully up fall on the taxpayer/consumer; the effect it will have on the fuel
to expectations. A significant number of projects are subject to poor; and heavy employment of high-energy-using industries.”
controversy over certification, and there are concerns that an
insufficient proportion of the end carbon sale flows through to
the originating project, particularly where projects have sold
long-term positions at relatively low fixed prices to Western
brokers and funds.
Belgium
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Italy
Norway
Spain
Sweden
United Kingdom
Australia
United States
Canada
Japan
Poland
South Africa
Ireland
China
The Netherlands
Portugal
India
Turkey
New Zealand
Brazil
Czech Republic
1946
1955
1964
1973
1982
1991
2000
2009
as valuable as oil reserves are today. In this respect, it is salutary
to note that we are entering the next phase of economic growth
with oil prices already at a high level in real terms relative to our Inflation adjusted 2009 October 2009
current “recession” position in the economic cycle (see graph and
Source: InflationData.com
commentary below).
It is interesting to note that both recent scenarios by the IEA and
the UK’s Ofgem show that an energy strategy with a strong low-
In oil price terms, the most similar previous oil price hike and
carbon component produces lower energy prices in the long-term
subsequent recession was the oil price peak in December 1979
rather than higher. It’s not all down to Copenhagen. and then the recession in the early 80’s. Oil prices dropped off
very quickly during the early eighties and thus demand recovered
more quickly at the end of the recession around the end of 1982.
However this time, although oil prices fell back quickly initially,
they have already been rising again since March 2009, so oil prices
are now already at a high level for this point of a recession. This
could well slow the rate of recovery coming out of recession but
could also benefit the renewables market with less of a differential
between fossil fuel and renewable energy generation.
The continuous growth in world population, the and business model innovation that will enable this
increase in consumption power of the middle class massive transformation. Cleantech spending is robust
in emerging markets, the growing scarcity of natural and primed to accelerate, according to “Going big: the
resources around the globe, the need to ensure energy rising influence of corporations on cleantech growth”,
security, the business response to climate change, and the third annual global cleantech report from
the rising energy and commodity prices, are driving Ernst & Young. This is the conclusion of a survey of
a worldwide transformation in the way that natural more than 300 executives in global corporations with
resources, including energy and water, are produced, annual revenues of more than US $1b, that forms the
distributed, stored, managed and consumed. Experts centerpiece of the report. Alongside the survey there
anticipate that this transformation to a more resource are also interviews with the world’s top cleantech
efficient and lower carbon consumed economy will industry leaders as well as perspectives and analysis of
have the magnitude of a new industrial and technology current trends.
revolution. Cleantech represents the technological
Mar 2008
Mar 2009
Jun 2007
Jun 2008
Jun 2009
Sep 2009
Dec 2007
Dec 2008
Sep 2007
Sep 2008
1.20
1.00
0.80
0.60 Little caps Big caps
0.40
Source: Ernst & Young
0.20
0.00
In the solar sector, levels at the end of the third quarter were
Sep 2007
Mar 2008
Jun 2008
Sep 2008
Dec 2008
Mar 2009
Jun 2009
Sep 2009
Sep 2005
Dec 2005
Mar 2006
Jun 2006
Sep 2006
Dec 2006
Mar 2007
Jun 2007
Dec 2007
down slightly from a peak at the end of May, but still up over 40%
from March’s low point. Little caps have also recovered well and
Nasdaq MSCI-EAFE NEX (Wilderhill) narrowed the value gap with bigger firms.
MSCI-world FTSE 100 HSBC climate
change index
Ernst & Young research portfolios, with about a dozen companies 1.00
in each sector, the wind and biomass sectors have been
remarkably steady over the last quarter, while the solar sector 0.50
Mar 2008
Mar 2009
Jun 2007
Jun 2008
Jun 2009
Sep 2009
Dec 2007
Dec 2008
Sep 2007
Sep 2008
Mar 2008
Jun 2009
Jun 2007
Jun 2008
Sep 2009
Dec 2007
Dec 2008
Sep 2007
Sep 2008
Mar 2008
Mar 2009
Jun 2007
Jun 2008
Jun 2009
Sep 2009
Dec 2007
Dec 2008
Sep 2007
Sep 2008
This issue sees slight score changes taking place across the board China has risen above Germany in the All renewables index for
as the weighting between technologies (namely wind and solar) the first time, on the back of announcements that restrictions
has been reassessed. This has led to a general rise in countries on the amount of non-domestic components used to
favouring solar technology, reflecting the growing importance of manufacture generation technologies are being relaxed. A raft
solar as a generation technology going forwards. of announcements of new plans for solar PV parks as well as the
Golden Sun incentive program have also contributed to the rise.
In response to requests from our readership, this issue also
contains the addition of two new countries to the published list, Lower down the table, this issue sees rise in Japan’s score. The
South Africa and the Czech Republic. Introductory country focus Japanese government’s new targets to reduce greenhouse gas
pages have been included on pages 19 and 20 respectively. emissions by 25% (based on 1990 levels) by 2020 represents a
significant increase on previous targets of 8%.
Spain has fallen a point in the All renewables to tie with Italy,
reflecting the continuing impact of legislation changes and delays Brazil’s energy plan to 2017 includes calls for 7.3GW of wind,
in processing of applications. biomass and small hydro combined generation capacity to drive
towards a 2020 target of 10% of consumption to be met by
renewable energy.
At the top of the table, China has moved ahead of the US due Brazil and Japan have also risen one point in the wind index,
to news of easing restrictions surrounding the usage of foreign following positive announcements from their governments, as
components in developments. This represents a lessening in the detailed under the all renewables index.
difficulty to penetrate the Chinese market, which improves the
Germany has risen one point in the offshore index following
attractiveness of the market to external developers.
approval by the government of special planning permissions
Falling in the wind index this issue, Spain has dropped a point for 15 more offshore wind farms, bringing the total approved
following continued complications in the political environment capacity to 12 GW.
in Spain. News of skyline taxes in Galicia represent a new and
In the onshore wind index, Canada has risen one point following
uncertain development: will they help combat “NIMBYism” or
announcements in Ontario that the province will be spending
drive investment elsewhere?
CAN$2.3b (€1.45b) on grid improvements as well as announcing
The UK has risen one point following further announcements an offshore wind tariff.
relating to improvements with the grid-connection process. The
France has also risen one point in the onshore wind index
announcement of a further £1.15bn of investment in the grid
following news that projects have started to acquire bank
provides hope the situation may improve in the medium term.
finance again.
Some results are starting to be seen from the acceleration of
grid queues.
The Ministry of Economy prepared an amendment to the In August 2009, Agrogaz Sp constructed the largest biogas
ordinance concerning the electricity and heat generation from installation (Schmack Biogaz AG) in Poland (with a capacity of
RES. Biomass materials will now include grain from agricultural 2.1MW) in Liszków. The installation is to be further developed to
crops. The grain has to be below the EU intervention purchase reach a 3MW capacity. In September 2009, the company started
quality standards. The proposal prompts controversies but similar building another 1.8MW installation in Świecie. It also plans to
solutions have already been adopted in certain countries (USA, start the construction of a larger 3.2MW installation in Kruszwica
Finland and Sweden). for Q2 2010. The company estimates that it will be able to realize
four to eight similar projects annually.
In another proposed amendment to the Polish Energy Law
Act, the Ministry of Economy wants to grant the production
of agricultural biogas the same green certificates as for the Contact:
electricity production by other RE sources.
Kamil Baj
During Q3 2009, project activity in Poland has mainly involved Tel: +48 23 557 8855
wind farm development. However, biogas installations have Email: kamil.baj@pl.ey.com
started to compete with wind farms for investment funding.
Jacek Rodzeń
ENERGA and Lignite Mine Adamów signed a letter of intent to Tel: +48 23 557 6234
jointly construct and operate wind farms on the decommissioned Email: jacek.rodzen@pl.ey.com
lignite mine sites. The projected installed capacity is 80 MW and is
due to start operation in 2012.
Contact:
Luiz Claudio S. Campos
Tel: +55 21 2109 1710
Email: luiz-claudio.campos@br.ey.com
Marc Newson: The May 2009 budget outlining development Marc Newson: Back to the 1GW Solar flagship projects, have
of 1GW of new Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) is a welcomed you considered the tendering process for these projects? For
step to rapidly grow renewable energy infrastructure in example, will projects integrating CSP and CCGT infrastructure
Australia, but has the interaction of these flagship projects been as hybrids be viewed with different criteria to stand-alone CSP
considered with the recently passed expanded MRET scheme? projects?
Minister Ferguson: The AUD$1.5b (€930m) Solar Flagships Minister Ferguson: The Clean Energy Initiative, including
Program announced in the Australian government’s May the AUD$1.5b (€930m) Solar Flagships Program is a major
2009 budget will provide funding to support construction and undertaking and one that has attracted international interest.
demonstration of large-scale solar power stations — both solar
All matters relating to the design of the Solar Flagships
thermal and solar PV — in Australia.
Program are currently under consideration by the
The flagships projects complement the expanded Renewable government.
Energy Target (RET) by providing additional support to
accelerate the deployment of technologies that are ready for
large-scale commercial demonstration. Once commissioned,
solar flagships projects will be eligible to create renewable
energy certificates under the RET scheme. Marc Newson: Equally, there is a very large skill and materials
pull by areas such as India and the Middle East; how do you
plan to position the Australian projects ahead of these to
secure these essential resources?
Minister Ferguson: Australia is well-positioned in key parts
Marc Newson: Ernst & Young research indicates that the of the industry-development chain, particularly technology
additional capacity required to meet an extended target is development, financing, project management, engineering,
likely to be met by the national pipeline of 14GW to 18GW construction, and operations. There is currently a global glut
of wind projects. Is there still scope to modify the new MRET in some component manufacturing, with the establishment
target for more emerging technologies such as large-scale of new facilities in low cost locations such as China. This is
solar or wave energy? hurting established manufacturing operations in places such
Minister Ferguson: The Renewable Energy Target is a market- as Germany, but is good for Australia in keeping downward
based mechanism, and as such, it is likely to bring on the most pressure on project costs.
mature, market-ready technologies, particularly in the early
years of the scheme.
Marc Newson: One of the very interesting technical
As you have indicated, this means that we are likely to see
capabilities of CSP is the ability to employ heat-storage
significant amounts of wind generation come on-line, as well
materials and generate an almost baseload level of power,
as other mature renewable technologies such as biomass.
which comes with an additional cost. What might this value of
However, because of the sheer size of the target, we expect
base load power be above more intermittent supplies?
the RET will bring on a range of other technologies such as
solar and geothermal. Minister Ferguson: Australia operates a competitive
wholesale generation market which values generation
Other Government initiatives within the AUD$4.5bn(€2.8b)
in line with its ability to meet demand. Given that solar
Clean Energy Initiative support the research, development
is well-correlated to demand peaks, it should be able to
and demonstration of large-scale solar, geothermal and wave
take advantage of higher price periods. As the Carbon
energy. This funding support will help drive down the cost of
Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) makes coal and gas
emerging technologies so they can compete with more mature
more expensive, that will also make solar baseload power
technologies under the expanded RET.
increasingly competitive in all price bands.
► Renewables infrastructure index — 35% 1. Power offtake attractiveness — 19%: this includes the price
received, the potential price variation and length of PPAs
► Technology factors — 65% granted. Higher scores are also achievable if a government
These guidance notes provide further details on the renewables guarantees the power offtake rather than merchant offtakers.
infrastructure index and the technology factors. 2. Tax climate — 11%: favorable, high-scoring tax climates that
stimulate renewable energy generation can exist in a variety
Renewables infrastructure index of forms and/or structures. The most successful incentives
The renewables infrastructure index is an assessment by country and structures have been direct RE tax breaks or brown-
of the general regulatory infrastructure for renewable energy. energy penalties, accelerated tax depreciation on RE assets
On a weighted basis, the index considers: and tax-efficient equity investment vehicles for individuals.
► Electricity market regulatory risk — 29%: markets that are 3. Grant/soft loan availability — 9%: grants can be available
fully deregulated score higher, as they have experienced at local, regional, national and international levels and
the “market shock” on underlying wholesale prices that may depend on the maturity of a technology as well as
this transition may exert. While this may not affect current the geographical location of the generating capacity. Soft
projects, these effects are particularly important when loans have historically been used in pioneering countries of
considering long-term investment prospects. RE technologies to kick-start the industry. High scores are
achieved through an array of grants and soft loans.
► Planning and grid connection issues — 42%: favorable planning
environments (low failure rates and strong adherence to 4. Market growth potential — 18.5%: this considers current
national targets) score highly. Grid connection scoring is based capacity compared to published targets. Higher scores
on the ease of obtaining a grid connection in a cost-effective are given if ambitious targets have been set and a policy
manner. The score also takes into account the degree of grid framework is in place to accelerate development. The realism
saturation for intermittent technologies. of targets is taken into account as well as the seriousness with
which they are being pursued (i.e., penalties in place for
► Access to finance — 29%: a market with a mature renewable noncompliance).
energy financing environment, characterized by cheap access
to equity and good lending terms, will score higher. 5. Current installed base — 8%: high installed bases demonstrate
that the country has an established infrastructure and supply
This generic renewables infrastructure index is combined chain in place, which will facilitate continued growth and, in
with each set of technology factors to provide the individual particular, encourage the repowering of older projects.
technology indices.
6. Resource quality — 19%: examples of this are wind speeds and
solar intensity.
Technology factors
7. Project size — 15.5%: large projects provide economies of
These are six indices providing resource-specific assessments for
scale and a generally favorable planning environment, which
each country:
facilitates project development financing.
1. Onshore wind index
2. Offshore wind index
3. Solar PV index
4. Solar CSP index
5. Geothermal index
6. Biomass and other resources index
With a dedicated 50-strong team of international advisors operating from our UK About Ernst & Young
member firm — supported by a network of over 65 experienced professionals from our Ernst & Young is a global leader in
member firms worldwide — Ernst & Young’s Renewable Energy Group helps clients to assurance, tax, transaction and advisory
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Ben Warren Andrew Perkins This publication contains information in summary form
and is therefore intended for general guidance only. It
Partner, Ernst & Young LLP Partner, Ernst & Young LLP is not intended to be a substitute for detailed research
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Executive, Project Finance
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