For its first year of activity, Power Clouds has released its metrics regarding its innovative Global Renewable Energy Project. This project encouraging citizens all over the world to collectively build photovoltaic power plants.
The Global Renewable Energy Project was started by Power Clouds in March 2013, and has included more than 50,000 participants in over 100 countries. Altogether, the project involved 50,000 solar panels installed in 13 shared photovoltaic power plants that bring up a total of $60 million investments.
The project is a successful working example of a unique participatory system of renewable energy generation from various citizens all over the world.
Global Renewable Energy Project achieves success
Power Clouds invites anyone, anywhere in the world who owns and operates a solar panel to lease their panel to them. A monthly fee for 20 years is then paid by the company to the owner of the solar panel.
The group’s objective is that with these participatory solar farms, the global grid will be supplied with clean energy and develop the first worldwide network of PV systems which has the potential to be the earth’s biggest source of energy.
The generated capacity from the 13 shared solar power plants is 11.5 megawatts. This is enough power to meet the energy requirements of approximately 10,000 residents, and also enough to reduce over 212 tons of CO2, which is equal to planting five million trees.
Power Clouds built its first shared solar power plants in Romania and through a partnership with the Japan External Trade Organization, Power Clouds started building solar plants in Japan last summer of 2014.
Power Clouds looks to expand Global Renewable Energy Project to the U.S
Currently, the company is considering the feasibility of building solar power plants in the United States and France. Roberto Forlani, founder and CEO of Power Clouds said that the next three years will see an ambitious development plan that will reinforce their commitment in Japan and open new plants in other countries.
“We are in the process of evaluating the feasibility of power plants in France and United States,” says Forlani.
”France understands the importance of renewable energies. The declarations made by the Ministry of Environment, Ségolène Royale, make us believe in the development of the field,” he adds.
“France, as well as Japan after the tragedy of Fukushima in 2011, demands policies in line with what Ms. Royal called ‘an energy transition,” he explains.
‘Energy transition’ seen in progressive countries encourages further development
The Global Renewable Energy Project is based on a simple and innovative idea. It employs a unique method of building large scale solar energy stations involving people through their contributions.
All kinds of people have the capability to request Power Clouds to rent their solar panels, whether the PVs were bought privately of through a partner.
As soon as the Global Renewable Energy Project accepts the panels and subscribes the lease contract, the owner is guaranteed to receive a monthly fee for 20 years. The company assures the panel owner that his profit will be well beyond the costs of the panel.
In the company’s parlance, solar plants are called Clouds which produce green energy feeding the electricity network of the country where the plants are located.
Photo by: Duncan Rawlinson on Flickr
