BP-AMOCO MARRIAGE COULD BOOST SOLAR. BP is already the second largest photovoltaic company on the planet. Amoco owns 50 percent of Solarex, the largest PV producer in the U.S. The merger of BP and Amoco, along with another recent announcement from BP Solar Australia, may put the new BP-Amoco plc into first place in the PV industry.
That recent announcement? BP Solar Australia will build a new plant outside Sydney to manufacture 20 megawatts per year of their latest generation of high performance solar cells - BP?s buried grid laser technology cells known as Saturn. Saturn technology was invented at the University of New South Wales.
When the plant comes on line in October 1999, Australia will become the third largest PV producer in the world behind the U.S. and Japan. The plant can be expanded later to produce 50 MW per year. Worldwide PV production reached 100 MW in 1997.
BP Solar Australia expects sales to reach US$1 billion by 2007.

SOLAR SALES OPPORTUNITIES FOR AUSTRALIA. A new study by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Research (ABARE) has concluded that Australia must boost its renewable energy output by 55% by 2010 to meet greenhouse gas reduction targets - up to 28,000 gigawatts compared with about 18,000 in 1996/97.
Today renewables supply almost 10% of the electricity in Australia. Hydro supplies 90% of that. Large hydro, however, has its negative impacts on the environment, so more can?t be expected. Solar, wind, geothermal, biomass and other sources will have to fill the gap.
Small projects might help. The Sustainable Development Energy Authority of New South Wales will offer grants - up to 40% of cost - for 1 kW rooftop PV systems. The goal is 2000 systems installed by year 2000.

MORE RENEWABLES FOR CALIFORNIA. The California Energy Commission has received 56 bids for new projects that could see the state?s renewable energy industry grow by more than 600 megawatts in four years. The bids were in response to Requests for Proposals for $162 million in financial incentives (out of a total of $540 million in ratepayer funds) under California?s new electricity restructuring law.
The bids include 300 MW of wind power, 157 MW of geothermal, 70 MW of landfill gas, 12 MW of biomass, 1 MW of digester gas, 1 MW of small hydro and others.
The new energy projects could supply a city the size of Sacramento with clean energy. About 11% of Californias electricity now comes from renewables. Wind projects alone will generate about $300 million in new state economic development for California.