The increase to ratepayers, added to cover the rise in the fixed cost of grid operations resulting from the use of net metering and more solar, was 30 cents per month. But the initial news on that increase misplaced the decimal point and reported it as $ 3.00 per month.

That's not a lot of money, but it was enough to bring forth some controversy over how much of a rate increase utility customers must bear for adding rooftop solar and other renewables.

The controversy in Hawaii was aggravated by the fact that the charge was only added to the bills of those who do not have solar systems. With net metering, the meters of those who have rooftop systems turn backward when the Hawaiian sun shines. As a result, they pay minimal charges to HECO and do not incur the full cost of grid operations.

This is not simply a matter of which Hawaii residents should pay for solar or how much they should pay. It is a matter of whether adding solar capacity is worth the cost to Hawaiian residents.

One recent study found the price of electricity has already doubled in the last decade for about half of U.S. homes. Utilities from Nantucket Sound to Waimea Bay will be forced to ponder the question HECO now faces.

HECO faces the question now because the island's electricity rate has climbed faster than anywhere else in the country. That is because, explained HECO spokesperson Darren Pai, “almost all of Hawaii’s electricity generation comes from imported oil.” (Actually, 76 percent of Hawaii's electricity comes from oil.)

Power prices started escalating in 2008 when the price of oil went to nearly $ 150 per barrel. They have since fluctuated. Last year, Pai said, HECO’s ratepayers’ bills increased “$ 61 per month, and $ 57 of that was due to the increase in the price of oil.”

This happened because Hawaii’s electricity comes from its imports of diesel, low sulfur fuel oil (LSFO), and naphtha. These are the same petroleum products post-Fukushima Japan began requiring in unprecedented quantities following the shutdown of its nuclear generators. “They’re bidding the price of oil up and we’re the victims of that,” explained Hawaii Solar Energy Association President Mark Duda, “and of setting up a system that makes us a victim of that.”

HECO’s rate structure makes the problem worse, Duda said, because “the utility can’t hedge the fuel price increase. It is passed directly to the ratepayer.”

A big part of the answer to this dilemma for Hawaii is rooftop solar. According to Pai, the state’s installed solar doubled last year, from some 5,100 systems representing 40 megawatts to 10,400 systems and 78 megawatts. That is still a small portion of the state’s 1,700-megawatt peak demand. But at that rate of growth, things shift fast.

Along with the exploitation of its geothermal, rooftop solar — driven by net metering — promises to have an important impact on Hawaii’s energy future if the majority of ratepayers do not impede growth by rebelling against the utility bill premium imposed on them. That will not happen if more come around to appreciate that “the benefits of increased PV are quite substantial,” Pai said, especially in the way “increased PV addresses our overall problem of oil dependency.” The net metering premium, Pai said, “is a small subsidy and its benefit outweighs its cost.”

Duda emphasized the same cost-benefit perspective. “Oil is the problem,” he said.

Duda referenced a recent report by Crossborder Energy for the State of California which concluded that the state’s net energy metering (NEM) program “is a crucial component of California’s efforts to encourage electric ratepayers to install clean, renewable DG [distributed generation],” adding that it “removes what might otherwise be a substantial barrier to customer acceptance of DG systems.” It does, the report noted, “impact other, nonparticipating utility ratepayers” but that cost can be “a net cost or benefit for other ratepayers” depending on the design of the system “and on the avoided cost benefits.”

In Hawaii, the cost of oil dependency was $ 61 per month in 2011 and the cost of more solar was 30 cents per month. The decision for ratepayers who don’t have solar systems is simply this: “30 cents or $ 60?”

And they might consider what a Honolulu political leader confided to GTM: “We’re burning fossil fuels as fast as we can,” he said, “and anybody with half a brain can see that doesn’t end well.”

Go Green

SolarWorld and its unnamed partners in CASM announced a trade action in an Oct. 19 claim that China was dumping solar panels on the U.S. market. SolarWorld is a German company with 500 megawatts of panel production in Hillsboro, Oregon. (Here's the perspective of Gordon Brinser, the President of SolarWorld Americas, on the issue.)

November 8 was the first day of hearings at the U.S. International Trade Commission for the anti-dumping claim.  The scope of the petition includes panels and panels manufactured in the U.S. using cells from China. That would include, for example, panels made by Suntech in its Goodyear, Arizona factory — modules assembled in the U.S. using Chinese cells would be subject to tariffs. SolarWorld recently expanded the scope of the petition to include third-country manufacturing that uses Chinese cells.

Countering the CASM argument is CASE, which launched its website on October 8. CASE is the Coalition for Affordable Solar Energy, comprised of Carbon War Room, MEMC, SolarCity, SolarFirst, Sungevity, Suntech America, SunRun, Trina Solar, Verengo, Yingli Americas, Recurrent Energy, et al.

MEMC, the sole vertically integrated U.S. crystalline-silicon solar manufacturer, is acting as the point company for CASE. Most of the CASE signees are installers, financiers, and Chinese manufacturers.

Other organizations involved in the claim include KAOS and SPECTRE, led by Ernst Stavro Blofeld.

Note that the U.S solar industry employs more than 100,000 people, and as per a study co-authored by GTM Research and SEIA, the U.S. is a significant net exporter of solar products. For now at least.

Here are two yields of tariffs on Chinese solar panels, one hypothetical and one happening right now.

Hypothetical, first:

Sempra Generation is developing the massive 700-megawatt Mesquite Solar project, located near Phoenix, Arizona. China's Suntech is the panel supplier for the initial 200-megawatt (DC) phase of the build. America's Advanced Energy Industries (Nasdaq: AEIS) is the inverter supplier for that phase. A tariff on the Chinese panels could jeopardize the economics of the project and sour the deal between Sempra and the power purchaser, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E). The project could wither and fail to get built. In this scenario, no American inverters from AE would be bought, no American workers would build the plant, no solar panels from Suntech's Arizona plant would be built and low-cost renewable energy would not be produced at the site.

It's difficult to view that as a victory for the American solar industry, but it could play out differently. First Solar or SunPower panels might work in the same deployment absent the hypothetical tariff. Solar Frontier, Sharp, or MiaSolé might also benefit from the imposition of a tariff on Chinese panels. So, non-Chinese panel vendors might benefit but American project developers like MEMC's SunEdison or Sharp's Recurrent could be hurt by rising module prices.

Now forget hypothetical scenarios — here's evidence of real blowback from SolarWorld's trade claim:

According to Reuters, China's photovoltaic plant project developer CECEP Solar Energy Technology, part of the state-owned China Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Group, put a USD$ 500 million solar project on hold due to the CASM petition. "If the solar panel prices increase by say, 30 percent in the United States, following the move, then we would certainly drop the plan because there's no profit to be made," Cao Huabin, the general manager of CECEP Solar Energy, told a news conference in Beijing, according to Reuters.

The ITC is scheduled to make a preliminary determination on the Antidumping Duty (AD) and Countervailing Duty (CVD) on December 5. Final determination is not scheduled until mid-2012.

Kevin Lapidus, Senior VP and General Counsel at SunEdison, part of MEMC, claims that SolarWorld is working against U.S. public policy goals to grow renewable power. He notes that the solar market is one of the few growth areas of the U.S. economy, and that more than half the solar employment picture is in the installation and downstream portion of the value chain — not in cell or module manufacturing. He said, "Price declines have brought us close to grid parity. The imposition of tariffs will be a setback to the U.S. solar industry."

What Adam Browning of Vote Solar said bears repeating: a solar trade fight is a "circular firing squad where everyone gets hurt." Browning is a policy and regulatory expert, and Vote Solar is a U.S. solar industry-supporting policy group.

Here is the case calendar:

And here's the first page of the International Trade Administration Fact Sheet on the Case.

Go Green

In human biology this is often referred to as the metabolic rate and makes interesting reading. Once the study periods had finished there were small but significant reductions in the body fat of those participants that had taken the green tea pills, over the course of about three months or so. Still on the subject, some claim it also reduces food cravings and boosts our stamina and energy levels.

Other findings have shown it to have a protective effect whereby it could   reduce or lessen the chances of getting a heart attack, if you’re a regular green tea drinker.

Here’s a few more too. It’s said to reduce levels of bad cholesterol, lift our spirits when we feel depressed, protect our mouth from signs of tooth decay, and even to treat acne. Perhaps one of the biggest health benefits of green tea is within Cancer research. One piece of information that I found mentioned that compounds present in green tea known as catechins could stop further growth of cancer cells. Quite a statement and research is ongoing.

With much of what we eat these days devoid of nutrients because of over processing, it’s no wonder many of us turn to nutritional supplements like green tea pills to keep healthy.

Green tea possesses some very powerful antioxidants known as Catechins which have been found to have a protective effect against some forms of Cancers. Much has been heard about the damage our bodies suffer as a result of damage to our cells from free radicals. Many attribute such damage to causing the aging process and antioxidants are one weapon in the arsenal of weapons we can use against these free radicals. 

Many foods and fruits have these same antioxidants not only in green tea. If by consuming it we can act against this aging process then I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels like staying younger-looking for a little bit longer. One other instance where it has been of some comfort is for acne sufferers. When its been brewed and cooled it can be dabbed onto affected areas for relief.

An interesting connection to its effect on diabetes has also been written about. Reports state that when consumed it helps to regulate blood sugar levels.

One last mention goes to its use as an aid to weight loss. Quite how green tea achieves this is put down to it’s ability to raise the metabolic rate of our body by a substantial percentage. This has the effect of us burning more calories for doing the same things had we not taken it. Of course, I do stress that steady weight loss still needs to involve some form of physical movement or exercise. Sitting back and drinking green tea is still not going to shift those excess pounds.

So there you have it, we’ve seen that it’s a plant that has a variety of uses and applications of merit, plus there are many more to consider. There are now even general nutritional supplements available which include green tea extract, so there’s no need to keep that teapot handy.

These eye catching headlines never give the reader a full account and this article will examine just some of the main points under debate. No one is hailing green tea as being a wonder cure as that’s certainly not the case, but it was being talked about more in the way of its protective qualities as a preventative tool which is what surely works best. I’ve been hearing about antioxidants for ages and how good they are at alleviating or combating things like the aging process and free radicals, which seem to go hand-in-hand whenever one reads about antioxidants in general. 

Seems that green tea’s antioxidants which are called Catechins are considered as having quite powerful effects. Nowhere more so than when we talk about the different carcinogens that may go on to cause the actual disease. What green tea does is to reduce their potential to do the latter by lowering their toxicity. Another of its claims is to actually inhibit the formation of tumors, again directly attributed to these antioxidants.

Where ever preventative action like drinking green tea is truly effective only time will tell but considering it’s a natural product which has been around since the ancient Chinese discovered it, maybe there’s no harm in trying it. Like many of us who may already take a vitamin supplement as a daily ritual I’m happy to mention I’ve also found one that has a green tea extract on it’s ingredient list. 

Whilst the debate about green tea rolls on, we can and should take some small, personal steps to keep ourselves healthy and reduce the chances of catching any disease.

It was when I chanced upon a report all about the potential side effects of caffeine and it mentioned green tea caffeine content as being something to be aware of that I sat up and listened. The thing I’ve found out over time is that when you get ten experts together you often get ten different views or opinions.

Where does that leave the poor old consumer who remains none the wiser, still scratching his head frustrated, not knowing what to do. Having to sift through information from studies and research is time consuming and very often there is conflicting data. However, the most obvious way of avoiding caffeine in a drink like green tea or for that matter any other beverage, is to drink a decaffeinated variety.

Sounds pretty straightforward to me and easy to do. But wait, I read somewhere that the process of removing the caffeine leaves the green tea with fewer antioxidants. These are the all important compounds and substances found in green tea that provide a lot of the health benefits we receive when we drink it. In this case all one has to do is drink a little bit more of the decaffeinated tea, ensuring you get the same level of antioxidants.

If like me you often find it difficult or inconvenient to brew green tea several times a day, there is an alternative. It’s now possible to find daily nutritional supplements that contain a decaffeinated, green tea extract. Just be sure it’s from a recognized maker who uses the best natural ingredients.

form in traditional Chinese medicine. Supplements containing green tea extracts are a completely natural way of reducing weight with very little risk of any side effects. Green tea extracts are being used by thousands of people for a wide range of health conditions, and it is even an added ingredient in some beverages and snack foods.

Starting from cancer of several kinds, to skin disorders, green tea has played a big role in helping heal the body. A number of chronic disease states have been associated with free radical induced oxidative damage, including cancer, heart disease, suppressed immune function and accelerated aging. The primary catechin in green tea,EGCG, appears to inhibit the growth of cancer cells as well as play a role instimulating apoptosis (programmed cell death), both of which are crucial aspects for cancer prevention. There is also evidence from some studies that green tea provides significant immuno protective qualities, particularly in the case of cancer patients undergoing radiation or chemotherapy.

There is a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease and cancer in Asia where people smoke heavily, which may be accounted for by high consumption of tea, particularly green. Green Tea extracts work as an effective treatment for patients who suffer from damaged skin following radiation treatment for cancer. Men with the highest consumption of flavonoids (from fruits and vegetables) have approximately half the risk of heart disease and cancer compared with those with the lowest intake.

Studies of green tea extracts reveal that they may reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke and cut the risk of some cancers, could prevent

Alzheimer’s-like brain damage, as well as boost exercise endurance. Certain substances present in green tea diets are said to help in destroying cancer cells without harming any neighboring tissues.

EGCG may cause cancer cells to die in much the same way that normal cells do. Scientists have reason to believe that free radicals also play a role in various degenerative diseases such as arthritis, rheumatism, Alzheimer’s disease, and even cancer. Even discounting the hype on the tabloids, green tea extracts (polyphenols, catechins, EGCG) seem to be very potent in this cancer prevention role, and they are also blessed with extraordinarily low toxicity.

For medicinal purposes, green tea is considered superior to regular black tea, since it has as much as five times more of the polyphenols that are of interest to us as potent anti-oxidants and cancer preventives. Some researchers believe that the antioxidants present in green tea may have a protective effect against certain cancers. Prostate cancer also referred to as the “Hidden Cancer” is one of the primary causes of death among American men.

A study conducted on men at increased risk of developing prostate cancer demonstrated that the substances present in green tea known as catechins, are quite successful in preventing the development of prostat cancer. It is estimated that drinking green tea regularly reduces the risk of prostate cancer by two-thirds. Supplements are better because they don’t have caffeine, and one capsule is equivalent to five cups of tea (depending on capsule potency).