Solar Power News

Before employing any home solar power panels or selecting the one that is for your home, you have to take into account important factors such as: The types of thermal panels Image credit: ariwriter There are different types of these kinds of panels such as the solar unglazed and flat-glazed panels as well as the solar evacuated tube panels. There is also the type of thermal panels which is the concentrating type. These are the types of thermal panels that you can choose from when getting for yourself a solar system for your home. Primary use of the solar power system Where do you intend to use your solar power system? Are the solar panels going to heat your swimming pool? They can actually be used for water heating. They can also be utilized for radiators and radiant floors as well as other applicable heating systems. This alternative power system can also be used for running the air conditioning. The price of the panels Everything depends on the panel’s capacity to provide power. Of course, if you are going to purchase one that will run your household totally, without being complimented by the power coming from the local utility, then, the system will definitely cost you a huge..

Now who said that solar power was really the main solution to all our green problems? After all, if you really do think about it, solar power comes directly from the sun. There are no by-products with using solar power. Solar products are also green and they can be a wee bit expensive but in the long run, you would be saving much for you would not have to shell out to pay those expensive electricity bills you run each month. And then we also are helping our environment as well. However, there is another side to that story and it was disclosed in a report I found just today. Here’s what it says: Installing “green” energy saving measures in the home is so expensive it can take more than 200 years to cover the cost. Solar panels are one of the least cost effective upgrades, according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics), which today published The Greener Homes Price Guide. What’s your take on this? Share This

Filed under: Etc. , EV/Plug-in , Solar , USA As part of a program to provide the University of California at San Diego with renewable energy from several sources including sun, wind and bio-gas fuel cells, the school has "planted" a virtual grove of Solar Trees[TM] on the upper levels of a pair of parking garages. The "trees" provide energy for the school as well as shade for student vehicles. The grid-tied electrical infrastructure needed for the project also allows outlets for the spaces so when plug-in hybrids and electric cars begin to appear on campus they can be accommodated. The school avoided paying any upfront cost by partnering with three different local companies who took care of the purchase and installation of the Envision Solar grove. The energy will be metered and the school will be billed monthly for the electricity received. The Solar Trees[TM] are said to be extremely sturdy and capable of enduring high winds as well as incidents of "driver error." Although not present in this installation, other Envision solar groves include rain water capture as well. Press release is after the break. [Source: The Earth Times ] Continue reading University planting solar trees o..

[Valencia, Spain] Mechtild Rothe becomes the first woman awarded the Becquerel Prize. After Conference General Chairman Daniel Lincot kicked off the 23rd European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition ( EU PVSEC ) closing session, the 2008 Becquerel Prize for Outstanding Merits in Photovoltaics was awarded to Mechtild Rothe ( Deutsch ) by Professor Dr. Adolf Goetzberger, Chairman of the Becquerel Prize Committee, and Dr. Wolfgang Palz. Mechtild Rothe is Vice President of the European Parliament where she has been a Member since 1984 and belongs to the German SPD (Social Democratic Party or Sozialdemokratischen Partei Deutschlands ). Ms. Rothe has been a longtime champion for renewables and photovoltaics in the European Parliament, and her accomplishments include leading the successful effort to establish the 3 GWp (GigaWatt-peak) by 2010 target for photovoltaics in the European Union. Per this bio : “ Mechtild Rothe was e.g. Rapporteur in the EP for the Directive on the promotion of electricity produced from renewable energy sources (2001/77) and Rapporteur of the Directive on energy services and energy efficiency. ” Today, Ms. Rothe is leading the opposition to ..

DUE TO THE TROPICAL STORM THAT SEEMS CERTAIN TO DRENCH THE NY-METRO AREA TOMORROW, WE WILL POSTPONE THE FINAL NIGHT OF THE SOLAR-POWERED FILM SERIES UNTIL SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 7 at 8PM. FOR AN UPDATE ON THE GREEN EDGE ECO-SCAVENGER HUNT, CLICK HERE . AND BRING YER COOKIES ON SUNDAY FOR THE COOKIE COMPETITION! FOR MORE INFO ON THE FILMS, CLICK HERE.

Plans for a solar project have been recently disclosed in Phoenix. Who disclosed such plans? The city of Phoenix, APS, and the Phoenix Suns. Such project is projected to be built in the US Airways Center. In behalf of the city of Phoenix, APS, and the Phoenix Suns, four of their big men were the ones to talk of such plans. Steve Nash (Phoenix Suns guard), Steve Kerr (Phoenix Suns general manager), Don Brandt (President and CEO of APS), and Michael Johnson (council member of the city of Phoenix) had been the ones to unveil the project. They have said that the whole solar project is going to be installed in the center’s garage’s fifth floor and would be working by2009. Kerr disclosed, “We expect the solar technology to reduce the traditional power usage for a portion of the center's Casino Arizona Pavilion load by about 25 percent or the equivalent of 26 Suns home games each season.” Share This

Filed under: Etc. , Solar , Green Daily Is it a secret image taken in Area 51 of a spacefaring vehicle? Has the Mothership come for all of us? Or is it just the aerodynamic slipperiness of the Xof1 (Power of 1) solar powered car? It's the latter, but that didn't stop someone up in Alaska from thinking suspicious thoughts as Canadian Marcelo da Luz drove his Xof1 down the road. A concerned citizen up there reported a UFO sighting and the police ended up pulling da Luz over to find out what was going on. It was the seventh time that the Xof1 was pulled over on it's emissions free journey. As you might remember from our 2006 report, da Luz is driving across North America in his sun-powered ride , and you can get more information at the Xof1 project website . Gallery: Xof1 Solar Car [Source: NPR , Xof1 ] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Rise & Shine is your daily source for all solar industry-related news. California News Home to Receive Solar System. OCR Solar & Roofing will install the first BP Solar system on a home in Trilogy at La Quinta today, 9am-12pm. Suntech to Supply The North Face with 1MW of Solar Panels. Suntech will supply 5,445 panels for a 1 MW system at The North Face's West Coast distribution center in Visalia, CA to be installed by EI Solutions, on RayTracker GC single-axis solar trackers. FedEx Freight and BP Solar Complete Second Solar Power Installation. BP Solar announced today the completion and activation of a second project together - a 269 kW solar system for a FedEx Freight distribution center in Fontana, CA. National News Duke Energy Seeks Solar Suppliers to Launch $100 Million Solar Plan. Duke Energy is seeking bids from companies to supply solar panels, electrical equipment and installation services as part of the utilities proposed $100M North Carolina solar plan. Starting in early 2009, Duke Energy wants to install electricity-generating photovoltaic solar panels at up to 850 North Carolina sites. Thou Shalt Install Solar. Some members of an Amish community in northeastern Ind..

REC Solar is an industry leader in grid-tied solar systems, especially in California where the company has installed more systems than any other. In order to spread the solar word even further, REC Solar and MySpace.com teamed up to educate Denver residents and visitors at the recent Democratic National Convention. To do that, the two [...]

Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) are at the leading edge of the solar industry today. Led by thin film technologies, they are expected to really take over the market in upcoming years. Right now it is really only efficiency (or lack thereof) that inhibits BIPV products, and that is expected to change in the near future. [...]

Since we can’t avail the benefits and drawbacks of conventional fuels indefinitely scientists are working constantly to improve on the non conventional resources of the energy. Researchers at South Dakota State University are trying to minimize the drawbacks of solar energy. They are working on new materials which can turn solar energy into an [...]

The Phoenix Suns have just announced their U.S. Airways Center is going Solar Power. They plan on installing over 1,100 pv panels The installation will cost $1.5 million and they'll receive yearly rebates of $60 to $85K from Arizona Public Service Co. via the utility's renewable-energy incentive program. The Suns estimate their new solar power system will eliminate approx. 440,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per year. Other sports venues that have gone solar include Fenway Park, AT &T Park and Coors Field.

The Rise & Shine is your daily source for all solar industry-related news. NATIONAL NEWS Economics of Solar Power During the next three to seven years, solar energy's unsubsidized cost to end customers should equal the cost of conventional electricity in parts of the United States. Solectria Signs PV Supply Deal with MMWEC Solectria will provide all PV inverters to Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Co. In this program, 40 Massachusetts municipal utilities may purchase solar panels, PV inverters, and installation services through one contract with the MMWEC. MEMC Remains Cautious on Polysilicon Production Ramp MEMC Electronic Materials has said that it continues to add polysilicon capacity at its Pasadena, Texas facility after several unscheduled disruptions in recent months. State Democrats Ask for GOP Support of Solar Panel Funding Three prominent Maryland Democratic elected officials yesterday urged congressional Republicans to stop blocking extension of federal investment tax credits for solar energy. Energy Panel Approves Sale of NYSEG Parent to Iberdola The state Public Service Commission voted unanimously this afternoon to sell two upstate New York utilities to Span..

LA JOLLA, Calif.--( BUSINESS WIRE )--Envision Solar, the La Jolla, California based firm best known for its award-winning design of the Solar Trees ™ in Kyocera ’ s landmark Solar Grove ™ , has expanded its product line of photovoltaic shade structures to include two “ flat-pack ” easy to install modular shade structures, each with eight solar panels providing 1.4 kilowatt of clean energy. The LifeTree ™ is a single post steel structure with a cantilevered canopy, and the LifeShade ™ is a four-post structure made of Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) certified sustainable wood. Both are an attractive and functional application of solar power that provides recreational shade, without a requirement for a complex and invasive rooftop installation. The structures are shipped in easy to assemble components and include solar power modules, micro-inverters, and access to an online real-time tracking system to monitor production of clean energy. The structures are anchored in post-holes by concrete, in much the same way that basketball hoops or flagpoles are installed, and a local electrician can connect the AC wiring from the structure to the house meter. At a price point o..

VALENCIA, Spain, Sept. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- European Union Photovoltaic Solar EnergyConference -- Advent Solar, Inc., a manufacturer of innovative solar cells and modules, today announced that it has reached a key milestone in the company's rapid growth strategy. Enerpoint, MHH Solartechnik and SunConnex have agreed to purchase and distribute Advent Solar(R) Ventura(TM) Technology, the solar industry's only comprehensive cell-to-module solar architecture. Under this agreement, Advent Solar and its European partners will deploy over 250 megawatts (MW) of Ventura-based solutions in Europe through 2013. "Advent Solar is focused on helping the solar industry move closer to grid parity by providing innovative solar solutions that maximize efficiency and increase energy output," said Peter Green, president and CEO of Advent Solar. "Our partnerships with Enerpoint, MHH Solartechnik and SunConnex are key elements of our long-term growth strategy in Europe and demonstrate our commitment to moving solar energy from an alterative technology to a mainstream solution." Advent Solar will provide solar solutions based on Ventura Solar Technology through its relationships with established European so..

MIDLAND, Mich., Aug. 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Dow Corning has demonstrated a manufacturing process featuring new developmental silicone materials that significantly increases the production rate of solar panels, effectively lowering the cost per watt of solar power. "This technology represents a real step-change in the industry, and will help make solar power a viable and sustainable energy option globally," said Gaetan Borgers, global industry director, Dow Corning Solar Market Business Unit. The manufacturing process works in conjunction with developmental Dow Corning(R) PV-6100 Encapsulant series, which provides a clear laminate to protect each solar cell in a panel and can replace commonly used ethyl vinyl acetate resin. The silicone-based material provides higher watt efficiency, longer module life, and optimum UV resistance. Equipment for the new process requires less capital and less factory space. The process and encapsulant series are being piloted by select solar partners in the new Dow Corning Solar Application Center in Freeland, Michigan and are expected to be commercially available in mid-2009. "We've made significant progress in the past year in being able to tak..

NANJING, China, Aug. 29 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- ET Solar Group Corp. ("ET Solar"), a Nanjing-based solar power solution provider and integrated manufacturer of photovoltaic products including ingot, wafer, module, and state-of-the-art dual-axis tracking systems with manufacturing facilities located in Taizhou, China, announced today a master agreement for the turn-key construction of solar power plants for Wattner Group of Cologne ("Wattner"), a German initiator of closed-end energy and infrastructure funds. Under the agreement, ET Solutions AG, the solar power solution arm of ET Solar, will deliver solar installations to Wattner worth of 200 million EUR. The solar power plants will be realized primarily in Southern Europe within the next 5 years. Wattner procures solar power plants turnkey with an annual volume of at least 20 million EUR adding up to a total power of 50 MWp throughout the life span of the contract. This power is sufficient to light up 15,000 households. "Wattner opted for ET Solar because we possess the unique combination of profound manufacturing experience and in-depth EPC knowledge v(Engineering- Procurement-Construction). The cooperation with investment partner..

Recently, the Democratic Party held the 2008 Democratic Convention in Denver Colorado. With constant news coverage highlighting various tensions, strategies, and historical significance of this year’s election, the underlying green theme may have been overlooked. There actually was a lot of time and focus placed on making this convention as green as possible. The Democratic Party [...]

According to CNN, both Senators Obama and McCain are touting solar energy, harnessed through solar panels like the ones found on Al Gore’s home. “Touting” according to The American Heritage College Dictionary is “to solicit customers, voters, or patronage in a brazen way; One who solicits customers brazenly or persistently.” Well, they both have their plans laid [...]

As more and more gadgets pop up in the market, we often discard the old and go with the new. This is not really something new. In fact, we may have accumulated quite a pile of electronics that we do not know what to do with them anymore. Now if you are interested in finding where to take that old computer of yours, then you better read on. In Texas, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TECQ) has been able to work out a way to help consumers. What it did was it created a web site which people could access so as to find information on where they could bring their old PCs. This site can be accessed by going to http://www.texasrecyclescomputers.org/. Mark Vickery is the director of the organization and he says, “The goal of the program is to give Texans an easy way to recycle the used computer equipment they have been storing in their closets and garages for years.” Share This

[Valencia, Spain] The big news was who was absent. The Valencia Call for Solar Photovoltaics. While “ Regional Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Mario Flores Lanuza has opened the world´s largest solar energy conference in Valencia ” ( Español ) may have been the headline, the key observation on the Monday morning, September 1, 2008, opening of the 23rd European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition ( EU PVSEC ) was no representative from the Spanish central government chose to attend the “ the most important international Event in the field of Photovoltaics ”. Discussions in the opening speeches and press conference centered on the “Spanish question” regarding a draft proposal to reduce Spain’s photovoltaic (PV) Feed-in Tariff (FiT) and cap annual installations at 300 MWp (MegaWatt-peak). With Spain’s existing FiT set to expire on September 28, 2008, Spanish PV installers are scrambling to complete projects before the current law is superseded. More than 1.6 GW (GigaWatts, pronounced JigaWatts by many Europeans like in “ Back to the Future ”) of photovoltaics are expected to be installed in Spain this year, perhaps even by the end of Sep..

Investors have been hot and cold on energy stocks for the past few months. Earlier in the year solar energy stocks reached their highs and a sell off occurred. But, they're baaaaacccckkkk. Business Week is reporting that some of the solar energy issues have risen at least 58% in the past month. No doubt motivated by a lot of positive quarterly earnings reports. Investors are catching on again-the public wants solar energy technology to be developed to bring down the price for consumers. But, the feds have to have their brains cells functioning in order to keep investment tax credit incentives for individual users. Homeowners who are thinking of installing rooftop panels want the larger incentives let alone not renewing the current ones. The current congress has not passed legislation that would extend investment tax credit incentives as of yet. One broker at Raymond James who monitors the solar energy sector said regarding the feds not reupping on the incentives "We have excellent solar resources in the U.S. We have increasing power prices, plenty of renewable energy incentives even without the [investment tax credit]." The cost of producing solar energy is coming down. Alternativ..

Some people think they should wait to go solar until the cost of solar panels drops significantly. But there are a number of reasons why waiting to go solar will ultimately diminish your savings on energy instead of increasing them. Rising Energy Costs California has some of the nation's highest energy costs, with homeowners paying an average of sixteen and a half cents per kilowatt-hour for electricity . Prices have risen around six percent annually since 1971. Pacific Gas & Electric recently announced that its rates could rise another 4.4 percent in October , and they could possibly go up 11 percent in January. But soaring residential utility bills don't yet reflect the true, high cost of today's power. The price of wholesale electricity – which utilities like PG&E buy to deliver to your home – has gone up on average 10 percent annually over the last 7 years. PG&E's recent warnings reflect a larger statewide trend. Southern California Edison recently asked the California Public Utilities Commission for permission to raise residential rates 16 percent next year and warned they could jump a whopping 25 percent . The utilities are asking for and getting these dramatic hikes app..

The Rise & Shine is your daily source for all solar industry-related news. CALIFORNIA NEWS Growers Pose Green Hurdle in California Growers have urged state commissioners to avoid their property when selecting a route for a project linking consumers on the coast to renewable energy operations in the Southern California desert. Less Than Light Speed Slow to join the solar power craze, Alameda's solar program has been plagued with delays in its 1st year. Many Peninsula Cities Slow to Act on Climate Change A survey of actions taken by cities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties shows a high concern for the issue of climate change but mixed results when it comes to taking action. Borrego Solar, Kyocera Pursuing 1.2MW Photovoltaic System in San Diego University of California, San Diego, has selected Borrego Solar to install a 1.2 MW solar electric system that employs Kyocera solar PV modules. NATIONAL NEWS For Retirement Savings, Solar Power is a better Bet Than the Stock Market Of the 30,000 people who live in Phoenix's Sun City West retirement community, there are two senior citizens who have a particular affection for the sun. UTILITY INDUSTRY & RE..

There is a new brick in town and this one is green. Well, it is not really green in color but it actually has been developed so much so that it can bear solar cells on it. This green and solar brick is actually something that the Sunrise Solar Corporation has worked on. According to the report , this solar brick is actually one of the very first construction materials that we use that would be going green. So if you can think far ahead, if most of our construction materials can be tapped to absorb the sun’s rays and convert it into useful energy and power, then just think of all the money we would be saving. Eddie Austin is the head of the company and on this new development, he shares, “This creative product can provide lighting and decoration with no connection to a power grid and can be imbedded in a wall or concrete slab as an integrated part of the structural design.” Share This

Welcome back teachers and students! Now with the new school year underway, our education team is putting together our calendar for education programs with our many school partners all over the city. We are now accepting applications for programs for Fall 2008 and Spring 2009! Please email application forms to education[at]solar1.org or call 212-253-1813 to schedule a class today! This season we are expanding our K-12 enrichment programs to include: Renewable Energy Sustainable Design Estuary Ecology and Water Testing Environmental Art Upcoming Events and News Outdoor Education Fair Tuesday | September 23rd | 4:30pm New York City Outdoors! An Environmental Education Exposition on Tuesday, September 23 th , 2008 at Pier 66 Maritime in the Hudson River Park at West 26 th Street in Manhattan. The Expo showcases the environmental education resources for New York City teachers and educators. Soil and Water Solar Sprint Thursday | Sept. 25 – 4-7pm The Junior Solar Sprint will be hosted at MS 74 in Queens, NY. Butterfly Tagging Day Saturday | Sept. 27th | 1-3pm Join us for a fun-filled day of monarch butterfly tagging and learning about the animals and plants of Stuyvesant Cove Park ! H..

Solar powered cars already exist, but their limitations are great. Mazda was among the first companies to tinker with solar roofing ideas, but the costs for the cars were outrageous, accompanying many other problematic issues. For cars available today, solar power recharges the battery when they are parked. Afterwards, the car can be used, but only [...]

There is an analogy one might use as an introduction to troubleshooting solar systems: wires are to PV systems as pipes are to thermal systems. This implies that, aside from the occasional need to clean panel glazing, if you find something wrong with your solar system, it will likely have to do with pipes or [...]

Next month, elections are on the go in Australia. And as for the incumbent ACT Labor, they are saying that if they get elected again during elections, then they are going to be pushing forward with the solar station. This has yet to be built but when completed and operational, this solar station would be able to give power to 10,000 homes. A study has already been done to see whether this plant would be feasible or not and the results said that it was a go. Jon Stanhope is the chief minister and he has said, “Climate change is perhaps the most urgent challenge confronting us globally, and investment in renewal energy cannot be delayed. The consultants have recommended proceeding to a full feasibility study. The government has elected to go one extra step and construct a business case, with the intention of testing the market.” Well, goodluck to you! Share This

To begin with, you might want to know what algae is. Isn’t it that slimy stuff you find at the top of your pool after a few hot summer days? Or the gooey green floating around your goldfish pond? Yes it is, and it turns out to have some interesting abilities and benefits. True, some [...]

The Rise & Shine is your daily source for all solar industry-related news. CALIFORNIA NEWS Experts Wary of Pickens Clean-Energy Plan. Energy analysts say parts of it seem plausible, other parts don't and the timetable is probably unrealistic. It also would substitute one expensive fossil fuel for another. Palm Desert Makes History With Energy Plan. Palm Desert made history on Thursday with the creation of California's first energy-efficient loan program aimed at accelerating efforts to cut energy consumption. Thousand Oaks Looking to Expand Its Use of Solar Power. The city has saved $91k this year at its Hill Canyon Wastewater Treatment Plant with solar. Rogers' goal is to save $200,000 during this budget year, which will end June 30. City officials are now looking to bring solar power to the Civic Arts Plaza and the main library. NATIONAL NEWS Will the Solar Boom See a Short Term Fade? Experts predict a worldwide glut of solar panels and a short-term shakeout of the U.S. sun-power industry that could slow investment in factories of the type state officials are scrambling to attract. SunEdison & Q Cells Sign 800MW Module Development Deal . SunEdison entered into a 5-year, 800MW de..

Florida, the sunshine state and one of the most popular states in the Union, is rapidly growing. If you are amongst the many that love this tropical state and are considering a move there, you may be interested to learn more about the solar programs offered there.Just this past June, Florida’s major utility, Florida Power [...]

If you are considering solar and live in Pennsylvania, you’ll want to check out the update posted today. While Governor Rendell signed significant alternative energy legislation some time ago, the state has yet to explain how the program will work. In the interim, we highlight four avenues to explore. Find out all the details on [...]

I get several calls per week from potential customers wondering how much or how little of a PV system they will need to off set their electrical use.  Grid tied PV sizing is pretty straight forward.  A Basic due south facing system should be tilted at latitude (~42 degrees in the Hudson Valley).  This is [...]

Whoever said that has just been disproved. Solar power can be used by everybody - even those people who do not get electricity and those who just do not get much income per day. See, the truth is, getting solar power for one’s home can be quite costly. That is, if you would be purchasing solar systems that are ready in the market. As they say, one solar system could mean shelling out quite a sum of money. But it would be a good investment and the money you would be saving in the long term would be much greater. However, Nicole Kuepper has proven that a solar system could be created with the simplest things. Keupperi s from Australia and she has invented the iJET . The iJET is something that she crafted using a substance that is much like a nail varnish remover, a pizza oven, and an inkjet printer. She used these to create the iJET which actually gets the power of the sun and could help those who could not afford those commercial solar systems. Share This

[Valencia, Spain] Q-Cells Party info! Not ready to brave a Valencia beach excursion, I decided to head over to the Feria Valencia on Sunday to obtain my 23rd European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (EU PVSEC) Press badge and conference bag and to check out the venue. As it turned out, Press badges are not being distributed until Monday morning. However, I did have unprecedented access to the Conference auditoriums and Exhibition. This was not exclusive to me; anyone interested could have taken a good look around. As I said last year in the “ 22nd EU PVSEC Closing Session ”: Peter Helm, the Executive Conference Director, discussed the selection of Valencia, Spain, for the 23rd EU PVSEC in 2008, and the issues with distance between venues will be resolved. This was my only complaint about the 22nd EU PVSEC. It was much easier to dash between the Conference, Visual Presentations, the Exhibition, and the Press room in Dresden even considering the bratwurst gap. Did I mention Valencia has a beach? Although it was not running on Sunday, the Metro Valencia Line 4 Feria train stops almost at the front of the Feria Valencia. So the walk from the Metro to the Feria ..

We have been talking much about solar. Let us now try to shift from that and go with this story from Pennsylvania. See, in Vandergrift, that is where you would find the river Kiskiminetas. And from this river, officials of the area are looking at using this as a good source of electricity. How will they go about with that? Reserachers have devised a new system that encompasses a grid of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) placed on the bottom of the river, the undulating movement of which will generate electricity. The electrical current generated would pass to substations along the river bank, ultimately charging a group of batteries. The city is looking to harness enough power from the river to cover 20-40% of its needs. Very nice, right? If areas with bodies of moving water could do the same, the world would probably be greener. And come to think of it, the world is mostly made up of water. So if we all knew how to hone the power from such, just think how we all would be living in a better Earth. Tags: hydro power , Kiskiminetas River , Pennsylvania , river , Vandergrift Share This

Solar powered pumps are very versatile gadgets as it can be utilized for various home and business operations. They can be used in garden water ponds as well as in fountains which are for aesthetic purposes. But such powers can also be used for nobler purposes like pumping water into far flung places. The fact is that solar powered pumps are now one of the more popular means for people to pump water. Of course, other means such as windmills are also in use. However, there are many areas wherein solar powered pumps are actually replacing them. How do these pumps operate? Everything all depends of solar panels, the number of which that’s needed is dependent on how deep the well is. Of course, if the well is too deep, this means more power for the pump is needed, and consequently more number of solar panels . Definitely there are zero running costs as solar powered pumps are solely run by the power from the sun. This is unlike the other conventional pumps which are needed to be powered by electricity and thereby making the operational expenses high. And since the solar powered pumps only run via the power coming from the rays of the sun rather than the electricity from the local ut..

Do you know why people prefer getting mail from the IRS more than from their utility company?  At least there’s a chance you’ll get a refund from the IRS.  Today, mail from the utility company will more than likely announce another price increase than ever before. Across the country, residential electricity is getting more expensive every year.  If you live in a populated area, it’s likely your bills are going to go up too.  In California utilities are asking for double-digit increases.  My parents in Maryland saw their bills increase 50% last year alone. Residential electricity prices will continue to rise in most places because they’ve been kept artificially low by local regulators.  As these rate caps are removed, like they will be in Pennsylvania in 2010, prices will jump. For decades we’ve invested in natural gas power plants assuming the price for gas would be affordable.  However, that price has quintupled over the last decade.  It’s going up because we’re importing it from overseas and using it in record quantities. Keith Johnson in the Wall Street Journal last week would have you believe that renewable energy—say from solar—is more expensive than..

The sun isn't the only thing that's hot these days. First Solar Inc., one of the more high-profile manufacturers of solar technology, is raising eyebrows on Wall Street. The clean technology company recently reported a 57% increase in quarterly earnings, exceeding projected revenues by nearly 20%. Second quarter revenues equaled $267 million, more than triple last year's second quarter earnings of $77.2 million. Over this time the company's operating profit more than quadrupled to 33.2%, as compared with last year's margin of 7.5% for the same quarter. “Despite expectations being so high, they completely outdelivered again,” gushed technology investment analyst Mark Bachman of Pacific Crest Securities. First Solar credits the launch of a new production facility in Malaysia for its current spate of success; the plant's output is helping the company meet the high consumer demand that is currently inflating the price of silicon. As production levels begin to meet this demand, however, raw costs should decrease, creating the potential for yet greater profit margins. At the moment First Solar is pursuing utility-scale initiatives in California and emerging markets in France..

Not only are the Saudis the kings of oil but they are also looking at the title "Kings of Solar." Saudia Arabia is in the middle of the "Sun Belt" which encompasses the areas of northwest Africa all the way to eastern Central Asia. Europeans are aiming to become very chummy with the Saudis in order to tap into the tremendous amount of solar power that can be obtained there. The Europeans have formed The "Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy Cooperation", or TREC. Their aim is to build a "transmission supergrid." This supergrid will funnel the energy from solar thermal power plants and wind turbines through long distance power lines to supply energy to Europe. In the last few weeks the heads of Britain and France have publically backed the plan. The problem is this is going to be a Very Expensive undertaking. They'll have to get all their political ducks in a row as well as acquiring mega funding from investors. The plan also has detractors such as Arnulf Jaeger-Walden who is a well known European energy authority. He said that less than 0.4% of of the solar energy that falls on the deserts of North Africa and the Middle East would satisfy all of Europe's energy needs. But, then yo..

On a recent day in the San Jose area, we took photos of our panel washing crews making rounds at SunRun homes. We think it's interesting to see just how dirty solar panels can get - especially with recent forest fires depositing a lot of particulates on the surface of the panels. Panel washing is included as part of SunRun Solar Service, so we can make sure that our solar power systems are performing optimally all the time - and so we can save our customers the hassle of washing the panels themselves.

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Seattle-based Cooler Planet (www.coolerplanet.com) announced today its 10,000th solar customer consultation since launching the service last year — a significant feat given the total national market for photovoltaic solar installations was estimated as 26,000 in 2007. The company provides free online assessment tools, educational resources, and consultation services to home and business owners considering solar installations. Cooler Planet (www.coolerplanet.com) also partners with a network of solar installers across the country and connects them with pre-screened customers from their area. The company further announced today the launch of a completely redesigned version of its industry-leading solar website. Cooler Planet President Tom Staples commented, “We’ve been focused on developing the suite of tools, information, and services that home and business owners need in order to evaluate solar power. We’ve made great progress over the last year with help from our solar integrators and contractor partners. The new website supports our mission to deliver the highest-quality experience for our customers while furthering our expansion.” Cooler Plane..

MUNICH, Germany & BARCELONA, Spain--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Linde Nippon Sanso today announced that it has been awarded the exclusive contract to supply high purity gases to Spain’s first thin film solar cell manufacturing plant set up by T-Solar S.A. in Ourense, Galicia (Spain). Under this agreement, Linde Nippon Sanso will provide T-Solar with turnkey installation of the plant’s bulk and special gases supply systems and ongoing delivery of the gases essential to making thin film solar cells. These gases include large volumes of silane and hydrogen gas, used to deposit silicon light absorber layers on large area sheets of glass used in solar panels. “As the search for renewable energy sources gains momentum globally, Linde Nippon Sanso’s collaboration with T-Solar is in line with our mission to enable solar energy to achieve grid parity and become more affordable for mass consumption,” said Andreas Guenther, President, Linde Nippon Sanso. “T-Solar’s choice of Linde Nippon Sanso as the exclusive supplier reiterates our strengths in advanced gas technologies for thin film manufacturing.” The T-Solar plant, fully operational in mid-2008, is using a new technology that enable..

So okay. It is not a hidden fact that we all do need to recycle. We should be able to help our planet greatly if we recycle. That would mean less garbage in our dumpsites and that would mean less products contaminating our groundwater. Now in a study that has been recently disclosed, it does look like people are not as eco-friendly as we think they already are. Recycling is not something that their system has already accepted. Like in Britain, people would rather wait for their officials to think of recycling schemes for them. The study did also find out that people were throwing away cans and boxes and food as clearly described here: It says that each week Britons throw away enough cans to stretch from London to Sydney, as well as piles of boxes more than three times the length of the Great Wall of China, and enough plates of food to give every man, woman and child in Canada three square meals. So okay. What can we all do about this? Tags: Britain , recycling , study on recycling , study on recycling habits in Britain Share This

I was recently reading a blog by Paul at Sun Volt on the possibility of solar panels increasing global warming. I wanted to find out more about the solar heat island effect, or as Paul put it “Heat Islanding” effect. I was wondering just how much concern we should have over this effect as [...]

The Rise & Shine is your daily source for all solar industry-related news. California News US Pledges Aid For Solar Program - The U.S. DOE pledged nearly $500,000 in grants and technical assistance to San Diego as to make the city a national model for solar power production. Prop 7: A Bad Idea for Renewable Energy? - Opponents of the renewable-energy proposition have launched attack ads on TV, saying the California measure would present an obstacle to achieving the state's clean-energy goals. GreenVolts Breaks Ground on America’s Largest HCPV Plant - Located in Byron, California, about 63 miles directly east of San Francisco, Cart expects this first 1 MW phase to begin delivering electricity later this year to PG&E. Power Plant Plan Scrutinized - City Council members in an East Bay town debate the pros and cons of building a power plant in Oakley that would add $800,000 in taxes to city coffers each year. Utility Industry & Regulatory News Xcel to Disclose Global Warming Risk - One of the country’s largest builders of coal-fired power plants will give investors detailed warnings about the risks that global warming poses to its business under a deal with New York’s attorney gen..

Filed under: Solar , Toyota While much of the focus of carbon dioxide reduction has been placed on ground transport, it only accounts for about 20 percent of those emissions. At least as much is spewed during ocean-going shipping, and it presents another place to reduce the amount of CO 2 in the air. To that end, Japanese shipping company Nippon Yusen is collaborating with Nippon Oil to develop a solar array to be mounted on a car-carrying ship. The ship is normally powered by a diesel electric system like a locomotive. Diesel engines drive generators that power electric motors. The 40 kW solar array is expected to reduce the fuel consumption of the ship by about 6.5 percent and CO 2 emissions by about 1-2 percent. While solar systems have been used to power auxiliary systems on big ships, this will be the first major use for propulsion. The durability of the solar system in the salty sea air will be one of the major issues to overcome. The ship which will be completed at the end of this year will be used to transport Toyotas from Japan. [Source: Reuters ] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Since we get requests from plenty of you that want to make the jump into the solar industry each week, we figured it’s about time to address how that may be achieved. In this article, I’ll review steps you need to take if you wish to become a solar salesperson. Understandably, others of you will be interested to learn how you can become a solar installer or perhaps form your own solar contracting business. If that’s the case, hang tight, we’ll get to that in a subsequent post. 1.  Be informed. Perhaps the most pressing concern of any solar hiring manager is that you, as a prospective sales employee, don’t know the ins and outs of solar. Meaning, you don’t know what net-metering is , how energy usage relates to system sizing , why shading considerations are so important, what the purpose of an inverter is, or measures installation crews take to prevent roof leakage . From their perspective, they want to spend as little time training new employees as possible, especially if you are unproven and may soon quit. Currently, there’s a push to get deals approved before federal tax credits expire at the end of the year . Therefore, free time to tr..

Lynette Bunyard and Joe Pambianco wanted to add solar panels to the roof of their downtown San Jose home. But instead of shelling out $47,000 for the installation, they found a popular alternative financing method for those who want to go green but don't want to go broke in the process. The couple used a power-purchase agreement, or PPA in industry lingo, transacted through a San Francisco company called SunRun. The company works with a homeowner and a solar-installation company; it finances the deal; it owns and operates the solar system, and sells the homeowner the electricity being generated on the homeowner's roof at a fixed rate (13.5 cents per kilowatt hour) for 18 years. The result? With the PPA, Bunyard and Pambianco paid about $17,000 to SunRun — or $30,000 less than the original installation estimate from installer REC Solar. (State incentives and a federal tax credit would have reduced the $47,000 estimate to about $35,000.) Their monthly power bill from SunRun is just $80 to $100, while their PG&E bill is negligible — as low as $4 one month this spring. So the couple, who once paid between $200 and $300 a month for electricity before installing solar panels, are th..

Even if you don’t live in a major city, you’ve heard of the well-loved home decor store. Swedish based, the company offers everything from furniture to kitchen cabinets and children’s products. Before too long, they will also be offering solar panels. Wait, solar panels? That hasn’t been something ever associated with them before, but just this month [...]

Car wash stops also do use electricity to make their business run. Though you may not think that they do because they only do make use of water to clean a car, electricity serves also much in the whole operation of the business. And one car wash, Five Star Auto Care, which does not only do car wash but also offers services for your ride, has gone solar. Thanks to its partnership with Yes! Solar Solutions. With that, this car wash is going to be the very first one of its kind in Sacramento. With the partnership, Five Star Auto Care would be having a solar system which could product 104 kW of power. Now that is a really good one. At present, the installation of the solar panels which would be part of the whole system is currently being done. 612 panels are going to be installed. By September, it is expected that the whole system would be working already. Share This

The Rise & Shine is your daily source for all solar industry-related news. National News : Apollo Solar Awarded $4.1M Contract to Develop Innovative Energy System - Apollo has been contracted by the U.S. DOE to provide development of less expensive, more efficient technologies to enhance the value of solar systems to home and business owners. groSolar Planning Industry Event In Boston - Solar energy systems provider goSolar has announced The Speed of Solar @ groSolar ‘08 conference, which will focus on funding and policy issues in the solar energy marketplace. NP Capital Purchases Solar Energy Inc. - NP Capital Corp has purchased various assets including the website SolarEnergy.com and the name of Solar Energy Inc. Utility Industry & Regulatory News TVA Approves Largest Rate Hike in 34 Years - The reasons cited for the 20% increase is the skyrocketing cost of fuel and a 3-year drought that has greatly reduced TVAs ability to generate hydroelectric power. Financial News & Markets NanoSolar Increases Funding to Nearly $500M - As part of a strategic $300 million equity financing, Nanosolar has added new capital bringing its total funding to date to just below half a billlion U...

Efforts are continuously on to make solar panels more efficient so that in future sunlight can be used as an alternative to fossil fuels. Researchers are putting tremendous effort to minimize the inadequacies of current solar panels. Both, Michael Jensen, Ph.D., a mechanical engineer and Anna Dyson, an architectural scientist from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute [...]

British technology company "QinetiQ" has set a world record by managing to keep their Solar Powered Plane called the "Zephyr" flying for 3 and a half days. The unmanned solar powered plane flew for 82 hours and 37 minutes. The standing record was 30 hours 21 minutes set by "Global Hawk" in 2001. The UK Ministry of Defence has funded the development of Zephyr to date and has partnered with the US Department of Defense (DoD) under their Joint Capability Technology Demonstration. These joint projects are being done to meet the needs of our armed forces across the globe especially in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Zephyr is an ultra-lightweight carbon-fiber unmanned aircraft that can be and was launched by hand! By day it flies on solar power generated by silicon solar arrays no thicker than sheets of paper that cover the aircraft's wings. By night it is powered by rechargeable lithium-sulphur batteries which are recharged during the day using solar power. The Zephyr's flight trial took place in the harsh Sonora desert near Yuma with hot temps around 113F. The successful flight showed the capability of the Zephyr to be used for rea-ltime battlefield surveillance and communications. The dev..

Starting Monday, the residents of Corby in the United Kingdom would now be able to place any glass they want to throw away in the brown bins . After all, it has been a year since the time when people have had trouble where to throw away their glass waste because when there had been a change in the recycling scheme, there had been no place for all that glass. “I have only just taken some glass for recycling down to the Hazel Tree pub car park. It's important to recycle. I was recycling long before we had the yellow boxes when I used the recycling facilities at Asda,” shares Irene Prentice who is one of the happy residents of Corby when she learned of the brown bins being implemented for glass trash. “This is great news for Corby residents who already do a fantastic job with recycling, as not only can they now recycle glass in their brown bin but also extra plastics as well,” exclaims Councilor David Harley who is the head for Corby’s council on the environment. Tags: brown bins , glass , recycle , recycling Share This

No matter what side of the political spectrum you're in the promotion of solar power is a good thing. The Solar Energies Industry Association is putting on a promotion during the Democrat convention called "Sunfest 2008." It will take place Wednesday August 27 2008 at Coors Field in Denver. Coors Field uses a 9.9 Kilowatt photovoltaic system to power up their LED scoreboard. The keynote speaker for the solar festival will be Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and entertainment will include a band that plays along with Bonnie Raitt-the Chuck McDermott Band. More here at Marketwatch .

Have you walked barefoot across a parking lot on a hot summer day? You don’t have to be a space scientist to know the fact that blacktop is remarkably good at soaking up the sun’s heat because you have felt the heat underneath your feet. Researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) are trying to [...]