CalFinder Solar's growing collection of articles about solar design includes an introductory article about passive solar walls. This article expands on the basics described in that piece, Smarter Homes Have Passive Solar Walls.GreenBuilder.com says... Read More »
Installing a new solar photovoltaic (PV) system is no small investment, so a good amount of planning is a must. Even if it feels like a lot of work, it will stand as a rather small amount of time against 30 years of clean and free... Read More »
Much of the attention surrounding residential solar systems goes to photovoltaics, but there is a lot that solar thermal has to offer as well. Many homeowners are initially scared off by the high purchase and installation costs... Read More »
In an effort to increase their solar energy output, the city of San Francisco has moved forward with plans for their largest photovoltaic solar project. The five megawatt array, which will be spread atop the town’s largest reservoir,... Read More »
If there is any industry in existence during the current global recession that could be labeled as "on fire," it would have to be the renewable energy industry, led in its own right by the solar power industry. While not impervious... Read More »
Solar panels require very little maintenance. If anything, the occasional trip up onto the roof to sweep or rinse the panels is all that is required -- perhaps some intermittent tree trimming as well to prevent shading. Whether... Read More »
A common question among solar DIYers and folks looking to expand their solar system revolves around mixing and matching solar panels. The question typically involves panels of different watts and voltage and those made by separate... Read More »
One of the intricacies of solar installation that oft goes unmentioned is the penetration of roofing material in order to reach the roof framing underneath. While the process of attaching solar panels to the structure itself is fairly... Read More »
When it comes to collecting and converting solar energy into electricity, there are many details that enter the equation. Most of our attention focuses on financing the system, and rightly so, as that is the number one barrier... Read More »
The process of converting solar energy into power can be broken down into a "solar chain." It begins with manufacturing and ends on the rooftop of a solar home.With a nearly sixty-year history, you're right in wondering why solar photovoltaic... Read More »
A home energy audit is step number one toward a comprehensive upgrade in a home's energy efficiency. An energy audit will identify everything that's wrong with the home's energy efficiency, in the end providing a list of necessary... Read More »
The deal keeps getting sweeter on home renewable energy systems. Local, state, and federal incentives can reduce end costs by well over 50 percent. As the solar power movement continues to gain in popularity (while falling in price),... Read More »
To say that the world has "gone" green may be a bit hyperbolic, but we're certainly well on our way. When politics, lobbyists and fossil-fueled capitalism jump in the way of environmental reform, miring efforts such as climate... Read More »
A Look at the Brighter Side of the Green Movement"Accentuate the positive," Johnny Mercer once advised through song. It's advice that many in the green movement would do well to heed right now. Instead of a lot of positive singing,... Read More »
We've been after affordable solar for years. Sure, once you have your system in place, you’ll eliminate your monthly electric bills forever and save about $300 per month. But considering the high cost of solar installation, it... Read More »
Future graduates at Saddleback High School in Santa Ana, California will have the distinct pleasure of turning their tassels beneath a solar rooftop. Indeed, by this time next year, a solar energy system already underway should be... Read More »
Fuel cells are best known as the potential "green" mobilizer in hybrid automobiles. Toyota, Honda and Ford all have prototypes or expensive production models now available. But fuel cells' potential may be greater outside the transportation... Read More »
Encore Energy Systems' primary claim to eco-friendly fame has been their standalone alternative fuel generators. Now, however, the preparations are all but complete as the company gets set to launch its solar power products. As... Read More »
Smart meters will play a huge role in American electricity infrastructure. While they alone do not comprise a "smart grid," the smart meter is an important component. Historically, especially at the residential level, electric meters... Read More »
eSolar found the breakthrough we've been waiting for. Or so company execs claimed at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Sierra SunTower. It is a solar thermal power plant that embodies low-cost, affordable, no-incentive, utility-scale... Read More »
The Department of Energy posted three new funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) for solar power, totaling nearly $40 million in new funds over the next year. Most of the funding is geared toward the study and development of new, more... Read More »
Hopatcong, New Jersey has become yet another city to realize the potential of tarnished urban land for solar power generation. For some time, the focus of large-scale renewable energy production was solely on remote landscapes, especially... Read More »
The Department of Energy announced $13.6 million in new funding to help tribal communities and rural Alaskan villages improve energy independence and efficiency. The multi-year funding will be dispersed among 36 tribes and villages and... Read More »
Sub-Saharan Africa is the least electric region on the globe. There, poorer residents must use kerosene lamps (currently the most affordable option) to provide light. The fire-hazardous lamps are expensive to maintain, contribute... Read More »
The city of Toledo and the Ohio Department of Transportation (O-DOT) are teaming up to add some solar flare to a prominent highway and bridge in the northern Ohio metropolis. Solar panels will be mounted on stop signs, traffic monitors... Read More »
During these early years of electric vehicle (EV) development, eco-conscious drivers will have to deal with high prices and short battery ranges. And even if you get past the high cost of prototypical EVs, you'll still be fairly... Read More »
Here's a solar charger that swings both ways. The K3 charger from Kinesis Industries is the newest solution for all the off-the-grid moments in life, moments apparently unlivable without a cell phone, mp3 player, camera or other... Read More »
Solar power can free your home from the electric grid - it doesn't get any more revolutionary than that. Solar provides any family the potential for complete energy independence. Most home solar power systems in use today are grid-tied... Read More »
Among the arid deserts spreading out across the southwestern U.S., California seems to get all the credit for home solar power. But just east of SoCal and north of our vecino amistoso to the south lies sun-drenched Arizona. A land... Read More »
"Wind power capital of the world!" travelers will read on a drive along Interstate 20 in Central Texas. Towering white wind turbines now dot the landscape in Texas like freshly added salt among a vast peppering of oil wells. Texas... Read More »
Do you remember just over a year ago when the solar industry was reeling because it couldn't get the polysilicon needed to manufacture solar panels fast enough to meet demand? Half the industry was in a panic, prices were actually... Read More »
Energy Star is not only a beacon for eco-friendly shoppers, but a primary resource for consumers, retailers and manufacturers alike. Suppliers and manufacturers can do well for their businesses by becoming an Energy Star partner.... Read More »
Good service is hard to find. And when it comes to a new solar power system, longevity is paramount to its success. Compiled here are a few resources to help you find the right solar installer in your own area.One thing... Read More »
...And with good reason!The Saudi Arabia government - and its people - are a little concerned. They face a swelling population, rampant depletion of underground water resources and economical dependence on petroleum. The petroleum... Read More »
Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) have introduced legislation to create green jobs, reduce U.S. pollution levels and lessen our dependence on foreign energy sources. The bill, dubbed the Clean Energy Jobs and American... Read More »
Mitsubishi has just become the first Japanese company to enter into the North American inverter market. The company already produces solar panels, and with the addition of large-scale inverters to their product line, Mitsubishi... Read More »
On April 17th, 2009, the Vatican made giant strides toward becoming the first solar-powered nation state in the world. The church turned on the 2,400 PV panels with an estimated system cost of about $1.6 million. The system... Read More »
Long Beach, California now has the first "off-grid" dog park in the city. This installation was the first city-sponsored job for the local Solar Source, Inc., one of a few solar installers in the Long Beach area. The park uses 24... Read More »
Home Depot and BP Solar Division have come together. Yes, it's true, and yes it's happening. BP has been doing the solar thing since 1973. These two behemoths in their respective industries are looking to capitalize... Read More »
Team California's narrow halftime lead was overtaken in the last few days of this year's Department of Energy-sponsored Solar Decathlon in Washington D.C. In the end, Team California took third place behind the University of Illinois... Read More »
Power Plastic by Konarka is an exciting product that could soon be used in residential home solar power. According to the Konarka website, "Power Plastic can be applied to a limitless number of potential applications – from... Read More »
70-year old Tom Lopez of Colorado invented solar battery-powered lawn equipment that may be commercially available in the near future. Lopez, who studied Aerospace Engineering at Boulder University, hopes to take his creation to... Read More »
Chipotle, a Mexican-style fast food company, announced that 75 of its restaurants are slated to receive power by solar panels in the next twelve months. If all goes according to plan, the system could produce 500 kilowatt hours... Read More »
Florida Power and Light has built a 25-megawatt system in Arcadia, Florida, southeast of Tampa. The project is completing testing and will soon go online, making it the largest solar installation in the U.S. The system... Read More »
Homeboy Industries sees a colorful future for ex-cons in the Los Angeles area. Not in gang or prison colors, but in green collars. The LA-based nonprofit is training former gang members to install solar panels. In a partnership with... Read More »
St. Paul, Minnesota. Yep, that cold, frosty city way up north is about to get solar power for the River Centre, a large convention center for the city. The 1-megawatt system will be funded by $1 million from the American Recovery... Read More »
Cool Energy, Inc. is best known for its SolarFlow System, a combined solar thermal heating and solar electricity system. So when solar heating is not needed, the system converts excess energy into electricity. Now, Cool Energy has... Read More »
Stoel Rives, a business law practice with over 100 years of experience, is offering free webinars (web seminars) on key topics for the renewable energy business:Structured Tax Incentives today, November 4, 2009Grants and Applications... Read More »
This year's Tokyo Motor Show will witness another solar rooftop, this time on Honda's new concept car, the EV-N. Honda will have the largest exhibit at the show, with an entire section devoted to electric vehicles. The EV-N will... Read More »
Energy audits range from complicated to relatively basic, depending on your needs. For example, professionals can actually use infrared leak detectors and factor that into the cost of energy it takes to make your house livable,... Read More »
Solar Energy is alive and growing, there's no doubt about that. Because the Federal Stimulus Plan is addressing the funding and policies, the only thing that stands in the way of the US taking solar into the standalone future... Read More »
Last year, MIT professor and solar fuel inventor Daniel Nocera outlined a revolutionary plan for residential solar energy storage. That plan involved solving all the technical hurdles behind personalized energy storage by combining... Read More »
In the municipality of Aldersbach in Lower Bavaria, they've broken ground on a 5.67-megawatt (MW) solar power plant that will be grid-tied by the end of 2009. That's flat-out impressive.The speedy installation is made possible... Read More »
The west coast of Ireland is about to catch a giant wave of renewable energy. Swedish power-utility Vattenfall and Irish wave-energy developer Wavebob have chosen Ireland as the site of a commercial-scale wave energy installation. ... Read More »
If the EU bulks up laws regarding electrical products that are manufactured with hazardous materials, it could pose serious problems for the still-fledgling solar industry. This could mean a particularly rough time for First Solar, a... Read More »
Alstom Hydro, a company with over 100 years of experience in hydro-electric generation secured a contract with Andritz Hydro to provide 92 megawatts-worth of equipment to Nam Power, Nambia's top energy utility. The equipment... Read More »
Last week, I wrote about falling solar stocks and their effect on industry and homeowners alike. The essence of that post was that while stocks and revenues are falling overall, the long-term outlook for solar companies is strong... Read More »
24,000 people attended the Solar Power International Conference, making this the greatest turnout to date. This was also the most diverse attendee group yet, with 27% of those guests drawn from outside the US. In total,... Read More »
The Solar Energy Initiatives subsidiary company, Solar Park Initiatives, has secured a contract that encompasses land, construction and operation of a 100-megawatt solar park in Southern California. The planned installation... Read More »
Most RV owners know what it's like to need power in remote locations, where plugging in isn't possible. For this reason, many RVers have generators on-board. For a smaller section of off-grid adventurists, as well as oil and gas... Read More »
Has strong work ethic, his crew is great.
His craftmanship is good, has a great eye to detail.