Large Solar Energy Project Slated For Puerto Rico. Gov.
Luis Fortuno announced Thursday that the Caribbean's largest solar energy project will be built in Puerto Rico, an island heavily dependent on petroleum where power costs twice what it does on the U.S. mainland. The $98 million project financed by private investors will be built in the southern coastal town of Guayama by AES Solar, a company based in Arlington, Virginia. Some 100,000 solar panels are expected to provide enough energy to 6,500 homes by mid-2012, with consumers seeing an estimated 40 percent drop in their power bills, authorities said. "This is a permanent savings in people's pockets," Fortuno said.
"We have to stop depending on petroleum. " The project is one of seven that the government recently approved to help lower energy costs on an island that relies on petroleum to generate 70 percent of its power. It is the second largest project to be built by AES Solar and the first that the company builds in the U.S., said CEO Robert Hemphill. SOURCE: Why Americans Like Solar Energy. Listening to an NPR story yesterday about a San Diego company that makes solar-powered parking meters and has doubled its number of employees during the past year was a nice counterpoint to all the frantic attempts recently by supporters of dirty energy to disparage the solar industry.
Fortunately, most Americans haven’t been buying it. Recent polling and surveys indicate that, by and large, regardless of our politics, we still think developing solar energy is a great idea. Think about that last sentence for just a second. People in this country who vote Democratic think that solar energy is smart for the country, and people who vote Republican feel the same way.
It’s an issue that unites us. No, I don’t think it’s because the U.S. solar power market grew a record 67 percent last year, which makes it our fastest-growing energy sector. These are all great things, obviously. Solar Panels, Now Coming to a Utility Pole Near You. Essex County, New Jersey residents are starting to notice solar panels popping up on PSE&G utility poles.
But soon the panels won’t be hard to miss. When the utility company’s plan is completed in 2013, 200,000 solar panels will be installed on utility poles in more than 300 municipalities across the state. Uncertainty Clouds Struggling Solar Power Industry. Beaten-up solar stocks may look tempting for bargain-conscious investors, but for now the sector is only for the brave.
Europe’s debt crisis, which is prompting cuts to government subsidies for renewable energy, has inflicted serious damage on the industry. In another blow, Chinese manufacturers are flooding the market with low-cost offerings. Many analysts see no immediate light in store for North American and European solar stocks and advise adventurous investors to focus their attention on the few firms most likely to navigate the crisis. “It’s just a really difficult time,” said Morningstar alternative energy analyst Stephen Simko. “The profitability of the industry has collapsed.… It is still at least six, nine, 12 months – or even longer – before the end really is in sight.
Solar is Ready (VIDEO) Clean Power Published on November 15th, 2011 | by Zachary Shahan I shared my own interview for CNBC and Harvard Business Review’s “Energy Opportunities” series about a month ago, but the series has a few more that I’ve been meaning to highlight.
One of them is the one above, which features Dr Jeremy Leggett, Founder and Chairman of SolarCentury, talking about the viability and bright future of micro-generation, renewable energy, solar, the fact that solar is already a very viable energy source around the world, and his estimate that solar will reach grid parity in the UK by 2013 (not even taking externalities such as health costs, national security costs, and environmental costs into account).
Don't panic: what the solar feed-in tariff fiasco means for your business - 16 Nov 2011 - James' Blog: a blog from BusinessGreen. With apologies to Mark Twain, reports of the solar industry's death have been greatly exaggerated.
There is no doubt that the industry has been grievously wounded by the appalling mishandling of the current feed-in tariff incentive review, and the pace of the proposed cuts will almost certainly result in significant bankruptcies and job losses if they go ahead as planned. The industry is entirely justified in resorting to legal action to try to avoid a bizarre situation that would see deep cuts to incentives come into effect before the consultation proposing those cuts is complete, just as it is justified in its plans to mount a series of protests against a government that is busily undermining a flagship policy that it used to support. However, while much of the reporting of the controversial consultation has focused on the impact on the solar industry, it is worth asking what the proposed changes mean for those businesses and households considering deploying solar technologies.
Too Cool!! Occupy Rooftops with Solar: November 20. This is an archived story.
The information and any links may no longer be accurate. This is the kind of thing we need from the renewable energy community!! Global Solar PV to Rise 24% This Year, to 24 Gigawatts. This is an archived story.
The information and any links may no longer be accurate. Despite a weak start to the year and a tumultuous environment for the world's solar industry, solar PV installations will reach 24 gigawatts (GW) in 2011, a rise of 24% from the previous year. Solar PV will rise just 3% in Europe, however, and Italy will displace Germany as the world's largest market. Although installations almost doubled in the second half of 2011, suppliers haven't seen a surge in orders because of high inventory levels, according to IMS Research's Q4'11 PV Demand Database. Earlier this year, IMS Research found that solar module inventory stood at a huge 10 GW, and inverter inventory was at an unusually high level of 6 GW.
Italy is expected to be the world's largest market for the first time, installing 6.8 GW. A new approach to solar power. Systems to harness the sun’s energy typically generate either electricity or heat in the form of steam or hot water.
But a new analysis by researchers at MIT shows that there could be significant advantages to systems that produce both electricity and heat simultaneously. The new study incorporates thermoelectrics — devices that can produce an electric current from a temperature gradient — into a concentrating solar thermal system, also called a parabolic trough. Such systems use long, curved mirrors (the trough) to focus sunlight onto a glass tube running along the centerline of the trough. A liquid pumped through that tube gets heated by the sun, and then can be used to produce steam to drive a turbine, or used directly for space heating or industrial processes that require heat. Solar Can Create 40,000 Jobs in 2012, Federal Incentives Need Extension.
This is an archived story. The information and any links may no longer be accurate. Expressing concerns that House Republicans will exploit the Solyndra bankruptcy by allowing critical solar industry incentives to expire this year, a report commissioned by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) argues how important it is to extend Treasury Department grants to add jobs to our ailing economy.
SEIA wants the incentives to be extended for another year, saying it would create 37,400 jobs in 2012 and an additional 2000 MW of solar capacity by 2016, enough to power 400,000 homes. "More than 100,000 Americans work in the solar industry, double the number in 2009. Solar is a proven job creator at a time when the unemployment rate for the country remains stubbornly high," says Rhone Resch, SEIA CEO. The Section 1603 Treasury Program allows solar developers the option of either receiving an up-front grant or a tax credit.
New Solar-Wind Hybrid Combines the Best of Both. This is an archived story. The information and any links may no longer be accurate. What's better than solar or wind? Skystream Hybrid 6 - which hits the market this month - combines the best of both to bring homes and small businesses more energy, more consistently than either can do alone. Solar Thermal: More Efficient, Less Talked About. In most countries solar power is often perceived as synonymous with solar photovoltaic (PV), the classic rooftop panels that convert sunlight to electricity through solar cells.
But that could be a misconception, says Environmental Protection, since solar thermal, which gets less attention than PV, actually is more efficient. Solar thermal is cheaper and more efficient, EP points out. “PV converts 12 per cent of energy into usable electricity at a cost of 25 to 35 cents per kilowatt hour. Solar thermal, which includes solar air and solar water … offers 55 per cent efficiency at 12 to 15 cents per kilowatt hour, and solar air delivers 80 percent at 3 to 9 cents per kilowatt hour”. If that’s the case, why does PV get more airplay than thermal? SolarShare Bonds Let Citizens Make Money and Finance Local Solar. Clean Power Published on October 10th, 2011 | by John Farrell You’re an earth-friendly person and want to go solar, but a large tree shades your house; or you’re a renter; or you don’t have $20,000 to drop on a solar power system. Or maybe you just want to get more than 0.5% interest on your savings account while getting a piece of the clean energy economy.
If you live in the U.S., you’re probably out of options. Not so in Canada. Pre-Schedule a Meeting With ESA Renewables at Solar Power International 2011. Due to High Demand, ESA Renewables Pre-Schedules Appointments for SPI 2011 The Solar Power International 2011 tradeshow at the Dallas Convention Center is rapidly approaching. ESA will be displaying its newly released solar monitoring and control system in booth #751 during the show which runs October 17-20th.
Attendees will be able to view live, real-time data from solar farms currently online from ESA's booth. Schedule an Appointment Today! Do to the numerous requests received for one-on-one meeting time during the show, ESA is giving attendees the opportunity to pre-set appointments to ensure all interested parties have sufficient time to meet and discuss their projects and opportunities. How to Schedule a Meeting With ESA Renewables To pre-schedule an appointment during the show, please contact Jennifer Pagan today by phone at (407) 268-6455 or via email: jpagan@esarenewables.com. ESA Renewables Completes Solar Farm Construction in North Carolina. ESA's Cherokee County solar energy generating facility ready for grid-connection Lake Mary, FL., October 5, 2011 - ESA Renewables, a leading turnkey solar system provider, announced this week the completion of its solar photovoltaic energy generating system in Murphy, North Carolina.
The 999 kW solar array is located the tight-knit community of Murphy in the heart of Cherokee Country, North Carolina. Situated on approximately five acres, almost 4,500 ground-mounted photovoltaic (PV) solar modules which will produce estimated 1.3 million kilowatt-hours each year. This is enough to power more than 150 average sized homes. Additionally, grid-connectivity allows the PV system to reduce carbon emissions of 936 tons of CO2 a year, which is the equivalent of 4,681 trees sequestered annually. The installation of this clean energy project has had a large impact through job creation.
The Solar Farm was designed, engineered, procured, constructed and managed by ESA. Thierry Mueth est élu Président d'Enerplan. A Solar Panel on Every Roof? In U.S., Still a Distant Dream. SunPower Releases First Sustainability Report in the Solar Industry. This is an archived story. The information and any links may no longer be accurate. SunPower (SPWRA) has produced the first sustainability report in the solar industry. US Solar Companies File Trade Complaint Against China. This is an archived story. The information and any links may no longer be accurate. UPDATE: Under pressure from Congress to do more to confront China on economic issues, the Obama administration notified the World Trade Organization of nearly 200 Chinese subsidy programs - particularly in solar and wind - and many of them may violate free trade rules.
An Eagle, A New Look for Solar & Other Scenes from the Greenbuild Expo. The Greenbuild Expo never fails to fascinate me as companies and other exhibitors vie for the attention of footsore convention-goers. Each year vendors introduce a new element into the science-fair-on-steroids spectacle of the Greenbuild trade show. GE to Bring Solar-Powered Carports to a Parking Lot Near You. News, Opinion, Events, Press Releases, Jobs, Directory, Resources. After 18 months of construction, the largest solar energy plant in Taiwan’s history is now fully operational in the southern city of Kaohsiung, according to the Ministry of Economic Affairs Oct. 1. Costing NT$640 million (US$20.9 million) to build, the power plant, to be managed by state-run Taiwan Power Co., is fitted with more than 16,000 solar panels, MOEA officials said. Solar bridge puts railways on right track to sustainability - 04 Oct 2011. World’s Largest Solar Bridge Being Constructed in UK.
Clean Power Published on October 6th, 2011 | by Glenn Meyers. News, Opinion, Events, Press Releases, Jobs, Directory, Resources. One of the world’s leading solar entrepreneurs and proponents of renewable energy has been awarded the Right Livelihood Award for 2011, often referred to as the “alternative Nobel Prize.” Westinghouse Solar Launches "All-In-One" Home Solar Power Kits. Buildings Published on September 26th, 2011 | by Andrew. Now is Not the Time to Back Down from Solar Innovation. The anti-clean-energy echo chamber has been publicizing the bankruptcy of Solyndra, a manufacturer of solar energy panels, arguing that the President's clean energy job creation program is ineffective. How Solar Panels Work: Solar Panel Basics.
Kyoto University to Test Solar Array in Space (in 5-10 Years) 400-Megawatt Solar Farm Planned in Northern Florida. Germany Small Solar Prices Beat US Big Solar Prices. Farmers Harvesting the Power of Solar Energy. The Solar Decathlon. ESA Renewables Complete Power Plant Monitoring Solution Includes Both Inverter Hardware and Software. Walgreens and IKEA Ramp Up Rooftop Solar, a Green Museum Goes 'Double Platinum' & More. Suntech May Invest in Manufacturing Facility in Thailand.
ESA Renewables Installs Rooftop Solar Array on Eco Serendib on St. John USVI. Solar Decathlon Highlights Green Power's Opportunities, Challenges. Solar Growth vs Fossil Fuel Demise. 40% Efficient UV Nanotech PV Cells for Space Receive $1 Million Funding. Falling Solar Panel Costs are Great for Buyers, Bad for Producers (sort of) Eco-business.com. Eco-business.com. US Saw Net Exports of Solar in 2010 - $1.9 Billion. Giant California solar thermal plant raises $935m - 30 Aug 2011. Clean Solar Energy Offers Promising Small Business Opportunities.
Spray-on Solar Cells from Mitsubishi. Solar Power Could Produce >50% of Global Electricity, IEA Report Concludes. Screen-Printed Solar Cell Sets New Efficiency Record – 20.2% India Revamps Permit Rules For Solar Power Plants. Florida Based Solar Company Opens Office in North Carolina. Tampa Florida Schools To Go Solar. New Jersey Installs More Than 10,000 Solar Projects. Chinese Maker of Solar Products Wards Off Hostile Takeover. 5MW solar farm constructed in 6 weeks. Solar Cells On Demand – As Easy as Pressing “Print” Big Banks Inflate Solar Project Value to Boost Tax Credits. Solar Energy News {Weekly Round-Up} Roof-top solar panels boost building insulation by more than a third. France Issues New Regulations for Large Solar PV Installations. Suntech Designs high tech solar panels for Israel. REC blames "very weak" solar market for second-quarter losses - 19 Jul 2011. Quantum Dot Solar Cell Achieves Efficiency Milestone.
ESA Renewables Completes 1MW Solar Farm in Less Than Three Weeks. While you’re up, print me a solar cell. Research update: New way to store sun’s heat. Putting Damaged Land to Good Use. Solar Bill Passes DC Council. US Solar Project Pipeline Hits 17 Gigawatts. California's Solar Program Costs More Than German Feed-in Tariffs. While you’re up, print me a solar cell. Chinese solar companies thrive on manufacturing innovations. Corse : Solar Euromed construit la première centrale solaire thermodynamique à concentration. Solar parks launched as developers dash to beat feed-in tariff deadline - 07 Jul 2011. Solar Module Price Decline To Drive Market Recovery In Second Half of 2011.
One of the Largest Solar Power Purchase Agreements Announced. Name Three Innovations That Make Solar More Affordable.