If you’ve ever thought about going solar to take a bite out of your utility bills, you may want to take another look: A perfect storm of events, policies and programs currently makes solar more affordable than ever.
The problem: He who hesitates may miss the best deals.
“People say, ‘It’s too [...]
[caption id="attachment_4876" align="alignright" width="113" caption="Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, (Photo: Ford Motor Co.)"][/caption]
Not every abandoned automobile manufacturing plant is doomed to a future of dust, rust and general obsolescence. Thanks to a creative deal between Ford Motor Co., the state of Michigan, and a pair of energy concerns, a shuttered facility near Detroit soon will be cranking out renewable energy and creating new jobs for the region.
Xtreme Power of Austin,Texas and Clairvoyant Energy of Santa Barbara, Calif., reportedly will pay $725 million for the former auto plant in Wixom, Mich. The plan is to use about half of the 4.7 million square feet to manufacture battery-based energy storage systems and high efficiency solar panels. The new owners hope to find other green companies to fill the remaining space.
CHICAGO (WLS) — More people are deciding to save energy by installing solar panels — even while the debate continues over whether they are worth the investment. One way to live green while saving money is to conserve energy. If you’ve ever wondered whether solar panels are really the best way to do that, you can find out through an upcoming “solar tour.” >> Read the full story
New green homes can awe-inspiring, both for their groundbreaking designs and their show of techno-muscle. Those tubular daylights, state-of-the-art solar panels, sleek recycled flooring, dehumidifying HVAC systems, complex gray water reclamation systems, louvered light “shelves” and heat-reflecting metal roofs can leave the common homeowner gaping — and wishing.
The truth is most of us won’t be building a brand new green castle, at least not anytime soon — and perhaps there’s something to be said for the alternative; let’s call it “greening in place”.
Almost any home can become more energy friendly, and this “in fill” project can occupy a very important spot in the urban landscape: your own lot!
SRS Energy’s Sole Power Tile system was installed in this Bermuda Dunes, Calif., home in three hours.
From Green Right Now Reports
Methods for adding solar panels to home continue to evolve and become more sophisticated. For evidence, look no further than a recently completed residential installation of the Sole Power Tile system at a home in Bermuda Dunes, Calif. SRS Energy of Philadelphia, a developer of sustainable solar roofing products, says the new solar tile is the first building-integrated photovoltaic roofing product designed for curved roofing systems.
“This installation illustrates how homeowners can go green and make smart, sustainable choices without compromising curb appeal,” Marty Low, CEO of SRS Energy, said in a statement. “The revolutionary design of the Sole Power Tile system will enable this home to generate clean solar energy for decades to come.”
The California Public Utilities Commission yesterday approved a plan by Southern California Edison to build the largest U.S. installation of advanced solar panels on otherwise unused large commercial rooftops across Southern California.
The installation will occur over the next five years and will result in 250 megawatts of solar generating capacity. The utility also will conduct competitive solicitations offering long-term power contracts to independent solar power providers who will install an additional 250 megawatts, bringing to 500 megawatts the total generating capacity of the project — the largest photovoltaic program ever undertaken.
You’d like to make energy upgrades on the casa, but you’re a little short on the green.
Not enough green to green is a common problem right now. Yet, there are some changes you can barely afford not to make. One of these easy fixes involves addressing the build-up of heat in your attic this summer. If you live any place south of Washington, Maine and Michigan, you’re going to experience some days when it’s difficult to cool the house, and the typical attic compounds the problem by trapping heat overhead. If your AC unit is installed up there, the situation is even worse; the extreme heat will make the air conditioning system work harder and run longer as it pushes cooled air through hot duct work.
There’s a big push for Texans to go green. Area lawmakers want more people to do things to save energy, including installing solar panels on their homes. The problem is that a lot of homeowners associations don’t allow it.
Turning a home built in 1929 into a marvel of the 21st century is no easy task.
“I’m proud of the fact that I have collectors,” said U of H architecture professor Charles Tapley, who is adding solar panels to his Montrose area house.
Business types, evidently, feel they know all they need to know about Tempe, Ariz., firm First Solar, a nine-year old company being called “the Google of solar.” In a year and a half, investors drove its stock price up from $25 to $250. But aside from reports that this year’s sales are projected to hit $1 billion, what exactly do they know?
The company is highly secretive about its innovations, it seems, going so far as to refuse to speak with journalists. Now, an in-depth story in IEEE Spectrum Online attempts to get to the bottom of how, as the journal says, “within five years, this company’s thin-film solar cells could compete with coal.”
By Nima Kapadia
An enormous recreation center in Flagstaff, Ariz., is taking advantage of the state’s sunny weather to warm two indoor and outdoor body slides, a family whirlpool and a three-lane lap pool: about 100,000 gallons.
The Aquaplex Recreation Center will use a 70-panel solar heating system for its multiple pools in a facility that is larger than 51,000 [...]
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