REAL-TIME SOLAR ENERGY MONITORING SYSTEM FOR HOMEOWNERS GOES ONLINE

~Centrosolar America Announces CentroData™ Bringing Commercial Grade Data Monitoring to Residential Consumers to Better Track Energy Savings~

Scottsdale, AZ – March 29, 2011— Today, Centrosolar America announces its upgraded CentroData solar monitoring system with user-friendly programs now making it easier than ever before for homeowners to track their photovoltaic solar system’s energy output.

Centrosolar’s CentroData is a hardware and software application that generates real-time reporting on PV system performance. Installed near the PV system power inverter unit, and connected to a wall inside or outside of the home, the system continuously monitors the solar system’s performance, while sending real-time data wirelessly. Previously able to send data only to an internet-connected device, CentroData has now been updated to a commercial grade energy meter and web-enabled portal that is designed to collect, store, and upload a wide range of energy data.

“The revenue grade CentroData energy meter requires no calibration and enables solar installers and homeowners to monitor their solar system 10 times more accurately than before, enabling them to measure return on their solar investment and energy savings in new ways,” said Centrosolar America Director of Operations Joe Cunningham.”

With CentroView™, CentroData’s web-based portal program, homeowners can access their individual system solar performance data from the convenience of any computer, anywhere and at any time. By going to CentroView.net and using their login and password, they can view their data on-line in a computer-friendly dashboard screen format. Users can also create customized charts that track data ranging from the system’s daily output of solar generated electricity to the amount produced monthly, seasonally or over a full year. The equivalent dollar amounts of energy savings provided by the system as well as a measurement of the lessened impact on the environment made possible over the lifetime of the installation can also be tracked.

This summer, CentroData will offer homeowners the opportunity to view their solar system’s performance at their fingertips with a newly created mobile device App that, with a push of a button, allows the user to track real-time how many watts of energy the system is generating, that day’s output and usage, the annual savings realized, and much more.

The CentroData system automatically provides the output data needed to simplify the task of reporting the data required for solar renewable energy tax credits and project financers. The system generates real-time system diagnostics, as well, and sends alerts when the PV array performance drops below a target performance threshold, whether caused by excessive debris, unplanned shade, or adverse weather conditions.

For more information, please visit http://www.centrosolaramerica.com/

According to this report released by the Solar Energy Industries Association last year was a record year for solar power installations in the US. One would think that after the Japanese nuclear power plant crisis that 2011 might become even bigger for solar power in this country. What do you think?

Photovoltaic installations double over 2009; Largest concentrating solar power plant in 20 years comes online; Solar heating and cooling reverses trend and expands

WASHINGTON, D.C., and CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — The U.S. solar energy industry had a banner year in 2010 with the industry’s total market value growing 67 percent from $3.6 billion in 2009 to $6.0 billion in 2010, according to the U.S. Solar Market InsightTM: Year-in-Review 2010 released today by the Solar Energy Industries Association® (SEIA®) and GTM Research. Solar was a bright spot in the U.S. economy last year as the fastest growing energy sector, contrasting overall U.S. GDP growth of less than 3 percent.

In total, 878 megawatts (MW) of photovoltaic (PV) capacity and 78 MW of concentrating solar power (CSP) were installed in the U.S. in 2010, enough to power roughly 200,000 homes. In addition, more than 65,000 homes and businesses added solar water heating (SWH) or solar pool heating (SPH) systems.

The U.S. PV market made the most significant strides in 2010, more than doubling installation totals from 2009 according to the latest U.S. Solar Market InsightTM report. This expansion was driven by the Federal section 1603 Treasury program, completion of significant utility-scale projects, expansion of new state markets and declining technology costs.

The section 1603 Treasury program helped fourth-quarter installations surge to a record 359 MW and was critical in allowing the solar industry to employ more than 93,000 Americans in 2010. Originally set to expire at the end of 2010, the 1603 Treasury program was ultimately extended through 2011.

In addition, market diversification was a distinguishing characteristic of U.S. solar energy development in 2010. Sixteen states each installed more than 10 MW of PV in 2010, up from only four in 2007. The top 10 states for PV installation in 2010 were: California, New Jersey, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Florida, North Carolina and Texas.

Cost declines were also an important factor in the 2010 solar expansion, as technology costs fell and the industry matured further, capitalizing on greater economies of scale and improved installation practices. In the residential and commercial-property segments, installed annual PV system cost declines of 8 percent and 11 percent respectively spurred record build-out.

“The U.S. PV market saw a breakthrough in 2010 and is emerging as a global demand center for both suppliers and project developers,” said Shayle Kann, Managing Director of Solar at GTM Research. “The U.S. Solar Market InsightTM: Year-in-Review 2010 examines the conditions that led to the past year’s growth and pinpoints future demand, industry trends and market challenges for 2011 and beyond.”

“This report shows that solar energy is now one of the fastest growing industries in the United States, creating new opportunities for both large and small businesses. Every day, Americans across the country are going to work at well-paying, stable jobs at solar companies, from small installers all the way up to Fortune 500 companies,” said Rhone Resch, SEIA president and CEO. “This remarkable growth puts the solar industry’s goal of powering 2 million homes annually by 2015 within reach. Achieving such amazing growth during the economic downturn shows that smart polices combined with American ingenuity adds up to a great return on investment for the public. The bottom line is that the solar energy industry is creating tens of thousands of new American jobs each year.”

Along with analysis of the U.S. PV market, U.S. Solar Market InsightTM: Year-in-Review 2010 provides visibility into the CSP and solar heating and cooling markets. The 75 MW Martin CSP plant installed in Florida is the largest to come online in nearly 20 years and foreshadows a pipeline of more than 9 GW of CSP projects under development. In addition, for the first time in 2010, the federal government approved permits for CSP plants on public land.

Meanwhile, the solar heating and cooling markets grew in 2010. The top five states for solar water heating installations in 2010 were California, Hawaii, Arizona, Florida and Puerto Rico, while the top five for solar pool heating were Florida, California, Arizona, New York, and Illinois. Fluctuating natural gas and heating oil prices will determine the future of these markets.

Source: SEIA®, GTM Research U.S. Solar Market Insight, Mar. 10, 2011

Highlights from U.S. Solar Market InsightTM: Year-in-Review 2010:
All Solar Markets:
• The total value of U.S. solar market installations grew 67 percent from $3.6 billion in 2009 to $6.0 billion in 2010.
• Solar electric installations in 2010 totaled 956 megawatts (MW) to reach a cumulative installed capacity of 2.6 gigawatts (GW), enough to power more than half a million households.
Photovoltaics (PV):
• Grid-connected PV installations grew 102 percent in 2010 to reach 878 MW, up from 435 MW in 2009, bringing cumulative installed PV capacity in the U.S. to 2,086 MW.
• Sixteen states installed more than 10 MW of PV in 2010, up from four states in 2007.
• Utility PV installations more than tripled in 2010 to reach 242 MW, up from 70 MW brought online in 2009.
• U.S. manufacturing of PV components increased substantially year-over-year for wafers (97 percent growth), cells (81 percent growth), and modules (62 percent growth).
Concentrating Solar Power (CSP):
• The 75-MW Martin Next Generation Solar Energy Center was completed in 2010; it is the largest U.S. CSP plant to come online in nearly 20 years.
• Cumulative CSP capacity from all 17 operating plants reached 507 MW in 2010.
• For the first time, the federal government approved permits for seven CSP plants on public land, which add 3,560 MW of new capacity.
Solar Hot Water and Space Heating (SWH) / Solar Pool Heating (SPH):
• 35,464 SWH systems and 29,540 SPH systems were installed in 2010 alone, heating a total of more than 65,000 homes, businesses and pools.
• California maintained its position as the leading installer of SWH systems in 2010 as the overall market grew 5 percent.

DOE Pursues SunShot Initiative to Achieve Cost Competitive Solar Energy by 2020 Announces $27 Million in Projects to Advance Solar Development and Manufacturing

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced additional details of the Department of Energy’s “SunShot” initiative to reduce the total costs of photovoltaic solar energy systems by about 75 percent so that they are cost competitive at large scale with other forms of energy without subsidies before the end of the decade. By reducing the cost for utility scale installations by about 75 percent to roughly $1 a watt – which would correspond to roughly 6 cents per kilowatt-hour – solar energy systems could be broadly deployed across the country.

This will increase American economic competitiveness and help the U.S. regain leadership in the global market for solar photovoltaics. As part of the SunShot initiative, Secretary Chu announced today that the Department of Energy is awarding $27 million in projects to support the development, commercialization, and manufacturing of advanced solar energy technologies.

“America is in a world race to produce cost-effective, quality photovoltaics. The SunShot initiative will spur American innovations to reduce the costs of solar energy and re-establish U.S. global leadership in this growing industry,” said Secretary Chu. “These efforts will boost our economic competitiveness, rebuild our manufacturing industry and help reach the President’s goal of doubling our clean energy in the next 25 years.”

The SunShot program builds on the legacy of President Kennedy’s 1960s “moon shot” goal, which laid out a plan to regain the country’s lead in the space race and land a man on the moon. The program will aggressively drive innovations in the ways that solar systems are conceived, designed, manufactured and installed.

In addition to investing in improvements in cell technologies and manufacturing, the SunShot initiative will also focus on steps to streamline and digitize local permitting processes that will reduce installation and permitting costs. To achieve the SunShot goal of reducing the total installed cost of large scale solar electricity by about 75 percent, DOE will be working closely with partners in government, industry, research laboratories and academic institutions across the country.

SunShot will work to bring down the full cost of solar – including the costs of the solar cells and installation – by focusing on four main pillars:

* Technologies for solar cells and arrays that convert sunlight to energy;
* Electronics that optimize the performance of the installation;
* Improvements in the efficiency of solar manufacturing processes;
* Installation, design and permitting for solar energy systems.

For more information and to follow the initiative’s progress, visit: www.energy.gov/sunshot.

CALIFORNIA VOTERS REJECT PROP 23 AND SEND MESSAGE: “RENEWABLE ENERGY IS HERE TO STAY”

~Solar Industry Leader Says Validation of AB32 Cements Foundation for Continued Investment and Job Creation in America’s Largest Renewable Power Market ~

NOVATO, CA—November 3, 2010— With the country and the world watching Tuesday’s vote in California on Proposition 23, Tom Rooney, President and CEO of SPG Solar, hails voter rejection of this initiative as a reminder to State and Federal energy policy makers that renewable energy is here to stay. SPG Solar is California’s second largest commercial solar installer and manages over 1,500 solar system installations nationwide.

“Washington D.C. and every state across the country need to look at this vote as a ‘call to action’ as legislators’ debate our energy policy. America’s largest solar market has now voted, confirming the demand for cleaner energy initiatives in this country,” said Rooney.

According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, the solar energy sector has created 17,000 jobs since 2009, and supports roughly 46,000 related jobs in the U.S. Employment in solar is expected to surpass 60,000 jobs by the end of 2010.

“Californians get it,” said Rooney. “California continues to lead the way on a critical national policy debate by rejecting the Prop. 23 notion that clean energy means fewer jobs.

“The AB 32 legislation is a critical first step in cleaning up the air we breath and creating the jobs we need right here in California.” He adds, “Now we can keep moving forward and continue to build the foundation of a growing and competitive marketplace for renewable energy in California. We can go the next step and put the right mechanisms in place, like sensible feed-in tariffs, to maintain our leadership in clean, renewable energy,” said Rooney.

At the national level, with nearly 50% of America’s commercial and residential solar installations in California, the voter rejection of Prop 23 is a critical signal to the global investment community about the US as an increasingly viable renewable energy market for investment capital. The United States currently ranks fourth behind Germany, Japan and Italy in solar energy installations and job creation. California stands the most to gain if global investors begin to shift their investment dollars away from China and Germany and into American manufacturing jobs and technology.

Rooney notes that because of the vote solar investments across the State that are ‘on hold’ or in the planning stages can now move forward with the certainty that solar is here to stay.

U.S. Stadiums Go Solar: Major Pro Sports Leagues Move Together Toward Renewable Energy

MLB, MLS, NBA, NFL, NHL all call for teams to encourage solar power to help combat climate change

CHICAGO (September 8, 2010) — The nation’s major professional sports leagues are collectively sending an important cultural message in the battle against climate change by encouraging and endorsing the use of solar power and clean energy in arenas and stadiums throughout the United States.

Major League Baseball, the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League, and Major League Soccer delivered a letter encouraging their teams and facilities to begin using solar power as they continue the effort to green North America’s professional sports. The leagues also distributed a comprehensive solar development guide produced on their behalf by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) outlining the work necessary for each stadium to add on-site solar power generation to its energy mix. Having all professional leagues engaged collectively in this manner is an extraordinary event, pointing to the growing cultural transcendence of the fight against climate change.

“Our sport was born outdoors, in winter weather, and many of our players began skating on frozen lakes and ponds,” said Gary Bettman, Commissioner of the National Hockey League.”We are acutely aware that our League, as well as all sports leagues, need to be responsible stewards of our planet. Utilizing solar energy is an important and efficient environmental action that sends a broader signal to the culture. It not only conveys a critical message to all sports fans, it improves the efficiency of our facilities and protects the environment.”

The embrace of solar power sends a strong message to millions of fans and event-goers throughout the country—and it could have a big impact on the teams’ bottom lines too. In most American cities, solar panels can pay for themselves, potentially offsetting significant energy costs in the long-term. Los Angeles’ STAPLES Center, for example, currently addresses 5% of the facility’s total energy needs with a solar array.

“The distribution of solar power development guides by all professional sports leagues reflects a real cultural shift in our thinking about energy that is taking place throughout the business community and the nation at large,” said NRDC Senior Scientist Allen Hershkowitz, PhD. “Throughout US history professional sports leagues have stepped up on behalf of our troops. They have stepped up for civil rights. And now they are stepping up for the environment. It’s not about politics; it’s about what is right for America. This is really a remarkable moment and effort coming from our professional sports leagues. The private sector does not have to wait for government action in order for them to address the urgent issue of climate change.”

The solar development guide co-authored by NRDC and BEF leverages the examples set by the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles and US Airways Center data in Phoenix, two leading arenas already taking advantage of solar panels. If all arenas and stadiums had solar installation equal to the STAPLES Center, they would:

Reduce carbon emissions by approximately 86.6 million lbs/yr, comparable to taking 8,340 cars off the road

Create enough electricity to power roughly 4,812 American homes for a year

Save the equivalent of 33,970 barrels of crude oil per year.

The benefits of solar are not limited to hot and dry geographies such as Southern California and the Southwestern U.S. The Boston Red Sox have installed 28 solar panels at Fenway Park which currently generate 37% of the electricity used to heat water in the park. The stadium, built in 1912, is a great example of how solar power can augment any facility regardless of age or climate. Panels are also being used in Pittsburgh, Seattle, and Cleveland.

“You expect solar on the Staples Center, but maybe not in Seattle,” said Darryl Benge, Assistant General Manager of Qwest Field and Event Center (home to the Seattle Seahawks). “But despite our town’s reputation for rainy weather, we are excited to generate some of our own electricity and show that renewable energy can work everywhere. We used the information provided by NRDC and BEF to evaluate our sites and build an RFP for the system we will be putting on our event center roof.

The NRDC and BEF document is intended as a resource for teams and facility operators across the country to help teams embrace the leagues’ direction. It offers a step-by-step outline on how to begin moving forward with on-site solar panels, including an overview of the advantages and challenges that come with various technologies, ideas on locating panels and their dimensions, cost estimates and suggestions on financing the initial installation costs, as well location-specific estimates on output (time for the energy generated to payback initial costs) and CO2 savings for each pro team market.

The league letters and development guide are available online at

http://www.nrdc.org/greenbusiness/guides/sports/solarguide.asp

“This guide is essentially a playbook for stadium owners interested in building on-site solar energy production,” said Margie Gardner, CEO of the Bonneville Environmental Foundation.