We no longer need to burn fossil fuels to produce usable energy. Today there are many alternative forms of usable energy available to us. Choosing to utilize other forms of renewable energy such as solar panels not only reduces our carbon footprint and the impact that we have on the world, but also provides us with a sustainable energy source that will be around for years to come.

The importance of solar power

The surface of the earth receives enough energy in one hour to meet all of the world’s energy needs for one year. By harnessing this energy using solar photovoltaic (PV) technology, we can meet all of our energy requirements. Solar is the perfect example of a form of energy which is truly renewable, as harnessing solar power puts no additional strain on the sun and can be seen as utilizing a vital resource. Scientists believe that the sun will begin to run out of hydrogen (its fuel) in about 5 billion years, thus solar power is a viable option for years to come.

There are many reasons to invest in solar panels. For a domestic installation, the government-introduced Feed-in Tariff ensures a great return on investment of 11% on average. This is significantly higher than savings accounts or ISAs. Another key reason is that by generating your own electricity, you need to buy much less from the national grid, meaning savings on electricity bills, another financial incentive.

The environmental benefits are a key reason for investing in solar panels. These have been overshadowed recently by the financial incentives that were introduced by the government with the Feed-in Tariff (FIT). Yet it is important to remember that the FIT was introduced for environmental reasons, as a way of encouraging individuals and organizations to invest in renewable energy sources as this would help to meet the country’s environmental targets and reduce our nation’s carbon footprint.

Our carbon footprint

Your carbon footprint is a gauge of the impact that your activities have on the environment, measured by CO? emissions. Our carbon footprints are mainly produced from the burning of fossil fuels for transportation and heating, production and shipping. These can be reduced by making lifestyle choices reducing the amount of CO? produced. Buying local produce where possible is an easy way to reduce our carbon footprints, as these items will have no carbon emissions associated with them.

Choosing to heat or power your home or organization through renewable energy sources is one of the most significant choices that you can make to reduce your carbon footprint. This is because heat and power are some of the biggest producers of CO? and can therefore result in some of the most significant reductions.

The UK government is responsible for ensuring that the carbon emissions for the country are reduced, but in order to succeed this needs to be tackled by individuals. Crucially the clean green electricity that a solar PV system produces will be used in the home, replacing the electricity that you would have bought from your energy supplier. Thus you are significantly reducing the amount of energy derived from burn fossil fuels that you consume.

Other sources of renewable energy

Once you install solar panels on your home, the environmental benefits are immediate and significant. The source of the energy that is generated is free, as the sunlight hitting the panels is converted into free, clean green electricity. However there are other forms of renewable energy such as ‘clean fuels’, which, because of physical or chemical properties, create less pollution than fossil fuels do. In general, the hydrocarbons emitted from these fuels are much less, and the hydrocarbons they do emit are much less toxic. Clean fuels can be chosen as alternatives to petrol and gasoline which fuel road vehicles. These will allow individuals and businesses to reduce their carbon footprints from the life-cycle of the products that they use.

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.
More on Record Year For Solar Power – 2010

Are you aware that photovoltaic panels, or perhaps pv panels for short, existed dating back to 1958? This kind of technological innovation was created in order to run geostationary satellites in outer space orbit and has now been steadily, if perhaps quite slowly, making its way into our own everyday lives ever since then. Although the technology is a little more than half a century old it’s yet to achieve wide-spread ownership throughout our culture. Many people believe that we have absolutely no alternative but to change to substitute types of electrical power as we proceed, especially due to the ever found threats to our atmosphere.

The usage of solar energy to run numerous components of how we live has for such a long time been seen as a little something of a novelty. Certainly we are all accustomed to some of those pocket hand calculators which have been driven by means of light. We might be familiar with motorway street signs which may have some of those tiny receptacles next to them and get a little of their power from the sun’s rays. However, we’re painfully slow to pursue the idea of utilising solar technology to power our own homes, although the know-how is generally there as well as in the broadest terminology is highly economical as well.

More on Some Key Points On How Photo Voltaic Panels Come Of Age

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS DRIVES HIGHER-THAN-EXPECTED THIRD QUARTER REVENUES FOR GERMAN SOLAR COMPANY

As Germany’s Solar Market Plateaus, CENTROSOLAR™ Sees American Market as Key to Future Growth

CENTROSOLAR America today announces that the higher than expected third quarter revenues shown by its parent company supports its strong position for long-term growth in the U.S. solar market. Despite steep cuts in feed-in tariffs in July 2010, resulting in a slower solar market in Germany, CENTROSOLAR Group AG has matched its total 2009 revenues over the first three quarters in 2010, with revenues up 53% compared to the first three quarters of 2009. Almost two-thirds of the Company’s revenues for the quarter were generated outside Germany, with international revenues up 85% over the same quarter a year ago.

With strong positions already established in Italy and France, CENTROSOLAR sees the US market, along with Benelux and the UK, as key to future growth. CENTROSOLAR America, the U.S. subsidiary of CENTROSOLAR Group AG, markets residential and commercial rooftop PV systems to solar integrators as well as skilled trades such as electrical, HVAC, and roofing contractors throughout the US.

“Reliability is critical to the solar installation process,” said CENTROSOLAR America CEO Deep Chakraborty. “Installers want reliable technology and support from a solar technology company with solid financial footing. With our heritage of German engineering excellence and ‘tried and true’ products installed throughout Europe, we provide our partners and their clients the solar products and long-term support they need.”
More on Will German Solar Market Help Drive US Solar?

Just take a look at your energy bill. The very good news is using solar energy can save your account, especially with new inducements. Non-public tax allowance and discounts If anything is more aggravating than exploding energy costs, it’s your tax demand. New and established state programs let you attack both by going solar. If you install a solar energy system on your home, the Federal Agency state is going to offer you a tax subsidy of just about $2,000. Tax breaks cut down your tax responsibility dollar for dollar unlike deductions which are subtracted from your gross money.

Each state handles the problem differently, but you should expect to get a credit for a share of your installation cost or a fixed figure. Net Metering is an idea which has climaxed in exploding sales in the solar energy industry. Net metering appertains to state laws that need resources to buy power generated from your house solar system at the same price the resources might instead charge you for electricity. To all intents and purposes net metering allows you to make use of the power company as a battery. While you are at work during the daytime, your solar system sends energy to the application and your power meter basically runs backwards. When you come back home at night and use power, the power meter runs forward. All and all, net metering will either chop or positively get rid of your power bill.

More on Economic Advantages For Employing Solar Power In Your Home

OPEL Solar, Inc. and TRUENORTH Solar & Environmental, L.L.C. Announce Partnership to Install Solar Fields on Brownfield Sites across North America

Partnership Will Transform Brownfields into Solar Fields, Creating Potential New Sources of Revenue for Municipalities

Shelton, CT, and Toronto, ON, September 14, 2010 – OPEL Solar, Inc. (“OPEL Solar”), a leading global supplier of high concentration photovoltaic (“HCPV”) solar panels and advanced solar trackers, and TRUENORTH Solar & Environmental, L.L.C. (“TRUENORTH”), a leading designer and installer of high quality solar industry products and supporting technologies, today announced a strategic partnership to install utility-scale solar fields on brownfield sites across North America that have been deemed otherwise unusable.

Brownfield sites are generally defined as abandoned or underused industrial and commercial facilities available for re-use. Expansion or redevelopment of such sites are usually complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination.

By installing solar installations on urban brownfield sites, cities and municipalities will be able to transform blighted, unusable areas of land into productive green energy fields that will address the growing need for energy in urban areas as well as help utilities address clean energy mandates. “Turning brownfields into solar fields represents more than just a tremendous business opportunity for OPEL Solar and TRUENORTH,” stated OPEL Solar’s CEO, Leon M. Pierhal, “It’s a way for both companies to give back to these communities, generate badly needed municipal revenues by generating green energy and help revitalize blighted and unusable urban land.”

“At the same time, we see this initiative as another example of our strategy to enhance shareholder value by continuing to uncover new, expanded market opportunities for providing our solar technology expertise,” Pierhal continued. OPEL’s solar solutions for these fields includes a total ‘package’ of services such as land assessment, engineering, EPA assistance, remediation or mitigation of the land, installation, utility company cutover and funding or power purchase agreement (“PPA”) assistance.

OPEL Solar will be providing their patented HCPV solar panels and industry-leading advanced tracker systems to the projects while TRUENORTH Solar will handle the land remediation and installation. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated that site cleanup revenue, for the companies doing the clean-up, can amount to approximately $6-8 billion annually as experts forecast that there may be as many as 4,000 brownfields in the United States, roughly the equivalent of 30,000 football fields. Add in Superfund sites and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act sites and the total jumps to more than 14 million acres that could be redeveloped as renewable energy sites.

“TRUENORTH principals see great potential for solar energy and its ability to bring renewable energy to communities throughout North America at a reasonable cost. At the same time we also see the untapped potential for using brownfields as a business development asset for creating clean energy sites,” said Roland J. Harris, a Principal of TRUENORTH Solar & Environmental LLC. “We are very committed to this line of business. In fact three companies formed TRUENORTH exclusively for capitalizing on the solar energy opportunity while also enabling the remediation of brownfields.”

“We want to work exclusively with OPEL Solar in New England to transform the land into solar energy fields. We know that OPEL Solar has the expertise to manage the total project and provide the superior products to offer the customers the optimal solar energy solution,” echoed Timothy Bartha, another Principal of TRUENORTH.

OPEL Solar intends to be a leading solar brownfield solution provider, according to Pierhal. To that end, OPEL Solar is looking for additional companies like TRUENORTH to be strategically placed throughout North America, and OPEL Solar plans to announce such alliances as they develop. “Complemented by several world-class partners who share our vision and desire to give back, OPEL Solar can manage the process of transformation for brownfields for communities and agencies that simply do not know where to begin,” stated Pierhal. “Not only will it generate revenue for OPEL and bring positive land remediation for communities across North America, it will also generate jobs for North Americans and get local manufacturers and suppliers moving again to support the solar development of brownfields.”

Pierhal commented that since announcing OPEL Solar’s Brownfield Initiative, he has received calls from around the world asking for assistance in establishing similar directives.

As the commitment to rejuvenate otherwise ‘dead’ land deepens, a broad spectrum of federal and state government grants, financing and investment incentives are available for redevelopment and remediation of these sites. A sample of the primary federal agencies involved includes: EPA, DOE, Department of Defense, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forestry Services, Bureau of Mines and the Bureau of Reclamation.

L.L.Bean Installs Solar Panels at Flagship Store Efficiency Maine Stimulus Grants Make Solar Technology Affordable

AUGUSTA, MAINE ­ L.L.Bean has long been recognized as an outdoor company with strong environmental values. In 2007 the company joined the EPA’s Climate Leaders Program and formalized a corporate goal to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) 20 percent by 2012. In addition to ongoing cost-effective efforts to decrease its carbon footprint, L.L.Bean was able to accelerate plans to create on-site renewable energy with the help of funding by Efficiency Maine’s Commercial Grant Program. L.L.Bean’s new 180-tube solar hot water collector array provides 100 percent of the hot water to L.L.Bean¹s Flagship store in Freeport, Maine.

The Efficiency Maine Commercial Grants ­ funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) ­ pay up to 50 percent of eligible project costs. The stimulus funding reduced payback projections for L.L.Bean’s new hot water solar system to less than 5 years, with immediate cost savings. L.L.Bean worked with Revision Energy of Portland on design and installation of the solar hot water system.

“The ability to create affordable, on-site renewable energy is a priority for L.L.Bean,” says L.L.Bean spokeswoman Laurie Brooks. “We’ve been using solar hot water panels at our corporate offices since the early 1980s, and they’re still working great. Solar panels are efficient, clean and require minimal maintenance.”

“Energy efficiency has always been a goal for L.L. Bean,” adds Rick Meinking, business programs specialist at Efficiency Maine, “so expanding their use of solar to heat the water for their retail location just made sense. And the grant funding provided through ARRA helped make it happen.”

Visitors to L.L.Bean’s first Green Expo in June were able to see the newly installed panels that produce hot water, courtesy of the sun, for the store’s two cafes and public and employee restrooms. In the first week after installation, the solar system was generating 100 percent of the hot water for the store.

“We want visitors to see these solar panels and make the positive connection that L.L.Bean is investing in and promoting renewable energy”, says Brooks. “The more businesses that make these types of changes, the better. It’s our hope that eventually green technology will become mainstream, and prices for solar technology will become more affordable.”

In addition to the stimulus energy grant, Efficiency Maine also pointed L.L.Bean toward other available resources to help fund their project including federal tax credits and Maine Energy Rebates, which brought the company’s investment costs down even further.

For more information about the ARRA stimulus funds and energy-saving business programs offered through Efficiency Maine, visit http://efficiencymaine.com

Make your own solar energy

Solar power is one of the first things that comes to most people’s minds when the subject of alternative energy comes up. Solar power is the generation of electricity from sunlight, the conversion of sunlight to electricity. Derived from the sun and converted into heat or electricity, by definition, solar power is clean and pollution-free.

Solar power is an environmentally friendly alternative to some other power-generating methods. Capable of providing many times the whole current energy demand, solar power is a form of renewable energy, which by itself is a massive part of the green movement’s agenda.

The sun showers the earth with more energy every day than we use during a year. Thus we have a tendency to say that solar power is a predictably intermittent energy source. By this we mean that while solar power isn’t accessible at all times, we can predict with a reasonably high degree of accuracy when it can and can not be available.

Solar power is principally utilized in 2 primary forms. The first is thermal solar, where the warmth of the sun is used to heat water or another working fluid, that then drives turbines or other machinery to form electricity. The other type is called photovoltaic. This can be where electricity is created directly from the sun with no moving parts. A great example of this is on more and more roadside signs. Here tiny solar panels are used on several highway signs and street lights, eliminating the requirement for diesel generators.

Solar panels, additionally referred to as photovoltaic panels, have evolved since the days of their origin. Not the rigid silicon modules once mounted on the roof, the modern panels are designed to mix in to their surroundings attractively and effectively. Indeed, photovoltaic solar power is one of the foremost promising renewable energy sources out there to us today.

They do nevertheless often find themselves placed on roofs. Nonetheless solar power is now accessible to anyone with a ladder, a power drill, and the gumption to climb up on a roof and install the panels themselves.

Solar Power is usually used in consumer product applications that need tiny amounts of energy (like calculators). Solar power is most helpful for little power loads even in grid-powered areas where running grid power to the load would be inconvenient or expensive (such as signal lights on an airstrip or parking lot lighting). And you don’t have to travel for the full monty, putting in solar power to power the entire house. Why not install one or two solar panels to eliminate the electric bill for your refrigerator or washing machine as an example?

Solar power is beneficial to both developed and developing countries, allowing access to clean electricity and clean water for poor and rural residents around the world. Nowadays, it is being harnessed to power additional American homes and businesses than ever before. People are finding solar power to be particularly useful in remote locations where access to different power sources is limited. This off-grid option is being found to have an increasingly more widespread use

Whereas domestically, solar panel installation can be a Godsend, the use of the wide selection of renewable energy options including wind, geothermal and solar power is important if we are to reduce greenhouse gas emissions before it’s too late. Get on board and help to make the world a cleaner, safer and better place!

Gain practical recommendations in the sphere of Free Traffic System – study the page. The time has come when proper information is really only one click away, use this chance.

Many people believe that residential home solar power systems are eventually gonna take the place of fossil-fuel based energy sources as the means that a majority of individuals power their houses. This kind of free and never-ending solution to generate energy is a lot better method to generate electricity for your home, and is less expensive than ever before.

Consequently, exactly what is the main thing that you should be aware about residential solar power systems?

Can you think about that there’s a power source in existence which is powerful enough that the number of energy that is absorbed into the earth, sea, and atmosphere each hour is more than the entire level of energy that humanity used in the entire year of 2002. That’s what MIT’s publication Powering the Planet: Chemical Challenges in Solar Energy Utilization states. The energy that the earth absorbs comes available as heat and light, and the introduction of home solar power systems shows that the average citizen and homeowner can now put that power to use!

Thus, the most crucial factor you have to be familiar with home solar power systems is that one could continue making electricity as long as the sun keeps on shining. Even if everybody had one of these amazing systems, you would not run out of energy. These systems usually are not accessible to home owners in the form of photovoltaic solar cells, which transform sun energy into electricity. The solar cells that a lot of people utilize for their at-home solar power systems are set up into a solar panel.

These kinds of solar powers usually are installed in various ways in respect to the area in that the home owner lives as well as where the actual panels are installed on the home. Positioning solar cells in an area where they’ll receive the most sun exposure and also angling them in a way which they obtain the best exposure will guarantee the most quantity of electrical energy going into your property. This is referred to as concentrated solar collectors. Non concentrated solar collectors are usually collectors which are situated in places with less direct sunlight, and can absorb solar energy from direct angles, as well as reflecting angles.

Solar powered systems could both heat your house and give electrical energy for the household. You can even use them to heat your swimming pool!

There are many advantages, and so few drawbacks, to obtaining a solar power system for your residence which any other sources of energy seem like a poor choice. So, why have not a lot more individuals been using them? Specifically today, in a world where our climate is rapidly changing, as well as the environment is a lot more polluted than ever, and also fossil fuels tend to be beginning to cost an arm and a leg?

Definitely, most of the people are nervous about not really getting sufficient sunshine. If the sun’s not out, then the solar panels can’t collect energy. It isn’t always sunny. And also, even though non-renewable fuels have become a lot more expensive recently, these energy sources continue to be more affordable as compared to the money you will pay for solar powers.

And last of all, in the event you do live in a sunny enough area, you then may be able to use your home solar power systems to create excess power, that you can then sell back to your power company since you wouldn’t be able to utilize it.

Every single day, the huge benefits of solar power systems for the household are getting increasingly more evident. Our society is becoming more and more energy conscious every single day as well. Even though fossil fuels are still offered, solar energy is free as well as available so long as the sun is out, and the production of it cannot be controlled by companies or the government.

Solar energy systems for the home are a power source which is environmentally friendly, and will eventually be cheaper as more individuals start wanting to utilize it. While fossil fuels is only going to get more expensive as long as people continue buying it. These home systems can save you a lot of money when it comes to conditioning your home’s air.

There are even tax breaks in a few states or countries for people who possess such systems for their residences. These tax breaks alone could make it easier for you to afford a system for your home.

Take advantage of the awesome new solar technology offered to you right now simply by installing a solar power system in your home. You’ll be pleased you did. For more information regarding the use of solar power, visit: solar panels
Check this out: solarpower

Shortcut to pragmatic info in the sphere of Free Traffic System – make sure to read the web page. The time has come when proper information is truly at your fingertips, use this possibility.

New research shows that the cost of installing and owning solar panels will fall even faster than expected, BBC News reported.

Some 90 percent of existing solar panels last for 30 years, instead of the predicted 20 years — which brings down the lifetime cost, according to the independent EU Energy Institute.

In fact, the panels are such a good long-term investment that banks should offer mortgages on them like they do on homes, the institute said.

The institute forecasts that solar panels would be cost-competitive with energy from the grid for half the homes in Europe by 2020 – without a subsidy. Incentive programs for solar panels in Germany, Italy and Spain have created manufacturing volume that’s bringing down costs.

Due to the recession, solar panel prices dropped 30 percent last year alone due to an increase in output and a drop in orders.

China has underpinned its solar industry with a big solar domestic program, which would keep prices falling. And there are large-scale solar plans in the U.S. and India, according to Heinz Ossenbrink, who works at the institute.

Panels had been expected to last for 20 years and price calculations were based on this (with a free energy source, purchase and installation represent almost the entire price of solar power).

The institute’s laboratory has been subjecting the cells to the sort of accelerated aging through extremes of heat, cold and humidity that has long been a benchmark for the car industry, Ossenbrink said.

These tests have shown that more than 90 percent of the panels on the market 10 years ago are capable of still performing well after 30 years of life, albeit with a slight drop in performance and Ossenbrink says 40-year panels will be on the market soon.

read more here

Well we are just one small step away from getting to turn on our new solar energy system on our home and start generating power from the sun.

Today we had the city building inspector come by and check out the install that SolarCity did for us in recent weeks. James from SolarCity came over to help the inspector and get the paperwork signed off.

The crew had of course done a great job on the install of our solar panels (First Solar), inverter and electrical system tie in so it was not much in doubt as to whether the inspector would approve.

Today was not a solar power day though as the rain was coming down when the city inspector arrived. It made it a little tricky climbing on to the roof in the rain but they did get it done and checked out without anyone slipping or sliding on the roof.

So now we have the building permit signed off. Now SolarCity folks contact our utility provider PG&E and let them know we are ready for them to approve the installation and give the green light to switching on the system.

I am hopeful that this will not take anymore than a week or two at most.

A new type of crime wave is hitting the Napa Valley. And it hurts the burgeoning new solar power generation by Napa wineries. Thieves are stealing solar panels put up by wineries to generate power for their operations.

More than 100 wine lovers gathered in the Napa Valley town of Yountville on June 20 to mark the summer solstice with the 2nd annual Solarbration, a party dedicated to wineries employing solar energy. Winery staffers from solar-powered cellars such as Honig, Larkmead, Long Meadow Ranch, Saintsbury and Silverado poured tastes of their wines and explained their solar systems to guests. The evening highlighted a continuing trend among wineries, particularly in Napa Valley, of adding solar energy to their green bag of tricks. With roughly 80 percent of installation costs now being covered by federal and state funding, more and more wineries are jumping on the bandwagon.

But less than 10 miles away, another winery’s solar energy equipment was being targeted by thieves. Last Thursday night, someone stole 40 solar panels from Harris Ranch Napa Valley, a winery nestled in the Mayacamas mountains about two miles from Highway 29. The 40 panels made up about a third of the winery’s installation.

This was not the first theft of panels from a Napa winery. Both Honig Vineyard and Winery and ZD Wines have been hit by thieves not once but twice in recent months.

read more

Solaroad Technologies Group, LLC headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, has rolled out a series of solar devices it says can revolutionize solar energy production as we know it making solar power far more competitive with carbon-based energy sources (oil, coal and gas). All devices are in final prototypes, ready for UL approval with full planning for manufacturing completed.

Solaroad’s basic message is – the future of solar is not flat – it’s 3-dimensional.

The ElectraWallTM (US Patent Pending) system is a cylinder with a photovoltaic film exterior and a sealed lithium ion battery inside. It is encased in a clear plastic shell that also serves as a solar concentrator. Unlike flat solar panels, the ElectraWall cylinder does not require direct sunlight to generate electricity. It can generate power from first light before sunrise to last light after sunset. It will generate power on cloudy days, in rain squalls and snowstorms. It will even generate electricity using indoor light, vehicle headlights – virtually any lighting source.

ElectraWall applications.

ElectraWall can be mounted on top of any wall structure and can be sized and configured based on location and the wall’s weight bearing capabilities.

One concept that can be implemented almost immediately is connecting solar cylinder units, end to end atop Jersey walls and sound barriers along expressways. It would turn our Interstate Highway System into an Interstate Energy System. It would have a major impact in making the United States energy independent.
More on Solaroad Technologies Introduces the Next Generation of Solar Devices

Here is a quick compendium of what is going on in the solar panels arena of late. Much is going on to develop new solar technologies that are more efficient, cheaper, and lighter weight. (Just imagine when they can cover the roof of every warehouse building and shopping center!)

Solar Promoters Push Recycling as Path to ‘Double Green’ – Green …

There is still about a decade to go before large numbers of solar cells lose their effectiveness. But the solar industry in Europe is not taking any chances with its reputation as a clean business – and has pledged to collect and …

Greentech Media | All-in-One Solar Panels and Solar Thermal

Ewing, N.J.-based Entech Solar – the product of a merger between struggling solar installer WorldWide Water and Solar Technologies and Entech – has devised a solar unit that contains silicon photovoltaic cells, which can convert …

Stanford University tests solar power water heater on dorms

Solar power has finally hit the college scene. Stanford University, located in silicon valley, California, is currently experimenting with solar panels on campus as a renewable energy source. Universities use a huge amount of energy on …

Daily Options Report: Trade Followup: Solar Edition

Trade Followup: Solar Edition. Mentioned last week I put on twin backspreads in FSLR. I did both sides 2:1, so as the stock moves away from 150 (where I put it on) I start to generate positive gamma. And it has moved a little, …

Obama Focuses on Wind, Solar Energy : The Inspired Economist

“In the process, we will put Americans to work in new jobs that pay well and can’t be outsourced – jobs building solar panels and wind turbines; constructing fuel-efficient cars and buildings; and developing the new energy technologies …

Stanford Announces $100 Million Energy Institute – Green Inc. Blog …

The Precourt Institute for Energy will be headed by Lynn Orr, a professor of petroleum engineering who currently directs Stanford’s Global Climate and Energy Project, a research initiative that looks at ways to reduce greenhouse-gas …

Stanford Study: Wind, solar baseload easily beat nuclear

Stanford professor Mark Jacobson argues the following (link)

Stanford study, Part 1: Wind, solar baseload easily beat nu

Joe Romm — a climate & energy expert — provides a breakdown of an important report on the climate/energy benefits of various energy sources. Though focused on the supply side of the equation, the report is important, …

So we have advocated for solar for years but in all honesty we did not have the money to build and pay for a larger solar panel system on our house. We have used and worked with small solar panels to charge batteries and the like but the whole concept of replacing some or all of our electric draw from the utility had not been feasible.

But now due to a flexible and home owner friendly arrangement we have decide to go for it and install a solar electric system on the roof of our house in California. There is no shortage of sunshine in our location, the roof is unobstructed by shade, it faces south, and now best of all Solar City has come out with a plan for getting homeowners into a solar system for little or no money down.

Solar City is running a new program called solar lease. Here is a bit of the blurb from their site that describes it:

At SolarCity we believe clean solar energy should be affordable. That’s why we created SolarLease, a way for homeowners to economically capture clean energy from the sun.

* Low Initial Payment
You can afford to go solar now without the high upfront cost.
* Save on Your Monthly Energy Bills
With a SolarLease, you pay as you go, instead of all at once. Monthly lease payments are usually lower than what you are currently paying the utility company. So you can save money every month!

Not only that, but this savings can grow over time as utility rates continue to increase. That’s because utility rates have historically increased over 5% every year. With a SolarLease, you can lock in lower electricity rates for the term of your lease.

We have submitted the application for the lease and been accepted. Next step is to meet and begin the planning. We plan to document this whole process in both photo and video so we can show you how it is done and let you decide if you want to go solar too! Watch for it here or sign up for our free ebook over there on the left nav bar and you will be auto notified of new posts. <———–