Low-cost solar power could supply more than a third of all energy needs in the Western U.S., if the nation can hit its targets for reducing the cost of solar energy, according to a new study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley.   The UC Berkeley scientists used a detailed computer model they developed of the West’s electric …

New Worldwatch Institute study examines the global market for solar and wind energy production Global use of solar and wind energy continued to grow significantly in 2012. Solar power consumption increased by 58 percent, to 93 terrawatt-hours (TWh), and the use of wind power increased by 18 percent, to 521 TWh. Although hydropower remains the world’s leading renewable energy, solar …

Gerard D’Aboville is an experienced navigator — he’s rowed alone across both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. He’s accustomed to monitoring the wind and the current. But as the captain of the Turanor PlanetSolar, the world’s largest solar-powered boat, he’s had to factor in something else: the sun. And he marvels at its power. “I can feel it some days,” …

FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT FOR CARBON NANOTUBE SOLAR CELLS In an approach that could challenge silicon as the predominant photovoltaic cell material, University of Wisconsin-Madison materials engineers have developed an inexpensive solar cell that exploits carbon nanotubes to absorb and convert energy from the sun. The advance could lead to solar panels just as efficient, but much less expensive to manufacture, …

U.S. Solar Market Grows 76% in 2012; Now an Increasingly-Competitive Energy Source for Millions of Americans Today GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association® (SEIA®) today released U.S. Solar Market Insight: Year-in-Review 2012, the definitive analysis of solar power markets in the U.S. With another record-breaking year, solar is the fastest growing energy source in the U.S., powering homes, …

US-Made Silicon Energy Modules Outperform Top Photovoltaic Companies in Severe Environmental Testing Silicon Energy’s double-glass Cascade Series Photovoltaic (PV) Module outperformed standard PV modules for durability under extreme environmental conditions, in an experimental testing process by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Sustainably manufactured in the US, the company’s Cascade Series PV Modules are built to last using the highest …

Efficiency improvement remains the key, Metal Wrap Through (MWT) technology ready to take the market According to EnergyTrend, a research division of TrendForce, solar cell and module manufacturers will be more active in improving product efficiency under the pressure of both installation costs and subsidy cut. As for new technologies, MWT technology has been generally appreciated by related industries; it …

Real Goods Solar Selected by Leading Production Homebuilder to Bring Solar to New Communities   Real Goods Solar, Inc. (Nasdaq:RSOL), a nationwide leader of turnkey solar energy solutions, has been selected by a leading production homebuilder to deploy solar in certain of its new communities, beginning in California and with an eye towards broader deployment to other solar friendly states. …

Breakthrough For Hawaiian Solar Power Announced By Clean Energy Groups Barriers should come down for homeowners, businesses wanting to add rooftop solar Honolulu, HI — Today, national organizations Earthjustice and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council, Inc. (IREC) commended the Hawaiian Electric (HECO) utilities’ path-breaking plans to enable more rooftop solar systems to connect to the grid. The utilities and clean …

Amid rapidly falling prices, mounting losses and massive operational costs, the upstream solar photovoltaic (PV) supply chain is undergoing major consolidation, with the number of companies participating in the market expected to plunge by 70 percent this year. Worldwide, the total number of companies participating directly in the manufacturing of PV solar panels, from polysilicon manufacturing through module assembly, is …

SUPERMARKET DISTRIBUTION CENTER POWERS UP IN QUEENS, NEW YORK WITH NEW ROOFTOP SOLAR ARRAY ~ Matspeth Community Welcomes a Completed Renewable Energy Power Plant Project for the Kam Man Food Corporation, Featuring Latest German-Engineered Panels and Cutting Edge Mounting System ~ The Matspeth Community announces the completion of a solar energy system on top of the distribution center for Kam …

The Top 10 predictions for the global photovoltaic market in 2013, from the IHS Solar service at information and analytics provider IHS. “The photovoltaic industry is in the midst of wrenching change—buffeted by government incentive cuts and nose-diving prices that has hurt solar suppliers worldwide, rocked by trade disputes among its major players, and hamstrung by a sputtering global economy,” …

Sierra Club, Earthjustice File Legal Challenge to Protect Solar Tax Credit in Hawai‘i State tax proposal would slam the brakes on solar energy, Hawai‘i jobs Today, the Sierra Club, represented by Earthjustice, filed a legal challenge in state circuit court to the Hawai‘i Department of Taxation’s recent decision to cut back on tax credits for residents and businesses that install …

The STEM principles of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math are all demonstrated through the use of solar Motech Americas has announced the completion of a large solar PV project by Pacific Power Renewables that is now providing all the energy needs for the Aerospace Museum of California in McClellan, California just north of Sacramento. The museum is also playing a …

Emerging markets are forecast to help bring stability to ailing solar industry, with up to 12 gigawatts (GW) of new photovoltaic (PV) capacity added in 2017 up from just 1.6 GW in 2012, according to a new IHS solar report. The recently released study, which evaluated the potential for PV additions in 40 countries around the world, found that up …

Last week, the U.S. Commerce Department imposed tariffs on $3 billion a year worth of Chinese solar panel imports. Non-Chinese solar panel manufacturers contend that China is able to “dump” cheap panels on the global market thanks to lavish Chinese government subsidies. This imbalance compounds the unfair advantage Chinese manufacturers already enjoy thanks to its huge low-wage workforce. It’s a …

Mecca, the birthplace of Muhammad, and Islam’s holiest city, has plans to become the first city in Saudi Arabia to run completely on solar power. The Saudi Arabian government has said that it will invest $109 billion to establish a strong solar industry across the nation. The King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy program is the jewel in …

By Michael Gorton, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Principal Solar Despite the sluggish economy, the US solar industry has seen massive growth in the past two years, creating jobs across the country, driving innovation and attracting investors. In fact, solar installations reached 742MW in the second quarter, up 45 percent over the prior quarter, and a 116-percent increase over …

Mobile Robots Turn Solar Panels to Follow the Sun IEEE Spectrum Startup QBotix says robots can boost efficiency of solar energy. China Price War Draining Jobs in Germany’s Solar Valley Renewable Energy World When Thomas Behling returned to his home state of Saxony-Anhalt in 2006, he was drawn by a job in the solar industry and the chance to participate …

Solar gardens to bloom on Colorado rooftop, farm field and parking lot Denver Post Where do you plant a solar garden? In Colorado they’ll be found on the roof of an old airplane hangar, on pillars hovering over a vegetable field and a school parking lot. Those are a few of the place that the first solar gardens – photovoltaic …