With more and more consumers wanting to reduce their carbon footprints, the use of home solar power has arisen as an extremely viable and eco-friendly option. The only reason it has not become more widespread is the cost, which for many people has simply been too high. However, the cost of manufacturing is slowly coming down, due to increased innovation, …

How to grow a solar energy garden By Elisa Wood Getting energy from the sun is a great idea. However, installing solar panels house-by-house is slow, costly and cumbersome, and downright inefficient if the goal is to bring solar to the masses. This problem troubled Paul Spencer after he built his own uber-efficient, custom solar home near Aspen, Colorado in …

According to EnergyTrend, a research division of TrendForce, affected by economic instability in the eurozone, some European power plant investments have not progressed on schedule. Furthermore, Q3 order expectations were initially high, but prospects have changed after the conclusion of the Intersolar Europe exhibition. Although there have not been significant alterations to orders with Taiwanese manufacturers, and suppliers indicate all …

Solar power is one of the most eco-friendly forms of energy available to consumers. Solar technology draws energy from sunlight, which is converted to electricity by exterior-mounted solar panels. One of the disadvantages of solar panels is that a large field of these panels is required to provide the power necessary to fuel a single home, let alone a neighborhood …

NABCEP Partners with SolarNexus to Support Solar Industry Best Practices Software improves quality of sales and operations management for solar contractors The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) and SolarNexus, the leading supplier of web-based solar business management software, have announced a new partnership to help solar contractors improve quality throughout their organizations. NABCEP’s top objectives include the …

U.S. government antidumping penalties on imports of photovoltaic (PV) cells from China could suspend nearly half of solar module shipments to North America this year, impacting pricing, inventories and project timelines, according to an IHS iSuppli PV Perspectives report from information and analytics provider IHS (NYSE: IHS). The U.S. Department of Commerce on May 17 announced a preliminary determination in …

The LA Times examines the effect of net metering in California on solar system installations. Net metering has been a big success in helping to give consumers a reason to install solar. IN fact until net metering came along (and leasing options) I was held up in limbo. I wanted to have solar on my house but could not find …

Notice how they installed the solar panels on the side of the roof? Winter snows dont cover them up and they can still provide energy to heat the airport building. Chosen as a project because of its public use and higher profile, the solar thermal heat now part of the Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport is hoped to be a model …

What will the instabilities in the Europe economy have on solar installs this year? Will subsidies being reduced have a major impact on the solar market? These are questions on many minds as prices for solar panels remain low, while European economies struggle to find a footing. Subsidies had a massive impact in Europe last year and meant that solar …

Here is an interesting story about churches working with solar installers to put solar power on church properties to save energy and money for the faithful. Seems like a nice partnership arrangment. Energy Star helps faithful witness energy stewardship, save money by Charles Morris Solar stewardship: In 2001, St. Elizabeth parish, in Wyandotte, Mich., won the Energy Star for Congregations …

Students from Porterville High School’s AERO — Alternative Energy Resource Occupations — Academy spent Tuesday and Wednesday installing solar panels and hanging an inverter on a local affordable-housing project. Working with GRID Alternatives, the students climbed the roof of the home, measured, mounted, racked gear and placed the solar modules and panels on what is GRID’s 100th home installation in …

Solar Energy World Brings Sustainability to Soccer Maryland-based solar energy systems provider helps reduce Soccer Dome’s energy footprint In recent years, sports arenas and stadiums have become champions of sustainability for both social and financial reasons. The STAPLES Center, home to the Los Angeles Lakers, has 5% of its total power provided by solar panels, while the Portland Trail Blazers’ …

Solar thermal startup BrightSource Energy has shelved its year-long plans for an initial public offering amid a turbulent stock market, a challenging year for solar energy companies and tepid interest from investors. The Oakland, Calif.-based company issued a news release late Wednesday saying it had decided not to pursue its IPO due to “adverse market conditions” and intends to withdraw …

According to EnergyTrend, a research division of TrendForce, solar PV market demand has plummeted recently due to the passing of Germany’s new subsidy policy, in addition to news of the Italian government’s plans to shrink solar subsidies also. Furthermore, as the anti-dumping duties imposed on China by the U.S. are lower than generally expected, it is said that Taiwanese module …

Valley of the Sun YMCA to Activate 1.6 Megawatt (MW) Multi-Facility Solar Program Across 16 Arizona Y-Locations ~Local Officials Join Valley of the Sun YMCA, Scout Solar, and Centrosolar America for Ribbon Cutting Dedication in Scottsdale, Arizona~ Today, the Valley of the Sun YMCA, Scout Solar, LLC, Centrosolar America, and the City of Scottsdale celebrated the deployment of 66.55 kilowatts …

Here is an interesting report about Greece trying to balance their economic issues by exporting sun power to other European countries who need more renewables on their books. Greece is poised to boost its economy by exporting solar power to big markets like Germany, taking advantage of an EU goal that requires member states to produce 20 percent of their …

Centrosolar America Invites PV America West Attendees in San Jose, March 19-21 to Experience a New, Seamless Way of Doing Business~ Company to Introduce the First Phase of Centro-Pack.com at Booth # 329 Simplifying How Solar Installers Configure and Order Complete PV Solar Systems~ Scottsdale, AZ—March 19, 2012— Centrosolar America, the U.S. subsidiary of Centrosolar Group AG, in Munich, Germany, …

These days there is a big rush on to make capturing solar energy for electricity more efficient and cheaper to produce solar panels in order to take advantage of the growth in the marketplace. Many technologies are being explored and this one being worked on at Purdue University sounds very interesting. Let us know what you think of this research …

SolarCity Raises $81 Million in Growth Capital from Group Led by Silver Lake Kraftwerk and Valor Equity Partners Investor consortium also includes Elon Musk, Nicholas J. Pritzker and Shea Ventures SolarCity® today announced that it has raised $81 million in equity financing. The round was co-led by Silver Lake Kraftwerk and Valor Equity Partners, and included investments from Nicholas J. …

Solar panels, also referred to as photovoltaic panels, transform light into electrical energy. When the Sun’s radiation reaches the panel, electrons get energized and commence to move. Vibrating electrons develop an electrical current and that’s what we call electrical energy. Certainly one of probably the most crucial variables of capturing the maximum amount of light besides the top quality of …