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 …

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 …

Top 10 Utilities Reported Adding More Than 1,000 MW of Solar Capacity Today, SEPA released the findings of 2011 Top 10 Utility Solar Rankings survey. According to the findings, utilities interconnected more than 62,000 PV systems of all sizes in 2011. These new systems resulted in almost 1,500 megawatts of new utility solar capacity, more than twice as much as …

PV America 2012 West Celebrates The inaugural PV America West conference and trade show concluded on March 21 with more than 160 exhibitors showcasing the products and technologies driving the PV solar energy industry in the western region in 2012. Presented by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA)® and the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), the show offered an extensive …

Dramatic increase in solar use witnessed over two decades Washington, D.C. March 19, 2012 2012 marks the 20th Anniversary of the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA). During that time, solar energy has advanced from a niche resource with limited applications to a significant energy source for electric utilities and their customers across the U.S. In 1992, a new organization was …

For most consumers, the art of purchasing solar panels to use at home is strictly for producing energy and reducing electricity costs. Though this is the number one selling point for any consumer, the use of solar panels and their benefits go well beyond just a cheaper electricity bill. Sustainable, Renewable Energy A lot of consumers interested in solar panels …

A mechanical fan driven by solar energy is referred to as solar fan. A fan is a particularly right device to be driven by the sun because it’s mostly utilized in the daytime and not so often in the evening. A small bank of solar cells can present additional energy needed by a fan. When a house has a rooftop …

Part 3 of our discussion with Michael Gorton, CEO of Principal Solar. Part two is here, part one here We continue our discussion about mass market solar energy development with Michael Gorton. Today we are talking about the impact that wide spread solar development can have on jobs and growth of our economy. Kevin: If you could, before we close …

Part 2 of our discussion with Michael Gorton, CEO of Principal Solar. Part one is here We continue our discussion about mass market solar energy development with Michael Gorton. Today we are talking about pricing of solar panels and how it will affect the growth of wide spread commercial power development with solar. Kevin: It would appear with some of …

Let’s face it in earthly terms as well as in business terms the solar energy industry is in its infancy as a maturing market for supplying and allaying the need for other energy such as oil. It is barely walking yet. There are many who would like to belittle its growth and even discount the eventual contribution of solar energy …

SolarReserve Reaches Major Construction Milestone in Completing Tower for World’s Largest Molten Salt Solar Tower Plant Nevada project represents leading solar thermal technology worldwide – integrated energy storage provides predictable and zero-emissions electricity day or night to meet peak demands SolarReserve, a U.S. developer of large-scale solar power projects, today announced completion of the 540-foot solar power tower for its …

Collecting rain water is a common sense solution, particularly when you want to use the recycled water for gardening, washing cars or getting some cleaning done in the yard. It is easy to collect a barrel full of rain water but you need to find a way of putting this water to efficient use. It is expensive to invest in …

The solar power industry sustained an impressive growth in installed capacity with new capacity of 27.7 Gigawatts (GW) coming on line in 2011, on top of over 17 GW in 2010. This takes the total installed capacity worldwide to 67.44 GW. The capital cost of solar photovoltaic power plants have declined to around $2430 / kilowatt, which makes it possible …

Thanks to recent advances in solar technology, solar energy is rapidly gaining acceptance across the world. Today’s solar power is cheaper and easier than ever to install, and more efficient at converting the sun’s power into electricity. A careful analysis of both the pros and cons of solar energy shows just how far this technology has come. Solar’s biggest advantage …

Check out this release today on what appears to be a breakthrough in technology to create new energy from solar power. This company has found a way to mimic the natural process of photosynthesis to create natural gas that can be burned for clean energy. And…. no fracking need to accomplish it. HyperSolar Discovers Method to Make Renewable Natural Gas …

Solar Energy is radiant energy that’s created by direct sunlight. Every single day direct sunlight radiates, or releases, an enormous amount of energy. The sun’s rays radiates more energy within a second than people have utilized since the man can remember! The energy of the Sun derives from within the sun itself. Just like other stars, the sun is a …

DENVER, October 11, 2011 – CH2M HILL (www.ch2mhill.com), a global full-service consulting, design, construction, and operations firm, has been named the #1 design firm in the solar power industry by Engineering News-Record magazine. A key reason for CH2M HILL’s earning of ENR’s top ranking is the diversity of strategic planning, permitting, design and construction services the company provides to concentrated …

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu today highlighted the Department’s historic investment in clean energy technologies in remarks congratulating the 2011 Solar Decathlon winners. The following are the Secretary’s remarks as prepared for delivery: Good afternoon, I’m delighted to be a part of today’s ceremony. I want to start by thanking everyone who made the 2011 Solar …

GOING SOLAR PROGRAM Thanks To The New American Vision Solar™ Power Purchase Agreement Solar panels create a ‘green’, pollution-free source for heat, light and electricity. The technology has been around for a while, in fact, because satellites utilize solar panels, we already rely on solar power for many of the gadgets we use everyday from cell phones to GPS systems …

Department of Energy Finalizes a $967 Million Loan Guarantee to Support the Agua Caliente Solar Project Arizona Project Expected to Generate Approximately 400 Solar Related Jobs Washington D.C. – U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced that the Department of Energy finalized a $967 million loan guarantee to Agua Caliente Solar, LLC. The loan guarantee will support the construction of …