by staff on October 13, 2011
Some countries are heavily installing and investing in solar energy, while others are not feeling a strong need to do the same. Why are some countries so successful within the solar market while others aren’t even playing? Let’s take a look at which countries have discovered the importance of utilizing renewable energy sources and the ways in which they are taking action.
As of May 2011, Germany had more than 18,000 MW of solar energy capacity, making them one of the world’s top PV installers. Solar energy is currently powering about 2% of the country’s total electric consumption and some analysts expect solar PV to provide about 25% of their total electric needs by 2050. Germany’s high number of solar installations is primarily due to government involvement. The German Renewable Energy Act introduced the Feed-in Tariff which costs 1 billion Euros a month to subsidize solar installations. The government has established a goal of having 66 GW of PV installations by 2030. They currently have 12.1 GW installed which is more than the total output of Japan’s entire 6-reactor nuclear power plant! [read more…]
by staff on October 12, 2011
Football fans, jersey chasers, avid tailgaters-rejoice! Football season is in full swing and that means time to tailgate. Consistently a wasteful event, leaving parking lots full of waste of single-use cups, plates, cans, and bottles, there are a few ways to make your tailgate an eco-friendly touchdown.
Carpool or use public transportation to the event to save emissions and money. Carpooling gets a few vehicles off the road, makes the football traffic more tolerable and splitting the cost of parking at the tailgate saves you money. [read more…]
by staff on October 6, 2011
The rants and raids of Solyndra have been buzzing around the past several weeks. The collapse of the solar panel manufacturer was only the beginning; filing for bankruptcy after receiving a federal loan of nearly a half-billion dollars, investigative raids on the company’s plant and the CEO’s home, truancy at the first congressional hearing, pleading the fifth for fraud at the convenient second hearing. Cynics have climbed on their soapboxes, claiming the entire solar industry must be deteriorating. False. Though shocking, it is not the end of the solar industry. In fact, the U.S. and global solar markets are still booming, and that is part of the reason why Solyndra warped.
The solar industry still has market growth, job creation, and a promising future. According to a host of sources, he U.S. solar market grew a record 67% last year, and will continue to grow. Prices of photovoltaic modules continually decrease while fossil fuel prices increase. Consider the Solyandra loan was only 1.3 percent of government money used for clean energy projects. Though the $535 million Solyndra loan is significant, the clean energy loan guarantee program has $38.6 billion. Even though the sun doesn’t always shine, researches are finding ways to provide constant and consistent energy using different forms of battery backup systems. The U.S. has an estimated 24,000 megawatt capacity for solar thermal energy. [read more…]
by staff on October 4, 2011
It’s no secret that many third world countries struggle to produce and provide, what we consider, basic necessities for its inhabitants. Many of the things we take for granted in developed countries: access to clean water, (mostly) reliable electricity, technology etc. are not easily accessible and often come at a premium. However, solar technology is now being utilized by many nonprofits to enable impoverished communities around the world.
Enablement through electricity does not imply that a PV system is simply installed and suddenly a whole village has light. One company, SELF, used loans from development agencies to buy single-family photovoltaic systems in bulk which were often enough for an entire village. (This further goes to show Americans’ severe excess in electric usage.) Each participating household would pay a 20% down-payment and pay off the remaining balance (usually around $300) over the next few years. As the program evolved, “The buyers’ payments were pooled in a local revolving loan fund from which their neighbors could borrow to buy their own solar power gear.” In fact, the company was able to establish dealerships in which local residents could be trained as solar installers. This allowed the communities to remedy any issues that may arise with the system, without return visits from the organization; thus reducing overall costs for both the residents and organizations. [read more…]
by staff on September 29, 2011
Retailers around the country are beginning to invest in clean energy sources and are setting great examples for homeowners and businesses to do the same. By going solar, retailers are showing the rest of the country the opportunity we have to invest in clean energy sources to save on costs, create jobs, and ultimately protect our environment. Here are a few companies that have invested in solar energy and are currently reaping the benefits.
IKEA
IKEA recently completed their 11th U.S. solar project. Their East Bay location in California now has a 68,000 square foot PV array that will help offset a percentage of the facility’s current electric usage. The 538kW system is comprised of about 2,394 panels and is expected to produce 760,300kWh annually. This additional use of clean energy will reduce their carbon dioxide emissions by 578 tons! IKEA purchased the modules from Gloria Solar and they have been working with PG&E who is the utility provider of the area. Additional solar installations are currently underway at other California and Eastern U.S. IKEA locations. [read more…]