Archive for May, 2008

SolarCity is a California-based solar installer which offers residential consumers an affordable way to install home solar panels. SolarCity’s one-stop shopping offers consumers: a customized, right-sized solar system; installation and maintenance; financing through partner Morgan Stanley; and, low monthly payments. SolarCity owns the solar panels and takes advantage of the available investment tax credits. A ... Read More

On April 29, 2008, a company called Sunrgi announced at the National Energy Marketers Association annual conference that they have a new technology called Extreme Concentrated Photovoltaics which will soon be able to produce electricity at a wholesale cost of 5 cents/kWh. Sunrgi co-founder Robert Block said that the Sunrgi system will become commercially available ... Read More

On May 15, 2008, the California Public Utilities Commission approved one of the largest wind power contracts in the United States. The contract is between Southern California Edison (SCE) and Alta Wind Power Development. Alta will develop this project in the Tehachapi Wind Resource Area in stages—beginning with 250 MW in 2010 and increasing by ... Read More

As gasoline prices skyrocket, the pressure is on to find another way to fuel our cars. On July 13, 2008, the starting gun will fire in the 2008 North American Solar Challenge—a cross-country car race reminiscent of those held in the early 1900’s, when cars themselves were cutting-edge technology. This time, however, the technology is ... Read More

In late April 2008, eSolar, a producer of scalable solar thermal power plants located in Pasadena, California, announced that it has received $130 million in investor funding for the construction and deployment of pre-fabricated, utility-scale power plants (e.g., 33 MW or larger). The modular design of this product enables it to be rapidly constructed with ... Read More

On April 21, 2008, the U.S. Department of Energy announced that it will invest up to $50 million over five years in nine demonstration projects which will show how peak demand can be reduced by up to 15 percent at the distribution feeder grids—the power lines which deliver electricity to consumers. Most of these projects ... Read More

On May 12, 2008, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released a report entitled “20 Percent Wind Energy by 2030.” This first-of-its-kind report is a thorough examination of America’s wind resources. Andy Karsner, the DOE’s Assistant Secretary of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, said, “To dramatically reduce GHG emissions and enhance our energy security, clean ... Read More

The National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) has just released its 2008 State Energy Program and Activity Update. This report is free and available to the public. It provides highlights of the best of each state’s energy programs such as: biomass; alternative transportation fuels; state building energy efficiency; renewable education and outreach; solar initiatives; ... Read More

On April 21, 2008, the Solar Energy Industry Association (SEIA), in conjunction with the Prometheus Institute of Cambridge, Massachusetts, released its 2007 solar industry review. This report is free and available to the public. This report highlights the tremendous growth in the U.S. residential, commercial, and utility-scale solar photovoltaic market during 2007. The report also ... Read More