Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval and Boulder City Mayor Roger Tobler joined Sempra U.S. Gas & Power officials and community leaders to dedicate the state’s newest solar energy project, the 92-megawatt (MW) first phase of the company’s Copper Mountain Solar 2 facility in Boulder City. Sempra says Copper Mountain Solar 2 is one of the country’s largest photovoltaic (PV) solar plants, …
Kalaeloa Solar Farm Now Generating Power on Oahu
The new 5MW Kalaeloa Solar Farm has gone online in West Oahu, Hawaii. Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie joined representatives of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) and Hawaiian Electric Company during during an event hosted by Bright Plain Renewable Energy (BPRE), who manages the solar farm. “Hawaii has growing energy demand and abundant sunshine, and it makes sense for the …
Topsun Launches First 420W Solar Panel
Topsun Co., based in South Korea, has launched their new 420W solar panel. According to the company, this 420W solar panel is recognized as a world first and has the highest power output in the solar industry. Its 96-cell outfit and 4mm glass added heavy duty features and galvanized aluminum materials guarantees an over 30-year lifespan. According to Chang Joe, …
Ethanol Producers Respond to Market Conditions
Corn oil recovery is helping the bottom line of ethanol producers with tight margins, according to a new report from the Energy Information Administration. Beginning in summer 2012, the prices of ethanol and corn reached levels where production costs at relatively simple ethanol plants exceeded revenue. These simple plants, which are not able to recover corn oil, make up a …
Unique Solar Parking System
WattLots has installed a unique solar parking system, Power Arbor, at Runnells Specialized Hospital in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey. According to the company, the system uses mono-crystalline silicon solar cells and unlike typical flat panel systems, the open-air design of the Power Arbor does not collect snow. This reduces structural costs while providing up to 60 more days of annual power generation, …
NW-REI Offers Wind Turbine Training
Northwest Renewable Energy Institute (NW-REI) is offering a Wind Turbine Technician program and is hosting three free informational sessions on the program this month: Tuesday, March 5th at 7:00 pm; Saturday, March 9th at 10:30 am; and Saturday, March 23rd at 10:30 am. According to the U.S. Department of Energy energy map of installed wind capacity, Oregon and Washington are …
Do-It-Yourself Solar
DYI Solar may be good option for residential homeowners who believe that a traditional solar PV system is outside of their budget or living in a state with little incentives. The on-going program Solar Citizen, launched earlier this year, is highlighting consumers who have successfully installed Do-It-Yourself solar projects. The American Solar Energy Society (ASES) says DIYing a solar system …
EDF & Citi’s Energy Conference Succussful
The Environmental Defense Fund and Citi teamed up to host an energy conference, “Innovations in Energy Efficiency and Distributed Generation Finance II,” earlier this week. The event will bring together experts from around the country to explore innovative ways to fund energy efficiency projects in California. “California continues to take bold steps toward clean energy and provide the private sector …
Auwahi Wind Project Dedicated In Maui
Maui has a new wind farm: Auwahi Wind facility on Ulupalakua Rand. On hand for the dedication ceremony were U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, Hawaii Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui and Maui County Mayor Alan Arakawa. There were joined by officials from Sempra U.S. Gas & Power, BP Wind Energy and community leaders. The wind farm consists of eight wind turbines that …
Solar Energy to Get Boost from New Forecasting
The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) is spearheading a three-year, nationwide project to create an unprecedented, 36-hour forecasts of incoming energy from the Sun for solar energy power plants. The research team is designing a prototype system to forecast sunlight and resulting power every 15 minutes over specific solar facilities. This should enable utilities to forecast the amount of …