There are some books you read and you feel a bit smarter and then there are some books you read that get you excited and compel you to action. Rooftop Revolution by Danny Kennedy got me re-energized about solar energy. In simple terms, the book is about the economic and environmental benefits of solar power. Kennedy focuses on photovoltaics, a …
Solar as Art
There are many reasons why people believe solar is not a good solution and one is aesthetics. In other words, many people believe that solar panels are just plain ugly. Then I came across a company that just may be able to put this argument to bed: Solaire Generation. Based in New York, this company is turning solar into an …
Nextgen Offers Attendees Free Clinics
The nextgen conference is set to take place in UK’s Stoneleigh Park on October 10 and 11, 2012. Unique to the event that showcases emerging renewable energy technologies, attendees can meet with industry experts during a series of drop-in clinics. The clinics are geared for those developing green energy projects or for those already involved in renewable energy production. Visitors …
Megawatt Solar Stations Selected for Solar System
The Megawatt Solar Stations (MSS), developed by Solectria Renewables, have been chosen by the 5 megawatt (MW) True North solar farm in Salisbury, Massachusetts. When completed, the solar farm will be the largest solar installation in New England and the first direct-to-grid solar farm in the state. Power Partners MasTec awarded the project to Solectria due to its past successful …
Survey Says More Solar
In a survey focused on clean energy, nine in ten (89%) U.S. adults agree that renewable energy sources, such as solar energy, should be a bigger part of America’s energy supply. The poll was conducted by Ipos on behalf of global solar company Sungevity. The survey showed strong support for solar energy with 80 percent of respondents expecting their elected …
Join the Solar Campaign
There are several global campaigns underway to educate people about solar energy. The Solar Campaign is a new campaign featuring Sunny and Stubborn who use competitive humor to show why solar lights offer positive alternatives to traditional fuels. Produced by Peabody Award winner Firdaus Kharas, the goal of this campaign is to explain how switching to solar can transform a …
EU Surpasses 100 Gigawatts of Wind Power
Wind power in the European Union (EU) has surpassed 100 gigawatts according to the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA). This is enough electricity generated per year to meet the total needs of 57 million households. The installation of wind power is accelerating: it took 20 years to install the first 10 gigawatts; 13 years to add another 90 gigawatts. “It …
Industries Account for 30% of Energy Use in US
According to the Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Energy Manufacturing Consumption Survey, the industrial sector used more than 30% of the total energy consumed in the U.S. in 2011. Why should you care? Because this sector includes biorefineries, manufacturing facilities that produce parts for wind turbines and solar panels and segments of the agricultural sector as well. It also includes much …
Texas A&M Showcases Vertical Axis Wind Turbines
Three 20-kilowatt vertical axis wind turbines are now generating energy for Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi. The turbine trio is the largest vertical axis wind turbine installation of its kind in the United States as well as the largest of their kind. The main campus also installed a 4-kilowatt wind turbine that can be horizontally lowered and opened for …
Porterville Unified School District Adds Solar
School systems continue to be high adopters of solar energy. This week Porterville United School District (PUSD), located in California, has begun generating electricity from its 3.7 megawatt solar system. Installed across six schools, the system in its entirety has the capacity to reduce the district’s electricity costs by nearly $44 million over the next 25 years. “This project will allow Porterville …