Have You Signed up for a Solar Tour?

Joanna Schroeder

October is National Energy Awareness Month. The American Solar Energy Society (ASES) National Solar Tour is taking place beginning the first Saturday of the month with additional tours being held throughout the month. The largest grassroots solar event in the U.S., last year more than 160,000 people visited over 5,500 buildings in 3,200 communities across the country. The national event …

Electricity, Energy, Solar

China Dominates Renewable Energy Market

Joanna Schroeder

According to the most recent Global Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Indices Report (CAI), China will continue to dominate the global renewable energy market. The country has quadrupled its solar capacity target to 50GW by 2020. At the top of the All Renewable Index (ARI), China will have to overcome some challenges including oversupply of wind turbines and solar panels as …

Energy, International, Research, Solar, Wind

SoloPower Adds Another Patent to Portfolio

Joanna Schroeder

SoloPower has added another patent to its growing solar portfolio. The company specializes in the development and manufacture of thin-film solar cells and modules. This patent is the company’s 50th with 41 patents in the U.S. and nine patents internationally. SoloPower was the first to receive certification of flexible CIGS panels to both UL and IEC standards. “The strength of SoloPower’s intellectual …

Electricity, Energy, Solar

Wind Energy – There’s an App for That

Joanna Schroeder

There is an app for pretty much anything you can dream up and now there is an iPad app for wind and solar energy. Developed by Capstone Turbine Corporation, “Capstone World 2.0,” is an application where a person can determine energy cost savings and carbon dioxide emission reduction numbers of city buildings if he switched to microturbines, solar power or …

Electricity, Energy, Solar, Wind

Oregon Begins Testing Wave Energy

Joanna Schroeder

Oregon is beginning testing wave energy as a potential renewable energy resource. Northwest Energy Innovations has installed a wave energy device off the coast of Newport, Oregon known as Wave Energy Technology-New Zealand (WET-NZ). The technology has been deployed at the Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center’s (NNMREC) open ocean test facility. “This is a huge milestone for the WET-NZ …

Electricity, Energy

Thanks a Million Ohio

Joanna Schroeder

Ohioans who sign up to secure a low electric generation price for four to seven years have a chance to reduce their energy bills with FirstEnergy Solutions‘ Thanks a Million giveaway. Eight residential winners will each receive $25,000 and $50,000 will also go to the winner’s corresponding local school district to use for an under-funded program, supplies or however they …

Electricity, Energy

South African Mine Goes Off-Grid with Solar

Joanna Schroeder

JinkoSolar is partnering with Solea Renewables to deliver a Limpopo province chrome mine in South Africa the first off-grid utility scale photovoltaic system in the country. When completed, the 1 megawatt plant will produce an estimated 1.8 gigawatts of electricity per year and be comprised of 4,179 polycrystalline PV panels supplied by JinkoSolar. It will also reduce the mine’s daytime …

Electricity, Energy, Solar

FuelCell Energy Calls for Support of Infrastructure

Joanna Schroeder

FuelCell Energy is calling for support of a bill that would improve the infrastructure for fuel cells and hydrogen. The Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Infrastructure for America Act was introduced by U.S. Congressman John B. Larson and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal. The goal of the legislation is to accelerate the adoption of stationary fuel cell power and generation and hydrogen …

Electricity, Energy, energy efficiency, Hydrogen, Legislation

France Walks the Walk for Reduction of Fossil Energy

Joanna Schroeder

It appears that France is walking the walk with its call for a reduction of use of fossil fuels. The country uses more nuclear energy than any other; yet, have publicly stated they will phase out its use of thermal power. According to a new report, from GlobalData, “Thermal Power in France, Market Outlook to 2020, 2012 Update – Capacity, …

Electricity, Energy, energy efficiency, Nuclear Energy, Research, Solar

Offshore Wind Project Hub Installation Scheduled

Joanna Schroeder

The Blyth Offshore Wind Demonstration Site has sailed some rough waters but now appears to be back on course with smooth sailing ahead. SeaRoc, who was recently awarded a contract for the project, has announced it will charter MPI Adventure to aid in the installation of Narec’s Offshore Anemometry Hub (NOAH). MPI Adventure is a dedicated vessel to transport, lift …

Electricity, Energy, Wind