Camp Pendleton has increased its commitment to renewable energy with the addition of two more solar power systems at Edson Range and Chappo Dining facilities. The 221 kilowatt and 125 kilowatt systems, respectively, installed by local firm Sullivan Solar Power should save the military base hundreds of thousands of dollars’ in electricity costs over the life time of the system. …
NREL, Sandia Extend Support for truSolar
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and DOE’s Sandia National Laboratories (Sandia) have extended their support for the truSolar Working Group’s efforts to develop uniform open source risk scoring standards and rating criteria for solar projects. These standards would facilitate lower transaction and capital costs and improve project finance liquidity within the commercial and industrial …
Passive Solar Conference Offers Free Public Lectures
As part of the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) National Solar Conference that is kicking off tomorrow, April 16-20 at the Baltimore Convention Center, the 38th Annual Passive Solar Conference will explore two broad themes – the emerging architectural discipline of passive solar design, and the rapidly growing science of building technology. A free lecture open to the public will …
LuminAID Wins Clean Energy Challenge
Solar-powered inflatable light maker LuminAID Lab has been named the early-stage winner of the 2013 Clean Energy Challenge organized by the Clean Energy Trust. Bearing Analytics of Purdue University won the Student Challenge. Both companies received a $100,000 grant prize sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Inspired by the 2011 earthquake in Japan, LuminAID Lab’s founders designed a …
Solar Homes to Test Microgrid System
Research at Missouri University of Science and Technology will use four solar homes to test a microgrid renewable energy management and and storage system. This university news release says the homes were built by students at the school, along with support from utility company representatives the Army Corps of Engineers and several Missouri businesses, at the university’s Solar Village. “Distributed …
Solar Plane to Make Cross-Country Trip Across U.S.
Makers of a solar-powered airplane have released the itinerary of a trip that will take it from the Pacific to the Atlantic coasts late this spring and early this summer. The Solar Impulse will start out May 1st, depending on weather, of course, in California with several stops inbetween before ending its journey in early July in New York City: …
Panasonic Eco Solutions Completes Solar Canopy
Panasonic Eco Solutions North America (Panasonic), has completed the installation of a solar photovoltaic (PV) parking lot canopy at the new Agoura Hills, California headquarters for the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. Panasonic served a supporting role in the project that was developed and financed by RSB Funds (RSBF). The 115 kilowatt PV project will generate enough energy to operate over …
Renewable Energy Up, Enery Consumption, CO2 Down
According to the most recent issue of the “Monthly Energy Review” by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), with data through December 31, 2012, renewable energy sources and natural gas expanded rapidly during the Obama Administration’s first term while coal, nuclear power, oil imports and use, energy consumption, and CO2 emissions all declined significantly. Comparing data for 2008 (last year …
Rural GA Economic Recovery & Solar Act Introduced
Georgia State Rep. Rusty Kidd (Independent – Milledgeville) has introduced the Rural Georgia Economic Recovery and Solar Resource Act of 2014, that if passed, would create greater access to solar and an economic opportunity for rural Georgia. According to Georgia Solar Utilities, the bill would bust the current monopoly on solar in Georgia and allow competitive bidding for construction of …
Solar in Review 2012
GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has recently released the U.S. Solar Market Insight: Year-in-Review 2012. According to the report, solar is the fastest growing energy source in the U.S. The Solar Market Insight annual edition shows the U.S. installed 3,313 megawatts (MW) of solar photovoltaics (PV) in 2012, a record for the industry. Even with the …