New Tool for Solar, Wind Projects on Contaminated Site

Joanna Schroeder

A series of “decision trees” are now available to help companies develop projects on contaminated lands owned by the Bureau of Land Management. Developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) along with the Department of Energy (DOE), the decision trees can be used to evaluate sites for renewable energy development ranging from solar to wind to geothermal and everything in between.  There are …

Electricity, Energy, Geothermal, Government, Solar, Wind

PV Solar Systems for Flat Roofs

Joanna Schroeder

Conergy Canada has released it new aerodynamic mounting system for weight limited industrial flat roofs. The technology, called the Conergy SolarFamulus Air, reduces the ballast requirement for an entire array, and eliminates the need for roof penetrations. The principle employed when developing the system was one similar to that of a spoiler on a race car: the baffles help to …

Electricity, Energy, Solar

Transmission Projects Will Help Wind, Solar

Joanna Schroeder

One of the hurdles for wind and solar energy is getting hooked up with the electrical grid. It is estimated that states like North Dakota could provide massive amounts of wind energy to the country, but today, the energy is produced too far where it is needed without having an updated energy grid. Fortunately, a new report released by Edison …

Electricity, Energy, Smart Grid, Solar, Wind

Solar PV Modules Featured on Disaster Relief Housing

Joanna Schroeder

MAGE Solar, who produces solar PV modules, is part of a REOSE award-winning green building design that was adopted to showcase sustainable living and disaster relief housing. The winning house was the Sunshower SSIP House developed by architects and Tulane professors Judith Kinnard and Tiffany Lin. Part of the requirements were to develop practical, price-affordable and real-life applications for mass …

Electricity, Energy, Solar

Solar Power Fastest Growing Utility Source in 2011

Joanna Schroeder

New findings by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) have found that solar power is the fastest growing source of energy for the utility sector in 2011. Solar power capacity grew by 120 percent from 2010 as utility companies contract for more solar power. In 2011, utilities installed more than 62,000 PV systems of various sizes that equates to nearly …

Electricity, Energy, Solar

Incentives Help Drive PV Market

Joanna Schroeder

The solar photovoltaic (PV) systems market is growing with the help of government incentives that encourage investment. This news came as a result of a new report by GBI Research, “Semiconductors in Solar PV Power Systems to 2015 – Government Incentives and Feed-in Tariffs to Create Growth Potential for Semiconductor Manufacturers.” The report concludes that investments in renewable energy will …

Electricity, Energy, Research, Solar

It’s NBA Green Week

Joanna Schroeder

It’s NBA Green Week this week, sponsored in part by Sprint, and many companies are finding unique ways to reach basketball fans with green messages. One such partnership is between FirstEnergy Solutions and the Cleveland Cavaliers.  On April 10, FirstEnergy donated 40 Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) to offset the electricity use during the game. The REC’s were generated at the …

Education, Electric Vehicles, Electricity, Energy, Solar, Wind

Hughson Nut”s” for Solar

Joanna Schroeder

Hughson Nuts, a California based almond processor, has completed a 586 kW solar photovoltaic (PV) system at its 50,000 square foot almond facility. The system has the capacity to produce more than 970,000 kilowatt hours of energy each year and will be used to power the blanching, dry roasting, and cutting lines for producing sliced, slivered, diced and milled almonds. …

Electricity, Solar

679 Renewable Energy Initiatives Supported in 2010

Joanna Schroeder

There were 679 renewable energy initiatives supported by 23 federal agencies and their 130 subagencies in fiscal year 2010. This according to a study by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) on renewable energy. The leading agencies in renewable energy support included the Department of Defense (DOD), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. …

advanced biofuels, Solar, Wind

The Mohave Desert Soon to Produce Golden Power

Joanna Schroeder

Google has gone far beyond “web searches” and delved into projects that would save “Google” earth. The company has invested in several high profile projects, one being the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System (ISEGS). Once completed, this project is being hailed as the largest solar project in the world and will use the lastest solar technologies to capitalize on converting …

Electricity, Energy, Environment, Opinion, Solar