City of Tucson Doubles Solar Power

Joanna Schroeder

The City of Tucson, Arizona has doubled its solar power capacity through a completed project in partnership with the Tucson Water Department, Trico Electric and SunPower Corp. The 1-megawatt, ground-mounted solar power system was designed and built by SunPower and located on former agricultural land located within Tuscon Water Department’s underground water storage and recovery facility. In addition to the …

Electricity, Energy, Solar, water

Book Review – World On The Edge

Joanna Schroeder

I spent Earth Day 30,000 feet up and I must admit that there was a tiny part of me that felt guilty. So to make myself feel better, I read “World On The Edge,” by Lester Brown.  The book focuses on how to prevent environmental and economic collapse and operates on the assumption that it’s not “if” global warming will …

biofuels, book reviews, corn, Electric Vehicles, Environment, Ethanol, Geothermal, global warming, Solar, Wind

Students in Mojave Desert Learn with Green Power

Joanna Schroeder

Students in the Mojave Desert, located 110 miles northeast of Los Angeles, California, are learning with the help of a little green power – solar power. The Muroc Unified School District is the home of three solar installations, totaling 1,700 Coenergy solar modules. One solar system is located on the grounds of the school district office, another at West Boron …

Electricity, Energy, Solar

‘Groupon’ Model for Solar Power

Joanna Schroeder

A new report released during the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar America Cities Annual Meeting shows that governments and businesses that join together to purchase solar power can lower costs between 10-15 percent. “Purchasing Power: Best Practices Guide for Collaborative Solar Procurement,” was issued by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network (Joint Venture) and the …

Electricity, Energy, Solar

United Sport Unveils Solar & Hydro Projects

Joanna Schroeder

United Sports, a multi-sport facility located in the Northeast, has announced they are partnering with Mercury Solar Systems, Sage Energy and Exelon Corporation to install an expansive solar energy and hydro power project. On hand for the project unveiling was Congress Jim Gerlach (PA 6th District) along with executives and employees from United Sports. The 207kW solar energy system consists …

Electricity, Energy, Hydro, Solar

Dynamic Solar Completes PA Solar Project

Joanna Schroeder

The Philadelphia Water Department now has a 250kW solar system complements of Dynamic Solar, LLC. The solar company partnered with CETCO Contracting Services and Nucero Electric to design, engineer and install the ground mounted solar system. The solar array is located at the Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant and is expected to generated, per year, 330,000 killowatt hours of energy. …

Electricity, Energy, Solar

33% of California Electricity to Come From Renewables

Joanna Schroeder

California has made yet another move for renewable energy. Last week, Gov. Jerry Brown (D-CA) signed S.B.2X. This new law requires 33 percent of all electricity generated in the state to come from renewable resources by 2020. Apparently concerns over the growth of renewable sources in the state mobilized last year under Prop 23 was not a deterrent to increase …

Electricity, Energy, Legislation, Solar, Wind

Hawaii Home to Another Solar Project

Joanna Schroeder

Hawaii is home to another completed solar project. Chevron Energy Solutions, Oceanic Time Warner Cable and Tioga Energy have officially unveiled the 865-kilowatt solar system located at Oceanic’s Mililani Tech Park. With the completion of the project, it marks the state’s largest solar parking canopy project. The project was designed, engineered and constructed by Chevron Energy Solutions, a division of …

Electricity, Energy, Solar

Solar3D Completes Key Piece in Solar Cell Design

John Davis

California-based Solar3D has announced completion of a key component of its new solar cell. This company press release says it has finished the design of the Light Collector section, part of its 3-dimensional solar cells: “Our innovative solar cell design has two main sections: a Light Collector section coupled with a Micro-Photovoltaic section. The completion of the Light Collector design …

Solar

Duke Acquires Martin Creek Elementary Solar Project

Joanna Schroeder

Duke Energy Renewables is the new owner of the 1-megawatt solar farm located on the grounds of Martins Creek Elementary School in Murphy, N.C. The 4,400 ground mounted photovoltaic (PV) module solar farm has the ability to generate 1.3 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year – enough to power nearly 150 average-sized homes. Duke purchased the project from ESA Renewables, …

Electricity, Solar