"The Westmill Solar Cooperative announced Nov. 1 the launch of the world’s largest community-owned solar project in the south of England near Oxford. The 5 MW 30-acre Westmill solar park consists of 20,260 solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and is designed to generate 4.8 GWhr per year, which the cooperative says is equivalent to a year’s electricity consumption for 1,500 homes and enough to prevent 2,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. The park was built by an initial group of private investors with the intention of selling it to a community-owned cooperative."
Inhabitat - Design Will Serve the World
Conservation | Across The Board
It is a false premise or presumption that the basic principle of conservation is exclusive to any one of the different types of environments in which we function on a daily basis.
The effectiveness or lack thereof of how this universal principle is applied in one environment impacts all others.
Financial Conservation/Solar Energy is just one example.
Imagine, Financial Conservation/U.S. Government or Financial Conservation/Wall Street?
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Friday, November 9, 2012
Top 10 Solar Myths
Myth 1: Solar will get more efficient, so I should wait.
Myth 2: Solar doesn't work in cool, cloudy, or foggy climates.
Myth 3: I will store the excess energy I generate in batteries.
Myth 4: Solar panels require maintenance.
Myth 5 : Solar panels will cause my roof to leak, deteriorate, or collapse.
Myth 6: Solar is still so expensive that it will never be able to pay for itself (just like hybrid cars).
Myth 7: When the power goes out, my home is still powered
Myth 8: Solar will look ugly on my roof.
Myth 9: Installing solar panels will increase my property tax.
Myth 10: Solar panels require a tracking system to follow the angle of the sun
.For the Answers, visit One Block Off the Grid
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Apple Goes Solar in a Big Way
The first of two 20 MW solar farms being built next to Apple's data center in North Carolina.
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Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Five Reasons Why California Cities Will Build One Million Solar Roofs and 12 Distributed GW by 2020
Keep your cars cool while producing a lot of clean energy. |
The math says yes and the answer to the future of clean distributed energy in California may be found in Sonoma County."
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California's Solar Cities 2012
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A Conservative Argument for Solar Power
"I believe that solar technology is not inherently liberal; it’s the way in which it is implemented that marks solar programs as liberal or conservative.
From my perspective, solar energy should be evaluated on its own merits as a source of safe and reliable electricity at competitive prices. For energy independence and lower rates, solar can be part of a diversified energy portfolio if the price is right."
Atlanta Business Journal
From my perspective, solar energy should be evaluated on its own merits as a source of safe and reliable electricity at competitive prices. For energy independence and lower rates, solar can be part of a diversified energy portfolio if the price is right."
Atlanta Business Journal
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PG&E Solar Schools
The Solar School Initiative
The Foundation for Environmental Education is partnering
with Pacific Gas and Electric Company to bring renewable energy education into
under-served communities through highly-visible solar installation systems.
Whether it be a 1 kW solar panel on a pole, or a
roof-mounted system on a non-profit building, each is hooked up to an online
data monitoring system so that the community can view the energy production of
the system and learn about the environmental impact of that system.
This year we are working with PG&E to create a new grant
program for 2012. We are testing several different grant models during 2011 and
check back with us later this year to find out what we are planning for 2012.
Our mission is to not only inspire our communities to learn more about the future of renewable energy, but to teach them how to conserve, produce and respect , this very precious resource we call energy.
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Solar Vino
Our Long Road to Solar Power: The American Way
A Double Harvest Smart. Direct. Simple. |
"Prior to installing the new solar arrays we unveiled here last week, Jordan chose to focus our efforts on a six-year program to reduce our energy consumption to the lowest possible level before going solar. I felt strongly about reducing our energy use before converting to solar power. In the rush to get off the grid, many businesses have been ‘solarizing’ their inefficiencies—using the sun to power their overconsumption of energy. We too were tempted by the rebates and the desire to make our imprint on the Earth as small as possible, as fast as possible. But I’m glad we waited. Reduce use first: that’s been our guiding principle."
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Powering EVs with Solar Energy
“One complaint about electric vehicles is that if you plug
them in for a charge from the local power grid, you’re still using fossil fuel
to power your car. Many owners of EVs are installing solar panels to charge
their cars, homes and businesses, and giving surplus back to the grid. General
Electric also entered the game with a solar-powered carport.”
alttransport
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Tuesday, October 30, 2012
SCI-Arc/Caltech 2013 Solar Decathlon
"Around this time next year, several students from Caltech and SCI-Arc will be having what seems to be an average day in their shared house: they'll be doing laundry, inviting neighbors over for dinner, watching TV, playing video games, doing homework. But monitors will stop by to weigh the towels the students launder. The neighbors will judge the dinner party. Every kilowatt that passes through the TV and computers will be noted. And all of this will happen in a house that has yet to exist. "
Houses That Build People
Houses That Build People
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Generated by the 99%
"California is the first state to pass the 1 gigawatt (GW) mark in solar that's generated from the 99% - average homeowners and businesses that have solar on their rooftops.
1.255 GW of solar is being generated by over 122,000 rooftops, and the growth is largely attributable to a big pick-up by low-income and middle-income homeowners.
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) reports that middle-income projects made possible by the California Solar Initiative (CSI) grew 445% between 2007 and 2011. Those projects represent the majority of applications submitted last year."
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Saturday, October 27, 2012
A Whole Different Kind of Innovation
The Wall Street Journal:
New business models may not be as sexy as new technology. But their impact could be just as great.
New business models may not be as sexy as new technology. But their impact could be just as great.
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