Did you ever Wiki "Solar Power"

Published on September 17, 2007 by Dave Llorens.
Categories: Solar Financing.

I realized I was disappointed in myself for never even reading the Wiki page for Solar Power… so I just did that… Here are the fun solar energy facts I found by following all the links there I found interesting:

1. The sun hits the earth with more energy in 1 hour than the whole earth consumes in 1 year (3850 zettajoules).
2. The word “Zettajoules” is a silly word.
3. Greek, Native American, and the Chinese warmed their buildings by orienting them toward the sun.
4. “Solar Mass” is where you absorb unwanted heat during the day and release it by ventilating it later when you do want it.
5. The first known solar powered mechanical device was Auguste Mouchout’s steamboat engine… which Napoleon thought was “really neat” (ok, that’s not a quote but I don’t speak French) and funded his research. Then France made a new cheaper coal deal with England and Napoleon told Auguste “tough titties” and yanked his funding. This trend was to continue until present day.
6. A “light tube” is like a skylight but longer and tubier.
7. An incredible 90% of all energy used to run a washing machine is used to heat the water. Wow.

Got Solar? Your utility company wants to cut you a check.

Published on September 14, 2007 by Dan Hahn.
Categories: Solar Politics.

See this guy above? Right. He’s actually a meter reader. On a Segway. I’m not sure why he’s smiling so broadly, he should be freaked out since many of you are about to learn how the utility company who employs him is required to pay you for the electricity your home or business produces with sun power. He might not be able to ride fancy schmance segways in the future with all of you cutting into the expected margins of his power company.

That’s right, some utilities offer customers with photo-voltaic (i.e., solar or PV) systems the option to “net meter” excess power generated. Basically, when the PV system generates more power than the household or businesses can use, the utility pays the full retail price for this power in an even swap as the electric meter spins backward, and your PV power goes into the grid. Net metering allows eligible customers with PV systems to connect to the grid with their existing single meter.

Almost all standard utility meters can measure the flow of energy in either direction. The meter spins forward when electricity is flowing from the utility into the building and spins backward when power is flowing from the building to the utility. For example, in one utility program, customers are billed monthly for the “net” energy consumed. If the customer’s net consumption is negative in any month (i.e., the PV system produces more energy than the customer uses), the balance is credited to subsequent months. Once a year, on the anniversary of the effective date of the interconnection agreement, the utility pays the customer for any negative balance at its wholesale or “avoided cost” for energy, which may be quite small, perhaps less than 2 cents per kilowatt-hour.

Net metering allows customers to get more value from the energy they generate. It also simplifies both the metering process (by eliminating the need for a second meter) and the accounting process (by eliminating the need for monthly payments from your utility). Be sure to ask your utility about its policy regarding net metering.

Under the federal Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA), utilities must allow you to interconnect your PV system. They must also buy any excess electricity you generate, beyond what you use in your home or business. If your utility does not offer net metering, it will probably require you to use two meters: one to measure the flow of electricity into the building, the other to measure the flow of electricity out of the building. If net metering is not available, the utility will pay you only a wholesale rate for your excess electricity. This provides a strong incentive to use all the electricity you generate so that it offsets electricity you would otherwise have to purchase at the higher retail rate. This may be a factor in how you optimize the system size, because you may want to limit generating excess electricity. A “dual metering” arrangement like this is the norm for industrial customers who generate their own power.

After your new PV system is installed, it must be inspected and approved by the local permitting agency (usually a building or electrical inspector) and most likely by the electric utility with which you entered into an interconnection agreement. Inspectors may require your PV provider to make corrections (which is fairly common in the construction business). A copy of the building permit showing the final inspection sign-off may be required to qualify for a solar rebate program.

Source- U.S. Department of Energy – Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy: A Consumer’s Guide – Get Your Power from the Sun

Solar Power in Portland Oregon? Good idea? Absolutely!

Published on September 13, 2007 by Dan Hahn.
Categories: Solar Financing, Solar State Incentives.

More than ever before, now is the time to get on the solar energy bandwagon. Why? Well, if you’re a small business owner with an energy bill over $75 a month (and especially if your roof enjoys a southerly view), you are currently LOSING money by not having a solar installation on top of your property. This is true not just for folks living in Nevada or Arizona where you see a lot of the sun. According to Findsolar.com, even the nations stereotypically dreariest locale, Portland Oregon, enjoys a “Good” rating for solar installations:

State and government incentives, coupled with net-metering laws make solar such an accessible option. Additionally, if financed with an energy efficient loan or mortgage, the monthly loan costs are usually less than the monthly savings from implementing the system.

Additionally, current utility rates are just that. They are current – meaning they have been a lot lower in the past and there is no reason to believe they will be decreasing any time in the near future unless you start generating some of your own power. Below, you can see the average cost of energy per kilowatt hour in California. Over the past 30 years, this rate has increased at 6.7% per year.

Source – CPUC electric rate compendium

By getting ahead of the curve and going solar, small businesses can lock in future energy costs over several decades that are significantly lower than they are currently paying. Remember how many of the airlines were having severe problems maintaining profitability after fuel hikes in the past 5 years? United filed for bankruptcy, Delta almost tanked, and others like America West and US Airways had to merge with each other to stay afloat. Southwest was the only airline that made it through the continuing price surge. Why? Because they locked in the price of fuel years ahead of time at a good rate. Don’t be the next United Airlines. Even if you don’t have pensions to sever, the money you save can be used for other things- like your bottom line.

State of Pennsylvania Solar Power Incentives Reviewed!

Published on by Dave Llorens.
Categories: Solar Financing, Solar State Incentives.

State of Pennsylvania solar power incentives, tax credits, and rebates finally reviewed here.

Bright Source Energy to build giant "Power Tower" plant in Souther Cali

Published on September 12, 2007 by Dave Llorens.
Categories: Solar Technology.

The Oakland, CA based Solar Power company Bright Source Energy announced that it has applied to construct a giant 400 Mwatt (Dems a lotta watts) solar power plant near the Vegas/Cali border.

The surprising part is that this application represents the first time in over 17 years that a company has tried to build a solar power generator in California. They are planning on using their Luz II technology to build the plant. How does this sweet, sweet technology work you ask? Well I’ll tell you… poorly.

Ever seen that magnificent piece of crap ‘Sahara‘? You know the “evil hidden fortress” that’s an array of mirrors all pointing at a tower? Well that’s Luz II.

It’s simple yet elegant attack at solar by focusing a bunch of “heliostats” which is a fancy way of saying “A mirror you can aim” at a “receiver” which is a fancy way of saying “this tower we pump water through” … much like burning an ant with a magnifying glass. The result is a bunch of steam used to power generators like all the other power plants.

It’s the tracking technology of the mirrors and the receiver that is where all the R and D went, I think. It’s impressive to see I’m sure.]

Good job to Bright Source Energy for taking a giant leap toward sustainable energy!

Send us Pictures of your Solar Project

Published on September 11, 2007 by Dave Llorens.
Categories: Solar Trends.

Please send us photos or videos of your solar project for your home, business, car, cell phone, whatever! Help get the word out about how easy and cheap solar is getting, and how much it saves you.

Thanks!

10 innovative uses for solar technology

Published on by Dan Hahn.
Categories: Solar Trends.

I thought I’d do a little sniffing around this evening and compile some of the most interesting and innovative uses for solar technology to date. If you have more or others, please submit them!

#10

Talk about power off the grid, this installation project in a remote area of Bolivia is funded by a local NGO and installed by British undergraduate students.

#9

How about a solar powered sedan? Canadian engineer Steve Lapp managed to eke 10% more fuel economy out of this Prius.

#8
Ahh.. solar by boat! From the project engineer, hobbyist, and boat owner: “Most of the time the system works faultlessly, churning out the wattage needed to power everything I need…I almost envy the ignorance of authorities and folk who don’t ’see’ that renewable energy is worth the implementation costs.”

#7

When I first saw this, I thought someone must be screwing with me. But when I considered how useful something like this vest might be, I thought this was a pretty cool idea. I mean, imagine you’re on some kind of hike somewhere, got lost and needed to rely on all of your Survivorman skills to get back to humanity. Even if you turn the wrong way, get deeper into nowhere, and were on the verge of death… you’ve got a fully functional iPod.

#6

Google is in the processes of outfitting solar panels on the rooftops of the entire Googleplex. If you haven’t seen the scope of this project, check it out here

According to Google, the installation is projected to produce enough electricity for approximately 1,000 California homes or 30% of Google’s peak electricity demand.

#5

Solar powered windows. What? A Japanese firm has created technology which enables the harness of solar energy from multiple directions, not merely from a flat surface. They call it “Sphelar”. Imagine a solar dome like the one pictured below finding its way into Green architecture. Sweet!

#4

Sometimes the best ideas really are the most simple. Solar fountain! While fountains have been aesthetically pleasing all of us for quite some time, powering those pumps can take a slow but steady toll on the planet. Throw an efficient solar cell in the middle and presto! A self sustaining water-thrower. Maybe if Google ran the Bellagio, you might see a similar setup out front.

#3

Ok, screw the vest. If you really want to save yourself in a pinch, you might want to consider one of these solar USB cell phone chargers.

#2

Remember how simple is best? Well ok. Solar powered LED umbrella. The cells charge up during the day and at night you have high-powered LED patio lighting. I wouldn’t be surprised to see these popping up on ritzy homes and beachfront bistros in the near future. Nice.

#1

Ok space fanatics, US government researchers have ideas for energy generation via these suspended solar power plants. Feasible? Umm. Maybe? Will this ever happen? Maybe not, but here’s the justification: “Sunlight is eight times less intense on the earth’s surface than in its geostationary orbit. So why not collect it in space and beam its energy to Earth via microwave power beam, which can penetrate the atmosphere more efficiently? They have proposed putting in orbit mega-satellites – giant, possibly inflatable structures of photovoltaic arrays and antennas – that would do just that. At receiving stations on Earth, the beam could be converted into electricity or synthetic fuels, which, in contrast to power from terrestrial solar power stations, would flow continuously to the grid independent of the season, weather or location.” – US State Department Solar Energy Research

What about Japan? They’ve already got concrete plans: “Japan plans to launch a solar satellite by 2040, which will deliver energy to the earth via low-intensity microwaves. The satellite will absorb the sun’s energy 24 hours a day, unobstructed by clouds, and generate one million kilowatts per second – equal to the output of a nuclear power plant.” – Worldchanging.com

Oregon Energy Loan Program (SELP) Explained

Published on September 9, 2007 by Dave Llorens.
Categories: Solar Financing, Solar State Incentives.

Oregon has a loan program that will lend you money to fund a renewable energy project, plain and simple. They’ve loaned out $348 million so far (wow!) and will loan you anywhere from a couple grand to their largest loan ever of $20 mil for a grain ethanol project in Clatskanie. Soon we’ll have all the government solar financing and tax credits compiled in place, but for now, here’s what you should know about Oregon’s solar loans:

The Oregon DOE has reasonably low-interest loans 6.95% (and super low 4.90% if you’re a state or city agency, or a school) for solar energy projects. Loans are available for both businesses and residences. Here’s a number to call if you want to learn more: 1-800-221-8035. Also, here’s a fee schedule and applications for the loans. If you get one under $20,000 they just lump the loan application, underwriting, and loan fees into $500.

One thing great about these loans are that you can apply for the Oregon Energy Tax Credits for Solar at the same time since they require many of the same documents.

And look, yay! Senate Bill 31 increases tax credit for PV systems. For the first 2000-watt PV system, the tax credit is now $6,000 for four years with $1,500 max per annum, and it can’t be more than half of the price of the system you put in.

Furthermore… FEDERAL TAX CREDITS! “The Energy Policy Act of 2005, establishes a 30 percent federal tax credit for the purchase of solar electric and solar water heating property that was placed in service between Jan. 1, 2006 and Dec. 31, 2007″ and “State tax credits do not reduced by the amount of the federal tax credit.”

And of course, never ever forget about the super super bad ass “Net Metering Law” which makes the power companies accept energy ONTO their wires, and have to pay you for it .

Finally, commercial systems are also eligible for use of accelerated depreciation.

OK, so sorry, this post turned into a rant about all the credits you could stack together for a solar project, and not so much about the Oregon Energy Loan Program. But at least there’s some good links here. As esoteric as this post is, just TRUST ME that if you live in OR or CA, you can save money with solar if you just do a little research. Save money, and do something good for the environment at the same time.

Kerry's Plan to Replicate the Pennsylvania SBDCs

Published on September 8, 2007 by Dan Hahn.
Categories: Solar Politics.

In John Kerry’s recent senate floor speech regarding the Energy Efficiency Act of 2007, he noted how successful the Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers have been at helping area businesses become more energy efficient. Specifically, Kerry notes that of the eight 2006 Energy Star Award winners, six of them came from Pennsylvania.

Well, what exactly is going on in Pennsylvania that isn’t happening in the rest of the country? For starters, Pennsylvania SBDCs are the largest statewide provider of entrepreneurial services. In fact, they utilize the expertise and resources of 18 of the best colleges and universities in the state – Therefore, they’re able to assist entrepreneurs in all stages of business across all industry sectors. Next, Pennsylvania SBDCs offer comprehensive energy efficiency audits to smaller area businesses. As a result of these audits, businesses can see quickly and clearly how investments in more efficient equipment relates directly to their bottom lines. The SBDCs also calculate payback periods on investments. Finally, (and here’s the real kicker) funding support from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the U.S. Small Business Administration and the SBDC host institutions enables energy consulting services to be provided at no charge to the client. No wonder why Kerry wants to replicate this system across the country. It works, it’s good for business, and it’s good for the environment. More on Pennsylvania SBDCs here: www.pasbdc.org

Google Hybrid Cars that plug into Solar Power. It don't get cleaner than that.

Published on September 7, 2007 by Dave Llorens.
Categories: Solar Trends.

Google’s got a car you can plug into the wall….. or into an outlet powered by solar power. It don’t get cleaner, man.

Paying for grid power makes it about a penny a mile. But you could also power the car from solar panels.. making it free….. actually, you can even have the car sell power back to the grid when you’re not using it. You could get paid to drive. Additionally, the power company doesn’t really have a system to store energy, but a distributed network of plug in cars, all with huge batteries…. BANG! no more brownouts. Here’s a video with a bunch of smart people explaining it a lot better than I can: