Solar Power Rocks Archives

December 2010

• If electricity was free and clean, what would you feel better about doing at home?
• Thank you and an update!

November 2010

• We need better solar champions

October 2010

• Solar jobs by state
• Update from Solar Power International 2010
• Solar on the White House and What it Means for You
• What if solar got the same amount of subsidies as coal or oil?

September 2010

• Are solar panels worth it in New Jersey?
• Re-hashing the 2010 Solar Incentive Report Card: Blue States and Red States

August 2010

• Charles takes offense to solar power in New Jersey
• SPR Report Card 2010 - Part 10 - Solar Sales Tax Exemptions
• SPR Report Card 2010 - Part 9 - State Loans for Solar
• SPR Report Card 2010 - Part 8 - Property Tax Exemptions
• SPR Report Card 2010 - Part 7 - State Tax Credit Overview
• SPR Report Card 2010 - Part 6 - State Rebate Details
• SPR Report Card 2010 - Part 5 - Yearly Solar Performance Payments
• SPR Report Card 2010 - Part 4 - Solar Incentive Summary Grades
• SPR Report Card 2010 - Part 3 - Renewable Portfolio Standards by State
• SPR Report Card 2010 - Part 2 - State by State Summary Grades
• SPR Report Card 2010 - Part 1 - State by State Solar Energy ROI
• The 2010 Solar Power Rocks Report Card is On Deck!

July 2010

• Do the right thing, Florida
• How to get hired in the solar industry

June 2010

• What has five times the ROI of solar in the desert?
• Plugfoot brings tidings of new Solar Group Discounts
• Very Generous Oregon Feed-in Tariff Program Set to Launch in July
• Why do people go solar? They've got their elephant and rider in sync!

May 2010

• Need your help
• Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs) Explained
• Solar Fred’s Most Useful Solar Economic Posts on SolarPowerRocks.com

April 2010

• How to find out about current solar rebates in your state
• Solar PV Addict Gives Tips for Checking out Qualified Solar Installers
• Dirt-Cheap Things You Can Do to Reduce Your Solar Costs through Energy Efficiency.
• Is Solar Finally Affordable in 2010? In Many States, Yes.

March 2010

• 5 Reasons to Get a Solar Installer Quote Once a Year
• Another post about New Jersey Solar and SRECs in general (and TRECs)
• Solar increases the resale value of your home... fo' reals.
• Going solar in San Diego? Should I get a small, medium, or large solar system?
• IRS forms for your 30% Federal Solar Tax Credit
• New Solar Group Purchasing Programs in San Antonio. Here’s the Solar Beef.
• I'm moving to New Jersey just to buy homes and put solar on them. Seriously.

February 2010

• Bloom Energy vs Solar Power. And the winner is… both.
• SPR Throws down the gauntlet: Time for a live Obama solar summit to explain the lack of solar panels on the White House
• Hey, White House! Where’s the Solar PV?
• Vote Solar Sharing Solar Luv for Valentines Day
• San Francisco Picks up the Solar PACE
• Take 2 Minutes to Ensure Affordable Solar in California
• The Current Price of Solar Rebates in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego

January 2010

• Hey, Baby. Would You Like to See My Solar Panels? 5 Reasons Why Solar Could Be Sexy for Women
• Don't just Shake Your Head about this Coal Video. Do Something. Please.
• Detroit Rocks for Solar Power Incentives Too
• The Profit of Climate Deniers and a Solar Power Experiment
• You ask, we answer: How Do I Complain about a Solar Installer? Yelp!
• You ask, we answer: Are Home Built Solar Panels Worth it? No.
• You ask, we answer: Any penalty for selling my solar house after getting tax credits?
• Our New Years Resolution: More Solar Power (and Pop Tarts)

December 2009

• Hawaii Solar Rebates and Tax Incentives - Updated!
• Happy Holidays from Solar Power Rocks!
• How to Calculate the 30% Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC)
• Read the Leaked Transcript of the UUWS Climate Skeptics Meeting
• Colorado Solar Power Rebates and Incentives - Updated!

November 2009

• Girls Take it Off for Solar Power and Climate Change
• Once Upon a Time in Solar in New York...
• A Simple Argument for Solar Power vs Coal Power
• Texas Solar Power Incentives and Rebates - Updated!
• C'mon Solar Industry! We can do it.
• PACE yourself for Solar, New Yorkers!
• Your Solar Bill of Rights, Explained
• Hey, Solar Kids! Let's Learn About (expletive deleted) Coal!
• That new Facebook share button? Please click it.

October 2009

• The 4 Reasons Why People Go Solar
• 60% Rapid Depreciation for Solar Ends December 31st, Better Get Moving!
• Solar Trick or Treat? The Scary Thing About NY Solar Rebates
• Solar, Marshmallows, and Success
• Solar Power in Phoenix, AZ - Dry Heat? No, it's a Hot Heat!
• Psst! Hot tip: Free Solar Conference October 28th in California
• New California Solar Incentives - Hello, Net Metering and Feed-In Cash
• 3 reasons why the Sun blows my mind
• Massachusetts Solar Power Rebates and Incentives - Updated!
• Washington State Solar Incentives—Updated!
• The Solar Power Seriousness Quiz
• Arizona Solar Rebates and Incentives - Updated!

September 2009

• Get Your Solar Net Metering and Rebates While You Can
• Sonoma County Municipal Solar Financing
• New Jersey Solar Rebates, SRECS, and Incentives - Updated
• The SPR 2009 State by State Solar Report Card
• SPR Solar Podcast #4: "How much Solar Fred?"
• Wisconsin Solar Rebates and Incentives Updated! Sort of.
• The cost of the "lets wait and see" solar buying reaction
• Thank you sun! It's harvest time!
• New York Solar Rebates and Incentives - Updated!
• SPR Solar Podcast #3: To battery or not to battery?
• Nebraska Solar Incentives - Updated
• California Solar Rebate Page - Updated

August 2009

• Los Angeles Solar: Your Time Has Come. Seriously.
• SolarPowerRocks.com is on the air!
• The Pennsylvania Sunshine Solar Program - Updated Incentives
• Florida Updated! Solar Legislator Score Upped to 4 Suns...For Now.
• A Solar Incentive by any other Name…
• Ye Old Solar FAQ & More
• Want Solar in Colorado? Please Yell at Your State Regulator
• Think Solar isn't Affordable? Fine. Prove it to Yourself.

July 2009

• Solar Fred Has Joined Forces with Solar Power Rocks!
• Solar Fred Info: RECs & SRECs & Green Tags, Oh My!
• Some Electric Co-ops Still Have Their Heads in the Sand
• A Solar Fred Feedback Request
• Solar Fred Info: What's a Feed in Tariff?
• Solar Fred Info: Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS)
• Solar Fred Insights: All Solar is Local
• Solar Fred Warning...again: Citizenre
• Am I Right For Solar? 10 Key Tips
• Solar Independence Day

June 2009

• Oregon Solar Case Study and Interview: Jim Houser, Owner, Hawthorne Auto Clinic
• Why it Doesn't Matter if my Salesperson Doesn't Own Solar
• Zero Dollar Power Bills in Roswell, GA
• Good Solar: A Happy Customer
• Solar Bad Apples: BeOhana Solar
• Welcome to the Revolution
• SunPower Solar Loan Programs
• 5 Reasons Why Solar is Now Affordable
• A Healthy Graph, Spending on Daily Lattes vs. Solar Energy Costs and Savings
• Vote Solar Request
• SunRun Solar Lease: 5KW Example
• SunRun Lease (L.A. & Arizona): The Basics
• SunRun Solar PPA Example
• The Sun Run PPA: The Basics (Updated)
• The 5 Most Remarkable Solar Energy Markets in the US
• States with Renewable Portfolio Standards
• Video: Great Solar PV Explanation
• Solar Fred is now on Twitter
• SunRun is Now in Los Angeles
• What's the Diff? Solar Lease vs. Solar PPA
• Per Watt Price Coming Down
• Solar Cash: New Carolinas Subsidy
• The Case for Commercial Solar Energy in Oregon
• Cheap Solar: GREAT Webinar from 1BOG
• Solar Cash: Vermont Feed in Tarrif

May 2009

• 10 Tips to Finding a Great Solar Installer
• Tell Your Friends: 0 or Low Money Down Solar
• Cheap Solar: The Advantage of Tierd Rates
• De-ciphering the South Carolina Solar Energy Tax Credits
• Solar Info: Net Metering Explained (Video)
• Solar Info: List of Solar Lease and Solar PPA s
• Solar Fred Warning: Energy-4--Earth
• Cheap Solar: 53 Ways to Save Energy
• Solar Incentive Map
• CT Solar Lease: Get it While You Can
• CT Solar Lease: The Basics
• Solar Insights: Solar Leases, PPAs, etc
• Solar Bonus: Increasing Home's Value
• Video: Cars, Batteries, Solar, Part 2
• Solar Cash: Rent Your Roof
• Cash Poor Financing: CityFirst/Municipal Financing
• Energy Info: Home Green Home
• Video: Grow Fresh Air
• Top 10 Solar Myths
• Video: Why Solar Now
• Map/FAQs for all the Berkeley First-esque Property Tax Solar Financing Programs
• Video: Kite Power
• Video: Cars, Batteries, and Solar
• Solar Info: Thin Film Video
• Video: Solar Basics
• L.A. Solar Towhouses
• Solar Celebrities: It's not just Ed Begley, jr Anymore
• Solar Info: Thin Film or Silicon?
• Dunkin' Solar?

April 2009

• Solar Info: SolarPowerRocks.com
• Cheap Solar: NY Times Video
• Cheap Solar Loans: The Feds
• Michigan Solar Incentives Updated
• Cheap Solar: No Batteries
• Cheap Solar: Buy Half a System
• What 's "Time of Use" (TOU)?
• Cheap Solar: Energy Efficiency
• Solar Fred Warning: "Citzenre"
• What's "Net Metering?"
• Pennsylvania Passes $100 Million Sunshine Bill!
• Happy Earth Day 2009! Win a free t-shirt!
• What's an "inverter?"
• To get anything of substance done, you gotta set goals
• Collective Bargaining: 1BOG
• Iowa Solar Incentives Updated
• Cash Poor Financing: 0 Down
• Cash Poor Fianancing: PPAs
• Cash Poor Financing: Solar Lease
• How Much, Solar Fred?
• Where does solar power make financial sense?
• When in L.A., do as Seattle?
• Why "Solar Fred?"

March 2009

• Who Buys Solar Panels?
• First Feed-in Tariff Hits US in Gainesville Florida
• Never heard of municipal solar financing? You probably will soon.

February 2009

• Ninjas are afoot
• 5 Ways to Protect Yourself from Solar Panel Theft
• Oregon's Solar Powered Highway
• Largest Ever Civil Disobedience Protest Planned at US Capitol Coal Plant

January 2009

• How far could $900B Go In Securing our Energy Independence? Far. Very @$#%ing far.
• The Obama Factor: What his administration may spell out for solar energy
• Connecticut runs out of money for solar

December 2008

• Norwegian pro-planet propaganda
• NYTimes most emailed for a reason: Read up about passive solar!
• GM has a lot of work to do.
• There are problems with municipal solar financing. You can help.
• Solar power gets me to work
• Thank goodness for thisisreality.org

November 2008

• Social site powers investigative journalism
• How Much Solar did we do in the Bay Area in 2007?
• The Difference Between DC and AC Watts (and PTC/STC)
• Solar 101 - How sunlight converts into electricity
• A Financing Option For Solar
• North Carolina Solar Energy Calculator Up and Running!
• What’s up with the Berkeley FIRST solar financing program?
• Get Free Stuff!

October 2008

• Happy Halloween Solar Power Rockers!
• Barriers to Going Solar
• Tax Credits Passed!

September 2008

• T. Boone Pickens! ...Respect-ah!
• Securing our energy independence by drilling for oil?
• Dan and Dave are feuding, please help.
• How Oil and Coal Contributions Affect the Way Our Senators Vote on Renewable Energy
• DRILL NOW DRILL NOW AAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!
• Solar Power Rocks is on Twitter
• A peek inside Solar Today magazine
• Battle of the Bay - The Clean Tech Initiatives of San Francisco Vs. San Jose
• Micro Inverters (My Turn)- the boring technical stuff
• What do your U.S. Senate candidates really think about renewables?
• "Clean" Coal? What?! Wake Up America!
• Pennsylvania home solar power incentives, rebates, and tax credits updated

August 2008

• How do I get started in the solar industry?
• Microinverters: A major advancement in solar energy technology
• Test out our new solar energy calculator!
• I Almost Died
• Thoughts about starting a solar non-profit
• Solar Panel Shortage

July 2008

• What are the Environmental and Financial Benefits of Going Solar?
• A beautiful solar installation
• What's the scoop on the newly passed Pennsylvania clean energy legislation?
• Georgia finally passes solar legislation!
• XeroCoat

June 2008

• Solar for Renters and Landlords - Does it Work?
• Barf.
• Where the hell is the wind power? (win another shirt)
• One Block off the Grid Launches

May 2008

• Solar Powered Aircraft Takes to the Skies
• Solar Action Half Day
• First T-shirt Drawing Winner Announced!
• CS students catapult solar evaluations into the future
• National Day of Action for Clean Energy next Tuesday - from solar nation
• Germany Reconsidering their Awesome Solar Subsidy Program
• Solar is getting more expensive
• Happy Mother's Day
• Thomas Edison's thoughts about solar power
• HOMEWORK

April 2008

• Turning back the clock on energy policy. Remember Jimmy Carter?
• True Innovators in Solar Energy
• Why does San Francisco lag in solar installed per capital?
• Solar Tax Credits Run off the Rails
• California Bay Area Solar Market Analysis
• Tax Credits! Passed! Finally!
• 9 ways your solar installation can get more expensive
• Washington, DC, USA: Investment Tax Credit Extension Bill Introduced in Senate
• If you're gonna make solar subsidies, make them last!
• Solar Energy - What's Emerging in the San Francisco Bay Area
• Another Logo Competition - (for a different site)

March 2008

• Earth Hour Tomorrow Night
• Right to Sun Lawsuit WON! First of Many?
• How are Solar Panels Attached to my Roof?
• Solar Power Rocks T-Shirts and Clothes
• Empowered Movie Review
• Solar Powered Poop Doll... ... .....

February 2008

• San Francisco Solar Incentive Program Approved by Board of Supervisors 6-3
• GOOD NEWS!
• Need More Fossils
• Unethical Practices in the Solar Power Industry
• Cage Match: Solar Panel Boy vs. Redwood Man
• Solar Powered Airplane Avionics
• A Solar Installation Quote I made Today in San Francisco
• Top 10 Most Common Solar Power Questions

January 2008

• Solar Politics on NPR's "Science Friday"
• Why no one has Solar Power
• Nevada Solar One - it works dammit! Let's make more of them!
• New Trans-Atlantic ships to be equipped with - sails?
• Here's why Germany rocks
• SPAM!
• Sometimes there's only one way out of a deadlock.
• Does it matter if my solar panels face South or "True South"?
• How Solar Panels are Made
• Change Your Home Office to Your Outdoor Awesome Office with this Voltaic Bag
• San Francisco Solar Power Subsidy gets Stamp of Approval
• Super Soaker Inventor Slashes the Cost of Solar in Half

December 2007

• Two SF-Gate Article Comments Reviewed
• Nine Crucial Solar Installer Considerations
• We lost
• San Francisco Proposes Subsidy for Solar!
• Winner!
• Who wants a SPR shirt?
• McSolarBucks!
• I've Never Called my Congressman Before but this is the first time I felt I had to
• A Follow up to the Email Scam

November 2007

• New York and Virginia Solar Power Incentives, Rebates and Tax Credits have been Reviewed
• Our Logo is Cool, so we Put it on a Shirt
• Google Renewable Energy Press Release
• Write us some Digg-Juice.... Win a Nano.
• Logo Competition Winner Announced!
• Whoa! Solar Power Scam Email! I guess the industry IS blowing up!
• PGE is Feeding me Bullsh*t and Calling it Caviar
• Logo Competition Over! Winner to be Announced Saturday
• Here’s Your Chance to Rock
• Solar Powered Flashlight for Africa
• State Incentive Updates!
• Leo from Lodi's Awesome Solar Power System
• State of Vermont Solar Incentives are Up!
• State of New Hampshire Solar Incentives Up!
• State of Michigan Solar Incentives Up
• Berkeley Passes the Kick Ass Solar Loan Program!
• Solar Power Rocks Interviews the man on the Street... and Conan
• 2 Days until Berkeley, CA Votes on Revolutionary Solar Legislation
• Wanna Leave Solar Net-Metering Standards up to Utilities? Here’s What You Get.
• Floridians Implore Governor Crist to sign Solar Roofs Initiative
• A new iPod Nano to the Best Logo Idea
• Solar Cynergy
• Future Doomed as proven by MySpace Groups

October 2007

• State of Colorado Solar Incentives Reviewed!
• A sick graph - Iraq war spending vs. spending on renewable energy
• Solar Powered Cars: Are they Cost Effective Yet?
• Pie Me in the Face for Solar!
• De-mystifying your PG&E Solar Power Bill
• How Far Could $68B Go in Securing Our Energy Independence? Pretty Damn Far.
• Prius Stretch Limo Achieves 50mpg and Seats 8
• All New Homes Energy-Neutral in California by 2020
• Carbon Free Furniture
• Google Goes all Black in San Francisco for Energy Conservation
• Congressman Ron Paul's Stance on Solar Power
• Video: Solar Power as Cheap as Fossil Fuels?
• California Passes Sweeping Solar Water Heating Legislation – Republicans Sit on their Hands
• Underdog gaining ground in Solar vs. Coal showdown
• The Future of Small Scale Wind Power
• State of Wisconsin Solar Incentives
• What the Hell is the Difference Between a Kilowatt (kW) and a Kilowatt-hour (kWh)
• ASES report wins a 2007 IREC Innovation Award
• Eliminating the need for fossil fuels with sunrays
• Solar Powered Vending Machines
• State of Hawaii Solar Incentives
• Solar Powered Movie Theatre

September 2007

• State of Alabama Solar Incentives
• State of New York Solar Incentives
• My Barfing Pumpkin... Uh, for Solar Power
• Energy Action Coalition - Bringing the Youth Voice to Solar
• Federal Solar Incentives for Homeowners vs. Businesses Need Parity
• State of Oregon Solar Incentives
• California Solar Initiative's Incentive Program Explained
• A sick graph
• Washington State Solar Incentives
• More to desire from DSIRE
• Did you ever Wiki "Solar Power"
• Got Solar? Your utility company wants to cut you a check.
• Solar Power in Portland Oregon? Good idea? Absolutely!
• State of Pennsylvania Solar Power Incentives Reviewed!
• Bright Source Energy to build giant "Power Tower" plant in Souther Cali
• Send us Pictures of your Solar Project
• 10 innovative uses for solar technology
• Oregon Energy Loan Program (SELP) Explained
• Kerry's Plan to Replicate the Pennsylvania SBDCs
• Google Hybrid Cars that plug into Solar Power. It don't get cleaner than that.
• Bush and SBA Sit on their Hands Regarding the Energy Policy Act of 2005
• Solar Getting Cheaper…. Get it while it’s hot
• How you Like me Colors?
• Fannie Mae's Energy Efficient Mortgages Explained
• 2007 DOE's Solar Decathlon