QuestPoint Solar Solutions

THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA, 3000 miles in length. It’s the only man made object that can be seen from space. The Berlin Wall, the Wailing Wall and now QuestPoint Solar Solutions’ SOLAR WALL ! Ok maybe that’s a bit’s over the the top, but this wall isn’t about keeping anyone caged in. This is a wall of knowledge about renewable energy that comes from the most powerful force in our solar system, the SUN. Scientist tell us that the amount of sunlight that falls on the earth in one hour is enough to provide for the energy needs of the entire planet for one year!

____________________________

Free Solar Evaluation Click Below
___________________________________

Congress, Don’t Send the U.S. Solar Industry on an Extended Vacation

by Rhone Resch
President & CEO, Solar Energy Industries Association

It’s that time of year when many Americans are just returning from a summer vacation.

During their travels, most of those vacationers probably passed by some of the many solar projects, large and small, being installed across the country. However, they probably didn’t know that while they were on holiday, smart policies were at work speeding up deployment of solar projects. From PV farms to solar water heating systems, solar is having a record growth year and is creating stable, well-paying American jobs.
One of the main drivers of solar’s robust growth has been the Treasury Grant Program (TGP), an initiative created in the Recovery Act which provides a cash grant in lieu of the 30 percent solar investment tax credit for companies that lack access to private tax equity financing due to the poor economy. Research by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found the TGP “has provided significant economic value” and more than 40 states have solar projects that were stimulated by the TGP.

Vacationers who hit the beaches of Southeast Florida were sunbathing near the DeSoto Next Generation Solar Energy Center, a 25-megawatt solar power plant that is the largest photovoltaic plant in the country. It provides clean, safe, reliable electricity to about 3,000 homes and created around 400 construction jobs. Almost 900 other solar projects nationwide have been built because of the TGP. Tourists sending postcards from the National Cherry Festival in Michigan may have noticed a revival in America’s manufacturing sector. The Upper Midwest is one of the regions hardest hit by the recession. In Michigan, where unemployment hovers around 10 percent, the TGP has supported thousands of jobs in the manufacturing plants producing solar products. American-made solar components from these plants will be sold across the U.S. and exported around the world.
Elvis fans making the pilgrimage to Graceland may have been all shook up to see how the TGP is creating jobs for local solar installers, contractors and distributors. Memphis, Tennessee-based Unistar-Sparco was able to cut their energy costs by one-third by going solar with the help of the TGP.

While we were on vacation, the TGP was hard at work and there’s more that it can do. According to independent research, extending the TGP by two years would help the solar industry create more than 65,000 American jobs over the next five years. Many of these jobs are in the trades hardest hit by the recession, like manufacturing, construction, plumbing, and electrical contracting. The study also found the TGP would add 5,100 megawatts of clean energy, enough to power more than 1 million homes.
Unfortunately, this successful stimulus program is headed for a permanent vacation at the end of the year if Congress and the President don’t extend it.
Inaction on the TGP is bad enough, but Congress also raided $3.5 billion from another promising stimulus programs for creating clean energy jobs: the Department of Energy’s (DOE) renewable energy loan guarantee program. The Loan Guarantee Program offers a federally guaranteed loan to solar developers and manufacturers.
This troubling decision will harm our economy and our climate by taking away a potential $35 billion in financing authority for renewable energy investments.
It is imperative that this mistake be fixed.

There are currently more than 23 gigawatts of utility-scale solar power projects in the development pipeline. That’s enough to power more than 4.6 million homes and create tens of thousands of jobs. These projects, and the jobs they will create around the country, will remain in a state of uncertainty – and in some cases risk being scrapped – with the TGP and Loan Guarantee Program in limbo. Additionally, Congress can resurrect our nation’s manufacturing sector by extending the current investment tax credit it provides to solar projects to cover solar manufacturing as well. This will help keep solar manufacturing in the U.S.
The TGP, Loan Guarantee Program and strong incentives for solar manufacturing are a critical trifecta for enabling solar to compete with heavily subsidized fossil fuels. These programs provide the specific guarantees investors look for when deciding to finance energy projects.

Like the rest of us returning to the office, Members of Congress are finishing vacations and visits back to their hometowns to return to Washington. We hope they’ll consider the many Americans who weren’t able to travel this year because of the economy or couldn’t vacation at all because they don’t have a job. We’re sure many of them would love a good job in the solar industry. But if Congress and the President don’t act quickly to extend the TGP, replenish the Loan Guarantee Program and expand solar manufacturing incentives, the U.S. solar industry may go on an extended vacation and we will lose more ground to nations like China and Germany who are pouring investment and policy support into the new cleantech economy. – Source Huffington Post

Solar Bill of Rights

Solar Rights Manifesto

Although equipment and direct labor costs have declined as solar systems become simpler and safer, the sad truth is that the paperwork and bureaucracy have become even more complicated. Our greatest savings as an industry will be to attack these bureaucratic costs at their source and simply eliminate them.
Please join with your fellow solar enthusiasts and stand up for these five Solar Rights.

Solar Right #1: Solar power shall be installed to provide the lowest cost for ratepayers on a whole, taking into account all applicable costs and externalities.

Solar Right #2: There shall be no restrictions on solar installations for any reason other than pre-existing health and safety concerns.

Solar Right #3: There shall not be any added paperwork for connecting a solar power source as long as it is comparably sized to the building’s existing electrical service. If there is no “interconnection” paperwork for a 3 ton air conditioner, there should be no paperwork for a 3 kw solar power system.

Solar Right #4: There shall not be any demand charges, standby fees or extra expenses for net metering. Net metering customers put power into the grid when the electricity is most needed.

Solar Right #5: There shall not be a separate inspection for building departments, fire departments, utilities and rebate administrators. One – and only one — jurisdictional inspection shall be required for a solar installation.
____________________________________________

SOLAR BILL OF RIGHTS

To secure a policy environment that allows solar energy to compete and empowers consumers to choose, Rhone Resch declared today, October 27, 2009, in the City of Anaheim, California, a Solar Bill of Rights:

We declare these rights not on behalf of our companies, but on behalf of our customers and our country.  We seek no more than the freedom to compete on equal terms and no more than the liberty for consumers to choose the energy source they think best.

1.      Americans have the right to put solar on their homes or businesses. Restrictive covenants, onerous connection rules, and excessive permitting and inspections fees prevent too many American homes and businesses from going solar.

2.      Americans have the right to connect their solar energy system to the grid with uniform national standards. This should be as simple as connecting a telephone or appliance. No matter where they live, consumers should expect a single standard for connecting their system to the electric grid.

3.      Americans have the right to Net Meter and be compensated at the very least with full retail electricity rates. When customers generate excess solar power utilities should pay them consumer at least the retail value of that power.

4.      The solar industry has the right to a fair competitive environment. The highly profitable fossil fuel industries have received tens of billions of dollars for decades. The solar energy expects a fair playing field, especially since the American public overwhelmingly supports the development and use of solar.

5.      The solar industry has the right to equal access to public lands. America has the best solar resources in the world, yet solar companies have zero access to public lands compared to the 45 million acres used by oil and natural gas companies.

6.      The solar industry has the right to interconnect and build new transmission lines. When America updates its electric grid, it must connect the vast solar resources in the Southwest to population centers across the nation.

7.      Americans have the right to buy solar electricity from their utility.  Consumers have no choice to buy clean, reliable solar energy from their utilities instead of the dirty fossil fuels of the past.

8.      Americans have the right, and should expect, the highest ethical treatment from the solar industry. Consumers should expect the solar energy industry to minimize its environmental impact, provide systems that work better than advertised, and communicate incentives clearly and accurately.

_________

Solar Energy Companies Step Into the Branding Spotlight

By UCILIA WANG

A fake oil tycoon. The biggest sports event in the world. A Formula One racing team. What do they have in common? They’re all part of branding initiatives by solar panel makers seeking to make their names in a fast-growing industry.

The biggest news that heralded the first day of Intersolar North America, a solar-energy trade show and conference in San Francisco July 11-15 that drew more than 20,000 attendees, was a video of Larry Hagman, who played a Texas oilman in the old nighttime soap, Dallas. German solar panel maker SolarWorld managed to lure national media and local bloggers to a press event with the promise that a “former oil tycoon will give a keynote address calling for radical change within the U.S. energy market.”

Some reporters thought SolarWorld would produce someone who made a fortune in black gold. In real life. But Hagman showed up instead in the video, which contained the slogan “shine, baby, shine,” a solar counterpoint to Sarah Palin’s “drill, baby, drill.”

In the Company of Giants

The advertising spot was the latest example by solar panel manufacturers trying to raise their profiles in a market that’s a lot more crowded than just a few years back. Intersolar says this year’s show featured 580 exhibitors compared with 444 last year. These branding efforts target not only consumers but also solar manufacturers’ customers — distributors, project developers and utilities.

Solar companies are also turning to sports events, long popular with tech companies, to get their names out. Samsung raised its profile considerably after it became a sponsor of the 1998 Summer Olympics. Prior to those games, the Korean consumer electronics maker hardly registered with consumers outside of South Korea.

Inside the exhibition hall at Intersolar, Yingli Green Energy’s booth boasted of its status as an official sponsor of the just-completed 2010 World Cup (pictured). The Chinese solar panel maker’s name and logo appeared alongside McDonald’s, Budweiser and other giant global corporate sponsors during the games. Yingli executives were quick to point out that Yingli was the first greentech and Chinese company to be an official World Cup sponsor.

“We are growing fast, and it’s important for us to have a global stage to promote our brand,” says Jason Liu, vice president of Yingli. The company picked the World Cup because it attracts more viewers than any other sporting event, particularly in Europe, which is the largest solar market, says Helena Kimball, the head of marketing and communications for its American operations.

From Soccer to Football (American Style)

The World Cup organizer charged Yingli less for the sponsorship because it was eager to have a renewable energy company in the lineup, Liu says, who declines to disclose the amount. Some estimates have pegged the amound at $30 million to $50 million, but Kimball says none of the guesses are correct.

The branding campaign has gotten lots of press coverage and made Yingli’s name a top search term on Google and Baidu, a Chinese search engine, during the World Cup, Liu says. He adds the he already has heard feedback from the company’s customers who say “they are proud to be partners of a World Cup sponsor.”

Yingli will be launching a branding campaign with the New York Jets football team, Kimball says. The company plans to install solar panels at the Jets’ training facility in New Jersey, and its name and logo will show up in digital billboards at the new stadium the Jets will share with the New York Giants in the New Jersey Meadowlands.

Across from Yingli’s booth at Intersolar stood Trina Solar’s, which played up its sponsorship with the Renault Formula One team by hiring women who milled about the booth in skin-tight outfits with Trina’s and Renault’s names blazoned on the back of their uniforms.

Trina, another Chinese solar panel maker, also threw a party during Intersolar to celebrate Bastille Day, which commemorates the French Revolution in the late 1700s.

Betting on U.S. Growth

Some solar companies have created more localized branding campaigns. Canadian Solar, for example, targeted the U.S. market with its sponsorship of the San Jose Sharks hockey team during the National Hockey League playoffs earlier this year. The solar company’s name appeared on signs at each Sharks’ game, and it was mentioned by radio and TV announcers covering the playoffs.

Canadian Solar, which makes solar panels in China, also plans to do something similar with the San Francisco Giants baseball team, says Mike Miskovsky, general manager of Canadian Solar’s U.S. division. “It’s an effective way for us to increase brand awareness in the U.S.,” he says.

It opened a U.S. operation last year, and like many Chinese and European solar manufacturers, it’s betting that the U.S. could eventually become the largest solar energy market, a title Germany now holds.

“Pick the Ones That Don’t Suck”

Of course, it remains to be seen whether these branding campaigns pay dividends for the manufacturers. Consumers currently don’t ask for solar panels made by a particular manufacturers, notes Peter Rive, co-founder and chief operating officer of SolarCity, an installer in California. They rely on their contractors’ recommendations instead. “The panel choice is more like, ‘Don’t pick the ones that suck,’” says Rive. “It’s not like, ‘Pick the ones that I’ve heard of.’”

Although consumers don’t specify brands, they do recognize the names of some solar panel makers who also happen to be consumer-electronics giants, such as Sharp, Sanyo and Samsung, says Matt Ziskin, a senior director of marketing at SunWize, a California-based distributor and installer of solar panels. If SolarWorld, Yingli, Trina, Canadian Solar and others succeed in their branding strategies, they could one day be as well-known as those household names.

Tagged: advertising, brand building, branding, canadian solar, Intersolar North America, solar energy, solar panels, solar power, SolarWorld, sports, trina solar, Yingli Green Energy

______________

PG&E Corporation and SunRun Create $100 Million Home Solar Financing Fund

Agreement creates the largest residential solar fund to date.
San Francisco, California – June 21, 2010 -
Pacific Energy Capital II, LLC, a non-utility subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), and SunRun Inc., the nation’s leading provider of home solar financing, today announced a $100 million tax equity project financing agreement to fund SunRun’s installation of more than 3,500 new home solar installations across the nation. The investment, principally funded by PG&E Corporation shareholders through Pacific Energy Capital, creates the largest residential solar financing vehicle established to date. Under the agreement, Pacific Energy Capital will provide financing for the rooftop energy systems and both parties will receive payments from SunRun customers. SunRun will manage the projects.
SunRun offers home solar power without high upfront costs through power purchase agreements (PPAs) and solar leases. Through SunRun’s popular solar plans, homeowners pay as little as $0 upfront to get solar panels installed, followed by a low, monthly payment to have solar energy at home. SunRun provides complete solar maintenance, monitoring, repairs, insurance and money-back performance guarantee for all its customers, making it simple and affordable for homeowners to switch their home to clean solar electricity.
“As a company in a region where distributed solar is becoming increasingly important, we are focused on continuing to take advantage of smart, strategic opportunities that enable us to acquire an in-depth understanding of this market and these technologies,” said Brian Steel, Senior Director of Corporate Strategy and Development at PG&E Corporation. “Our investment with SunRun reflects this ongoing effort. Additionally, it allows us to continue supporting the advance of renewable energy, which is a priority for our company, utility customers and policymakers.”
The solar systems funded under the agreement are expected to be installed in 2010 and 2011 in at least five states, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. SunRun currently serves more than 4,000 customers in these five states, and is growing 500% year-over-year. SunRun now partners with 15 leading solar integrators that are located across the country and that collectively employ more than 2,500 solar workers.
“PG&E Corporation is a proven leader developing and embracing renewable energy” said Edward Fenster, SunRun’s CEO. “We are very excited to partner with PG&E Corporation on this agreement which will make solar affordable to more homeowners across the nation.”

__________________________

From President Obama’s Speech Wednesday May 26th,2010 in the Bay Area

It was here where weary but hopeful travelers came with pickaxes in search of a fortune.  It was here that tinkerers and engineers turned a sleepy valley into a center of innovation and industry.  It’s here that companies like Solyndra are leading the way toward a brighter and more prosperous future.

And you’re doing so at a time of real challenge for America.  I don’t have to tell you that.  The Governor doesn’t have to tell you that.  California was hit as hard as any state by the home mortgage crisis and the economic storms that followed.  Even this high-tech corridor wasn’t immune.  Foreclosures skyrocketed.  Home values fell.  Businesses slowed, from family restaurants to Fortune 500 companies.  Fremont lost thousands of jobs as the NUMMI auto plant slowed production and shut down — and that hurt not only autoworkers but local businesses and parts suppliers.

Many in this community are still reeling from the effects of the recession — and that followed a decade of struggle and growing economic insecurity for a lot of middle-class families.  The truth is, even though the economy is growing and adding jobs again, it’s going to take a while to create the favorable conditions for communities like this one to rebound and to flourish.  But what was clear when I walked through the Oval Office door, at a time of maximum peril in our economy, when economists were warning we might be going into a Great Depression, the financial system might be on the verge of collapse — what was clear was that even though it might be difficult and even though some of the things we had to do might not be politically popular -– we had to act.  We couldn’t accept a future that was marked by decline.

And that’s why we took a series of steps to stop what was nothing short of an economic freefall.  We passed a series of tax cuts to put more money in the pockets of working families right away — including more than 12 million families in California.  We increased the Pell Grant — which brought 4 million additional dollars — $4 million of additional aid to students right here in Fremont.  We backed loans to small businesses — including $20 million to companies in this community alone.

We also provided relief for those hardest hit — who not only needed help, but would most likely use the relief to generate more economic activity.  So we extended unemployment benefits for more than 3 million California residents and made COBRA cheaper for people who’d lost their jobs so they could keep their health care for their families.  We provided $250 in relief to more than 5 million California seniors — many whose life savings had taken a big hit in the financial crisis.  And we provided emergency assistance to our governors to prevent teachers and police officers and firefighters from being laid off as a result of state budget shortfalls.  At a time when California is facing a fiscal crisis, we know that this has saved the jobs of tens of thousands of educators and other needed public servants just in this state.  And what was true in California was true all across the country.

But our goal in dealing with this economic crisis wasn’t just about bringing an end to the recession.  We said to ourselves, we’ve got to build a new foundation for lasting growth.  We can’t have an economy that’s just built on maxing out on credit cards and home equity loans and complex financial instruments that are generating big bonuses but can potentially bring an entire economy down.

So we recognized that we’ve got to go back to basics.  We’ve got to go back to making things.  We’ve got to go back to exports.  We’ve got to go back to innovation.  And we recognized that there was only so much government could do.  The true engine of economic growth will always be companies like Solyndra, will always be America’s businesses.  But that doesn’t mean the government can just sit on the sidelines.  Government still has the responsibility to help create the conditions in which students can gain an education so they can work at Solyndra, and entrepreneurs can get financing so they can start a company, and new industries can take hold.

So that’s why, even as we cut taxes and provided emergency relief over the past year — we also invested in basic research, in broadband networks, in rebuilding roads and bridges, in health information technology, and in clean energy.  Because not only would this spur hiring by businesses — it would create jobs in sectors with incredible potential to propel our economy for years, for decades to come.  There is no better example than energy.

We all know the price we pay as a country as a result of how we produce and use — and, yes, waste — energy today.  We’ve been talking about it for decades — since the gas shortages of the 1970s.  Our dependence on foreign oil endangers our security and our economy.  Climate change poses a threat to our way of life — in fact, we’re already beginning to see its profound and costly impact.  And the spill in the Gulf, which is just heartbreaking, only underscores the necessity of seeking alternative fuel sources.  We’re not going to transition out of oil next year or 10 years from now.  But think about it, part of what’s happening in the Gulf is that oil companies are drilling a mile underwater before they hit ground, and then a mile below that before they hit oil.

With the increased risks, the increased costs, it gives you a sense of where we’re going.  We’re not going to be able to sustain this kind of fossil fuel use.  This planet can’t sustain it.  Think about when China and India — where consumers there are starting to buy cars and use energy the way we are.  So we’ve known that we’ve had to shift in a fundamental way, and that’s true for all of us.

Now, earlier today I spoke to Energy Secretary Steven Chu, who, as you know, is a Nobel Prize-winning physicist.  And he’s been on the scene in the Gulf, deeply involved in our efforts to bring this crisis to an end.  And we discussed today’s attempt to stop the leak through what’s known as the “top kill,” plugging the well with densely packed mud to prevent any more oil from escaping.  If it’s successful — and there are no guarantees — it should greatly reduce or eliminate the flow of oil now streaming into the Gulf from the sea floor.  And if it’s not, there are other approaches that may be viable.

And as work continues in the next couple of months to complete relief wells, my administration is intensively engaged with scientists and engineers to explore all alternative options, and we’re going to bring every resource necessary to put a stop to this thing.  But a lot of damage has been done already — livelihoods destroyed, landscapes scarred, wildlife affected.  Lives have been lost.  Our thoughts and prayers are very much with the people along the Gulf Coast.

And let me reiterate:  We will not rest until this well is shut, the environment is repaired, and the cleanup is complete.  And I look forward to returning there on Friday to review the efforts currently underway and lend my support to the region.

But even as we are dealing with this immediate crisis, we’ve got to remember that the risks our current dependence on oil holds for our environment and our coastal communities is not the only cost involved in our dependence on these fossil fuels.  Around the world, from China to Germany, our competitors are waging a historic effort to lead in developing new energy technologies.  There are factories like this being built in China, factories like this being built in Germany.  Nobody is playing for second place.  These countries recognize that the nation that leads the clean energy economy is likely to lead the global economy.  And if we fail to recognize that same imperative, we risk falling behind.  We risk falling behind.  (Applause.)

Fifteen years ago, the United States produced 40 percent of the world’s solar panels — 40 percent.  That was just 15 years ago.  By 2008, our share had fallen to just over 5 percent.  I don’t know about you, but I’m not prepared to cede American leadership in this industry, because I’m not prepared to cede America’s leadership in the global economy.

So that’s why we’ve placed a big emphasis on clean energy.  It’s the right thing to do for our environment, it’s the right thing to do for our national security, but it’s also the right thing to do for our economy.

And we can see the positive impacts right here at Solyndra.  Less than a year ago, we were standing on what was an empty lot.  But through the Recovery Act, this company received a loan to expand its operations.  This new factory is the result of those loans.

Since the project broke ground last fall, more than 3,000 construction workers have been employed building this plant.  Across the country, workers — (applause) — across the country, workers in 22 states are manufacturing the supplies for this project.  Workers in a dozen states are building the advanced manufacturing equipment that will power this new facility.  When it’s completed in a few months, Solyndra expects to hire a thousand workers to manufacture solar panels and sell them across America and around the world.  (Applause.)

And this in turn will generate business for companies throughout our country who will create jobs supplying this factory with parts and materials.  So there’s a ripple effect.  It’s not just localized to this area.

Meanwhile, down the road, we’re seeing some other welcome signs.  I know the closure of the NUMMI plant was devastating to this community and thousands of jobs were lost.  And it was all the more painful and heartbreaking because the factory had been held up as an example of how America could lead in manufacturing.

But thanks to loans through the Department of Energy, which helped provide Tesla motors with the financial wherewithal to expand, that shuttered plant is soon going to reopen.  (Applause.)  And once again — once again, it will be a symbol of promise, an example of what’s possible here in America.

Tesla is joining with Toyota in a venture to put a thousand skilled workers back to work manufacturing an all-electric car.  (Applause.)  And this is only the beginning.  We’re investing in advanced battery technologies to power plug-in hybrid cars.  In fact, today in Tennessee there’s a groundbreaking for an advanced battery manufacturing facility that will generate hundreds of jobs.  And it was made possible by loans through the Department of Energy, as well as tax credits and grants to increase demand for these vehicles.

We used to account for about 2 percent of advanced battery technologies for cars.  We’re expecting, in the next couple years, to get up to 20, 30, maybe even 40 percent, building our market share right here in the United States of America.

We’re investing in an advanced electricity grid.  And Governor Schwarzenegger and I were just talking about this before we came out, because this has been a big priority for him — that will be more efficient and better able to harness renewable energy sources.  We’re providing grants to build wind farms and install these solar panels, helping us double our ability to generate renewable energy.  We’re expanding our capacity in biofuels to reduce our dependence on oil.  We’ve helped forge one historic agreement — and are on track to produce a second — to dramatically increase the fuel efficiency of America’s cars and trucks.  So we are making progress.  It’s progress that’s going to produce jobs, that’s going to help secure our future.

But we’ve still got more work to do, and that’s why I’m going to keep fighting to pass comprehensive energy and climate legislation in Washington.  (Applause.)  We’re going to try to get it done this year, because what we want to do is create incentives that will fully unleash the potential for jobs and growth in this sector.

Already we’re seeing the results of the steps we’ve taken.  As I said, before the Recovery Act, we had the capacity to make less than 2 percent of the world’s advanced vehicle batteries.  In the next five years, we’ll make 40 percent of these batteries here in the United States.  Before the Recovery Act, we could build just 5 percent of the world’s solar panels.  In the next few years, we’re going to double our share to more than 10 percent.

Here at this site, Solyndra expects to make enough solar panels each year to generate 500 megawatts of electricity.  And over the lifetime of this expanded facility, that could be like replacing as many as eight coal-fired power plants.  It’s also worth noting, to achieve this doubling of our share of solar capacity, we actually need to make four times as many solar panels, because other countries are adding capacity, too.  Nobody in this race is standing still.

So these steps are helping to safeguard our environment.  They’re helping to lower our dependence on oil.  At a time when people are struggling and looking for work, these steps are helping to strengthen our economy and create jobs.  We all know how important that is, because times here in California are still tough.  It’s going to take time to replace the millions of jobs we lost in this recession.

Unemployment remains high, even though the economy is growing and has started adding hundreds of thousands of jobs each month.  So it took years to dig our way into this hole; we’re not going to dig our way out overnight.  But what you are proving here — all of you, collectively — is that as difficult as it will be, as far as we’ve got to go, we will recover.  We will rebuild.  We will emerge from this period of turmoil stronger than ever before.

That’s not all.  You’re also proving something more.  Every day that you build this expanded facility, as you fill orders for solar panels to ship around the world, you’re demonstrating that the promise of clean energy isn’t just an article of faith — not anymore.  It’s not some abstract possibility for science fiction movies or a distant future — 10 years down the road or 20 years down the road.  It’s happening right now.  The future is here.  We’re poised to transform the ways we power our homes and our cars and our businesses.  And we’re poised to lead our competitors in the development of new technologies and products and businesses.  And we are poised to generate countless new jobs, good-paying middle-class jobs, right here in the United States of America.

That’s the promise of clean energy.  And thanks to the men and women here today — and the innovators and the workers all across America — it’s a promise that we’ve already begun to fulfill.

So thank you very much.  God bless you.  God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.)

_____________

GreenRay Solar Appoints Mark Goodreau as VP of Sales & Business Development

WESTFORD, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–GreenRay Inc., a Massachusetts-based solar start up, announced today that Mark Goodreau has been appointed to the role of Vice President of Sales and Business Development. Goodreau will lead global sales and business development strategy and execution for GreenRay.“Mark brings tremendous experience and industry knowledge to the company, and we are very excited to have him leading our efforts to build strategic business relationships”

The company has hired Goodreau to drive the sales growth of GreenRay’s AC module systems through solar dealers including PV system installers, roofers, electrical contractors, retailers, and others emerging channels. Goodreau will also be responsible for developing relationships with module manufacturers, electric utilities, and other strategic partners to deliver fully integrated AC module solutions.

Prior to joining GreenRay, Goodreau spent four years in the photovoltaic industry, most recently as President of Gloria Spire Solar, a joint venture between solar industry pioneer Spire Corporation and Taiwanese module manufacturer Gloria Solar. Prior to this, Goodreau worked at Spire Corporation as General Manager of their solar systems business unit. Under his leadership, Gloria Spire was formed and developed into a strong national player in the commercial PV system market.

Mr. Goodreau brings twenty years of experience with fast-growing technology companies to his role at GreenRay. In addition to his executive positions in the solar industry, Mr. Goodreau has held senior marketing and business development roles at Hasbro Interactive, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., and PictureTel Corporation. He began his career in the semiconductor industry with Texas Instruments.
“Mark brings tremendous experience and industry knowledge to the company, and we are very excited to have him leading our efforts to build strategic business relationships,” said Miles C. Russell, CEO of GreenRay, Inc. “As we head into market launch of the SunSine AC Module, Mark is in the prime position to help drive our success.”

GreenRay calls its flagship product the SunSine AC module the “world’s first solar appliance” because it integrates into a single package the separate components found in typical photovoltaic (PV) systems such as the PV panel, grid tie inverter, mounting hardware, and wiring. Each SunSine AC module contains a proprietary micro inverter that converts the sunlight the unit collects into AC electricity which is then fed into the electrical distribution panel supplying power to the home.
GreenRay is launching its patented AC module system in mid-2010.

__________________

Solar Impulse Plane Takes First Successful Flight!

by Bridgette Meinhold
After seven years in the making, the Solar Impulse made its first real flight this morning from an airbase in Switzerland. The solar-powered plane got up to 5,500 ft in altitude and performed test maneuvers in order to see if the plane handled as well as simulations predicted. Everything went perfectly for the first test flight and proved that the plane is capable of taking off and landing. With this important test flight behind them, the Solar Impulse team can push on towards gearing up for their solar powered around-the-world flight in 2012.

The Solar Impulse prototype has a wingspan of over 60 meters, close in size to that of a Boeing 747, but weighs about as much as a small car. About 12,000 solar cells cover the tops of the wings to generate power for the 40 hp engine, with an average speed of 70 kph (44 mph). During the test flight, the Solar Impulse flew for 87 minutes and performed a series of turns, slip maneuvers and bank angles reaching 5 degrees as well as a successful take off and landing.
Marcus Scherdel, the plane’s pilot, said after the flight, “Despite its immense size and feather weight, the aircraft’s controllability matches our expectations.” In December, the Solar Impulse started making controlled hops about 3 feet off the ground to test out the plane, but today was the first real flight.
Now that it has proven itself the team can work easier in preparation for their journey around the world. Andre Borschberg, co-pilot and CEO and co-founder of the project, said, “Never has an airplane as large and light flown before!” and that the success of the first flight “allows us to envisage the further programme with greater serenity.” The team is aiming for 2012 for the around the world flight, in which the solar powered plane will fly during both the day and night without fuel. Next up though is a 36 hour flight to test the plane during the night.

______________________

Chevron Tests Emerging Solar Technologies in Central California

BAKERSFIELD, Calif., March 22, 2010 – Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX) today announced the start of Project Brightfield, a demonstration of next-generation solar energy technologies in Bakersfield, California. The project, created on the site of a former Chevron refinery, will evaluate seven emerging photovoltaic technologies to help determine the potential application of renewable power at other company-owned facilities.
The former refinery site has been repurposed to test the performance of six emerging thin-film technologies and one emerging crystalline-silicon photovoltaic technology, which were provided by independent solar companies.

By bringing together seven emerging solar technologies, Project Brightfield represents one of the most comprehensive solar energy tests of its kind and is an innovative approach to evaluating new technologies,” said Des King, president of Chevron Technology Ventures, the division of Chevron U.S.A. Inc. that identifies, evaluates and demonstrates emerging technologies. “Testing competing technologies side by side means that we can better understand their potential application at other Chevron facilities.”

The 7,700 solar panels on the 8-acre site will generate approximately 740 kW of electricity. The produced power will be directed to the local utility grid as well as to Chevron’s oil production operations at the Kern River Field.
“Chevron has operated in the San Joaquin Valley for more than a century. Throughout this time, our engineers have developed breakthrough technologies that have helped make us the leading oil and gas producer in the state,” said Bruce Johnson, vice president of Chevron’s San Joaquin Valley Business Unit. “The Brightfield solar demonstration facility is a clear example of Chevron’s efforts to find ways to integrate innovative technologies into our business.”

The companies demonstrating thin-film technologies are Abound Solar, MiaSolé, Schüco, Solar Frontier, Sharp, and Solibro, while the crystalline-silicon photovoltaic technology is provided by Innovalight. Each solar company can access data about its technology, find out how well it performs in various conditions and compare it against a benchmark solar technology — a brand of commercially available solar photovoltaic technology — that has also been installed on the site.
Project Brightfield is Chevron’s second completed project that repurposes an existing asset to integrate renewable power. The first was a wind farm on a former Texaco refinery site near Casper, Wyoming, where 11 wind turbines generate 16.5 megawatts of power. A third project — a concentrating solar photovoltaic installation at a Chevron Mining Inc. facility near Questa, New Mexico — is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2010.

Chevron is one of the world’s leading integrated energy companies, with subsidiaries that conduct business worldwide. The company’s success is driven by the ingenuity and commitment of its employees and their application of the most innovative technologies in the world. Chevron is involved in virtually every facet of the energy industry. The company explores for, produces and transports crude oil and natural gas; refines, markets and distributes transportation fuels and other energy products; manufactures and sells petrochemical products; generates power and produces geothermal energy; provides energy efficiency solutions; and develops the energy resources of the future. Chevron is based in San Ramon, Calif. More information about Chevron is available at www.chevron.com.

SunRun First to Offer Solar For No Upfront Cost in New Jersey

New Jersey – March 4, 2010 – SunRun, the nation’s leading residential solar company, announced today that New Jersey can for the first time go solar without any upfront costs. This financing option allows homeowners to put no money down for a residential solar system and save money on their electricity costs from day one. The monthly solar payments for a typical three-or four-bedroom home in New Jersey start at $50 per month. All SunRun customers receive an annual money-back performance guarantee in addition to professional-grade monitoring, maintenance, repairs, and insurance, making it simpler than ever to get clean electricity.

“SunRun democratizes solar for New Jersey homeowners,” says Lynn Jurich, SunRun president and cofounder. “This means every homeowner in New Jersey who wants solar can now afford it. Cost is no longer a reason to wait to go solar.”

Since launching in late January in New Jersey, SunRun has already signed dozens of New Jersey  homeowners who will be installed by Mercury Solar Systems and Trinity Solar, two of the largest  and most trusted solar installers on the East Coast.

About SunRun Inc.
SunRun provides revolutionary solar financing for homeowners. SunRun buys and installs high quality home solar systems for its customers, who pay a low monthly bill for the solar electricity produced on their roof. All SunRun customers receive money-back annual performance guarantees in addition to professional-grade monitoring, maintenance, repairs, and insurance, which removes the complexity and risk from going solar. SunRun’s goal is to provide every home direct access to clean, affordable electricity. SunRun currently serves communities in California, Massachusetts, Colorado, Arizona, and New Jersey. Additional information about SunRun is available at http://www.sunrunhome.com.

______________________________

GreenRay Solar CEO Miles Russell an “Obi-Wan Kenobi” of the industry

(1888PressRelease) February 16, 2010 – With all the excitement that surrounds solar power and the green movement, it’s refreshing to be given the kind of perspective that Miles Russell, CEO and founder of GreenRay Solar is able to give. Miles was involved in the business when there was no industry, just a reality that America desperately needed a better way to use energy. Having worked at the MIT Labs and on projects with the Environmental Protection Agency, he was involved in the nations’ first grid tied solar power projects.

Armed with an MS in engineering from Stanford University and a student of the 70″s; Miles Russell was witness to the energy crisis and acted on programs put forward by former President Jimmy Carter to move our nation away from oil and fossil fuels. Those projects included the development of solar panels.

Now as CEO of GreenRay Solar, a venture capital backed company he and his team are pioneering new product innovation that is being billed as “the worlds first solar appliance”.

For an education into the world of solar, listen to the QuestPoint n The Mix interview of Miles Russell at:

QuestPoint n The Mix

____________

BioSolar Begins Limited Supply Production of bio-based materials from renewable plant sources

World`s First Bio-based Solar Panel Backsheet Now Qualifies for Commercial
Production after Completion of Research and Development Phase
SANTA CLARITA, Calif.–(Business Wire)–
BioSolar (OTCBB: BSRC), developer of a breakthrough technology to produce
bio-based materials from renewable plant sources that reduce the cost of
photovoltaic (PV) solar cells, announced today that the research and development
phase for the company`s proprietary BioBacksheet-C has been completed. Now
qualified for production, the BioBacksheet-C, designed for traditional silicon
(c-Si) photovoltaic solar panels, will be the company`s first product to become
available commercially.

“Designed specifically for cost-sensitive, economical PV solar cell modules, we
expect the BioBacksheetTM-C to be instrumental in driving down the cost per watt
of solar power,” said Dr. David Lee, President and Chief Executive Officer of
BioSolar. “An initial full production run was recently completed at one of our
manufacturing partners and samples will be available for all interested PV
module manufacturers shortly.”

BioSolar is working to make solar power “greener” and more affordable by
developing natural, non-toxic alternatives to the petroleum-based film in use by
most silicon-based solar module manufacturers today. Its proprietary line of
BioBacksheets, made from renewable plant sources rather than petroleum, meets or
exceeds the characteristics of various testing and performance standards for the
PV industry and are expected to cost significantly less than current
petroleum-based films.

“BioBacksheet-C meets or exceeds all industry standard qualifications,” said Dr.
Stanley B. Levy, Chief Technology Officer of BioSolar. “They have been tested
and passed some of the most rigorous tests of UL 1703, the Underwriters
Laboratories PV certification standard, including the damp heat test, where the
module is exposed to 85 degrees C and 85% RH for 100 hours and the wet Hipot
test, which is a measure of short circuit resistance after the module has been
submerged in water.”

“BioBacksheet-C is a two component system that is highly water resistant and
contains high dielectric strength material combined with cellulosic film,” added
Dr. Lee. “The substrate is a cellulosic material coated with a proprietary
material to reduce the water vapor transmission rate and to increase abrasion
resistance.”

About BioSolar, Inc.

BioSolar, Inc. has developed a breakthrough technology to produce bio-based
materials from renewable plant sources that will reduce the cost per watt of
solar cells. Most of the solar industry is focused on photovoltaic efficiency to
reduce cost. BioSolar is the first company to introduce a new dimension of cost
reduction by replacing petroleum-based plastic solar cell components with
durable bio-based materials. To learn more about BioSolar, please visit our
website at http://www.biosolar.com.

___________________________

Single-family Affordable Solar Homes (SASH)

Solar Rights Manifesto

Although equipment and direct labor costs have declined as solar systems become simpler and safer, the sad truth is that the paperwork and bureaucracy have become even more complicated. Our greatest savings as an industry will be to attack these bureaucratic costs at their source and simply eliminate them.
Please join with your fellow solar enthusiasts and stand up for these five Solar Rights.

Solar Right #1: Solar power shall be installed to provide the lowest cost for ratepayers on a whole, taking into account all applicable costs and externalities.

Solar Right #2: There shall be no restrictions on solar installations for any reason other than pre-existing health and safety concerns.

Solar Right #3: There shall not be any added paperwork for connecting a solar power source as long as it is comparably sized to the building’s existing electrical service. If there is no “interconnection” paperwork for a 3 ton air conditioner, there should be no paperwork for a 3 kw solar power system.

Solar Right #4: There shall not be any demand charges, standby fees or extra expenses for net metering. Net metering customers put power into the grid when the electricity is most needed.

Solar Right #5: There shall not be a separate inspection for building departments, fire departments, utilities and rebate administrators. One – and only one — jurisdictional inspection shall be required for a solar installation.
____________________________________________

SOLAR BILL OF RIGHTS

To secure a policy environment that allows solar energy to compete and empowers consumers to choose, Rhone Resch declared today, October 27, 2009, in the City of Anaheim, California, a Solar Bill of Rights:

We declare these rights not on behalf of our companies, but on behalf of our customers and our country.  We seek no more than the freedom to compete on equal terms and no more than the liberty for consumers to choose the energy source they think best.

1.      Americans have the right to put solar on their homes or businesses. Restrictive covenants, onerous connection rules, and excessive permitting and inspections fees prevent too many American homes and businesses from going solar.

2.      Americans have the right to connect their solar energy system to the grid with uniform national standards. This should be as simple as connecting a telephone or appliance. No matter where they live, consumers should expect a single standard for connecting their system to the electric grid.

3.      Americans have the right to Net Meter and be compensated at the very least with full retail electricity rates. When customers generate excess solar power utilities should pay them consumer at least the retail value of that power.

4.      The solar industry has the right to a fair competitive environment. The highly profitable fossil fuel industries have received tens of billions of dollars for decades. The solar energy expects a fair playing field, especially since the American public overwhelmingly supports the development and use of solar.

5.      The solar industry has the right to equal access to public lands. America has the best solar resources in the world, yet solar companies have zero access to public lands compared to the 45 million acres used by oil and natural gas companies.

6.      The solar industry has the right to interconnect and build new transmission lines. When America updates its electric grid, it must connect the vast solar resources in the Southwest to population centers across the nation.

7.      Americans have the right to buy solar electricity from their utility.  Consumers have no choice to buy clean, reliable solar energy from their utilities instead of the dirty fossil fuels of the past.

8.      Americans have the right, and should expect, the highest ethical treatment from the solar industry. Consumers should expect the solar energy industry to minimize its environmental impact, provide systems that work better than advertised, and communicate incentives clearly and accurately.

__________________________________________

Solar powered electric vehicle charging station by SunPods Inc. unveiled with the City of San Jose

San Jose CA – October 12, 2009 — SunPods announced today the first public demonstration of their revolutionary SunPods’ EV Plug-N-Go™ Solar Powered EV Charging System. The world’s first transportable, modular, integrated solar powered electric vehicle charging station, ready to power up on delivery.

The SunPods SP-300 EV Plug-N-Go designed specifically for companies, institutions and public agencies that need an instant solar powered infrastructure solution for on-road electric vehicles (EV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and electrical industrial utility vehicles. The SunPods EV Plug-N-Go deploys rapidly, building a lasting green power infrastructure solution for today’s electrical powered vehicles.

Built with SunPods’ advanced Solar Smart Technologies™ and designed as a solar appliance. The SunPods SP-300 EV Plug-N-Go is pre-engineered, pre-manufactured, and pre-tested in a rigorous factory setting for optimal performance and delivered from our factory to your site, on your schedule, requiring minimal site preparation and no on-site assembly. SunPods are ready to interconnect and power up on delivery, requiring only an electrician to make the connections.

“We appreciate the City of San Jose for their support in setting up this solar powered EV charging station demonstration and providing the PHEV car and their continued support to Cleantech startups in San Jose and the goals the City set towards growing a green environment and the Cleantech jobs the City is helping to create”, says Michael Gumm, one of SunPods co-founders.

According to Dan Jaeger, president and co-founder of SunPods, “it just didn’t make sense for us to power electric cars with electricity produced by burning coal and other carbon based fuels and make a positive environmental difference. All you are doing is trading gasoline for coal, not a good idea. The core idea behind SunPods is to make solar power simple and easy to use anywhere and to displace fossil based energy with non-carbon, clean renewable solar power”.

SunPods SP-300 EV Plug-N-Go modular, integrated solar power platforms are engineered for both on-grid and off-grid installations. In one configuration, the SunPods SP-300 net-meters solar power to the grid, offsetting carbon based grid power. In another design, the SP-300 equipped using the latest battery systems provides optimal power storage and buffering between the electrical vehicle and utility grid.

The SP-300 is a bi-directional system, allowing power input and output with both solar and grid connected power sources. Smart Grid capable, as grid connections become Smart Grid enabled, utilities will be able to access and manage the SunPods stored energy at peak demand times.

About SunPods, Inc

SunPods is the innovator and manufacturer of SunPods Solar Smart Technology Systems. SunPods, the world’s first solar appliance are transportable, the first factory to project, modular solar power platforms for permanent placement. SunPods power up on arrival, no assembly needed and only require an electrical hookup from the inverter to power up

______________________________________________________

History has shown us our awe and reverence for the sun even in early Egypt.

Mythology

For the Egyptians, the sun represented light, warmth, and growth. This made sun deities very important to Egyptians, and it is no coincidence that the sun came to be the ruler of all. In his myths, the sun was either seen as the body or eye of RA.

Ra was thought to travel in a sun boat (The Boat of the Millions) to protect its fires from the primordial waters of the underworld it passed through during the night. Ra traveled in the sun boat with various other deities including Set and Mehen who defended against the monsters of the underworld, and Ma’at who guided the boat’s course. The monsters included Apep, an enormous serpent who tried to stop the sun boat’s journey every night by consuming it. The Ra myth saw the sunrise as the rebirth of the sun by the goddess Nut and the sky, thus attributing the concept of rebirth and renewal to Ra and strengthening his role as a creator god.

Early in his myths Ra was said to be married to Hathor and they were the parents of Horus. Later his myths changed Hathor into Ra’s daughter. This featured prominently in the myth often called The Story of Sekhmet, in which Ra sent Hathor down to punish humanity as Sekhmet.

Wikipedia

Links

Clean and Free Energy

MA solar energy

Solar panel systems, also known as photovoltaic (PV) systems, convert sunlight into electricity. Solar panels can produce electricity on cloudy days, but not as much as on a sunny day. If you are paying more than $100 each month in utility bills, you can likely save money with solar power.

Solar Energy Directory