Solar Fresh Alberta Ferretti Fashions Hits Macy’s

Posted on April 16, 2012 by quest

Beginning tomorrow, style seekers nationwide can line-up to purchase Alberta Ferretti’s exclusive, limited-time collection for Macy’s, the next designer capsule launching in the retailer’s “Impulse” department. An effortlessly chic spring assortment, the capsule is composed of feminine silhouettes and delicate fabrications, acting as an allusion to the designer’s main line collection. “I’m glad I had the opportunity to give a solar, fresh and joyful Italian dream to the customers of Macy’s and I believe that these items will become staple dresses in their wardrobe.”

“This collection for Macy’s captures the essence of the Italian summer lifestyle and is at the same time true to my style,” said Alberta Ferretti. “I imagine a sensual woman that was joyfully elegant and unequivocally Italian. I am happy that Maria Carla’s unique style, Ellen Von Unwerth’s modern eye, and the fairy-tale atmosphere of Positano made my imagination become real.”

The “Alberta Ferretti for Impulse only at Macy’s” collection exudes effortless style and elegance, heavily influenced by Ferretti’s Italian heritage and the relaxed lifestyle of the Amalfi coast. Reflecting the designer’s signature aesthetic, the capsule is a balance of delicate fabrications, feminine silhouettes and romantic prints. With bohemian and garden party styling taking center stage, the collection offers looks to satisfy a variety of personal tastes ranging from playful maxi dresses to sophisticated cropped pants. The Alberta Ferretti presence continues to strengthen worldwide with boutique openings in every fashion capital from New York to Los Angeles, Milan to Paris, Moscow to Tokyo, and London to Dubai. A first for the Italian-based designer, this new capsule collection will be sold while supplies last in 185 Macy’s stores nationwide and on macys.com beginning April 17.

Organic farmer Steven Schwen plows a different path

Solar Energy And The Eyes of Dragonflies

Posted on April 16, 2012 by quest

An unknown inventor, Jong-Eun Lee from Korea, obtained an extraordinary patent on an unusual solar energy system from the government in a surprisingly short time. It is very unusual because the Korean government, which is famous for its thoroughness to examine patent applications, processed this particular case very rapidly.”It is a simple structure but my invention is very convincing,” says Jong-Eun Lee confidently. He got the idea from the eyes of dragonflies. Almost all the existing solar energy systems in the world use panels, which take up a lot of space and expense, whereas Jong-Eun Lee’s system uses only relatively small ball-type lenses that will collect sun light easily from every angle, virtually 360 degrees.

It takes a fairly small space and its durability is extremely long due to its simple structure. The inventor is strongly confident that it will inevitably change the existing concept of solar energy and he hopes that it will replace the nuclear power plant, which is treated more as a necessary evil.

It was no wonder that the first launch of this invention to EXCO 2012, Daegu, Korea, quickly captivated the visitors of Lee’s booth. In fact, his booth was filled with so many people that no one could pass by without asking questions on how it could be possible. His explanation was rather straightforward. “We human beings have chased the sun from the very primitive age until now because we have been trained to think that way, but the sun has been always there waiting to provide us with infinite energy.”And it is a fact that we unconsciously perceived that there was infinite resource in it when we played house with a magnifying glass to burn objects and the problem was that we could not go just one step further because of our limited imaginative power,” says the inventor. “My patent will speak for itself and the Korean government, which examined and granted me this patent, will prove it,” added Lee.

Sunset Idea Open House

Electric Vehicle Technology Driving Through

Posted on April 15, 2012 by quest

Its got to be considered good news for the electric vehicle industry which according to the Boston Globe,”Americans are buying record numbers of hybrid and electric cars as gas prices climb and new models arrive in showrooms, giving the vehicles their greatest share yet of the U.S. auto market. Consumers bought a record 52,000 gas-electric hybrids and all-electric cars in March, up from 34,000 during the same month last year.” Now with the rising cost of gasoline and the fact that solar energy is available, affordable and abundant it is starting to make sense for people to buy electric cars.

Imagine being able to charge an electric vehicle – on the go or at home – without ever having to plug in. The Energy Department announced up to $4 million to develop wireless chargers for electric vehicles. A new funding opportunity from the Energy Department seeks to develop wireless chargers for electric vehicles (EVs). This funding opportunity is made available through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy ‘s Vehicle Technologies Program.

EV wireless charging has the potential to accelerate the adoption of EVs – by making them more convenient for consumers to charge, whether they’re at home or away, and to reduce the total energy storage requirements of EVs, unlocking the benefits of lighter and smaller battery packs, lighter vehicles, higher efficiency and longer ranges.

AC Transit Fueling Buses with Hydrogen Made From Solar Electricity

Look This Way For Green Jobs

Solar Power Landing At Edwards Air Force Base

Posted on April 12, 2012 by quest

Suntech Power the world’s largest producer of solar panels, recently supplied 3.4 megawatts (MW) of solar panels for a solar installation at Edwards Air Force Base in Southern California. The solar installation at Edwards Air Force Base was designed, financed, and installed by Borrego Solar, a leading national solar solutions provider, at no upfront cost to Edwards Air Force Base.The more than 12,000 solar panels provided for the project, which started generating power in February 2012, were made at Suntech’s manufacturing facility in Goodyear, Arizona. Solar panels produced at Suntech’s Goodyear facility are compliant for procurement in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and Buy American Act projects.

“This project was a big milestone for Borrego Solar and the military, as it demonstrates how public-private partnerships can succeed and provide the most effective means to drive large-scale solar energy systems on government property,” said Mike Hall, CEO of Borrego Solar. “Looking ahead, we are excited to work with more military and federal facility managers to help them take full advantage of the financial benefits that come from using solar to generate clean sustainable energy, and local jobs.”

Suntech’s Goodyear, Arizona, manufacturing facility was opened in October 2010. The Goodyear operation has steadily increased its workforce, adding a second shift in January 2011 and a third shift in May 2011. The state-of-the-art module manufacturing facility now runs twenty-four hours per day with more than 100 highly-skilled employees. The facility’s annualized production throughput is nearly 50MW, representing about 15,000 high-quality solar panels per month, or enough to power about 10,000 homes. In December 2011, Suntech Arizona was recognized by the Phoenix Business Journal as one of the best places to work in Arizona.

Amy Smart Honors Claremont As A “Green City”

Winning The Solar And Renewable Energy Race

Posted on April 12, 2012 by quest

In the global race to secure private clean energy finance and investment, the United States reclaimed the top spot, after trailing China since 2009. Globally, investment grew to a record $263 billion in 2011, a 6.5 percent increase over the previous year, according to new research on clean energy financing in Group of Twenty (G-20) nations released by The Pew Charitable Trusts.

The United States attracted $48 billion in clean energy investment, a 42 percent increase over 2010. This helped propel the addition of 6.7 gigawatts (GW) of wind and, for the first time, more than 1 GW of solar energy, enough to power 800,000 homes. Total U.S. installed renewable energy capacity at the end of 2011 was 93 GW, second to China. However, America will be hard-pressed to sustain last year’s success in the wake of now-expired Treasury grants and the Department of Energy’s loan guarantee programs. Also, the production tax credit concludes at the end of this year.

“In 2011, the global clean energy sector grew again, the U.S. reclaimed its lead as the top destination for private investment, and consumers reaped the rewards of significantly reduced prices for clean energy technologies, such as solar panels, which are now nearly 50 percent cheaper than a year ago,” said Phyllis Cuttino, director of Pew’s Clean Energy Program. “And yet, the yo-yo effect of U.S. clean energy policy hurts the ability of the United States to consistently compete and turn U.S.-led innovation into manufacturing, deployment, and export opportunities. Creative, stable, and transparent policies remain a critical signal to private investors.”Read the full Report - U.S. Retakes Lead From China in Clean Energy Race

Even The Water Commutes To LA

Solar Pioneer To Keynote Solar Exchange At Rutgers

Posted on April 11, 2012 by quest

In partnership with Rutgers University , the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA), the New Jersey Higher Education Partnership for Sustainability (NJHEPS) and the Mid-Atlantic Solar Energy Industries Association (MSEIA), Solar Exchange East provides an opportunity for dialogue among innovators and thought-leaders in the solar industry, including engineering management, OEMs, end users, developers, solution providers, academia, researchers, associations and financial institutions. After three years, thousands of participants and events at Arizona State University, North Carolina State University and the University of California Los Angeles, the Siemens-hosted Solar Exchange takes its unique industry forum and networking event to Rutgers University on May 16, for a day of discovery and dialogue on the latest emerging topics, innovations and trends within the solar industry

The event, which is geared towards professionals currently working in the solar market, will be held on Rutgers’ campus in Piscataway, NJ. Dr. Ramamoorthy Ramesh, director of the SunShot Initiative and Solar Energy Technologies Program for the Department of Energy will be the keynote speaker. Event host, Siemens, has been committed to the solar industry from as early as the 1950s. “NESEA is delighted to partner with Siemens and Rutgers on this event as it dovetails with our mission to connect sustainable energy professionals to each other and to the cutting edge information they need to improve their practice. The timing for this event is perfect, given the growth of solar power in the Northeast,” says Jennifer Marrapese, director of NESEA.The event is free to attend, registration is required. Individuals interested in participating may register at www.usa.siemens.com/solarexchange.

“This event offers a strong and broad agenda that will include presentations on Rutgers’ current campus solar projects and our research and academic programs supporting solar initiatives,” said Michael J. Pazzani, vice president for research and economic development at Rutgers. “This university has a leadership role in technology development and policy issues connected to solar, so we’re pleased to host such an influential meeting.”The event will feature round-table networking sessions, offering attendees the ability to increase their knowledge about products, solutions, services and associates within the solar industry in the Northeast, gather new perspectives and learn new methods. Topics for the event include solar panel manufacturing, energy storage and related technologies, New Jersey SREC programs and policies, smart metering and net monitoring, solar PV projects on university campuses and the bankability of solar projects in the Northeast. The day includes a tour of Rutgers seven-acre Livingston Solar array and an evening reception.