Solar Charges iPhones

Posted on January 10, 2011 by quest

GoSolar USA and Xiamen Solar Electronics have joined up to develop of the revolutionary Volt Solar Charger accessory for the Apple iPhone. Tyson Rohde CEO of GoSolar USA said, “I’m pleased to say that we’re developing a strong partnership with Xiamen Solar Electronics. “We feel that XSE is an ideal partner for GoSolarUSA because the Volt Solar Charger represents a true breakthrough in applying renewable solar energy to the world of consumer electronics. We are very impressed with the device’s worldwide sales potential. With Verizon Wireless, the largest mobile phone provider in the U.S., strongly rumored to be preparing to offer the iPhone to subscribers, we anticipate the growth of new Apple users to accelerate in the coming years.”

The Volt Solar Charger is an external battery pack that attaches to the iPhone and extends its battery life using a top-of-the-line, built-in solar panel. The Volt is capable of harvesting solar energy to charge all versions of the Apple iPhone with the same device. By capturing free, renewable solar power, the Voltrecharges the iPhone’s battery first before charging its own internal battery, nearly doubling the smartphone’s talk time. The Volt includes a larger battery than its competitors and is the only iPhone battery pack known to the company to include a reception corrector.

With so many iPhones in circulation, a battery pack such as the Volt has the potential to make solar energy a part of the daily lives of millions of North Americans. North America is the world’s largest market for Apple product accessories, and GoSolarUSA has been active in funding new accessory technologies for commercialization. In 2010, GoSolar USA inked a profit participation agreement with the PREE Corporation, developers of the PREEcharge accessory for the iPhone and iPad.

WORK RECYCLING

Solar and Energy Efficiency Key to Ecomagination

Posted on January 9, 2011 by quest

From the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas GE announced today a new phase of its $200 million open innovation challenge. Building on the record-breaking global success of the “ecomagination Challenge: Powering the Grid,” GE and its venture capital partners today announced the “Powering Your Home” Challenge, which begins January 18 and seeks the best ideas for harnessing and managing energy at home. GE and venture capital partners seek innovations to improve household energy efficiency and harness wind, solar, hydro and biomass power.

The global challenge invites technologists, entrepreneurs and start-ups to share their best ideas and come together to build and improve the eco home of the future with new technologies. The Challenge is one of the largest ever with more than 4,000 ideas submitted and more than 1,100 in the category of home energy use. In the next phase of the Challenge, these ideas will be reexamined and participants are encouraged to submit new ideas or resubmit an idea if it has evolved. The Challenge will be open between January 18 and March 1, 2011.

“We launched the Challenge to spur innovation that will help transform how we create, connect and use power, and the number of passionate and innovative people who got involved to collaborate on global energy solutions has been a real eye-opener for GE,” said Beth Comstock, chief marketing officer and senior vice president, GE. The Challenge launched in July 2010. The Challenge is part of GE’s ecomagination business strategy and was formed as a global commitment to build innovative, clean-energy technologies and help fund the most promising ideas. Proposals are sought in two broad categories of the eco-home: energy efficiency, including management software, appliances and air conditioning; and renewable power, including solar, wind, hydro and biomass. In addition to investment, commercial relationships and other partnership opportunities, the judging panel of GE executives and leading academics and technologists will select five $100,000 Innovation Award winners whose ideas represent pioneering entrepreneurship and innovation.

A GREEN CAREER

Solar Energy Thrives At Kaiser Permanente

Posted on January 7, 2011 by quest

Kaiser Permanente’s Santa Clara Medical Center has gone live with solar power, becoming one of the country’s first major medical centers to receive a significant amount of its energy from the sun. Kaiser Permanente agreed in March to install solar power systems at 15 of its California facilities — deploying a total 15 megawatts of solar energy — by the end of 2011. The agreement with Recurrent Energy, a solar project developer and generating company providing clean electricity to utilities and large energy users, launched one of the largest sustainable energy programs in U.S. health care. Solar panels at Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara will produce 8.5 percent of the power used at the medical center — or enough to provide electricity for 136 homes for one year.

Installing solar panels on Kaiser Permanente hospitals, medical offices and other buildings is the first step in a comprehensive plan to use onsite renewable energy sources to power Kaiser Permanente’s buildings nationwide. A focus on renewable energy sources is just one aspect of the organization’s industry-leading work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce the use of harmful chemicals, and promote sustainable food choices. Kaiser Permanente’s investment in solar power will reduce the organization’s reliance on the public power grid and help it diversify its energy sources. The 15 megawatts of solar power will produce an average of 10 percent of the electricity at each of the facilities, which also include the Vallejo Medical Center in Northern California, and medical offices in Lancaster and La Mesa in Southern California. This is enough to provide electricity for about 1,900 homes a year.

“Kaiser Permanente has a long history of energy conservation and environmental stewardship, and our use of solar and other forms of renewable energy further demonstrates our ongoing commitment to improving the overall health and well-being of our members and the communities we serve,” said Gregory A. Adams, group president, regional president of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan/Hospitals, Inc. in Northern California. Kaiser Permanente agreed to purchase the solar power through power purchase agreements with San Francisco-based Recurrent Energy, which will own and operate all of the solar power systems. Kaiser Permanente also will retain all the Renewable Energy Credits awarded for these solar projects.

This move is the latest in Kaiser Permanente’s long history of energy conservation and environmental stewardship. Sustainable design and construction practices, including the use of energy-saving infrastructure and non-toxic materials, help Kaiser Permanente to build green and stay on budget.

UNDERSTANDING CLIMATE CHANGE

Solar Trends for 2011

Posted on January 7, 2011 by quest

This year has turned out to be a boom year for the solar industry, thanks in no small part to lucrative government subsidies in Europe, particularly in countries such as Germany and Italy. New solar project installations shot up from 7.2 GW in 2009 to an estimated 15.8 GW in 2010, according to iSuppli. But analysts are predicting slower growth in 2011 because incentives in these key European markets are set to fall quite a bit. At the same time the U.S. market could grow faster. Here are key trends I expect to see in 2011:

1. The rise of the U.S. market. Given the size of the country, solar industry folks have long counted on the U.S. as becoming a dominant solar electricity generator one day. We’ll likely see a particularly big upswing in that direction because of a confluence of state and federal policies. Congress just extended a popular grant program that helps to cover 30 percent of the cost of installing solar projects. The extension will end Dec. 31, 2011, and projects that start construction by the deadline will still qualify to get the money. That deadline will prompt companies to quicken their project development pace.
Project developers who have signed contracts to sell solar electricity to California

URBAN FARMING GROWS

SolarCity Announces Solar Energy for $20 per month

Posted on January 5, 2011 by quest

“For less money each month than the cost of two movie tickets, Oregon homeowners can install solar power,” said Rob LaVigne, SolarCity’s regional director in Oregon. “Our Oregon lease option should make solar accessible to a wide range of homeowners across the state.”

SolarCity’s new SolarLease financing option will make it possible for Oregon homeowners to go solar for as little as $20 per month, with no upfront cost. The new rules that went into effect January 1st allow customers who choose to lease their solar systems to receive the residential tax credit (RETC) that was previously only available to customers that purchased solar systems. As the customer cannot transfer the credit to SolarCity, SolarCity allows the customer to defer the remaining system cost not covered by the lease payments until the customer receives the RETC, effectively eliminating the customer’s upfront cost.

SolarCity will continue to provide Oregon homeowners with multiple financing options, including cash purchase, prepaid lease, and a partially prepaid lease with a lower monthly payment. All lease options include installation, SolarCity’s SolarGuard® proactive monitoring service, repairs, insurance and a performance guarantee for the life of the 15-year lease. SolarLease is available to Oregon homeowners that are also customers of Portland General Electric and Pacific Power, starting today. The company recently opened a new, 15,000 square foot operations facility in Portland to expand installation capacity and provide a base of operations for its growing local workforce.

EXPLORE ECO FASHION

Solar Jobs Relocating to Wisconsin

Posted on January 4, 2011 by quest

MADISON, Wisconsin – Outgoing Governor Jim Doyle recently announced that W Solar Group, Inc.will receive up to $28 million in Enterprise

Zone tax credits from the Department of Commerce (Commerce) to establish a manufacturing facility in Wisconsin, and locate its corporate headquarters and research and development facilities in Dane County.

“I am really happy to announce the state will provide $28 million in Enterprise Zone tax credits to help W Solar establish a manufacturing facility in Wisconsin and create more than 600 jobs,” Governor Doyle said. “W Solar choosing to locate its manufacturing facility in Wisconsin is a testament to the hard work we’ve done over the past eight years to build a strong sector of our economy around clean energy and high end manufacturing. This investment will create new business opportunities and jobs at suppliers throughout the region.”

The company expects to create about 620 jobs between its headquarters, R&D and manufacturing facilities. The project represents a capital investment of over $300 million. Governor Doyle has used the powerful Enterprise Zones credits to help retain and create jobs at Quad Graphics, Bucyrus, Mercury Marine, Republic Airways, ULINE, Marinette Marine, and Oshkosh Corporation.

The U.S. and international solar markets are expected to grow rapidly in the years ahead. Wisconsin is a national leader in solar installations. Among the companies Commerce has assisted are Cardinal Glass, 5NPlus, PDM Solar, ZBB Technologies, and Helios.

The U.S. and international solar markets