Geological Society goes solar

Posted on November 4, 2010 by quest

The Geological Society of America(GSA) recently celebrated the completion of a 65 kW solar energy system atop its Boulder, CO headquarters. Through it’s more than 22,000 members from academia, government, and industry in more than 97 countries the GSA encourages cooperative research among earth, life, planetary, and social scientists. The new array currently provides 35 percent of the annual electric consumption for the building, avoiding the emission of over 160,000 lbs of carbon dioxide each year. By January 2011 the building will use 100% solar and wind renewable energy for it’s source of electrical power.

“It is very exciting to work with the GSA,” said Andrew McKenna, COO of Bella Energy the company that installed the solar power system. “My family has had a close connection to the organization for many years, as my father was a long-standing member. It is great to see that Bella Energy can help the GSA save money on electrical costs, and continue its environmental leadership efforts.” GSA Executive Director Jack Hess said “We are grateful for the availability of local funding from Xcel Energy and the City of Boulder to make this first of many investments in renewable energy possible for GSA. The Society is committed to demonstrating environmental leadership and we want other commercial and nonprofit entities to know that this funding exists.”

The Geological Society of America was founded in 1888. Through its meetings, publications, and programs, GSA enhances the professional growth of its members and promotes the geosciences in the service of humankind.

EVENTS

9th Solar Cup Metropolitan Water District Boat Race

Posted on November 4, 2010 by quest

“Solar Cup is one of the most successful education programs of Metropolitan, its member agencies and local water agencies,” said Metropolitan General Manager Jeffrey Kightlinger. Nearly 700 students from 42 high schools in six Southern California counties will launch Metropolitan Water District’s ninth annual Solar Cup program Saturday, Nov. 6, as they build hulls for the solar-powered boats they will equip and race. The seven-month program, which began in 2002 with just eight teams and about 80 students, has become the nation’s largest solar-powered boat competition. Along the way, Solar Cup has encouraged many participants to attend college and to pursue careers in engineering, science, environmental issues and communication.

Beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday, about half of the teams will gather at Three Valleys Municipal Water District headquarters in Claremont to build identical, canoe-like hulls out of kits of pre-cut, marine-grade plywood. The remaining teams will gather at Three Valleys Nov. 13. Once the hulls are completed, the teams take them back to their schools to equip them over the next seven months with motors, batteries, solar-collection panels, rudders and steering systems. Often, they add an eye-catching paint or varnish job. As part of the education program, Metropolitan provides the hull kits and tool boxes and sponsors technical workshops for the teams and their teachers/advisors that represent schools in Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties. Metropolitan’s member public water agencies and, in some cases, local water retailers, sponsor the teams to help equip their boats.

The program concludes with the Solar Cup competition May 13-15 at Metropolitan’s Lake Skinner near Temecula in southwestern Riverside County, where the teams will compete in endurance and sprint races. The event is open to the public.The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a cooperative of 26 cities and water agencies serving 19 million people in six counties. The district imports water from the Colorado River and Northern California to supplement local supplies, and helps its members to develop increased water conservation, recycling, storage and other resource-management programs.

SOLAR CUP RACE

VISIT THE SOLAR WALL

SunPower to build solar plant at U.S. Air Force Academy

Posted on November 3, 2010 by quest

Construction will begin this month on the 30-acre site, of the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA) in Colorado Springs, Colo to build a 6-megawatt solar photovoltaic power system. The 30-acre, 6-megawatt system at this site is where Air Force cadets and officers alike engage in thousands of training flights each year, will be a testament to the fact that solar power provides a secure, independent power source in the U.S.,” said Jim Pape, president of SunPower’s residential and commercial business group. “Reliability and quality are the hallmarks of SunPower systems. We look forward to working with the Springs Utilities and the Air Force Academy on this very exciting project.”

The project is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), as a result of government requirements for federal facilities to use increasing amounts of renewable energy. SunPower and Springs Utilities will each own 50 percent of the renewable energy credits (RECs) and environmental benefits associated with the system. The system will use high-efficiency SunPower solar panels with the SunPower Tracker(R) system. The Tracker follows the sun’s movement during the day, increasing sunlight capture by up to 25 percent over conventional fixed-tilt systems, while significantly reducing land use requirements. The system will be designed to meet USAFA’s stringent engineering design standards.

According to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates, the system at the Air Force Academy will avoid more than 9,400 tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year, the equivalent of removing 40,900 cars from Colorado’s highways over 25 years. The plant is expected to be operational by summer 2011.

BUILDING GREEN

Solar powers 3G Network on Mt. Everest

Posted on November 2, 2010 by quest

Solar is on top of the world providing power to a eight new 3G stations at the Mt. Everest National Park. The network installed by Ncell a subsidiary of Europe’s TeliaSonera is Nepal’s second largest mobile operator. The network established at the Mt. Everest base camp is 16,994 feet above sea level and provides quality voice and 3G broadband services for local residents and mountaineers from all around the world preparing to climb the world’s highest mountain. Ncell CTO Aigars Benders congratulated the achievement via video, saying: “You are on the peak of the world! With the launch of the 3G station, visitors to the south side of Mt. Everest can share what they see, what they feel, and what they think during their trip to Mt. Everest with their friends and relatives at any time.”

Solar panels were also incorporated in the design to ensure that the station has power supply throughout the year and be environmentally friendly. These features will allow the station to operate at optimal levels even with outdoor temperatures as low as minus 86 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit with minimal power usage.

MT. EVEREST PANORAMA

To withstand the high altitude and extremely harsh natural environment of the Himalayas, ZTE a leading global provider of telecommunications equipment and network solutions provided a tailor-made solution for the Mt. Everest project with a strong “green” environmentally conscious focus. The micro base-station is based on the SDR (Software-Defined Radio) platform, which has a low power-consumption, small footprint, and is easy to install. A one-piece ground tower and heat-insulating Diet shelter are used in the stations, which allow them to be installed quickly without the need for earthwork and foundation construction.

DRIVE ELECTRIC

Drive electric meet up also spotlights solar

Posted on November 1, 2010 by quest

Not long ago SolarWorld a leading global solar panel manufacturer awarded Muhammad Yunus Nobel Peace Prize laureate and micro-finance pioneer, the 2010 SolarWorld Einstein Award for his breakthrough concept of micro-loans for the poor, which have helped millions of people worldwide to escape poverty. Now SolarWorld will serve as the sole Oregon host site of the “drive electric tour” sponsored by Nissan LEAF on Nov. 5, 6 and 7, giving the region’s many electric-vehicle enthusiasts a long-awaited chance to get behind the wheel of a zero-emission Nissan LEAF. The tour highlights mutual aims of electric vehicles and solar power.

The tour stop on SolarWorld’s busy campus points to the advances of two industry pioneers in promoting technologies that affordably curb environmentally noxious gases. Nissan is presenting its LEAF sedan as the first mass-produced, affordable 100%-electric-with-zero-emissions vehicle.The SolarWorld stop on Nissan’s “drive electric tour” is the sixth in a 22-city route that began in October and ends in March. The tour features several display areas, each highlighting a specific attribute or benefit of the car. Visitors will be able to drive the Nissan LEAF with a “co-pilot” to answer their questions and show them of all the interior features of the car. Visitors also can inquire about SolarWorld.

The Portland metropolitan-area market has proven to be an enthusiastic adopter of both the Nissan LEAF and SolarWorld’s solar panels, according to officials of both companies. Consumers there have reserved the Nissan LEAF and selected SolarWorld panels at vigorous rates. “The day of the all-electric Nissan LEAF, as well as expanded production of SolarWorld’s high-performance solar panels, has come,” said Gordon Brinser, President of SolarWorld Industries America Inc. “We are only too delighted that in Oregon the two are arriving in exactly the same place.” “Nissan deliberately chose the SolarWorld campus as an ideal place to showcase our exciting driving solution to the twin pressing needs for high affordability and no emissions,” said Jay Schaffer, Promotions and Lifestyle Marketing Manager, Nissan North America. “Both companies’ visions are lighting the way to a bright future for key products and technologies that do their jobs superlatively well, put consumers on a sounder environmental footing and work for their pocketbooks.”

For reservations, times and other details relating to all stops along the “drive electric tour,”

VISIT THE SOLAR WALL

Spray on solar an idea that sticks

Posted on November 1, 2010 by quest

If the idea of spray on solar seemed like a novel little cute idea. Think again. Engineers from Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), a leading American certification and testing laboratory for solar products and equipment, has validated New Energy Technologies power production modeling calculations for its spray on SolarWindow™ technology. In late September CEO, John A. Conklin introduced the SolarWindow to the press as the world’s first see thru technology of its kind. SolarWindow™ is capable of generating electricity, and able to outperform conventional rooftop solar module installations by more than 300% when applied to the facades of commercial tall buildings and skyscrapers. This could be a serious game changer in the evolving solar technology space which last month saw other solar efficiency innovations from Solar Power International held in Los Angeles. The industry is moving ahead on many fronts so at this point one size won’t fit all.

“We have long anticipated that applying SolarWindow to exterior glass surfaces of commercial towers could generate energy savings several-fold greater than today’s rooftop solar systems,” explained John A. Conklin, President and CEO of New Energy Technologies, Inc. “It’s wonderful to have these power modeling calculations now validated by FSEC, a highly-respected independent solar testing agency.”Engineers modeling a 40-story building, similar to Tampa’s landmark “100 North Tampa,” estimate annual cost-savings of $40,000 to $70,000 when installing New Energy’s SolarWindow™ to exposed window facades. In contrast, mounting today’s popular poly-crystalline silicon modules rack-mounted on the rooftop produces only $20,000 in energy savings per year.

Following their review, FSEC engineers concluded that calculations in New Energy’s SolarWindow power output calculations model are “…reasonable and free of any significant errors.”FSEC is renowned for solar testing, and has a long-standing history of certifying both solar hot water and photovoltaic (PV) modules. FSEC-certified PV modules include products by industry leaders such as: General Electric, Mitsubishi, Sanyo, Samsung, Sharp, BP Solar, DuPont Apollo, First Solar, and Suniva, Inc.