New MegaWatts Of Solar Power Heading South

Posted on December 6, 2011 by quest

Ikea is ahead of the curve in incorporating renewable energy into its growth plans. The Swedish based company has a business philosophy based on minimizing negative impacts on the environment. It was only last month that Ikea began installing electric vehicle charging stations in Southern California and seven other Western US states. Globally, IKEA evaluates locations for energy conservation opportunities, integrates innovative materials into product design, works with Global Forest Watch to maintain sustainable resources, and flat-packs goods for efficient distribution. IKEA a world leader in home furnishings retailer, today announced plans to install solar energy panels on ten additional United States locations – its entire presence in the Southern U.S. Pending governmental permits, installation can begin this winter, with completion expected in Summer 2012. Collectively, the nine stores and one distribution center will total 10.7 Megawatts of solar generating capacity, nearly 45,360 panels, and a projected annual electricity output of 15,248,334 kilowatt hours.

Mike Ward, IKEA U.S. president said, “This investment extends our solar presence to the Southern U.S., further reducing our carbon footprint and the intensity of the electrical grid. IKEA believes we can be a good business while doing good business. The company has a long-term commitment to sustainability and confidence in photovoltaic (PV) technology.” IKEA will own and operate each of its solar PV energy systems atop its buildings – as opposed to a solar lease or PPA (power purchase agreement) – now including its three Texas stores (Frisco, Houston and Round Rock), three Florida stores (Orlando, Sunrise and Tampa), three other stores (Atlanta and Charlotte, and in Woodbridge, VA), and the IKEA Distribution Center in Savannah, GA as listed below with approximate system statistics and corresponding clean energy equivalents.

IKEA already has 12 U.S. solar energy systems operational with 11 more underway. Adding solar to ten more locations increases the company’s solar presence to 75% of its U.S. locations and a total solar generating capacity of approximately 26.8 MW. For the six Florida and Texas stores, IKEA contracted with REC Solar, one of the largest U.S. solar electric providers, with more than 7,000 systems built nationwide. For the four other locations, IKEA contracted with Gehrlicher Solar America Corp., part of Gehrlicher AG, one of the world’s ten largest independent PV project developers and system integrators.

Higher Education Leading On Climate Change

Solar City Returns Solar Strong

First Zero Net Solar Energy Classrooms Now In LA

Posted on December 5, 2011 by quest

Constructed entirely from recycled materials and powered by roof-mounted solar panels, Brentwood School‘s newest classrooms will generate enough energy every year to cover 100% of their electricity usage, making them Los Angeles’ first Zero Net Energy classrooms on a school campus. Because the solar panels are shipped in place, the classrooms will begin generating energy the same day they’re installed. Gen7′s proprietary energy management system will monitor each classroom to ensure performance over time. Four Gen7 green modular classrooms are, making renewable energy a reality for the sustainability-conscious K-12 independent school. Designed to pursue LEED Gold certification, the state-of-the-art classrooms will provide a new wing of permanent, high-performance learning space expected to deliver 70% in energy savings for the school.

Brentwood School‘s Head of School Dr. Mike Riera said, “True to our mission of embracing high standards of character, commitment, and achievement, with Gen7 we set a new standard for ourselves in terms of environmental responsibility and the use of learning space as teaching tool,” Brentwood School’s Parents Association hosted a pancake breakfast for Middle and Upper Division students, allowing them to watch and learn as their new classrooms are installed. Gen7 classrooms are designed for both health and comfort, making them the ideal learning environment. Each Zero Net Energy classroom is also a hands-on teaching tool, equipped with its own interactive SMART board. An Energy Efficiency Education Dashboard is being developed that displays the building’s performance data and demonstrates sustainable initiatives, such as energy production and consumption, LEED scorecard, green features and student tutorials.

Gen7′s energy efficiency combines renewable energy with features that reduce the need for electricity. Each Gen7 Zero Net Energy classroom includes an ultra-tight, high R-value building envelope, high-efficiency mechanical system, smart lighting system with the latest LED technology, large low-E view windows and skylights, light and occupancy sensors along with a dedicated outdoor ventilation system.

The father of vertical farming

Green Jobs Forecast

Posted on December 4, 2011 by quest

By Kellé Lynch McMahon – Green Jobs, Green Jobs, Where are all the jobs?…In looking at the news one would believe that the world is coming to an end with all the talk of unemployment and the export of jobs to overseas competition. But if we scratch below the surface we will see that there is a huge trend surfacing that is creating an enormous amount of opportunity for retooling and growth in technological innovation and the re-birth of a manufacturing in the United States.

According to the US Department of Labor there are 1.2 million jobs that are unfilled right now in the marketplace. These jobs are unfilled because there are too few skilled applicants that apply for them. There are foreign companies, American companies, small companies, large companies, startups and mid-size companies all of which contribute to the growth and development of a new established emergent industry coined “the green economy”. The green economy encompasses many different aspects of the energy market sector. The United States has seen the largest growth in the solar market sector over the past two years. The industry has seen growth over 120% since 2006 (Engineering Magazine July 2010) and is experiencing a explosion of growth in the commercial residential sectors.

Next we have watched the growth of the slow food movement, which has the cropping up of small local family farms and urban farms that are supporting sustainable organic farming methods that yield a variety of foods that are in high demand in local markets. The growth, process, and distribution of these foods has created a cottage industry that has become boutique in nature.Third, we have the automotive industry that has seen a growth spurt in the development, manufacturing and innovation of a new breed of cars that will revolutionize the way we commute, transport merchandise and travel in the world. Electric cars will become the norm within the next five (5) years, and all major automobile manufacturers have at least one auto that is either electric or hydrogen fuel cell powered on the market today. Read the full article by Kellé Lynch McMahon

Solar Energy To Power UN Climate Conference

Solar City Returns Solar Strong

Posted on November 30, 2011 by quest

It was in August that U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced the offer of a conditional commitment for a partial guarantee of a $344 million loan to help secure financing for SolarCity’s “SolarStrong” project. The project, partnered SolarCity with the country’s leading military housing-privatization developers to install 160,000 rooftop solar installations on as many as 124 military housing developments across the US. Then after the Solyndra shutdown in September the DOE withdrew from the project. But today SolarCity and Bank of America Merrill Lynch have announced that they have agreed to terms on financing for SolarStrong, SolarCity’s ambitious five-year plan to invest more than $1 billion in the solar power project. As part of the project, SolarCity plans to partner with the country’s leading privatized military housing developers to install, own and operate rooftop solar installations and provide solar electricity at a lower cost than utility power. SolarStrong is ultimately expected to create up to 300 megawatts of solar generation capacity that could provide power to as many as 120,000 military housing units. SolarStrong would be the largest residential solar photovoltaic project in American history. Solar City is a leading national solar services company.

After the Solydra failure and the Department of Energy withdrew their commitment from the Solar Strong project, skeptics were predicting doom for the entire green sector however, Lyndon Rive, SolarCity’s chief executive officer said, “BofA Merrill never wavered when the loan guarantee wasn’t finalized and worked with us to create a financing structure that works without it.SolarStrong makes affordable clean energy available on a much greater scale. This is uncharted territory for residential solar. The fact that SolarStrong can move forward without a federal loan guarantee is a clear indication that long-term incentives such as the investment tax credit are working.”“This project demonstrates the long term viability of large-scale, distributed solar generation,” said Jonathan Plowe, head of New Energy and Infrastructure Solutions at BofA Merrill. “We are excited to see the project through with SolarCity and extend our expertise and financing capabilities to propel residential solar to the next level.”

SolarCity now expects SolarStrong to create thousands of full-time and temporary jobs. The company says it hopes to provide as many of those jobs as possible to U.S. veterans and military family members, which have been among those hardest hit by the economic downturn. SolarCity has added more than 1,200 new, full-time workers since the recession began in December 2007; creating more than one new job per workday in that timeframe. “This is a groundbreaking transaction that represents a key milestone for the U.S. solar industry,” said Tim Newell, managing director for USRG Renewable Finance, financial advisor for SolarStrong. “We’re proud to be part of this project that will invest in military communities across the United States.”

Green Jobs Future Here Now

Green For All On Recycling

Solar Energy To Power UN Climate Conference

Posted on November 29, 2011 by quest

A newly built 500 kW solar-energy facility will power the United Nations Climate Change COP17 global gathering, and will be officially inaugurated by South African President Dr. Jacob. G. Zuma on December 4. Soitec a world leader in generating and manufacturing for the electronics and energy industries, has built a concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) power plant next to Durban, South Africa, as the flagship project for the 17th annual Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), being held November 28 to December 9. More large scale commercial and utility scale projects are being started or switched on around the globe. Bloomberg New Energy Finance is reporting,”that for the first time in history, investments in renewable energy installations surpassed investments in fossil fuel plants. According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, last year $187 billion was invested in renewable energy installations, which exceeded the $157 billion that was invested in new natural gas, oil and coal plants.”

“CPV offers South Africa huge potential for its natural resource and climate protection,” said André-Jacques Auberton-Hervé, president and CEO of Soitec. “After proving our Concentrix™ technology’s performance in the region with last year’s installation of a 60 kW power plant at the Aquila Private Game Reserve in Touwsrivier, we are proud to continue supporting the country’s young but growing renewable-energy sector. Sustainable energy, as we all know, is a prerequisite for a sustainable future.”

Soitec worked closely with the Department of Water and Environmental Affairs (DEA) of South Africa and the local eThekwini Municipality to build the CPV solar plant, which feeds into the area’s power-supply grid. The CPV plant was constructed in just one month using the combination of Soitec’s international expertise and the local work force. Group Five, an integrated construction services, materials and infrastructure investment group operating in Africa, was the local construction partner for the project.

Electric Vehicles Hitting The Road In South Africa

US And China Solar Companies Continue Chess Game

Posted on November 28, 2011 by quest

December 2 marks the next step in the preliminary determination by the U.S. International Trade Commission on whether subsidized Chinese exports have injured the US solar domestic industry. If it finds in favor of CASM, the first possible determination on “critical circumstances” could come as soon as Jan. 12, meaning importers of record could later be required to deposit estimated duties on imports back to this past Oct. 14. CASM (Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing) is a coalition includes dozens of solar suppliers and installers from across the country, many of whom have issued impassioned pleas to preserve fair trade and U.S. jobs. The Commerce Department initiated antidumping and countervailing duty investigations of the Chinese industry on Nov. 9. The global solar industry is growing at an alarming rate with China producing 55 percent of the world’s PVs in 2010, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

As the green economy continues to spread, federal, state and city agencies are helping to drive demand for solar products. Recently Charlotte, North Carolina Mayor Anthony Foxx completed a trade mission to China with the goal of spurring more trade with Chinese solar manufacturers. Jetion Solar USA held its grand opening in Charlotte in July of this year, amid great expectations and the tantalizing prospect and promise of jobs. But even as this is unfolding now China is planning it’s own probe. Now comes an announcement by the Commerce Ministry that China‘s solar industry association and Chinese solar companies may ask Beijing to launch an anti-dumping and subsidy probe into imports of U.S. polysilicon, the raw material used to make solar cells. Now China to probe U.S. renewable energy support… I know it gets confusing.

Ben Santarris, U.S. head of corporate communications for CASM “We are gratified, but not surprised, to see this showing of support from such a broad cross-section of the American solar industry.” “We know that support for domestic manufacturing is deep and pervasive. It’s great to see that it’s also resolute enough to stand up and be counted and heard.”The numbers include seven U.S. solar manufacturers that have joined to stop what CASM calls China’s state-sponsored solar industry from allegedly using export-oriented subsidies to dump exports into the U.S. market and harm American manufacturers and workers. Without a production cost advantage, China is deploying a staggering volume and array of subsidies to underwrite its production largely for export at dumped prices, according to CASM. The campaign has triggered trade petition drives to hold China accountable not just in the United States but also in Australia and Europe.