Mission College Takes Solar Megawatt Step

Posted on November 20, 2011 by quest

It’s happening all over nation state California. Now Mission College, Gilbane Co., a full-service construction company, and SunPower Corp., recently announced the dedication of a 1.1-megawatt (MW) solar power system at Mission College, located in Santa Clara, Calif. Over the 25-year-life of the system, Mission College is expected to save approximately $8.5 million in electricity costs. “At a time when schools are hard-pressed to reduce operating expenses, SunPower is working with K-12 schools, community colleges and universities to finance solar power solutions that supply significant, ongoing savings,” said SunPower Managing Director Bill Kelly. “To realize a great return on its investment in clean energy, Mission College wisely utilized low-interest financing mechanisms accessible to educational institutions and selected a system with guaranteed long-term energy performance and the highest efficiency, highest reliability on the market today.” Mission College President Dr. Laurel Jones said, “We are excited to be a model of sustainability for our student body and local community by introducing sustainable practices throughout our campus, including the new solar power system, development of clean tech curriculum and construction of LEED-designed, energy-efficient buildings.”

It turns out SunPower is actively installing solar power systems at more than 90 educational facilities in California. They have also built systems for community colleges including Bakersfield College, Mendocino College, Napa Valley College, Ohlone College, the Foothill-DeAnza Community College District, and the Los Angeles Community College District. SunPower has more than 750 large solar power systems in operation or under contract globally.

Statewide California just recently passed a milestone of one gigawatts of installed solar power. This puts California steps closer to reaching its goal of generating 33% of its energy statewide through renewable energy by 2020. In order for these goals to be achieved a combination of utility, commercial and residential programs are in effect to stimulate acceptance and purchasing. In fact as recently reported here,“California’s Ninety Nine Percent Buying Solar Energy”; The top cities on the list are not California’s wealthiest and are home to more mainstream families. For example, Bakersfield and Fresno are among the state’s top five solar cities with annual household incomes averaging between $40,000 and $50,000. By comparison, Malibu, which was not even in the top 25, has a median annual household income of $160,000. The percent of total installations in California’s highest income zip codes is only 2-3 percent.

New Solar Solutions Could Put Angelenos To Work

A Solar House Divided

Posted on November 18, 2011 by quest

What would Abraham Lincoln think about the internal divide within the US solar industry and its reaction into claims that China is using unfair trade practices to dump solar panels in the US market? A few days go the Coalition for Affordable Solar Energy (CASE) representing dozens of U.S. solar companies and thousands of American jobs, have joined to urge policymakers to help find a resolution to SolarWorld’s harmful trade petition. The Coalition now represents 52 American solar companies from across the United States and throughout the solar value chain or nearly 10% of the U.S. solar industry workforce.”Every day, new American solar companies are stepping forward to oppose SolarWorld’s bid to block competition in the U.S. solar industry,” said Alan Epstein, President and COO of KDC Solar LLC, a new CASE member based in New Jersey. “Competition is good for the U.S. solar industry, good for solar jobs, and most importantly, good for creating and preserving long-term jobs for our electric customers and therefore the economy. The solar industry must remain united in its mission to make solar energy affordable for everyone.”

The Coalition for Affordable Solar Energy actions comes on the heals of the U.S. Department of Commerce‘s decision to initiate an intensive, year-long investigation into Chinese solar export practices. “The anti-competitive tactics of Chinese exporters have threatened to wipe out U.S. producers and jobs said,” Gordon Brinser, president of SolarWorld and a leader for the Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing (CASM) Brinser said. “Domestic producers look forward to returning to steady increases in efficiency and sustainable decreases in pricing that directly result from legal international competition – and to advances in America’s renewable-energy future.” CASE members represent a large cross section of the U.S. solar industry, both large and small companies, including silicon and module manufacturers, project developers, financial and real estate services and installers.

“We’ve hired 400 employees this year, including electricians, roofers, salespeople, call center professionals – affordable solar energy in the United States is the catalyst for this new economic opportunity and these jobs,” said Ken Button, co-founder and president, Verengo Solar Plus. “If SolarWorld is successful with its petition, it would hurt the broader U.S. solar industry. Are SolarWorld’s jobs more important than ours?” In a recent solar industry report, Jefferies analyst Jesse Pichel explained why SolarWorld’s anti-trade petition could hurt broader U.S. solar industry growth: “The U.S. solar industry, already suffering from a lack of financing, will experience higher panel prices and lower demand if countervailing duties are imposed as early 2012. SolarWorld may see backlash as U.S. developers and installers are hurt by this scorched Earth approach.”SolarWorld‘s trade action has been largely unpopular in the U.S. solar industry, given its potential to hurt thousands of jobs throughout the solar value chain.

Hydropower and Fish Friendly

New Solar Solutions Could Put Angelenos To Work

Posted on November 16, 2011 by quest

While Los Angeles is fast becoming a major player in the electric vehicle industry, a new jointly authored report by UCLA and USC research teams finds that Los Angeles is lagging behind on solar energy installation despite a significant trained workforce ready to perform clean-energy solar jobs. Further, the study finds that the areas in Los Angeles with the greatest potential for rooftop solar power – and thus the greatest capacity to support solar-related jobs – include many areas suffering from high unemployment and economic need.

The report urges officials to adopt a rooftop solar energy program known as a solar FiT (or feed-in tariff) that enables business owners and residents to install solar panels on their rooftops and sell surplus energy to the local utility. Such a program has been endorsed by a coalition of environmental groups, labor leaders, business organizations and other stakeholders. Thus far city leaders have failed to enact policies that would take advantage of this resource and put city residents to work.“Unless civic leaders ramp up efforts to expand solar programs, the city and region face the prospect of being left behind,” states the report, Empowering LA’s Solar Workforce: New Policies that Deliver Investments and Jobs.LABC_Solar_Workforce_Study_2011 “This report is, above all, a wake-up call to policymakers to make certain they are utilizing an important workforce segment – and creating policies that will put qualified people to work.”

While California has set a goal of generating 33 percent of its energy from renewable energy by 2020, the study reveals that the LA region lacks sound policies to meet these goals and employ ready green-economy workers. In fact, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) has one of the weakest solar track records among major California utilities, generating less than one sixth as much solar power per customer as the state leader, Southern California Edison.The report, presented by the LABC Institute, will be formally released at the LA Business Council’s “Building LA’s Workforce” Summit at UCLA today, Nov. 16. It will be discussed at the event by a panel that includes three leading mayoral candidates– City Council President Eric Garcetti, Controller Wendy Greuel and Councilwoman Jan Perry.

Charging Up EV’s In Southern California

SkyFire Solar Powers Net Zero Tesla

Posted on November 14, 2011 by quest

It looks as if the solar and the electric vehicle industry and are on the something. Just last week Sunpower and Chevy Volt paired to provide in home solar solution powering up a Volt. On the storage side of things, NRG Energy, Inc. is partnering with the University of Delaware to take electric vehicles (EVs) to the next level with eV2gsm, a company commercializing new technology that will enable EV owners to sell electric storage services from the batteries of parked EVs to help stabilize the electricity grid. All of this is well, electrifying.

Now one of Canada’s largest solar contractors with photovoltaic systems operating throughout Western Canada, SkyFire Energy Inc. has announced today the installation of a solar system on a private residence south of Calgary to power a Tesla Roadster, the world’s first electric supercar. The array of 12 installed solar panels will deliver enough energy to offset 100 per cent of the car’s annual charging requirements.

David Kelly, partner, SkyFire Energy said, “With SkyFire’s extensive experience and qualifications of delivering solar solutions for commercial and residential properties, it was a welcome extension of our team’s expertise towards this innovative project that powers Alberta’s first net-zero energy car.” Prior to installation, SkyFire monitored the necessary energy usage during the first few months and sized a 2160-Watt photovoltaic system to generate the requisite amount of energy from the sun.

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Los Angeles The New Mecca For Electric Vehicles

Posted on November 13, 2011 by quest

It seems LA is to electric vehicle companies as San Francisco is to solar companies. “We are proud to welcome CODA to Los Angeles — the city that creates and innovates,” said Mayor Villaraigosa. “We see CODA’s move as a boost to our growing clean technology industry in LA and we are thrilled they chose to locate in our City.”CODA Holdings, a leading developer of all-electric vehicles and advanced battery systems, just recently held the grand opening celebration of its 100,000 square foot global headquarters, R&D Division and Processing Center in the heart of Los Angeles. In addition, the City has named the road adjoining joining CODA’s headquarters “Electric Drive” to honor of CODA’s core technology. “We chose to place the global headquarters in Los Angeles not only because it is one of the most significant early markets for the deployment of electric vehicles, but because elected officials and business leaders have demonstrated their commitment to fostering a successful local cleantech industry,” said Phil Murtaugh, CEO, CODA Holdings. “We are excited about the many jobs we’ve already created for the area and look forward to many more as we expand and bring to market our all-electric sedan and energy storage products.” Just recently Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa welcomed BYD who opened their North American headquarters in downtown Los Angeles.

You Got A Fast Car – Tracy Chapman

CODA’s Executive Chairman, Mac Heller and CEO, Phil Murtaugh, Governor Jerry Brown, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa,Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-47), Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti, Councilman Herb Wesson and California Air Resources Board Chairman Mary Nichols were on hand to mark the occasion. Assemblywoman Betsy Butler (D-50), and representatives for Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and State Senator Curren Price (D-26) were in attendance. “Dynamic innovation is a key building block of California’s 21st century economy,” said California Governor Jerry Brown. “Car companies like CODA are investing in California because our laws encourage electric cars and recognize the paramount importance of reducing oil dependency.”

CODA is currently the fastest-growing company in Los Angeles, with a 275% job increase year to date and an expected 300% growth by the end of this year. With 220 engineers, technicians and corporate staff at its global headquarters, CODA is located on South Fairfax Avenue, adjacent to Interstate 10. Over the next year, CODA anticipates adding an additional 100 employees at the location, growing to 650 in the following years. The company supports further jobs at a facility in Benicia, CA where its vehicles undergo final assembly.

Eco-Friendly Meets Economy

California One Gigawatts of Solar And Growing

Posted on November 11, 2011 by quest

Environment California Research & Policy Center released a new report documenting that California’s innovative Million Solar Roofs Initiative, halfway through its legislatively mandated timeline, is on pace to meet its goal of installing 3 gigawatts of solar capacity by 2016, is helping to reduce the cost of solar energy, and is creating thousands of jobs throughout the state. These findings come just as California hits the milestone of installing more than 1 gigawatt of rooftop solar power across the state—a milestone that only five other countries in the world have reached.

“California can become the Saudi Arabia of the sun if it continues to get behind big, successful solar programs,” said Michelle Kinman, Clean Energy Advocate with Environment California Research & Policy Center and co-author of the report, Building a Brighter Future: California’s Progress Toward a Million Solar Roofs. “All signs point to a bright future for solar power in California, meaning cleaner air, cleaner energy, and more jobs.”

The 2006 Million Solar Roofs Bill (SB 1 – Murray) was historic in both scope and scale, representing the first unified state effort to turn solar power into a commonplace and affordable energy resource for average citizens. The law established a 10-year, statewide interagency effort, now called the Go Solar California campaign, which includes programs that fund solar projects on homes, commercial businesses, farms, and government and non-profit buildings. Read the Full Report