New Yorkers In Times Square Billboard Talk Solar Jobs

Posted on June 19, 2011 by quest

Times Square is about to get a little bit sunnier: starting today, a digital billboard will feature photographs of real New Yorkers calling for state lawmakers to make the Empire State a solar energy powerhouse by passing the New York Solar Jobs Act of 2011 (S.4178/A.5713). Legislators have until the session ends on June 20 to pass the bill and bring the many economic and environmental benefits of a strong solar industry to New York.“There’s no better place to show New York lawmakers, and the world, that solar is ready for primetime than iconic Times Square,” said Shaun Chapman, Director of East Coast Campaigns for Vote Solar. “We have the power to create tens of thousands of jobs in New York, boost the state’s economy with billions in increased wages and revenue, and help clean up its air – all with solar energy,” said Pierre Bull, Energy Policy Analyst at the Natural Resources Defense Council. “New Yorkers want the jobs, economic, and health benefits that solar power can deliver. With New Jersey currently number two nationwide in solar energy, there’s no reason the Empire State can’t give them a run for their money. ”

The featured New Yorkers are winners of the Empire State Solar Generation Photo Contest. The contest was led by Vote Solar and the Natural Resources Defense Council with participation from a coalition of grassroots organizations to demonstrate public support for the New York Solar Jobs Act. The groups used social media and other online outreach tools to encourage New Yorkers to submit photos showing their support for solar energy in the state. The contest drew entries from across the state, from Long Island to Lake George. Pictures featured solar businesses, customers and fans posing in front of panels, holding signs and finding other ways to illustrate New York’s solar potential. In addition to the photos, the broader grassroots campaign elicited more than 10,000 emails and 31,500 letters to lawmakers in support of the New York Solar Jobs Act.

The New York Solar Jobs Act would build a robust, competitive new solar energy marketplace in New York by requiring the state’s electricity providers to obtain an increasing portion of their electricity from solar power until they achieve 3% in 2025. The bi-partisan legislation is sponsored by Assemblymember Steven Englebright (D-Setauket) and Senator George Maziarz (R-C, Newfane). In addition to other benefits the bill would develop 5,000 MW of solar photovoltaics in New York by 2025, which would provide enough safe, reliable renewable electricity to power 500,000 average households.

Chile: Activists rally against Patagonia dam plans

Google Launches Largest Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

Posted on June 11, 2011 by quest

Coulomb Technologies today announced that Google, Inc. has deployed more than 70 electric vehicle charging stations managed by the ChargePoint Network at its worldwide headquarters in Mountain View, CA. The charging stations are used by employee-owned electric vehicles, as well as the company’s growing car sharing program for Googlers (GFleet), which includes Chevrolet Volts and Nissan LEAFs. With plans for 250 more charging stations on its campus, and a goal to make 5 percent of its campus parking EV-ready, Google’s installation is the largest workplace charging installation for electric vehicles in the country. Google has created a video on their Green Blog detailing their green transportation initiatives.

“By investing in new, green transportation technologies, Google is making a significant contribution to reducing our own greenhouse gas emissions,” said Rolf Schreiber technical program manager, Electric Transportation, at Google. “Our EVs and charging stations are part of our broader green transportation system that includes biodiesel shuttles that Googlers use to commute to work instead of driving their own cars. But we’re only one company among many, so we hope our green transportation initiatives serve as a model for other companies to incorporate sustainability programs into their own workplaces.”

“Google continues to drive innovation and leadership in the workplace. The results of their clean transportation efforts are remarkable, taking the equivalent of over 2000 cars off the road every day,” said Bret Sewell, Coulomb Executive Vice President. “We are proud that the ChargePoint Network plays a key role in this success by providing Google a complete electric vehicle charging solution.”

VIDEO NEW YORK ECO FASHION WEEK

New Avatar Sequels Will Be Filmed Using Solar Energy

Posted on June 10, 2011 by quest

When Hollywood wants you, you know you’re hot stuff. And hotter than the Boulevard and casting calls is the news that major film studios are climbing on the solar energy bandwagon. This week, it was announced that James Cameron’s Avatar sequels will be filmed using solar-power energy. Public response to the announcement was nothing but praise for the solar movement. The popularity has created an exponentially-rising demand from businesses interested in the benefits of investing in solar energy — both economic and environmental.

As demands surge, Sun Center Studios is taking the spotlight as an up-and-coming, new age film lot located just outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The site houses an $85 million studio stretching over 33 acres. On that 33 acres lie a 4-D movie theatre, five studios, seven soundstages, and a 370,00-square-foot high-tech museum. The 216 kilowatt (kW) energy system ranks in the top one percent of solar projects funded by the Pennsylvania Sunshine Solar Rebate Program, and is the largest solar-related project in Delaware County, PA. Sun Center carefully designed their campus and sound stage to facilitate optimum efficiency, using the newest technology to obtain environmental sustainability.

AVATAR

Senior Vice President of Sun Center Studios Adam Rotwitt elaborates: Sun Center Studios’ commitment to sustainability extends throughout the entire facility from the efficient design of the campus’s new buildings and stormwater management, our use of organic and locally grown foods whenever possible, to our participation in ‘smart-grid’ technology programs through integrated demand response and the installation of electric vehicle charging stations along with a fleet of hybrids for our production company clients. Rotwitt is passionate about the global efforts in solar energy transition and confident that his company is actively setting a good example. In doing so, Rotwitt believes other nearby Pennsylvania business will catch on and follow suit. Sun Center Studios is proud to stand as a role model for local developments, as well as for foreign companies with business in the film and media industry. According to David Richman, Commercial Sales for Mercury Solar Systems: The solar incentives in Pennsylvania and New Jersey are some of the most generous in the country, making this an optimal time to invest. We commend Sun Center Studios for incorporating solar into their state-of-the art facility.

VISIT THE SOLAR WALL

Yingli Solar To Sponsor World Cup Brazil

Posted on June 8, 2011 by quest

“Yingli Green Energy” a leading solar energy company and one of the world’s largest vertically integrated photovoltaic (“PV”) manufacturers, which markets its products under the brand “Yingli Solar”, today announced the sponsorship of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil on the occasion of the 2011 Intersolar show in Munich, Germany. During a joint press conference, both FIFA and Yingli Green Energy’s top management addressed journalists and guests from around the globe. A special attraction was the display of the 2014 FIFA World Cup™ Winner’s Trophy and introductory speeches by Mr. Liansheng Miao, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Yingli Green Energy, and Mr. Thierry Weil, Marketing Director of FIFA.

The 2014 FIFA World Cup will be the 20th edition of world football’s flagship event and is scheduled to take place in June and July 2014 in Brazil. Yingli Green Energy is convinced that the FIFA World Cup™ is one of the best marketing platforms. This particular FIFA World Cup™ will ensure not only brand exposure into Brazil, one of the largest consumers of energy in South America, but all around the world. Brazil, with an estimated cumulative solar PV capacity of currently 20MW, has long been referred to as the “pais do future” – the country of the future. Mr. Liansheng Miao, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Yingli Green Energy, said: “After our 2010 FIFA World Cup™ sponsorship, we saw a tremendous increase in our brand awareness and inquiries for our products. We were also very happy to see how our products brought smiles to the children in need by supplying our solar solutions for FIFA’s Football for Hope program. Thus, we are thrilled to continue our sponsorship with FIFA by becoming an Official Sponsor of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil and to be an important renewable energy partner to the world’s most-watched single-sport event. We are excited to once again join hands with FIFA, to build a greener FIFA World Cup™ and a more sustainable future with affordable clean energy provided by the sun.”

Mr. Thierry Weil, FIFA Marketing Director said, “We could not have organized the FIFA World Cup on the scale that we saw in 2010 without the support of sponsors such as Yingli Solar. Yingli Solar’s activities have had a wide geographical impact, from raising the awareness of the FIFA World Cup™ in their home market China, to providing solar expertise and products in rural parts of Africa as part of the “Football for Hope” program. We view our agreement as a strategic long-term cooperation and I am delighted to welcome Yingli Solar on board as a committed sponsor of the 2014 FIFA World Cup™.”

GREEN INVESTING

Solar To Power UC Davis Eco Friendly Energy Campus

Posted on June 2, 2011 by quest

The largest planned Zero Net Energy development in the U.S. is readying for its debut this fall. Under construction on the University of California, Davis campus, UC Davis West Village is combining advanced energy efficient design features with a 4-megawatt (MW), high efficiency SunPower solar power system to achieve the largest planned Zero Net Energy development in the nation. UC Davis West Village is the product of an innovative public-private partnership between UC Davis and West Village Community Partnership, LLC, a joint venture led by San Francisco-based Carmel Partners with their partner Urban Villages of Denver.

“I applaud UC Davis, SunPower Corporation, Carmel Partners, and the CEC for their collaboration, dedication, and leadership in developing the largest zero net energy project in the United States,” said Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom. “This is a demonstration of California’s excellence in sustainability, and should set an example for the rest of the nation.””West Village is a paradigm shift in creating both a great place to live and a model Zero Net Energy community,” said Nolan Zail, senior vice president for Carmel Partners. “Our guiding principles include environmental sustainability and quality of place. West Village will include housing, recreation and retail options, providing a convenient and eco-friendly lifestyle for students, faculty and staff.

“Using aggressive energy efficiency measures and on-site renewable energy generation to meet community energy demand, this holistic approach offers new solutions in the design and construction of large-scale sustainable communities,” Zail added. The first phase of the 130-acre project, to be completed this year, will include apartment housing for 2,000 students, an education center for Los Rios Community College, recreation and study facilities, a village square surrounded by neighborhood-serving retail, and 343 single family homes for sale to faculty and staff. Two initial student housing components of the community, The Ramble Apartments and Viridian, will welcome residents September 2011.

UC Davis West Village integrates sustainable design to enable those living in the community to reduce their reliance on automobiles, limit energy consumption and enjoy the benefits of the local climate. Building designs optimize solar orientation, utilize energy efficient appliances and incorporate materials from renewable sources. A 4-MW solar power system that is manufactured, designed and installed by SunPower Corp. will generate the equivalent of 100 percent of the community’s electricity demand. The system is comprised of both rooftop solar power installations as well as solar canopies installed in parking areas.

GREEN WEBINARS

New Vermont Law Cuts Red Tape For Solar Power

Posted on June 1, 2011 by quest

The state of Vermont signed a wide-ranging renewable energy bill into law Wednesday that will soon introduce what may be the nation’s most streamlined process for getting small-scale solar installations up and running. Among myriad other provisions, the law eliminates the sort of permitting and inspection snarls that have long delayed, complicated and, some argue, arbitrarily increased the cost of small-scale residential and commercial solar projects — a problem that the solar industry and clean energy supporters face in dozens of states and jurisdictions across the country. “There is a fiscal and environmental urgency for Vermont to move off fossil fuels and toward sustainable sources of power,” Gov. Peter Shumlin.

In a nutshell, the new provision essentially eliminates permitting altogether and reduces most administrative headaches to a 10-day process or less. For a small-scale solar customer — a homeowner, business, a non-profit, school, municipality or any other entity interested in a solar array system up to 5 kilowatts in size — the process will soon entail completing a registration form and a certificate of compliance with grid connection requirements. The local utility then has 10 days to raise any issues. After that, the path is clear. The new registration process will go into effect beginning January, 2012. “If adopted beyond Vermont, simple registration for small solar installations could help solar businesses grow,” said David Blittersdorf, the president and chief executive of Williston, Vt., based solar manufacturer and installer AllEarth Renewables, in an email Thursday morning. Blittersdorf’s company worked with industry groups in the state to help legislators develop the streamlined solar registration concept.

For years, the residential solar industry and homeowners alike have complained bitterly about local permitting bottlenecks.Within a single service area, a solar installer or service company might well encounter dozens of different local ordinances, building and electric codes, zoning laws and permitting costs and idiosyncrasies that make estimating the final price tag — or installation timeline — for a solar system a nearly impossible affair. A study released in January by SunRun, a solar leasing company based in California, estimated that local permitting and inspection costs add roughly 50 cents per-watt, or about $2,500 to the cost of an average residential installation. The U.S. Department of Energy has also been developing various initiatives in concert with industry partners to tackle these sorts of non-technical, bureaucratic and administrative barriers to solar power expansion.