Solar Energy Flare Ups in Santa Rosa California

Posted on August 7, 2011 by quest

Santa Rosa is one of 25 cities in the nation recognized for its strong support of the solar energy industry. Plentiful sunshine, environmentally conscious residents and innovative public financing options have contributed to the city outshining others when it comes to installation of photovoltaic systems. But that success is being threatened, some in the solar industry say, by burdensome fire regulations that reduce the size of many residential solar systems, increase their cost and in some cases may be unnecessary. Since January, the Santa Rosa Fire Department has been requiring that solar panels on homes be set back 3 feet from the eaves and ridgelines of roofs to give firefighters safe pathways during a fire. These and other rules regarding solar installations, which have been recommended by the California Fire Marshal’s Office since 2008, were adopted by Santa Rosa and many other cities as part of their fire codes last year.

But solar installers say Santa Rosa stands out from other jurisdictions for its rigid implementation of the rules and an infuriating permit process.“They have created a whole different layer of bureaucracy that nowhere else has,” said Jeff Mathias, co-owner of Synergy Solar & Electrical Systems of Sebastopol. Since the Fire Department began enforcing the new rules in January, solar installations now require separate plan reviews and field inspections by fire inspectors. Those are in addition to plan reviews and site inspections conducted by city building officials. The extra layer of review strikes Mathias as a “completely and totally unneeded redundancy” that adds time, costs and complexity to jobs in Santa Rosa. “System sales in the city are down, systems we are installing are smaller and the installations are costing more,” Mathias said. “Nobody is a winner here.”

The Solar Generation

Santa Rosa fire officials say the roof setbacks are critical for firefighter safety and are being enforced fairly and consistently, and that projects that comply with the code receive speedy review at a reasonable cost. “While people may not like the rules, we’ve been fair and consistent in our enforcement of them,” said Mark Pedroia, senior fire inspector responsible for most solar-plan reviews. Fire officials say the new fee of $270 for each residential installation should generate about $60,000 annually at the current rate. The fees are designed to recover the cost of administering the program, although the work is being handled by existing staff in the city fire marshal’s

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Intersolar Innovators Shaping Solar Industry

Posted on August 4, 2011 by quest

For the fourth year in a row, solar industry innovators and dealmakers met in San Francisco to discuss the trends shaping the industry and view the latest in solar technology firsthand. Networking events, both at the exhibition and conference and during evening receptions, provided the many forums to lay the foundation for the solar industry’s next major deal. Over the course of the three-day exhibition close to 20,000 registered visitors representing about 80 countries packed the Moscone Center’s West and North Halls. The number of new announcements at this year’s show grew more than 50 percent over last year. One of the many products introduced at the event came from San Francisco-based SolFocus, a leading supplier of concentrating solar photovoltaic systems that has been an exhibitor at Intersolar North America since its inauguration in 2008.

“Once again, the Intersolar North America exhibition hall proved to be a hotbed of valuable networking opportunities for our product development and sales teams,” said Troy Dalbey, Managing Director of North America for global module supplier Upsolar. “This year our booth was busier than ever, a sure sign of major growth on the horizon for Upsolar and the industry as a whole.”

While it is too soon to tell what the next major solar deal, innovation or partnership started with a conversation on the floor at Intersolar North America will be, many companies left the show with promising leads and an expanded customer network. Zep Solar, manufacturer of the first comprehensive platform for module-integrated installation hardware, had its rail-free, Zep System represented in the booths of six of its partners at the show, including Trina, Yingli, Canadian Solar, Centrosolar, Upsolar and Eco-Kinetics—generating considerable buzz, and multiple megawatts-worth of deals. “We consider this event the ideal backdrop for making solar deals. In fact, we inked several major deals on the show floor this year, toting up to over 100 megawatts of future purchases,” said Mike Miskovsky, CEO of Zep Solar.

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Sunpath Lights The Way For US Solar Manufacturing

Posted on August 3, 2011 by quest

For over two years the Sunpath program, a $50 million investment from the US Department of Energy has been at aimed to helping the nation reclaim its competitive edge in solar manufacturing. Sunpath, which stands for Scaling Up Nascent PV At Home, represents the second solar Photovoltaic Manufacturing Initiative (PVMI) supporting the Department of Energy’s SunShot Initiative. “This investment provides a necessary boost to domestic solar manufacturing businesses, encouraging them to keep jobs here and establish America’s leadership in the world’s growing clean energy economy,” said Energy Secretary Steven Chu. “In addition to invigorating clean energy manufacturing, this program will help achieve the SunShot goal of making unsubsidized utility-scale solar cost-competitive with other forms of energy by the end of the decade.”As recently as 1995, the United States maintained a dominant global solar market share, manufacturing 43 percent of the world’s PV panels. In steady decline, U.S. market share shrank to 27 percent by 2000 and to 7 percent by 2010. SUNPATH will help return the United States to the forefront, driving innovation and assuring continued leadership in the 21st century clean energy economy.

Sunpath seeks to increase domestic manufacturing through investments that have sustainable, competitive cost and performance advantages. SUNPATH will help companies with pilot-scale commercial production scale up their manufacturing capabilities, enabling them to overcome a funding gap that often curtails domestic business at a critical stage. By bridging this gap, SUNPATH will help ensure that innovative, low-cost solar technologies are manufactured in the United States. The PV Manufacturing Initiative accelerates the cost reduction and commercialization of solar technologies by coordinating solutions across industry. The initiative will help create a robust, domestic PV manufacturing base and develop a workforce with the critical skills required to deliver reliable, affordable, clean energy.

The Department of Energy is seeking applicants with industrial-scale demonstrations of PV modules, cells, or substrates that offer lower-cost solutions in line with the SunShot goal. Applications are due by October 28, 2011. More information and application requirements can be found at the Funding Opportunity Exchange.

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Solar Decathlon Considers New Venue for 2013

Posted on August 1, 2011 by quest

Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced that the Department of Energy is considering offers for a new site for Solar Decathlon 2013. The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon is a competition that challenges collegiate students from across the globe to design, build, and operate solar-powered houses that are affordable, highly energy efficient, attractive, and easy to live in. For the first time, in an effort to expand the excitement generated by the competition and encourage participation from new communities, the Department is inviting venues across the nation to compete for the opportunity to host this award-winning event. The Solar Decathlon has attracted thousands of people to experience first-hand the benefits of homes that incorporate clean energy technologies, and, as a collegiate competition, supports the Obama Administration’s comprehensive efforts to build a 21st century clean energy economy by helping to train the next-generation of American engineers and architects.

“The Solar Decathlon challenges the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs to become pioneers of clean energy technology and efficient building design,” said Secretary Chu. “This is a great opportunity for these talented students to showcase cutting edge technologies that will change the way we build homes and save families money.”

Solar Decathlon Students

Solar Decathlon 2011 will take place at the National Mall’s West Potomac Park in Washington, D.C., September 23 through October 2, 2011. This year’s competition will be the Department’s fifth Solar Decathlon; previous events were held in 2002, 2005, 2007, and 2009. Open to the public free of charge, the Solar Decathlon enables visitors to tour the houses and learn about money-saving clean-energy solutions for their own homes.

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Rolls Royce Electric Vehicle Preps for World Tour

Posted on August 1, 2011 by quest

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars recently took its Phantom Experimental Electric prototype to the MIRA research facility in Warwickshire for a series of laboratory-controlled temperature tests. Engineers want to learn how extreme conditions such as high temperatures and humidity levels affect battery performance while in use. This information is critical as 102EX will shortly embark on a global tour that will take in markets such as the Middle East, Asia-Pacific and North America. “The tests have furnished us with important data about the effects of heat and humidity on 102EX’s battery and management systems,” commented Andrew Martin, 102EX chief engineer. “For example we are clear that the battery management system, which maintains safety and optimal operation of individual cells, will inhibit charging at extreme temperatures. Practically speaking, this may mean finding locations in which the car’s cells can cool after test drives before a re-charge can begin.”

The tests have also reinforced expectations of the temperature range in which the car can be driven. In general, the car’s 96 cells will continue to operate at temperatures as high as 50 degrees Celsius and in relative humidity as low as 30%. This is well within temperature ranges expected while on tour, however battery performance will continue to be monitored by engineers as the car is taken to typically hot locations such as Dubai. 102EX began its tour in May with events at the home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood. This was followed by drives in London and the South East of England, then Manchester and Edinburgh. The car departs for international events in the following locations: Asia-Pacific Region: Singapore and Beijing (Early August 2011) North America: Pebble Beach, LA (Tuesday 16 to Sunday 21 August 2011) Europe: Regional tour (September 2011) Asia-Pacific Region: Japan (final week of September 2011) Middle East: Dubai (October 2011) North America: New York, Los Angeles Motor Show, Las Vegas, Florida and Art Basel, Miami (November and early December 2011).

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Supertrees of Singapore Elevate Renewable Energy

Posted on July 31, 2011 by quest

Supertrees are uniquely designed vertical gardens rising to over160 feet in height, with emphasis placed on the vertical display of tropical flowering climbers, epiphytes and ferns. They are made of concrete and steel with designs to accept living skin. Developed for the Gardens by the Bay project in Singapore, they are projected to cost over $800 million dollars. The Gardens by the Bay project will set new standards for using sustainable and renewable energy in a ground up systems approach. Part of of a massive ecological project the size of 177 football fields the project will also incorporate environmentally friendly technology, such as the ability to harvest and reuse water and solar panels.

Singapore has a population of 4.6 million people and a land area of about 3.5 times the size of Washington DC. Gardens by the Bay comprises three gardens around the Marina Channel in the southern part of Singapore. The Gardens will be built on land that was reclaimed from the sea some 30 years ago. The new downtown Marina City is being developed around Marina South. In January 2006, an international master plan design competition for the Gardens was launched. Some 70 teams comprising 170 firms, from over 24 countries, including 35 from Singapore , participated in the competition. An 11-member Jury comprising local and international experts shortlisted eight teams and two winners were announced in September 2006; namely Grant Associates for Bay South and Gustafson Porter for Bay East, both from the United Kingdom. Bay Central will be developed later.

Gardens by the Bay Singapore

Utilizing the latest in biomass renewable energy technology the Gardens by the Bay in the downtown Marina City will actually be producing enough energy to reduce Singapore’s carbon footprint. After close to two years of construction, the Flower Dome was fitted with the last panel of glass by Minister for National Development Mr Mah Bow Tan, marking the completion of its façade. Exterior works for its sister structure, the Cloud Forest which will replicate the cool-moist climate of the Tropical Montane region, will be completed later this year. The conservatories will be an amalgamation of architectural, environmental engineering, and horticultural excellence in the heart of Singapore’s new downtown, Marina Bay. Designed with the environment in mind, they will apply cutting-edge technologies that provide energy-efficient solutions in cooling.