DIY Solar Power System
June
Breaking news on rising rnergy costs in California…
From Associated Press : “Calif. regulators approve SoCal Edison rate hikes”
ROSEMEAD, Calif.—California regulators have approved a Southern California Edison Co. rate hike that adds $2 to $4 a month to the average residential bill.
Rosemead-based Edison says rate hikes are necessary to upgrade transmission lines and buy equipment.
The California Public Utilities Commission approved the increases Thursday. The hikes go into effect April 4.
PUC president Michael Peevey says it will add $2 to the average monthly residential bill of $85, but consumer groups estimate it’s closer to $4. Rates for business firms also increase.
Edison estimates 65 percent of its 4.3 million residential customers would see little or no change in their monthly charges because they participate in special programs for low-income families or consume little power.
From Orange County Register : “Regulators approve $2.1 Billion electric rate hike”
State regulators have approved a rate hike that will give Southern California Edison an extra $2.1 billion in revenue over the next three years.
The hike will raise the average residential bill $2 or so, to $85 a month, officials said.
Some details of the proposal changed on the dais, but regulators granted the utility $106 million for employee incentive pay, and $4.4 million to start re-licensing San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, where licenses expire in 2022.
Thursday morning, the California Public Utilities Commission chose the greater increase of two rate hike proposals before it, on a 4-1 vote. Emerging victorious was a slightly-scaled-down plan penned by commission president – and former Southern California Edison executive – Michael Peevey.
The rejected proposal would have given Southern California Edison a smaller increase – about $1.4 billion over three years. That was not enough.
“I cannot support a decision that would leave California hamstrung,” Peevey said. The less-expensive rate hike “would require deferral of vital infrastructure projects and potentially lay off hundreds of workers,” he said.
Commissioner Dian Grueneich was the only one to disagree.
“If ever there was a time to leave these dollars in the hands of Southern California Edison’s customers, now is the time,” said Grueneich.
The smaller increase was robust and prudent, she said. It would have saved ratepayers $765 million over the next three years, while still allowing Southern California Edison to invest in infrastructure.
Grueneich took particular exception to Southern California Edison’s claims that the smaller increase would force it to lay off 1,000 workers. “Edison’s claim defies logic,” she said, suggesting the utility was “crying wolf.”
More excerpts:
“Edison is taking advantage of economic concerns to drive through rate hikes that can only add to the pain,” TURN executive director Mark Toney said in a prepared statement. “The CPUC did all Edison customers a disservice today.”
That sentiment was echoed by the Division of Ratepayer Advocates, the PUC’s independent consumer advocacy arm. This decision gives Edison “excessive revenue increases,” it said in a prepared statement.
“The cumulative amount of the increases and the resulting rise in electric rates will impose an additional financial burden on Edison’s Southern California customers and households during these difficult economic times,” said DRA Deputy Director David Ashuckian in the statement.
For the full story click here .
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June
2008 was a scary year for many solar startups. After the bliss of the two years prior, when venture capital money was being dumped into solar startups as if pouring out of a hose, last year saw a decline in solar investment due to the economic downturn and the extra scary notion that solar tax credits might expire .
Well the tax credits did not expire. In fact they got even better for homeowners (and therefore the industry as a whole) when the new cap-less incentives kicked in with the new year. That news was rosy enough to keep smiles on a few faces, but the trepidation remained and, tax credits or no, several startups began laying off employees as they tried to weather the upcoming storm.
Then came the economic stimulus package , which is more than friendly to the renewable energy industry. Combine that with a new administration that is determined to become lasting friends with renewable energy, green building and all things energy efficient, and you find even more smiling faces. Solar power companies now look to have, at least, the softest landing amongst a bunch of companies falling fast through dire economic straits.
There are a few ways in which the stimulus and new tax credits are fueling (or are set to fuel) solar industry growth. Already some companies are quickly turning from firing to hiring mode.
- Utilities now can directly benefit from federal 30% tax credits, and utilities tend to have a good amount of established capital which many solar startups could use.
- The economic stimulus is pumping big time bucks into the renewable energy industry and streamlines the tax credit process, resulting in more money and greater security for startups.
- Increased supply , a scary notion when demand is down, may actually help solar startups by driving down solar equipment costs and therefore installation costs, which could drum up significant business for young companies.
- Long-term commitment may be the biggest boon to solar companies the world round. Even during a recession and a fall in oil prices, the commitment to renewable energy remains strong in every sector, from the populace to government to corporations. That is keeping many startups confident even through the toughest of times. There is a general feeling that solar power is on the right side of history.
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May
So far the solar industry has remained strong throughout the recession – creating new jobs instead of layoffs. Sadly, OptiSolar, a solar panel manufacturer based in Hayward, California, wasn’t one of them. Recently, they were forced to lay off 290 of their 600 employees after failing to secure financing to finish a manufacturing facility in Sacramento , a facility where they had planned to build the solar cells and other components needed to construct the large-scale solar installation projects already in the pipeline.
But, for every bit of bad news there’s a bit of good news, and that’s where First Solar steps in. OptiSolar has agreed to sell its portfolio of unfinished solar farms to First Solar Inc., of Tempe, Arizona . The maker of photovoltaic panels will pay $400 million in First Solar stock to buy the large-scale outstanding projects, which they plan on completing.
It is anticipated that this new arrangement could result in the creation of 400 new jobs in California – which is actually only 110 new jobs when calculating the 290 layoffs from OptiSolar.
As part of the deal, First Solar will honor a contract between OptiSolar and PG&E by constructing a 550-megawatt solar plant in San Luis Obispo called the Topaz Solar Farm, scheduled to open in 2011 and be fully functional in 2013, pending state approval.
They’ll also take over negotiations to complete an additional 1,300 megawatts of solar projects that OptiSolar had started and secure the rights to 210 square miles of California desert land from OptiSolar to construct solar plants.
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May
Solar Energy in People
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Did you ever notice that you never see angry people on the beach, in boats, or at the poolside? The sun is an amazing thing. I didn’t really notice it, but over the winter I became a virtual hermit. I say “virtual” not because I am almost a hermit – I’m a total hermit, but I’m living totally in the virtual world, on my computer just about 24/7. I blame the sun – haven’t seen it in months. I didn’t realize how much I’d missed it until some freak of nature occurred a week ago and we had several days of sunny 70-degree weather in a row. It was amazing. I itched to detach myself from my desk. I ached to be outside – doing anything, just to be in the glorious glow of the sun’s rays.
And I did just that. I started gathering materials for my garden, I washed my truck (the poor mud-encrusted SUV that hauls my children and me around come rain or shine), I hiked around my 20 acres just looking at nature, and amazingly I still had plenty of time for my computer work. It was like just having sunshine in my day gave me extra energy and more hours.
Admittedly, I’m a bit of a nature freak – bit of a contrast for a girl who spends all her time on a computer, I know, but I really do believe in the healing powers of nature. When my kids were little I remember hearing a little tidbit of trivia on the radio that just four minutes a day spent out in the sunshine could give your body the vitamin D it needs. Just four minutes – who can’t afford that? I’ve since read that it’s more like 10 minutes . Still, not a huge investment of your time for amazing natural benefits.
Energy from the sun is not just a way to gain light and heat in your home or to lasso energy from for your solar panels to run your appliances. Green starts in the heart. The sun’s energy is so powerful that it can protect you from all sorts of diseases, ailments, and syndromes. Not only can it actually give your metabolism a boost, the vitamin D your body absorbs by being exposed to the sun can help prevent heart disease, osteoporosis, breast, prostate, and colon cancer, depression, insomnia, and an overactive immune system.
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May
The State of Solar States
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These are very active times for the solar industry. With layoffs here and jobs added there, some states are out of funding, even while federal funding increases. There is enough solar news going round to fill a hundred newspapers twice over. At the heart of the issue are U.S. states, which have long been the main catalyst behind the U.S. solar industry, many which now face dire economic straits.
So with times at their hardest (we hope) and renewable energy seen as a potential gift horse for a struggling economy, many states are competing for attention in the burgeoning solar industry. We begin in the East:
- In Massachussetts , hundreds of solar, wind, and other renewable energy projects are vying for the state’s alloted federal stimulus funds.
- New York utility Con Edison is seeking state approval for a pilot program that would put 12 megawatts of solar electricity on commercial and residential rooftops throughout its service area.
- New Jersey’s most visually stimulating and power consuming city — Atlantic City — will be the location of the nation’s largest single rooftop solar electric system. It will provide more than a quarter of the power for Atlantic City’s new convention center.
- Tennessee is hoping to gain some more recognition in the solar industry by opening a new solar institute to research and develop new solar energy technologies and programs.
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May
In this age of portable electronic devices, who has the time to find a power source? People are growing more and more mobile, spending as much time about town as at home. At the same time, we carry more battery-powered electronics with us as well, from cell phones to MP3 players to laptops. Therefore a rather ironic conflict between individual and electronic mobility arises. If you’re always on the go, how do you have time to charge all these electronic devices?
Perhaps someday the solar cell phone will catch on, but in the meantime designer Jonathan Globerson thinks he has the answer : the free solar charging station. Designed to be made from retreated bamboo, Globerson hopes his solar charging stations will pepper the urban landscape of the near future, offering the fast-paced populace a free power source for recharging their laptops and cell phones , devices which have moved from luxuries to necessities for the modern worker.
Click here for more Home Solar Power information
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May
Most of the video and photos coming out of the war in Iraq revolve around urban areas such as Baghdad, Tikrit, or Fallujah. But there are small, remote villages in Iraq as well, and many rural residents have had problems finding potable water since much of the country’s infrastructure collapsed with the onset of war.
Enter the Commander’s Emergency Relief Program (CERP), which is embracing solar technology to solve water issues for these remote areas where drinking water is still an inconsistent commodity. CERP’s answer consists of placing solar water filters alongside a water canal in or near the villages. Residents can then drink or fill up on fresh, potable water.
Click here for more Home Solar Power information
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May
Featuring Patrick Conlon of the Palm Desert Energy Independence Program, HelioPower will host a
free Solar Financing Q&A session, Tuesday, March 24 at 6pm. The event will be held in Conference rooms 1 & 2 of the Henderson Community Building, 72559 Hwy 111 Palm Desert, CA 92260-3306. Financing solar power systems for residential and commercial properties will be the focus of the free seminar.
Palm Desert’s Energy Independence Program is a model initiative for cities in California. Based on AB 811 legislation, the program works to support energy efficiency and renewable energy installations financed through city loans which are paid back through property tax assessments. For more information, click here .
“Solar in our community is becoming more and more affordable with the help of Palm Desert’s Assembly Bill 811 which will cover their costs of their system and is paid back though their property taxes at a low interest rate,” said HelioPower Energy Consultant, Matt Rifkin. “We want every single homeowner in the city of Palm Desert to realize the opportunity that their community is offering them,” he explained.
Rifkin and his “Team Desert” partner, Matt McPherson, are hosting the event on behalf of HelioPower. They most recently participated in the “Bright Ideas Expo” held by the city on March 14.
“Team Desert is excited to host the event on March 24 th at the Henderson Building. We are hoping to get a great turnout from Palm Desert residents and commercial building owners,” said Matt McPherson. “HelioPower would like to educate the residents of Palm Desert on the amazing program that their city is providing, which allows residents to install solar for almost no money down. By educating homeowners and business owners we hope to help the city of Palm Desert reach its goal of reducing city wide energy consumption by 30% by 2011.”
Palm Desert continues to participate in pushing initiatives that further solar deployment, not only in their city, but statewide. Area newspaper, The Desert Sun , quoted Mr. Conlon on March 12 concerning his efforts to get AB 432 addressing utility feed in tariffs passed. For K. Kaufman’s article, “Palm Desert eyes new solar plan,” click here .
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March
Bats are interesting creatures: they are mammals that fly. Bat populations are declining worldwide. This steady decline has scientists curious about why and experimenting with various ways to reverse this trend. One of these ways may be using solar powered heaters.
First, there are some intriguing facts about bats that bear considering. For example, did you know that if you’re an organic coffee drinker, it’s likely that bats played a positive role in keeping those organic coffee plants bug-free and healthy? In an article for Treehugger , Michael Graham Richard says that although birds have gotten most of the credit for eating the bugs that might infest coffee plants at organic coffee plantations where pesticides are banned, it seems that bats deserve more of the credit .
A study from the University of Michigan has shown that during the summer wet season, bats eat more bugs than the birds at Finca Irlanda, a 740-acre organic coffee plantation in Chiapas, Mexico. Richard titles his article Thank Your Lucky Bat for Shade-Grown Organic Coffee, and claims that, “ This is just one example of a great ‘ecological service’ that went unnoticed until now . How many more do we benefit from without realizing it? Sadly, bat populations are declining worldwide, and the small flying mammals never got the love they deserve.”
In another Treehugger article about bats, we learn that in the northeastern United States and Canada, more than 80% of the deaths in several bat populations have been caused by a fungus – indirectly. Writer Jaymi Heimbuch says, “Scientists haven’t figured out a way to stop it from spreading, but they have figured out a likely reason bats are dying from the fungus. And that’s led them to devise heater boxes run on solar panels and car batteries that could save the lives of bats.
Click here for more Home Solar Power information
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March
The first checks issued by way of the city of Berkeley’s landmark solar lending program have officially been received, marking the first of several final steps for city homeowners . Jeanne Pimentel and Aaron Mann are the first solar homeowners to receive funding under the much-hyped loan program.
Cities throughout California and around the world are keeping a close eye on Berkeley which is offering homeowners loans for solar power systems, with monthly payments embedded as part of their property taxes. In return the homeowners get cash to pay installers for their systems , in effect nullifying the nagging problem of paying high up-front costs for solar energy.
Both homeowners expect immediate savings from their solar system. For the average $22,000 solar PV system, Mann and Pimentel would pay roughly $180 per month in property tax increases. But lucrative utility rebates and government incentives bring that amount down immediately. Pimentel received a $3,000 rebate from PG&E and a $6,600 tax credit for a $20,000 solar system. Aaron Mann will receive $6,000 from PG&E and more than $13,000 in tax incentives, more than paying for his typical $350-per-month electric bill.
These two homes represent the first two of 40 Berkeley homes that will finalize their city-funded solar systems over the next few months. Immediate results will most certainly vary by home, but initially things are looking up for Berkeley’s program which sold out in just nine minutes when the application process opened last fall. The next round of funding begins later this year.
Click here for more Home Solar Power information
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