DIY Solar Power System
May
Tyler Michael is HelioPower’s resident expert for the application of solar in new home construction. This week he is participating in the Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) Green Building Expo, a forum for sustainable
building technologies, in San Diego. The Green Building Expo is part of the ULI’s Smart Growth awards program and will be staged May 14 starting at 5:30 in the venerable Wonderhaus downtown.
The ULI provides leadership in the responsible use of land, and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. According to their website, as “the ‘go to’ land use organization for real estate issues in our region, the ULI San Diego/Tijuana District Council facilitates the open exchange of ideas among industry leaders, practitioners and policy makers.”
We asked Tyler about his interest in this region.
E. Tyler, are there special motivations that inspire you to be part of this San Diego Green Building Expo?
T. As a HelioPower specialist in solar for new construction, this event and the people and concepts that I encounter there are critical to my own growth and to my ability to contribute.
I believe that in San Diego/Tijuana we truly share a single urban landscape that is divided by a political line only. We are in the same region with the same beauty and the same challenges.
We are interdependent in resources and in the conservation of those resources. In my lifetime, I’ve seen Tijuana transform from just another “border town” to a thriving center of international commerce and I’ve seen San Diego transform from a quiet Navy town to a national force in research and technology. It seems only natural that we become an international leader in sustainability as well.
E. What in your background motivates your interest?
T. After moving to Chula Vista in 1952 and growing up within 7 miles of the Mexican border, I developed a real affinity for the bi-national mindset.
In my late teens, I became a true bi-lingual after studying Spanish for 8 years and hosting 26 Argentine foreign exchange students with others in my high school.
I’ve lived in Spain, Argentina, Ecuador, and nearly 14 years in Mexico. My time in Mexico and the lasting friendships I developed there have brought me a first hand awareness of the serious environmental sustainability practices being put into practice there. My career in solar for new construction in San Diego has broadened my perspective on sustainability in general and in green building methods in particular.
E. Do you have a vision for the area?
T. The resources we share tie our destinies together. Recognition of those who have dedicated themselves to the careful preservation of those resources is both inspiring and necessary to bring forth the future leaders in this field who are poised to make their contribution.
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May
Wall Street Journal reporting April 24, 2009…Defying a global trend of weak solar demand, owners of homes and businesses in California installed a record 78 megawatts of solar panels in the first quarter of 2009, the California Public Utilities Commission said Friday.
While solar-panel prices have fallen 25% or more, on average, due to a global slowdown in demand, rooftop solar panels remain in high demand in California, the world's third-largest solar market, the CPUC data show.
The strength of California's solar market is due largely to generous state incentives, coupled with federal tax credits that greatly reduce the cost of installation and the fact that California has among the highest utility rates in the nation, making self-generated solar power competitive with conventional utility power, especially for large users.
The state is spending $3.3 billion to install 3,000 megawatts of solar panels over 10 years.
In a quarterly report on a solar rebate program it administers, the CPUC cited a recent change in the federal tax code that allows homeowners a larger tax credit for solar installations as a factor driving strength in that market.
Solar rebate applications filed with the CPUC in the first quarter hit a new quarterly record for capacity, at 52 megawatts, since the program started in January 2007, while the number of applications was down compared with the fourth quarter, the CPUC said.
To date, customers of utilities owned by PG&E Corp. (PCG), Edison International (EIX) and Sempra Energy (SRE) have installed 211 megawatts of new rooftop solar generation since 2007, the CPUC said. Statewide, California generates more than 500 megawatts of power from solar panels, the agency said.
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May
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – After weeks of debate, Democratic leaders in House of Representatives and the Senate have reached an agreement on an economic stimulus package that would pump billions of dollars into ” smart grid ” projects and renewable energy.
The $789 billion package, which now must be approved by both chambers, contains $11 billion for modernizing the U.S. electricity grid and developing so-called smart grids.
Smart grids utilize technology to create more efficient and less costly methods of moving electricity.
Aimed at boosting the nation’s economy and creating jobs, the legislation also provides $6 billion in loan guarantees for renewable energy projects such as wind or solar energy development.
Solar industry representatives said the stimulus bill would add 67,000 jobs to the sector in 2009 and a total of 119,000 jobs over the next two years.
“The solar provisions in the bill will allow us to begin hiring, create growth opportunities for small businesses throughout the country and keep the economic engine going,” Solar Energy Industries Association President Rhone Resch said in a statement.
Earlier this week, President Barack Obama stressed the importance of providing tax breaks and loan guarantees for firms that produce solar and wind energy.
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April
AB 811 Helps CA Towns Go Solar!
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The intent of the Legislature is that AB 811 should be used to finance the installation of distributed generation renewable energy sources or energy efficiency improvements that are permanently fixed to residential, commercial, industrial, or other real property.
AB 811 authorizes a property owner, upon written consent of an authorized city official, to purchase directly the related equipment and materials for the installation of distributed generation renewable energy sources or energy efficiency improvements and to contract directly for the installation of those sources or improvements.
Funding options include using the general fund, issuing municipal bonds, partnering with a utility to get financing or setting up private financing.
Palm Desert and Berkeley led the legislative charge to put AB 811 in place, and have now enabled hundreds of properties to be outfitted with energy efficiency and renewable energy systems including solar. The “Berkeley First” program was launched Nov. 07. Their pilot program is fully subscribed at $1.5 million. The Palm Desert Energy Independence program is now in its third round of financing, having installed $7.5 million in energy efficiency and solar photovoltaic systems in their town.
The Sonoma County Energy Independence program has completed a feasibility study and is planning on offering a $40 million program, which will also include water conservation systems.
San Diego is working on a “Solar Roof Program.” The pilot project will focus on 150 to 300 homes, and 1 technology – solar photovoltaic. Success for the pilot is deemed to be completing the financing cycle, collecting 150-200 loan packages, and aggregating those smaller loans into larger packages that can be sold off on the municipal bond market. Encinitas, Napa and Redlands are all in the exploration phase of AB 811 programs.
Cities like Anaheim and Santa Monica have solar supportive programs already in place. Santa Monica promotes solar adoption through its Solar Santa Monica program . Solar installation firms bid for program, and guarantee “group” pricing. HelioPower is a installer for this program.
All across California residents and property owners are working with their elected officials to find new and innovative ways to increase the use of sun to power our electricity needs.
For further information and a review of the legislation, click here . Support AB 811 adoption in your town!
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