Category: Photo-voltaics
Alain Clenet Brings Cleverness and Compassion to the People of Uganda
| January 21, 2012 | Posted by Craig Shields under Photo-voltaics |
Those whose interests including super high-end exotic automobiles may know the name Alain Clenet and the eponymous retro-designed “drivable art” he built in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In the meeting I had with him at his home this morning, I was taken by the keenness of his mind, as well as the breadth of his heart and spirit. Though he still builds cars as a hobby, he’s turned most of his efforts to helping the poorest of the poor, mostly in undeveloped places in Africa.
I thought I’d relate a quick story that blends Alain’s compassion with his skill for building things – and even a bit of clean energy.
When Alain and his people go to an area, they always ask what the people lack, but they also ask, “What do you have too much of?” Read More
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Solar Goes Mainstream
| December 15, 2011 | Posted by Craig Shields under Photo-voltaics |
Renewable Energy World’s Steve Leone published an article today on solar and its attempts to go mainstream, in which he mentions a great number of developments that will ultimately make solar far more appealing to consumers than it is currently. Some of these notions include transparent PV on windows, as well as PV roof shingles and other forms of building-integrated solar.
It was good to see he noted the role of electric transportation in the equation. I.e., there is clearly a growing number of people who want to control the source of electricity that charges their cars – and what better way to do that than to install that source on their roofs?
If we still have a civilization here in 2050, we will have “gotten there.” The questions are how much damage we will have done, and who’s going to get rich in the process.
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From Guest Blogger James Hawkins: Solar in the UK
| December 12, 2011 | Posted by James under Photo-voltaics |
In April 2010, the UK government introduced their own version of a feed in tariff scheme to help boost our renewable figures and to cut carbon emissions. It is a scheme where homeowners are paid 41.3p for generating electricity with photovoltaic solar panels on their roof, and they are then extra in the case that they don’t use the electricity. Combining the average bill savings with these payments amounts to approximately £1,000 per year at today’s prices. With the scheme lasting for 25 years, the panels will pay themselves off over time, usually 9 to 10 years, and then they will start to generate a healthy income. Our national solar panels company has seen demand for solar skyrocket by over 400% from before the FIT was introduced. Read More
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From Guest-Blogger Carolina: US Solar Companies Continue Spreading Sunshine around the World
| December 10, 2011 | Posted by Carolina under Photo-voltaics |
Sungevity, based in California and known for its home solar products and services, recently announced its international launch into Holland. While Sungevity has expanded across the U.S. into various states, this will be the first time it is crossing abroad. In fact, Sungevity is the first United States-based home solar company to expand internationally. This great news for the home solar industry, environmental enthusiasts, and those looking to save money on their electric bill. Read More
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From Guest Blogger Carolina: Changing Lives Via Clean Energy
| December 8, 2011 | Posted by Carolina under Photo-voltaics |
As solar companies strive to provide consumers with the sun’s renewable energy, they too are doing their part to help those in need. Many U.S. solar companies have reached out to the third world in effort to provide them with solar equipment that will help improve lives on the daily, from lighting schools, to power communication equipment. Countless rural towns throughout Africa do not have direct access to a power grid because of the sheer cost to transport the electricity over far distances. However, solar companies are changing this. Read More
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By Guest-Blogger Don: Wanted, People Who Can Grow a Company by 8% (per month)
| October 25, 2011 | Posted by Donald W under Photo-voltaics |
I was giving a speech earlier this month about Energy Security, and while preparing the speech came upon some stark realizations about electrical generation in the US:
1) Solar is equivalent to an insignificant rounding error for electrical generation in the US.
2) Coal will remain by far the dominant form of electrical generation assuming the status quo for at least 5 years and will probably be the first or second generator for 10 years.
3) Assuming current trends, solar not be out producing petroleum product (petroleum liquids, petroleum coke) for about 4½ to 5 years.
4) Growth of 40% per year in 5 years solar will still be a rounding error for electrical generation in the US.
5) With growth of 60% per year in 5 years solar will finally achieve the status of being a rounding error for electrical generation in the US. Read More
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[The Vector] Solar Electric Makes Advances – SEPA Report
| August 19, 2011 | Posted by Kathy-Heshelow under Photo-voltaics |
The 4th annual Solar Electric Power Association’s (SEPA) ranking have been recently published. SEPA tracks and analyzes solar electicity markets in the U.S. The growth measured in the last year has been impressive: the 2010 top ten ranked utilities integrated 561 MW of solar electric capacity, a 100% growth over the previous year (2009)!
Interesting facts and trends emerged from the study:
- Thirty utilities report owning 140 MW of solar as opposed to simply purchasing the power from facilities owned by Read More
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Bringing Renewable Energy to Island Nations
| July 28, 2011 | Posted by Craig Shields under Photo-voltaics |
I just received an interesting phone call. Chris Mason, renewable energy contractor in Anguilla (Caribbean) called to discuss my work in Bermuda and understand how it might apply to his country a thousand miles south.
Mason speaks in a calm, measured tone, but there was clearly urgency in his voice as well. “We pay $0.41 to $0.43 a kilowatt-hour for electricity here, and it’s ruining us. The major hotel says that it will be forced to close its doors if we can’t come up with less expensive electricity. But no one is really trying to solve the problem. Can we talk about this?” he implored.
“Of course. Let me ask you: What are the issues re: solar?” I asked.
“It’s cultural,” Mason explained. “As far as the leaders here are concerned, there is no problem to fix. You flip a switch and the lights come on. Until the power goes out, there is no issue at all. I can do solar arrays for private customers, but there’s no incentive. Not only are there no feed-in tariffs, it’s even illegal to tie them to the grid.”
“Isn’t there any public consciousness on the subject?” I asked. “Won’t these so-called ‘leaders’ eventually be replaced by more enlightened people?”
“Oh yes, the government turns over completely every four years. But instability just makes the problem worse. Investors have no certainty in what they’ll be dealing with even a few short years in the future.”
“I hear you,” I sympathized. “I can tell you about a larger country in which that kind of uncertainty is putting a damper on clean energy. It’s called the United States.”
As we chatted and exchanged ideas, I came to know Chris as a terrific person with a heart the size of Texas. Information on his company, Comet Energy, and his blog, Caribbean Renewable, is linked here.
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Bringing Electric Power to the Third World
| July 6, 2011 | Posted by Craig Shields under Photo-voltaics |
In this short video, MIT Professor of Energy Dan Nocera makes several interesting points about bringing electric power to the third world using solar energy and fuel cells. His analysis of how much energy will be required by the year 2050 is fascinating.
In it, he asks the question: How can we prevent three billion additional babies from being born into poverty? The simple answer: educate poor females. When you do that, the birth rate drops like a rock.
Thus the extraordinary value of organizations like the Turimiquire Foundation, which I hope readers will put on their Christmas giving list; I know it’s on mine.
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[The Vector] Clean Energy News from Around the Country: GE Goes Solar
| May 19, 2011 | Posted by Kathy-Heshelow under Photo-voltaics |
On April 7th, General Electric (GE) announced it was purchasing PrimeStar Solar Inc., a thin-film solar panel manufacturer based in Colorado. GE also announced that it would build the nation’s largest solar panel manufacturing plant.
The thin-film products developed by PrimeStar Solar are apparently among the most efficient of all cadmium telluride (“cad tel”) on the market. The National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) verified the record-breaking efficiency, finding a 12.8% aperture Read More
