Tidewater Current | Spring 2012
Transmitting news and infomation about sustainable endeavors in Coastal Virginia and beyond. Updated Weekly.
Solar:
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6.6.12 - A spotlight on solar energy - technicianonline. Durham based Semprius innovating solar industry with high concentration photovoltaic modules which attain higher efficiencies than standard pv modules.
6.4.12 - SoCalGas demonstrates Cogenra's cogeneration solar system for cooling purposes - gizmag. Thermal hot water generated in a dual concentrating PV/thermal system is being used for air conditioning. SoCalGas is testing the absorption chiller technology. The system is smaller than flat panel PV systems and with the production of electricity and hot water it is more efficient than a single solar system.
5.31.12 - Sharp develops concentrator solar cell with world's highest conversion efficiency of 43.5% - phys. 43.5% Breakthrough in concentrated solar cell efficiency the result of Japan's New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization and confirmed by the Fraunhofer Institute.
5.31.12 - Unlikely Firms Jump Onto Solar Power Bandwagon - blogs.wsj. Japan - Abandoned lots & golf courses all over the country are likely to become solar power plants as the the government announces that utilities have to purchase renewable energy at double current retail rates from suppliers.
5.29.12 - Solar Solution: Keeping solar in sight at Washington and Lee University - solarnovus. Largest solar installation in Virginia at Washington and Lee. It would be be awesome to see more of the projects in the state, unfortunately, without incentives and a number of regulatory hurdles in the state, that's unlikely to be the case. The installers were unable to structure a power purchase agreement with Dominion Power and instead are leasing the panels to the University, which changes the economics of the deal. Dominion is protecting their business, but at the expense of its customers and the environment.
5.26.12 - Green Energy Advocates Criticize Lack of State Incentives - clarendon.patch. Great overview of Virginia solar policy (or lack there of). Solar installer based in Virginia generates most of it's business in MD. The company cites lack of state policies promoting solar. Despite designating the state as the "energy capital of the east coast," Governor McDonald recently vetoed the "Solar Freedom Bill" which would prohibit HOAs from banning solar installations.
5.26.12 - Military Base Solar Takes Aim At Grid Parity « - earthtechling. California National Guard base at Camp Roberts will test ability of thin film to compete with grid produced energy. The goal of the 1 MW thin film solar installation from Nanosolar is to achieve a levelized cost of energy. While the thin cell technologies don't convert as must sunlight to energy as tradition PV cells, CIGs are much less expensive to produce and Nanosolar utilizes an economical roll-to-roll printing process.
5.26.12 - Solar energy industry is flourishing in Mass. - The Boston Globe - bostonglobe. With high energy costs, PV systems are more competitive in Massachusetts. So, it's no wonder it sits only behind CA in a rank of solar markets. Enough solar power is produced to power some 15,750 homes. State and municipal initiatives as well as solar leasing programs are making it easier for consumers to go solar.
5.25.12 - Germany breaks solar energy record - euronews. Solar powers 1/3 of Friday energy demand and half of Saturday demand in Germany.
5.24.12 - New Jersey Community College Building Largest College Solar Project in America - cleantechnica. Mercer community college will boast an 8 MW array consisting of 33,500 american made solar panels planted over 45 acres through a lease purchase agreement.
5.24.12 - Solar Impulse takes off on first intercontinental flight - phys. Departing from Switzerland, a solar powered airplane is undertaking a 2,500 km trip to Rabat, Morocco. A round the world trip is planned for 2014.
5.23.12 - New inexpensive, environmentally friendly solar cell shines with potential - phys. Northwestern researchers create new inexpensive solar cell based on the dye sensitized Gratzel cell, which mimics photosynthesis.
5..21.12 - Solar and Coal: Arch Enemies or Best Friends? - theenergycollective. The author purveys an interesting perspective on combining fossil fuel and solar for power production. The hybrid technology could be used to update existing coal fired systems and thereby reduce GHG emissions.
5/2012 - Home Magazine Mining the Sky - onlinetes.http://www.onlinetes.com/tes0512-portable-metrology-energy.aspx Concentrated Solar delivered 24/7 with molten salt storage system.
5.19.12 - Conehead Generators Put A New Spin On Rooftop Solar « - earthtechling.
Solarphasec claims their spinning cone solar energy generator produces 40% more electricity than traditional PV panels.
5.18.12 - Energy-Solar - 2.3MW Oberlin Solar: Small College, Big Power « - earthtechling. New solar array at Oberlin to cover 10 acres, the larges at any university, will move the college forward in it's endeavor to become carbon neutral by 2025.
5/17/12 - Dominion Va. proposing solar-power incentive - Businessweek. Today Dominion announced a plan, submitted to regulators for approval, to buy solar generated power from small commercial producers. Producers would be paid 15 cents per kWh over a 5 year demonstration period.
5/15/12 - Biggest CPV Plant in US Now on the Grid at Alamosa - greentechmedia. 30 MW concentrated photovoltaic installation in Colorado use 500 50 kW solar trackers. -
5/15/12 - Clean Currents and SolarCity Pioneer New Way for Homeowners to Adopt Solar Power - eon.businesswire. Maryland and the District of Columbia residents offered power purchase agreements that provide free solar installations. Unfortunately, the program is unlikely to extend to Virginia due to a lack of a true RPS standard and the dominance of one utility so there is no competitive market in the state.
5/15/12 - 150 NC residents produce solar power with Progress Energy :: WRAL.com. Raleigh, NC - The Sunsense Solar PV program offered through Progress Energy helps accepted homeowners reduce the economic impact of solar investment. With 200-300 more installations expected yearly, studies will be conducted to determine the impact of a growing number of small scale generators on the grid.
5/14/12 - Energy- Solar - SpinRay Offers UL Listed Solar Appliance - jetsongreen. Plug and Play Solar kit available from SpinRay Energy retails for $1099.00 from Amazon. -
5/12/12 - Dominion Virginia Power cancels Halifax solar test project - www2.timesdispatch- Richmond, VA - At a time when Dominion Power is being bashed for their lack of commitment to renewables, the company's plans to develop a solar test project have been cancelled. According to the Richmond Time's Dispatch, the decision was made because the technology for the battery storage system they intended to just didn't materialize. Why not try a different storage system? Meanwhile the company says it does plan to move forward with a community roof top solar endeavor. - http://www2.timesdispatch.com/business/state-news/2012/may/12/tdbiz01-dominion-virginia-power-cancels-halifax-co-ar-1909242/
5/11/12 - Two New Reports on Utility-Scale Solar - renewableenergyworld- Utility-Scale Concentrating Solar Power and Photovoltaics Projects: A Technology and Market Overview - http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy12osti/51137.pdf and Federal and State Structures to Support Financing Utility-Scale Solar Projects and the Business Models Designed to Utilize Them - http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy12osti/48685.pdf
5/10/12 - ODU'S MARSILLAC CONTINUES TO ATTRACT DOE FUNDING FOR SOLAR ENERGY RESEARCH, WITH $1.1-MILLION GRANT - odu.edu. Researcher at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA developing 500 nanometer incredibly thin solar cell. Without loss in energy efficiency, the less expensive cells, have propelled Sylvain Marsillac into PV stardom. In June he will present at a prestigious DOE workshop in Colorado and he has been recognized as a DOE expert in PV technology. -
5/10/12 - Technology Spotlight: Solar Windows - sustainablebusiness - Pythagoras solar windows installed on the Chicago Willis Tower for testing. Two windows on the 56th floor have solar cells inserted between window panels. The cells prevent heat gain and reduce cooling costs and generate electricity. - http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/23693
5/10/12 - Kearny Landfill Solar Farm opens with ribbon cutting ceremony, project to serve Hudson and Bergen communities - nj - Landfill solar farm powering 450-675 homes in Bergen and Hudson, NJ. - http://www.nj.com/hudson/ind
5/8/12 - Iron Mountain Looks to Solar PV; Johns Hopkins Brings 818kW Online · Environmental Leader - Rooftop PV - Power purchase agreement deals - Iron Mountain and Johns Hopkins do NOT own the solar systems housed on their rooftops. Third parties developed and manage the projects, while power is purchased at fixed rate prices from the developers.
5/7/12- Turning trash into solar treasure - kxan - The City of Austin is looking to convert old landfills into solar farms. They are not the first to consider such an endeavor. San Antonio developed the first project in 2008 and projects are planned or in place in New Jersey, Massachusetts, Georgia, New York.
5/7/12 - Pennsylvania developer Community Energy plans $7 million solar farm in North Carolina - bizjournals - Sanford NC to be home of 2 MW facility expected to be operating by October.
5/6/12 - Breakthrough in concentrated solar power from partnership between 3M and Gossamer Space Frames - hydrogenfuelnews - Lighter more reflective collectors developed by 3M and Gossamer Space Frames will concentrate more energy and bring down the costs of CSP. The technology will be demoed at the Sunray facility in Dagget CA for several months.
5/4/12 - Plug 'n Play Solar Systems Could Give Renters a Renewable Energy Option | TreeHugger.com
5/4/12 - The Kickstarter for solar could make you money starting this Summer | GigaOm
5/4/12 - Wall Street Bank Backs Residential Solar Fund | AOL.com
5/3/12 - Solarphasec — Solar Power Meets Art - CleanTechnica
5/3/12 - How to Start a Solar Co-op (VIDEO) - CleanTechnica
5/2/12 - PV for All: Low-Income Housing Residents Going Solar | Renewable Energy News Article
5/2/12 - Planetsolar, Largest Solar-Powered Boat, to Complete Round-the-World Journey on Friday - CleanTechnica
5/1/12 - Will the Solar Odyssey Sail into a World Record? - Technorati Travel
5/1/12 - Solar Lily Concept Has Future Energy Sitting Pretty | Earthtechling
4/30/12 - Liquid Solar Cells that Can be Painted onto Surfaces - CleanTechnica
4/28/12 - Princeton, Navy and Air Force Team on Biomimicry Solar Cell Research | CleanTechnica
4/27/12 - Solar Energy – Path to Net Positive Energy & Global Sustainability | US Solar Institute | RenewableEnergyWorld
4/27/12 - Condo Owners Fight Homeowner Associations For Their Right to Install Solar Power | Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building
4/26/12 - 97 Percent of Americans Overestimate Cost of Home Solar : Greentech Media
4/26/12 - Rooftop Solar Chills Massive NJ Food Warehouse | Earthtechling
4/26/12 - Largest Solar PV Plant in North America Comes On-Line : Greentech Media
4/24/12 - How to Solarize Your Street: Starting a Solar Coop : TreeHugger
4/24/12 - Solar energy will help power Back River treatment plant - Baltimore Sun
4/23/12 - American Public University System Hosts Ribbon-Cutting for West Virginia's Largest Solar Array in Charles Town, WV - MarketWatch
4/23/12 - SunPower to Manufacture Solar Carports for Italian Homes - Solar Novus Today
4/23/12 - 'Solar freedom' law won't see light of day - Henrico Citizen
4/23/12 - A solar canal rises in India - India is testing out an idea that marries solar panels with irrigation canals. | GigaOm
4/20/21 - Oh, the places solar cells will go (Portland's solar powered loo) | GigaOm
4/19/12 - Speak Out: Petersen's Solar Freedom Bill (VA) Overturned - Oakton, VA Patch
4/19/12 - Geostellar Teams with GeoEye to Map the Solar Power Potential of Every Rooftop in the United States - MarketWatch
4/19/12 - Delaware Student Generates Hydrogen from Sunlight - Solar Novus Today
4/18/12 - In Time For Earth Day, Bill Aims To Make D.C. Greener (exempting solar from property taxes) | WAMU 88.5 - American University Radio
4/18/12 - BWI airport parking garage home to new 505KW solar power array - The Washington Post
4/18/12 - Technology Spotlight: Solar Roadways | SustainableBusiness.com
4/17/12 - Net Metering: A 'net positive' for solar - Solar Novus Today
4/17/12 - Construction Progressing on 1.5 Megawatt Sandy Cross Solar Farm in North Carolina | AltEnergyMag Press Release
4/17/12 - Flexible Panels Can Turn Windows Into Electricity-Generating Solar Panels | Mashable
4/16/12 - Solar Advocates Like Preliminary CPUC Decision to Boost Clean Energy in California (Net Metering) - CleanTechnica
4/15/12 - Solar Energy Gets Boost With Two New Arrays - Memphis Daily News
4/14/12 - SunEnergy1 wants North Carolina to shine in solar power | CharlotteObserver.com & The Charlotte Observer Newspaper
4/13/12 - Bringing Solar to the Masses: Community Shared Solar Gains Popularity Nationwide | Renewable Energy News Article | RenewableEnergyWorld.com
4/13/12 - "Blackest" Solar Cell Ever Designed Absorbs 99.7 Percent of All Light | Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building
4/12/12 - Tennessee's Largest Solar Farm Is Officially Open - Chattanoogan.com
4/12/12 - Largest Solar Thermal System Installed at University in Saudi Arabia | EcoGeek
4/11/12 - Commercial PACE Program Comes to Florida (1st of Its Kind) – CleanTechnica
4/11/12 - Solar Leases Attracting New Demographic | Earthtechling
4/10/12 - Military 'Battle Lab' Cashes In On Solar Savings | Earthtechling
4/9/12 - Proposed Satellite Would Beam Solar Power to Earth | Mashable
4/8/12 - Halotechnics - Molten Glass Thermal Storage Could Mean 6 Cent Solar | CleanTechnia
4/7/12 - Largest Rooftop Solar Power Plant in North America Formally Completed - CleanTechnica
4/7/12 - Largest Rooftop Hybrid Solar System in US | CleanTechnica
4/6/12 - Solar Leases Attracting New Demographic | RenewableEnergyWorld
4/6/12 - Solar, Renewable Grid Parity Reached in California - CleanTechnica
4/6/12 - New Solar Panel Kit Could Make Solar Easier for Homeowners - CleanTechnica
4/5/12 - Secret Ingredient To Making Solar Energy Work: Salt - Forbes
4/5/12 - SOLarchitect Helps You Design Your Own Rooftop Solar Power System - CleanTechnica
4/5/12 - New Bern Solar Project Harnesses The Sun's Energy From Warehouse Rooftop | DailyMarkets.com
4/4/12 - Sanitary District considers solar energy for sewer plants | The Daily Times | delmarvanow.com
4/4/12 -A Competitor Emerges for Solar Panels (CHP-combined heat and power - NYTimes.com
4/5/12 - What's Apple up to now in Maiden, North Carolina? - Apple 2.0 - Fortune Tech
4/3/12 - Solar Energy Applications Now Open for Consumers Energy Residential Customers - PR Newswire - The Sacramento Bee
4/2/12 - Solar Energy Inspiration From Butterflies - NYTimes.com
4/2/12 - SolarIndustryMag.com: New York Power Authority Authorizes New $30 Million Solar Initiative | Aer-online.com
4/2/12 - SolarReserve's Most Ambitious Solar Power Plant With Storage Approved by County : Greentech Media
3/31/12 - Americans overwhelmingly believe solar energy is important - Long Island Solar Energy | Examiner.com
3/29/12 - Comments sought for solar program | WAVY.com | Richmond, Va.
3/29/12 - Fort Hood turns on solar field, generates renewable energy | Article | The United States Army
3/29/12 - (Richmond Airport) Hangar panels generate power and tax credits - Power Engineering
3/29/12 - Save Daylight with a SUNRNR Portable Solar Generator & Free Solar Panel | PRweb
3/29/12 - $15M solar plant to relieve high utility bills in Robeson County - WMBFNews.com, Myrtle Beach/Florence SC, Weather
3/29/12 - Over 70% of Californians Go Solar Using a Service (Don't Buy Their Solar Power Systems) - CleanTechnica
3/29/12 - Hybrid Solar Tube Panels by Naked Energy | JetsonGreen
3/28/12 - Coney Island's Wonder Wheel is Getting Solar-Powered Lights! Island's Wonder Wheel Will Glitter with Solar Power! | Inhabitat New York City
3/28/12 - MIT's 3-D solar towers generate 20 times the power | MNN - Mother Nature Network
3/26/12 - A Smaller Route to Solar Success - NYTimes.com
3/24/12 - N.C. company building gigantic solar water heating system at turkey plant | CharlotteObserver.com & The Charlotte Observer Newspaper
3/24/12 - U.S. Solar Military Housing Project Gets New Life | Earthtechling
3/23/12 - Chime in for Solar (& PACE Financing) Today - CleanTechnica
3/22/12 - United States : Seattle City Light Community Solar Project Begins Generating Energy - Power Engineering
3/22/12 - Solar Potential Uncorked At Winery Of The Future | Earthtechling
3/22/12 - Five Solar Powered US Farms | Earthtechling
3/22/12 - Solar Sail Unfurled, This Catamaran Will Go | Earthtechling
3/21/12 - Solar Increasingly Attractive to Large Investors, Now 'Bankable' — Thanks, Solar Loan Guarantee Program - CleanTechnica
3/21/12 - Plug-and-Play Solar Panels Might Finally Be Here | Earthtechling
3/21/12 - U.S. Sets Duties as High as 4.73% on China Solar Equipment | San Francisco Chronicle
3/19/12 - New Solar Cell Company Promises Solar Power for $0.50/Watt (Not Twin Creeks) - CleanTechnica
3/17/12 - First Solar starts 20-megawatt project in Maryland - Phoenix Business Journal
3/16/12 - Study: Grid Parity for Solar in North Carolina : Greentech Media
3/15/12 - US Solar Facts & Charts | CleanTechnica
3/15/12- Top Ten US Solar Stats From 2011 : Greentech Media
3/14/12 - Solar-Powered Housing for U.S. Military, from SolarCity & U.S. Bancorp - CleanTechnica
3/12/12 - Ubiquitous Energy: A Solar Game-Changer? | The Energy Collective
3/12/12 -Solar Training Programs for Vets (Nice.) - CleanTechnica
3/9/12 - D.C. Considers Community Solar Power | NBC4 Washington
3/9/12 - Small Solar Gets Big-Utility Customer Backing | Earthtechling
3/8/12 - A Maryland Twofer: SREC Fix & Community Solar Bills on the Move | CleanTechies Blog - CleanTechies.com
3/7/12 - Update: More Details on Apple's NC Solar Farm | Renewable Energy News Article
3/6/12 - Solar Lotus Mimics Flower's Ability To Capture Sunlight | Earthtechling
3/6/12 - Solar Hosting (Next Big Thing?) - CleanTechnica
3/6/12 - Solar Energy Generates Cash for Dorcas Ministries | CaryCitizen
3/1/12 - Revolutionary Sphelar Spherical Solar Cells Capture Sunlight From All Directions | Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World
3/2/12 - Time to Support PACE Financing! (It's Good for You) - CleanTechnica
3/1/12 - Solar Ski Lift Launched By Tiny Swiss Town | Earthtechling
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