Alternative Energy HQ solar power for homes, wind energy, and bio fuel issues

After a disastrous third quarter of 2012 featuring extremely low factory utilization rates across the entire photovoltaic (PV) supply chain, a surge in demand was seen in the final quarter of the year for PV modules. A new PV module shipment record of 11 gigawatts (GW) was reached in the fourth quarter according to the IHS Solar Integrated Market Tracker …

Amid rapidly falling prices, mounting losses and massive operational costs, the upstream solar photovoltaic (PV) supply chain is undergoing major consolidation, with the number of companies participating in the market expected to plunge by 70 percent this year. Worldwide, the total number of companies participating directly in the manufacturing of PV solar panels, from polysilicon manufacturing through module assembly, is …

$10 million directed to innovative solar projects In support of the Obama Administration’s all-of-the-above energy strategy, the U.S. Department of Energy has announced 10 small business-led projects to speed solar energy innovation from the lab to the marketplace. Through the Department’s SunShot Initiative, this $10 million investment will help significantly reduce the total installed cost of solar energy systems and …

Tennessee Valley Authority named “Utility of the Year” for pioneering wind power in the Southeast The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has been named “Utility of the Year” by the American Wind Energy Association for bringing wind-generated electricity to its customers in the Southeast U.S., and its long-term commitment to low-cost, cleaner energy. TVA has signed nine contracts with eight different …

Sometimes energy makes headlines, sometimes it doesn’t.  But it almost always has important implications for the global economy, the environment, and our day-to-day lives. Here are 10 energy statistics from 2012 that capture some of the most noteworthy trends of the year, and that will shape the energy world in the years to come. Natural gas, one of the three key fossil …

SUPERMARKET DISTRIBUTION CENTER POWERS UP IN QUEENS, NEW YORK WITH NEW ROOFTOP SOLAR ARRAY ~ Matspeth Community Welcomes a Completed Renewable Energy Power Plant Project for the Kam Man Food Corporation, Featuring Latest German-Engineered Panels and Cutting Edge Mounting System ~ The Matspeth Community announces the completion of a solar energy system on top of the distribution center for Kam …

The Top 10 predictions for the global photovoltaic market in 2013, from the IHS Solar service at information and analytics provider IHS. “The photovoltaic industry is in the midst of wrenching change—buffeted by government incentive cuts and nose-diving prices that has hurt solar suppliers worldwide, rocked by trade disputes among its major players, and hamstrung by a sputtering global economy,” …

Sierra Club, Earthjustice File Legal Challenge to Protect Solar Tax Credit in Hawai‘i State tax proposal would slam the brakes on solar energy, Hawai‘i jobs Today, the Sierra Club, represented by Earthjustice, filed a legal challenge in state circuit court to the Hawai‘i Department of Taxation’s recent decision to cut back on tax credits for residents and businesses that install …

As Washington hunts ill-defined al-Qaeda groups in the Middle East and Africa, and concerns itself with Iran’s eventual nuclear potential, it has a much more pressing problem at home: Its energy grid is vulnerable to anyone with basic weapons and know-how. Forget about cyber warfare and highly organized terrorist attacks, a lack of basic physical security on the US power …

By Elisa Wood Advanced lighting has brought us not only energy savings, but also a slew of new screw-in-a-light bulb jokes. For LEDs, it usually goes something like this: How many people does it take to screw in a LED light? One. And a roomful of deep wallets to pay for it. To be fair, the cost of LEDs (light-emitting …

Average prices for operation and maintenance contracts in the wind sector have dropped 38% in the last four years, boosting the sector’s competitiveness significantly London and New York, 1 November 2012 – The wind energy sector is making significant improvements not just in the capital cost and performance of its turbines, but also in the ongoing cost of operating and …

DWEA Members Report Little to No Impact on Wind Turbines along East Coast As most of the Northeast continues to assess the devastation and damage to the area’s infrastructure due to the impact of Sandy, there was one part of the local energy-generating network that suffered little to no damage: wind turbines. As the deadline to extend the wind energy …

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In the sprawling metropolis of Phoenix, Arizona, traveling via automobile is a hard reality. With gas prices remaining steady, new car buyers are looking for options that can save them money at the pump. Consumers are particularly curious about the Chevy Volt and hybrid vehicles in general. Phoenix Chevy dealers are not only pushing the environmental and fuel saving benefits …

‘The challenge of our generation’ – why the Australian government is finally taking climate change seriously Historically Australia has not been particularly proactive when it comes to tackling human-influenced climate change. The country didn’t have a price on carbon pollution or fixed targets for greenhouse gas reduction and the government bowed to increasing pressure from the oil, gas and coal …

The STEM principles of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math are all demonstrated through the use of solar Motech Americas has announced the completion of a large solar PV project by Pacific Power Renewables that is now providing all the energy needs for the Aerospace Museum of California in McClellan, California just north of Sacramento. The museum is also playing a …

Emerging markets are forecast to help bring stability to ailing solar industry, with up to 12 gigawatts (GW) of new photovoltaic (PV) capacity added in 2017 up from just 1.6 GW in 2012, according to a new IHS solar report. The recently released study, which evaluated the potential for PV additions in 40 countries around the world, found that up …

White rot fungus boosts ethanol production from corn stalks, cobs and leaves The latest episode in the American Chemical Society’s (ACS’) award-winning Global Challenges/Chemistry Solutions podcast series reports new evidence that the so-called white rot fungus shows promise in the search for a way to use waste corn stalks, cobs and leaves — rather than corn itself — to produce …

Plans in Congress to kill military biofuel programs could also derail $10 billion+ in economic activity; creation of more than 14,000 jobs, study finds The military’s plans to expand its use of biofuel in planes, ships and other vehicles would generate at least about $10 billion in economic activity and create more than 14,000 jobs by 2020, according to a …

A while back I wrote a post on the need to get India’s solar boom right. I wrote it because it was obvious that solar energy was primed to take off in India and it was clear there were two paths the country could take – distribute that boom to benefit the 300 million people still waiting for the grid, …