Solar Power

Solar Cell Efficiency Breakthrough?

Test results indicate that the company’s breakthrough design will produce conversion efficiency far in excess of current solar technology Santa Barbara, CA – December 13, 2011 – Solar3D, Inc. (OTCBB: SLTD), the developer of a breakthrough 3-dimensional solar cell technology to maximize the conversion of sunlight into electricity, today announced the results of a simulated test of its new solar …

Read More »

OUC Announces Dedication of 1st Solar Farm in Orange County

Nearly 6-MW Array to Provide Clean, Green Power to 600 Homes ORLANDO – OUC – The Reliable One proudly announced the completion of the first solar farm in Orange County on Wednesday in a dedication ceremony that included Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, OUC Board President Maylen Dominguez and OUC Commissioner Dan Kirby. The Stanton Solar …

Read More »

Solar’s Unlikely Hero: Rush Limbaugh

Guest post today from our friend Dan Auld who is a San Diego writer whose stories about solar at Wal-Mart and Google and other alternative energy sources. This article points out some interesting stuff about the issues that the solar installation business needs to be aware of in order to survive these hard economic times. Not sure if Rush should …

Read More »

Fuel Job Growth with Wise Energy Investments, Scientist Urges

First Solyndra, then Beacon Power Corp. Both alternative energy companies declared bankruptcy this year after receiving millions in federal job stimulus dollars. It’s just what the United States does not need right now, says nuclear scientist Michael T. Gamble, an alternative energy researcher and investment-banking analyst. The public backlash to ill-spent tax dollars could hurt a vital emerging industry – …

Read More »

Taiwanese Manufacturers to Enter Solar System Market and Face New Challenge

December 1, 2011—As a result of the persisting price downtrend, the mid-stream Taiwanese solar cell makers have been facing deficits since the beginning of 2011. With the prices showing no signs of rebound in the near term, manufacturers have shifted the focus to the end market, bidding for the Taiwanese and foreign solar system installations through sole proprietorship, joint ventures …

Read More »

Getting Energy From Sun In New Ways

This is an interesting post about a recent conference where scientists are reporting on their efforts to mimic photosynthesis in order to extract cheap and efficient energy sources to power the world in the future. One of them in particular has to do with creating a synthetic leaf which absorbs sunlight and then converts it into fuel which can be …

Read More »

Solar Innovation Nominated – SPG

SPG Solar, Inc. Named 2011 Platts Global Energy Awards Finalist ~SPG Solar Floatovoltaics® Selected for Sustainable Technology Innovation of the Year Category~ Novato, CA –November 29, 2011 – SPG Solar, Inc. has been selected as a finalist in the Platts Global Energy Awards, an annual program recognizing exemplary industry leadership. The 2011 finalists, selected from more than 200 nominations, were …

Read More »

A Good Way To Get Started: Solar Leases

I looked into solar for a couple years trying to figure out how I could afford to install solar on my home, but it was too expensive for most of that time. Then along came a great new option to the marketplace. Solar leases were introduced after the solar power companies secured funding sources that would allow them to install …

Read More »

Commercial ‘Green’ Solar Cells May Be Possible

Future technology may allow you to step into the sunlight and recharge a cellphone PITTSBURGH—Developing solar energy that is low-cost, lightweight, and energy efficient has proven to be one of the greatest challenges the science world faces today. Although current plastic solar cells are low in cost and easy to produce, they are not energy efficient and, therefore, not easily …

Read More »

Energy Secretary Battles Solyndra Obsession

Sometimes you just have to scratch your head and wonder. We currently have a politico climate where there is great debate over the Solyndra bankruptcy and the money they got from the US in support of the solar energy products they were developing. While I am not one to sneeze at $500 million it just seems like we have gone …

Read More »

Big Warehouse Stores Going Solar

Walmart’s Big Solar Goal Rarely does a decision to go solar have such a big impact. However, because of its scale, Walmart is contributing to the fundamental development of a growing solar economy and creating hundreds of jobs with its long-term goal of using 100-percent renewable energy for all its retail and distribution facilities. And by announcing plans to install …

Read More »

New Way To Make Energy From Solar?

Check out this release today on what appears to be a breakthrough in technology to create new energy from solar power. This company has found a way to mimic the natural process of photosynthesis to create natural gas that can be burned for clean energy. And…. no fracking need to accomplish it. HyperSolar Discovers Method to Make Renewable Natural Gas …

Read More »

Solar Manufacturers Form Strategic Alliances to Escape Cutthroat Market

November 10, 2011—According to EnergyTrend, a research division of TrendForce, as product price continues to fall, midstream Taiwanese PV manufacturers’ profits are shrinking. In response to the recent price drop, manufacturers have already lowered their utilization rates; some makers have gone so far as to suspend production to counter the latest price decrease. As for the spot market, inventory dumping …

Read More »

Despite Solyndra’s Death, the future of Solar Energy is Sunny

By Steven Pleging I believe that the loss of industry players Solyndra, Evergreen, and SpectraWatt opens the market for more innovative solar companies to succeed with smarter tactics and mainstream products that fit into existing manufacturing models. Remember when the dot.com bubble burst in 2000 and, seemingly overnight, some companies ceased making millions hand-over-fist? Flash forward to 2011, when nearly …

Read More »

Solar Power Industries Good News

Good article today from our friends at MJ about the state of the solar power industry after all the hoopla regarding the Solyndra funding issue and other items that have dragged down national discussion of solar power development. Check it out and comment below with your thoughts. The past couple of months have been grim ones for anybody who favors …

Read More »

Solar Inverters Comparison

IDC Energy Insights MarketScape Evaluates North American Residential Solar Inverter Market New report provides side-by-side comparison of top vendors with emphasis on installer feedback FRAMINGHAM, MA, November 1, 2011 – IDC Energy Insights announced today the availability of a new IDC MarketScape report designed to help installers of residential photovoltaic (PV) systems evaluate inverter technologies and make informed decisions about …

Read More »

Solar Industry Leaders Meet To Promote Solar Growth

SOLAR POWER INTERNATIONAL BREAKS NEW GROUND IN TEXAS Executives Come Together To Affirm Growth of Solar Industry Washington, D.C., – November 1, 2011 – Energy leaders from around the world descended upon Dallas, Texas for Solar Power International ’11, October 17 – 20. For the first time in its eight year history, SPI was staged outside California proving that the …

Read More »

Breakthrough Aims to Cut Solar Costs in Half

Despite great leaps in solar panel technology, the biggest obstacle hindering their widespread use is quite pedestrian: stubbornly high installation costs. While the cost of panels has dropped by half since 2007, total installation costs, which include panels, labor and additional equipment, declined just 20% over the same period. Charlie Korman, manager of Solar Energy programs at GE’s Global Research …

Read More »

Large Retailers Going Solar

SunConnect Signs Agreement with Macy’s To Develop 1.063 Megawatt Roof-Mounted PV System At New Jersey Distribution Center We have been driving by big huge retail and shipping buildings for years knowing that they suck energy to keep them cool and to keep them warm in winter. Huge roofs that till now have not been load bearing enough to support solar. …

Read More »

SOLAR POWER INTERNATIONAL (SPI 2011) DAY 2

THE PRESENT & FUTURE OF SOLAR Julia Hamm, President and CEO of the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) took the audience 20 years into the future during today’s General Session with a visionary presentation about the role of solar energy within an electric utility in the year 2031. Hamm stressed the importance of collaboration between the solar industry and utilities …

Read More »