The electrical grid is a complex network connecting thousands of power sources with millions of consumers all across the U.S. While producing enough power to supply the energy needs of a nation is an extremely difficult task, just as challenging, if not more so, is the need to balance supply and demand on the grid. (more…)

While at most conferences on solar energy, people talk about the BoS (Balance of System), at the SOCAP 12 conference held last week in San Francisco, it was all about the lessons learned from the BoP (Bottom of the Pyramid)—or the world’s largest, poorest demographic. That’s not only because the many renewable energy businesses working in developing (more…)

Solar has never been more affordable for more Americans – with residential prices dropping an impressive 14% over the last year alone. But global solar leader Germany is still beating the U.S. in the race to low-cost PV.

The Lawrence Berkeley Lab released a fascinating (more…)

“In Europe, over 250 ice rink operators have started to use a vortex process technology, to lay and resurface ice rinks. This technology removes micro-bubbles from water by spinning the water into an ordered vortex movement. Through this process, micro- bubbles are driven to the inside of the swirl (more…)

Interconnection standards are the legal rules and procedures for “plugging” a renewable energy system into the power grid. With oversight from their regulators, utilities have traditionally determined which systems may connect to the grid and how arduous that process is. As you can imagine, interconnection standards that are unclear, full of (more…)

The Bank of America Energy Efficiency Finance Program has provided low-interest loans and grants to community development financial institutions (CDFIs) to increase access to energy efficiency retrofits in low- to moderate-income communities. The program was launched in 2011. (more…)

Scientists have developed a superabsorbent material they say offers a cost-effective way to remove, recover and clean up large oil spills.

Writing in the journal Energy & Fuels, Pennsylvania State University researchers Xuepei Yuan and T. C. Mike Chung describe a polymer material that they (more…)

Given the opportunity to work with some of the brightest minds in the cleantech industry who are creating everything from micro hydroturbines to small, lightweight, three-wheeled electric cars, I’ve learned that bigger is not always better. Yet in the case of a new wind power innovator, their approach has been to go big – in this case, tall – or go home. (more…)

The age of the fossil fuel is dying out, and the time for energy efficiency is rising. Thanks to a combination of the depletion of available fossil fuel resources and a global shift towards cleaner, greener fuels, it won’t be long before coal, oil and natural gas will be taught in school history lessons.

The focus instead has now shifted to renewable (more…)

Sunny Florida has sufficient sunshine to power 20 million homes. Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) when campaigning vowed to create 700,000 jobs. Upon election, he axed programs that centered on renewable energy. The Sunshine State now ranks dead last in creating green jobs. That’s right, it ranks 50th. (Vermont is #1). (more…)