As the home of some pioneering community solar projects, Maryland’s clean energy champions are seeking to establish a platform on which these renewable energy arrangements can flourish.

Recently introduced as Senate Bill 595, state lawmakers will be considering a proposal that would enable Maryland residents and small-businesses to join together in sharing the costs and benefits of renewable energy.

Most commonly conceived as a single renewable energy system in which individuals can invest in a portion of a facility’s clean generating potential, these arrangements offer a direct experience for those unable to install on-site renewable energy. For those that have a shaded roof or rent, community solar offer the promise of renewable energy access.

As an increasing number of jurisdictions look to broaden accessibility to the solar economy through this concept (e.g., here), we applaud these efforts for bringing solar into the mainstream. We look forward to this trend.

Hats off to Maryland for getting out of the gate early.

Vote Solar is a non-profit grassroots organization working to fight climate change and foster economic opportunity by bringing solar energy into the mainstream.

Related posts:

• U.S. Universities Shine at Solar Decathlon Europe
• Will You Occupy Rooftops On Community Solar Day?
• Building Partnerships, Conserving Lands
• Governor Cuomo Gets Serious about Solar
• Update on SDG&E’s Special Charge for Solar Customers

Sunny California is prime real estate for solar energy, and a number of California rebates make home solar systems highly affordable for Golden State residents. The only downside to these programs is that some have limited funding. Homeowners interested in solar panels will want to act soon to take full advantage of all the savings.

Here are five solar incentive programs that every California homeowner should know.

1. The Federal Incentive Program

The government offers the most generous program. The federal incentive program pays for up to 30 percent of the cost of installing a residential solar system in the form of a tax credit. The program is currently set to expire at the end of 2016.

2. California Solar Initiative

The California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) has transitioned its residential rebate program over to your local utility companies. The CPUC oversees the program. The state still exempts renewable energy home improvements from property tax assessments, so installing a PV system won’t raise your property taxes.

The new program offers per-installed-watt rebates from the state’s three major utilities, Southern California Edison (SCE), Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) and San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E). It’s a tiered program, with rebates that step down in price as more utility customers participate in the program.

Currently, PGE and SDG&E are at the ninth step of the ten-step program, offering rebates of $.25 per watt. SCE is at the seventh step of the program, offering $.65 per watt.

Municipal utilities offer rebates as well, some of them substantially more generous than those offered by the larger utilities, although annual funds are generally limited. Of course, if you live in one of California’s top solar cities, your rebates are likely generous. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, for example, just moved to step six of their ten-step program, offering $1.62 per watt.

3. Single-family Affordable Homes (SASH) Program

Low-income Californian homeowners may be eligible to receive free or greatly-discounted home PV systems under the CPUC’s SASH program. Residents must be PG&E, SCE or SDG&E customers to qualify and must meet income requirements.

Generally, households earning less than 50 percent of the area’s median income levels may apply for a free 1-kilowatt home solar system. Households earning between 50 percent and 80 percent of median incomes may qualify for $4.75 per watt to $7.00 per watt rebates. SASH is administered by the non-profit organization GRID Alternatives.

4. New Solar Homes Partnership

The CPUC offers cash rebates to home builders who build houses with solar electrical systems built in. The New Solar Homes Partnership has been a huge success, and it’s likely the program will meet its goal of 400-megawatt capacity by 2016.

5. Thermal Rebate Program

The three major Californian utilities offer tiered rebate programs for solar water heating systems, too. Currently, all three utilities are in the first of a four-step program. Homeowners who replace a natural gas system can expect rebates of about $1,500. Those who replace electric systems can expect about $1,000.

Photo via joncallas

Related posts:

• Massachusetts Fires up Solar Hot Water Rebates
• California Exhausts Rooftop Solar Incentive Fund
• Which is Right for You? Solar Lease or PPA
• Motivating Homeowner Energy Behaviors
• Progress Energy Accepting Applications for Solar Power Rebates

Gehrlicher Solar America has announced the completion of two additional commercial solar energy installations in the United States. The company completed a 151 kW ground-mounted system in North Dartmouth, intends to add another 5 MW of projects in the state over the course of 2012.

The Dartmouth system covers approximately seven acres in a semi-rural residential area and is expected to generate an average of 186,500 kilowatt-hours per year, which will provide 90 percent of the electricity used at the site. It is the first time that the Gehrtec Base, the racking system for ground-mounted systems from Gehrlicher Solar, is used in the U.S. The Gehrtec Base is suitable for a wide range of module technologies and sizes. It enables both the orientation and tilt of each module to be individually adjusted.

The second project completed is a 322 kW rooftop system in Swedesboro, NJ. The system has been acquired by a group of private investors who will sell energy under a power purchase agreement to a cold storage facility, owned by KMT brrr! LLC.

“Both projects have a strategic relevance to us”, said Dr. Stefan Parhofer, CEO of Gehrlicher Solar America Corp. “We perceive great potential in Massachusetts and are currently receiving many inquiries from there. It has a very interesting Solar Renewable Energy Certificates market, and while that of New Jersey still remains challenging, although New Jersey also remains an attractive market for Solar”, Dr. Parhofer concluded.

Article by Antonio Pasolini, a Brazilian writer and video art curator based in London, UK. He holds a BA in journalism and an MA in film and television.

Related posts:

• German Solar Company Enters U.S. Market
• Massachusetts Fires up Solar Hot Water Rebates
• Not Enough Workers with PV Training and Solar Energy Job Preparation
• Online PV Exchange Platform To Enter North American Market
• Ohio Tax Reform Clears Path For Solar

A new record has been set by the high concentration photovoltaic (HCPV) solar module industry. A module made by Semprius, a company in which Siemens invested as a strategic partner in June 2011, reached 33.9 percent, breaking the previous record of 32 per cent. The module was tested by the Instituto de Energía Solar at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (IES-UPM). This efficiency result was certified by the IES-UPM and corroborated by outdoor measurements made at the Institute of Concentration Photovoltaic Systems (ISFOC) in Puertollano, Spain.

“This is a significant milestone for Semprius and the entire PV industry,” said Scott Burroughs, vice president of Technology at Semprius. “For the first time, we have been able to convert more than one-third of the sun’s energy into usable electricity. This demonstrates how concentrated PV can leverage rapidly increasing efficiencies to continue driving down the cost of solar generated electricity.”

Semprius’ HCPV module design begins with its proprietary micro-transfer printing process. This process enables the company to fabricate the world’s smallest solar cell (approximately the size of a pencil point) to create solar modules with high efficiency and performance.

“This is the culmination of our emphasis on bringing smart design to solar,” said Joe Carr, chief executive officer of Semprius. “We looked carefully at each component of our module – cell, optics, enclosure and the manufacturing process – to develop a competitive solution that embodies high efficiency, performance and reliability.”

After developing its module with the support of the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Semprius is now ramping up global deployment of demonstration systems while completing construction of a pilot plant in Henderson, North Carolina. Commercial production at the plant will begin during the second half of 2012

Article by Antonio Pasolini, a Brazilian writer and video art curator based in London, UK. He holds a BA in journalism and an MA in film and television.

Related posts:

• Opel Solar Granted US Patent for Latest PV Installation Technology
• LG Electronics Unveils Plans to Enter US Solar Market
• Boeing Shatters Solar Power Record with 39.2% Cell Efficiency
• First Nation Community in Ontario goes Solar
• Record-Breaking Solar Cell Efficiency for Oerlikon, Corning

San Jose added more residential solar photovoltaic (PV) systems last year than any other city in California, according to the latest PV Solar Report, a quarterly analysis conducted by solar company SunRun.

San Jose’s number of home solar systems in 2011 was up 45.4% from just the year before, a dramatic increase that points to the rising popularity of home solar.

Out of the 960 home PV systems installed last year, 648 of them were leased systems, what SunRun calls “solar service.”

In total, nearly 7,500 home solar systems were installed in California last year.

SunRun, the nation’s top residential solar power company, installs over $1.5 million in solar every day.

SunRun president Lynn Jurich credits the company’s success to the growing popularity of solar leasing, stating that solar service “allows homeowners to make the switch for zero or very little money upfront, and they lock in a low rate for clean electricity.”

Beginning in June 2011, solar leasing in California began to outpace purchased systems. In December 2011 alone, over 70% of solar installations in the Golden State were leased systems.

The appeal of leasing reaches beyond lower monthly electric bills. Many Californians are glad to find affordable ways to support technologies that reduce the nation’s reliance on fossil fuels.

San Jose residents can take advantage of incentive programs as well, including the federal tax credit program that can cut installation costs by up to 30%.

San Jose Pacific, Gas & Electric (PG&E) customers are also eligible for per-watt rebates from the utility. The current rate for PG&E rebates is $.25 per watt.

For a 4 kilowatt-sized home PV system in San Jose, rebates can cut the upfront costs from $33,000 to $22,000, with a payback period of about eleven years.

PG&E customers in San Jose can take advantage of net-metering, too. By reducing their conventional electrical use, they can often stay in the base-rate range, avoiding higher rates during peak demand periods.

Whenever the home is generating more power than the home is using, PG&E will credit the surplus to their monthly bill.

The PV report not only looked at the number of solar installations added, but the fastest-growing California solar cities, such as Hemet and Apple Valley.

“We thought it was important to not just look at which cities have the most solar installations,” said PV Report founder Stephen Torres, “but also those that are growing the fastest.”

Related posts:

• City of San José Promotes Solar Home Tour
• San Jose Leading Electric Vehicle Charge in California
• Indian Clean Energy Growth Was Fastest in World in 2011, Report Says
• Google Invests $75 million in Residential Solar Power Fund
• California to Get another 250 MW of Solar Power

India has a Solar Mission to install 20,000 MW of solar power by 2022. Solar electricity is already cheaper than electricity produced with diesel generators.

These optimistic figures from India, the second most populated country in the world, has led the New Scientist magazine to write an in-depth article about it saying that India’s solar power revolution could have a ripple effect across the globe.

Solar panel prices fell by nearly 50 percent in 2011 and now they cost just one-quarter of what they did in 2008. This is good news for a good slice of the Indian population, one quarter of which lacks access to electricity. But electricity connection is not reliable, hence the use of diesel generators as backup power, increasing India’s share of greenhouse gases.

Solar electricity has fallen to 8.78 rupees per kilowatt hour (against 17 rupees for diesel-generated power) due to falling production costs. According to a Bloomberg News Energy Finance specialist, solar is now cheaper than diesel wherever it’s as sunny as Spain, which includes many parts of the world such as chunks of Latin America, Africa and Asia. Analysts say that by 2015 solar electricity will be as cheap as grid electricity in half of all countries.

This is good news because according to another report in the New Scientist, solar power will be the only truly clean form of power for humanity’s energy-demanding future.

Article by Antonio Pasolini, a Brazilian writer and video art curator based in London, UK. He holds a BA in journalism and an MA in film and television.

Related posts:

• Indian Clean Energy Growth Was Fastest in World in 2011, Report Says
• Energy Intensity: Energy Use by Country
• Blackstone Invests $300 Million in One of India’s Leading Solar PV Companies
• Mass Water Shipment Planned From Alaska to India
• India’s CO2 Emissions Will At Least Triple in the Next 20 Years

Today global thinking on sustainability is undergoing a revolution. Whereas once we may have looked at water efficiency, alternative energy and land use as separate issues, today our understanding is growing that in order to truly address sustainability, we need to look at all three together. McKinsey & Company recently issued an important report on this subject: “Resource Revolution: Meeting the world’s energy, materials, food and water needs”. Aquate Group is one Israeli company at the forefront of this new approach. Aquate has developed a triple-purpose infrastructure solution that produces new water in reservoirs, generates solar energy, and increases agricultural land.

According to Israel NewTech, currently Israel manages to reclaim around 75% of its urban sewage water, which is mostly used for agricultural irrigation. Israel is the global leader in water reclamation usage, with other countries trailing far behind.

In order to ensure that reclaimed water reaches its destination in optimal form, reservoirs need to be protected from the sun, which causes evaporation and high water salinity. The ideal method for protecting reservoir water is to use reservoir covers, a proven solution. Top-standard reservoir covers offer two major advantages—they serve as both water reclamation facilities and as roofs for installing solar panels. These facilities not only protect the water in the reservoir, but also produce renewable solar energy without using up valuable agricultural land (as happens with large terrestrial solar applications). Aquate is currently leading the deployment of these next generation multi-purpose reservoir covers. The focus in the water and energy industries on resource efficiency and productivity explains why Aquate has been receiving plenty of attention from key stakeholders in governments, businesses, and NGOs.

Aquate was established in 2006 and has locations in Israel and the Unites States. Barak Yekutiely serves as CEO and Chairman, and works in conjunction with the company’s 26 shareholders, senior executives, and engineers. The Aquate team has over 30 years of experience managing reservoir cover projects and solar energy installations.

The company operates on the basis of BAT – Best Available Technology. Aquate assesses and integrates the best available technologies into its proprietary and engineered infrastructure to provide a tailored and fully-financed solution for each individual project in order to ensure maximum long-term performance. To facilitate this, Aquate runs its own technology validation plant in Israel and has an expert team covering all aspects of project creation—design, regulatory approval, finance, construction, and maintenance.

Aquate’s projects pipeline covers 10% of all existing water reservoirs in Israel. Select projects under development involve The Israel Electric Corp.; the enhancement of Israel’s first pumped storage hydroelectricity facilities in the Gilboa and Manara with Electra; and the Moshavei Hanegev Development Company, the largest agricultural company in Israel.

Recently, at Israel’s leading industry event—the WATEC Exhibition (International Conference on Water Technologies, Renewable Energy & Environmental Control), Aquate signed a ground-breaking agreement with Mekorot, Israel’s national water company.

According to the agreement, Mekorot will give Aquate a 24-year lease on a 25-acre reservoir. Both companies estimate that the deal will save 4 million cubic meters of water. Aquate plans to establish an integrated evaporative water reclamation cover system on the reservoir, as well as a six megawatt solar plant.

Due to global interest in Aquate’s MRP activities and their immense potential, London-based Ernst & Young has developed an economic model for MRP solutions, and The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is working on establishing guidelines for setting an international standard for MRP.

Aquate’s innovations are leading a fascinating niche for MRP solutions involving water, energy, and land resources. The opportunity for MRP solutions is immense – McKinsey & Company, in a November 2011 report, estimated the MRP market at $3 trillion.

Article appearing courtesy Israel NewTech.

Related posts:

• China Introduces a Unified Grid Feed-in Tariff for Solar Power
• San Francisco Pledges Astounding 100% Green Energy by 2020
• Pumped Hydro: Part of the Solution to Our Energy Storage Needs
• How Do Relief Wells Work?
• Controversy Continues on Amazon Dam Project

San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) has filed two proposals with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) that, if approved, may allow you to choose electricity generated by solar energy instead of fossil fuel-based energy, whether you own a home or not.

SDG&E is applying to begin two pilot programs. Information for each of them (and they’re worth checking out) is detailed below.

Share the Sun Solar Farms

The first program, called “Share the Sun,” would allow solar contractors to purchase and install their own “solar farms” on their own or purchased property. San Diego customers would then be able to purchase a portion of the electricity generated from the provider installations.

You would be able to choose the size of the portion you wish to acquire, and would receive credit on your electricity bill for the value of the solar energy generated. In effect, this program would be similar to group-buying or community solar gardens.

Get a percentage of solar energy through SunRate

The second pilot program, called “SunRate,” would indirectly allow customers to purchase solar electricity produced by SDG&E’s own solar projects. SDG&E would establish a “green” rate that would reflect the cost of the solar energy generated by these projects.

In a twist that puts the power right in your hands, you could choose to have 50 percent, 75 percent or 100 percent of your electricity at the new, green rate. Although you would have to agree to a year’s subscription, the price (and reduction in energy costs) would be guaranteed for the term of the contract.

Why are utilities going solar?

In California, a utility’s renewable energy portfolio must represent 20 percent of that utility’s total energy distribution by 2013, and 33 percent by 2020. SDG&E has been showing progress towards reaching those goals, with several solar farms of their own up and running–and with more planned.

Recently, however, SDG&E proposed that the CPUC allow them to demand a “network usage charge,” a $20 to $30 a monthly fee, on homeowners who own or lease residential solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. The CPUC struck down the proposal.

SDG&E provides service to 3.5 million customers in San Diego and Orange County. The company is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy. Recently, Sempra Energy stock hit a new 52-week high. Before applying to the CPUC for the two pilot programs, SDG&E met with solar providers, community leaders and policymakers for input.

SDG&E is also proposing that the CPUC oversee a series of workshops where interested parties would be able to help shape the pilot programs to ensure transparency. Homeowners in San Diego can already save quite a bit on solar costs due to rebates, incentives and the like.

Should the CPUC approve the two pilot programs, many residents in the area will have the opportunity to go solar without installing a home solar power system at their own homes. As solar energy produced by larger solar installations typically costs less, residents may have the chance to lock in cheaper rates for their electricity, proving, once again, that going green can add green to the wallet, too.

Related posts:

• Hilary Clarke
• AT&T Bulks Up on Solar Power, Activates First California Site
• 10 Reasons Why San Diego is a Cleantech Leader
• IKEA to Install Solar Panels on Another 10 Branches in the U.S.
• EngEx Conference Goes to San Diego

The photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing process typically requires solar cells to be heated to extremely high temperatures. Traditional methods for heating involve utilizing conventional electric or infrared furnaces to heat the cells for long periods of time.

The heating process allows for the fabrication of the cells but is very expensive and results in impurities and imperfections in the PV cells.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the only federal laboratory exclusively dedicated to the research, commercialization and development of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies, has developed an optical furnace that may change the solar industry.

The optical furnace is able to heat PV cells more effectively at a fraction of the cost of traditional methods, which may result in a higher quality product at a lower cost.

The optical furnace is described in U.S. Patent Number 5,577,157, entitled “Optical Processing Furnace with Quartz Muffle and Diffuser Plate ” (’157 Patent) and U.S. Patent Application Number 2011/0003485, entitled “Optical Cavity Furnace for Semiconductor Wafer Processing” (’485 Application).

Figure 1 of the ’485 Application depicts an embodiment of the optical furnace. The furnace includes a bank of optical energy sources 12 a-n and reflectors 14 surrounding a transport system 22 enclosed in a cavity 18.

According to both the ’157 Patent and the ’485 Application, it is advantageous if the optical reflectors are made of a diffuse rather than a specular material. A diffuse reflector is advantageous because it ensures the optical energy is reflected evenly within the furnace cavity with a minimum of energy loss.

Figure 2 of the ’157 Patent shows another view of the optical furnace. The figure shows a bank of optical energy sources 21 above the furnace cavity 7. The cavity consists of a diffuse reflector box 15, 16, 17, 18 made of quartz, called the quartz box or muffle.

The figure also depicts a diffuser plate 9. The diffuser plate is also made of quartz and is placed on top of the quartz muffle in order to protect the muffle from the high energy released by the optical energy sources.

If the quartz muffle were to be damaged, replacement costs would be very high and the process would be time consuming. The diffuser plate is designed to be quickly and inexpensively replaced when damage occurs.

According to NREL, their optical furnace can potentially increase PV efficiency by four percentage points (from 16 to 20 percent). This would represent a major increase in efficiency.

Further, NREL is working in conjunction with AOS, Inc. to produce a manufacturing sized furnace. NREL anticipates this manufacturing furnace will be able to produce 1,200 highly efficient solar cells per hour. The increase in efficiency and manufacturer-scale production will all occur at a quarter of traditional PV manufacturing costs.

These improvements and reduced costs will hopefully mean better and less expensive PV cells on the market in the near future.

Article by David Gibbs, appearing courtesy Green Patent Blog.

Related posts:

• In PV Furnace Case Green Patent Litigation Moves Upstream
• US Government Leads Race to Zero Energy Buildings
• Solar Technology Innovators Get Official Support
• Making the Most of Wind Testing
• Making Solar Power Cheaper, Smaller, Easier

You may not have solar photovoltaic panels on your rooftop, but you can enjoy the benefits of solar power in several other ways. One of them is the FreeLoader Pro, a solar charger that powers most electrical devices, from the comfort of your home or during a expedition in the jungles of Africa.

It uses high power solar panels or USB (cable supplied) to charge its internal Li-ion battery. A full charge takes between seven and nine hours in sunny conditions. Once fully charged, Freeloader Pro is capable of delivering enough power to give a mobile phone 70 hours of standby time, 5,000 page turns on an eBook or a 100% full charge for a digital camera battery.

At 9.5V, the Freeloader Pro’s multi-voltage switch is capable of charging power-hungry, high-voltage devices such as MP4 players, portable DVD players and SLR camera batteries. It features a metallic push button “Power Halo” that indicates how much power is in the Freeloader Pro’s battery.

Freeloader Pro also features the CamCaddy. The CamCaddy is a specially designed adapter that accepts virtually every type of camera battery whether a simple compact digital camera, professional SLR or a video camera battery. CamCaddy suits all sizes of battery (3.2v to 7.9v) using its variable slider bar and adjustable contact pins.

Overview:
• Solar charger with a built-in Li-ion rechargeable battery
• Battery can be charged using solar cells or USB connection
• Specially designed CamCaddy can charge almost all camera and camcorder batteries (about 87% of camera models are compatible)
• Compatible with iPod, iPhone, Blackberry, current Samsung, LG, Sony Ericsson, Motorola cell phones, PSP, portable DVD and MP4 players, more
• Li-ion rechargeable battery capacity: 1600mAh
• Solar cells: 200mA premium quality crystalline
• Impact resistant, rust free aluminum body
• Weight: 6.1 oz (174g)
• Dimensions: 5.9″ x 2.5″ x .8″ (150 x 63 x 20mm)
• Includes: Freeloader charger, CamCaddy, carrying bag, 10 charging adapters, USB cable, manual
• View the User Manual or the Compatibility List

Article by Antonio Pasolini, a Brazilian writer and video art curator based in London, UK. He holds a BA in journalism and an MA in film and television.

Related posts:

• Stocking Stuffer – Solar Charger for Mobile Devices
• Mitsubishi Launches Solar-Powered EV Quick Charge Station
• Changers.com: The World’s First Social Energy Marketplace
• Tennessee Leads the Way in Solar Carports, EV Charging Stations
• New Fuel Cell Chargers on the Way