For decades California has lead the US solar industry, and is home to half of the installed photovoltaic solar capacity for the whole country.  While California is known for its abundant sunshine, its affinity for solar power and its large solar market are based on far more than this.  One of the biggest reasons why California (more…)

Solar power is a great answer to those concerned with emissions and generating their own electricity and heat. True, efficiency is still an issue as PV panels often convert less than 20% of sunlight into electricity. But one California company is maximizing the power of the sun with an innovative, multitasking product. (more…)

Ground-mounted systems are probably the simplest way to install solar on a larger scale compared to other types of installations such as roofs or parking structures. These systems can be held down by a variety of foundations, including concrete footings, pile driven posts, piers, metal earth screws (more…)

When seen from above, concertina wire-contained campuses of correctional facilities stand out as mini and menacing mazes in the midst of expansive tracts of otherwise unused federal property. Though I would prefer state parks to state prisons, transforming these barren outposts into solar (more…)

The California Public Utilities Commission voted down proposals by PG&E that would have been a big step backward for solar customers. The two major victories were 1) the CPUC opted to maintain its 4 tier rate structure, wherein high usage customers are given a strong price signal to (more…)

Over the past year and to the chagrin of many, Maryland has struggled to ensure that its net metering program remains an effective policy mechanism for the future of solar deployment. Of particular concern was legislation passed in 2010 that would have significantly weakened the state’s net metering policy (more…)

A solar panel and a yoga mat not often appear in the same sentence. But future solar panels have been compared to mats as a new technology promises to deliver amazing flexibility and efficiency within five years.

According to a report on Boston.com, (more…)

In the wake of Japan’s natural disasters and nuclear spill-out, the country’s prime minister Naoto Kan announced that it would look for renewable energy alternatives to power the country.

In line with that previous announcement, AFP reports that the country is expected to announce at the G8 (more…)

I have posted previously about the Destiny USA debacle, wherein the IRS is auditing a "green" shopping center project that failed to meet its sustainability obligations that qualified it for tax exempt bonds.

Now, according to the Boston Globe, a solar (more…)

Considering switching to solar power in your house? Great, we like the sound of that. In order to make your transition to solar power a happier experience, we asked the folks at Batteries in a Flash for a few tips.

1 – Get Professional Help
This will help you in many ways. First, solar (more…)