Each day, our industry sits down and whittles the unsightly knots off the tree we call solar energy. We, as a group, spend more time than we should pointing to one of a growing number of reasons why solar energy isn’t taking hold in America: that perhaps our government incentives were cut too quickly, that our state’s SREC program is broken, that the net metering (more…)

Two of the most interesting and efficient air conditioners arriving on the market this cooling season have come to us, not from the world of mainstream air conditioner manufacturers, but from renewable energy companies.

The first of them is the SplitCool DC18 solar air (more…)

Given the intermittent nature of wind and solar, it is becoming increasingly clear that these technologies need a side-kick known as energy storage in order to get the full value of these renewable sources. Energy storage allows electricity produced by wind and solar, during off peak demand times, to be better matched when the electricity is needed. A major driver of growth of both the wind and solar industries has been favorable tax credit treatment. Acknowledging this fact, Congress has been working on game changing legislation aimed at the energy storage industry. On July 20, U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) introduced The Storage Technology of Renewable and Green Energy Act of 2010 Act (STORAGE Act 2010 – S. 3617) revision to the Storage Act introduced in 2009.

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Last Wednesday, the New York State Research Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) made details about new financial incentives for solar installations (PON2112) available on its site.

Putting forth a strong commitment to solar energy in the state, NYSERDA is offering (more…)