Excellent news for solar in Arizona: late last week, the State Legislature put the final kibosh on a bill that would have permanently capped the amount of clean energy used by Arizonans. With your help we’ve been working to defeat the dangerous and misguided HB 2789, which would have prevented any future increase in the state’s clean energy standard. (more…)

Good news in the desert Southwest: on Tuesday, Governor Jan Brewer signed two solar-friendly bills supported by Vote Solar and our Arizona partners. HB 2830 removes the 2013 sunset date on school districts’ ability to install solar and other energy-saving measures. SB 1229 clarifies that the sale of Renewable Energy Credits is not taxable – and also (more…)

Ohio’s solar market is very similar to those of neighboring states in that it is premised upon a RPS solar carve-out. 0.5% of Ohio’s total electricity supply by 2024, that is; half of which must be derived from in-state solar resources.

As we reported on back in March, there has been (more…)

One of the most important factors in moving the United States over from conventional to solar energy is making it financially enticing for the average user, as well as for producers. Currently, this enticement comes in the form of rebates, most notably sustainable renewable energy credits (SRECs) and feed-in tariffs (FiTs). (more…)

I love solar thermal. It’s a simple, reliable, provides solid returns and can have a significant impact on reducing business costs for heavy hot water use facilities; hotels, car washes, laundry mats, food processing plants, you name it. Unfortunately in the past few years the solar pv industry has taken the lead to (more…)

Last Friday, Salt River Project, a utility that serves a third of Arizona, announced new ‘Sustainable Portfolio Priniciple’ goals. Perhaps you saw press accounts (Phoenix Business Times, Arizona Republic). What does it mean for renewable energy?

Well, it’s not totally clear. SRP announced that their new proposal is for 18% of their (more…)

New Jersey has always tried to be in the lead of the cleantech race in the United States. To reach its renewable energy goals in 2020, it has become the number two country in solar power, behind California, and has invested into the research and development of further clean technologies. Through the use of incentives, programs, and rebates, the impact of cleantech in the (more…)

Because of the enormous popularity of last week’s post on green project finance–Let’s Make A Deal–Top 10 Rules Of Green Project Finance–I have decided to do a series on the various aspects of green project finance. 

Today we will discuss alternative financing mechanisms for green projects.  Over the (more…)

Solar installation costs are projected to fall even further in 2010, study finds.

A complex mix of market forces and policy incentives contributed to a historic low for the average cost of installing solar panels in the U.S. in 2009, according to a new study. But perhaps the most important finding of the study is that decreases in the (more…)