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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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There are many solar energy gadgets out there, but some of them seem to stand out. Take the LightShip, for example. It is a practical, portable solar light that could be the clean energy answer to campers, boats, cabins and emergency use. I particularly like the fact that it features three suction cups so that you can attach it to any smooth surface!

• Eight hours of light on a full charge of sunshine
• Daylight sensor that automatically turns it off during the day
• 3-way switch – white light, red light, off
• Long-lasting 900mA NmH battery for quick charges
• Weather-proof
• Tough polycarbonate plastic housing
• 5″ Diameter x 2″ High

It weights only 227g and the bulb features white and red LEDs.

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.

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Last September we ran a blog post about Nokia’s adventure with solar power for cell phones. The Finnish giant sent some testers out into the big wide world to see how solar power would fare when it came to charging mobile phones with sunlight. The conclusion: it depends on lifestyle, baby.

The testers went to the Baltic Sea, camping in a Swedish forest and were in Kenya in Africa to test the technology in wildly different setting. The technology was named Lokki, especially developed small solar charging panels that were integrated to Nokia C1-02 devices.

Later on Nokia wrote a blog post saying that performance really depends on lifestyle. For instance, the security guard in Kenya collected more solar energy than anybody else because of the stationary nature of his work. He placed his phone on a pillar next to the gate where he was working and the Kenyan sun did the rest.

Elsewhere, Aino, a scout in Sweden, gained 15 percent battery life during the ten-day camp. Because she was on the move all the time, exposing the device to the sun was more complicated.

The Baltic sea tester, Pettery, had little time to use his phone and so he could fully power it from the sun during his expedition. He could even top up his battery. Also the phone was always facing the sun from the deck of the boat.

Nokia’s conclusion: “Our test users proved beyond doubt that a low power mobile phone can stay functioning for long periods of time on solar energy. However, they also proved that your lifestyle and how you use a solar powered phone is as important as the environment, the weather and the time of year.”

The question is: when will we see commercial mobile phones that are powered with solar energy, if ever? Well, for now it seems solar power is only feasible for basic mobile phones whose power consumption is low and after an extended period of exposure to the sun – so power-hungry smartphone users will have to wait longer. You’ll need a good harvesting day to get an hour of talk (which is not bad, really). On cloudy days, the phone may need to be shut down in order to maintain some charge. Therefore, solar mobile phones may be better suited for regions in the world where sunshine is constant and where the grid is not available. It may not provide a 24-hour connection but it could provide a communication solution for those living in remote regions.

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.

photo: Nokia Solar Charging Blog

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People developing solar energy lights have all sorts of ideas, and sometimes they are very swell …Take the case of the LuminAID Light. It’s an inflatable nifty number, that fully charges with four to six hours of solar exposure.

The light was designed for disaster zones. Electricity is one of the first vital services affected by catastrophe and current solar power solutions are expensive and difficult to manufacture and transport. The LuminAID solar light addresses these issues by providing a useful and portable form of light for disaster victims.

They replace kerosene lamps, which are toxic and a safety hazard, besides making a dent of up to 30% on the income of those who need it. As solar technology becomes better and more portable, hopefully the stinky kerosene lamp will be a thing of a fossil fuel past.

LuminAID is the brainchild of Anna Stork, an architect whose previous jobs include working for the Department of Defense developing technologies to help soldiers survive in remote locations, and Andrea Sheshta, an architect and former employee at Kohn Pedersen Fox Architects in New York.

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.

photo: LuminAID

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As anyone who has taken on a remodeling project knows, more time can be spent preparing for the project than for the actual installation. Homeowners who try to install a residential solar photovoltaic (PV) system often face complicated processes to get the permits that will not only ensure that their projects are up to code, but that they’ll be eligible for solar rebates and incentive programs.

For many residents of New York, going solar is about to become a whole lot simpler. In fact, a process that once took months could now take less than two weeks.

Streamlined Path to Solar

The Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) recently announced that they are partnering with planning commissions in Nassau County and Suffolk County to create a streamlined and standardized permitting process for residential PV systems and solar hot water systems throughout Long Island.

The regional collaboration that helped formed the new initiative included government officials, industry representatives and advocates for renewable energy. The regional initiative is believed to first of its kind in the country.

LIPA, a not-for-profit electric utility that provides electric service for more than 1 million customers in Nassau County, Suffolk County and the Rockaway Peninsula, has been a significant player in the nation’s push to become less dependent on fossil fuels. The company’s solar programs have rebated over $100 million for over four thousand PV installations.

Formerly, each town and village had their own set of regulations for PV installations. This not only created confusion among homeowners and solar installers, but caused delays and frequently added to the expense of the installations as well. The new solar permitting process is expected to cover more than 80% of new solar installations.

New Incentives for New Yorkers

To incentivize municipalities to join the effort, LIPA offered $15,000 to each township and $5,000 to villages that adopted the key components of the plan by the end of 2011.

Here’s what homeowners in the area can expect from the new initiative:

• Application fees will be minimal or waived.
• Permits will be accepted or denied with 14 days of submittal.
• A “Solar Energy System Fast Track Permit Application” will replace existing building permit forms.
• A central registry of all solar installations will be created.
• Safety warning labels will be standardized.

Gordian Raacke, Executive Director for the not-for-profit group Renewable Energy Long Island, praised the new program. “Inconsistent local permit requirements can add hundreds of dollars to the cost of installing a solar electric system,” he said.

Raacke expects that the new permitting system will not only make installing a home solar system easier and cheaper, but will help ensure that the systems are properly designed and installed as well.

Michael Hervey, LIPA’s Chief Executive Officer agrees. Hervey expects that the streamlined permitting process “to act as a catalyst to encourage more homeowners to take advantage of LIPA’s solar programs and save money, while at the same time helping to foster new jobs in the local solar market.”

Photo: Long Island Sunset by Benson Kua

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One of the greatest problems of large scale solar power facilities is that they do not produce electricity at night, and when they do produce power, it is constantly fluctuating with the sun’s strength. Under development in the deserts of Tonopah, Nevada is a new technology that will effectively store solar energy in the form of molten salt. When the sun goes down, thermal energy from the salt will be able to produce electricity for eight to ten hours.

The new facility, known as the SolarReserve Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Plant, is expected to be operational by 2013. Rather than directly converting sunlight to electricity through photovoltaic panels, it will utilize solar thermal. A vast array of mirrors will direct concentrated sunlight to a single point to boil water which will then power a steam turbine. The boiling water will also be used to heat salt which has the capacity to store energy.

Another company, BrightSource, is planning to build three more similar facilities in California, expected to be operational in 2016 and 2017. The SolarReserve plant will produce 110 megawatts at its peak and then store energy for the night. Combined with the three BrightSource plants, they can power tens of thousands of southwestern households through the summer evening, a time when air conditioners are most active.

The technology is still very new, and it is unclear as to whether it will be widely adopted. That will most likely depend on the results of the initial SolarReserve Plant. However, some very large companies are starting to invest in it, such as Google, Chevron, and Good Energies. Electric utilities have already signed up to deliver its power such as NV Energy and Southern California Edison, which are looking to expand their renewable energy portfolio.

The US Department of Energy is also taking notice. In September, it gave the company a loan guarantee of $737 million for its new Nevada facility. This is despite the recent controversy over the Energy Department’s $535 million loan guarantee to now bankrupt solar panel manufacturer, Solyndra. The difference is that the Nevada plant will actually produce energy, and Solyndra only produced goods that were pre-sold by contract.

The best thing going for the SolarReserve plant is that it has the potential to solve a primary reason not to invest in solar, its unreliability and inability to produce power at night. According to Kevin B. Smith, chief executive of SolarReserve, “As we move forward, we’ll get more and more traction with the fact we can provide more capacity.”

For more information: http://www.tonopahsolar.com/

Article by David A. Gabel, appearing courtesy Environmental News Network.

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Andasol, a gigantic farm with 600,000 parabolic mirrors that follow the sun on its daily path across the Earth, has gone online. The system occupies an area that equals the size of 210 football fields.

According to 9Billion, the project is on the Guadix plateau and is a cooperation between four German companies who invested €350 million (US$ 455.3 million). The plateau is 1,100 meters above sea level and the farm will receive 2,000 hours of sunlight per year.

Solar energy’s main growth in 2011 came from commercial properties and utility-based installations, although residential solar installations also saw significant growth, thanks to feed-in tariff schemes, leasing programs and lower costs.

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.

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