1Dec

Not Dead Yet: BoA-Merrill Lynch Steps Up, Revives Billion-Dollar SolarCity SolarStrong Project

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Some heartening news broke yesterday, at least if you’re a fan or supporter of clean energy and solar power. SolarCity and BoA-Merrill Lynch announced that they have agreed to terms on financing SolarStrong, a billion-plus dollar SolarCity project – the largest in US history – that could double the number of residential solar installations in the US by installing solar power systems on privatized US military housing communities across the country.

SolarCity is partnering with the leading privatized military housing developers in the US to install, own and operate rooftop solar power installations and provide electricity at a lower cost than utilities. The five-year project plan call for as many as 120,000 installations on military housing units expected to produce up to 300 megawatts of clean, renewable electricity. That would easily make SolarCity the largest provider of solar photovoltaic (PV) power in US history, (more…)

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30Nov

Cleantech 100 identifies top innovators in sustainability

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Recently the Cleantech Group, with the assistance of an advisory panel of corporate executives, sat down to decide upon the third annual Global Cleantech 100: the hundred “most promising and innovative” clean technology companies of 2011. The listed companies span a range of industries, and though solar energy firms, chemical recyclers, LED manufacturers and energy-monitoring software programmers certainly aren’t under-represented, many companies in the hundred are defined by a single product or idea. Gizmag scoured the Cleantech 100 to find what we thought were the ten most innovative companies.

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30Nov

Five creative pieces of art that harness renewable energy

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Five creative pieces of art that harness renewable energy

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Artists and researchers all over the world are constantly working to create such masterpieces that can promise a greener future and also inspire others to adapt an eco friendly lifestyle. To compliment the people who are working for this great cause, here are some of the most creative pieces of art that have the capability to harness clean, renewable energy:

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29Nov

What’s Next: Self-powered green homes

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What's Next Self-powered green homes

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As we know it

At a time when the world is looking for effective alternatives to replace the production of electricity from conventional sources, the concept of a self-powered house is slowly becoming popular as architects try to develop designs for a sustainable future. One can say that the future is safe as long as such endeavors continue to get more attention .These houses are mostly powered by renewable sources like the sunlight and the wind. The architects have used materials that have least negative impact on the environment. Not only this, they are unique designs that can provide both luxury and comfort to the users.

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29Nov

Self-Sufficient Thessaloniki Piers Pavilions Are Topped With Shiny Solar Orbs

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Self-Sufficient Thessaloniki Piers Pavilions Are Topped With Shiny Solar Orbs

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Giannikis SHOP recently won an honorable mention for their shiny, pneumatic proposal for the Thessaloniki Water Transport Piers Pavilions. The open air pavilions would feature inflated pneumatic structures positioned on top of the pier to provide shade and seating for passengers waiting for their ferry. A WC and ticket office sit nearby, while the inflatable structure overhead works to harvest rainwater for use by the pavilion as well as solar energy to power the LED lights. Open-air design combined with prefabricated elements would help reduce construction and operational costs over time.
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26Nov

Eco Island: Isle of Wight Developing England’s Largest Sustainable Community

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Eco Island Isle of Wight Developing England’s Largest Sustainable Community

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Off of England’s southern coast, the Isle of Wight is developing the largest sustainability project in the country. By 2020, “Eco Island” will become a net exporter of energy, and residents will see their electricity bills drop by 50%. The island will become a precedent for renewable energy and sustainability practices, and an example of Prime Minister David Cameron’s “Big Society” concept for the UK.

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26Nov

European consortia to build renewable energy farms in Arab deserts

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Europe’s ambitious project to capture solar and wind energy across Arab deserts to power homes in Europe, the Middle East and Africa inched forward Thursday despite technical and political hurdles.

Two international consortiums led by German and French industrial giants joined forces in highly complex drives to deploy solar panels and wind turbines in arid regions, and sink cables across the Mediterranean.

The two groups, Desertec Industry Initiative and Medgrid, signed a cooperation deal in Brussels on the sidelines of an EU energy ministers’ meeting, linking projects aimed at meeting 15 percent of Europe’s electricity demand by 2050.

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24Nov

Google Pulls Plug on Renewable Energy Project

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Google Pulls Plug on Renewable Energy Project

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Google Inc has abandoned an ambitious project to make renewable energy cheaper than coal, the latest target of Chief Executive Larry Page’s moves to focus the Internet giant on fewer efforts.

Google said on Tuesday that it was pulling the plug on seven projects, including Renewable Energy Cheaper than Coal as well as a Wikipedia-like online encyclopedia service known as Knol.

The plans, which Google announced on its corporate blog, represent the third so-called “spring cleaning” announcement that Google has made since Google co-founder Page took the reins in April.

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24Nov

How Tariffs Could Impact Solar Industry

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Would tariffs placed on Chinese solar panels amount to “protectionism?” Are the companies most critical of the trade complaint “just crying foul?” And what’s more important to American companies, the race to grid parity or the desire to reclaim solar manufacturing from China?

With the creation of competing coalitions, the sides have been clearly labeled, and the opinions have become increasingly entrenched. But there remains a striking lack of clarity about what happens if and when tariffs are placed on solar panels and cells imported into the U.S., and how that could ultimately impact American businesses and American solar capacity.

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23Nov

Bill Gates calls for massive increase in energy research

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Even though it’s supposed to be a time of federal fiscal austerity, Bill Gates says its time to double down on energy research.

The software industry icon and philanthropist on Friday published an editorial in Science calling for a massive boost in federal energy research and development from about $5 billion a year now to $16 billion.

“In a time of economic crisis, asking policymakers in Washington, D.C., to spend more money might not be the most popular position. But it’s essential to protect America’s national interests and ensure that the United States plays a leading role in the fast-growing global clean energy industry,” Gates wrote, noting that federally funded research in energy has dropped by more than 75 percent in the last three decades.

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