Joining the ranks of 5 countries other than the U.S. that have hit the 1 gigawatt solar milestone (Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan, and the Czech Republic), California has now installed its 1st gigawatt (or 1,000th megawatt) of rooftop solar installed.
To put that into perspective, 1GW of solar can power up to 750,000 homes and is equal to about 2 coal-fired power plants.
Why we are asking this now?
Solar energy does not require any introduction as a potential source of renewable energy. Sunlight is plenty through out the year in tropical and subtropical regions. And these regions consist all most 50 percent of total land mass in the world. So, if solar energy is harnessed efficiently along these areas, energy generation would become lot greener in future.
However, today’s solar technology has too many problems starting from capturing sunlight to storage and distribution of generated electricity. For power generation, generally, two types of technologies are used – photovoltaic and solar thermal type. And both the technologies are expensive to install. Photovoltaic cells are made of expensive silicon compounds while the thermal type system requires huge parabolic structures to concentrate heat.
The mass installation on 600 homes in Broxtowe and Aspley is one of the largest to be carried out in the UK in a single domestic scheme. The energy savings are thought to total around £72,000 a year. The solar industry said the government’s plans to cut feed-in tariffs by over 50% in the next six weeks would devastate the number of installations on homes, schools and small businesses
As we know it
Solar energy is one of the most vital renewable sources of energy existing across the world. Till date, there are plenty of solar energy based machines invented. Every now and then, solar based machines are getting popular with a rapid rate. The successful growth of eco-friendly concept also supported the profound usage of solar based appliances. Solar panels are one of the very effective applications of solar energy. These are well suited for domestic placement.
Landfills are a constant reminder of the waste we produce, but a new innovation could throw out the notion of a “dump” by turning them into solar power dynamos.
energyNOW! visited Conley, Georgia to see how one company is generating renewable energy while safely covering nine million cubic yards of municipal solid waste.
As Americans, we’re conditioned to think big. Big houses, big cars, big screens. Big, centralized power plants that blast energy to our big cities and big suburbs. But there’s a compelling argument to be made for breaking with that paradigm, and starting to think smaller. Of course, that applies to all of the above, but let’s focus on power generation.
Most of us get our power from ginormous coal, gas, nuclear, or hydro plants that create a massive amount of power and transmit it far across the grid. So, as we shift to renewable power, many expected we’d follow that mold, with huge solar arrays and sprawling wind farms. While those are great, there’s reason to believe that seeking to stimulate the growth of a bevy of smaller, local solar projects would be faster, more cost effective, and create more jobs. This infographic/advertisement for local solar explains
OneRoof Solar is offering a new twist on the solar lease: when you replace your roof, you can get integrated solar panels with no incremental cost.
The company today announced it raised a $50 million series A round led by the solar arm of Korean conglomerate Hanwha Group. The company also said it has secured the funding to finance solar installations at residential customers.
Solar leases, which are available in about 20 states now, have quickly become a popular way to have solar photovoltaic panels installed. Instead of purchasing the panels, homeowners pay a monthly fee and the solar installer or bank owns the panels. With the monthly fee and lower electricity bills from the solar panels’ production, consumers pay a lower amount than they were paying before panels were installed.
Solus4 recently proposed a design solution for the Busan Opera House competition that symbolizes the elements of culture and history of Korea. Alfonso Lopez, lead designer describes the origins of the design: “A very special characteristic of Korean heritage is the linked uniformity of the art, history, culture and language.
The Department of Energy today backed a deal to connect solar electric panels at 160,000 locations on military bases, a move which could double the number of residential solar installations in the U.S.
The DOE said it has provided a conditional commitment to guarantee a $344 million loan for the SolarStrong Project, which will help the military meet its renewable energy targets and bring solar power to a many states which now have little.
Economic woes have challenged California’s commitment to install 1 million solar power systems by 2016, but thanks to continuous advances in solar technology and financing options, as well as a variety of rebate and incentive programs, the state is getting back on track to achieving that goal. In California and across the nation, solar systems have never been more affordable.
Eco-minded Californians are realizing how important it is to assume leadership roles in the state’s quest to reduce carbon emissions, especially when it comes to alternative clean energy.
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