Fresno Solar Tour

$7 solar oven design wins $75,000 prize

2009-04-13T09:02:00.000-07:00

When Jon Bohmer sat down with his two little girls for a simple project they could work on together, he didn't realize they'd hit upon a solution to one of the world's biggest problems for just $5: A solar-powered oven.

The ingeniously simple design uses two cardboard boxes, one inside the other, and an acrylic cover that lets in the sun's rays and traps them.

Black paint on the inner box, and silver foil on the outer one, help concentrate the heat. The trapped rays make the inside hot enough to cook casseroles, bake bread and boil water.

What the box also does is eliminate the need in developing countries for rural residents to cut down trees for firewood. About 3 billion people around the world do so, adding to deforestation and, in turn, global warming.

By allowing users to boil water, the simple device could also potentially save the millions of children who die from drinking unclean water.

Bohmer's invention on Thursday won the FT Climate Change Challenge, which sought to find and publicize the most innovative and practical solution to climate change.

"A lot of scientists are working on ways to send people to Mars. I was looking for something a little more grassroots, a little simpler," Bohmer said Thursday.

Bohmer's contest win notwithstanding, solar cooking with a cardboard oven isn't new. Two American women, Barbara Kerr and Sherry Cole, were the solar box cooker's first serious promoters in the 1970s. They and others joined forces to create the non-profit Solar Cookers International -- originally called Solar Box Cookers International -- in 1987.

Further, the organization's executive director, Patrick Widner, said that the plans for a solar box cooker were found in a book published by the Peace Corps in the 1960s.

"We are pleased that Mr. Bohmer has taken up the cause and interest of the 95 member organizations and 160 individuals of the Solar Cookers Worldwide Network," Widner said. "It would be a pleasure to work with Mr. Bohmer in Kenya where we have been promoting the use of solar cookers for ten years."

Bohmer, a Norwegian-born entrepreneur based in Kenya, said he also had been looking at solutions "way too complex, for way too long."

"This took me about a weekend, and it worked on the first try," Bohmer said. "It's mind-boggling how simple it is."

The contest was organized by the Forum for the Future -- a sustainable development charity -- and the Financial Times newspaper. Among the judges were British business magnate Richard Branson and environmentalist Rajendra Pachauri. The public also voted on the finalists.

Bohmer's invention beat about 300 other entries, including a machine that turns wood and other organic material into charcoal, wheel covers that make trucks more fuel efficient by reducing drag, and a feed supplement for livestock that reduces the methane they emit by 15 percent.

Bohmer named his invention the Kyoto Box, after the international environmental treaty to reduce global warming.

The box can be produced in existing cardboard factories. It has gone into production in a factory in Nairobi, Kenya, that can churn out about 2.5 million boxes a month.

Bohmer has also designed a more durable version, made from recycled plastic, which can be produced just as cheaply.

He envisions such cardboard ovens being distributed throughout rural Africa.

"In the West, we cook with electricity, so it's easy to ignore this problem," he said. "But half the world's population is still living in a stone age. The only way for them to cook is to make a fire.

"I don't want to see another 80-year-old woman carrying 20 kilos of firewood on her back. Maybe we don't have to."
Yyoto Energy
Source

Gas prices: Above $2, and rising

2009-03-28T13:14:00.000-07:00

Gas prices have risen 5% in just nine days, above $2, and they will continue inching higher despite the battered economy.

Motorist group AAA reported gas prices rose 2.3 cents to $2.009 on Thursday, rising above the $2 mark for the first time since Nov. 20.

Thursday's report caps a nine-day streak of increases in which gas prices have risen 5.2%.

The steady increase in prices at the pump recalls the previous year's wild ride when gasoline hit a record-high of $4.114. While prices are expected to continue climbing in 2009, the superspike seen in July seems unlikely.
It's a marathon, not a sprint

Prices traditionally increase in the spring and summer - but this year the climb "will be a jog, not a sprint," said Tom Kloza, publisher at the Oil Price Information Service.

"The market is moving up because of the season, not because of fundamentals," he said. "It's a trend, but this is not going to be a year of apocalyptic pricing."

This year will see a slow increase in prices, unlike the fluctuations of the last three years, he said.

Gas prices started 2009 around $1.61 a gallon, which Kloza expects will be the low for the year. Prices will probably peak at $2.25 for the first six months of of the year, he said.

Then hurricane season begins, and storms in oil-production areas can affect prices in unpredictable ways, Kloza said.

Gas prices are susceptible to world events, which make forecast difficult, said Robert Sinclair, spokesman for AAA New York.

"Any crisis, real or imagined, across the globe can make prices go crazy," Sinclair said. "Whether it's a major world event, government actions, or the weather, it's difficult to tell what will come up this year."

Regardless, gas prices will stay relatively low until the U.S. economy begins to stabilize.

Kloza pointed to still-low diesel prices as an indication of the commercial sector's continued suffering. A prolonged jump in the unemployment rate could also lower gas prices, Kloza said.

Though gas prices are off their recent lows, motorists will still save about $100 on gas in July 2009 over July 2008, he said.
Oil

Oil prices settled up $1.58, or almost 3%, to $53.44 at the close of trading Thursday. That's the highest since Nov. 28.

The Energy Information Administration released a mixed inventory report Wednesday, showing soaring oil supplies but lower-than-expected gasoline stockpiles.

Oil prices remained lower but recovered from earlier losses on Wednesday as news of the Treasury Department's bad-bank plan, which pleased investors, outweighed the supply report.

Source

Top 10 Sustainability Myths

2009-03-16T22:27:00.000-07:00

I winced when I saw the headline “Top 10 Myths about Sustainability.” These articles are almost always an excuse for lame contrarianism. Did you know that a Prius is worse than a Hummer!?!?!! Did you know that farmer’s markets kill panda bears!?!?

But hey, guess what, the article is really good, providing food for thought on a number of contentious issues. For example:

Myth 2: Sustainability is all about the environment.

Is climate change an environmental issue or an economic issue? Are we killing the planet, or just making it an inhospitable place for humans?

Myth 4: It’s all about recycling.

Recycling is important, but the outsized grip it has on the public imagination puzzles a lot of environmentalists. Do you recycle religiously, eat a ton of fast food, and drive thirty miles to work every day? If so, your environmental priorities may be out of whack.

Myth 7: Consumer choices and grassroots activism, not government intervention, offer the fastest, most efficient routes to sustainability.

We obviously need grassroots activism, consumer awareness, and government intervention. But in a world of tradeoffs and priorities, this all-of-the-above formulation can be a bit of a cop-out. What problems can we reasonably expect individuals to address, and what areas require a strong policy framework?

Myth 9: Sustainability is ultimately a population problem.

In a trivial sense everything is a population problem: no people, no problem. Unfortunately, this formulation fails to provide any leverage on a solution. The challenge for humanity is, how do we support this number of people on this Earth, in a sustainable manner?

5 Steps to a Solar Home

2009-03-14T10:06:00.000-07:00

It's a lot easier and less expensive to take your home solar than most people think. Thanks to generous financial incentives from the government and innovative alternatives to purchasing a system, homeowners are discovering there aren't really any risks remaining to going solar.

Like many things, home solar was first adopted by people who were concerned about their environmental and energy footprints. Now, others are following suit, primarily because it makes financial sense. Our electricity rates are going up: the price we pay for residential electricity rose on average 26.8 percent from 2002-2007 in the U.S. With home solar, you essentially lock in a low rate for all the electricity you'll consume in the future--for instance, think about how much you'd save if you could lock in your gasoline price at $1 per gallon for the next twenty years. Over time, going solar today will save you serious cash.

Here are five easy steps to get you started.

1. Figure out your home's solar potential

- If your electricity bill is higher than $100 on average per month, solar can save you money--depending on which purchasing option you choose and your prevailing utility rates, you could see savings of up to 60% within the first month of going solar.
- You'll need enough sunlight on your roof. Geography, roof orientation, and shading are all factors an expert can assess for you.

2. Research your options

There are a lot of resources on the web. States that offer incentives frequently have websites with good information, and many solar companies have good general information about going solar on their sites as well.

- Most people choose to work with a professional solar company to design and install a home solar system. You can get a good feel for a solar company from its website.

3. Decide what's best for your home and finances

Questions to ask include:

Q: Should I purchase a system outright or pay as I go? There are alternatives to buying a system all at once that dramatically reduce the upfront costs of home solar and still provide the long-term benefits, including power purchase agreement (PPA) or leasing options.

Q: What's the best return on my investment? Make sure to consider how your home solar solution will reduce your energy costs over time. Also, investigate how having home solar will factor in if you sell your house.

Q: Are maintenance and repairs included? Some companies take care of your system for you, others don't.

Q: Does my solar company have happy customers? Talk to everyone you can before choosing a solar solution and installer. Ask to speak with recent customers to make sure they're happy with their solar experience.

Q: How will the panels look on my house? Not all home solar installations are created equal when it comes to aesthetics. Choose the product you're most comfortable with.

4. Install your system

- A typical home solar installation will take only four to six days. There will be some additional delays before your system can be turned on after it's installed: your local utility company will need to come out to approve the system and properly connect it to the utility grid.

5. Enjoy your savings

- There's nothing quite like seeing your utility meter spin backwards because of solar. In order to make sure your system delivers all the electricity (and resulting savings) you expect, however, you need to monitor it. Some companies will do this for you, and with others you'll have to buy a separate monitoring solution.

I think the following statement from one of my company's customers sums it up:

"I can't complain. My utility bill dropped from $275 to $5.25 the first month I went solar."
--Harry, Fresno, California.

Source: Huffington Post
Written by Lynn Jurich, president and co-founder of SunRun.

Congress Passes the Most Powerful Solar Legislation in History

2009-03-10T09:41:00.000-07:00

Homeowners battling against soaring energy prices and a struggling economy have gained a powerful new tool to help harness free, renewable energy from the sun, the wind and other sustainable resources.

The U.S. House and Senate passed historic legislation that will massively increase the use of solar energy all across the America. Renewable energy provisions in H.R.1424 include an eight year extension of the 30% solar tax credit and removal of the monetary cap for residential solar electric installations. The legislation became active on January 1, 2009.

Click here to find frequently asked questions, the full text of H.R.1424. or see bill summary.

The solar provisions in this bipartisan legislation will help position the U.S. as a global leader in the booming solar marketplace, generating thousands of green-collar jobs, promoting energy independence, and helping to tackle climate change.

"Renewable energy and energy efficiency are our economic drivers,” said Brad Collins, Executive Director of the nonprofit American Solar Energy Society. “I applaud members of Congress for coming together to extend the renewable energy tax credits that will strengthen the new energy economy and generate green jobs at a time when they’re needed most.”

Key provisions of this legislation will:

* Extend the investment tax credit for residential and commercial solar installations for eight years (it was previously set to expire at the end of 2008)
* End the $2000 cap on the investment tax credit for residential solar electric installations placed into service after December 31, 2008
* Allows filers of the alternative minimum tax to claim solar investment tax credits
* Allows public utilities to claim the solar investment tax credits
* Authorize $800 million in new clean renewable energy bonds and creates a new category of tax credit bonds called Qualified Energy Conservation Bonds to finance state and local initiatives to reduce carbon emissions
* Extends deductions for energy efficient commercial buildings
* Establishing a new tax credit for purchasers of plug-in electric-drive vehicles
* Extends research and development tax credits

Kiva: Loans that Change Lives

2009-03-08T13:27:00.000-07:00

Kiva's is an established non-profit whose mission it is to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty. Kiva is the world's first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend directly to unique entrepreneurs in the developing world. My wife and I absolutely love this organization and the good work they facilitate around the world. You can view our lender page here if you would like to. Also, there is a Give Green: Environmental Loans group which we joined up with too. Kinda fun to specifically invest in these types of eco ventures. It is easy for anyone to afford a loan with $25 minimum.

Green Fresno - New Online Community

2009-02-03T11:58:00.000-08:00

Green Fresno is an information portal about making Fresno "green". It is about natural resource conservation,renewable energy, walkable city design, growing more trees, sustainable living, and the many folks that support and debate these ideas.
www.GreenFresno.org

Raise Gasoline Taxes—really!

2009-01-18T08:08:00.000-08:00

By Ken Martens Friesen

Want to make someone hate you really quickly? Tell them you wish gas prices would go back up, and you think we should ask our legislators for a $1.00/gallon consumption tax on gasoline. That should lose you a few friends. Yet this seemingly illogical proposal might make a lot of sense right now, as America tries to move rapidly towards energy independence and a fossil-fuel free future.

What is the logic of paying more for gas when we may be in the midst of a recession, and the only good thing on the horizon is the possibility of cheaper gas prices for months or years to come? With $4/gallon gas, consumers were starting to buy more fuel-efficient vehicles, driving fewer miles and generally becoming more energy conscious. The last time that happened was in the 1970s (1973 and 1979), when oil embargoes hit and we were faced with dramatically higher gas prices. Do you see the trend here? Oil prices up, we use less oil; oil prices down, we consume more oil.

The 1980s and 1990s, dominated by low energy prices, brought us to our current dependence on foreign fossil fuels and the rapid increase of carbon dioxide in our skies. In 1973 we imported 30 percent of our oil; by 2006 we imported 60 percent. Between 1985 and 2005 the average fuel economy of American cars and light trucks actually went down. Higher oil prices have been the most effective way of making our country increase energy efficiency and reduce reliance on foreign oil. It happened in the mid 1970s, and was beginning to happen over the last two years. It is likely that if cheap gas prices continue consumers will be lured again into buying larger vehicles and driving more.

Why a $1/gallon gas tax now? We need to make our economy more green, reduce global warming and become more efficient and competitive with Europe and Asia. The tax would fund clean alternatives to fossil fuels, especially wind and solar, plug-in hybrids, all-electric cars, light rail, high-speed rail and second generation bio-fuels that actually help the environment. Both presidential contenders were united on the need to move towards energy independence and tackle global warming. A gas tax would make certain this would happen in the most efficient manner possible. The money would go straight from being part of the problem to being part of the solution.

Why a $1/gallon gas tax now? We are very familiar with $4/gallon gas prices and it would be easier to live with higher prices now than having to try to adjust once again to high prices in the future. To have any chance of locking in the positive effects of high gas prices, we need to keep prices high enough for change to take effect. European countries tax gas at a much higher rate than in the U.S. Consequently, prices throughout most of Europe and Japan are nearly double those of the United States, and those countries, not surprisingly, are much more energy efficient, and are promoting alternative energy much more than the United States.

Why a $1/gallon gas tax now? With the economy hurting and job growth at a standstill, what the country desperately needs is an effective and environmentally responsible way to jumpstart the economy. The billions the $1/gallon gas tax would raise would go a long way towards starting new industries and getting the economy moving again.

Why a $1/gallon gas tax at all? No one likes more taxes. But a tax like this has a proven record: we often tax a perceived social problem and use the funds towards a solution. Taxes on cigarettes fund anti-smoking campaigns. Taxes on alcohol fund drunk-driving awareness campaigns. A tax on gas would work immediately towards ending two persistent problems related to fossil fuel consumption: global warming and dependence on foreign sources of energy. And the tax is equitably borne out: you pay based on how much you consume.

Will it be easy or popular? Of course not. But the best examples of America’s history are those where we see past our own selfish interests and strive for a greater good. In this case paying $1/gallon more in gas will help us, our children and many generations to come live lives less dependent on foreign sources of energy and more dependent on renewable energy. So go ahead and make your neighbor angry. Call for a gas tax now!

Ken Martens Friesen teaches political science and history at Fresno Pacific University. He drives a car that runs entirely on waste vegetable oil.

A Sustainable Green Community in Fresno

2009-01-02T17:02:00.000-08:00

Check out the new eco-friendly community in North Fresno. Four years in development, a half-dozen founding families worked with architects to create a project that combines private townhomes with extensive common facilities. In order to live in a multi-generational environment that encourages co-operative living, they planned smaller living spaces (1,100 to 1900 sq ft) based on LEED standards. Common areas include a pool, children’s play areas, spa, gym, workshop, bike garage, guest quarters, common laundry and a kitchen / community dining hall where they share meals several times a week. They plan to grow a vegetable garden, too.

Homes are still available, but it’s worth a walk through, even if you aren’t in the market for a new home right now. We are planning to host Fresno Cohousing on the upcoming solar tour on April 18, 2009.
For more information, go to fresnocohousing.org

Five Reasons You Should Consider Generating Your Own Green Energy

2008-12-23T20:04:00.000-08:00

Over the past six months, oil prices have plunged more than 50 percent, renewable energy company asset values have taken an even bigger dive, and financial institutions have collapsed completely, leading to a worldwide credit crunch.

Is this really the best time for your company to be thinking about generating renewable energy onsite?

Before answering, consider these forecasts by the International Energy Administration (IEA) in its recent World Energy Outlook 2008:

-- Energy is going to get more expensive, with oil reaching $200 per barrel by 2030.
-- Carbon-intensive energy, which comprises well over half of the energy in the United States, is going to get much more expensive-in part due to a cap on carbon that could reach $180 per ton.
-- The price and supply of fossil fuels will continue to be volatile.

In that context, it's clear: Companies can't afford not to think about investing in renewable energy, especially those with high energy-to-raw-material cost ratios, such as firms in agriculture, food processing, metal refining, paper manufacturing, and chemicals.

What follows are five key reasons why you should consider generating renewable energy onsite to power up your business.

Renewable Energy is Beating the Grid

In some regions, the cost of generating onsite renewable energy is already beating electricity bought from the grid. This "grid parity" is currently happening in places like California, Hawaii and Japan, where electricity costs are high and renewable resources are abundant. By 2012, Australia and Italy will likely achieve grid parity, and by 2015 much more of the United States will as well.

Threatened Supply and Hungry Demand Build the Case for Self-Production

Oil production is expanding to regions with increasingly unstable governments and crippling poverty, such as Iran, Russia, and Qatar, which together hold 56 percent of known new oil reserves.

On the demand side, the world is hungrier than ever: Even with the extremely high per-capita oil needs of OECD countries, fully 80 percent of projected new demand is coming from China, India, and the Middle East, while 1.6 billion people around the world still go without any electricity. As for logistics, the bulk of oil moves through international waters where there is growing banditry, such as the $100 million oil tanker heist by Somali pirates that is still unresolved. The result: The fossil fuel supply chain poses tremendous uncertainty on both price and physical delivery.

Carbon Legislation is Pushing Up Costs

Carbon cap-and-trade regulations, in some form or another, are descending on economies around the world. Already underway for several years, the European Union Emission Trading Scheme charges European heavy emitters $21.39 for every ton of carbon above their cap. In October, the U.S. inaugurated its first cap-and-trade program, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), which regulates utilities in the Northeast with a cost of $3.07 per ton. Regulation is just around the corner for other parts of the U.S., as well as for China and Canada. The IEA, an energy policy advisor to 28 member countries, predicts that by 2030, the average carbon prices will climb to $90 or even $180 per ton.

In addition to cap-and-trade regulations, low-carbon product standards and border tax adjustments also will put pressure on supply chains and buyer demand. All this means that carbon-intensive energy is a growing liability, whether at your own operations, upstream with suppliers, or downstream with the use of the products you sell.

Incentives for Onsite Renewables Production are Rising

"Feed-in tariffs," which require utilities to connect small, onsite renewable projects to the grid and pay their generators for surplus energy generated, are gaining traction. Countries such as Germany and Spain have adopted such policies successfully, and others like the U.S. (in California) and China are in the midst of implementing and scaling them up.

Creative Finance Options Abound

There are numerous ways to gather the resources to make onsite projects happen. Thanks to the grid, energy service companies can provide some or all of the financing needed. The grid also enables creative partnerships. For example, in partnership with Xcel Energy, Colorado's Aspen Skiing Company recently financed $1.1 million for a 147-kilowatt solar energy array. Of the energy produced, a third goes to a local school, and two-thirds is sold back to the grid, with profits given to Aspen Skiing Company.

There is a good chance you will find financing for onsite renewable energy projects by exploring partnerships with foundations or exploring funding available in carbon markets for carbon-offsets projects.

With the energy crisis likely to outlast the current economic crisis, investing in onsite renewable energy generation can insulate your company from the shocks, scarcity, and rising prices of energy. And with recent political discussions about a "New Green Deal" and a climate change "Manhattan Project," it's even possible that governments will add to or reconfigure the $300 billion in energy subsidies around the world.

So, in response to the question we started with: Is this really the best time for your company to be thinking about generating renewable energy onsite?

Yes, now more than ever.

Source
Author, Ryan Schuchard
Ryan Schuchard is Business for Social Responsibility's environmental research and development associate.

Ray of light: This way to the recovery -- solar power, solar jobs

2008-12-15T19:47:00.000-08:00

The U.S. housing sector remains in deep recession. Consumer spending is down. Business investment remains lackluster, with industrial production indicators hitting new lows monthly. And lay-offs have hit alarming levels.

Against this backdrop it's understandable if one holds a not-so-optimistic view regarding the U.S. economy and the markets for early 2009: the economy's fundamentals are weak, and it's going to take a lot of stimulus, fiscal and otherwise, to turn them around.

Nevertheless, there are bright spots -- in this case literally, as well as macroeconomically -- regarding the U.S. economy of tomorrow.

This way to the future

One small, but significant data point: despite the plunge in oil prices to around $50 per barrel, demand for solar energy and solar panels remains strong. Demand for solar energy systems increased 45% in 2007 and is expected to register another impressive gain in 2008, The New York Times reported.

About 25,000-35,000 workers -- installers, manufacturers, distributors, project developers, and material suppliers -- are currently directly employed in the solar energy sector, which is expected to grow to more than 110,000 in 2016, according to Solar Energy Institute Association data, The Times reported.

And here's an equally important stat: the jobs pay between $15-30 per hour, with many solar companies offering health benefits, The Times reported.

'Scale it up, and good things result'

Economist David H. Wang said those who view the 110,000-solar-job projection as small are missing the point: those totals don't assume any money from the Obama Administration's upcoming fiscal stimulus package or its energy bill/program, which will likely follow it.

"Assume continued technology progress in solar cells. Now multiply that by efforts to increase renewable energy sources in public schools and buildings. Now add an enhanced, but not an unreasonable, federal tax credit. Bingo. I think you can see that goods things will begin to happen from a domestic jobs and a GDP standpoint," Wang said. "If we add wind, auto sector transformation, and electric grid improvements to the equation, I think you can see that renewable energy has the ability to be a major source of good-paying, domestic jobs, for decades. Scale it up, and good things result."

Wang said a key factor will be the role energy efficiency plays in the Obama Administration's infrastructure and energy bills. For example, if the new administration gives school/public building energy efficiency a low priority, the seed-money effect on the solar industry will be less. If it is given a high priority, "it will create a surge of players in the field increasing research efforts," which will speed solar tech advances, further lowing solar costs, "which will really drive increased solar use and installation."

Energy Policy/Economic Analysis: In the very near future, your son or daughter may be a solar product designer, engineer, or solar product installer. Or perhaps you will become one yourself, with additional training in a career shift. Add wind energy, a revamped auto sector, mass transit expansion, and export sales of the above technologies -- some may become the envy of the world -- and one can begin to see the beginnings of the U.S. economic recovery and sustainable growth.

KVPR's Quality of Life show on Alternative Energy

2008-12-13T07:55:00.000-08:00

Solar power is explored , as KVPR's Quality of Life moderator Terry Phillips welcomes guests in the studio and via phone. Franz Weinschenk is a teacher and writes a column about alternative energy issues. Erin Clark is Managing Director of Regrid Power, Tom Cotter is a Solar Consultant for Regrid Power, and Bruce Williford is a biology teacher at Fresno High School. Listeners learn about the Fresno Solar Tour coming up on April 18th, and talk with listeners about their experiences and ideas regarding solar power.

Listen with Windows Media
Listen to MP3
KVPR's Quality of Life Show on Alternative Energy
Regrid Power

Florida Power and Light Breaks Ground on World's First Hybrid Solar Plant

2008-12-04T20:55:00.000-08:00

When it goes online in 2010, the hybrid plant will also be the second largest solar energy facility in the world, become the largest outside California and provide an estimated 75 megawatts of solar thermal capacity while directly displacing fossil fuel usage, the utility said.

The facility, called the Martin Next Generation Solar Energy Center, is being built at the utility's existing natural-gas/oil-fired 3,657-megawatt Martin power plant. The plant is near Indiantown in Martin County, roughly 100 miles north of Miami.

Once complete, the new facility will pair a solar-thermal field with a combined-cycle natural gas power plant. Together, they're expected to use less fossil fuel when the sun is out while helping to produce steam to generate electricity.

The solar portion of the combined facility is to feature some 180,000 collectors with mirrored surfaces spread over 500 acres. The technology works this way: The mirrors reflect the sun onto receivers to heat liquid creating steam that in turn produces electricity whenever the sun is shining.

The utility projects that the new facility will produce about 155,000 MWh of electricity a year — about enough to power almost 11,000 households in its service area. FPL also estimates that the facility will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2.75 million tons across a 30-year period.

The Martin project is the largest of three of the solar facilities the utility is building in the state. All told the facilities are expected to produce 110 megawatts of emissions-free energy when operational. The other Florida projects are at NASA's Kennedy Space Center and in Desoto County.

In addition to becoming the operator of the second largest solar plant in the world, the utility already lays claim to operating the world's largest solar-thermal plant: the 310-megawatt Solar Electric Generating System in the world in California's Mojave Desert.

The utility says its capacity to produce solar power coupled with its production of renewable energy from the wind make FPL the U.S. front-runner in the renewable energy field. The utility has 58 wind power projects in 16 states with a capacity of more than 5,800 megawatts of electricity.

In California on Monday, Southern California Edison celebrated the completion of the largest rooftop solar installation in its state. The solar power array of two square miles of panels are expected to produce 250 megawatts of peak capacity — enough power for 1,300 homes.

Just a week earlier, the Northern California Solar Energy Association released a report charting the growth of solar installations in the greater San Francisco Bay Area.

More than 60 percent of the country's solar installations are in the Golden State, and the number of the installations has grown 30 to 40 percent annually for the past several years, Molly Tirpak Sterkel of the California Public Utilities Commission said in her forward to the report, which is available here.

$150 Billion Renewables Investment: Will Obama Deliver?

2008-11-21T21:03:00.000-08:00

It’s been a long 21 months of campaigning, voting and high emotions with the American Presidential election. Now that President-Elect Barack Obama has been voted into office, with his official term starting on 20th January 2009, it is a great time to look back at what his views and promises were in regards to his presidency’s impact on the solar industry.

With the world watching the unfolding events of the past year in America’s politics, many issues were at the forefront of debates. Economy, war and international relations; all the typical - indeed, important - questions that needed to be asked of the future leader of the United States. One question that was of particular interest was the position that the candidates, specifically Barack Obama, held in regards to renewable energy, especially in the solar industry. Interestingly, Obama had addressed this at an early speech at Las Vegas’ Springs Preserve, Nevada, on 25th June 2008 and again at the last debate with Senator John McCain.

In Las Vegas, Obama acknowledged that Nevada alone could create “upwards of 80,000 jobs by 2025” with solar, wind and geothermal energy. He also conceded that the U.S. was much farther behind in renewable energy technology than other parts of the world, particularly Spain, Germany and Japan. He directly cited Germany as “a country as cloudy as the Pacific Northwest [which] is now a world leader in the solar power industry and the quarter million new jobs it has created.” This was a concept that seemed to baffle him, considering that states like Nevada have such tremendous amounts of sunshine every year. The U.S. is not as far advanced in harvesting this sunshine like the European countries.

While America has had a long infatuation with offshore drilling, Obama stated that he felt that in the roughly eight years it would take the U.S. to start using oil from offshore drilling, Germany would “have doubled their renewable energy output.” He praised Germany’s government for providing investments and incentives to the renewable energy industry. The country’s model makes it possible for solar power companies to research and develop the technology needed for a successful alternative energy-fuelled country.

Using Europe and Asia as a model for success, Obama said that he “will invest $150 billion over the next ten years in alternative sources of energy like wind power, and solar power, and advanced biofuels-investments that will create up to five million new jobs…”

By the time October’s last presidential debate rolled around, the world’s economies had become even more depressed. This made it even easier to dismiss asking a question about the future President’s plans for the world’s climates or the U.S. energy predicament, but moderator Bob Schieffer pressed the Senators to state their positions. Both Obama and McCain stated their plans to reduce U.S. reliance on Middle East and Venezuelan oil in order for the country to achieve energy independence within approximately the next 10 years. However, it was Obama who held to his plans to grow renewable energy sources, specifically in the wind and solar sector. He spoke of the U.S. transportation system and how it “accounts for about 30 percent of [U.S.] total energy consumption”; how he wanted the country to gain energy independence, with plans to “retool some of these plants to make these highly fuel-efficient cars and also to make wind turbines and solar panels, the kinds of clean energy approaches that should be the driver of our economy for the next century.” Obama also promised plans to address the United States’ energy use consumption, while creating policies that reduce the carbon emissions and making energy policy a priority.

Now, one month after the debate and one day after the election, we begin to watch the new President-elect of the U.S. while wondering not only if, but when he will implement his promises, enthusiasm and vision for renewable energy in the U.S. As with all things, only time will tell.

Source

California Climate Change Risk and Response

2008-11-17T08:52:00.000-08:00

At this moment in history a financial crisis of global proportions is unfolding. The impacts of this disaster will be felt for years to come, and its cost borne by future generations. A universal lesson also comes from this crisis: Markets can deliver profits, but they may not deliver sustainability. For this reason, the public interest must be secured at all times by policy foresight and responsible leadership.

The serial market failures sparked by the collapse of the housing industry and credit markets have profound consequences for California’s budget. Given the current fiscal uncertainty, it is reasonable to challenge government priorities, assessing the long-term economic and social performance of every dollar of government spending and every regulation. California's Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32) is a hallmark example of the proactive initiatives needed to sustain California’s prosperity, overcoming short-term challenges to put the state on a long-term path of lower carbon emissions and higher economic growth.

While multiple studies have been conducted assessing the economic impacts of the California Air Resources Board's Scoping Plan to implement AB 32, to date, there has been limited economic analysis of California’s climate risk -- the impact of climate change if the state continues business-as-usual -- or of the adaptation needed to cope with unavoidable climate change. This report provides for the first time a comprehensive examination of the economic impacts of climate change and adaptation in California. In conducting this multi-sector assessment, we compile the most recent available science on climate damage, assess its economic implications, and examine alternative strategies for adaptation.

The report can be downloaded here.

Web Site:http://www.nextten.org/research/research_ccrr.html

California Climate Change Portal

PG&E Raises Electricity Rates 87% at Top Tier

2008-11-14T18:33:00.000-08:00

Solar installers....hold on to your hats. Things may get very busy in 2009 for homeowners with the October ’09 increase hike in electric rates for ratepayers on E-1, the most common rate plan in this territory. As the market continues to struggle electric rates will further increase as warm weather arrives. When June and July bills begin arriving in mailboxes there will be increased interest in installing solar to get insulated from these ongoing utility rate hikes.

Local Global Warming Forum

2008-11-10T10:32:00.000-08:00

On Sunday evening, November 16, at 6 p.m., a forum on global warming will be held at the Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary BC lounge. This Mennonite Peacemaker sponsored event will feature a four person panel including Steve Ratzlaff, Michael Kunz, Ken Martens Friesen, and Mary Anne Isaak. Panelists will share biblical reflections, scientific background, practical steps, and opinions on why more hasn't been done already to tackle this issue.
Map It

National Solar Tour Sparks Energy Revolution

2008-11-09T22:21:00.000-08:00

As families tighten their belts to ride the latest economic roller coaster, an unprecedented number of homeowners are learning how to go solar and save on monthly utility bills by attending the National Solar Tour, the largest grassroots solar energy event in history.

The nonprofit American Solar Energy Society (ASES) is bringing together as many as 150,000 citizens to tour some 5,000 homes and businesses in 48 states to learn about money-saving technologies.

The National Solar Tour features property-owners who open their doors to neighbors to share how they are using the latest solar technologies to drastically reduce monthly energy bills, reduce harmful carbon emissions, and enjoy tax credits and cash incentives as they improve their property values.

Amid a struggling U.S. economy, these powerful open-house tours and neighbor-to-neighbor discussions show everyday people how they can combat soaring energy prices with solar energy and energy efficiency - while generating green-collar jobs across the U.S.

"The National Solar Tour highlights how families are using solar energy to fight back against skyrocketing energy costs," said Neal Lurie, Director of Marketing for ASES. "Participants come in curious, but they leave convinced ready to go solar."

According to survey results from last year’s National Solar Tour, 76% of participants said they are definitely or very likely to invest in solar or energy efficient technology after the Tour, compared to 50% before the Tour. A stunning 74% of participants indicated that they had never visited a solar or green-built home prior to this event. Last year’s National Solar Tour attracted more than 115,000 people in 2,900 communities in 46 U.S. states.

Farming Clean Energy Conference

2008-10-08T10:58:00.000-07:00

A conference designed to grow clean energy potential in the Valley

November 5-6, 2008
AgTAC Center, Tulare, CA

Online registration is now open, so reserve your space today!

▪ Red Rock Ranch

▪ Circle K Ranch

▪ American Dairy Parks

▪ Western United Dairymen

▪ Sureharvest

▪ Agra Trading

▪ California Biomass Collaboration

▪ Sun Power Corporation

▪ Community Fuels

▪ American Biodiesel

▪ and many more!

What is the Farming Clean Energy Conference?
This is a vanguard forum for the Valley, designed to highlight the opportunities and challenges for supporting broader adoption of energy efficiency and clean energy technologies on San Joaquin Valley farms and agribusinesses. On the first day (Nov. 5), participants and presenters will discuss the Valley’s clean energy potential, barriers, broader issues and policies that need to be addressed. On the second morning (Nov. 6), attendees will benefit by hearing from regional farmers about innovative Valley farm-based clean energy projects, and the challenges and creative solutions invoked to move these ventures forward. Technology focus areas include: energy efficiency, bioenergy (biogas, biomass and biofuels), solar and wind generation.
Who Should Attend?
Valley farmers, agribusiness owners, industry representatives, policymakers and regulators, utility representatives, clean energy providers, advocates, project financiers and students.

Register TODAY! www.valleycleanenergyconference.org

2005 Fresno Solar Tour

2008-09-09T08:46:00.000-07:00

A look back at the 2005 tour in Fresno.