Last week, the White House released a new video highlighting the installation of solar panels on the roof of the residence. “Solar panels on the White House, I think, are a really important message that solar is here,” said Secretary Moniz, who was featured in the video along with Minh Le, Director of the Energy… Keep reading →
Chinese firms are becoming increasingly competitive in the global oil field services market, undercutting South Korean and Singaporean suppliers while gaining business from the majors. “Manufacturing energy equipment is an expensive, labour-intensive and lengthy process, and with global energy firms trying to cut costs, the affordability of the services offered by Chinese firms has trumped… Keep reading →
The U.S. solar industry celebrates its 40th anniversary this Friday, and there is a lot to celebrate. Costs are at an all-time low, and solar is now competitive with traditional electricity generation sources in over half of the world’s markets. We are transitioning from the hobbyist phase of Solar 1.0 into the true commercialization phase… Keep reading →
It might the hottest issue in solar, but a leading analyst says not to worry – for now, at least. We’re talking about the debate over net metering – NEM, for net energy metering, by the industry’s nomenclature. Utilities have been pushing back against NEM policies that often reward solar power system owners at the… Keep reading →
The internet of things (IoT) is changing the way we interact with nearly all facets of our world, including the electric grid. These days, you can already control your smart thermostat with your smart phone; it’s easy to imagine that smart solar panels and microgrids are not far behind. The term “smart grid” was coined… Keep reading →
A look at customer ratings of SolarCity, Verengo Solar, Vivint Solar, REC Solar and Sungevity The solar industry term “customer acquisition” is a euphemism for “convincing people to spend money.” The top solar installers have tens of thousands of potential customers who have expressed interest in solar. But turning those leads into purchases can be… Keep reading →
In sunny, high retail cost states, it appears imminent Adding solar panels to a roof is at least 20% cheaper when the roof is being built than adding it later. Why not include solar panels as a standard feature in new homes, just as smoke detectors or kitchen granite countertops are? That seems to be… Keep reading →
Fifty cents a watt? Wow. That’s the module cost claim for utility-scale installations that Cogenra is making with its new T14 PV system. The emphasis on the system’s ability to deliver low-cost benefits with low-concentration photovoltaics is a bit of a shift for Cogenra, which had long sold itself as uniquely able to combine PV and… Keep reading →
From insomnia to an off-grid power system; Hurricane Sandy relief; modern art; doctoral degrees and community clean energy projects; these engineers are tackling some of today’s pressing energy challenges. Rob van Haaren and his friend Garrett Fitzgerald, Columbia University engineering students, became unexpected heroes in post-Sandy Far Rockaway, Queens, NY when they brought solar-generated electricity… Keep reading →
A Brave New World Powered by Distributed Energy
By David CraneIn just a few years, Americans will soon produce the majority of the power they consume at their home or office, primarily through distributed solar arrays on their roof or over their driveways or parking lots. If they come up short, they can tap the battery in their electric car or an energy converting appliance… Keep reading →