Net Zero’s Net Worth: How Renewable Energy Is Rescuing Schools from Budget Cuts

"As the new Richardsville Elementary School rose from its foundations on a rural road north of Bowling Green, Ky., fourth-grader Colton Hendrick was watching closely.

He would climb to the top of the playground equipment across the street and watch construction crews hauling in bamboo flooring and solar panels.

'He wants to be an architect some day,' recalled Manesha Ford, elementary curriculum coordinator and leader of the school’s energy team. 'He would sit and draw, draw all the different aspects.'

Richardsville Elementary actually earns $2,000 a month selling excess energy to the local power company.

But Richardsville Elementary would not only capture Hendrick’s imagination—it would come to inspire his classmates and school districts around the world. When Richardsville opened its doors in fall 2010, it was the first 'net zero' school in the nation, meaning that the school produces more energy on-site than it uses in a year."

Read more: http://www.yesmagazine.org/new-economy/net-zero-net-worth-how-renewable-energy-is-rescuing-schools-from-budget-cuts-arizona-kentucky

U.S. Special Forces In Afghanistan Give You 5 Good Reasons To Support Solar Power

"U.S. Soldiers have been using solar power in the Afghanistan war for a couple of years now, with everything from solar backpack kits to large stationary arrays. One project especially worth noting is a group of ten 28-kilowatt hybrid solar/diesel generators that have been deployed for Special Forces Soldiers in remote outposts. When you tote up the benefits, it’s clear that solar power is a winner, at least in war zones.

1. Solar Power Saves Money

Richard G. Kidd IV, deputy assistant secretary of the Army for Energy and Sustainability, recently described the project in detail for David Vergun of the Army News Service.

One key benefit, of course, is cutting down on the cost of fuel. According to Kidd, the overall daily fuel use per soldier averaged one gallon during WWII and now it has zoomed up to 20 gallons. A good chunk of that amount goes to electricity needed for powering today’s geared-up operations.

The hybrid solar/diesel units, provided by the company SunDial Capital Partners, cut that in half, to roughly 10 gallons.

Given the high cost of shipping fuel to remote outposts in Afghanistan ($400 per gallon, according to the Pentagon), it’s no surprise that the units paid for themselves in less than three months."

Read more: http://cleantechnica.com/2012/11/25/u-s-special-forces-use-solar-power-in-afghanistan/

While Germany Is Headed for 80% Renewable Energy, We're Getting Left in the Dust | Alternet

"25 percent of Germany's electricity now comes from solar, wind and biomass. A third of the world's installed solar capacity is found in Germany, a nation that gets roughly the same amount of sunlight as Alaska. A whopping 65 percent of the country's total renewable power capacity is now owned by individuals, cooperatives and communities, leaving Germany's once all-powerful utilities with just a sliver (6.5 percent) of this burgeoning sector."

http://www.alternet.org/environment/while-germany-headed-80-renewable-energy-were-getting-left-dust
Joy Hughes, Founder, Solar Gardens Institute http://www.solargardens.org
CEO, Solar Panel Hosting LLC http://www.solarpanelhosting.com
(719)207-3097 direct

Australia leading world in solar installs: Flannery - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

"In places like Tasmania, it's interesting, the State Government there is pursuing solar for community housing and trying to spread the benefit over all the people in that very lowest socio-economic group."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-11-26/climate-commission-release-renewable-energy-report/4391764

Joy Hughes, Founder, Solar Gardens Institute http://www.solargardens.org
CEO, Solar Panel Hosting LLC http://www.solarpanelhosting.com
(719)207-3097 direct

Making steam without boiling water, thanks to nanoparticles

"It is possible to create steam within seconds by focusing sunlight on nanoparticles mixed into water, according to new research.

That observation, reported Monday by scientists at Rice University in Texas, suggests myriad applications in places that lack electricity or burnable fuels. A sun-powered boiler could desalinate sea water, distill alcohol, sterilize medical equipment and perform other useful tasks.

'We can build a portable, compact steam generator that depends only on sunlight for input. It is something that could really be good in remote or resource-limited locations,' said Naomi J. Halas, an engineer and physicist at Rice who ran the experiment. "

Read more: 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/making-steam-without-boiling-water-thanks-to-nanoparticles/2012/11/19/3d98c4d6-3264-11e2-9cfa-e41bac906cc9_story.html?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pulsenews

Thankful for Solar

Today, I'm thankful for the sun that is the source of all our power.

I'm thankful for Alexandre-Edmond Becquerel, who discovered the photovoltaic effect in 1839.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._E._Becquerel

I'm thankful for Charles Fritts, who built the first working solar cell in 1883.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Fritts

I'm thankful for Russel Ohl, who in 1939 discovered the P-N junction, the basis for modern solar cells.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_Ohl

I'm thankful for the team at Bell Labs, Gerald Pearson, Calvin Fuller and Daryl Chapin, who produced the first silicon solar cell in 1954. (Price: $286/Watt)

I'm thankful for Presidents Jimmy Carter, for installing solar hot water on the White House in 1977 and establishing the solar tax credit, George H.W. Bush for establishing the National Renewable Energy Laboratories in 1991, George W. Bush for installing solar PV on the White House grounds in 2002, and Barack Obama for restoring and expanding the Investment Tax Credit in 2009.

I'm thankful for Hermann Scheer, who established Germany's feed-in tariff in 1999
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermann_Scheer

I'm thankful for Gary Nystedt, who conceived the prototypical solar garden in Ellensburg, Washington in 2003
http://grist.org/article/2010-06-02-city-brings-renewable-energy-to-the-little-guy/

I'm thankful for Colorado State Representative Claire Levy and Senator Suzanne Williams who introduced the Community Solar Gardens Act, and to Governor Bill Ritter who signed it in 2010.

I'm thankful for Louellyn Lambros in Scituate, Massachusetts, Elana Bulman and Tim Woodcock in New York, Brice Miller and Helen Deffenbacher in Omaha, and Rosana Francescato in San Francisco who made possible the Community Solar Confluence tour last spring, and all our speakers

I'm thankful for NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg and NY Governor Andrew Cuomo, for recognizing the need for solar power in both grid resilience and climate change mitigation in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.

I'm thankful for Sara Jayanphi at Solar One in New York, whose team is bringing portable solar generators to affected areas as part of the Solar Sandy project.
http://www.solar1.org/solar-sandy-project/

I am thankful for the 30+ volunteers of the SGI team, both present members and veterans, who kept the faith for so long and helped get the word out - project manager Sandyn Skudneski, web programmer Alvin Mites, solar gardener trainer Deborah Houser, chief executive "wingman" Becky English, co-op expert Stanley Florek, interns Ari Michelson and Justin Ptasnik, and so many more!

I'm thankful for the team of solar gardeners on the ground in Aurora - Dick Peterson, Suzanne Williams, Suzanne Lavoie, Bill Kirton, plus Stanci March and Tom Zwahlen of Namaste Solar, host Marc Collins, and Aurora sustainability coordinator Karen Hancock.

And most of all, I'm grateful for every solar gardener, host, subscriber, manufacturer and installer, every policy wonk, finance geek, attorney, legislator and sustainability coordinator, every nonprofit, congregation, and business, every philanthropist, financier, and entrepreneur who has participated. We have built a movement that is going to help save the climate and bring resilient power to the people!

- Joy

Joy Hughes, Founder, Solar Gardens Institute http://www.solargardens.org
CEO, Solar Panel Hosting LLC http://www.solarpanelhosting.com
(719)207-3097 direct

NYT: Solar Power as Solution for Storm-Darkened Homes

Despite the popular perception that installing solar panels takes a home "off the grid," most of those systems are actually part of it, sending excess power to the utility grid during the day and pulling electricity back to run the house at night. So when the storm took down power lines and substations across the Northeast, safety systems cut the power in solar homes just like everywhere else.

Yet there are ways to tap solar energy when the grid goes down, whether by adding batteries to a home system or using the kinds of independent solar generators that have been cropping up in areas hard-hit by the storm.

Read more:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/20/business/energy-environment/solar-power-as-solution-for-storm-darkened-homes.xml

Joy Hughes, Founder, Solar Gardens Institute http://www.solargardens.org
CEO, Solar Panel Hosting LLC http://www.solarpanelhosting.com
(719)207-3097 direct

SwRI to Demonstrate Use of EVs As Part of Backup Power Microgrid Under US Army SPIDERS ProgramCleanTechnica

The United States Army Corps of Engineers awarded a team including the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) a $7 million contract to demonstrate the use of electric vehicles with diesel generators and solar arrays for supplying emergency power. The demonstration project will take place at Fort Carson, Colorado.

"Unique challenges of this project include using electric vehicles to absorb excess generated power from the base's photovoltaic array and reduce the base's energy bill by integrating vehicle energy storage into the energy management strategy, all the while continuing to serve as an active part of the base vehicle fleet," said co-researcher Joe Redfield, a principal engineer in SwRI's Engine, Emissions and Vehicle Research Division.

http://cleantechnica.com/2012/11/16/swri-to-demonstrate-use-of-evs-as-part-of-backup-power-microgrid-under-us-army-spiders-program/

Joy Hughes, Founder, Solar Gardens Institute http://www.solargardens.org
CEO, Solar Panel Hosting LLC http://www.solarpanelhosting.com
(719)207-3097 direct

The Solar Sandy Project | Solar One

Solar One, SolarCity and Consolidated Solar are partnering to connect communities rebuilding from Sandy to mobile solar generators so that they can get much-needed temporary electricity. So far, we have installed five 10kw solar generators deployed in the Rockaways. We will be installing units in other parts of the city in the coming days. These units are installed in community gathering places where folks are already getting warm clothes, a bite to eat, and some basic medical services.

http://www.solar1.org/solar-sandy-project/

Joy Hughes, Founder, Solar Gardens Institute http://www.solargardens.org
CEO, Solar Panel Hosting LLC http://www.solarpanelhosting.com
(719)207-3097 direct

Andrew Cuomo: We will lead on climate change - Daily News

Sandy shows us why solar gardens should be local to their subscribers, and integrated with storage and microgrids. Local control is important when you can't rely on the centralized system!

- Joy
--------------------------------
Cuomo:

We need to act, not simply react.

First, we must begin by thinking about where and how we rebuild. The next generation's infrastructure must be able to withstand another storm. We must also reduce the energy consumption that contributes to climate change — which means, for starters, upgrading our building codes.

[...]

Our electrical power grid and the structures that control it must undergo a fundamental redesign. Power utilities are the equivalent of vinyl records in the age of the iPod: antiquated, 1950s-style institutions that don't serve our current needs.

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/lead-climate-change-article-1.1202221

Joy Hughes, Founder, Solar Gardens Institute http://www.solargardens.org
CEO, Solar Panel Hosting LLC http://www.solarpanelhosting.com
(719)207-3097 direct

The case for a distributed, smarter, cleaner power grid post Hurricane Sandy | Cleantech News and Analysis

A truly de-centralized power grid would require local power generation through solar panels or other means like fuel cells, microgrids that can isolate a neighborhood in the event of disasters, and energy storage systems (like batteries) that can bank power for buildings. Critical systems and buildings like data centers and hospitals have emergency backup power (when it works), mostly from diesel-power generators, but these are inefficient, dirty, costly and not widely used (or needed) by much of the population with reliable grid power.

It's not as weird as it sounds to move to a more distributed power grid. Large companies in India are so used to rolling blackouts there that many of the largest have their own storage and backup systems and the biggest weren't effected by the massive blackouts in India earlier this year. Solar panels are also cheaper than they have ever been, and are being installed on the roofs of U.S. homes and businesses at a rapid rate. Of course, solar panels won't help in a nighttime storm, but if they're matched with energy storage, they can bank daytime power for the nighttime critical use.

Read more:

http://gigaom.com/cleantech/the-case-for-a-distributed-smarter-cleaner-power-grid-post-hurricane-sandy/

Joy Hughes, Founder, Solar Gardens Institute http://www.solargardens.org
CEO, Solar Panel Hosting LLC http://www.solarpanelhosting.com
(719)207-3097 direct

Solar for the 75%

This post was originally published at Mosaic on 11/12/12.


By definition, most of us are in the 99%. Some of us may even be in that mythical 47%. But there's another group that many of us are in, without even being aware of it: the 75%. That's the estimated number of people who can't get solar on their roof. 

While leases are helping far more people go solar than before, 75% of us are still left out of the equation. We may have shaded roofs, rent our homes, or live in multi-unit buildings. And these are just a few of the reasons preventing so many of us from going solar.

But don't despair! There's hope for the 75%, and plenty of it. The boom happening right now in community solar is making it possible for almost anyone to benefit from solar power. At a recent Community Solar Forum put on by Solar Sonoma County, the 75% became a theme as we learned about some of the options:

• Community Choice Energy: Programs like Sonoma Clean Power and CleanPowerSF are enabling utility customers in some areas to buy their power from renewable sources.

• Solar Gardens: Some states have laws that allow virtual net metering, which lets utility customers subscribe to solar power from an installation not on their own roof.

 Joy Hughes explains solar gardens to an audience of 60 attendees at the Community Solar Forum

CLEAN programs, or feed-in tariffs: By promoting these programs, the Clean Coalition is working toward the goal for 2020 of 80% of all new electricity generation in the United States coming

Co-ops: Energy co-ops like the San Francisco Energy Cooperative allow anyone to participate in solar for as little as $50. They hope to be a model for other co-ops around the country.

The speakers at the forum all had slightly different perspectives, and they were focused on different ways to bring solar to communities. But they all shared the goal of helping as many people as possible to participate in renewable energy -- that is, reaching the 75%.

All of these ways to bring solar to the 75% are important and highly effective -- and even affordable. Models like community choice energy, solar gardens, and CLEAN programs generally result in savings, especially over time. They bring a slew of other benefits, like cleaner air, local jobs, increased national security. So it's crucial to support these efforts. Still, while a lot is happening already, some of these programs can take years to implement, and they aren't yet available everywhere.

In the meantime, how do we get the word out to the 75% that there are options for them -- for us -- now?

For most people, that will mean an appeal to their pocketbook. Those with an active interest in supporting solar for altruistic reasons are a minority. But most people like the idea of saving money or getting a good return on an investment. If they can do good at the same time, that's a nice benefit.

And now there are more ways to invest in solar and do well while doing good. Energy co-ops can already provide a return on small investments, and the JOBS Act should allow for larger investments in the near future. Other organizations use crowdfunding models where people can move from recouping their investment to receiving a return on that investment.  For example, Mosaic allows people to invest in solar projects and get paid back from the clean energy produced. There's more coming, so stay tuned! Before long, we'll have solar for the 75%.

What you can do now:

Sign up to be notified when Mosaic launches a new way to crowdfund solar for communities at www.joinmosaic.com.

Check out sites on solar gardens, community choice and CLEAN programs, and community power to see how you can support their efforts and what you can do in your community.

Join the Vote Solar Initiative to find out how to support solar legislation around the country. They also provide free webinars on solar topics.

A Policy That Unlocks Community Renewable Energy | Grist

Net metering is a common distributed renewable energy policy in the United States, allowing individuals to "turn back" their meter (and reduce their electric bill) by generating on-site electricity.  But utility accounting systems typically prevent people from sharing the output from a single, common "community" solar or wind project.

Virtual (or group or neighborhood) net metering  is the solution. 
http://grist.org/article/a-policy-that-unlocks-community-renewable-energy/

Joy Hughes, Founder, Solar Gardens Institute http://www.solargardens.org
CEO, Solar Panel Hosting LLC http://www.solarpanelhosting.com
(719)207-3097 direct

Climate Change and Solar Solutions: A Hurricane Sandy (Ongoing) Experience | Renewable Energy News Article

We are hearing more and more about solar with storage for backup power on both single building and microgrid scales. Being off-grid, this is the way I live every day and it's great! The grid just isn't built to handle the heat waves, hypercanes, and super-derechos that global warming has brought us. Folks currently living with grid-tie systems that shut off when the grid does are now rethinking storage for the purpose of resilience. When the grid is functioning, battery storage can also reduce demand for baseload power, and even feed extra into the grid at times of high demand. Storage makes much higher penetration of solar and wind possible, up to 100%.

- Joy

---------------------------------------

"Storage is going to be my first priority in my [home] rebuild process. I need to consult with people on this because I'm not an expert, but why would I invest in a gas generator," says Russo. "Our panels are on our roof, supposedly they are not damaged, the inverters are high enough that they are not getting damaged either, so if we had storage, that could act as our backup generator."

Read more:

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2012/11/climate-change-and-solar-solutions-a-hurricane-sandy-ongoing-experience?cmpid=rss

Joy Hughes, Founder, Solar Gardens Institute http://www.solargardens.org
CEO, Solar Panel Hosting LLC http://www.solarpanelhosting.com
(719)207-3097 direct

New Jersey regulator calls for 'revolutionary' grid after Sandy - Electric Power | Platts News Article & Story

Implementing alternatives to traditional electricity infrastructure is more critical than ever in light of the extended, widespread outages in New Jersey and New York in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, a New Jersey energy regulator said.

[...]

State regulators and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Jon Wellinghoff discussed at the NARUC meeting ways to incorporate distributed generation, energy efficiency, demand response and other non-transmission alternatives.

Read more:

http://www.platts.com/RSSFeedDetailedNews/RSSFeed/ElectricPower/8907138

Joy Hughes, Founder, Solar Gardens Institute http://www.solargardens.org
CEO, Solar Panel Hosting LLC http://www.solarpanelhosting.com
(719)207-3097 direct

Walla Walla Community Solar

WALLA WALLA — A new community solar project in the works is designed as a spark plug for scholarship endowments, creators say.

Walla Walla Community Solar will be the first known public/private solar project in the state created as a vessel for charity, said Frederic Liebrand, a Walla Walla University physics professor and a creator of Walla Walla-Free, the nonprofit organization that will act as the agent to investors in the project.

Read more:

http://m.union-bulletin.com/news/2012/nov/03/solar-power-fuel-brain-power/

Joy Hughes, Founder, Solar Gardens Institute http://www.solargardens.org
CEO, Solar Panel Hosting LLC http://www.solarpanelhosting.com
(719)207-3097 direct