Walmart Partners with Solar City on Solar Installations in Arizona and California

Walmart is planning to add solar systems to an additional 20 - 30 in California and Arizona using new technology lower cost PV cells.

The systems are expected to provide about 25 % of the total energy needs of each location.

The systems:
- can product up to 22.5 kW / yr - equiv to the energy needed for 1750 home / yr
- avoid 11,650 metric tons CO2 - equiv to 3000 cars

The technology planned includes gallium selenide and cadmium terruride films and are exected to use less raw materials then earlier versions of PV cells.

SolarCity will do the design work as well as install, own and maintain the systems.


Via:  Walmart  LINK

Google's Atlantic Wind Connection

Google is looking to build a 350 mile transmission line to link NJ and Virginia and connect to offshore wind energy sources.  The line will provide additional reliability for the Mid-Atlantic grid and create thousands of jobs.

The project is to be called the "Atlantic Wind Connection"


" ... signed an agreement to invest in ... a backbone transmission project off the Mid-Atlantic coast  ...  helping to accelerate offshore wind development ..."

" ... able to connect 6,000MW of offshore wind turbines ..."


Via:  Google blog LINK

Solar Power Comes to the White House !

Solar Panels on White House from the Carter Administration

The White House is going SOLAR !!

Seeking to lead by example ... solar panels for electricity and a solar water heater for the White House residence will go on the roof of the White House. 

" ...  part of a Department of Energy demonstration project showing that American solar technologies are available, reliable, and ready for installation in homes throughout the country ..."
 

" ... reflects President Obama’s strong commitment to U.S. leadership in solar energy ..."

Via:  WhiteHouse.Gov  LINK

Duke Energy and National Gypsum Collaborate on Solar Power Array

Duke Energy and National Gypsum are collaborating on a solar panel array.  the Panels are on a Nationa Gypsum faciltiy and owned by Duke Energy.  The relationship goes beyond PV panels as waste from coal plants is used as a raw material for gypsum board.

Duke Energy has leased part of the roof of a National Gypsum facility in Mt Holly NC to use for a solar array.  The output is 1.17 mW - equivalent to the power needs of 700 homes.

" ... 5096 panels ... Duke Energy will own, operate, and maintain all components of the system. The lease agreement is for 25 years."

" ... National Gypsum has contracts to purchase byproduct gypsum ... from four of the utility’s nearby coal-fired plants."

Via: National Gypsum LINK

Clarian Power - Low Cost Plug and Play Solar for the DIY'er

Solar power for consumers has lots going for it ... renewable energy, clean power, being green ... and one near term stumbling block --- cost.  Most systems are EXPENSIVE for the initial capital outlay.
 
Clarian Power Inc may be able to help lower the price with both affordable and easy to install (DIY type install) products.  Payback can be 3 - 4 years after factoring in rebates and credits.


"Sunfish™ is a plug-in solar power module that’s affordable and easy to install ... SmartBox™ technology allows homeowners to plug solar power into an existing outlet ..."


Via:  Clarian Power Inc.  LINK

Energy from the Seas from Pelamis Wave Power

"...  potential to be one of the most environmentally benign forms of electricity generation ... wave energy around the British Isles ... estimated to be equivalent to three times current UK electricity demand, ..."

The oceans and the power of the waves and tides waves might be the source of your electricity someday.  Systems that can convert the constant undulation of the waves into energy can harness  what seems like an unlimited renewable energy source.

Pelamis  are minimally impactful ... their visual impact is small as they are half submerged so are not nearly as visibly on the horizon as wind turbines.  They appear to have minimal impact on marine life as well and can be removed much easier than a wind turbine.
They currently have installations undergoing tests in Portugal and Scotland. 

 Pelamis has their HQ in Edinburgh, Scotland.



Via:  Pelamis Wave Power  LINK

Dell's Round Rock, Tx Site (and 8 others) Powered by 100 % Renewable Energy.

In June of 2009 Dell announced that they source over 1/4 of their global energy needs from renewable sources.
 
" ... powers nine ... facilities in the United States and Europe with 100 percent renewable energy. ... Round Rock, Texas; Twin Falls, Idaho and Oklahoma City, Okla. ..."

In addition to using a significant amount of renewable energy sources they " ... plan to reduce ...  greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2015. ... "

Dell follows a simple 3-step model where they work efficiently (energy-wise), use renewable energyand offset with carbon credits from verified sources.

" ... only company in the computer industry to achieve operational carbon neutrality in August 2008 ..."


Via:  DELL  LINK

US Army Solar Array at Fort Irwin, California

 The US Army is getting greener.  They are beginning " ... development of a 500-megawatt solar power plant at Fort Irwin, Calif."

" ... allow ... commercial developers to use land at Fort Irwin to construct a solar power plant there between 2013 and 2022. ... will provide power to both the civilian power grid in California, and to Fort Irwin, home of the Army's National Training Center."

" ... the Army will provide to the developers, for as many as 50 years, up to 14,000 acres of land. .. Army receives rent for the land through cash or in-kind services."

" ... facility with both concentrated solar thermal and photovoltaic technology. ... will be built in phases, with a project end date expected around 2022. But Phase 1A of the project, with a completion of around 2014, is expected to provide enough power to sustain Fort Irwin."

Via:  US Army LINK

Minesto's Deep Green Tidal Power

"Minesto contributes a solution to the worldwide energy demand by offering a unique technology that explores the vast, renewable and abundant ocean power resource."

" ... new concept for tidal power plants called Deep Green. ... based on a fundamentally new principle for electricity generation from tidal currents. ... is applicable in areas where no other known technology can operate cost effectively due to its unique ability to operate in low velocities...."

Via:  Minersto  LINK

Google's Googleplex Solar Capabilities

"In June 2007 Google completed a 1.6MW solar installation at our Mountain View, CA headquarters ... 9,212 solar panels that cover the rooftops of eight buildings and two solar carports at the Googleplex ... produces enough electricity to power 30% of Google's peak electricity demand in our solar powered buildings at our Mountain View, CA headquarters ... equivalent of approximately 1,000 California homes ..."

See the actual daily stats on power generated and some comparisons to typical activities to better understand the numbers - these are updated daily.



Via: Google LINK

DOW™ POWERHOUSE™ Solar Shingle one of Time Magazines 50 Berst Inventions of 2009

"The Dow Chemical Company's ... POWERHOUSE™ Solar Shingle, ... flexible photovoltaic solar cell packaged in the form of a roofing shingle that can be easily integrated with standard asphalt shingle materials, has been named one of "The 50 Best Inventions of 2009" by TIME magazine. ... integrates low-cost, thin-film CIGS photovoltaic cells into a proprietary roofing shingle design, ... reduces installation costs because conventional roofing shingles and solar generating shingles are installed simultaneously..."

.... learn more  @ www.dowsolar.com ...


Via: Dow News (Dow.com) LINK

GoodEnergy - Renewable Energy from Cow Poo

Good Energy, a UK supplier of 100% renewable energy, has the usual sources of renewable energy like solar and wind ... and green energy from cow poo.

Cow poo is turned into biomass and that in turn becomes biogas that is burned to become electricity ...

Read on for more >>>

"Biogas is produced through ... Anaerobic Digestion ... a natural biological process carried out by bacteria in the absence of air, by which organic material is broken down into stable fertiliser and useful biogas. ..."

"The organic waste is broken down into sugars and amino acids by enzymes ... sugars are then fermented to produce volatile fatty acids and then converted by various types of bacteria into biogas, a mixture of carbon dioxide (40%) and methane (60%) ... "

" ... biogas is then ... burned ... to produce electricity and heat. ..."

Via: GoodEnergy LINK