Solar Panels in the Dominican Republic

New East Lancashire CCTV cameras prove a high-tech hit

2011-01-05T16:32:00.000-08:00

CRIME-BUSTING CCTV cameras are set to provide clearer pictures of crooks in action across Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale.

More than £220,000 has been invested by the three borough councils in Pennine policing to support the move to digital CCTV.

Spy devices cover all of the main town and village centres from Burnley to Nelson, Colne, Barnoldswick, Earby, Rawtenstall, Bacup and Haslingden.

Police chiefs say the upgrade from analogue to digital cameras will prove a useful crimefighting tool.

Chief Insp John Bullas said: “The new digital systems will provide higher quality images to help us identify criminals and make the people of Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale safer.

“CCTV cameras are an extremely valuable tool for the police.

"Not only do they act as a deterrent to criminals, but they can help to detect crime and direct the police to the scene.

"They are also very useful in gathering evidence against offenders after a crime has been committed.”

The control room for the cameras is in Burnley, with the exception of two small systems, in West Craven and at Nelson and Colne College, which are set to move to the Parker Lane station.

The new system will provide ‘real-time’ images of ongoing incidents for operators.

Peter Stobbs, Burnley council engineering manager, said: “In real terms it means we get better quality pictures and more of them, and we will also be able to take advantage of the new camera technologies in development.

"The new system has already paid dividends. We’ve seen incidents where crucial details, which would have been missed on the old system, have been captured.”

lobal Concentrated Photovoltaic Market Worth US$266.0

2009-11-27T16:57:00.000-08:00

According to the new market research report, ‘Concentrated Photovoltaic and Solar Photovoltaic Global Markets (2009 – 2014)’, published by MarketsandMarkets (www.marketsandmarkets.com), the total concentrated photovoltaic cell market is expected to be worth US$266.0 million by 2014, growing at a CAGR of 33.0% from 2009 to 2014. Europe is expected to command the maximum market share at 59.3%, followed by the Americas, which are expected to hold 32% of the global concentrated photovoltaic market.

Browse 41 market data tables and in-depth TOC on Concentrated PV and Solar PV market.

Early buyers will receive 10% customization of reports

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/concentrated-pv-and-solar-advanced-technologies-and-global-market-research-33.html

The Concentrated Photovoltaic (CPV) market includes the submarkets for Low Concentration Photovoltaic (LCPV), Medium Concentration Photovoltaic (MCPV), and High Concentration Photovoltaic (HCPV). The CPV market is still in a nascent stage but is developing rapidly due to the finite nature of non-renewable sources of energy, and the increasing demand for higher output and green energy. The CPV market is estimated to reach $266.0 million in 2014 from about $63.9 million in 2009.

Among all segments, HCPV commands the largest share of global CPV market, and is also expected to have the highest CAGR of 39.1% from 2009 to 2014. The conversion of HCPV systems lowers land requirement, and facilitates higher energy output at lower costs. HCPV technology is thus expected to achieve cost parity with conventional sources of electricity at a faster rate than other CPV technologies.

The initial high growth opportunity for the CPV market lies in regions with high direct normal irradiance (DNI) or direct solar radiation and high cost of grid electricity. These regions include southwest America, southwest Europe, western and central Australia, the Middle East, and northern Africa. While technology developments in the CPV systems market are currently concentrated in Spain, Germany, and the U.S.; government support for CPV technologies in countries such as India, China, Japan, and Australia are expected to drive future market growth.

The global solar PV market is expected to grow with a CAGR of 12.5% during 2009 – 2014 to reach $38.1 billion in 2014. Crystalline silicon PV holds the largest market share of 82%; while the thin film silicon market is expected to have highest growth rate of 28.2% from 2009 to 2014.

Advancements In Solar Space Heating And Solar Hot Water Heating

2009-11-27T16:56:00.002-08:00

The sun is an immense source of energy, providing thousands of times more energy than the world consumes, every hour of every day, in the form of light and heat. Solar energy has long been one of the most cited forms of alternative energy, though these systems have suffered from high costs and low efficiency. That said, new advents in the realms of solar air heating and solar hot water heating have rekindled interest on the part of many homeowners in this type of energy.

Home solar space heating is a unique option for heating your home during cold months. If you are interested in this type of system, you will have to choose between passive solar heating systems and active solar heating systems. For instance, a passive system could be built as a frame on the outside of your home. The entire affair would be covered with glass and black screening. Vents cut into the bottom portion of the room’s exterior wall allow cold air to enter the heater, and vents at the top allow warm air to circulate back into the room. This type of setup requires no fans or motors.

An example of an active solar space heating solution would be a solar radiant floor, which can be easily installed over laminate or vinyl (or over existing subfloors, as well). Solar water heating is accomplished in a similar way, using the light and heat generated by the sun to warm water, which is then distributed as you need. While these systems are generally not capable of heating water to the same degree as a traditional water heater, their function is simply to warm the water, thus reducing the amount of energy required to heat the water even higher.

As interest in solar space heating and solar hot water heating has increased, numerous companies have realized the potential of the market and have begun designing residential systems around the principle. This has resulted in the greater availability of prefabricated systems (in the past, most of these systems were manufactured by the homeowner, with a bit of ingenuity).

However, before rushing out and purchasing any solar heating system, it’s highly advised that you do a bit of research into the company’s offering. What do other customers have to say about its efficiency, or about its cost versus ability? This information will help ensure that you make the right choice.

Leading Solar Cell Manufacturer Expands Production

2009-11-27T16:56:00.001-08:00

A leading European crystalline solar cell manufacturer places for the first time a large order for multiple SOLARIS systems. The SOLARIS, which offers various advantages with its revolutionary coating technology was introduced to the market just a few weeks ago. The customer will use the SOLARIS from Oerlikon Systems to significantly increase their production capacity in North America. The system is set for delivery during the coming year.

“Our original strategy of offering a compact, cost-effective platform with single wafer handling is proving to be a very popular solution with Photovoltaic (PV) manufacturer,” says Andreas Dill, Head of Oerlikon Systems.

So far the core competence of Oerlikon Systems was mainly on Semiconductor and Coating Technologies. After the realignment, the focus is now diversifying into the promising nanotechnology applications. With this significant order for SOLARIS the Business Unit has made an important inroad into the PV crystalline cell manufacturing industry. Oerlikon has with this success established itself as pivotal in the PV industry as a technology and equipment manufacturer: with Oerlikon Solar for the Thin-Film technology and with Oerlikon Systems for the crystalline technology. “Both processes complement one another with their respective fields of application. For the Oerlikon Group the advantage and benefit is to be represented in both growth markets with its leading technology,” says Thomas Babacan, Chief Operating Officer at Oerlikon.
Low ‘cost of ownership’
SOLARIS was designed for front and backside coating of crystalline silicon solar cells using clean PVD sputtering technology. Its multi-layer capability allows passivation and SiN coating on the front side as well as coating of the backside with various materials. Its very small footprint (3.3 x 2.2 m) and easy integration into existing production lines give SOLARIS a remarkably low ‘cost of ownership’.
“For this client, the SOLARIS production solution provides a big step toward cost-effective production of solar cells. Ultimately, it will help PV technology – and the industry – achieve grid parity,” explains Andreas Dill, Head of Oerlikon Systems.

The Different Types Of Solar Panels For Domestic Use Simplified

2009-11-27T16:55:00.000-08:00

We have available to us different varieties of solar panels today and this text can attempt to simplify what is currently accessible for domestic use.

There are now two completely different sorts of solar panels for domestic and industrial use, one is to heat water and the other type is to provide electricity.

Solar Panels for water are used more in the United Kingdom as they seem to supply the most value benefits to the user. Due to the climate in the United Kingdom and the lack of continuous daylight, solar panels generally work best between the months of April to the beginning of October when the sun is at its highest within the sky.
The typical home will need around five sq meters of solar panel to produce enough heat for their day after day hot water use.

Increasing the time zone by one month both sides to include April and October you may need to have installed up to twenty meters of solar panels which can produce an excessive amount of hot water in the warmer months and then this can and should be discharged as this amount of hot water would be impractical to store. Thus the sizing for solar panels is very important not to under or oversize.

There are two varieties of hot water solar panels, one is a blackened box with pipes running through it like a maze, the water is pumped through this box, the sun’s energy streaming in heats the box and also the pumped water warms up by the time it flows through the exit.

The different sort of hot water solar panel is made from a system called evacuated tubes, these are tubes made from borescope glass (pirex) and they’re made just similar to a thermos flask, twin walled with the air removed therefore the sun’s radiation passes through it a lot more efficiently.

Inside the glass tube a sealed copper rod is fitted, this rod has a small quantity of pure distiled water within and then the air is sucked out to form a vacuum, then the rod is sealed.

The solution within the rod boils at a good deal lower temperature than normal fluids, as a result of the lower air pressure within the rod, when the water boils it travels to the tip of rod then condenses, returns, and then the cycle continues (providing there’s still daylight).

These types of solar panels work extremely well on partly cloudy days because of the rods still cycle whilst the clouds pass over. The top of the tubes insert into a header pipe where water passes all the way through, therefore the hot tips of the rods heat the water passing through.

A normal house could need to have 20 to 30 evacuated tubes installed. The two main advantages of this sort of system is that if a tube breaks it can get replaced independently and on days with broken cloud the panels are more efficient.

Both these types of solar panels work best in conjunction with solar hot water cylinders, most properties have some form of hot water storage. These are generally heated indirectly by utilising a separate gas boiler. The water heated by the solar boiler passes through a copper coil within the cylinder and indirectly radiates the hot water from the pipe to the water in the cylinder.

Determining Solar Energy Requirements For A Specific Location

2009-11-27T16:54:00.000-08:00

The amount of solar energy created is a matter of discerning the number of photons of sunlight hit your solar cell and the number of those photons can move an electron to generate a current. The number of photons is equated to the quantity of photons or sunshine that lands on the solar cell and must be calculated to determine the number of solar photovoltaic cells you will require for you solar power unit.

How Is Solar Energy Calculated?

Solar energy is a mix of the number of hours of direct sunlight as well as the strength you could count on beaming at your location. This mix is referred to as insolation and is the average irradiated density calculated in kilowatt hours in a given square meter per day. As an example, the solar radiated density level of 1000 watts per square meter is an expected quantity for high noon in the heart of summertime when the sun is at its pinnacle of energy irradiation. Measuring solar irradiance on kilowatts per square meter daily basis if the sun remained brilliant and at its peak for an eight hour period, the solar radiant density would be 8.0.

Solar irradiance or density levels will fluctuate widely over the course of a year, particularly in more northern locations. For example, New York City is 6.0 in the month of June but merely 1.7 in the month of December calculating out as an annual average of 4.0. Therefore, you know that solar energy levels are seventy percent less in the initial winter month of December than it will be when June rolls around. When evaluated against Phoenix with a solar irradiant level of 7.8 in June and only 3.0 in December which averages out to 5.5 annually.

If your solar power unit is an off grid model it will be necessary to attain a capacity over 2.3 to 3 time than average June numbers would indicate. If all of these equations and solar lingo is confounding you, the internet has the standards for all locations available for you. This is courtesy of NASAs weather satellites, which have been collecting this data for a good number of years.

Using Irradiance Calculations To Design Your Solar Power Unit

Once we understand how many kilowatts are necessary to satisfy the electrical needs of your residence, we can evaluate which sized system we will need. With a grid tied system, it is fine to use your average annual irradiance for calculating and you want to have a goal of paying zero dollars to your utility provider for the entire year. If you want an off grid unit, you must use the irradiance calculation for December as the yearly power requirement must be adequate.

Wrapping Solar Cells around an Optical Fiber

2009-11-10T00:04:00.000-08:00

Dye-sensitized solar cells are flexible and cheap to make, but they tend to be inefficient at converting light into electricity. One way to boost the performance of any solar cell is to increase the surface area available to incoming light. So a group of researchers at Georgia Tech has made dye-sensitized solar cells with a much higher effective surface area by wrapping the cells around optical fibers. These fiber solar cells are six times more efficient than a zinc oxide solar cell with the same surface area, and if they can be built using cheap polymer fibers, they shouldn't be significantly more expensive to make.

The advantage of a fiber-optic solar-cell system over a planar one is that light bounces around inside an optical fiber as it travels along its length, providing more opportunities to interact with the solar cell on its inner surface and producing more current. "For a given real estate, the total area of the cell is higher, and increased surface area means improved light harvesting and more energy," says Max Shtein, an assistant professor of materials science and engineering at the University of Michigan who was not involved with the research.

Fiber-optic solar cells could also be used in ways that aren't possible currently. Zhong Lin Wang, professor of materials science and engineering at Georgia Tech, says fiber solar cells would take up less roof area than planar cells because long lengths of the fibers could be nestled into the walls of a house like electrical wiring.

Dye-sensitized solar cells use dye molecules to absorb light and generate electrons. The Georgia Tech group first removes the cladding from optical fibers and then grows zinc-oxide nanowires along their surface, like bristles on a pipe cleaner. Next, the fibers are treated with dye molecules, which the zinc-oxide structures absorb. The advantage of coating nanowires, rather than a smooth surface, with the dye is that the wires collectively have a very large surface area. The more dye molecules there are over a given area of such a cell, the more light it can absorb, says Wang. The dye-coated fibers are then surrounded by an electrolyte and a metal film that carries electrons off the device.

Cash Incentives for Solar Energy in California

2009-11-10T00:01:00.000-08:00

It seems the California Governor is making an all-out effort to encourage people to switch over the renewable source of energy. Assembly Bill 920, authored by Assemblyman Jared Huffman, D-Marin, and signed by the governor of California, requires utilities to pay solar customers who produce more energy than they use.

Currently homeowners that produce more solar energy than they produce can zero their bills but they’re not paid for the extra energy they feed back into the grid. The payment for producing extra energy is known as “feed-in tariffs” and such an incentive has seen great success in European countries like German and Spain.

Under the new law, the California Public Utilities Commission is required to set the rate for the paybacks by Jan. 1, 2011.

The idea aims to utilize the empty and unused lots like rooftops, water house roofs and parking areas for the purpose of producing solar energy. Aside from these there remain many unused private properties that can be easily converted into solar power generating units, bringing in extra cash for the home owners.

Ausra wins solar steam boiler contract for 100MW Jordan thermal project

2009-11-10T00:00:00.001-08:00

California concentrated solar developer Ausra has been awarded a contract to supply a solar boiler supplier for the JOAN1 100MW concentrated solar project under development in Ma’an, Jordan by German developers MENA Cleantech.

Expected to be operational by 2013, JOAN1 will be the largest concentrated solar power in the world using direct solar steam generation, and will be fitted with a back-up fossil fuel boiler to guarantee 24 hour coverage. Ausra is to install a manufacturing facility in Jordan to supply the plant with solar steam boilers. According to the company, the project is scheduled for financial close at the end of 2010, with construction beginning in 2011.

Samer Zureikat, managing director of MENA Cleantech, said ‘Ausra’s robust and cost-effective solar boiler technology, its team of experienced power industry veterans, as well as its OEM business model make it the most suitable solar steam boiler company to provide equipment for this landmark project.

Regarding the choice of Ma’an as the site for the world’s first large-scale direct steam CSP plant, Zureikat noted that, “Jordan’s modern investment laws and progressive regulatory climate coupled with its unparalleled solar resource make Ma’an one of the best locations in the world to build a Concentrating Solar Power plant.’

In late 2008, the Ausra launched a 5MW solar plant in California, the first in the state for nearly 20 years.

Dupont Corporation’s flexible photovoltaic cells

2009-07-08T11:21:00.000-07:00

Dupont Corporation’s flexible photovoltaic cells

Dupont Corporation and the Department of Energy announced plans to develop a flexible photovoltaic (PV) cell covering on July 1, 2009. PV’s are the most promising solar energy system.

The problem with present PV technology is the cells degrade under atmospheric conditions and are presently covered in glass or other materials that do not lend themselves to building and construction easily. The three year program is planned to accelerate the development of a plastic sheeting covered module for PV cells that makes the cells flexible and form fitting to houses and other objects.

The starting point is the use of Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIGS) type thin film PV modules presently used.

Successful development could make entire houses and building into large PV cells reducing electric demand and reducing pollution from fossil fuels.

The total funding for the project is 9 million dollars. Dupont contributed 6 million dollars and the Department of Energy contributed 3 million dollars. The DOE money comes from the Recovery and Reinvestment Act, passed earlier this year with the support of U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Ted Kaufman. Both Senators represent Delaware where Dupont has huge plants.

Senator Kaufman is a former Dupont employee.

Solar water heater update

2009-06-18T21:22:00.000-07:00

It became apparent that the solar hot water heater I built from recycled materials had a problem. I noticed that there was always moisture on the lower sides of the tank and a small puddle on the bottom. I gave it over a week to dry but it never did. Obviously, it was leaking. All the plumbing joints were tight so there was some sort of problem inside the tank. I decided to remove the tank and replace it with another recycled one that was in better shape. I closed the valves to remove the heater from the system and was quite excited when I broke the connection on the hot water side at the tank. The water that spurted out was hot enough to shower in! I drained the tank and used the water in the garden. Even the water at the bottom of the tank was lukewarm. This was after only a half day of sun. I'm sure that the constant moisture on the outside of the tank was cooling it as well so I have high hopes for the system with the new tank.

Solar Power at Data Center Scale

2009-06-16T11:15:00.000-07:00

Solar power has finally reached data center scale. Phoenix IT infrastructure provider i/o Data Centers is installing a huge array of solar panels on the 11-acre roof of its new Phoenix ONE data center. The company says the photovoltaic panels will generate up to 4.5 megawatts of power to supplement the energy needs of the massive facility.

The installation planned for Phoenix ONE will dwarf all previous efforts to integrate solar power into a working data center. Its output will be nearly three times the 1.6 megawatts produced by the solar panels covering the roof of the Googleplex.

The first phase of 5,000 solar panels in Phoenix is scheduled to be operational in January, and will generate 500 kilowatt-peak (kWp), the company says. The array will be expanded in four additional phases during 2010 to reach a total capacity of 4.5 megawatts-peak.

That’s just a fraction of the 80 megawatts of power capacity that the 538,000 square foot Phoenix ONE data center will need upon completion. The solar power is also expensive, costing about 18 cents per kilowatt hour to generate in a market where grid power is 7 cents.

Time-Shifted Cooling
But Phoenix ONE plan capitalizes on another wrinkle in power pricing: the differential between the daytime and overnight rates. The solar plant will be combined with an on-site thermal storage facility to create a time-shifted energy efficiency system.

i/o Data Centers will run its chillers at night when power is cheap, and then tap the thermal storage “battery” to provide much of the facility’s cooling during the day, reducing its power usage when electricity is most expensive. The solar power panels will further rlower Phoenix ONE’s reliance on utility power during peak hours.

“If we can generate 3 megawatts during the day, combined with our thermal storage, we can shave our power costs by about 50 percent,” said George Slessman, the CEO of i/o Data Centers. “Anything I can do to move my power consumption to off-peak hours is going to save a lot of money. Solar is the renewable approach that works best during peak daytime power pricing.”

The Challenges of Solar
Solar power hasn’t been widely used in data centers because of the large amounts of energy required to power the servers and cooling equipment in modern mission-critical facilities. It requires a very large installation of photovoltaic (PV) solar panels to produce even a fraction of the energy required by most data centers.

The only data center currently powered entirely by PV solar power is AISO (Affordable Internet Services Online), which operates a 1,500 square foot facility in Romoland, California. Intel and Sun Microsystems have tested solar power systems generating 10 kilowatts to partially power data center containers.

PV solar is also much more expensive than grid power. Microsoft has discussed plans to install solar panels at its San Antonio data center, but said such a system wouldn’t be economically feasible in the near future. “As solar technology advances, we anticipate that solar may become a more viable option within a few years,” the company said.

Cost of Solar Panels

2009-06-12T11:59:00.000-07:00

You may be wondering, “What is the cost of solar panels?” Can I afford them? How long will it take before I save enough in electrical costs so that they pay for themselves?

Determining the cost of solar panels is a complicated issue. You have to take into consideration facts like where you live, how much sunlight is available, how much power do you use and more. While the size of your house might SEEM like a concern, what really matters more is how efficient is your home. A tiny home with no insulation might generate more electrical costs than a brand new, energy efficient large home.

So, in order to find out the price for solar panels, you will need to determine your energy usage, determine the average amount of sunlight, and use that information to find out how many watts of power you will need. You’ll also want to look into the current tax incentives that are available and subtract that from your cost.

But, really, you’re thinking, “How much does it COST?” It will probably run upwards of $30,000 dollars to install a 5 kw system, which is what most houses would need to cover all of their electrical needs. The amount will vary based on the kind of solar panels you choose, who does the installation, your location and many other variables.

So, the short answer is that if you’re not planning on staying in your house for quite a few years, you probably shouldn’t count on the system paying for itself. Of course, there are many other reasons to have a solar system, and prices do continue to come down as time passes. And the current tax credits available may allow you to cut the cost of installation in half.

If you’re not looking for whole house solar, then there are still ways that you can install solar around your home. If you have a swimming pool, you can install a solar pool heater, and it will probably cost you less than $5,000. Solar water heaters will run you even less than that and provide excellent savings.

So, whether you’re looking for a whole house system or something smaller, the cost of solar energy is a bit steep to begin with, but well worth it in the long run. In the future we’ll address ways you can save money on solar. Is it possible to find used solar cells? How about free solar panels? Check back with us for the answer to those questions and more.

STOCK ANALYSIS TAN

2009-06-09T15:19:00.001-07:00

n just one day, enough sunlight strikes the earth's surface to power the entire planet's energy needs for about 27 years. However, less than 0.1% of the world's energy needs are being met via solar power. With traditional energy sources like oil and natural gas becoming strained under our current and future use, governments and institutions have been looking towards alternatives to meet energy requirements. Solar energy is quickly filling that niche, currently growing by 50% per year - making the photovoltaic cell one of the quickest expanding forms of renewable energy. Smart long-term investors, who can stomach the risks involved with an emerging industry, are taking notice.

The International Energy Agency projects that between 2001 and 2030, almost 9,500 new 500 mega-watt power plants need to be constructed in order to help satiate the planet's increasing energy usage. Alternative and renewable energy is "the largest economic opportunity of the 21st century," according to famed technology venture capitalist and Forbes "Midas List" member, John Doerr. Institutional investors have been following Doerr's lead, pouring billions of dollars into renewable energy companies and research since 2007, far exceeding the measly $150 million invested in solar energy in 2005. With the United States currently making up only 26% of the total market for photovoltaic cells, there is certainly room for growth. And retail investors have the opportunity to participate in the progress.

Exchange-Traded Funds To The Rescue
With companies such as silicon wafer manufacturer MEMC Electronic Materials (NYSE:WFR) and module producer Canadian Solar (Nasdaq:CSIQ), the sun-power segment of the alternative market is quite diverse. Add this to the rapidly changing nature of the growing industry and you can see how assembling a portfolio of solar stocks can be a daunting task. Most retail investors wanting to participate in this space would be better suited in one of the few exchange-traded products in this area. ETFs allow instant diversification, intra-daily trading and other benefits. There are currently two ETFs on the market specifically dealing with the solar industry - the Market Vectors Solar Energy ETF (NYSE:KWT) from Van Eck Global and the Claymore/MAC Global Solar Energy (NYSE:TAN) from Claymore Securities. Both follow a similar index of global solar companies. However, clever ticker symbol aside, the Claymore fund is my preferred choice in this area due its 10.5 times trading volume versus the Van Eck ETF. In addition, it has hefty assets under management. (To learn more about ETFs, read our Exchange-Traded Funds Special Feature.)

Getting A TAN
The Claymore Solar ETF offers investors a truly global representation of the solar industry, with the United States making up only 23% of the index. The fund, however, is concentrated, with only 26 total holdings, so volatility will occur. The ETF includes positions in low cost leader First Solar (Nasdaq:FSLR) in addition to several corporations not listed on U.S. exchanges, such as Germany's SolarWorld AG and Spain's Solaria Energia. The fund also includes several of the recent U.S.- listed Chinese solar companies such as China Sunergy (Nasdaq:CSUN) and ReneSola (NYSE:SOL). The fund overall has performed poorly, down nearly 73% since its inception. It should be noted, however, that the fund did start trading in April of 2008, right when the current economic downturn kicked into high gear. In addition, the fund has bounced well off of its 52-week low of $4.65. Given the long-term nature of the industry, it should continue to grow for an extended time. The Claymore ETF charges a modest 0.65% in expenses and pays an annual dividend.

Will people really donate $200 after buying a $300 air conditioner?

2009-06-01T16:33:00.000-07:00

Robert Frank defends carbon offsets at the sister blog. I'm sympathetic to much of Frank's argument; in particular, the fact that Al Gore has a big house isn't much of an argument against carbon offsets. (If the crops are failing and the flood waters are rising, it won't be much help to stand on a street corner shouting: But Al Gore had a big house!)

But I'm not happy with the example that Frank chooses to illustrate his point. He writes:

Suppose you live in a northern city with normally mild summers and are considering buying a bedroom air conditioner to ease you through the occasional brutal heat wave. Your choices are between a highly efficient model that sells for $500 and a less efficient one that sells for only $300. Because you're concerned about global warming, you feel obligated to buy the more efficient model. But because you use your air-conditioner so infrequently, buying that model won't actually help much. You'd do much more to curb global warming if you bought the cheaper model and used the money you saved to buy carbon offsets.

My first thought is that you'd be better off buying a couple of high-quality fans for $79 each. Beyond this, I'm troubled by the example because what makes it work is the willingness of somebody to spend $200 extra for the environment. This can't be how large change can come. Usually the argument I hear made to encourage people to buy energy-efficient appliances is that they will save you money in electricity costs after a year or two. It's hard for me to see carbon offsets making a difference if they're being driven by voluntary contributions. Although I guess the idea is that if voluntary contributions become some sort of norm, they can gradually become mandatory contributions. I don't claim to have any handle on the policy issues here; I just thought it was an odd example.

Solar powered air-conditioning from DuCool

2009-05-25T15:19:00.000-07:00

A hybrid air-conditioning system running on solar thermal energy and/or electricity has been launched by DuCool.

The DuHybrid solar powered air-conditioning system is said to reduce the energy required for cooling by up to 60% compared to standard air conditioning. It uses solar thermal energy when available, and switches automatically to electric power when needed.

The system combines desiccant dehumidification with evaporative or geothermal cooling to eliminate the need for conventional mechanical cooling. The DuHybrid system can also be integrated with a cogeneration system and can be powered by other renewable energy sources or waste heat, according to DuCool.

When running on the renewable energy mode, which is the default mode of operation, the hybrid air-conditioning unit can generate over 20 TR (tons of refrigeration) of cooling and dehumidification using renewable energy sources such as solar thermal and geothermal water.

First Solar CEO honored by ASU for energy goals

2009-03-30T11:10:00.000-07:00

Michael Ahearn, the chief executive officer of Tempe-based First Solar Inc., said Thursday that the United States is on the cusp of a dramatic shift in policy that looks promising for renewable energy.

The proposals coming from President Barack Obama mirror many of those in Europe, where the solar-panel company has earned hundreds of millions of dollars in recent years building power plants, Ahearn said.

"It gives reason to believe we'll see a transformation here," he said, "but how to navigate from here to there, that's not trivial."

Ahearn spoke to about 200 people at an event sponsored by Arizona State University's W. P. Carey School of Business, which honored the school's finance-program graduate as its 26th Annual Executive of the Year at the Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa in Phoenix.

Ahearn spent 20 minutes sharing his views about the renewable-energy industry.

Cutting emissions of greenhouse gases and maintaining the world's industrial output require "nothing short of a revolution," Ahearn said.

The business school presents the Executive of the Year honor to business leaders for inspired management and superior performance and to those who serve as a model for other business leaders.

A council of 100 national executives who serve as advisers and advocates of the school nominated Ahearn, who has a law degree from ASU as well and graduated from Chaparral High School.

The chairman of the council is Philip Francis, CEO of PetSmart Inc.

Past honorees include executives from Wells Fargo, eBay, Starbucks and other household brands.

First Solar has offices in Tempe and manufacturing plants in Ohio, Germany and Malaysia.

In final three months of 2008, First Solar was earning $1.5 million a day in profit. The vast majority of its solar panels is sold to large commercial-scale power plants in Europe.

"When I talk to people in the U.S. . . . they say (the German incentives for solar power) sound a little crazy," Ahearn said. "Here's the thing. There is a bigger picture that has not been explained well in the U.S. . . . The world is transforming to a low-carbon infrastructure."

He described Arizona's renewable-energy standard, which requires utilities to provide a certain amount of energy from sources like solar, as "embattled."

The standard has been challenged in court by a conservative group and has seen legislation introduced at the state level that would weaken the ratemaking authority the Corporation Commission used to impose the standard.

The challenges are a deterrent to companies hoping to supply renewable energy to Arizona, he said.

"If you are at all thoughtful, you definitely wouldn't make a decision based on that," Ahearn said. "People are at work trying to gut this thing."

The national political climate for renewable energy and cutting greenhouse-gas emissions is more favorable, he said.

"There are still people in the back corners who disbelieve (in global warming), but it doesn't get brought to the table," he said.

First Solar has made headway in the United States with deals to develop large solar installations in California, Nevada, and just this week, in New Mexico.

The company also developed a partnership for its solar panels to be used on small household rooftop arrays, including on homes in Arizona.

Ahearn's accomplishments with First Solar are timely, the council noted in his nomination for the honor, because of the current national focus on global warming, dependence on foreign oil and support of renewable energy from the new president.

Like all energy companies, First Solar has faced a volatile market in the past year.

Its stock price soared above $300 in 2008 as the company hurried to build new manufacturing lines to meet booming demand, only to see the stock price fall below $100 at the end of the year when oil prices retreated and tight credit stalled energy developments.

The company's shares have regained ground, closing Thursday at $150.39.

The company recently has driven the manufacturing price for its solar panels down below $1 per watt of electrical output, and it likely will benefit from enticements for renewable energy in the federal stimulus package.

"Volumes are going to go up," Ahearn said, "and costs are going to come down for some time."

2009-03-30T11:00:00.000-07:00

SOLYNDRA, a developer of thin-film solar cells, will be the first company to benefit from a long-delayed federal program providing loan guarantees for clean-energy projects. The Department of Energy has offered the Freemont, Calif.-based start-up $535 million in construction financing to expand its manufacturing capacity to 500 MW per year.
Solyndra's solar tubes cast striking shadows on an industrial roof top. Solyndra
Solyndra's solar tubes cast striking shadows on an industrial roof top.

The funds will cover 73% of the cost of adding significant capacity to Solyndra's current operation. The new factory will employ about 1,000 people.

Solar industry watchers had all but given up hope that money would be made available under the program, which was authorized in the 2005 Energy Act. But last month, DOE Secretary Steven Chu vowed to streamline the application process.

Solyndra makes solar panels for installation on commercial and industrial rooftops. Rather than lay the usual silicon wafer or film under a plate of glass, the firm constructs the panels by depositing copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) photovoltaics on the inside of glass tubes.

CIGS films have been shown in the lab to be more efficient than silicon films at converting sunlight to energy, but Solyndra says its panels get their cost-effectiveness mainly from cheaper installation and denser coverage of the rooftop.

Solyndra is a curious but appropriate pick to be the first recipient of the financing, according to Glenn Harris, CEO of consultancy SunCentric. "It has taken a unique approach that a lot of people agree is very intriguing. But the government, by backing it, didn't back an esoteric, just-out-of-a-lab technology. They bet on something that is proven," he says.

In fact, the quiet but well-funded start-up claims on its website to have more than $1.5 billion in orders for the panels from customers in the U.S. and Europe. Solyndra was founded in 2005, and industry watcher CleanTech Group estimates that it has raised $820 million in venture capital funding.

Monique Hanis, spokeswoman for the Solar Energy Industries Association, is hopeful that the announcement will be followed by a series of similar financing promises. She says solar capacity, which grew 17% in 2008, has been at risk of collapse because of the credit crunch.

North Andover business makes the switch from fossil to solar fuel

2009-03-30T10:54:00.000-07:00

As he travels around the country touting his economic plan, Obama talks a lot about the so-called "green economy." He says making the switch from fossil fuels to alternative sources of energy is one of the keys to prosperity in the United States.

Greg and Maryann Scarangello have heard and are heeding his message.

The proprietors of Scarangello Heating and Air-Conditioning have decided to start pushing solar power in addition to super-efficient heat pumps and other technology as a way to help their customers beat the high financial and environmental cost of fossil fuels.

They are so convinced of their mission that they even installed a five-panel solar hot water array in their backyard.

"Everyone wanted off oil last year," said Maryann, 41, recalling that the price of home-heating fuel was around $4 a gallon at one point. When their customers asked how they could reduce their heating bills, the first thing the Scarangellos offered was to install an energy-efficient heat pump.

The heat pumps, made by Hallowell International Heating and Cooling in Bangor, Maine, run on electricity and help pump warm air through the house. Customers loved them, Maryann said. While the pumps enabled people to throw out their oil tanks, they still run on electricity which must be generated somewhere — most likely by a power plant.

"Last summer, our phone was ringing off the hook," Maryann said. "Everyone wanted to do heat pumps."

Recently, business has slowed with the economy, but the Scarangellos have decided to diversify their offerings.

Encouraged by Obama's push on green energy as well as generous state and federal tax credits that can cut the cost of alternative energy projects in half, they decided to branch out into solar power.

Greg Scarangello, 47, said it has been easy for him to make the switch from traditional to alternative energy sources, and that the piping work is similar.

He installed the solar panels in his backyard, even building the frame that holds them. A line carrying fluid treated with anti-freeze runs from the panels into the home, where it enters a tank. The hot fluid from the solar panels warms the water inside the hot-water tank so that upstairs, Maryann can take what she said are "45-minute showers."

They admit that installations aren't cheap, with upfront costs for a heat-pump retrofit running around $10,000, and installation of a simple, solar hot-water system around $10,000. But with state and federal tax credits, as well as long-term savings factored in, such projects become worthwhile.

The couple hopes to branch out further in the coming years into additional alternative energy projects, including wind and geothermal power.

Dow Corning proposes solar research center

2009-03-30T10:51:00.000-07:00

Dow Corning Corp. hopes to make its Bay County headquarters a global center for solar energy research.

But first, the corporation wants state and federal financial support to help build a proposed $60 million to $80 million research facility.

If those plans become reality, the center would employ 250 people at first and as many as 2,000 eventually. It would be a world-class facility for solar innovation that would bring together top scientists and university researchers, Dow Corning spokeswoman Mary Lou Benecke said Friday. And it could anchor a larger science and technology park.

For now, though, the project is still in the discussion stage.

"We're not digging the foundation yet," Benecke said. "We're talking about it and it's something we'd really love to do. We believe there is a need for it in the industry."

Dow Corning is calling the proposed facility the American Solar Power Innovation and Research Enterprise, or ASPIRE. The corporation has presented a draft proposal to the Michigan Economic Development Corp. to make a business case for the project.

ASPIRE would operate as a nonprofit research organization, separate from Dow Corning's own research and development activities, according to the draft.

Dow Corning would help support and manage the facility on or near its corporate campus, located near the intersection of US-10 and highway M-47 in southwest Bay County.

Benecke said Dow Corning hopes to develop a financing package for the project this year. Financing would include an undetermined amount of cash from Dow Corning.

"We're trying to get some state and federal funding. We'd like to do it here in Michigan," she said.

Although ASPIRE has been discussed in a few public forums, the solar research center remains a concept and not a definite plan, Benecke said.

"If we got our way, this is what we would like," she said.

Dow Corning and its majority-owned subsidiary, Hemlock Semiconductor Corp., are moving aggressively into the solar industry as leaders in the manufacture of materials used in solar panels.

HSC launched a $1 billion expansion in Saginaw County in 2008 and broke ground for a similar facility in Tennessee this month. Hemlock makes polycrystalline silicon, used in solar wafers.

Dow Corning also plans to build a plant in Saginaw County to produce monosilane gas, which is used in thin-film solar cells. Dow Corning also has a small research center for the solar industry in Freeland.

Officials from the MEDC could not be reached Friday evening for comment.

Solar energy firm to start production

2009-03-27T09:44:00.000-07:00

"The fact that we have a new company like this with a highly efficient product to create energy … is very exciting," Mr. Strickland said. Ohio officials are providing a $5 million economic development loan and a $500,000 grant to the company.

Willard & Kelsey is seeking $100 million in federal stimulus money to support a proposed $1.2 billion solar-panel manufacturing park in Perrysburg that it claims will create nearly 3,700 jobs.

For now, company officials are concentrating on the existing $14 million plant.

Willard & Kelsey had hoped to launch production last year, but was delayed by the nation's credit crisis, Perrysburg municipal officials have been told.

But executives of the company, which is one of at least four firms making solar panels in metro Toledo or researching low-cost thin-film panel production here, say they are ready to move forward.

In his first extensive public comments, Chief Executive

William R. Mitchell said that trial production will begin in the coming weeks and that full-scale manufacturing will start in the next seven to eight months.

Hiring will be handled by the Wood County Department of Job and Family Services. The firm hopes to hire 400 employees by the end of 2009. The firm told the state the jobs would have an average wage of $21 an hour.

The firm's panels, which will use low-cost technology similar to that used at a nearby factory of Arizona-based First Solar Inc., expects to submit the panels for certification next month to Underwriters Laboratory and other certifying organizations, Mr. Mitchell said.

He would not comment on whether the firm will be able to make panels more cheaply than First Solar, whose low-cost technology has made it one of the top producers in the world.

But Mr. Mitchell said the proprietary method used by Willard & Kelsey to chemically coat glass panels requires 70 percent less energy than the process at First Solar.

Willard & Kelsey expects to operate around the clock, Mr. Mitchell said.

The firm is in final discussions with an undisclosed prospective customer that is interested in buying all of the panels the firm can produce over the next two to three years, he added.

The Willard & Kelsey firm now employs 34 people. All, except Mr. Mitchell, are veterans of First Solar or Glasstech Inc., another Toledo company involved in the glass industry, the chief executive said. The late industrialist Harold McMaster, a pioneer in solar-panel technology, founded both First Solar and Glasstech.

Willard & Kelsey was started by Michael Cicak, a Glasstech veteran. Willard & Kelsey's name comes from an intersection in East Toledo near where he grew up. Mr. Cicak serves as company chairman. James Appold, president of Consolidated Biscuit Co., is vice chairman. Company officials said a year ago they had $22 million from private investors.

The work of Mr. McMaster, pioneering research at the University of Toledo, and success of First Solar's first plant in Perrysburg have earned Toledo a reputation as a leading center of low-cost solar panel technology.

Another firm, Xunlight Corp., plans to begin production in Toledo. And a unit of German solar giant Q-Cells AG has a research operation in Perrysburg.