Here in my hometown of Bend, Oregon, we love to stroll downtown mid-day to see what food trucks are out on the street corners for a quick, convenient meal. Although they have become a hot new trend in “fast food,” street food trucks actually preceded drive-ins for many decades. Today’s offerings are decidedly more sustainable, [...]
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So far, 2012 is turning out to be a bright year for solar power. Installations of the renewable energy resource have increased by 69% so far this year, according to Clean Edge’s report Clean Energy Trends 2012. Since 2010, renewable energy has been growing at an impressive pace – overall about 31%, representing an increase [...]
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Recently, one of the most exciting developments in solar technology allows for see through solar power. Invisible solar cells for windows could allow homeowners to switch to solar without the hassle of obtaining building permits and/or approval from homeowners associations. Researchers have helped bring us one step closer to this type of building integrated photovoltaics [...]
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The world is on the move and increasingly has little time to plug in devices to recharge them. Solar cell phones are reality, and now you can buy a solar powered netbook computer from Samsung, as well. Electronic devices like the computer shown to the left are fitted with solar panels. When ultra violet light [...]
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The term “distributed generation,” may not be understood by the average homeowners, but if you install residential solar panels, that is exactly what you will be utilizing. When people generate and use solar power at the same location, its called distributed generation. This is in contrast to utility scale solar power, usually in the form [...]
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Cities and other municipalities are increasingly turning to solar power for energy requirements associated with street lights, traffic signals and even reader boards. To this list, you can now add solar powered parking meters! Instead of fishing your pockets for quarters (and finding only nickles and dimes), motorists can use a credit card system powered [...]
Going solar is easier for homeowners with a few key resources. Here are a couple of tools to help you switch to solar power with less hassle and expense: 1. Tap into Solar Incentives One of my favorite resources is the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE), which lists state rebates and [...]
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Solar panels are an investment, even with incentives, tax rebates and the recent falling prices. Yet, there is one area in which costs of solar power can be reduced – trimming permitting fees and streamlining the process. In order to install residential solar panels, you will need a building permit (and possibly other land use [...]
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If you are thinking about installing solar panels on your home but concerned about the expense, have you considered solar thermal panels? Solar hot water heaters use specialized solar panels to heat water for domestic use, without the need for conventional electricity. Heating water for household uses like bathing, washing dishes and laundry is one [...]
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Solar power grid parity is predicted in the U.S. within the next 10-15 years, meaning that the cost of solar electricity will be lower than traditional grid-based energy sources such as coal or gas. We found this map published on the Energy Self-Reliant States website that shows solar power grid parity in most major U.S. [...]
