Hybrid solar panels

But now, a hybrid solar panel can generate solar electricity and solar hot water at the same time!  Virtu, a hybrid solar panel, has been invented by UK renewable company Naked Energy.

Richard Boyle, the Chief Engineer at Naked Energy, developed the hybrid solar panel technology, which combines PV solar cells that generate electricity, and solar thermal panel that generates hot water.

The solar technology works by using the downside of PV solar cells (a decrease in efficiency as they get warmer) to transfer excess heat from the PV cells to heat water.  Solar electricity generation rises as excess heat is transferred to warm water.  When the PV solar cells are cooled, they maintain efficiency.

In short- its a win, win for the solar technology and consumers!

The 2011 Nissan LEAF

I’ve been spending the past couple of days in Detroit at the North American International Auto Show.   Let me just say that there are a ton of green cars that are on the market already, coming to consumers soon, or concepts that may develop to additional options.  Among several new electric cars that have been introduced is the new 2011 Nissan LEAF.

We chatted with several of the Nissan representatives about the LEAF, which is now available in several U.S. markets.  Not only can this 100% electric car get up to 100 miles on a single charge, but there is a solar panel option to help operate the HVAC system within the vehicle without draining the battery.  The PV panel is mounted on the spoiler of the car and is sleek and low profile.  We were told that of the people that have bought, or pre-ordered the Nissan LEAF, more than 70% of them are choosing the solar panel option!

Introducing the 2011 Nissan LEAF

In case you are wondering, the MSRP for the Nissan LEAF in the U.S. is approximately $32,000.

With a $7,500 rebate from the federal government, you’ll end up paying about $25,000 for the 5-passenger car that runs on zero fuel and has zero carbon emissions.  The solar panel option is about $1000 over MSRP.

Excitement is high for green cars like the Nissan LEAF.  Even with a down economy, consumers are flocking to electric vehicles and other green cars.  Perhaps the most serious competitor of the Chevy Volt, Nissan LEAF has a long waiting list of customers who cannot wait to get behind the wheel of this revolutionary EV.

Other information of note include:

• Charging outlet in the front of the vehicle
• Charging time approximately 6-8 hours with a 240 volt outlet for a full charge
• Quick charging of 30 minutes can be accomplished
• Range of 100 miles without recharging
• Seats 5 passengers
• Battery mounted underneath the vehicle instead of taking up trunk space
• Upholstery created from recycled plastic water bottles

I’d love to drive a new 2011 Nissan LEAF.  Check back with its website, or follow @NissanLEAF on Twitter for more information about when this electric car will be coming to a city near you!

Solar panel leasing comes to Oregon

For homeowners wanting to switch to solar power, one of the biggest concerns is the upfront cost.

With a solar panel lease, you can have solar panels installed and start enjoying much cheaper electricity (and with minimal carbon emissions) with practically no money down.  This is because ownership of the solar panels stays with the manufacturer, and you only pay a small monthly fee – less than your current power bill.

Leasing solar panels is a new idea that is just starting to get traction across the U.S. and Canada.  This week, we learned that solar panel leasing is now available here in my home state of Oregon via programs offered by SolarCity®.   Residential solar leases can be obtained for as little as $20 a month!  This means that you can start saving right away, instead of trying to calculate a return on investment period as you would when you buy solar panels.

Solar panel leasing is now available in Oregon because the Oregon Department of Energy adopted new rules effective January 1 that allow customers that lease solar panels to receive the residential tax credit (RETC) that was previously only available to customers that purchased solar systems. What this means is that the system cost that is not covered by lease payments can be deferred until the homeowner receives the tax credit, eliminating any upfront costs associated with switching to solar power.

For more information how a SolarCity solar panel lease works, watch this video:

There are many financing options available to Oregon customers who wish to lease or purchase solar panels from SolarCity.   You can choose between a prepaid lease, partially prepaid lease with lower monthly payments and even cash purchase.  During the entire 15-year duration of the lease, SolarCity will monitor, repair, insure and guarantee the performance of the solar panels installed on your home.  According to Rob LaVigne, SolarCity’s regional director in Oregon:

“For less money each month than the cost of two movie tickets, Oregon homeowners can install solar power.  Our Oregon lease option should make solar accessible to a wide range of homeowners across the state.”

If you live in Oregon and are a customer of Portland General Electric or Pacific Power, you are eligible for the solar panel lease program through SolarCity.  Contact the company directly at 1-888-SOL-CITY (1-888-765-2489) for a free consultation, or visit SolarCity’s webtsite: www.solarcity.com/request.

Three sprigs of beautiful natural-looking Wild Grass LED Lights are powered by a solar panel and battery. Great product for your garden, patio and pavement decoration needs. Fiber-optic grass strands can easily be formed into different shapes. Make a bouquet by simply twisting and bending the grass wires. No A/C power needed. Self sustaining. Requires no maintenance. Great for holiday decoration and year round use. They illuminate a low- angel of 1.2 ft tall to the ground. They (more…)

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The Sunforce 50022 5-Watt Solar Battery Trickle Charger gives you another reason to love the sun–it can help keep your vehicle’s battery charged. It provides up to 5-Watts or 350mA of power to prevent the natural voltage drain of batteries over time. It includes both a lighter socket adapter and alligator clips to give you flexible connection options. The Sunforce 5-Watt Solar Trickle Charger is compact and easy to install. Convenient Power That Helps Keep Your B (more…)

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The Sunforce 50012 1.8-Watt Solar Battery Maintainer gives you another reason to love the sun–it can help keep your vehicle’s battery charged. It provides up to 1.8-Watts or 125mA of power to prevent the natural voltage drain of batteries over time. It includes both a lighter socket adapter and alligator clips to give you flexible connection options. The Sunforce 1.8-Watt Solar Battery Maintainer is compact and easy to install. Convenient Power That Helps Keep Yo (more…)

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Representing the next generation of solar panel technology, the Solaris 26 maximizes performance while taking up virtually no space at all. The unit’s multi-section design folds up into a compact footprint that’s just a bit larger than a DVD case, while still delivering an impressive 26 watts of power, more than enough to charge a laptop or digital video camera or power a satellite or cell phone. In addition, the unit’s high-performance CIGS solar cells–the most effi (more…)

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The Sunforce 39810 80-Watt High-Efficiency Polycrystalline Solar Panel Module will give you several more reasons to love the sun. It provides the power you need, while helping you save money and protect the environment. This panel is ideal for cabins, recreational vehicles, remote power, back-up power, and 12-Volt battery charging. This panel comes with compatible wiring, accessories and a voltage tester to help you start producing up to 80 Watts of clean, free power (more…)

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Designed to protect against natural battery discharge and electronic drain in cars, recreational vehicles, SUVs, and trucks, the Coleman solar 1.5-watt 12-volt deep-cycle charger keeps the 12-volt batteries in the vehicle charged so you can run small appliances such as fluorescent lights, coolers, small TVs, or laptops. The solar charger provides an immediate charge when exposed to daylight, even on cloudy day. Illuminated LEDs lets you know the panel is charging, and (more…)

From the Manufacturer

This 10-LED rechargeable solar panel shed light offers 100,000 hours of light. It is ideal for the home, garage, or workplace to automatically and easily illuminate any area to ensure safety and security, all while utilizing solar power. Comes complete with 3 AA rechargeable batteries.

Bring light to your dark shed, without having to connect to your local power grid. This LED shed light features 10 bright LED’s that are powered via a sola (more…)