Solar Power Coming to the White House

Solar panels and a solar hot water heater will soon be installed at the White House, Energy Secretary Steven Chu said Tuesday.

Chu announced the conversion at the 2010 GreenGov Symposium in Washington, accompanied by Nancy Sutley, chairwoman of the Council of Environmental Quality.



"This project reflects President Obama's strong commitment to U.S. leadership in solar energy and the jobs it will create here at home," Chu said in a written statement released by the Energy Department. "Deploying solar energy technologies across the country will help America lead the global economy for years to come."

By installing the solar panels on the White House, Sutley said the president is underscoring a commitment to "lead, and the promise and importance of renewable energy in the United States."

The solar panel system, which should be installed by next spring, will convert sunlight directly to electricity, while the solar hot water heater will have a solar collector facing the sun to heat water for use in the White House residence. The Energy Department said a competitive procurement process will be used to select the company that will make the installations.

This is not the first time solar energy has been tapped at the White House. Former President Jimmy Carter had solar panels installed on the roof of the White House residence during his term. They were removed during the Reagan administration. Former President George W. Bush also used solar energy to help power a maintenance building on the White House grounds, and to assist in heating the swimming pool there.

The announcement comes on the one-year anniversary of an executive order signed by the president that called on the federal government to lead in the establishment of a clean energy economy.
Courtesy of CNN



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Small Business Bill Clears US Senate

The US Senate pass long-stalled Small Business Legislation, which includes an extension through 2010 of Bonus Depreciation, one of the Solar Energy Industry Association's legislative priorities.

The US Congress continues to push through its brief session before Members return home to campaign ahead of the November election. Both the House and Senate are expected to adjourn by Sept. 30.

The Small Business Legislation must now be passed by the House before it heads to the President's desk.

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee holds a hearing on the effectiveness of the Department of Energy Loan Guarantee Program this Thursday, 23 Sept. at 9:30 a.m. SEIA Member First Solar will testify.

SEIA staff continue to work with Congressional staff on finding a legislative vehicle for the Treasury Grant Program extension, but it looks increasingly likely that Congress will be unable to pass any legislation over the next two weeks and any possible movement would take place after the November elections in a lame duck session.   Via: Solar Novus Today



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Going Greener: Wal-Mart Plan New Solar Power Initiative

The parking lot at the Sam's Club in Palmdale, California looks like others in Wal-Mart Stores' empire, except for one thing. Seventeen wind turbines spin atop the parking lot lights, producing up to 5% of the store's energy.

The turbines, installed in March, represent the largest retail installation of its type in the U.S. and a major test of the technology, Wal-Mart says.

In a nearby city, Lancaster, a Walmart gets 50% of its energy from a potentially revolutionary fuel-cell technology.



And Monday, Wal-Mart is expected to announce plans to almost double the number of locations to have solar, with a next-generation solar technology planned for many of them.


In 2005, Wal-Mart set the goal of being 100% reliant on renewable energy. It didn't give a time frame and hasn't said how far it's come. But given Wal-Mart's 8,400 locations worldwide, it's barely made a dent in the goal. Nonetheless, the world's biggest retailer is running real-world tests on green-energy technologies. Because of its heft, it could quickly deploy winning technologies and propel them into the mass market while proving to other companies that the economics work, renewable-energy experts say.

"If these technologies can pass the Wal-Mart hurdle, other people will say, 'We ought to look into it. It's not just a novelty,' " says Gwen Ruta, vice president of the Environmental Defense Fund.

Wal-Mart — one of the USA's largest private users of electricity — isn't pursuing renewables just for good PR. It'll turn to green energy, but only if it costs the same as or less than traditional power. So far, more than 90% of Wal-Mart's renewable projects have met that bar, says David Ozment, Wal-Mart's director of energy.

Since 2008, Wal-Mart's solar facilities, now numbering 31 in California and Hawaii, have even cut the retailer's energy costs by $1 million, Ozment says. That's small change for a company with annual revenue of $405 billion. But it's noteworthy because solar is still, on a national basis, more expensive than traditional energy, such as coal.

Some environmental groups have criticized Wal-Mart for not being more green. Advocacy group Wal-Mart Watch also says that Wal-Mart's green efforts divert attention away from the pollution created by the distance that many shoppers drive to get to its stores, which are often on the edges of cities. But other retail and green analysts say Wal-Mart is pursuing renewables with as much pace as possible, given the economics.

"They're trying to figure out how to apply their low-price model to solar, which isn't low-price," says Joel Makower, executive editor of GreenBiz.com. "This is hard stuff."

A big push to go green

Wal-Mart's work on renewables has happened in conjunction with its other major steps to go green. Five years ago, Wal-Mart pledged to eventually send no waste to landfills because everything is re-used, and to sell only products that sustain people and the environment. The company has since opened prototype stores that are 25% more energy-efficient, thanks to such steps as using more skylights and lights that automatically dim. Its U.S. truck fleet has become 60% more efficient, in part because of better route planning. By 2013, Wal-Mart wants its 100,000 suppliers to reduce packaging by 5%.

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Obama Backs Giant Solar Project

As reported by The Associated Press, in this morning’s weekly radio address President Obama has just announced that almost $2 billion in federal funding for solar energy and green jobs is in the pipeline.  The money will go to construct solar power installations in Arizona, Colorado and Indiana.
One of the firms, Abenoga Solar, says that it is planning to build the largest solar power plant in the world in Arizona.

Mr Obama said the projects would provide more than 5,000 new jobs.

The Arizona plant should power 70,000 homes and cut carbon dioxide emissions.

The money will come from government stimulus funds designed to boost the economy during the recession.

Outlining the "Solana" project at Gila Bend near Phoenix, Abenoga said it would have an area of 1,900 acres, using thermal storage-equipped parabolic trough technology, with 280 MW of power output capacity.

According to the company's website, 1,500 new jobs will be created during the plant's construction with 100 positions for staff to maintain it.

The second company, Abound Solar Manufacturing, will manufacture state-of-the-art thin film solar panels, the first time anywhere that such technology has been used commercially, the BBC's Jane O'Brien reports from Washington.

Plants will be built in Colorado and Indiana, creating 2,000 construction jobs and 1,500 permanent jobs, the Associated Press reports.

President Obama had promised during his election campaign for the White House to create manufacturing and construction jobs in the green power industry.

"We're going to to keep competing aggressively to make sure the jobs and industries of the future are taking root right here in America," he said on Saturday.

The renewable energy industry in the US faces tough competition from developers in China.

Mr Obama also acknowledged the loans would not be an instant solution.

Around 125,000 jobs were lost in the last month, the government reported.

Via BBC News

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Summer Travel, Don't Forget Your Green Gadgets

 Happy Summer. Summer is the time of year when families from coast to coast decide to go on vacation. Even though you hate to admit it we want to go somewhere but we know we are addicted to our electronic gadgets. Where ever you finally choose your vacation this summer,  whether the beach, the mountains, at a campsite , abroad or even in your own backyard, you will find plenty of distinctive green gadgets that will make the experience so much more entertaining. Even though possessing these green gadgets isn't necessary to enjoy your  summer travels, they sure will make the entire experience so much more entertaining.
 
Charging cell phones, MP3 players, PDAs, cameras, and more can be a drain, especially if you are out and about with the family and there's no outlet in sight.  Outdoor Gadgets used to be limited to their battery life. But not anymore!! Taking a solar charger along on your getaway can help you avoid the dying cell phone disaster since it draws power from the sun to amp up nearly any device.


Solar chargers come in a range of shapes and sizes and can be separated into two categories: those with built-in batteries (which means you can store your sun power for later use) and those without batteries (they send the solar power straight to your player — no middle man, but also no reserve power once the sun sets). You may also choose one with a battery for use at home to save electricity: You can leave the charger in the sun all day (on a south-facing windowsill, for example), then come home and charge your device at night. A majority of the devices offer a female USB port, similar to what is on your computer. This USB port offers the flexibility of charging many electronics that already come with a USB cable, so searching for the right connector is not necessary.

Your mobile device can have as much fun in the sun as you deserve yourself,  so Happy Travels and don't forget your green gadgets.

Enjoy Your Vacation.








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E.P.A. Makes The Case For Affordable Climate Legislation

The United States Environment Protection Agency has confirmed that the proposed climate bill could help bring down global carbon emissions at safe levels by 2050 while being affordable for American households.

In an analysis, the agency concluded that the Senate bill sponsored by Senators John Kerry and Joe Lieberman would cost households an average of $79 to $146 per year.

The bill, called the American Power Act unveiled in April, aims to cut emissions of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping greenhouse gases by 17 percent by 2020 and by more than 80 percent by 2050.

The agency’s analysis of the Senate bill mirrors the price it gave to the House of Representatives’ version of the legislation passed in June 2009. The agency previously estimated that American Clean Energy Security Act is expected to cost $80 to $111 annually.

In addition, the analysis also showed that prices for carbon permits in the cap-and-trade market outlined in the Kerry-Lieberman bill should hit $16 per metric ton to $17 per metric ton in 2013 and $23 per metric ton to $24 per metric ton in 2020.

These prices are within range of the bill's initial floor and ceiling prices of $12 and $25 respectively.

Possible scenarios

The E.P.A. gave several scenarios to measure the global impact of passing the climate bill in reducing emissions. One scenario assumes concerted global action, where the country follows the carbon reduction plans laid out in the Kerry-Lieberman bill at the same time as developing countries try to meet their own targets.

Developing countries, along with the United States, are also expected to follow the pledges they made during the G-8 meeting in July 2009 involving emission cuts of 80 percent below 2005 levels by 2050. In addition, the scenario assumes that these countries have already adopted a policy that caps emissions beginning in 2025 based on 2015 levels and reduces emissions to 26 percent below 2005 levels by 2050.

The agency estimates that there is a 75 percent chance of keeping global temperatures under 2°C under this scenario, which is in line with the temperature threshold by 2050 established by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

The E.P.A. also presented a more modest scenario where developing countries’ have not started any climate policy to curb down emission until 2050. Despite this, the agency forecasted that there is still a 50 percent chance of holding global temperatures under 3°C and an 11 percent chance of holding temperatures below 2°C.   Story Via 




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Walmart's Expanded Solar Power Initiative Moves Forward

Walmart announced yesterday the completion of two solar power projects from its expanded solar initiative announced on Earth Day 2009 (April 22). The solar projects are located in San Diego, California.  Walmart’s expanded solar power initiative will nearly double its solar energy use in California, adding solar installations at 10 to 20 Walmart facilities throughout the state.

San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders and Chula Vista Mayor Cheryl Cox praised Walmart for its commitment to renewable energy in the region.

“San Diego is the leader among California cities for solar use and generation, so it’s fitting that a Walmart store in our city would go solar,” said Mayor Sanders. “I appreciate Walmart’s leadership on increasing renewable energy in San Diego and throughout the state. It is good policy that will benefit the environment as well as result in energy cost savings they can pass along to customers.”

“I commend Walmart’s leadership in sustainable practices through its addition of solar energy technology to the Chula Vista Broadway store,” said Mayor Cox. “Walmart’s commitment to renewable energy is an investment in an economically and environmentally sustainable future for our city.”
The solar projects were also recognized by Mary D. Nichols, Chairman of the California Air Resources Board.

“Walmart’s effort to expand and accelerate its solar power initiative program here in California demonstrates their commitment to sustainability. These kinds of projects create green jobs, reduce costs for businesses by lowering power bills, and protect the environment,” said Nichols. “We appreciate Walmart’s leadership and encourage other businesses to follow Walmart’s lead.”

The expanded solar initiative builds upon the solar pilot program that began in May 2007. In addition to the two San Diego region stores, three other stores in the Southern California region went online in December 2009 as a part of its expanded solar power initiative. Walmart’s total combined solar efforts in California are expected to:  See Full Story






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Solar Day 2010

Given the public outrage over the largest oil spill in U.S. history, public awareness of solar energy has grown through recent speeches by President Obama about solar energy and clean energy.

This year’s annual day of recognition for the growth of clean, solar energy in the U.S. is SolarDay 2010 – Saturday, June 19. The premise of SolarDay is simple: a national day of recognition for solar energy, energy independence and protection of the planet.

 

I have to say, I didn’t know there was a “SolarDay” until recently, but I guess that is partly because it wasn’t founded until 2009.  Nonetheless, it has already grown into a worldwide event.
SolarDay is celebrated on a weekend day before the Summer Solstice (the longest day of the year). which as indicated above is this Saturday, June 19th.

Last year, more than 700 media stories were written about SolarDay. I imagine there will be more than that this year.
As you might expect, SolarDay is about promoting solar energy and energy independence. But it goes beyond that in that it promotes clean, green energy in general and sustainable lifestyles as well.

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