Tag Archives: oil & energy
NREL Gets 2nd Solar Canopy
The U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) now has a second Envision Solar International Solar Tree array at its Vehicle Testing and Integration Facility. Envision completed the installation of the solar EV charging canopy at NREL’s Golden, Colo. facility in mid-April. “I’m proud that we have been chosen again by NREL. They are delighted the [...]
Report: Global Markets and Technologies for PV Systems
I’m happy to announce the publication of my most recent report, Global Markets and Technologies for Photovoltaic Systems, by the research company BCC Research. You won’t be finding it in your local bookstore–the purchase price is $4,850, although you can get bite sized chunks at a much lower price. The report has actually been in the [...]
Solar Junction Achieves 44% Solar Cell Efficiency
A California-based company has broken its own world record in solar cell efficiency. Solar Junction has achieved 44 percent at 949 suns, beating the Silicon Valley company’s record of 43.5 percent at 418 suns it set in April 2011. Both records were verified by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). “Breaking our own world record [...]
In Focus: The Smart Grid
Just in the last two decades, we’ve seen our daily communications progress from landlines and pagers to smartphones. Though the devices we use on a daily basis have been dramatically improving over the years, we’re charging our iPhones with century-old grid technology. The North American electric grid, otherwise known as the “largest machine in the [...]
Solar EV Charging Canopy Installed at the San Diego Zoo
Smart City San Diego and the San Diego Zoo will install a solar PV canopy that will charge electric vehicles (EV) in the Zoo parking lot. The Solar-to-EV project began construction Sept. 4. One of the first of its kind in the region, the project will harness energy from the sun to directly charge plug-in [...]
Envision Solar: Modularizing Their Solar Tree
Envision Solar has taken a bold step forward in modularizing its iconic Solar Tree design. The California company announced this week that it has developed a process for pre-casting and shipping the concrete columns that form the trunks of its Solar Tree. “In the past we always poured the columns in place,” said Envision CEO [...]
The Clean Energy Victory Bonds Act
After World War II, 85 million Americans bought more than $185 billion in bonds to fund important infrastructure. New US legislation seeks to leverage that same financial model to raise $50 billion for clean energy and energy-efficient technologies. The “Clean Energy Victory Bonds Act of 2012″ (aka HR 6275) sponsored by Representative Bob Filner (D-CA) [...]
The Solar Power Science Academy from SunPower
Earlier this month SunPower Corp. announced SunPower Solar Science Academy, a week-long program for for K-12 students being offered first in California and soon in Arizona. The program will help students learn about solar from a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) point of view. The academy comes as SunPower announced solar will help save [...]
Frito-Lay’s Electric Vehicle Fleet
You may feel guilty some days eating that giant bag of chips, terrified your waist line is about to balloon. But it looks like Frito-Lay wants to tap your environmental awareness … even if its chips may gnaw at your calorie-conscious self. Frito-Lay is about to launch its first fleet of electric trucks, to ensure [...]