CleanTechnica

Tesla Model S Sales Much Higher Than Similarly Priced Cars From Mercedes, BMW, & Audi

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Nathan

It’s near impossible to deny the success that Tesla Motors has been having as of late. The Model S has been selling extremely well. Its stock has been climbing to new heights, it has turned a profit, it has announced that it will be repaying its DOE loan five years early, and the company is gearing up for the release of several new models over the next few years. And now, new data from LMC … Read More

How Adding An Electric Car Cut Solar Payback Time In Half

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Nicholas Brown

Do you think that buying an electric vehicle could reduce the payback time of a solar power system by 50%? Let us explore that. This is the story of a family in Pennsylvania who installed a 9.43 kW solar panel array to offset their electricity usage. They found themselves saving considerably more money than they originally would have. The solar power system was installed in October 2011. It consists of 41 panels. Each of the … Read More

12.2 GW Of New Solar Approved Until February In Japan

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Karl-Friedrich Lenz

This article was originally published on Lenz Blog. The Japanese Ministry of Economy, Industry, and Trade just published figures for renewable energy under the new feed-in tariff law in force since last July. Thanks to this tweet by Hiro Matsubara for the link. To state the result in very short terms, wind is struggling even with the very high tariffs in place, and solar is headed for the “rocket start” former Prime Minister Noda called for last October. The Japanese … Read More

Odd Twist: US Solar Company Sells Solar Panels To China

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Nicholas Brown

Solaria, an American solar panel manufacturer, is going to sell a good chunk of its solar panels to China, counter to the much more common scenario of China manufacturing solar panels (and other goods) for the US. Solaria is based in Fremont, California. Its panels, which are of the STS-AZ type, are being used in several large-scale (in the megawatts) solar power plants that are currently under construction in the Qinghai province of China and in … Read More

Improved Quality Control During Lithium-Ion Battery Production Thanks To New System

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Nathan

"This thermal image was recorded using a new tool developed at Purdue that detects flaws in lithium-ion batteries as they are being manufactured, a step toward reducing defects and inconsistencies in the thickness of electrodes that affect battery life and reliability."
Image Credit: Purdue University

A new tool has been created by researchers at Purdue University that is able to detect flaws in lithium-ion batteries while they are still being manufactured, potentially greatly improving the quality and reliability of the batteries and also cutting down on waste/inefficiency. Specifically, the new tool is able to flag defects and inconsistencies in the thickness of electrodes that can limit the battery’s life and reliability. As a result of the inconsistencies being spotted right … Read More

Solar Power Windows Fast Approaching Commercial Production

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Nathan

Commercial production of solar windows, using the patented SolarWindow spray-on solar power coating system, may be just around the corner. A recent announcement from US building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) developer New Energy Technologies Ltd. (which we’ve been following for years) has us feeling that the time may soon come. As per New Energy Technologies’ recent announcement, the big news is that the fabrication time of the technology has been greatly reduced. The fabrication process, which … Read More

New Report Outlines U.S. Miltary’s Solar Powered Might

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Tina Casey

new SEIA report outlines military solar power

If you have any doubts about solar power’s place in the U.S. energy landscape, check out the new report from the Solar energy Industries Association (SEIA). Titled “Enlisting the Sun: Powering the U.S. Military with Solar Energy,” the report details solar power systems at Army, Navy, and Air Forces in more than 31 states and Washington, D.C. that add up to more than 130 megawatts. Though not a great deal relative to the Department of … Read More

SolarCity Earnings – Mixed Results But Good Prospects

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Guest Contributor

This article first appeared on the Roen Financial Report by Harris Roen SolarCity (SCTY) has been one of the hottest alternative energy stocks since its Initial Public Offering five short months ago. Yesterday it shot up 24% in one day, on the largest one-day volume since it opened, in anticipation of its quarterly earnings release. It is up 95% in the past three months, and has more than tripled from its initial trading price. As … Read More

Net Metering: A Net Positive

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Guest Contributor

This article first appeared on Mosaic by Rosana Francescato There’s been a lot of talk lately about net metering. What’s so special about net metering, and why all the fuss? Net metering is a simple concept that’s policy in 43 states. It’s like rollover minutes on a cell phone bill — it lets utility customers who install solar systems feed energy they generate into the grid if they don’t need it at the time they’re generating … Read More