CleanTechnica

REC Solar Completes 1st Community Solar Project in Colorado

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Nicholas Brown

Under the Community Solar Gardens Act, which was implemented last year in Colorado, REC Solar completed the first of four community solar projects. It is a 500 kW array of solar panels called the Boulder Cowdery Meadows Solar Array. This is the first community solar project completed under Xcel Energy’s Solar*Rewards Community program, which allows Xcel Energy’s customers to purchase electricity directly from “solar gardens” off site. Andy Noel, director of utility-scale EPC at REC Solar, said: … Read More

tenKsolar Announces Its RAIS® XT Performance Enhancement Is Available

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Nicholas Brown

tenKsolar PV Solution.

Image Credit: PR Newswire.

tenKsolar has announced that its RAIS® XT solar solution, which improves commercial solar panel system performance, is now available. The RAIS® XT addresses the issue of significant performance impeditions caused by shading, hot spots, and other issues due to the series connections of conventional solar panels. “We have worked to address every shortcoming of commercial-scale rooftop solar,” said tenK Founder and CTO Dallas Meyer. “Generating up to 44% more energy per roof than typical rooftop solar … Read More

Tesla’s Early Loan Repayment Gets Props From Energy Dept

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Tina Casey

Moniz lauds Tesla for early loan repayment

The US electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla Motors announced this week that it has paid off its federal clean energy loan years earlier than required, and brand new Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Ernest Moniz could not resist a little celebration at the expense of the loan program’s critics. In one of his first press releases since taking office, Moniz used the Tesla loan success to make the case that his agency’s portfolio of 30 loans, … Read More

Crowdfunding Solar Pumps For Low-Income Farmers

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Important Media Cross-Post

There’s no denying it — there are tons of poor farmers around the world. It’s a wonder that those growing one of the essentials of life are often unable to make a decent living. So, naturally, any story about using solar power (one of the coolest… or hottest… things on the planet) to help low-income farmers is one that makes my heart warm. Throw in crowdfunding and it’s a grand slam, or hat trick, or … Read More

Anti-Renewable North Carolina Bill Defeated!

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Zachary Shahan

Image Credit: North Carolina flag via Shutterstock.

As solar and wind power grow, rich but out of date industries such as the coal and nuclear industries are beginning to quiver. Naturally, with buildings full of money, they’re also fighting back and paying others to fight back. They’re struggling to survive. One way they are doing so is by attacking every incentive for clean, renewable energy that they can. State renewable energy policies have been a particular focus of attack as of late. … Read More

Tesla Pays Off Government Loan 9 Years Early

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Zachary Shahan

Tesla Motors announced late in the day yesterday that it has now completely paid back its Department of Energy loan. It also noted that it is the only American car company (of any kind) to have fully repaid the US government. It’s been somewhat sad and somewhat hilarious watching anti-EV (i.e. pro-oil) media companies, politicians, and their followers try to bash and belittle the electric car revolution and its prime pioneer, Tesla. As Tesla succeeds … Read More

Utilities Want Higher Charges To Shade Business Model From Solar

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Giles Parkinson

This article first appeared on RenewEconomy. The electricity supply industry has resumed and intensified its efforts to change the tariff system for rooftop solar households, in a bid to protect revenues that are falling and their business models that are eroding because more customers are producing their own electricity. A new discussion paper was released this weekend, “exclusively” to News Ltd newspapers which enthusiastically took up the chance to demonise the cost of renewables once again. … Read More

Relocating Renewables Could Save Europe Billions

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Joshua S Hill

Siemens study: Europe can save EUR 45 billion in its pursuit of renewables

Power generation solutions provider Siemens has analysed the electrical power producing systems located across Europe and found “considerable potential for optimisation, especially in connection with plans to expand power generation from renewable energy sources.” The primary manner in which this “optimisation” could come about is by changing the location of renewable power plants. According to Siemens, if power plants were built in locations that offered the highest possible power yields an approximate EUR 45 billion … Read More

Nest Comes To US Home Depot Stores

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Joshua S Hill

We’ve reached that point where even my editor will throw Nest stories at me, assuming that I will want to cover them. He’s right, of course, but I’m not sure what I think about the stereotyping. So when Nest announced that they were now stocking their Nest Learning Thermostat in Home Depot stores, I was all over it like gravy on mashed potato (I’m told people like it). Nest already had a partnership with Home … Read More