CleanTechnica

Restaurant In White Bear Lake, MN Reduces Energy Use By Over 20%

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Dan Thiede, CERTs

Donatelli’s cut energy use with low-cost recommendations: turning off the exhaust hood more frequently, installing water saving aerators and pre-rinse spray valves, insulating hot water lines, adding motion detectors in the bathroom fans, and fixing broken gaskets on refrigeration units which were allowing warm air to leak in.

Restaurants use more energy per square foot than any other commercial business. However, saving energy is possible, as Trish Appleby has demonstrated in her restaurant Donatelli’s Homemade Italian in White Bear Lake, MN. Appleby started thinking about energy improvements because of rising energy costs. “It was easy to see that energy costs keep going up, so we needed to get a handle on how to control our usage and be more efficient,” said Appleby. Donatelli’s … Read More

Electric Bikes Illegal In New York — WTH?

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

If it were April 1, I’d think this was a joke. It’s not April 1, and it’s not a joke. Electric bikes are apparently illegal in the state of New York. And the fine in New York City has just been doubled, rising to a whopping $1000. All I can say is, WTH? Here are more details from Andrew Meggison of CleanTechnica sister site Gas2: The fine for riding an electric bike in New York … Read More

Solar – It’s Barely Scratched Surface Of $2 Trillion Market

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Giles Parkinson

This article was first published on RenewEconomy. As operators of utilities desperately clinging to their WWI-vintage business models prepare their Maginot Line defences of altered tariffs and higher connection fees, it might pay them to pull out the periscope and peer over the trenches to see what exactly is about to come their way. Last week, the top executive team from the US-based solar company SunPower held an all-day analysts briefing – their first for a … Read More

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