Eliosolar takes advantage of the idea that if you need a pool, you are likely in a climate where you also need some shading devices for windows to reduce your AC needs as well. [social_buttons] This invention solves both problems at once. These exterior louvres act to shade the house, … [continued]
[social_buttons] A new monitoring system from California startup SunReports allows for in-depth but simple monitoring of your solar technology. There are numerous environmental and long-term economic reasons to use solar technology, but once you have solar installed, how do you know what it is actually accomplishing? As its homepage says, … [continued]
A lunch box staple is the core idea behind solar technology that could bring cost effective solar-heated hot water to cold climates. Solar Panels Plus has come up with a solar hot water heater based on evacuated tubes similar to those popularized by Thermos. Last year two of the company’s … [continued]
BrightSource got a boost from the Department of Energy this week with a loan guarantee of $1.37 billion to help build three concentrated solar thermal power plants producing 400 MW of clean solar power in the Mojave Desert of southeastern California. [social_buttons] However, it is predicated upon BrightSource meeting the … [continued]
Solar hot water systems are finally getting the respect they deserve. After a lengthy cost-benefit analysis the CPUC has decided to go ahead with a statewide program to provide financial incentives to encourage the rapid development of the solar hot water industry in California.
When you look at the entire desert area available in the map of the California desert (below), you see that most of the red dots that signify a solar application under review are actually outside the two areas that Senator Feinstein proposes to set aside.
When the 30% tax credits as cash grants were instituted with the American Recovery Act, I was doing solar estimates for a small start-up in California. I was surprised to find that the 30% tax credit (available as a cash grant for businesses) for solar, was applicable to solar thermal only if it was not used for swimming pools.
People typically don’t think of installing solar thermal when they build or retrofit their homes. Most people just don’t follow renewable energy news and have just have never thought of it. Just like most people wouldn’t know to build their homes to be earthquake-proof either if it wasn’t in our building code.
An Irish company called Surface Power has launched what it claims is the world’s most efficient solar hot water panel. Certification by testing house TUV Rhineland has shown that the innovative product is up to 131% more efficient in morning and evening time and 76% more efficient at midday than … [continued]
Solar thermal technology provides space heating and hot water and is a frequently forgotten member of the solar family. These highly effective systems are popular in many parts of the globe, from China to Greece to Zimbabwe. They displace the use of the existing hot water heater and heating equipment, … [continued]
