Posts by mbentley:
Simpa Networks is using a ‘cell phone’ price model with solar panels
pink_dispatcher/CC BY-SA 2.0
I came across a great idea at Tree Hugger. There article “Selling Home Solar Like a Cell Phone Plan” article talks about how more and more new energy consumers are expected to come online in the developing world. If they use cheap and dirty power sources like coal, the effects on the global climate could be catastrophic.
Simpa Networks has a great idea. They are using the cellphone pricing model to make expensive solar energy a cheap option for new energy consumers. This could have a really positive effect on both solar energy technology and power production in the third world.
Solar Junction Achieves 43.5 Percent Efficiency
A Silicon Valley start-up, Solar Junction has announced that they have achieved record breaking peak efficiencies of 43.5 percent. They claim this was verified by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Measurement and Characterization Laboratory. To achieve this new efficiency, they designed a multijunction cell made up of multiple layers of photovoltaic materials. Each layer [...]
Costco to Sell Solar Panels
You will soon be able to buy ready-to-install solar kits at Costco’s website (under the “Hardware – Generators & Backup Power” Category). They will be selling 880W, 2300W, 3680W, or 5060W ready-to-install kits from Grape Solar of Eugene Oregon. From their press release: “In order to make this tremendous undertaking possible, and bring such a [...]
Van Jones tells Powershift 2011: “We can’t Afford for Poor People Not to Have Solar Panels”
Photo credit: Chris Eichler courtesy of Energy Action Coalition Van Jones, green jobs adviser to President Obama recently addressed Power Shift 2011 (a gathering of 10,000 students and young leaders) and talked about the need to bring clean energy to poor communities and to fight for social equality together with climate action. “Notice that the wealthy [...]
How Photovoltaic Systems Work
The US Department of Energy put out this great series of videos on YouTube recently explaining some basics of solar power and home energy. Energy 101: Solar PhotoVoltaics Energy 101: Geothermal Heat Pumps Energy 101: Wind Turbines Energy 101: Cool Roofs Energy 101: Concentrating Solar Power
Edmonton Alberta Eco Solar Home Tour
I came across an interesting website for the Eco Solar Home Tour in Edmonton Alberta. This is a great site full of a lot of information about Edmonton’s best solar homes. The tour usually happens in the first or second week of June during Environment Week. I just might have to head north and check [...]
Solar Powered Security
The eco-friendly movement seems to be taking over many technological products including wireless security systems. Wireless security systems are a great eco-friendly choice for several reasons. First of all, the fact that the systems are wireless makes them easy to take with you whenever you move houses. Instead of discarding or leaving behind your [...]
World Power Needs Perspective
Those tiny green square dots outlined in red are what would need to be covered with solar panels to power the entire world in 2030. Yes, the entire world!! Imagine that for a moment. 0 carbon emmissions. None at all from electrical consumption machinery or transportation. Absolutely incredible, right? I ran into this map by [...]
Solar Power Australia 2011 | Melbourne, Australia February 22nd – February 23rd, 2011
The Australian federal government has pledged $1.5 billion to fund soloar energy projects around Australian as part of their Solar Flagship program which sets ambitious targets for renewable energy generation by 2020. IQPC’s Solar Power Australia 2010 will feature over 10 case studies from Australia and around the world to provide you with the opportunity [...]