US sets 'surprisingly low' China solar panel duties "...The United States dealt a blow to U.S. solar panel manufacturers and boosted shares in Chinese rivals when it imposed unexpectedly low duties on imports from China, though the move still drew fire from China industry representatives...."Reference: www.reuters.com
Rooftop solar panels overloading electricity grid "...rooftop solar panels is undermining the quality of electricity supplies, feeding so much power back into the network that it is stressing the system and causing voltage rises that could damage household devices such as computers and televisions. ..."Reference: www.theaustralian.com.au
TN's solar industry faces clouded future "...Hemlock Clarksville and a similar plant that Wacker Chemie AG is building near Cleveland, Tenn., are supposed to be the first steps toward the development of a vibrant solar industry in Tennessee..."Reference: www.tennessean.com
Solar Panels from Wholesale Solar "...Wholesale Solar, your source for discount prices on solar panels and renewable energy products for home power, back-up power, solar & wind power, off-grid & grid intertied residential, marine and RV power systems. Retail and wholesale pricing...." Reference: www.wholesalesolar.com/
Solar Power Without Solar Cells? "...One of the most frustrating things about thinking of solar power conceptually is the high cost of manufacturing solar cells...." Reference: forbes.com
Super-efficient cells key to low-cost solar power "...The Amonix 7700 Concentrated Photovoltaic (CPV) Solar Power Generator, developed by Amonix and DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, is the size of an IMAX screen but costs much less than comparable generators, partly because of the efficiency of its small solar cells. ..." Reference: www.rdmag.com
Buy solar lighting for your home "...There are also off-grid and mobile solar power options. If a home is equipped with a battery charging system and sufficient solar panels, it can cut ties completely with the power grid and become self sufficient. Home wind turbines can make a useful augmentation to solar panels in an off grid system, since cloudy days accompany storm fronts, which create wind. This ensures that one of your power sources is always functioning at optimal capacity, keeping your power on. Going off-grid is an especially appealing notion for RV owners, because it greatly enhances the range and camping ability of their RVs...." Reference: solarhome.org
Salpointe unveils 23.5-kilowatt solar power array "...Instead of flat solar panels, the Salpointe system uses a tubular design made by California-based Solyndra Inc. The thin-film photovoltaic cells are mounted inside long glass tubes to gather both direct and reflected sunlight, said Philip Lacovara, co-owner of Industrial Solar and Solar Ventures...." Reference: azstarnet.com
Off-grid house pays you while powering itself and two cars "...This concept house from the University of Stuttgart manages to generate enough power for itself, plus two electric cars, with enough left over to sell back to the power company for a profit. ..." Reference: dvice.com
Consumers warming to efficient lighting "...Thirteen percent of respondents said they plan to hoard 100-watt incandescent bulbs and 28 percent expressed worry about losing these traditional bulbs...." Reference: news.cnet.com
NASA says NanoSail-D satellite failed to deploy from FASTSAT "...The 100-square-foot sail - about the size of a six-person camping tent - was developed in Huntsville by Marshall, ManTech SRS Technologies Inc. and the University of Alabama in Huntsville. NASA believes solar cells can be used to hold small satellites in place over planets without using fuel and to guide satellites to safe re-entry...." Reference: al.com
Malaysia Set To Emerge Second Largest Solar Cell Manufacturer "...Malaysia has the potential to emerge as the world's second largest manufacturer of solar cells judging from the influx of investments flowing into the sector, said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Mohd Yassin...." Reference: www.bernama.com
Sanyo to Offer Solar Cells With Highest Efficiency "...(Bloomberg) -- Sanyo Electric Co. will start offering a new solar battery with the world’s highest energy efficiency next year in an attempt to lure more customers...." Reference: www.businessweek.com
Solar cells to treat cancer effectively "...If both the solar cell and the drug end up with the same charge, the drug is pushed away from the solar cell and into the tumour, where it does its job...." Reference: indiatimes.com
Solar Powered Roads Could Generate Electricity, Improve Safety "...consider the latest clean energy technology developments at the University of Rhode Island (URI), where researchers have developed four different ways to use roads to generate electricity.
One method would be to wrap the latest and most flexible photovoltaic (PV) solar cells..." Reference: www.getsolar.com
Paper-Thin Solar Cells Show Promising Early Results "...Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology do, and early results indicate you may soon start seeing these paper thin solar cells on everything from window blinds to your laptop. ..." Reference: discovery.com
"...A dual-source heat pump combines an air-source heat pump with a geothermal heat pump. These appliances combine the best of both systems. Dual-source heat pumps have higher efficiency..." Reference: www.southernsolarsys.com
Bosch solar cells "...monocrystalline cells guarantee up to 40% better performance in weak light than our competitors in terms of voltage drop at 200 W/m2. High annual yields can thus be achieved, even at sub-optimal levels of sunlight. ..." Reference: www.bosch-solarcells.com
Global Solar rolls out stick-on solar panels "...the company's PowerFlex BIPV modules can be adhered onto a roof or built right into roofing materials. The modules are quicker to installer, lighter, and don't require any penetrations into the roof, according to the company...." Reference: cnet.com
Solar energy brings power to rural Africa "...Rural Energy Foundation runs the SolarNow program, training independent retailers and technicians in nine countries to sell low-cost solar gadgets or home systems to people without electricity...." Reference: www.cnn.com
residential solar panels, solar cells, lights, fountains and hot water systems "...Silicon Solar manufactures and distributes a large selection of residential solar panels, solar cells, lights, fountains and hot water systems. Choose from customized and stock solar panels for both solar enthusiasts and commercial users. Our services include OEM product design and manufacturing of solar lighting & thermal systems in addition to consultation services on residential & electrical systems.
Serving over 96,000 customers from 52 countries since 1998, we consistently offer the finest integrated solar products including panels, lights and hot water heating systems; allat the most competitive prices, sharing with our customers the many conveniences and environmental benefits of using the natural energy of the sun...."Reference: www.siliconsolar.com
U.S. firms working to lower cost of solar energy
"...Thin-film is an alternative to the crystalline silicon solar cells commercialized in the U.S. in the 1950s, the kind typically seen powering highway signs and the most widely used solar panels today...."
Reference: www.miamiherald.com
Alabama Solar Association
"...focused at the State level, the Alabama Solar Association (ASA) seeks to educate itself, the public, corporations, policy makers, and governments about the tremendous opportunities and rewards in utilizing the sun's renewable energy. We are pleased with our current growth, but we still need lots of help getting our message out to everyone in Alabama. Please join and . ..."
Reference: www.al-solar.org JOIN HERE
Finance options for home solar are growing
"...what if you could put solar on your roof virtually for free?
Solar companies hungry to get panels on your home have come up with some innovative ways to finance complete solar systems...."
Reference: www.edmondsun.com
Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Federal Incentives for Renewable Energy
"...Established by the federal Energy Policy Act of 2005, the federal tax credit for residential energy property initially applied to solar-electric systems, solar water heating systems and fuel cells. The Energy Improvement and Extension Act of 2008 (H.R. 1424) extended the tax credit to small wind-energy systems and geothermal heat pumps, effective January 1, 2008. Other key revisions included an eight-year extension of the credit to December 31, 2016, the ability to take the credit against the alternative minimum tax, and the removal of the $2,000 credit limit for solar-electric systems beginning in 2009. The credit was further enhanced in February 2009 by The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (H.R. 1: Div. B, Sec. 1122, p. 46), which removed the maximum credit amount for all eligible technologies (except fuel cells) placed in service after 2008.
A taxpayer may claim a credit of 30% of qualified expenditures for a system that serves a dwelling unit located in the United States and used as a residence by the taxpayer. Expenditures with respect to the equipment are treated as made when the installation is completed. If the installation is on a new home, the "placed in service" date is the date of occupancy by the homeowner. Expenditures include labor costs for onsite preparation, assembly or original system installation, and for piping or wiring to interconnect a system to the home. If the federal tax credit exceeds tax liability, the excess amount may be carried forward to the succeeding taxable year. The excess credit can be carried forward until 2016, but it is unclear whether the unused tax credit can be carried forward after then. The maximum allowable credit, equipment requirements and other details vary by technology..."
Reference: www.dsireusa.org
Black Market for Solar Panels
"...Technology Review has reported many times that the cost of solar panels needs to come down for the technology to be widely adopted. In light of that, I was dismayed to hear on the radio on Monday morning that California has a thriving black market for solar cells. KQED, a public radio station here in San Francisco, reported that as the cost of scrap metal has fallen thieves have turned to solar panels. ..."
Reference: www.technologyreview.com
Siemens solar energy
"...Siemens AG was committed to the solar industry as early as the 1950s. With this long time of experience, Siemens is the ideal partner for the solar industry. Our customers can benefit from our comprehensive automation portfolio, our electrical and building offers and our utility packages for production sites in the solar industry...."
Reference: www.automation.siemens.com
AUO mulling purchase of solar cells from E-Ton
"...AU Optronics (AUO) is considering placing orders with E-Ton Solar Tech for supply of 50MWp of solar cells in 2010..."
Reference: www.digitimes.com
Clean-Energy Programs Booming at Community Colleges
"...One Michigan manufacturer, Dowding Industries Inc., talks with Lansing Community College about four times a year about the direction of the industry and the job market. A recent message: Look at renewable energy.
..."
Reference: www.nytimes.com
Southern Solar Systems
"...Whether its solar hot water, solar photovoltaic, on grid or off grid systems or even geothermal heat pumps, Southern Solar can provide what you need. We design and install all of the previously mentioned technologies. We will provide our clients with a complete solution from product selection and sizing to installing and commissioning the desired energy system. Southern Solar is conveniently headquartered in Huntsville, AL and serves the entire southeastern United States. ..."
Reference: http://www.southernsolarsys.com/
Ajeet Rohatgi, Ph.D., Founder, CTO
Suniva - Solar Cells Made in the U.S.A.
"...The ARTisun® series solar cells that Suniva manufactures are made of polysilicon, which is created by refining sand or quartz, one of the most abundant materials on earth. After being refined and "grown" into extremely pure monocrystalline ingots, the ingots are carefully sliced into very thin wafers...."
Reference: www.suniva.com
