By Susan Kraemer •
August 30, 2009
We’re all familiar with the vast solar thermal power stations in the desert that use mirrors to make steam to drive turbines. Giant solar thermal arrays are already making electricity in the desert in Spain and California. But what if we could have just one of these units in the backyard, just for our own use?
That’s what motivated a team of MIT students to find the way to make the cheapest solar power station out there. Mass produce it for the home user and market it under their own new start up RawSolar.
Sure, it melts steel. But even more practically for the home owner, it makes steam in a flash:
By Susan Kraemer •
July 10, 2009
I am finding a strange thing as I sign up solar neighborhoods with 1 Block off the Grid - which is a great community organizing tool for getting more solar on more roofs more economically - because if everyone interested in solar can go ahead at the same time as their neighbors they can all get a better rate than if they were all approaching different solar installers and installing at different times.
I had expected that the people who haven’t learned much about solar would be the more difficult to reach. Instead, I am finding that some of the people who have gone to the trouble to get an estimate are the worst candidates for solar.
They tell me that a solar salesperson has told them that solar just doesn’t pencil out for them. What!!!?
Now, it’s true that solar saves more for people with higher bills. But solar is cheaper, even if you have the tiniest bill. For example:
By Susan Kraemer •
June 25, 2009
Move — to Louisiana:
According to SolarPowerRocks! Louisiana has a state tax credit of 50% for solar roof installations, the most generous state subsidy for solar — Combined with the 30% Federal tax credit for solar that we all get now; (you knew about that, right?) so in Louisiana you can put a solar roof up, paying only 20% of the cost: (30% + 50% = 80% off).
The way this credit is designed it will benefit modest homeowners the most. If you need a $25,000 system, you get the full 50%. If you need a larger system you get less than 50%, because it maxes out at $12,500.
So, if you have ten plasma tvs and a pool pump and run the A/C day and night, you won’t get as much help with running all that…but
Details:
By Jennifer Lance •
January 27, 2009
1BOG began building its solar community in San Francisco (as depicted in the takeover of the map above). The original pilot campaign brought in 184 San Francisco residents who signed up for solar discounts from RealGoods, and 42 of them followed through to buy a system—double the normal adoption rate. The latest 1BOG campaign in the Bay Area has already brought in 1,070 sign ups, a 6x increase over the pilot. SolarCity has been selected as the installer for this round.
Definition, 1BOG: a nationwide, community-based program that organizes residents locally and negotiates group discounts with solar installers, using a comprehensive vendor selection process.
