Alternative Clean Energy Roundup: 23 February 2013

Chula Vista School District Dedicates SunPower Solar Systems at Six Campuses

February 22, 2013 - Today at San Diego's Southwest High School, Sweetwater Union High School District (SUHSD) and SunPower Corp. (NASDAQ: SPWR) are celebrating the installation of 3.3 megawatts of high efficiency SunPower solar power systems at six district schools.

In addition, SUHSD recently signed a power purchase agreement with SunPower for a potential 6.4 megawatts of solar power systems at 16 additional campuses. Construction of these solar power systems is contingent upon SunPower receiving financing which, if received, would allow the additional campuses to be completed by the end of the year. If constructed, SUHSD should expect savings from all 22 systems of $6 million over the next 20 years.

"These SunPower systems will generate about 80 percent of the electricity demand at the campuses where they are located, allowing the Sweetwater Union High School District to use the savings to support our academic and enrichment programs," said Dr. Edward M. Brand , superintendent of SUHSD. read more>>>

Rocky Mountain Institute To Tackle Soft Costs of Solar

February 22, 2013 - Today, Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) announced the launch of the Simple BoS (Balance of Systems) project, a partnership with Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), to explore the cost divide between the U.S. and Germany for residential solar photovoltaic systems. Balance of System (BoS), or “soft” costs now account for more than 60 percent of the price of U.S. rooftop PV systems, yet such costs are 75 percent lower in Germany, the worldwide solar market leader.

In most areas of the U.S., solar PV remains an expensive energy option, even as module costs have decreased significantly. RMI sees reducing BoS costs—all the related solar energy system costs besides the panels themselves including permitting, financing, installation, and inspection—as a critical pathway to affordable PV and widespread solar adoption. read more>>>

Enphase Micro Inverter M215-60-2LL-S22 MC4 from: GoGreenSolar.com

Zhambyl region ready to switch green economy

23.02.2013 - Attendees of the meeting held in Taraz and involving the Kazakhstan Minister of Environmental Protection have discussed the issues of the green economy and projects of the future. In particular, the Zhambyl region found how to transform the wind, solar and water energy into electricity and how to turn destructive spring floods into cheap irrigation water for farmers.

Taraz has been producing energy-saving lamps for 2 years now. Additionally, there is an enterprise engaged in the recycling of such lamps. read more>>>

A green stimulus for EU economic recovery

22 February 2013 - The need for clean energy has returned to the top of the global economic agenda. China’s new leadership now seems to recognise that the thick, hazardous smog that has come to define Beijing and other cities is more than a pollution problem; it is a result of an excessive emphasis on short-term economic planning.

Likewise, in his second inaugural address, US President Barack Obama discussed climate change more than any other issue, saying: “We cannot cede to other nations the technology that will power new jobs and new industries”.

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, International Monetary Fund managing director Christine Lagarde and World Bank president Jim Yong Kim surprised business and government leaders with their warnings that genuine economic recovery would be impossible without serious action on climate change. read more>>>

GoGreenSolar.com - #1 online destination for solar panels & wind power!

The Face of Climate Change

Climate change can seem like a remote problem for our leaders, but the fact is that it’s already impacting real people, animals, and beloved places. These Faces of Climate Change are multiplying every day. Fortunately, other Faces of Climate Change are multiplying too: those stepping up to do something about it. Together, we’ll personalize the massive challenge climate change presents by telling the world these stories through images shown at thousands of Earth Day events around the world. LEARN MORE

'Solar sponge' soaks up CO₂ emissions

19 February 2013 - Scientists at Australia's CSIRO have created a 'solar sponge' which captures and then releases carbon dioxide using the power of natural sunlight.

The breakthrough, announced in the scientific journal Angewandte Chemie, presents a new way to recycle CO2 emissions using renewable energy.

The 'sponge' which is made from a new smart material called a MOF - metal organic framework - adsorbs carbon dioxide, but when exposed to sunlight, instantaneously releases it.

Known as dynamic photo-switching, this capture-and-release method is extremely energy efficient and only requires UV light to trigger the release of CO2 after it has been captured from the mixture of exhaust gases. read more>>>