Monday, March 11, 2013

Alternative Clean Energy Roundup: 11 March 2013

Los Angeles High School Clad With 650 Solar Panels
03/08/13 - Designed by Brooks+Scarpa Architects, the Green Dot Animo High School in South Los Angeles features a whopping 650 solar panels on its south-facing façade. The new public high school gets 75% of its energy from solar power and is expected to offset up to 3 million pounds of carbon emissions over its lifetime. It also takes advantage of a number of passive green building strategies to help achieve optimal levels of natural lighting and ventilation.

The new school uses similar passive sustainable techniques as schools designed by New Orleans architects Curtis and Davis in the 1950s, which were adapted to local climates to provide optimal learning condition for students. read more>>>

The Scariest Climate Change Graph Just Got Scarier
click on graphic to enlarge

Mar. 7, 2013 - Back in 1999, Penn State University climate scientist Michael Mann released the climate change movement's most potent symbol: The "hockey stick," a line graph of global temperature over the last 1,500 years that shows an unmistakable, massive uptick in the 20th century, when humans began to dump large amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. It's among the most compelling bits of proof out there that human beings are behind global warming, and as such has become a target on Mann's back for climate denialists looking to draw a bead on scientists.

Today, it's getting a makeover: A study published in Science reconstructs global temperatures further back than ever before—a full 11,300 years. The new analysis finds that the only problem with Mann's hockey stick was that its handle was about 9,000 years too short. The rate of warming over the last 100 years hasn't been seen for as far back as the advent of agriculture. read more>>>

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Solar America Looks toward Mexico and Central America as Next Hot Spot for Solar Projects
March 08, 2013 - Solar America Corp. (OTCBB: SOLX) has identified Mexico and Central America as regions capable for tremendous growth in the solar market. Solar America is positioned to participate in this growth through the use of their comprehensive solutions, which can be easily implemented throughout Mexico and Central America.

“After exploring various regions, we are excited about the potential to establish a footprint in Mexico’s rapidly growing solar energy sector,” said Robert Bludorn, CEO of Solar America.

Mexico has proven to be ideal for alternative energy solutions. Less than one percent of Mexico’s land area would need to be developed to power the entire nation, according to the Secretaria de Energia de Mexico, Mexico’s energy ministry. Solar America recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Valdez Cueva Constructores Asosiados to provide solar energy solutions for the Los Conejos housing project in Tonlola, a suburb of Guadalajara. read more>>>

Military Microgrids Market Potential with Case Studies of Military Installations Already using Micro Smart Grids Successfully
8 March 2013 - Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Military Microgrids Market Potential" report to their offering.

America's Defense Department is the largest single global consumer of petroleum, and its military operations comprise the largest demand for all forms of energy. In addition, bases located within the United States and abroad depend on aging transmission systems susceptible to cyber-terrorism and unreliability.

This report analyzes the uses and development of the military microgrids. The report begins with an overview microgrids and smart grids. It provides case studies of military installations already using micro smart grids successfully. read more>>>

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Solar Freedom Now Release Roadmap to Reduce Rooftop Solar Costs By 50%
9 March 2013 - Solar Freedom Now (SFN), a grass roots initiative to make solar power more affordable and accessible for all Americans, releases its White Paper: “A Roadmap for Reducing Rooftop Solar Costs by 50%,” and also introduces its Advisory Board of solar industry veterans. Solar Freedom Now’s goal is to make 2013 the year of eliminating the paperwork and red tape that burdens solar installations.

Solar panel prices have plummeted over the past five years. But homeowners in the U.S. still pay about twice as much for rooftop solar as homeowners in Germany. Research indicates that this large price difference is due to the high “soft costs” in the U.S. – local permitting, complicated incentive documentation, exhaustive interconnection requirements, multiple inspections and all the extra time this red tape requires. read more>>>

12-Year-Old Sicily Kolbeck is Building Her Very Own Solar-Powered Tiny House
03/09/13 - When most grade school students embark on a construction project, it’s not usually on quite the scale of a fully-functional residence—but that’s exactly what 12-year-old Sicily Kolbeck has taken on. Her “Le Petite Maison” is a 128 square-foot tiny house that features a 30-foot loft and will be powered by a rooftop solar array. Inspired by Deek Diedricksen’s YouTube channel and Kirsten Dirksen’s documentary, We, the Tiny House People, Kolbeck’s home is the subject of curriculum for the year at HoneyFern School in Marietta, Georgia. Funded through an Indiegogo campaign, Kolbeck has invited all contributors to her open house in May 2013 read more>>>


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