This is big. A new report from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission found that in October of this year, 72.1% of all the country’s new utility-scale electrical generating capacity came from solar power. “This is truly astonishing, not to mention historic, and should serve as a reminder to everyone in Washington and in state capitals that smart public policies — such as the solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), net energy metering (NEM) and Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) — are paying huge dividends for America,” the Solar Energy Industries Association said in a statement.
Tag: Renewable Energy
This Man Is a Power Company’s Biggest Threat
Can you imagine a day when you’ll no longer need to have your home hooked up to the national power grid? Marco Krapels of Marin County, Calif. hopes that day will come sooner rather than later—at least for him. He’s a renewable energy financier who’s decked out his roof with 2.4 kilowatts worth of solar paneling. In his garage, there’s a 10-kilowatt battery for storing all that energy. Everything, including his car, runs on solar. In the long run, this independent approach to renewable energy could save a lot of money for families, cut back dramatically on greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce the national security threat associated with our over-reliance on the grid.
The Military Is Devoted to Something That Will Totally Shock You
The U.S. Military is deeply committed to developing renewable energy technologies and minimizing climate change impacts. Does that surprise you? The reason is that the military’s top leaders see climate change impacts and energy availability as keys to keeping our soldiers, our citizens and the people of the world safe. For instance, every gallon of fuel that can be replaced by solar power or high-storage batteries is one less gallon of fuel that has to be bought and transported. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel reaffirmed this commitment recently at a security conference. Here’s why that’s cool. Remember how the Internet originally started out as a military project? In the same way, it’s a sure bet that the renewable energy innovations that come out of the military’s sustainability programs will inform our lives, too.
With This One Step, Elon Musk Turned SolarCity From a Panel Installer Into a Utility Company
Some industry analysts predict that solar companies will replace utility companies this century. Elon Musk just gave that prediction a lot more credibility. Musk’s solar company, SolarCity, announced that it is on track to raising $54.4 million from private investors. The company has roughly 68,000 signed contracts in the United States. The financial plan is remarkable because it is a first for a solar company; it means, as Fast Co.Exist notes, “SolarCity is financing itself as a utility might.” Other solar companies may soon follow, and soon after, all our roofs will be paved with panels.
Sources: FastCo.Exist
[Image: Araya Diaz/Getty Images for TechCrunch]
Facebook To Ramp Up Wind Power Usage
Facebook (a small dorm-room startup you’ve probably never heard of) plans to open a new data center in Altoona, Iowa that will run completely off of wind power. Scheduled to be operational in 2015, Facebook says the ability to run on renewable energy was a major factor in their decision to choose this location for the new center. MidAmerican Energy will build, own and operate the 138 MW wind farm that will power the center, and they aim to convert 25% of their data centers worldwide to clean energy within two years.
Soon Your Phone Will Be Able to Control Sunlight Refraction Through the Windows
Sunlight that bounces off the side of a building is wasted energy. At least, that’s how researchers at the University of Cincinnati think of it. They’re designing thin fluid-filled cells that, when applied to windows, can refract sunlight in any desired direction. If implemented correctly, these cells could replace most if not all artificial lights in, say, a 10-story office building. Excess energy could also be stored as electricity and used for internal power or sold to utility companies. The whole process could be controlled on your smart phone: swipe your finger and the sun’s rays will follow.
Sunlight that bounces off the side of a building is wasted energy. At least, that’s how researchers at the University of Cincinnati think of it. They’re designing thin fluid-filled cells that, when applied to windows, can refract sunlight in any desired direction. If implemented correctly, these cells could replace most if not all artificial lights in, say, a 10-story office building. Excess energy could also be stored as electricity and used for internal power or sold to utility companies. The whole process could be controlled on your smart phone: swipe your finger and the sun’s rays will follow.
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Sunlight that bounces off the side of a building is wasted energy. At least, that’s how researchers at the University of Cincinnati think of it. They’re designing thin fluid-filled cells that, when applied to windows, can refract sunlight in any desired direction. If implemented correctly, these cells could replace most if not all artificial lights in, say, a 10-story office building. Excess energy could also be stored as electricity and used for internal power or sold to utility companies. The whole process could be controlled on your smart phone: swipe your finger and the sun’s rays will follow.