One of the more frequently asked questions about solar electric systems regards battery power. More specifically, the amount of battery power needed for a specific system and how to calculate that need. Well, as it turns out, that is a fairly easy question to answer. It all depends on your daily power usage, in watts.
You [...]

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Imagine going to a clinic and having whatever operation or whatever medical procedure. Now that is scary enough right because anything bad that could happen could happen. Now imagine doing that but going to a clinic which does not even have electricity. Very, very scary.

Now it may be scary for you but that is reality in some of the rural clinics in Madagascar. But things are changing now that solar power has been giving power to these rural clinics. Says Elisabeth Razafindrataka, one 53-year-old resident of the place, “My 13 children were born in the old hospital by candlelight; my daughter is fortunate to have given birth in these conditions.” She even did say that before, you had to bring candles if you were to give birth at night.

Solar power has been given to these clinics four years ago and people have become very thankful. After all, rural clinics in the country actually do see around 400 patients each month. That’s a huge amount of patients. And when some emergency arises, it’s good to have electricity.

Tags: Madagascar, rural clinics, Solar, solar-power

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The United States just had it’s first cap-and-trade greenhouse-gas auction which raised nearly $40 Million dollars. This money in turn will be used to fund reduction or avoidance of CO2 in end-use energy efficiency in the building sector using solar (among other technologies).

Auctions like this one have been scheduled to occur quarterly and are being fed by the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) which requires all fossil fuel-burning power plants in a 10-state Northeaster US region to buy credits to offset the carbon they emit. This first auction is part of a series that is being used to model a national program which is still under development. Participating states include: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Programs like this foster innovation in solar technology as solar panels in new and existing buildings would provide energy, long term cost savings, reduced greenhouse gases, as well as carbon credit which is earned in the auction. This additional source of fiat value created by the carbon credit system trickles back down to R&D being done as solar technologies expand into building technologies.

The value demonstrated in this first cap-and-trade auction was $3.07 per alloted ton of emissions. This market driven price is up from the minimum set price of $1.86. Most of the bidders in this premier auction were power generating companies who burn coal or natural gas to generate electricity.

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Engineers have just developed one of the world’s most advanced Smart Electricity Meters. The smart meter monitors energy consumption, giving information not just through a traditional power reading, but in a user-friendly way by displaying animated graphics of money on a large clear screen on the meter.

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Reply to: see below
Date: 2008-09-29, 1:55PM MDT

PrimeStar Solar was formed to develop and manufacture thin film solar modules in high volume. Our goal is to be part of the solution to energy supply and environmental issues, including energy self-reliance and climate change.

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Reply to: see below
Date: 2008-09-26, 10:09AM PDT

REC Solar is a solar electric system integrator specializing in the design and installation of residential and commercial solar systems. Our vision is to make solar electricity a part of the mainstream energy supply. While still being a medium-sized employer, REC Solar is a market leader in the solar electric industry, experiencing growth rates in excess of 75%/year.

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The Rise & Shine is your daily source for all solar-industry news. Brought to you by Sweet Solar Home and the Experts at Sweet Solar Home and the Experts at SunRun.

CALIFORNIA NEWS
Jay Leno is a Big Fan of Solar Panels
Jay Leno uses solar panels and wind turbines to produce electricity for the garage that houses his huge collection of cars.

NATIONAL NEWS
SEDOM Gets Halfway to Funding Rooftop Energy Project
The Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation recently announced the awarding of a $267,000 matching grant for the installation of a photovoltaic roof panels that would be fitted atop the 40,000-square-foot SEDOM building.

Sunrise Solar Selected as a Finalist in $30M Solar Project
Sunrise Solar Corp. is in advanced negotiations to design and install a solar project in a major foreign capital city that could be worth $30 million.

Richland, WA Homeowner Sells His Solar Power
Waite worked with Richland to create a “net-metering” program that helps track how much power he generates and what gets banked with the city for future use. It also allows consumers to earn cash incentives offered by the state through 2014.

Hung Jury in Solar Energy Whistleblower Case
Jurors today announced they could not come up with a verdict in the case of a New Jersey Board of Public Utilities fiscal officer who said he was punished for complaining about mismanagement in a $125-million solar energy subsidy program.

UTILITY INDUSTRY & REGULATORY NEWS
RGGI States First CO2 Auction Completed
All of the 12,565,387 allowances offered for sale on September 25, 2008 were sold at a clearing price of US $3.07 per allowance.

Gore’s Rebellion
Mr. Gore really got going and told his disciples to head — literally — to the barricades to “stop” coal.

SMUD Rates Customers on Energy Consumption
In the nation’s first experiment of its kind, SMUD has 35,000 randomly selected customers receiving a monthly “home electricity report” with bar graphs comparing their consumption with the neighborhood average.

FINANCIAL NEWS & MARKETS
Solar Power Partners Raises US $100M
Solar Power Partners, a CA startup that only had $6M in funding a year ago, has reached $100M in funding with some $60M more available for project financing.

Funding Roundup: Greentech Investors Diversify
Solar, biofuel and wind companies get cash, as well as firms involved in energy efficiency, energy storage, transportation and more.

eSolar Partners with Kleiner’s Solar Startup Sundrop Fuels
eSolar, the solar thermal startup using algorithms to produce low cost solar gear, has signed its first commercial contract with Sundrop Fuels.

Is the Sun Setting on Solar Energy?
While investors and analysts are still bullish on the sector’s long term prospects, the next year or two could see a major shake up in the crowded solar energy space.

Solar Stocks Clobbered; No ITC Extension Before Election
Solar stocks are getting an especially ugly drubbing on a very nasty for stocks overall, on news that Congress is unlikely to approve an extension to solar energy investment tax credits before the November election, and possibly not until a new president is sworn in early next year.

GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
US Renewable Energy Credits Bog Down in Congress
House Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland told reporters Monday that the House would not have time to consider the Senate’s version of the renewable energy bill and urged the Senate to approve the legislation passed by the House.

Lawmakers at Impasse on Incentives for Renewable Energy
The House and the Senate conceded Monday that they were in a stalemate over proposals to provide tax incentives for the production and use of renewable energy, leaving the future of the nascent industry in limbo.

SEIA Calls on Congressional Leadership Not to Leave Until Tax Extender Legislation is Complete
As the CEOs of the nation’s leading renewable energy trade associations, we respectfully urge House and Senate leaders to remain in Washington until there is a successful resolution of the current impasse between the House and Senate on tax extenders legislation.

TECHNOLOGY
DOE to Provide Up to $17.6 Million for Solar Photovoltaic Technology Development
The DOE announced up to $17.6M for 6 early stage PV module incubator projects that focus on the initial manufacturing of advanced solar PV technologies. Including the cost share from industry, which will be at least 20%, the total investment will reach up to $35.4M.

Nippon Oil and Sanyo to Establish Thin Film Joint Venture
Nippon Oil and SANYO will explore the possibility of establishing a joint company to handle the expected expansion and development of the thin-film solar cell market.

Waste Not, Want Not: A New Approach to Solar
Vinod Khosla says he’s found a solution that doubles or even triples the energy yield from solar panels. He’s funding a company called PVT Solar, of Berkeley, CA where engineers are trying to harness wasted heat.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Neo Solar Seals 7 Year Deal with REC
REC will provide NSP solar wafers for the period from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2015.

Fotowatio Acquires Four Solar Plants
Fotowatio, one of Spain’s largest and most successful solar companies, announced today it acquired four solar photovoltaic power plants producing 32 megawatts of clean energy in Murcia, Spain.

Solarig Connects 3 MW Solar Project
SOLARIG recently connected to the grid its innovative solar plant incorporating solar tracking technology to obtain the best energy output.

JA Targets A Capacity of at Least 1GW by the End of 2009
Pure cell manufacturer JA Solar Co. Ltd. says it is expecting at least 1 GW of cell capacity by the end of 2009.

ABB Signs $36M Systems and Equipment Contract with LDK Solar
The agreement will see ABB supply electrical systems, equipment and project management services to LDK for its new polysilicon production plant in Xinyu City, China.

Solar Panels Installed on Vatican Roof
The first solar panels were installed Monday on top of the papal audience hall at Vatican City.

Kunming to Build Biggest Solar Energy Production Base in China
Kunming is aiming to become a solar energy demonstration city with the characteristics of a solar energy industry base in China.

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There is little doubt anymore that Berkeley solar rocks. For the past year or so, the city has been ironing out the details of its solar lending program, the most progressive in the world. Essentially, what the program will do is set up The Sustainable Energy Financing District, which makes Berkeley residents eligible for a [...]

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The Department of Energy is sending more money to solar projects. The department announced another $67 million for solar research and development recently. In accordance with the federal government’s usual tendencies regarding solar power, the money will go to researching and developing new storage techniques for Concentrated Solar Power (CSP). CSP solar systems concentrate and [...]

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