Solar panels in the Mojave Desert?

What is the price of renewable energy?  Most of us agree that clean, green power to get us off of fossil-fuels is the way to go.  But there is a growing discontent over solar power plants in the California desert regions.  In fact, its a downright solar power clash in the Mojave Desert.

Utility scale solar plants could generate solar electricity to power millions of homes with reliable, emissions-free energy.  However, not all environmentalists are excited about the prospect.  Development of untouched lands in the Mojave Desert has some people seeing red instead of green!

Recently, the Mojave has become the poster child for the inevitable conflicts of green vs. green as we look to balance the need to develop renewable resources against the preservation of shrinking pristine areas.  When drawing battle lines, its best to know the players:

• Sierra Club
• Environmental Defense Fund
• Natural Resources Defense Council
• Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)
• FLP Group

These groups have been supportive of cap and trade and other climate initiatives to promote development of alternative energy, and investment groups/utilities have worked to file applications to build the solar power plants in regions across the desert Southwest.

Utility scale solar concerns

On the opposite side of the debate is, among other groups, the Wildlands Conservancy, a small powerful group that convinced Senator Dianne Feinstein to introduce legislation to ban solar power plants in the desert on more than a million acres of land in the Mojave Desert.  The areas affected include the land on which PG&E and other utilities had planned utility scale solar plants – most of the areas are prime land from a development standpoint – close to transmission lines and Southern California utility customers.

When it comes to green vs. green, what are the issues?

To start, environmentalists that are concerned about solar panels in the desert cite potential impacts on water resources and the habitat of the desert tortoise, along with other animals and plants of the fragile arid ecosystem.  Others consider the fact that the area is undeveloped and should remain that way.

According to David Myers, executive director of the Wildlands Conservancy, who supports Sen. Feinstein’s efforts to preserve the desert lands from renewable energy development:

“Al Gore called these lands out here some of the most pristine and scenic desert lands in the world.  You have this incredible landscape of these bighorn sheep corridors back and forth across the valley.  You couldn’t put a project in a worse area from a landscape connectivity point of view… It’s a philosophic non-sequitur that you can destroy hundreds of thousands of acres to save the Earth from global warming.”

Solar panels in California: the debate rages on

Myers is not 100% against utility scale solar plants in California, however.  He prefers that solar development take place in other parts of the Mojave or on degraded farmland.  To help assure these goals, new federal legislation would classify certain areas of the Mojave Dsert as a National Monument.  That alone chased off investors and utilities that had been considering projects that could have resulted in the generation of many megawatts of solar electricity.

According to a recent article:

PG&E, FPL, and Iberdrola Renewables, the Spanish renewable energy giant, say they are either cautiously proceeding or re-evaluating their Mojave projects in light of the legislation. Most developers have staked multiple land claims elsewhere in the Southwest. (That, of course, doesn’t mean they’re happy about the situation. “Iberdrola Renewables believes the environmental community is taking away one of the few places in the U.S. suitable for utility-scale solar development,” Jan Johnson, a company spokeswoman, wrote in an e-mail.)

From my perspective, the battle is just heating up.  Sure, there have been rumblings for the past few years, but after the Copenhagen Climate Summit and as people wonder about peak oil and are more and more worried about global climate change, pressure continues to mount for us to find viable renewable energy resources.  The big question is: at what cost?

The desert southwest in the United States is a hugely untapped solar power market.  Can we develop the resource carefully and in a sustainable manner?  That there will be some difficult decisions to be made, after much more debate is certain.

Green vs. green could result in some groups seeing red.

Where do you stand on the Mojave Desert debate?

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Earn college credit and renewable energy certification from home!

Out of work and looking to build your resume for green jobs?  Its the perfect time to sign up for Solar Energy International (SEI)’s online sustainability class.  Learn about green building techniques, earn college credits and obtain a valuable certification in renewable energy.  Without having to leave the comfort of your home – or the local coffee shop – you can take online college classes that will prepare you for some of the most sought after jobs in the green industry.

A certification in renewable energy is practically a requirement these days if you are an architect or contractor.  Its also useful if you’ll be building your own home in the future.

There is an impressive list of topics to be covered in the Solar Energy International course, including:

• Building Orientation
• Solar Site Analysis
• Building Science
• Moisture and Air Leakage
• Super-Insulation Strategies
• New Window Technologies
• Passive Solar Designs
• Energy Efficient Technologies
• Indoor Air Quality
• Healthy/Green Building Materials
• Domestic Solar Hot Water
• Renewable Energy Options
• Sustainable Back-Up Home Heating Systems
• Practical Building Techniques

Learn about installing solar panels through the SEI online course

Is the Solar Energy International online sustainability class for you?  Only you can decide how you want to invest your time and money.  Yet, if you will be involved in building construction at all in the future, its likely a great investment.

Here’s all the details:

What: “Building for the Future: Sustainable Home Design”

When:

1. Feb 1-Mar 14, 2010
2. June 21-Aug 1, 2010

Where:  Where ever you have a laptop and Internet connection!  Plan on between 8-15 hours per week, depending on your prior experience with the subject.

Why:  We already covered that above!  Oh, and you’ll receive a Renewable Energy Certificates from Madison Area Technical College (MATC) when you complete the course.

How Much: $750

Both sessions are open for enrollment, so don’t delay if you want to jump into the February 1 session!  Contact SEI for more information or call (970) 963-8855.  To register for the class, visit the registration page here.

Solar Power Companies Provide Aid to Haiti (AP image/Gregory Bell)

Over the past two weeks since the devastating Haiti earthquake struck, cash and in-kind donations from all around the world have been pouring in to help Haiti.  Individuals, organizations, and corporations have generously opened their hearts and wallets to provide Haiti earthquake relief in many different ways.

Solar power companies, like many other businesses, are finding ways to use their technology to provide aid to Haiti.  It should come as no surprise that solar energy can make a significant difference to Haitians and relief workers, given the success of solar in developing countries around the world.  Solar energy is used to help cook food, and provide drinkable water, lighting and communication – all of which are desperately needed in Haiti.

Struggle for survival after the Haiti Earthquake (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Hats off to the following solar power companies that are doing so much to provide aid to Haiti:

• SolarWorld, based in Germany, and which manufacturers solar panels in the U.S., has donated solar power equipment and modules to generate solar power for ten water pumping stations in Haiti.
• Solar lighting manufacturer, Sol, has provided a number of solar-powered streetlights which help rescue/recovery workers continue efforts after nightfall.
• Solar powered cell phones have been donated by Intivation, a Dutch-based green tech company.  The 1,000 phones can help Haiti relief workers communicate with each other to coordinate efforts.
• Solar Ovens International is taking donations to provide solar ovens for Haitians. The company has partnered with Feed My Starving Children to deliver 270,000 meals to the country, along with a number of solar cookers so that affected people can prepare their own healthy meals without electricity.

If you want to help these solar power companies help the Haitians, please click on any of the links above where you can find more information on how to make a donation – which is probably tax deductible (check with your CPA or tax advisor).

Solar power-based assistance is critical in this situation.  The fact that neither power lines nor telephone poles are needed to provide some of the most basic needs to Haiti means that solar energy can also give rise to another key necessity that so many desperately need: Hope.

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Low-cost solar panels are available!

What if you could install solar panels on your home for only $1000?  What if I told you that a solar lease program in Colorado will allow you to do just that?  Within 30 days, you could be drawing on free solar electricity through the Colorado SunRun Lease Program!

High electricity bills and CO2 emissions from dirty coal-based energy could soon be a thing of the past.  For homeowners in Colorado, SunRun is offering a home solar system arrangement that allows customers to switch to clean solar power at a fixed, low rate.

Solar leases are becoming more common in states like California and Arizona, but they will soon be found around the globe.  Solar power companies are realizing that one of the biggest hurdles for property owners is the upfront cost to install solar panels.  By offering solar panel lease agreements, the initial investment is cut way down, and monthly lease payments are often a fraction of the original electricity bills.  Its easy to pay less for solar panels through a solar lease.

Sure, there are many low cost solar panel options out there – from solar kits to 100% DIY instructions.  But when you go through a company like SunRun, you’ll get professional installations, quality components and management/maintenance of the system.  In other words, peace of mind!

Colorado SunRun Solar Lease program

In Colorado, SunRun has partnered with REC Solar, Namaste Solar and Real Goods Solar to provide high quality solar installations.  How refreshing to know that solar is now a realistic option for those who would like clean energy, but who don’t want to deplete their savings, or learn about solar equipment to do so?

The Colorado SunRun program could be for you, if you’d like to simply have your solar panels installed and forget about them.  Maintenance, repair and even insurance is all covered under the contract.  In addition, you can still tap into the local solar incentives, including tax rebates.  Many solar installers help you with the paperwork.

SunRun is found in Colorado, Arizona and California.  However, as mentioned above, more and more solar corporations are starting to offer solar financing options like solar leases in other locales.

Stay tuned for more information.  If you’d like to know whether you can partner with a solar company to lease solar panels where you live, shoot me a question in the comments below and I’ll look up options for you!

SolarOne Zero Carbon Streetlights

When you are the world’s first and only zero-carbon footprint city, every little detail matters.  That’s why Masdar in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has ordered solar-powered LED streetlights from SolarOne Solutions.  The Massachusetts technology company produces the most reliable solar powered fixtures, which remain illuminated even after a sandstorm and a number of cloudy days.  According to Moneer Azzam, President of SolarOne, it uses a management system, SO-Bright®, which is “designed to ride through several days of inclement weather.”

The zero carbon streetlights are a perfect addition to Masdar.  The population of 50,000 people and about 1,500 businesses comprise a carbon neutral community that many hope to inspire other zero carbon footprint cities.  SolarOne’s streetlights will illuminate roads, driveways and parking lots without the need for any fossil-fuel based electricity.

Some might say that SolarOne’s streetlights are somewhat like large-sized solar garden lights.  Ease of installation and operation simply cannot be matched.  Because there is no need to connect to an electrical grid or dig trenches for underground cabling, solar powered LED streetlights can be operational soon after delivery.  Of course, the fact that the lights run on free solar power means energy savings for the city, as well.  Customers also appreciate the white color of the LED lighting, as opposed to intense yellow lamps.

You don’t have to travel abroad to see SolarOne LED streetlights.  The fixtures have also been erected in Parkland, Florida and at the Massachusettes Maritime Academy.

Stirling Engines Driven by Solar Energy (image from Salt River Project)

Its hard to imagine a better place for large scale solar power generation!  Last week, a new solar array in Arizona was launched using a unique concentrating solar power system: the SunCatcher from Stirling Energy Systems.

Sixty giant parabolic dishes – also known as solar collectors – concentrate solar heat at a hydrogen-filled piston, which drives a Stirling engine, generating electricity.  The dishes are covered with mirrors and track the movement of the sun across the sky.

The Peoria, AZ-based system, installed by Tessera Solar, will generate up to 1.5 megawatts (MW) of solar energy.

Just imagine the possibilities:

The new solar array in Arizona is perhaps but a drop in the renewable energy bucket of Tessera Solar.  The company has contracts to install over 1,500 megawatts of large-scale solar power generation in California and Texas.

Its SunCatcher technology is believed to deliver electricity more efficiently and with less use of precious water resources than other concentrating solar power systems.

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Solar in a Box... and then on your rooftop!

When it comes to residential solar panel systems, cost and installation are two of the biggest worries.  Enter Ready Solar!

Ready Solar sells pre-assembled “solar in a box” solar electric systems that you can buy at your local hardware store.  Cheap, convenient and easy…. three of my favorite words when it comes to home improvement projects.

Did you know that Americans bought over 17 million flat screen TVs in 2006, yet only 45,000 solar panel kits?  With solar in a box, the price and ease of installation is nearly comparable, however.

What is holding you back in 2010?  Since 2006, the prices of solar panels have dropped more than 50% and the government now offers generous tax incentives and rebates.

Ready Solar’s PV panel product, “Solar in a Box,” makes going solar one of the simplest projects you’ll undertake this year.  CEO Robert Giles observes:

“The pre-mounted, pre-wired, grounded solar modules do away with the complexity of installing traditional solar electric systems and cost about the same as the piece parts.  It’s like making a cake.  You can buy the eggs, flour … all separately. [But] most people would just choose to buy the cake.”

Solar in a box makes installation easier

Solar in a box includes PV panels from Canadian Solar and Suntech, which can be installed in a single day.  The kits are pre-assembled through contract manufacturers at International Organization for Standardization (ISO)-approved facilities.  For those that want to get into the solar installation business, Ready Solar also has web-based training.

You can find the Solar in a Box products throughout much of the U.S. at Sam’s Club (a division of Wal-Mart).  Eventually, the company intends to take its solar electric systems global.

Today, you can find the Ready Solar products in 20 states.  More than 1,000 individuals and businesses have already installed the solar modules, with many more on the horizon in 2010.  Offering a lower-cost and easy installation over most solar panel systems is a big advantage.

What is stopping you from going solar this year?