Solar Power World

Sungevity, a provider of residential solar services, has announced new partnerships with three National Hockey League teams to encourage the adoption of solar solutions among hockey fans. Through its partnerships with the Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks, Sungevity will provide fans with solar education and unique offers that make it easy to make the switch to solar.

With the partnerships, the NHL team fans “light the lamp,” scoring key solar resources and offers. In fact, every Kings, Sharks, or Ducks fan will receive $500 off a Sungevity solar energy plan. In addition to the $500 discount, each team’s fans will have access to special offers:

•     “Kings of the Sun” – As part of the promotion, any Kings fan who requests a Sungevity iQuote® between now and November 30th will be entered to win a grand prize package, featuring a two-night stay at a Los Angeles area resort; four skating passes and skate rentals to LA Kings Holiday Ice Rink; four tickets to one regular season Kings game; VIP meet-and-greet with Kings alumni, Bailey and ice crew; and pre-game recognition as the winner.
•     “The Frozen Tee Shirt Race” – On November 6, 2015, December 11, 2015, and April 3, 2015 during the regular season Sharks games, the team will host an on-ice promotion in which two contestants will compete to win a prize.
•     “Ducks Solar Seat Upgrade Presented by Sungevity” – Anaheim Ducks fans who request a Sungevity iQuote® between now and February 28, 2015 will be entered in a drawing each month between December 2014 and March 2015 to win 4 glass seat tickets to a regular season Duck’s game.

“Each step we take as a company is designed to make it easier for consumers everywhere to adopt solar power as a cost-effective, practical and sustainable solution. That’s why we’ve carefully built a broad network of partners that mirror our commitment to a better way of generating and consuming energy, and are proud to add these NHL teams to that roster,” said Renu Mathias, Director of Affinity Marketing, Sungevity. “Perhaps no other sport is more aware of the implications of climate change than hockey. We’re proud to support these three NHL teams as they educate their fans about a more sustainable way of life.

These partnerships are the latest effort by Sungevity to collaborate with like-minded organizations – such as Lowe’s, The Sierra Club and ABC Carpet & Home — that are focused on both sustainability as well as providing best-in-class customer experiences.

Sungevity
www.sungevity.com

Solar Power World

SunEdison, a solar technology manufacturer and provider of solar energy services, and Irvine Unified School District, announced the completion of three new solar installations at schools in Orange County, California. The school district now powers 22 schools with SunEdison solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, and expects to avoid an extra $5 million to $8 million in energy costs over the next 20 years. These avoided costs allow the school district to provide additional educational resources for their students now and for many years to come.

“We’re proud to announce that we are anticipating $5 million to $8 million on avoided energy costs over the next 20 years by working with SunEdison,” said Mark Sontag, director for math, science, and career technical education at Irvine Unified School District. “We accomplished this with zero up-front costs, and zero maintenance costs through a power purchase agreement (PPA) with SunEdison. That extra budget means more resources for our teachers and students. As the largest solar powered school district in Orange County with over 5.4 megawatts (MW) installed, we’re taking this opportunity to educate our children on the benefits solar energy can bring to the community.”

“The Irvine Unified School District is a wonderful success story and a role model for other school districts,” said Sam Youneszadeh, managing director of west coast distributed generation at SunEdison. “They’re inspiring to us, and we hope many more schools are able to follow their lead and invest more on education by reducing their energy bill.”

The Irvine Unified School District will be building new schools over the next 8 years to accommodate an anticipated 1,200 new students a year.  Building on their success, the school district is working with SunEdison and their architects to incorporate solar into the design of all new schools. SunEdison and its financing partners, including TerraForm Power (NASDAQ: TERP), a SunEdison Company, will be the owner-operators of the systems.

SunEdison
www.sunedison.com

Solar Power World

Data released by SolarReviews.com shows that, despite stable wholesale prices of solar panels and the imposition of anti-dumping tariffs on some imported solar panels, the average cost of solar energy has continued to fall over the last 12 months.

Solar Reviews collect solar price data through their market leading consumer information sites including Solar-Estimate.org and their solar panel information website SolarPanelTalk.

The Solar Estimate site houses a solar calculator that has been used by more than 100,000 Americans to get a ballpark estimate of what a solar system will cost. Approximately 200 solar installers contribute to this estimator by entering into the site the cost per watt they charge for solar systems between the size of 1kw and 10kw. This gives Solar Estimate a unique vantage point from which to watch solar price movements.

Data is then cross referenced with solar price data entered by consumers into the leading solar discussion forum website SolarPanelTalk. Consumers enter quotes they receive from solar installers into this site to ask other members of the forum whether or not they have been offered a good deal.

“We continue to see a great disparity in pricing between states where solar incentives have created high demand and states where lower incentives or lower power costs mean lower demand. In states with low demand prices are significantly higher as installers in these states do not have economies of scale,” said Andrew Sendy, Chairman of Denver based SolarReviews.com , the owner of the Solar-Estimate.org and the SolarPanelTalk.com websites.

Mr Sendy commented further that, “the drop in retail prices has been surprising given that we have had stable wholesale prices for solar equipment followed by the imposition of tariffs on panels made with Chinese and Taiwanese cells.”

The fall in prices appears to be driven by increasing economies of scale among solar installers along with the effects of increasing competition.

Competition is being driven also by consumers use of websites such as SolarReviews, Solar-estimate.org and SolarPanelTalk. Consumers are able to use these and other similar sites to find out what a good price is for a solar system, the reputation of solar installers from whom they are getting quotes and to get peer feedback from other consumers who have already installed a solar system. The unprecedented access consumers now have to good information is also contributing to the downward movement of solar prices.

Solar Power World

Developer Solatio will work on 3 solar photovoltaic projects totaling 114 MW in Vazante, in the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil. The projects will use  Canadian Solar panels. Once connected to the grid, the projects will sell the electricity generated to the Agencia Nacional de Energia Eletrica, a Brazilian government entity, under a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement at R$216.12/MWh ($86.42/MWh).

“We entered the utility scale project development business to differentiate our business model, expand and stabilize our profit margins over the business cycle. We have since successfully leveraged our experience in Canada to expand our project business in key geographies. This win in Brazil is a testament to the strength of our project development capabilities, and positions us well to participate in the growth in demand for solar energy across the globe,” commented Dr. Shawn Qu, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Canadian Solar.

“We are convinced that in order to be successful in such a demanding market as the energy sector in Brazil, it is absolutely mandatory to have profound local knowledge of the industry and the country as well as high-quality project developments, concepts on which Solatio has based its work from the very beginning in Brazil,” commented Pedro Vaquer, Solatio partner. “Undoubtedly, a collaboration agreement with a sound international player as Canadian Solar translates into the perfect combination for the success of our projects,” added Antonio Rodriguez, Solatio partner.

Solar Power World

JinkoSolar Holding Co. has announced that it supplied 5 MW of salt and mist resistant solar modules to DMM, a Japanese digital content distributor and solar installation company, for a ground mounted solar PV project in Mie Prefecture, Japan. The project has been connected to the grid and is operating.

The project is located approximately 100 m from the coastline in Meiwa, Mie Prefecture. Given its location along the coast in central Japan, solar modules used in the project had to be resistant to salt and mist. JinkoSolar’s salt and mist resistant modules can be installed in any coastal region and run without interference over a long period of time. The project is expected to generate approximately 5.55 million kWh of electricity annually for 2,500 local households.

“We are excited to be working with DMM to promote the local renewable energy market in Japan,” said Xiande Li, Chairman of JinkoSolar. “Located along the coast of Mie Prefecture in central Japan, the project required high quality modules that were salt and mist resistance. By selecting JinkoSolar as the module supplier for this project, DMM is demonstrating its confidence in the quality and performance of our modules under harsh environmental conditions.”

“We are honored to work with JinkoSolar on this project,” said Zhao guo Sun, Manager of DMM’s Energy Division. “We shared a common goal of creating greener environment with renewable energy. We are looking forward to cooperating on other projects in the future.”

JinkoSolar
www.jinkosolar.com

Solar Power World

As NEC 2014 codes change and inverters must be elevated off of the roof, some inverter manufacturers are offering their own racking systems.

Solar Power World

The owners of a beautiful new luxury home on the west side of Mercer Island decided to include solar in their plans. Solar Power World Top 400 Solar contractor NW Electric and Solar used 12 APS microinverters (distributed through Blue Frog Solar) and 24 itek modules for the flat-roof installation, which receives generous solar exposure as the sun arcs through the southern sky each day. The 6.24-kW  installation was completed in August .

Anther installation using Blue Frog/APS microinverters, the uber-green Grow Community, placed as runner-up in Solar Builder magazine’s 2014 Project of the Year awards. The Bainbridge Island, Wash., housing development is designed as a net-zero energy community. The installation includes 260-W modules by itek Energy and racking by SunModo. The installer is A&R Solar of Seattle. The project is being developed by Asani with construction by PHC Construction.

Blue Frog now also offers the new YC1000 microinverter from APS, a 3-phase microinverter, handling 277/480 grid voltages with 900 watts maximum output, ZigBee communication and an integrated ground. Each microinverter handles up to four PV modules while up to 11 units (44 modules total, 60- or 72-cell) can be linked in a single 15A circuit. And the unit is offered at a price point competitive with conventional “string” inverters.

The inverter’s warranty is fully backed by APS corporate. In addition, Blue Frog offers a 25-year extended warranty free of charge. If you happen to prefer just a 10-year warranty on your equipment, the cost is $20 less per unit.

Solar Power World

The new director of operations at Baker Electric Solar, Jay Miller, works with a key warehouse staff member, Albert Kasem, during the company’s inventory and process-review check.

Baker Electric Solar, a San Diego-based solar company, has been recognized as one of the area’s fastest growing companies. Recently, the company appointed Jay Miller as director of operations. In that role, he will manage diverse aspects of the company amid growth. Since January, Baker Electric Solar has hired 30 new employees, increasing its workforce more than 25% this year.

Solar Power World asked Miller a few questions about his role and plans for managing growth at the solar company.

Solar Power World: You have amassed 25 years of experience in the electrical contracting industry, but you’re relatively new to solar — starting at Independent Energy Solutions (IES) three years ago. What is it about solar that brought you to the industry and keeps you here?

Jay Miller: Prior to IES, during my tenure at McBride Electric, solar energy products and services were a natural addition to our electrical contractor’s suite of products. For more than 10 years now, I’ve been an advocate of renewable energy solutions. They fit with my strong desire to help clients save money while helping improve the world’s ecology.

Baker Electric Solar is a fast-growing company, and it will lean on your operations experience as it continues to evolve. How will you think about managing operations at a company that continues to grow?

It truly is exciting how Baker Electric Solar has grown exponentially throughout Southern California. I love to engage teams, encouraging their input on what works and what doesn’t work. My role will be to ensure our team’s expertise is focused and synchronized — using the most efficient ways to process the work to create powerful results.

You will direct multiple facets of the company, from engineering and installation to warranty service and warehousing. So how important is it that one individual oversee all the different aspects of the business? How important is unity among departments, especially in solar?

For managed growth, all departments of our company need to be in sync with each other in order to be successful. Being responsible for all of these facets gives me the authority to make sure all of the various teams seamlessly collaborate together to achieve our goals. Unity is of the utmost importance regardless of industry!

How do you expect to reduce project delivery times?

We are looking at and analyzing every step in the process to reduce delivery times – from contract signing through permission to operate (PTO). We will follow Lean Enterprise concepts removing “non-value-add” steps from the entire process. We’ll also strengthen our relationships with all of the jurisdictional authorities we deal with in order to help us move jobs through the process.

Baker Electric Solar is based in Southern California, as are a lot of other solar companies. How can a solar company set itself apart from the competition?

Baker Electric Solar was formally launched in 2007, yet brings a 76-year history of doing electrical contracting in the region. Our team has hundreds of years of combined experience in electrical contracting and is the cream of the crop! This longevity and knowledge base is unheard of in our industry. On top of that we stand behind our product and our reputation. We live up to our commitments and will be here for the long term.

What do you predict the future holds for solar in the short term, say in three to five years?

There are currently many changing factors impacting the solar industry, from technology improvements, federal investment tax credits, other incentive reductions to net metering rule changes, and more. We feel the diversification of our products and services will be important for our continued growth. Solar has a history of being a flexible industry, one that can overcome many obstacles. I believe the entrepreneurial mentality of our industry will help us all adapt and grow.

Solar Power World

In Germany, municipal energy and drinking water provider RheinEnergie recently connected to the grid a 320 kW PV system made of Q CELLS solar modules on the roof of a storage building belonging to the Cologne-based waste disposal and recycling company Abfallentsorgungs- und Verwertungsgesellschaft Köln mbH (AVG Köln).

Hanwha Q CELLS delivered 1,280 high-performance Q.PRO G-3 solar modules with a 250 W rating for the system. The solar plant will produce approximately 290,000 kWh of electricity per year which will be completely fed into the public grid. This is enough to power around 90 homes and to prevent approximately 145 tons of CO2 emissions each year.

A 320 kW solar energy plant on the roof of a waste incineration plant.

“We are relying on power from renewable energies and have made it our goal to expand our portfolio of photovoltaic systems,” says Thomas Zerres, head of renewable energies (bio and solar) with RheinEnergie. “In order to secure our solar plants’ economic viability for decades into the future, we are very careful to only use high quality PV modules. The Q CELLS solar modules are produced in Europe. Having seen the results of the demanding VDE tests and in light of their long life, we are impressed.”

The new plant in Niehl is RheinEnergie’s 16th photovoltaic system, and half of those are located in the Cologne municipal area. In total, the systems have a production capacity of 18,065 kW.

“In collaboration with our affiliate RheinEnergie in the utility group holding company, we are operating the new photovoltaic system and thus making a significant contribution to protecting the climate and saving resources,” says Andreas Freund, spokesperson for the management of AVG Köln.

For more recent headlines, check out these articles:

SMA Offers Inverter Rack To Comply With NEC Codes

Blue Frog Solar And APS Partner On Winning Projects

JinkoSolar Provides Salt And Mist Resistant Modules For Japanese Solar Project

Solar Power World

Christie McCarthy, Director of Marketing for Vista Solar, shares her experience with TechWomen 2014, an Initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Vista Solar is a Solar Power World Top 400 Contractor. 

Advanced nations are beginning to understand this phenomenon: Healthy economies cannot exist without the contributions of women. To the extent that women thrive, countries thrive. As Secretary of State John Kerry says, “Women’s issues are not just women’s issues, they’re family issues, economic issues, community issues.” In 2011, this key understanding inspired Hillary Clinton to create TechWomen, a professional and cultural exchange program for women from Africa and the Middle East.

Having spent the last five weeks immersed as a mentor in TechWomen 2014, I’m compelled to share my observations.

To participate, young women from Africa and the Middle East apply for 78 highly competitive spots. Those selected are the cream of the crop: educated, accomplished and disposed toward careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). The selection process is no less competitive for mentors (both professional and cultural) who need to show capacity, accomplishment and commitment.

After applying:

• The selected women from Africa and the Middle East (called Emerging Leaders – or EL’s) spend five weeks with American business women (Mentors) at work and play, engaging in the best of American work and culture.
• Through shared experience and communication, strong relationships form between the EL’s and Mentors, as well as among the EL’s and their host companies (which include top-tier businesses like Cisco, LinkedIn, Twitter, SolarCity).
• During their 4-week internships, the EL’s work on projects that yield practical knowledge they can take back with them and put to use in their careers.
• After their internships, the EL’s and Mentors spend one week together in Washington DC at the U.S. Department of State with important officials who listen, interact and show remarkable care for the program.
• After Washington and many teary goodbyes, the EL’s return to their home countries, taking with them the ideals, best practices, experience and support they have received from the U.S. government, their mentors and their host companies.
• Once home, the EL’s have a phenomenal success record. Since these women were driven from the start, they tend to keep that momentum going in their lives and careers, inspiring those around them, and lifting those that follow. Their families, friends and co-workers experience the positive impact of their time in America, and the results are exponential.

As TechWomen continues to deliver year after year, the net results are 1) increased good will for the United States in other countries and 2) economic growth in these countries through the advancement of women. Both of these results are also good for American security.

This blog was originally published on http://www.vista-solar.com/blog/.

Solar Power World

Mexican solar installer Advance Green Power will offer APS microinverters as part of its line of residential and commercial PV solutions.

Advance Green Power’s mission is to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases while raising awareness of the ecological and economic benefits of sustainable energy, helping individuals and organizations adopt these new technologies to positively impact the environment.

“We are always looking for cutting edge technology in order to offer the best solutions,” said Oscar Jiménez Velázquez, Advance Green Power director general. “Our technology partners in the United States like APS always provide us with the best quality products.”

The agreement comes as APS rapidly expands its presence in new regional markets around the globe. Already the market leader in China and Australia and with a rapidly growing presence in the U.S., APS now offers its advanced microinverter products to customers in Latin America and Europe.

Thomas Nelson, APS vice president of sales, noted that Latin America is a fast-growing region for the solar market.

“Mexico has tremendous potential for clean-energy development, and it’s a natural fit for our microinverter technology,” Nelson said. “We’re pleased to bring our PV solutions to consumers there.”

APS microinverters’ unique chip-based architecture allows each unit to be specially programmed to accommodate the various grid voltages found in different regional markets – a flexibility built into each APS unit and unmatched by other microinverter products.

APS was founded in Silicon Valley in 2009, and is now a global leader in the development, manufacturing and marketing of microinverters based on their own proprietary, leading-edge solar technology. APS America, representing APS in the US market, is based near Seattle.

Solar Power World

Using a hydrometer is still the quickest and simplest way to  determine the state of charge of the flooded lead-acid batteries in your solar battery system.

By: Fred Wehmeyer, Senior Vice President/Engineering U.S. Battery Manufacturing

One of the advantages of a flooded lead-acid battery is the ability to quickly determine the battery’s state of charge. In renewable energy applications, batteries usually receive a  daily charge—a current and voltage controlled charge that is fed to the battery.  As solar exposure changes or as solar panels and batteries age, conditions may develop that prevent the batteries from receiving a full charge. So it’s always important to check the state of charge and determine the health of each battery cell.

Fortunately, this is easy to do on flooded lead acid batteries. Most will have removable vent caps that allow you to use a hydrometer to measure the specific gravity of the electrolyte, which will tell you the state of charge in each of the battery’s cells.

Electrolyte specific gravity changes with the charge state of the battery. When a battery is fully charged,  all the available sulfates are contained in the sulfuric acid electrolyte and this raises the specific gravity of the electrolyte. As the battery discharges, the sulfates in the electrolyte move back into the plates and this lowers the specific gravity of the electrolyte.

Load testers and electronic battery checkers  provide valuable information, but using a hydrometer provides the most reliable state of charge information. Using a hydrometer to check the battery state of charge is simple if you follow these steps after making sure that the battery is fully charged:

1) Make sure you are in a properly ventilated area and that you are equipped with safety equipment such as gloves and eye protection.

2) Use a high quality battery hydrometer. Most are made from plastic and have a float with various specific gravity and/or state of charge readings shown on them.

3) Remove the battery vent caps according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

4) Insert the hydrometer into one of the battery’s cells and draw in some electrolyte, then squirt it back into the cell. This mixes the electrolyte so you can get a good reading.

5) Draw in electrolyte a second time and allow a few seconds for the float to settle so that it can give a stable reading.

6) Write down the reading indicated on the hydrometer float. Readings should be corrected for temperature using the following correction factors:

1. a) Add 0.004 for each 10⁰F above 80⁰F; add 0.005 for each 7⁰C above 27⁰C
2. b) Subtract 0.004 for each 10⁰F below 80⁰F; subtract 0.005 for each 7⁰C below 27⁰C
3. c) Some hydrometers automatically correct for temperature and do not require correction.

7) Repeat the procedure on each of the battery’s cells and write down the readings.

8) If any electrolyte has dripped or spilled onto the battery, carefully wipe with a paper towel.

9) Reinstall the vent caps onto the battery.

10) Check the manufacturer’s specifications on the particular battery you’re using to determine the fully charged specific gravity reading.

The manufacturer’s specifications for battery open circuit voltage (OCV) vs state of charge (SOC) are listed by battery voltage and also show specific gravity (SG) vs state of charge. This information, typically found on the battery manufacturer’s website, can reveal much about the battery. First, if both the OCV and SG are below the manufacturer’s specifications, the battery is discharged and should be recharged. If only one cell is low and the others are within factory specifications, the battery may have a bad cell. If all cells have low SG’s that increase very slowly with charging, then the entire battery may be sulfated and may require special charging procedures to fully recover. If all the specific gravity readings are increasing while on charge, the battery is not fully charged and charging should be continued. At full charge the specific gravity will eventually stop increasing. At that point, the battery is fully charged. If SG’s have stopped increasing but are still below the manufacturer’s specifications, the battery may have lost acid from the electrolyte through spillage or over-watering.  Consult the battery manufacturer for corrective actions.

If you follow these procedures for using a hydrometer, you’ll be able to save time in providing proper maintenance for your batteries, and continue to make sure they provide optimum performance.

To find additional resources on battery maintenance and ways to increase battery efficiency and service life, visit www.usbattery.com.

Solar Power World

Vikram Solar’s Tier-1 and Tariff-Free solar modules are now certified by UL and approved by the California Energy Commission (CEC).

Vikram Solar, a solar module manufacturing company in Kolkata, India, received UL 1703 certification for its 60-cell polycrystalline solar panels in mid-September. This listing covers module wattage sizes from 240 to 270 Wp, with clear frames and white back sheets. Other module products will be certified in the very near future, including 72-cell modules, black frame, and black back sheet models.

The high performance PV modules were also added to the California Energy Commission list of Incentive Eligible Photovoltaic Modules in Compliance with SB1 Guidelines on November 3, 2014.

“We are very excited that our products have passed this important milestone and can now be installed by our growing list of EPC’s, distributors, and solar integrators,” Vikram Solar’s founder and CEO Gyanesh Chaudhary said.

“This achievement once again underscores the reliability, safety and performance of Vikram Solar’s entire module portfolio.”

Founded in 2006, Vikram Solar is rapidly becoming a dominant global module supplier in strategic markets. The company is part of 40-year old industrial conglomerate, the Vikram Group of Companies, the world’s largest manufacturer of tea processing equipment.

See VikramSolar.com for more info, or contact Vikram Solar’s U.S. representative, Ken Oatman, at 303-834-7330.

Additionally, Vikram Solar modules are currently available in Southern California from Solar Boulevard, a solar equipment distributor.

Solar Power World

SunPower Corp. says it has expanded its product portfolio for its residential customers with the acquisition of SolarBridge Technologies, which offers integrated microinverter technologies for the solar industry. SunPower will use this technology, which converts direct current (DC) generated by a single solar photovoltaic panel into alternating current (AC), to develop next generation microinverters for use with SunPower’s high efficiency solar panels. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Based in Austin, Texas, SolarBridge has developed an innovative, highly reliable microinverter solution for roof-ready AC solar panels. Panels with these factory-integrated microinverters can be directly installed, eliminating the need to mount or assemble additional components on the roof or the side of a home.

“SunPower’s acquisition of SolarBridge and its high performance microinverter technology will allow us to develop a differentiated product specifically optimized for our high efficiency solar panels,” said Tom Werner, SunPower president and CEO. “This is the beginning of integrating electronics into our world-class solar panel technology. In this case, the combined result will provide our residential customers with an elegant, reliable and complete solution that fits their home specifications, including system design flexibility, ease of installation and maintenance and improved overall aesthetics.”

With AC solar panels, the power generated by the solar system is optimized and monitored at each solar panel to ensure maximum energy production. They provide design and installation flexibility, and are suited for a wide variety of system and rooftop configurations. AC solar panels also help reduce soft costs associated with residential photovoltaic solar installations, including labor, permitting and customer acquisition costs, which represent a significant portion of the overall system cost. SolarBridge microinverter technology offers a design life in excess of 25 years.

Solar Power World

Vista Solar, a Bay Area commercial solar installer and Solar Power World Top 400 Contractor, has completed a 44.2 kW solar installation for packaging distributor, Container Consulting Service (CCS) in Gilroy, California.

Vista Solar, a leading Bay Area commercial solar installer, completed a 44.2 kW solar system for packaging distributor, Container Consulting Service (CCS). (PRNewsFoto/Vista Solar)

“CCS was a perfect candidate for solar,” says Vista Solar Sales Manager Jennifer Le. “With high energy consumption, a large unobstructed roof space, and customers who care about their carbon footprint, the decision to go solar made sense from every perspective.”

The 44.2 kW system at CCS will offset 98% of the company’s electricity bill and generate positive cash flow savings from day one. The cumulative 25-year savings will total well over $500,000. Annually, the system will generate over 67,000 kilowatt hours of clean energy, offsetting over 50 tons of carbon dioxide emissions, and producing enough energy to power 6.4 homes.

“With 65% growth in the last five years, we needed to look at smart ways to manage our growing energy consumption,” says CCS General Manager Will Trefts. “Vista Solar has helped us do that.”

Construction on the system was completed in just 8 days. The equipment used includes high-efficiency Suniva modules and SMA TriPower inverters.

Solar Power World

The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), along with other U.S. renewable power industries, today hailed the goal announced at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Beijing of doubling renewable energy in the 21-member economies by 2030.  This follows last year’s commitment to encourage technology transfer, and joint efforts to lower costs and attract investment.

“We plan to do our part to help meet this ambitious new goal,” said SEIA President and CEO Rhone Resch.  “Smart, effective public policies, such as the solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), are already paying huge dividends for America.  Solar installations this year will be 70 times higher than they were in 2006 when the ITC went into effect. The price to install a solar rooftop system has been cut in half, while utility systems have dropped by 70 percent. It took the U.S. solar industry 40 years to install the first 20 gigawatts of solar – which is enough to effectively power nearly 4 million American homes – but we’re going to install the next 20 gigawatts in the next two years. That’s remarkable growth and puts us on a path to help meet APEC’s goal.”

“We appreciate the leadership that President Obama and the rest of these world leaders are showing on the critical task of rapidly scaling up low-carbon energy sources,” said Tom Kiernan, CEO of the American Wind Energy Association. “Here in America, according to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind Vision for the growth of our industry, we can quadruple wind power by 2030 and save consumers money doing it, if policymakers keep supporting state renewable standards and federal tax incentives to attract the necessary private investment.”

“Hydropower is poised for growth and ready to meet America’s renewable energy goals,” said Linda Church Ciocci, Executive Director, National Hydropower Association. “From powering the 97 percent of the nation’s dams that remain unpowered to upgrading our existing facilities, opportunities exist to double hydropower’s contribution to the electricity grid, while strengthening our economy and providing more Americans access to clean, low-cost electricity.”

“GEA applauds the APEC goal of doubling renewable power,” said Karl Gawell, Executive Director, Geothermal Energy Association. “New geothermal power development underway in the US and nearly all of the APEC countries will provide more than electricity, building thousands of megawatts of new geothermal power will spur economic growth, create new jobs and ensure environmental health for future generations.”

“The American biomass industry has experienced tremendous growth over the past couple of years and, with supportive policies, there is potential for much more,” said Bob Cleaves, President of the Biomass Power Association. “The 2014 National Climate Assessment indicated that biomass sources could offset up to 30 percent of U.S. petroleum consumption. Setting ambitious yet achievable goals is a good way to ensure that biomass potential is realized.”

“The Energy Recovery Council applauds today’s commitment to dramatically increasing renewable energy worldwide,” said Ted Michaels, President, Energy Recovery Council. “Waste-to-energy is a critical greenhouse gas mitigation tool with significant potential for further deployment in the U.S. Every ton of municipal solid waste processed at a waste-to-energy reduces lifecycle emissions by one ton of carbon dioxide equivalents, through offsetting fossil fuels, avoiding methane from landfills, and recovering metals for recycling.”

Solar Power World

SolarReserve, a global developer of utility-scale solar power projects and solar thermal technology, says the 96-MW photovoltaic (PV) Jasper solar power project completed construction and is fully operational, almost two months ahead of schedule. Jasper is located in South Africa’s Northern Cape in a solar park that also includes the 75 MW Lesedi solar power project which came online in May, and the proposed 100-MW Redstone concentrated solar thermal power (CSP) plant featuring SolarReserve’s CSP technology with integrated energy storage.

The Jasper Project generated about 1 million man-hours during construction, peaking at over 800 on-site construction jobs.  As part of the South African Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Program (REIPPPP), the project will set aside a percentage of total project revenues for Enterprise Development and Socio-Economic Development for the benefit of the local communities.

“In addition to helping South Africa meet its critical electricity needs, the Jasper Project will bring long lasting economic benefits to the region,” said SolarReserve’s CEO Kevin Smith. “We look forward to continuing this positive momentum and bringing value to South Africa through collaboration on further projects, including our upcoming CSP projects that will provide South Africa with clean, reliable and non-intermittent electricity, day and night.”

With over 325,000 PV modules, the Jasper Project will deliver 180,000 megawatt-hours of renewable electricity annually for South Africa residents – enough to power up to 80,000 households through a 20-year power purchase agreement with Eskom, the South African power utility company.  Selected by the South Africa Department of Energy (DOE) in the second round of bids under the REIPPPP, the project also marked Google’s first renewable energy investment in Africa.

The project was developed by a consortium consisting of SolarReserve, the Kensani Group (an experienced empowerment investment player in South Africa), and Intikon Energy (a South African developer of renewable energy projects).  Equity investment and ownership for the project was provided by a strong group of international and South African shareholders who jointly have experience in all aspects of development, funding and operations of solar energy projects.  The equity investment shareholders include the Public Investment Corporation (PIC), Intikon Energy, Kensani Capital Investments, Google, the PEACE Humansrus Community Trust, and SolarReserve with Rand Merchant Bank providing preference share equity. International law firm Baker & McKenzie supported the project activities through its offices in Johannesburg and the United States, with Kensani Eaglestone Capital Advisory acting as financial adviser.

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Trina Solar has ranked No. 1 for its environmental and social performance in the 2014 Solar Scorecard, an award system established by the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition (“SVTC”). Trina Solar received a score of 92 out of a maximum of 100, the highest score among all twenty-nine competing solar companies which included SunPower, First Solar, SolarWorld, REC, Panasonic, Sharp and Yingli.

The 2014 Solar Scorecard ranks global photovoltaic module manufacturers on twelve factors including extended producer responsibility (EPR), emissions transparency, chemical reduction plan, workers’ rights, health, safety, supply chains, conflict materials, module toxicity, high value recycling, prison labor, biodiversity, water, energy and GHGs. Judging was based on 12 different criteria of which Trina Solar ranked first among all participants for 11 of the criteria and scored full marks for eight.

SVTC’s Solar Scorecard, now in its 5th year, aims to ensure the solar PV sector is safe for workers, communities and the environment. It reveals how companies perform on SVTC’s sustainability and social justice benchmarks and is a resource for consumers, institutional purchasers, investors, installers, and anyone wishing to purchase PV modules from responsible product stewards. According to SVTC’s published statement, over the next two years, SVTC will develop the Scorecard into an environmental leadership standard endorsed by multiple stakeholder groups.

“We are delighted to be the top ranked company once again in this year’s SVTC ranking,” said Mr. Jifan Gao, Chairman and CEO of Trina Solar. “Solar energy brings clean energy to mankind yet the PV industry still faces critical environmental challenges particularly as demand grows. Ranking number one for the 3rd consecutive year demonstrates our leadership in consistently reducing the use of toxic chemicals, developing responsible recycling systems and protecting workers throughout the manufacturing supply chain, while at the same time fulfilling our commitment to producing premier solar modules. We remain deeply committed to achieving our environmental and social targets and to shaping a truly clean and green solar industry.”

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EnergySage, the online marketplace for solar energy systems, today announced a partnership with Staples (SPLS) that makes it easier than ever for Staples customers to install solar on their homes and businesses, while being rewarded for reducing their environmental impact. Consumers who install solar through the Staples-EnergySage Solar Marketplace will receive Staples e-gift cards ranging from $125 to $300 for a residential installation and from $500 to more than $2,500 for commercial installations, depending on the size of the solar panel system installed at their property.

The EnergySage Solar Marketplace, a comprehensive consumer destination site for solar photovoltaics (PV) systems, will serve as the program’s engine, helping homeowners, businesses and non-profits to research solar and obtain multiple, competitive quotes for solar power systems, for all financing options, at no cost to them. Incorporating the best practices of online shopping, the EnergySage Solar Marketplace is the only online shopping platform for solar PV systems. Its unique, innovative and user-friendly comparison-shopping experience injects unprecedented levels of simplicity, choice and transparency into solar shopping process. Multiple quotes provide consumers with options including choice of solar panels, brands, installers and financing options that include $0-down solar leases, power purchase agreements (PPAs) and solar loans. By fostering market efficiency, EnergySage helps consumers save on average 9% or over $2,500 compared to average industry prices for a residential solar panel system. Savings on commercial systems can total up to tens of thousands of dollars. EnergySage has received a prestigious Incubator award from the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative to develop the Solar Marketplace.

“Our partnership with EnergySage is a natural extension of our commitment to help our customers run their businesses and homes more sustainably,” said Jake Swenson, Director of Sustainable Products and Services, Staples, Inc. “This relationship provides them a simple way to learn about and install solar for a great price, lower their electricity bills, and reduce their impact on the planet.”

An average residential solar PV system will avoid more than 141 tons of carbon emissions over its lifetime—the equivalent of planting 3,314 trees or taking 27 cars off the road. It will also generate return on investment in the range of 10% to 30% annually for the property owner. Alternatively, $0-down solar leases and Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) can help consumers reduce their electricity bills by up to 50%. “EnergySage and Staples are committed to making it easy for consumers to research and shop for the best deals on solar panel systems,” comments Vikram Aggarwal, Founder and CEO of EnergySage. “And by providing access to transparent information, we are confident that more consumers will install solar PV systems.”

The Marketplace helps consumers easily compare quotes in an apples-to-apples format across all financing options. Because the Marketplace automatically performs the calculations needed to adjust for differences in the quotes received—different system sizes or different assumptions used to calculate cost and benefits—getting the best deal is simple and easy. Consumers can start by getting a no-obligation instant estimate of the cost and savings of a solar power system for their particular property.

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