Articles Tagged with ''solar power''

Scientist Myles Steiner has announced that the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has set a new world record at 31.1 percent for a two-junction solar cell. The research team at NREL beat Alta Devices` previous record by 0.3 percent.

Despite waning government support, the threat of international trade wars, and high-profile bankruptcies, the solar photovoltaic (PV) market continues to grow, according to a report from Navigant Research.

Some homeowners are turned off by how solar panels affect the appearances of their homes. Building-integrated photovoltaics — basically solar panels incorporated into the structure of new buildings — can eliminate the negative visual impact of traditional solar panels, improve appearance, and boost resale value.

Mechanical contracting firm TAG Mechanical Systems Inc. announced that it provided HVAC mechanical systems and a 54 kW solar photovoltaic (PV) system for the Skaneateles Village Hall in Skaneateles, N.Y. The facility is the first municipal net-zero energy building in New York State.

Americans are continuing to use more renewable energy resources. Use of natural gas, solar panels, and wind turbines were up in 2012, while use of coal declined as a means to generate electricity, according to the recent U.S. energy charts released through research conducted by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Yuba County and Chevron Energy Solutions have announced the county government’s first solar power installation. The solar installation is expected to generate over 1 megawatt of electricity at two sites and, together with a set of energy efficiency measures, reduce the county’s annual energy purchases by 50 percent.

Thirty community college leaders and Siemens Industry Inc. are convening for a national event to promote campus living laboratories. Living laboratories are green and building system installations (e.g., solar panels, energy monitoring, etc.) that reduce colleges’ carbon footprints while serving as learning opportunities for students.

Direct Energy and SolarCity have established a broad agreement to provide solar electricity directly to businesses. The two companies have created a dedicated investment fund capable of financing up to $124 million in solar projects for Direct Energy’s commercial and industrial (C&I) customers.

Solar Universe, a leader in solar franchising, announced that it has acquired Gen110, a leading distributed electricity company. Solar Universe said the acquisition will enable it to utilize the sales capabilities developed by Gen110, providing more opportunities to reach a wider range of customers.

As costs continue to decline, and the price of energy continues to rise, solar heating and cooling is slowly growing beyond niche market bounds.