solar voltaic power

The first commercial solar-powered radio station goes online

This is kind of cool, in a dorky way: More on KGO’s solar project.

Sun, baby, sun

Earlier this week, I was at a solar meeting at the Arizona Biltmore, a schwank golf resort in Phoenix. During the meeting, McCain’s advance team poked their heads into the room. Apparently, the room we were using — the Casa Grande room of the convention hall — is the very same room where McCain is […]

Paul MacCready speaks at TED

A TED talk from Paul McCready: In 1998, aircraft designer Paul MacCready looks at a planet on which humans have utterly dominated nature, and talks about what we all can do to preserve nature’s balance. His contribution: solar planes, superefficient gliders and the electric car. (thanks LL)

Solar industry aims for grid parity in eight years

Solar companies are getting some swagger: “We designed the eight-year tax credit extension very purposely,” said Rhone Resch, president of Solar Energy Industries Association. “We believe that at the end of that time, solar will have achieved grid parity, which means simply that we will be the lowest-cost source of retail electricity in almost all […]

Utilities moving in on distributed generation solar markets

There’s a new phenomenon afoot. Across the U.S., utilities are getting involved in distributed generation solar markets like never before. In March, Southern California Edison submitted an application to the California Public Utilities Commission to install 250 to 500 MW of solar photovoltaics, in projects of 1 to 3 MW, on leased rooftops distributed throughout […]

Municipal property assessment financing for solar and energy efficiency

The implosion of credit markets could mean severe problems for people looking to finance an investment in energy efficiency or solar. Frankly, financial innovation is as important as technological innovation when it comes to bringing solar into the mainstream. But now you don’t have to take some guy on a blog’s word for it — […]

Sharp to boost thin-film solar capacity six-fold to 6,000 MW by 2014

The world’s second-largest maker of solar batteries plans a massive increase in capacity to meet soaring demand. Bloomberg reports: The company will raise the capacity to 6 gigawatts as early as 2014, from 1 gigawatt estimated for 2010 … Sharp, which lost its market-leading position to Thalheim, Germany-based Q-Cells AG last year, is focusing on […]

Cleantech venture investment hits record $2.6 billion in third quarter

And what are the three hottest technologies? Smart grid, algae (advanced biofuels), and, surprise surprise, thin-film solar. Venture capital investment in clean tech has been soaring in recent years because of high energy prices along with the growing concern and growing action on global warming. You might think that VC investment would be hurt by […]

Demand for green products exceeds supply

My relatives in the D.C. area are on a Prius waiting list. People wanting to build their own electric bikes are on waiting lists for parts. If you’re planning to put up some solar panels, well, get in line. According to Rich Bunch, at Silicon Solar Inc, their next shipment of solar components is due […]