Washington DC offers rebates for clean energy

If you're a Washington D.C. resident, businesses, or nonprofit in the market to install solar panels you might just be shopping at the right time. The Green Energy DC Renewable Energy Incentive Program launched this week gives the people of D.C. up to $33,000 in rebates to install solar panels to power their buildings. The interesting part of the D.C. Renewable Energy Incentive Program (REIP) is that it provides rebates for a portfolio of clean energy technologies including photovoltaics, geothermal, solar thermal air and water heating, biomass and methane-capture.

The REIP, photovoltaic (solar panels) incentives are on a tiered scale based on the solar electric system rating in DC kilowatt output:

• $3 per watt for each of the first 3,000 watts installed
  
• $2 per watt for the next 7,000 watts installed
  
• $1 per watt for the next 10,000 watts installed

The D.C. rebate in addition to the federal tax credit is going to push clean energy system installations into the mainstream in Washington D.C. This is a very generous rebate in my opinion since it bases the amount of money you will receive back from incentive program on DC (direct current) watts versus what the system will produce for you on the AC (Alternating Current) side. Here in California the rebate programs are based on CEC (California energy Commission)-AC, so if you crunch the numbers Californians receive a smaller rebate per DC watt installed then what the D.C. Renewable Energy Incenitve Program offers. Anyways if your in Washington D.C. this is a good time to pick up a clean energy system.

wiring solar panels in series vs parallel

Dan from Green Power Science does a great job in this video to explain the difference between wiring up solar panels in series or parallel. Understanding the key concepts in this video will help you build a strong foundation to understand of how a solar electric system works. In a nutshell the difference between series and parallel would include:

Series Circuits: connections are made at the positive (+) end of a solar panel to the negative end of another solar panel in your array. When solar panels are connected in series the voltage increases but does not increase the amperage.

Parallel Circuits: connections are made from positive (+) to positive (+) terminals and negative (-) to negative (-) terminals between the solar panels. When the solar panels are wired in parallel the voltage remains constant and the amperage or current is additive.

Follow me here? Is this a good explanation between series and parallel circuits?

wind power in Antarctica

If you could go anywhere in the world, for most people Antarctica would never be mentioned, unless your a researcher. There are 600 researchers and 2,000 additional people who support life and work on the uncivilized Antarctic continent. Research facilities across Antarctica have plenty of electrical appliances, but how does the limited population get the power they need to energize their lives? Most of the research bases depend on diesel generators to create power.

Although the Belgium-based International Polar Foundation research facility is the only base on Antarctica that is carbon-neutral and completely energy independent thanks to Proven Wind Energy system. Proven Energy is a UK-based manufacturer of small scale wind turbines you can put in your backyard but the wind turbine is durable enough to survive the harsh climates of Antarctica. The proven wind turbines will experience average wind speeds of 53mph and gusts of over 200mph, while providing 230V of clean electricity for the research facilities heating, computers, lights and research equipment.

According to Proven Energy the electricity generated from the proven wind energy system is expected to be the highest output of any small wind power system in the market. I hope this example gives you an idea of the reliability proven wind energy systems provide, would you consider installing a wind turbine to help power your home or business?

Colorado electric coop offers rebates for solar panels

Generally speaking electric cooperatives don't typically offer solar rebates. Although San Miguel Power Association, Inc. (SMPA) which serves more than 12,500 meters in Colorado counties of San Miguel, Montrose, Ouray, Dolores, Mesa, San Juan and Hinsdale has recently launched a solar rebate program. Solar electric systems that are installed after after Feb. 2, 2009 will be eligible for a rebate, The New Community Coalition, the administrator of the rebate program is waiting for homes and businesses to apply and lock in their rebates today, the program is in full force. Customers who apply for the rebate reservation have 90 days to get their solar electric system up and running.

What makes the program different from other solar rebate programs around the nation is that homeowners who want free money for installing solar panels must conduct a home energy audit to become more energy efficient before they can apply for the solar rebate program. That's an interesting idea to encourage people to "reduce consumption before producing clean energy", which is the most cost effective method to lower your energy expenses.

If you're a member of SMPA your solar electric system must be installed and operational by June 19, 2009 for you to secure your solar electric rebate, once the installation is complete and your documents are submitted SMPA will send you a check. It's unclear how much SMPA is going to give you per watt of solar power you install, does any have details on this the SMPA solar rebate program in Colorado, please share!

is solar for your home a smart investment?

To estimate if solar would make a smart financial investment it takes a handful of key variables which include location, weather, orientation, slope of your roof, and obstacles that could cause shading as the path of the sun changes based on the season. Green Power Labs has created an online tool called SolarRating which helps you determine if you have a suitable location for solar panels.

What I like about the online tool is the website explains why each variable is important in calculating the feasibility of solar panels. When I talk to interested consumers they typically say, "I have a lot of sun on my roof" and assume solar panels would be a smart investment but sometimes a house may not be suited for solar power. SolarRating OnLine gives your home a color-coded rating and helps you determine if you have a good location for solar panels by asking you questions about your project site. At the end of the process you can buy a custom report for $9.95 which will indicate your "solar score" which should give you a good idea if solar panels are worth pursuing for your home.

what do you think about online tools that help you figure out solar power?

solar pv awnings

We've all seen solar panels mounted on top of roofs but that's not the only place to mount solar panels. Many people have solar pv awnings in which solar panels not only generate electricity but provide shade during a hot summer day which reduces cooling loads and cuts glare. Mounting solar panels on top of awnings will increase airflow around the solar panels which allows them to operate at cooler temperatures.

Solar panels generate more electricity the cooler they operate since heat restricts electron flow. Solar photovoltaic awnings can be retrofitted into an existing building or integrated into a new building's design. Solar photovoltaic awnings are an example of building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), a term that defines when solar panels are integrated into the shell of the building. What do you think about solar pv awnings?

interconnection agreement 101

If you're considering to grid tie your wind turbine or solar panels, you need to understand the interconnection agreement. Since your clean energy system will interact directly with the grid it will require you to enter into an agreement with your utility company. The interconnection agreement covers the terms and conditions of the clean energy system which will be interconnected.

Specifically these agreements contain information about the technical specifications, safety, power quality, building permit required and insurance information. To ensure success of your grid tie wind turbine or solar panel project obtaining and reviewing the interconnection
agreement at the start of your project.

Each utility has their own interconnection agreement, so its best to call your electric utility and ask for a copy of their agreement. There is a national standard when it comes to connecting to the grid and many utilities are following the standards.

The standards of connecting to the grid focus on the grid tie inverter meeting both UL and IEEE standards. An inverter that is listed UL 1741 has "utility interactive" printed on the case which signifies that the inverter is fully compatible with IEEE 1547 standards.

EvoLux and ZetaLux LED bulbs UL listed

Earthled is the leading direct replacement LED bulb manufacturer, recently the company announced their evolux and zetalux product line has received UL listing. This marks a significant milestone for earthled direct replacement LEDs because the UL mark on the bulbs create an opportunity for even more homes and businesses to switch to LED bulbs.

The great aspect of LED bulbs are the consume a fraction of the electricity used by incandescent and CFL bulbs and have a lifetime of over 11 years, thus eliminating light bulb replacement costs. LED are very resilient since they're shatter proof meaning the lens won't break when a bulb falls to the ground unlike incandescent and CFL bulbs which will shatter when accidentally dropped.

I like earthled bulbs because they are direct replacement meaning you don't need a new ballast or fixtures to take advantage of earthled technology. What do you think about direct replacement LED bulbs?

the simplicity of enphase mirco-inverters

I was on enphase energy's website reading their case studies today and was amazed by the simplicity of Sreenivas family's 2.3kW solar electric system using enphase micro-inverters. The system is made up of 13 sharp 175w solar panels which are connected to each other via AC interconnect cables that are already part of the enphase mirco-inverter. 12/3 romex is used through the garage attic from the solar array to a 1-15 amp backfed breaker in a 100 amp main panel.

The Sreenivas family case study is a good example of how enphase makes deploying solar panels an easier process by avoiding stringing solar panels which has a direct impact on system complexity and how long it takes to install a solar electric system.

The enphase micro-inverter is more then a grid tie inverter, they're an "inverter solution" since performance monitoring is built into the system and is the only grid tie inverter that can monitor the system down to the individual solar panel. This installation looks quite simple, don't you agree? What do you think about solar electric systems that use micro-inverters versus a traditional centralized inverter?


Enphase Diagram of Sreenivas residence

Mitsubishi solar increases cell efficiency

Mitsubishi Solar announced today that they have broke a world's record in solar cell efficiency by introducing a multicrystalline silicon solar cell that boasts an efficiency of 18.9% A new world record claims, Mitsubishi Solar. I'm not sure if this is a world's record in terms of pure efficiencies because we have blogged about a 25% solar cell that was developed in Australia a couple months ago.

According to Mitsubishi they were able to achieve the 18.9% efficiency by allowing their new solar cells to absorb infrared rays in sunlight, thus achieving a new milestone with their photovoltaic solar technology.

The company will be integrating the higher efficient solar cells into their solar panels product line by 2010. Personally, I don't think this is a huge gain in efficiency since they improved their technology from 18.6% to 18.9%, its a small gain but in the right direction I suppose. What do you think about Mitsubishi's new efficiency record?

30% cash payment to install solar panels?

Is it really raining money for people who install solar panels? Yesterday, at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science President Obama first toured the museum's solar panel installation right before he singed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, into law. The 787 billion dollar stimulus package is very supportive of energy efficiency and renewable energy.

The most interesting incentive in the energy section of the stimulus package is the federal tax credit of 30% for installing solar panels is now going to be offered as a 30% solar grant. This means, within 60 days of installing a solar electric system the U.S. Treasury Department will send you a check for 30% of the total installed cost. Isn't that unbelievable?! For the first time ever the federal government will give you a cash payment to install solar panels!

Sounds too good to be true. There is a lot of uncertainty behind how the "federal solar grant" is going to really work since the administration has not drafted the terms yet, which is expected to be completed within 30 to 60 days. Rumors are flying around as people are guessing how this incentive is going to be formulated.

People are saying residential installations will not qualify for the 30% federal solar grant only corporations will be able to snap up free money to install solar panels, bummer for homeowners. Also the solar grant maybe taxable as income on the state level, but it's all speculation until the administration clearly defines how it's going to work. I sure hope everyone who installs solar panels both homeowners and businesses will qualify for the grant. It would be unfair to exclude individuals, since they're taxpayers too. Don't you agree?

What have you heard about the historic solar grant? What do you think about the 30% solar grant?

green jobs in greenville, michigan

While other industries in the US are laying people off, the solar industry is moving forward creating green jobs for the future. Brian Williams of NBC news recently show cased how UniSolar is creating jobs in Michigan to create thin film solar cells right here in the US. In fact, 80% of the products made in Michigan is being exported to other countries, adding significantly to the US GDP.

Two years ago Greenville was abandoned when an appliance manufacturer moved its operations to Mexico, over 4,000 people lost their jobs. Thanks to UniSolar, the company revived the economic climate in Greensville by creating green jobs that not only helping the environment but helping America become energy independent. This is a great case study of how supporting the green energy industry can turn around the US. What are your thoughts?

Oncor opens the flood gates on solar rebates

Oncor, an electric company that serves Texas launched their "Take A Load Off, Texas" solar rebate program to motivate homes and businesses to embrace solar panels. Oncor' generous rebate of $2.46 per DC watt up to a maximum of $24,600 for homes and and up to $246,000 for commercial and public projects will stimulate the local economy due to the surge of demand for solar panel installations. The program is funded with 16 million dollars and will run for four years, Oncor expects to have 1,400 solar power systems installed by the end of their solar rebate program.

Last time I posted about Oncor's solar rebate program, a couple community members found out that Oncor does not extend the rebate to owner installed systems, the solar power systems would have to be installed by a solar contractor that is approved by Oncor. Later this year Oncor will also offer more incentives for energy efficiency, they're on track to becoming the most aggressive electric company in Texas promoting energy efficiency and clean power. I say its about time, since Texas has above the national average electric rates and plenty of solar irradiation. What do you think about Oncor kicking off "Take A Load Off, Texas" rebate program?

a Consumer’s Guide to Alternative Energy

Recently, a community.gogreensolar.com member, Jeff Cooper sent me a DVD he produced called the future fuels series, a consumer's guide to alternative energy. Before I watched the DVD I was quite skeptical on the quality of information that was going to be presented, but after I got a chance to view it, I was surprised that the 34 minute program turned out to be an unbiased resource since it covers both the pros and cons of alternative energy resources geared towards the alternative energy consumer.

In a nutshell this DVD will:

• help you say no to foreign oil
• save money on your energy bills at home and at the pump
• reduce your overall carbon footprint
  

The program will go over solar power, biodiesel, wind generators, ethanol, hybrid & electric cars. I think the best part of this DVD are the interviews with consumers that have actually integrated renewable energy technologies into their lifestyles. This DVD is perfect for someone who wants to learn more about alternative energy or to teach others about the benefits of green energy.

top 5 advantages of grid tie solar power

Simple grid tie solar power systems without batteries have their advantages. This post will review the top 5 advantages of connecting your solar panels up directly to the grid without the use of batteries:

Economics - Since grid tie solar power systems do not need batteries, this type of system is at least 30% less to install versus a battery based system. Typically simple grid tie systems are 90% to 95% efficient which makes the rate of return more attractive since solar electric systems with batteries are less efficient overall.

Lower upfront cost - Batteryless grid connected systems avoid costs for batteries, charge controllers, control panels, and a backup generator, thus reducing the upfront cost of going solar significantly. Grid tie solar panel systems are expandable, meaning you can start a small solar array and build your way up to a larger system that increases your energy independence.

Reliable - Maintenance is required with a battery based system and if they are not properly maintained then the life of the battery will rapidly diminish. Simple grid tie systems are more reliable since you don't have to worry about maintaining a battery back. The downside is if the utility you are connected to goes down, than your grid tie solar electric system will go down as well, simple grid tie systems do not provide backup power.

Flexibility - When it comes to designing a grid tie solar electric system it can be designed to your budget and desires of how much utility dependence you want to offset with your grid tie solar electric system.

User friendliness - simple grid tie solar power systems get rid of a lot of parts, therefore they are easier to manage. These days many grid tie inverters include remote monitoring software which allows you to view the output, data and health of the overall grid tie solar electric system through your favorite Internet browser. A grid tie solar electric system is much more easier to install and maintain in the long run.

Can you think of an advantage of connecting your solar panels directly to the grid without batteries that I have not covered in this post?

6 new york utilities improve net metering policy

On Thursday, the NY State Public Service Commission made changes to the net-metering policies of six investor owned utility companies to encourage more homes and businesses to install solar panels or wind turbines to generate clean electricity.

The term net-metering, means an agreement with your utility company that specifies the terms of what type and size of clean energy system you can connect to the grid and the value of the credit you will receive for every kilowatt-hour (kWh) from your utility company.

The Central Hudson Gas and Electric Corporation, Orange and Rockland Utilities and New York State Electric and Gas Corporation will allow customers to sell back clean electricity generated at retail value. The changes included allowing non-residential entities to benefit from the net-metering policies and also increase the limit to 25 KW from 10 KW for residential solar power systems.

These changes allow more people to participate, which encourages the community to support clean energy thus helping our country become more energy independent and provides new opportunities to create local jobs here in the US. What do you think about net-metering policies in general? How do you think we can get more people to contribute to the grid versus being a liability to it?

securify your solar panels

(Photo Credit: J. Emilio Flores for The New York Times)

With the economy nosediving we've been seeing an increase in solar panel theft. That's right thieves are trolling around town eyeing the solar panels on top of your roof. There have been police reports filed claiming that thieves have climbed on top of roofs at night and under one hour have weaseled away hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of solar panels.

The majority of solar panels on roof tops do not have any security devices besides the homeowners insurance that provides protection therefore it takes very little effort for a thief to get away with some very valuable solar panels they can easily sell at a flee market.

Heliotex, a company based out of Palm Desert, CA has recently announced their solar panel security fasteners product line which stops thieves dead in their tracks by creating a lock and key bolt that only the owner can unscrew. Obviously this solution is not bullet proof, a thief has the option to use a saw to cut the security fasteners, but it's going to make the job of stealing your solar panels much more difficult and hopefully it will deter people from stealing solar panels.

It's about time that a company focuses on simple yet effective solutions to add value to a solar electric system. The security fasteners as simple as they are add so much value to a solar electric system and is a good example of how much room for innovation is left for solar panel systems. What do you think about security devices that help mitigate solar panel losses? Will these security fasteners be a fire code issue, since firefighters would have a difficult time removing solar panels incase of fire? please share your thoughts!

google's powermeter will save you money.

For an "internet company" Google is very active in the energy sector since they are one the largest consumers of electricity in the world. The Google foundation has already bank rolled a couple solar power companies and now is working with utility companies to create PowerMeter software to interface with "Smart Meters", an advanced meter that has the ability to connect to the Internet and sync up with your appliances.

Over the next 3 years over 40 million Americas will have a Smart Meters installed which is part of Obama Administration's proposed stimulus package. It's about time we start upgrading our electric grid infrastructure here in the U.S., its over 100 years old! Smart Meters will greatly improve energy efficiency because it can give you real time information about your energy usage, which can be a major factor in people changing their wasteful habits. PowerMeter is currently being beta tested by employees and is going to be free software for customers and utilities. What do you think about Google's PowerMeter?

L.A. Unified school district going solar

It's not ironic that the Los Angels Unified School District (LAUSD) has a sun in its logo. Today the school district announced they will be investing $350 million dollar into solar panels to generate 50 megawatts of power by 2012. The solar panels will be located on sunny rooftops across a portfolio of buildings the school district owns. The goal of the investment in solar panels would be to lower the school districts 80 million dollar annual electric bill and allow for economic stimulus, by creating green collared jobs.

LAUSD will play an interesting teaching role in this project by offering solar installation training courses at their adult schools by using the coursework that was developed by Professor Brian Hurd at the East Los Angeles Skills Center, the leading solar panel installation class in the nation.

I say it's about time LAUSD looks into solar panels to reduce their high energy expenses, I wonder if the school district has done everything possible to reduce their usage through energy efficiency? I like the fact they are involved in the training of the people who are going to end up installing the solar panels for LAUSD, this is a true economic stimulus that cannot go unheard. The proposed project will clean up the air we breathe, save LAUSD millions of dollars per year on energy expenses, and create green collared jobs. On top of that LA is such a great place for solar panels, we have an average sun hours (solar irradiation) of 5.5 per day. What do you think, is this a move in the right direction for LAUSD?

Clean Power to the People house party

What are you doing Thursday, February 12th? If you're not doing anything, Greenpeace is throwing national house parties for people to support clean power for everyone. I suppose this is a good cause to rally behind to show our government that the people want to invest in a clean and independent energy future. Do you agree?

The theme of the party is to discuss the March 2nd Greenpeace Capitol Climate Action in Washington, D.C., which is essentially a peaceful protest at a coal plant to send congress a message that we need to curb climate change and support clean power. To attend all you have to do is RSVP to a party near you or host a party yourself.

can solar panels be recycled?

The question about how environmentally friendly solar panels really are has been coming up more than often lately. Typically 95% of a silicon crystalline solar panel can be recycled including the frame, silicon materials and copper wiring.

I've even seen people buying broken solar cells and old solar panels to reuse the silicon materials to make their own solar panel at home. That is a great example of how long lasting solar panels can be, even after 25 to 30 years the materials can still be used to produce some electrical power, obviously the solar cells are not as strong when they are first manufactured, although the old or broken cells can be combined to make a pretty powerful solar panel.

So yes, crystalline solar panels not only last long but can be reused and recycled. Manufacturers can take the silicon and reprocess it and old solar cells might be reused in the future. Do you think solar panels will cause an environmental mess? What do you think about recycling old solar panels? Do you think as more solar panels are installed its going to cause an e-waste problem similar to what computers and cell phones are causing today?

it's unanimous! first feed in tariff in america is here

Gainesville voted unanimously to pass the first feed in tariff in America this week. A feed in tariff of 32 cents per kwh (kilowatt-hour) over a 20 year period will be given to homes and businesses who install solar power systems. policies like these will truly sitmulate the economy because it will create customer demand and provide new jobs in the area. what do you think?

feed-in tariffs are a great incentive system because it evens out the playing field, the energy you contribute from your solar panels should be bought at a premium from the utility company. Don't you agree?

Germany, the world leader in solar power invigorated investment in solar panels by offering feed-in tariffs. Do you think this will happen in the U.S.? Will gainesville's leadership in feed-in tariffs be contagious to other cities?

Morningstar Solar String Calculator

Morningstar Corporation, a company known for its high quality charge controllers has released a string calculator for estimating the proper sizing and configuration of solar panels when used with the Morningstar charge controller product line.

One of the most difficult aspects of setting up a battery based system is the compatibility between the various system components which include solar panels, charge controller, batteries and possibly an inverter. The calculator takes into account the solar panel and battery specifications as well as information on the ambient temperatures to help you not only select the right charge controller for your project but to string the system properly to ensure proper function of your off-grid solar electric system.

The results of the calculator show you the number of solar panels that may be wired in series and parallel to safely operate within the charge controller specified range. All you have to do is either select the solar panel you will be using from the list, or manually enter the specifications of the solar panel if you don't see it on the list, enter the model of the charge controller, and enter the battery voltage and ambient temperatures and presto! The calculator will spit solar panel configuration recommendations. I'm glad Morningstar took a proactive approach to help customers figure out a confusing aspect of purchasing and using the right charge controller for their project. What do you think?

Give the calculator a try: http://www.morningstarcorp.com/strings/calc.php

Akeena's AC Solar Panels?

Akeena recently released a press release highlighting a strategic partnership with enphase energy, a company known for their micro-inverters. A micro inverter differs from traditional central inverters by being attached to the back of each solar panel allowing systems to harvest more electricity, simplifies installation, and increases system reliability.

The partnership between Akeena and Enphase shows that micro inverters are gaining momentum in the market and are now being trusted in larger scale deployments. Traditional solar electric systems since they work with dc wiring involve high voltage and require complex stringing and design can be eliminated by panels that convert the dc to ac at the solar panel level then transmit via AC to the electrical service panel. Akeena will build enphase inverters right into their propriety Andalay system, sounds similar to the ReadySolar, "Solar in a Box" in my opinion, what do you think?

boost solar electric system performance by 11%

After extensive field testing, ACT Solar has released limited quantity of their PowerString unit a power management system that piggy banks onto a solar electric system and boosts the efficiency by 6 to 11%. According to the company the gain in efficiency over a 25 year period can equal up to 40% more electricity produced. Pretty bold claims? Well that's why ACT Solar has released their product on a limited scale to confirm their field tests.

How it works, is by allowing a centralized inverter to recirculate small amounts of electricity to maintain the balance of the solar array which provides maximum power output. The company calls this process "Injection Boost", pretty interesting wouldn't you agree?

The PowerString was tested at Santa Clara University 50 kilowatt (kW) solar electric system and increased the power output of the system by 16.2%, impressive! I wonder what the PowerString will cost? Taking into consideration the tests have been conducted on larger solar arrays, do you think the PowerString would benefit solar electric systems on homes and lite commercial buildings?

dupont deploys ground mounted array

Dupont, the company well known for making paint, recently installed a one acre ground mounted solar array consisting of 1,500 evergreen solar panels. The solar electric system is located at Dupont's research and development facility in Kauai, HI and has the capability to generate 706,205 kilowatt-hours (kwh) per year, which means Dupont will save about $200,000 per year. Dupont is no stranger in the solar photovoltaic industry, the company has been supplying materials and technology for photovoltaic development over the last 25 years.

Hawaii, is a good location to install solar electric systems because electricity out on the island is very expensive. In fact, HI has the highest electric rates in the nation which makes solar electric systems an investment with a higher return. The economics have to make sense for most people to go solar, so if you have a high electric rate, it may make sense for you to look into a system for your home or business. Very few customers buy solar panels based solely on the environmental benefits.

the solar tree concept

Designer Gurdeep Sandhu has created an interesting concept called the "Solar Tree", a new way people can mount their solar panels without having to compromise their roof. The foldaway solar panel mounting solution can be placed in your backyard or on top of a flat roof. During the day, all you have to do is fold out the four solar panels into position to catch the rays of the sun to generate clean electricity for your home. At night you can fold them down, but I don't know why you would want to open and close the solar tree everyday, that would be pretty annoying in my opinion.



The Solar Tree is portable, so if you move you'll have the ability to take your solar panel tree with you. I wonder how much the solar tree weighs? Will it hold up to high wind speeds? From the pictures it seems like the solar panels can only be placed horizontal, it would be nice if the solar panels could also fold up at levels to take advantages of pitching the solar panels in the optimal tilt.

Its always great to see creativity in terms of developing solar electric systems easier to deploy. I think the solar tree is a great idea, I would like to see this develop and even get better. what would you like the solar tree to do for you?

solar panels energizing the super bowl

The Super Bowl is one of the most energy intensive events in the USA, since an estimated one trillion people this year will be watching the Arizona Cardinals take on the Pittsburgh Steelers for NFL supremacy. All the lights, sound and endless electronic equipment required to drive the NFL experience week and the Super Bowl in Tampa Bay, FL will consume 187,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electric power according to Tampa Electric, the local utility supplying electricity for the Super Bowl.

This year, together the NFL and Tampa Electric decided to "go green" in terms of acquiring their power by generating the power needed to fuel the Super Bowl through renewable resources such as solar, wind and even bio-trash to electricity. The NFL paid Tampa Electric a premium per kWh of clean electricity to offset their consumption through renewable energy resources. The amount of clean electricity the NFL used this is comparable to taking 20 cars of the road for one year, seems very insignificant wouldn't you agree?

Well, I'm not going to criticize the NFL, at least this year a small fraction of their power is coming from clean energy, hopefully next year the NFL offsets even more. I suppose this is a step in the right direction, I hope they make an announcement during the game to raise awareness that the electricity powering the Super Bowl is coming from renewable energy.