Unique Business Seeks To Popularize Solar Power

Blake Jones had such strange ideas for his company, Namaste Solar Electric, that he confused many business analysts. Jones, whose company sets up solar power systems in Colorado, had this to say, “We did have a lot of skeptical, raised eyebrows at the beginning.”
“We even have had business schools bring teams of MBA students to come to do a case study,” Jones said.
Industry watchers were thoroughly perplexed by some of his company policies:
All company operations would have to be environmentally friendly.
Employees would have six weeks’ paid holiday.
A mechanism called FOH (standing for: frank, open, honest) would be in force in order to remove idle talk and ill will.
All workers, irrespective of their assigned duties, would be entitled to the same pay scale.
One percent of yearly incomes to be spent for the upkeep of solar panels gifted to social groups.
Landmark decisions made by the company to be based on participation of all employees of the company.
Jones probably hit upon some of the offbeat ideas of his company based on the collective experience he gathered during the process of his recovery from serious financial distress. Namaste is a Sanskrit word that is uttered whilst greeting and means “bow to you.” Blake, a civil engineer, was engaged by Brown and Root, a subsidiary of Halliburton, belonging to the oil and gas sector, and spent five years working in the Middle East.
“But something in me realized there is something more. I didn‘t like the overdependence that we have on oil and gas. I think oil and gas, even coal are always going to be a very big part of our lives. But I think what we need to do, is we need a more balanced portfolio. I had a gradual awakening to wanting passionately to work with renewable energy because I thought there was a better way,” Jones said.
He traveled from the Middle East to Nepal and spent three years there installing solar and hydroelectric power units in far flung regions.
Although Jones has to cater to entirely different customer requirements in Colorado, solar energy is gaining acceptance as a viable and long-term investment in the state.
Jones selected a place where the residents are habituated to doing things differently. Boulder is an intensely forested land and offered ample scope for the use of renewable forms of energy.
“There is more interest in solar in Boulder then anywhere else in Colorado. That‘s one example of how environmentally focused our community is,” said Sarah Vanpelt, who is in charge of looking after the environmental concerns of the city.
State incentives that would make possible enhanced usage of renewable sources of energy received the approval of Colorado voters in 2004.
“And Boulder provides a rebate on a portion of the sales and use tax that property owners pay to purchase and install a system, and we use those funds to provide grants to nonprofits to install solar on affordable housing, low-income housing, and on nonprofit facilities,” Vanpelt said.
“So I think we will continue to see growth in the green industry and in renewable energy, both solar and wind,” she said.
Namaste is currently undergoing revamping of its warehouse spanning 15000 square feet in order to house its offices.
It’s adhering to the most stringent standards set forth by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification in this endeavor. This implies use of skylight, recycled construction material and making the building reachable by public transportation.
Also, there is no doubt that the building’s energy requirements will be met by solar units that Namaste specializes in. Outside of a solar awning, most of the solar panels will be installed on the roof.
Marc Smerekanicz, construction manager, had to put in some well thought out ingenuity on his part in order to cater to requests to comply with LEED standards.
“Thinking in a different way than what I was brought up to think of as the construction process, that‘s the way of the future,” Smerekanicz said.
The last three and a half years have seen Namaste doing more business than any other company in Colorado. The company has expanded from just three employees to 45 and revenue growth has taken a soar beyond all expectations.
“Whatever perspective you look at, we‘re being profitable, and it‘s exactly what we need to do to prove that our business experiment, that our company model is going to work,” Jones said.

Lagunitas School District to Have Largest Solar Energy Facility in West Martin

Lagunitas School District will be among the first schools in California to implement solar energy. The school district is planning to inaugurate the solar facility that has been installed in the campus in August this year. The installation and implementation has been done in partnership with Solar Power Partners, California, an energy company specializing in renewable energy sources like solar power. The solar facility that the company has installed in.
Lagunitas will account for almost 65% of the school’s power requirements.
The deal, a Power Purchase Agreement, between the two parties is of 15 year duration, and was developed by Solar Power Partners. The company has ownership rights to the solar facility. The deal was struck in April 2008, and the facility will be ready for operation as soon as August 2008, a mere four months later.
The facility is a 58.52 kilowatt (kW DC) one, and is expected to generate around 86,000 kilowatt hours (kWh). The Lagunitas School District solar facility will have carbon dioxide emissions of approximately 70 metric tons a year, which is roughly equivalent to the carbon dioxide emissions that are released through the use of 7,600 gallons of gasoline. These numbers have been determined and published by the United States Environment Protection Agency.
“We chose Solar Power Partners because of their expertise and ability to assess our needs quickly,” said Lawrence H. Enos, Superintendent, Lagunitas School District. “They have established a dependable renewable energy system that would not only cost zero out of pocket today, but would help protect the school district against increasing electricity prices. Beyond providing a solution that our school district could never afford on its own, SPP is helping us teach our students how innovation, finance, government, and good will can all come together for the benefit of generations to come.”
Solar Power Partners worked in collaboration with Borrego Solar, using the company’s products for the project. Borrego Solar supplied photovoltaic modules that were sources from Evergreen Solar in the project. These US-made modules apparently have the smallest carbon footprint in comparison to other similar products.
The idea of the power Purchase Agreement is to allow various organizations to install solar facilities at a much lower cost, using tax credits to reduce the capital investments. It also has the advantage of being able to provide power at sustainable and predictable energy levels. This particular Power Purchase Agreement, with a duration of 15 years, will cut back costs at Lagunitas School District to the tune of $110,000. This figure has been arrived at considering cumulative savings, and in the same way, if the school decides to leverage its extension options, the savings could well total up to more than $420,000.
“We have developed a flexible solution that is designed to fit the stringent requirements of school administrators,” said Alexander V. Welczeck, president, Solar Power Partners. “It should never come down to a question of whether a school can purchase a book or help save the planet. We”˜re glad we could set a practical example of affordable sustainable energy for both the public and private sector.”
Solar Power Partners is known to integrate the latest technologies, along with expertise and best practices of the solar energy industry. The company leverages the financing strength that can be gained through the use of Power Purchase Agreements allowing various building owners the facility to achieving energy independence with lower costs.
Borrego Solar Systems is a solar developer, designer and installer of grid-connected solar electric systems for commercial, government and residential purposes. The photovoltaic systems of Borrego Solar are proficient, consistent and economical.

Electric Company Signs Historic 800 MW Solar Power deal with OptiSolar SunPower

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation, recently announced that it has made an agreement with Topaz Solar Farms LLC, a subsidiary of OptiSolar Inc and High Plains Ranch II, LLC, a subsidiary of SunPower Corporation. This significant contract is a double utility-scale, photovoltaic (PV) solar power deal for 800 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy.
Ultimately, this collaboration is expected to produce 1.65 billion kilowatt-hours of renewable energy per year. Such an amount of energy would in fact be able to power 239,000 residential homes annually.
PG&E has linked up with Topaz Solar Farms to produce 550 MW of thin-film PV solar power and will generate the remaining 250 MW of solar energy needed from its tie-up with the High Plains Ranch II.
“These landmark agreements signal the arrival of utility-scale PV solar power that may be cost-competitive with solar thermal and wind energy,” said Jack Keenan, chief operating officer and senior vice president for PG&E.
“We will continue to explore such innovative technologies as we aggressively work to increase the amount of renewable energy we provide our customers,” he added.
The Topaz Solar Farm project aims to use low-cost, thin-film PV panels from OptiSolar to deliver its 550 MW of solar energy annually. This would mean that the company is undertaking to produce, 100,000 megawatt-hours of renewable power per year.
The project is expected to make its first delivery in 2011 and then be in full production two years later.
“We are very happy to be working with PG&E to help meet California’s requirements for clean, renewable energy and are committed to working closely with the local community as this project moves forward,” said Randy Goldstein, chief executive officer of OptiSolar.
“Our solar farms are quiet and emission-free, with solar panels mounted near ground level to minimize visual impact. Implementing cost-competitive solar power on this scale establishes thin-film photovoltaic generation as an important contributor to global sustainability,” Goldstein stated.
SunPower’s California Valley Solar Ranch is to deliver a much lesser load of solar power in comparison to OptiSolar. The 250 MW of solar power will first be delivered in 2010, a whole year ahead of OptiSolar and will produce about 550,000 megawatt-hours of solar electricity per year. SunPower expects to be in full production of the renewable energy requirements by the year 2012. The ranch plans to use crystalline PV solar cells from SunPower which will supply 50 percent more energy than the normal crystalline cells.
“Today, high-efficiency photovoltaic technology is a competitively-priced component of utility-scale peak power generation,” said Tom Werner, chief executive officer of SunPower.
“Our experience constructing more than 350 megawatts of solar systems on three continents allows us to deliver utility-scale systems quickly and at a scale of hundreds of kilowatts to hundreds of megawatts. We design our solar systems to maximize energy harvest while adapting to the natural topography of the site and serving the needs of the community,” he concluded.
The Pacific Gas and Electric Company is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric companies in the United States. The past six years have seen the company take giant strides towards renewable energy and has linked up with several companies to produce more than 3,600 MW of renewable power. Of this, the solar energy contracts provide a total of 2,500 MW of renewable power. For the future, the company has even bigger plans looking towards wind power, biomass and geothermal energy sources. Currently, the company caters to more than 15 million people in northern

Residential Solar Panels

Residential Solar Panels are the most discussed topic among science lovers and scientist across the world. We are all aware of how Global Warming is going to eat into our own personal lives. Oil prices are rising day by day. We are facing a huge shortage of fossil fuels. Pollution is also increasing on a daily basis. The toxic chemicals released by cars, factories and other day to day activities or events would surely lead to the end of the world very soon. If we really want to provide our children with a safe and secured future then we have to switch to residential solar panels. If every household in a society decided to shift to residential solar energy instead of the normal electricity then we both save a lot of money and also provide our mother nature with a sigh of relief.


There are various sorts of residential solar panels available in the market. We need to first understand why and for what purpose do we need a solar panel. Then we need to buy a solar panel whether readymade from a branded shop or by the parts so that we can assemble it. If you love to do it yourself then DIY Solar panels are also there in the market. All you need is access to proper clear sunlight. The rest can be taken care off. Residential solar panels would save almost half your monthly electricity bills. It would also mean no wastage of energy. Now you can be free from regular power cuts. Residential solar panels come in various shapes and sizes. They are also of different category. Everything depends on our requirement and how much we are ready to invest initially. If you produce more energy then you actually need in that particular day then you can easily transfer the electricity to the main grid. Prevent children from playing near the solar panels. They might harm it easily. The panel can be divided into three parts, the frame, the battery and the converter. Residential solar panels are also very flexible and can be moved from one lace to the other. The residential solar panel is to be kept away from dirt and pollution. To maintain it properly all we need to do is clean it and wipe it regularly so that the efficiency of the panel is always at a high.


If you ever think that you do not want to continue with this panel then you can also easily sell it. But he would only be a fool if he actually lands up selling the panel. The residential solar panel would help one save a lot of his hard earned money. It would also help your children enjoy the benefits. By using solar panel you could be a proud member or contributor to this new revolution. Go Green!

You Are Capable To Attain A Suitable And Efficient Project Of Home Solar Energy

Even if you are a newbie with DIY projects, the DIY solar water heater is still a good project for you to perform. There are various levels of difficulty that can be built, depending on what kind of project you are undertaking. Regardless of your level of expertise, you will be able to find a suitable project that is positive for both your requirments and your level of experience. There are dissimilar options for DIY solar water heaters and the easiest among these are batch water heaters. These are designed so that the parts you requrie are obtainable at your neighborhood hardware store. The different options include varying designs that can be adapted to suit your specific needs or personal taste. The batch water heater uses a water tank that is placed where it will heat the power using the sun’s energy. This is then connected to your home’s plumbing system. You want the sun’s heating of the water to be as efficient as possible, and you may need to obtain a little creative to implement this.

The first aspect is to have your water tank painted a black matte color. Since black absorbs lights, this assists the tank to absorb and hold as much heat as possible. Beyond this you will desire to take stock of what is available to you and get creative. A lot of people encase the batch water heater in a basic glass box. This creates an insulated area near the water heater that will also help to hold the heat in. Some individuals get even more creative. Some DIY solar water heaters incorporate movable mirrors situated strategically around the water tank. The suns rays then put on these mirrors and are reflected onto the system, improving the surface area that will be heated. These mirrored systems are the most effective ones as the greatest surface area is used, assisting the tank to make the most use of the sun’s rays.

Making homemade solar energy is not as complicated as you may think and creating them yourself can economize you hundreds or even thousands of dollars over purchasing panels that are already assembled. There are some different options when it comes to making your own, you can build them from scratch using free information off of the internet, and there are also several positive websites that have DIY kits, which we will talk briefly about. There are some fundamental components to homemade solar panels. You require the solar cells themselves, which you can find from various outlets, the cut-priced you are about to find them in the web on various online sources. Then there is the frame work, power inverter and storing batteries. Depending on your individual requirements, you are going to set two to five panels to supply the minimum energy for an average home.

Great Methods Opportunities To Convert The Solar Energy Into Effective Advantage

ow can you obtain advantages from applying solar water heater at the current time? When you have this system at home, this will finish being much more effective compared to a standard model. By using solar, you are able to save as much as eighty percent to provide more for your family on a yearly basis. The old-fashioned techniques could turn out to be extremely dangerous and at the same cause you to waste money. This could surely become one of the best investment solutions you will make in your life, especially if you are planning to sell your house in the future; taking into account that this system is becoming very much popular. Another great benefit is the fact the government is now providing tax credit for homeowners possessors who are switching to these systems. When your system is properly attached, it is possible to get tax credit which equals about thirty percent of the actual cost for installation. In the event that you are on a strict spending finances monthly, this could be beneficial as this will allow you to reduce your great monetary burden. In the event that you decide to change to solar, it is real that you can significantly reduce your heating bill by as much as seventy percent which makes it simpler for you to manage your monthly installments.

The homemade solar panels should be facing the course of the southeast or southwest direction. Sometimes even two panels can be made use, but the fixing costs can be too costly. We can make use of this panel throughout summer and extract as much solar power as possible. These domestic solar panels are really effective as they utilize the dual-coil storage cylinder to heat up the water. A 200 liters storage cylinder is enough. These panels are made from silicon and they convert the solar energy into renewable energy in the form of electricity. There are also no CO2 emissions. There are two types of solar panels accessible one is flat panel arrays and the other is evacuated tubes. Evacuated tubes are more effective in getting the solar energy. These tubes are extremely durable. This tube allows maximum absorption. They can withstand very high temperatures. The evacuation of the gasses forms a vacuum.

The vacuum averts heat loss from the tubes. The outer tube remains cold whereas the temperature inside the tube can be more than 150C. The productivity of the evacuated tubes preponderates the performance of flat panel models because they collect maximum solar energy in making your very own solar panels, then it is beneficial to do research online and obtain as much information as real that can assist you on different web sources. This can save your finances and as well as the ecology by constructing your own domestic solar panels.

Afford The Solar Power Into Your Home Applying Solar Panels

However, if you live in cold climates you may recognize that the batch water heater is perhaps not a good option for you. If you encounter long time spans of below freezing temperatures then you will definitely need to elude the batch system. Cold climates and freezing temperatures can make batch heaters to break. Batch heaters in colder climates must be drained during the winter to protect them. Therefore, if you reside in a colder climate you should look into one of the other a lot of alternatives obtainable for DIY solar water heater. One alternative is a closed loop system. With a closed loop system the water is in invariable movement, never having the chance to freeze and cause harm. Nevertheless, closed loop systems are more technical and require perfect plumbing knowledge so you should solely try it if you get a lot of DIY experience.

The perfect thing about this type of system is that they will reduce your energy cost and reduce your carbon footprint so they are perfect for the environment. Most of DIY solar water heaters can be made for less than $1200, meaning that it will not take long before your investment pays for itself and you will get a fun creating this contemporary, money-saving system. As for the home solar panels you can buy various sizes of cells, but to save time soldering them together, you should try to find 3″x6″ mono-crystalline cells, and you are going to need 36 of these for a standard panel. Each cell is going to be out about half a volt, so you will be putting out around 18 volts per panel. You need to be being extremely attentive when using these cells, because while they are potent, they are friable. You are going to have to solder the cells together in a series, then solder each series to get the desired output. It is a good concept to buy a voltage meter, and when you have them all together, take them out in the sun and test the ends to be certain you did it right.

Then you need to mount the sections into the frame, and cover it with the Plexiglass. Until they are safe in the frame, you really need to be being attentive when handling the cell panels themselves. Then when every thing is implemented and tested, you can decide on where to place the homemade solar panels to afford the power. It is ideal to find somewhere that gets at least 8-10 hours of sunlight, a lot of people put them on their roof. If you want to get actualy fancy you can purchase brackets and electric motors that tilt the panels towards the sun no matter what part of the day it is.