The news for solar power is good again, the industry is growing at a record pace. While solar incentives are starting to ebb, installations are still expanding. According to a report by Solar Energy Industries Association, solar grew by 66% in the First Quarter of 2011 compared to Q1 in 2010. Great news again. Have you [...]
Jerry wanted an easy some solar panel system that would reduce his power bill and provide backup power for when the grid in his Tennessee town goes down (which is way more often than he’d like). So he ordered two 130w solar panels, a couple charge controllers, and some lightning arrestors. He also got a [...]
Alan needed some juice for his workshop at night. So he bought a Solar Sphere Solar Panel Kit, a charge controller, battery and inverter, and a short while later he was on his way. Take a look at the final product. This is one of the nicest homemade panels we’ve seen in a long time. [...]
Jared is a professional climber and clean energy proponent. He called us to help with his camper renovation project and we were happy to oblige. Check out the video for a full tour of his awesome van that featers solar power, video editing system, climbing bars and guest ‘room’. Go Jared! Go Solar! >>>>>> Jared’s [...]
Riaz and his friends are going green and loving it. They are using solar on the roof of their complex in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Iqbal Town, Faisalabad, Pakistan, to power small electronics, computers, fans, lights, and chargers. Riaz hopes to be completely off grid before too long to avoid the all-too-often grid outages. We love your solar [...]
We love seeing customer success stories. David M. in Kentucky wanted to power his RV for some long term, off the beaten path travelling. And he wanted to do it all himself. Solution: build your own solar panel and add a manufactured charge controller (we haven’t figured out how to make those at home yet!). [...]
Xcel Energy, Colorado’s largest power company, is talking about suspending its solar program. This program helps homeowners install solar panels on their homes and it serves two purposes: it helps homeowners go green while reducing their own power bills; and it helps Xcel meet its renewable energy mandate that Colorado voters implemented a few years [...]
Q: I have a porch that was converted to a room off the left side of my house. The room has electricity but it doesn’t have heat or AC…Its very cold in the winter and hot in the summer. I have a plug in electric heater that I use in the winter and it heats the room nicely [...]
Whether trying to lower their utility bills or drop themselves from the power grid completely, a growing number of homes are looking for ways to increase their energy efficiency. To accomplish this, more and more homeowners are looking to renewable energy to power their life. To take advantage of this movement, a number of companies [...]
The Japanese are working on a project that could potentially power the world with solar power. The idea is to use the two things that the Sahara Desert has in abundance: sun and sand. The idea is to start with silica, the main ingredient in sand, and build solar panels. These solar [...]
We covered the story of the New York Jets going green a while back. They placed a massive solar array on their roof this summer. Not to be outdone, the Philadelphia Eagles have plans to make their stadium completely energy self-sufficient. How are they going to do that? With some cutting edge renewable energy tools: Vertical wind [...]
We have an exciting new vendor to tell you about. We’ve just signed up to be a dealer for Westinghouse Solar, which has what is really one of the best designs for a small solar grid-tie kit we’ve ever seen. We’ve shown you our solar grid-tie starter kits in the past that allow you [...]
I hate parking meters. With the exception of the city bearuacrats that collect the revenue, I think everybody hates them. When they start using my technology, though, I have to give them a brief shoutout. A company called IPS Group is now making parking meters that use solar power. There is a small solar panel [...]
We get people asking us all the time ‘How do I know what sort of solar power system I need?’ In this series we’ll explore the different solar kit options and what they can accomplish for you. Scenario #1: I just want to lower my power bill! This is the most common situation we hear [...]
Getting away from the hustle and bustle of society may seem appealing, but that kind of isolation isn’t nearly as relaxing without a dependable power source. That is why the 10th Mountain Division Hut Association, the organization responsible for 32 backcountry huts in the spectacular Colorado Rockies, uses off-grid photovoltaics (PV) to keep things fired [...]