Solar Projects Powered by the People

By Todd Ufferman | Published: April 19, 2012

Do you like solar? Ever wanted to install solar, produce your own power, or invest in renewable energy? If, like me, you answered yes to any of these questions then you should check out Solar Mosaic. This revolutionary company hosts a platform where people from around the world can invest in local clean energy programs.

Solar Mosaic works like this: The company picks a solar project that deserves funding (the most recent project receiving funding is a a nonprofit that provides free meals, job training, and other services to the needy in Oakland, Calif). Money is then collected “from investors who want to see the project succeed. Once the panels are up, St. Vincent de Paul will pay a monthly fee to lease the panels on its roof, providing Solar Mosaic with the cash to pay back its investors — and all the while saving money on its utility bill.” (Grist.com)

This program is most attractive to people who rent and don’t own a suitable place to install solar. It also requires a substantially smaller investment than purchasing an entire solar system so for people like myself who find themselves in both categories, we can still contribute to the clean energy movement by helping solar projects get off the ground. The best part is that your investment will be paid back from the energy savings accumulated over the life of the project.

Check out the Solar Mosaic website for details on projects that have been funded or need funding. As of today, the initial five projects have been completely funded. Over 400 investors and a few organizations have collaborated to invest a total of $350,000! I look forward to being a part of Solar Mosaic as they fund more and more deserving solar projects.

The Asian Resource Center in Oakland, CA funded by 134 community members through Solar Mosaic.
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Brazil Hopes to Make the 2014 FIFA World Cup the Most Sustainable Yet

By Todd Ufferman | Published: April 19, 2012

Considering my love for soccer and interest in renewable energy, this story about the 2014 World Cup caught my eye (and reinforced my decision to make the trip in two years). Using solar technology as the lynchpin, Brazil has set a goal of meeting minimum LEED sustainability standards in all 12 of their venues for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Professional athletics and renewable energy appear to be on a collision course for the greater good. Large solar and renewable energy companies are beginning to invest large amounts of money into athletic team sponsorships and advertising. On the other side, professional athletic clubs have seen the public relations benefits and money saving potential in adopting renewable energy and sustainable building.

This seemingly match made in heaven will benefit us all. Millions of people each year attend sporting events and watch on TV (people watch the Super Bowl just to see the ads). What better way to spread renewable energy technologies and sustainable living practices than through professional sports teams and large sporting venues.

The Mané Garrincha stadium in Brasília (Source: Castro Mello Arq. Esportiva via Renewableenergyworld.com)

Brazil will be taking sustainable building and renewable energy to a whole new level in 2014. The World Cup is already the largest sporting event in the world – according to FIFA.com over 3.2 billion people watched at least one minute of the 2010 World Cup – and now they aim to make it the most sustainable event yet. Of the twelve stadiums that plan to meet minimum LEED sustainable standards, 7 plan to integrate solar into the design. The highlight will be the Mane Garrincha (pictured above) in Brasilia – this venue will hopefully be the first football(soccer) stadium in the world to achieve LEED Platinum status, the highest level available. A 2.5 MW solar array installed on the tensioned canvas roof will help get it there. This system will cover more than 50% of the electricity needed during peak tournament times and will produce more than enough during normal operation, allowing the stadium to feed the excess into the grid.

Other highlights of stadium construction in Brazil include: the Maracanã in Rio, the host of the final, which will feature a ring of solar panels in the roof, the Mineirão in Belo Horizonte will have around 1.5 MWp of solar installed on its roof, and the Pernambuco Arena in Recife will install solar heating to supply the hot water in changing rooms, restrooms, and restaurants.

One of the largest drivers of renewable energy at the World Cup and sport in general  is Yingli Solar. “In 2010, Yingli Solar became the first renewable energy company to sponsor the FIFA World Cup.” (FIFA.com) As a result of this partnership, Yingli agreed to install PV Solar technology at 20 Football for Hope centers developed in Africa during the 2010 World Cup. Yingli has also partnered with some other very prominent sporting organizations in order to spread “green” awareness and build their brand. They are currently the official sponsors of the 2014 World Cup, the United States Men’s, Women’s, and Youth Soccer Teams, FC Bayern Munich Soccer,  and the New York Jets. Yingli provided the Jets with more than 3000 solar panels for an installation on their practice facility. The 690 kWp system is the largest installation at an NFL team headquarters.

Huge solar installation at the Jets team headquarters. The largest PV install at an NFL team headquarters.

These are just a few examples of professional athletics “going green” and the trend seems to be catching on around the country (and world). However, considering that nearly half of the Earth’s population will see some of the World Cup, the fact that Brazil has committed to renewable energy will have a great impact on how the people of the world view sustainability. Read more here about Brazil’s efforts to adopt PV solar technology by 2014.

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Beautifully Built BIPV (Building Integrated Photo Voltaic)

By Todd Ufferman | Published: December 8, 2011

Here is an example of a solar installation that proves solar does not necessarily need to be installed on the roof. This customer determined that the roof was facing the incorrect direction for solar to work so they designed a practical solar walkway that provides protection in the winter and shading in the summer. It also serves as a design feature for the backyard. This “dramatic” solar installation in Saratoga Springs produces up to 17 kW of electricity.

Moving from that unique solar installation to a different type of solar installation, this great blog summarizes types of Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV). Examples include solar glass walls, solar shingles that look almost identical to your existing shingles and the very cool solar ink that, one day, we will be able to print on nearly any surface in order to collect energy.

In support of that I just recently read an interesting article (found here) that states “the installed capacity for building integrated photovoltaics technology will surpass 1 gigawatt by 2016.” This shows that BIPV will be a new trend in new construction and new remodels. This is going to be driven by the push for newly built and renovated buildings to adhere to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and net-zero standards; both of which require on-site energy production.

Solar is not just for the roof anymore; expect to see it installed on windows, siding, fences, decks, walls, and more in the near future…

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Have an Eco-Friendly Christmas

By Todd Ufferman | Published: December 5, 2011

You have GOT to check out www.adoptachristmastree.com, they’re eco-friendly, deliver the tree with singing elves and even pick it up for you after the holidays!  Please consider adopting a living Christmas tree this year, instead of a dead one that will be tossed in the trash after only a few weeks. 32 million trees are cut down each Christmas and most are thrown in the trash.  Adopt A Christmas Tree will lend you a tree for the holidays and collect it afterwards. The collected trees are then replanted in fire-devastated areas of East County. Did I mention that they are delivered by singing elves? Learn more at www.AdoptAChristmasTree.com (currently only serving San Diego, CA)

Consider a Green Alternative
In the name of tradition, many people still chose chop down a live tree for a mere two weeks of display, then throw the decomposing tree in the garbage which seems to be wasteful and can weigh on your green conscious. After about a week their needles often dry out and make a mess before they are discarded in the trash which takes up space in our limited landfills. This sounds very destructive but most Christmas trees come from a tree farm where they are usually sustainably harvested (for each tree cut down, one or two is planted), and taking select trees from fields of trees is much like thinning a garden (Indiana University) However it is nice to see alternative options where you can give your tree a second life. 

Fake Trees are even worse…

 

“But we use our fake tree year-after-year, isn’t that being green?”

Most fake trees, made from non-renewable petroleum also eventually wind up in landfills and are clogging mother earth with PVC (polyvinyl chloride), which is being banned by many medical associations and considered poison by environmentalists. That’s why you’ll see a label on faux Christmas trees cautioning you to avoid inhaling or eating any bits of lead dust that may fall from the “branches.” Fake trees cannot be recycled. When they are disposed of in a sanitary landfill, they will not disintegrate, but will remain there forever, taking up increasingly scarce landfill space. When a fake tree catches fire, it puts dangerous toxic fumes into the air. Fake trees are manufactured mainly outside of the United States and often by companies in China that do not observe high environmental standards.

-Bennet

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In Case You Missed It: Vol. 1

By Todd Ufferman | Published: December 5, 2011

Each and every day we come across some very interesting goodies on the World Wide Web. Each week we will compile our favorites right here so you can share in some of that goodness. Here is Volume 1 for your viewing pleasure!

  1. Terracycle - we did a spotlight (found here) on this wonderful company recently and love what they are doing. They are signing people up to collect anything from pens to juice boxes to candy wrappers to cork to cell phones to key boards and back again. They pay for you to ship it to them and then they “upcycle it” (turn it into a cool new product or material). For example here is a large tote bag made entirely from used Capri Sun drink pouches and here is a short video with the founder and CEO of Terracycle, Tom Szaky.
  2. PlanetSolar- The logbook of the crew with the goal to be the “first to circumnavigate the globe in a “solar” boat, i.e. one driven by a silent, pollution-free electrical engine powered exclusively by solar energy.”
    PlanetSolar team navigating near Monaco
  3. Solar Power is not just for your roof anymore. Within the next five years expect to see it popping up in your siding, windows, walls, and more. Installed building integrated photovoltaic technology is predicted to exceed 1 gigawatt by 2016.
  4. Solar Roadways - An awesome documentary clip explaining the research and development of solar roadways. I encourage you all to watch!
  5. And finally, in light of the recent success of The Muppets…
    Kermit the Frog reminds us all to “be green” and recycle!
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One Man’s Trash is Another Man’s Treasure

By Todd Ufferman | Published: November 29, 2011

Here is another clip from the documentary Y.E.R.T.(Your Environmental Road Trip)…Enjoy!

 

 

-Newman

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Solar Roadways – “Roads that pay for themselves.”

By Todd Ufferman | Published: November 18, 2011

This past Tuesday, I was invited to a screening of  the documentary Y.E.R.T.(Your Environmental Road Trip) at California Center for Sustainable Energy.  It was an inspiring film and I thought I’d share clips from the flick that I can’t stop thinking about.  First up…SOLAR ROADS!

Bennet - PNS Energy

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Imagine Solar on Every Rooftop in the USA

By Todd Ufferman | Published: November 15, 2011

What would putting solar on every rooftop in the U.S. do?  I see three pretty big benefits.

  1. In the US alone, we generate a lot of electricity – almost 4,000 billion kWh of power –  and less than .01% of that comes from solar.   If we imagine solar on every rooftop, we could, according to some pretty good estimates and some sophisticated models, produce about a third of the energy that the US uses annually – about 1,400 billion kWh of power.
  2. That’s a lot of clean, renewable energy and a whole lot less dependence on coal and nuclear resources.    If we imagine solar on every rooftop, we would be able to reduce how much we worry about dirty air from burning coal, what to do with nuclear waste, and the possibility of reactor meltdowns.
  3. US system designers, installers, contractors, and solar maintenance workers would be needed to make this happen.   If we imagine solar on every rooftop, that could translate to millions of US jobs.
Solar on every rooftop?

Who knows, with increased US demand for solar modules, we might be able to lure PV cell and solar module manufacturers back to the US.

 

-Dan, PNS Energy

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Good Energy = Good Business

By Todd Ufferman | Published: November 14, 2011

Having solar panels has, to this point, been a luxury item and, even in the corporate world, only the elite brands (those we all know make tons of money) have been making the commitment to change to solar power.

Kohl’s Department Stores has taken their commitment to using solar (as part of their energy usage reduction plan) so much more mainstream.

The brand recognizes that as a company that focuses on their retail stores, their biggest environmental impact is in energy usage.  How about these accomplishments (taken from http://www.kohlsgreenscene.com/Energy/EnergyEfficiency.html):

  • 50 ENERGY STAR labeled stores
  • 116 activated solar sites
  • #1 Retailer for Green Power Purchases, #2 Overall and #12 for On-Site Generation
  • 100% of all Power used by Kohl’s comes from renewable energy sources
  • Energy Star Partner of the Year Award—2010 and 2011
Kohls has Installed Solar Panels on 116 Stores (solarpanelspower.net)
You can check out the Kohl’s Green Scene to see the depth of their whole environmental commitment.  You can go to your local Kohls and see the corporate commitment in action.  How cool is it that more people can exercise their option to choose to buy from a company that is really practicing great environmental leadership?

As more companies prove that you can be both environmentally friendly and profitable, choices will open up.  For example, look at what is happening atJohnson & Johnson or IKEA or Google.   It is so exciting that it might be time to start looking at the companies we buy from every day and try to make buying choices that reflect environmental values.

-Ruth

The Johnson & Johnson Solar Array – the largest solar array in New Jersey

PNS Energy

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Vampire Power is Here to Stay

By Todd Ufferman | Published: November 5, 2011

The phrase “vampire power” is becoming common language in the eco-friendly community and we are out to decipher what it actually means and give you some advice on how to prevent vampire power and save some easy money in the process.

Vampire or standby power is the electricity that devices use when they are plugged in and not actively turned on or in use. According to Standby Power, “an individual product draws relatively little standby power but a typical American home has forty products constantly drawing power. Together these amount to almost 10% of residential electricity use.” For example, most people have cell phone chargers that they leave plugged into their wall 24 hours a day. When the phone is not actually plugged in and charging, that charger is using, on average .26 watts. That is not a lot of energy by itself but if a household has 20-40 items that are always plugged in and drawing some power, it adds up. To put it into an even larger perspective, on a national basis, standby power accounts for more than 100 billion kilowatt hours of annual U.S. electricity consumption and more than $10 billion in annual energy costs (EnergyStar.gov).

From a business perspective, we wanted to use some of this information to save some money off our bottom line. By investigating and doing some of our own research we found that each workstation in the office accounts for around $38.00/year* in electricity used while in standby mode. Multiply that by how many people in the office and the savings add up, and think of all the wasted energy being used when no one is even at the office.

The TrickleStar PowerTap

In order to reduce the amount of standby power you consume, there are many options. One way would be to unplug all of your appliances, electronics, and chargers when you are not actively using them. This would work and is free but seems to be a massively inefficient use of your time. Another option is getting a basic power strip/surge protector with an on/off switch. When you are finished in your office or with the entertainment system you can switch off the power strip and now these devices will be immune from the bite of vampire power. Another, more modern option is to make a small investment into a smart power strip (We like the TrickleStar Powertap and the EcoStrip; they claim you can save up to $100/year on each computer and they plant a tree for every EcoStrip sold).  The smart power strip does what a basic strip does automatically. It senses when you turn off the main device (ie. TV or computer) then it shuts off the power to all the peripheral devices plugged into that power strip (DVD player, game device, sound system, monitor, printer, speakers, etc.).

The EcoStrip

Also, when buying new products, be sure to look for the EnergyStar rating as these products are some of the lowest rated standby power users (meaning they use minimal power when in standby mode). In addition to buying smart, when using a computer or TV make sure to enable the EnergyStar power management settings so they go into power saving mode when not in use.

All in all, these are some relatively small and inexpensive steps each and every one of us can take in order to save energy, money, and reduce our carbon footprint. Happy savings!

-Todd

*Estimated that the average workstation is in standby mode for 6,735 hours per year (employee “out of the office”). We used power use data on an average Desktop computer, monitor, fax machine, and printer in sleep mode and based our calculations on $0.19/kWh electric rate.

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