|
Solar News Archive - January 2006
|
NJBPU unveils largest US-East Coast Solar Project
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) on January 18th joined the Bayonne Board of Education and the state Board of Education in dedicating the East Coast's largest
installation of electricity-saving photovoltaic (PV) roof panels.
|
|
The .2 million solar project to be installed at Bayonne High School and eight elementary schools is expected to produce about 2 megawatts of power and save the district more than
0,000 yearly on energy costs. The project was made possible due in part to .4 million worth of solar equipment and installation credits provided by the state's Clean Energy Program
to date.
Solar Modules in New Jersey. Source: NJBPU
|
Photovoltaics to decrease reliance on fossil fuels, cut pollution and reduce strain on the electric grid
Almost 10,000 solar panels will be installed on the nine schools. Upon completion, the panels will generate enough energy to power 200 small homes for 30 years, decrease reliance on
fossil fuels, cut pollution, and reduce the area's strain on the electric grid during peak summer months. "This project really blazed a trail for solar projects in New Jersey," said
NJBPU President Jeanne M. Fox. "Many communities have followed Bayonne's fine example by exploring renewable energy projects that not only save the environment but also cut overall
energy costs."
The Bayonne School District exemplifies the state's forward-thinking approach to cut costs and pollution. Through New Jersey's Clean Energy Program - a statewide program designed to
help customers save energy, cut costs and help protect the environment by installing clean, efficient energy resources - more than 1,000 homeowners, businesses, schools and
municipalities have installed renewable energy technologies, including solar electricity systems. "The benefits of this project will be felt in Bayonne as well as the rest of New Jersey
for years to come," said Bayonne Mayor and NJ State Senator Joseph V. Doria, Jr. "Through the use of solar technologies, we're helping to reduce pollution in the state while at the same
time reducing our own energy costs and extending the longevity of these school buildings."
Program modifications and additional sources of revenue are being considered to ensure long term sustainability and broad public participation in the program. To learn more please visit
the New Jersey's Clean Energy Program at http://www.njcleanenergy.org.
NJBPU (01/24/2006)
|
|
|
California: PUC creates groundbreaking Solar Energy Program
The California Public Utilities Commission (PUC) created the largest solar program of its kind in any state in the USA. The California Solar Initiative, a 10-year, .9 billion program
is designed to help California move toward a cleaner energy future and help bring the costs of solar electricity down for California consumers. The goal of the program is to increase
the amount of installed solar capacity on rooftops in the state by 3.000 MW by 2017. "California has long been a leader on environmentally-sound approaches to the provision of energy.
We adopted formalized policies on renewable power and energy efficiency in our Energy Action Plans," said PUC President Michael R. Peevey. "The California Solar Initiative continues
that tradition with an aggressive new program to promote solar development."
The California Solar Initiative includes the following provisions:
- .9 billion over a 10-year period in rebates that will decline steadily over that same timeframe. Funds will come from electric and gas distribution customers of investor-owned
utilities, and will go toward the installation of solar photovoltaics initially, with solar hot water heating and solar heating and cooling systems being added after workshops are
conducted later this year.
- The California Energy Commission (CEC) will oversee one component of the program to focus on builders and developers of new housing, to encourage solar installations in the
residential new construction market. The PUC will oversee the remainder and majority of the California Solar Initiative, which will cover existing residential housing, as well as
existing and new commercial and industrial properties.
- The program sets aside 10 percent of program funding for low-income customers and affordable housing installations. The PUC will also explore the option of offering low-cost financing
options to those types of installations in workshops this year.
- The program includes an additional amount of up to 5 percent of the annual budget for potential research, development, and demonstration activities, with emphasis on the demonstration
of solar and solar-related technologies.
- The program includes a requirement that solar incentive payments be made not just for installed capacity, but also with emphasis on the performance and output of the solar systems
installed, to ensure that these solar investments are delivering clean energy as promised.
- The program design requires all facilities that receive an incentive to undergo an energy efficiency audit (at a minimum) to identify more cost-effective energy efficiency investment
options at the building. The PUC also intends to have further workshops to determine incentives for newly constructed buildings that participate in utility energy efficiency new
construction programs and exceed the existing building standards by a certain threshold.
Solar energy to become a major part of California's energy portfolio
"We are taking an important step today to lay out a framework for an orderly, 10-year approach to creating a sustainable solar industry. Our hope is that solar will become a major part
of California's energy portfolio, to provide clean and inexpensive distributed generation to millions of California consumers," said President Peevey. "Our plan is to offer a subsidy
now to push the deployment of an important part of our sustainable energy future in the long-run. This solar program simply offers one of the many emerging alternatives to consumers
concerned about a clean energy future." This groundbreaking initiative represents the culmination of more than a year's worth of work by the PUC and the CEC, as well as considerable
work and many discussions in the California Legislature and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's office, PUC reports in the press release.
For more information on the PUC: http://www.cpuc.ca.gov.
PUC (01/16/2006)
|
|
|
|
|
Photovoltaic Producer DayStar appoints Vice President of Manufacturing
DayStar Technologies, Inc., a developer and manufacturer of high-value Photovoltaic Foil(tm) products, on January 10th announced the appointment of Mr. Jack McCaffrey to the position of
Vice President of Manufacturing. Mr. McCaffrey brings to DayStar a wealth of current and relevant experience across a broad range of disciplines, most recently in the engineering and
manufacturing of ribbon-silicon PV cells and modules, the company reports in a press release. Prior to joining DayStar Technologies, Mr. McCaffrey served as Vice President of
Manufacturing and Engineering at Evergreen Solar, Inc., where he was instrumental in implementing their new PV manufacturing technology. He was responsible for process, productivity,
product and machinery design and fabrication, and materials procurement, as well as the hiring and development of a staff of 250 operating personnel
|
|
DayStar Technologies, Inc. produces high efficiency Photovoltaic Foil(tm) that converts sunlight into energy. The Company manufactures CIGS solar cells, which are deposited on flexible
metal foils using production processes adapted from computer component manufacturing.
DayStar-CIGS-Solar Cell.
|
|
His efforts helped Evergreen Solar transition from its pre-IPO origins to a successfully publicly-traded pure-play solar company, achieve production capacity growth from 250kW to 13 MW,
and increase revenues from 0k to nearly million in just over five years time. He most recently managed the international factory and start-up for a 30 MW solar cell plant for
EverQ, a joint venture between Evergreen Solar and Q-cells, a German supplier of silicon-based solar cells.
Prior to his service at Evergreen, Mr. McCaffrey enjoyed a 20-year career at various manufacturing and engineering positions at Polaroid Corporation, including his role as the Director
of Worldwide Manufacturing for Polaroid's Holographic Products Division. Mr. McCaffrey is a distinguished graduate of the United States Naval Academy with a B.S. in Chemistry and
General Engineering. "Jack's impressive background is an ideal fit for DayStar at this stage in our commercialization," DayStar Chairman and CEO Dr. John Tuttle stated. "The abilities
and experiences that he brings to DayStar will be integral to our progress as we continue to advance our production capabilities," concluded Tuttle.The addition of Mr. McCaffrey to the
DayStar team brings the total number of employees at DayStar Technologies to 43, up from only 7 one year ago.
Source: DayStar Technologies, Inc. (01/11/2006)
|
|
|
|
|
Evergreen Solar Introduces Higher-Power Solar Panel
Evergreen Solar, Inc. (Marlboro, Mass) a manufacturer of solar power products with its proprietary, low-cost String Ribbon(TM) wafer technology, introduced a 120-watt solar panel. The
new EC-120 is the latest in Evergreen Solar's Cedar Line(TM) of photovoltaic panels. With the same physical dimensions as the Company's current 110-watt and 115-watt panels, the new
product delivers increased power from the same area, Evergreen Solar reported in a press release. Through its patented String Ribbon technology, Evergreen Solar produces its panels
using significantly less silicon than conventional production methods. "This new Cedar Line model is our latest in a series of technology advances," said Dr. Terry Bailey, Evergreen
Solar Senior Vice President, Marketing and Sales. "Our EC-120 panel reduces installation costs for end users, making solar power more cost-competitive with conventional retail
electricity."
As announced in November 2005, Evergreen Solar tests all Cedar Line panels to a stringent -2% peak power rating at Standard Test Conditions, which ranks among the industry's best. All
Cedar panels have the following safety and quality certifications: IEC 61215, UL Class C, TUV Safety Class II and CE.
Source: Evergreen Solar, Inc. (01/11/2006)
|
|
|
|
