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Solar Rebate Programs from FPL

LMerker — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:15:59 +0000

FPL now offers solar rebate programs to customers who install photovoltaic (PV) and solar water heating systems in their homes and businesses. The solar rebate programs are part of a five-year pilot program authorized by the Florida Public Service Commission to promote clean solar power and reduce energy consumption.

Residential customers may receive a rebate of $1,000 for installing new solar water heating systems, and up to $20,000 for installing a photovoltaic (PV) system and interconnecting to FPL’s grid.

Business customers may receive rebates up to $50,000 per site for installing a new solar water heating system and up to $50,000 per site for installing a PV system and interconnecting to FPL’s grid.

For more information on residential programs, please go to the FPL site with the following link: http://www.fpl.com/landing/solar_rebate/residential.shtml.

Business customers may get more information from the following link: http://www.fpl.com/landing/solar_rebate/business.shtml.

Snapshots Make Power Grid More Efficient

eblock — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:08:34 +0000

Jan 25, 2012 – Siemens wants to use “snapshots” of the power grid to help make it more stable. Power snapshots from smart meters by Siemens provide synchronous grid information with maximum precision from the low-voltage grid, data that can serve as a basis for analyzing these grids in cities and communities. Analysis of the collected data makes it possible to use the grid infrastructure more efficiently and to better integrate electric vehicles or the feed-in of power from photovoltaic systems, for example. Siemens developed the power snapshot analyses (PSSA) in collaboration with the Austrian Institute of Technology and several grid operators in Austria. The project received financing from Austria’s Climate and Energy Fund.
In the coming years, the growing number of decentral and fluctuating renewables-based energy sources feeding into the grid, and electric vehicles and electric heating systems will pose an enormous challenge for the power transmission and distribution networks. To estimate how many feed-in sources and how many users a local grid can handle, model simulations are conducted. These models used to be very rudimentary, so big safety margins had to be planned in. For more accurate simulations, detailed data on the low-voltage grids is needed.
That’s why developers from Siemens Austria developed the PSSA, with which the smart meters in local grids were equipped. These meters don’t only record energy-use data; they also generate real-time and synchronous displays of voltages in the local grids at points in time that are critical for the grid technology. The accuracy of the data is unprecedented because the load variations of the phases and the ground return conductor are also recorded. This information on the actual conditions in the grid enables grid operators to more efficiently use the available infrastructure. To compensate for power consumption peaks, the operators can for example take load groups like electric heating systems or heat pumps offline without compromising end users’ convenience. The data also can be used to estimate investment costs for expansions of grid infrastructure.
PSSA will be launched on the market before the end of 2012. Siemens smart meters, which are already being used by many customers, can be equipped with this additional function by means of a firmware download without disturbing the validity of the meters’ calibration.

Renewable Energy Training

eblock — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 16:14:20 +0000

Upcoming Trainings in January, February and March

Have you put your New Year’s resolutions to train in renewable energy technologies in place? If not, start here today! This winter, enroll in Solar Energy International’s solar and renewable energy trainings, online and in-person, and start a new career or take your career to the next level. If you are registering for an in-person workshop of five days or more, that starts 30 days out or longer from today, please call (970) 963-8855 to register and receive $50 off the tuition of the course or workshop. Be sure to mention you are calling in for the Early Bird Incentive!

These upcoming courses are offered in January, February and March:

January 2012
Jan 23-Mar 4	PVOL203 Solar Training – Solar Electric Design (Battery-Based) – Online	Online	6 Weeks	$795
Jan 23-Mar 4	PVOL206 Solar Training – Solar Business and Technical Sales – Online	Online	6 Weeks	$795
Jan 23-27	PV101 Solar Training – Solar Electric Design and Installation (Grid-Direct)	Austin, TX	5 Days	$995

February 2012
Feb 20-25	PV101 Solar Training – Solar Electric Design and Installation (Grid-Direct)	Tucson, AZ	6 Days	$1,195

March 2012
Mar 10-18	RD201 Renewable Energy for the Developing World- Hands ON	Rancho Mastatal, Costa Rica	9 Days	$1,435
Mar 12-Apr 22	FVOL101 Diseño e Instalación de Sistemas Fotovoltaicos (de Conexión Directa a la red) – en linea	Online	6 Weeks	$795
Mar 12-Apr 22	PVOL202 Solar Training – Advanced PV System Design and the NEC (Grid-Direct) – Online	Online	6 Weeks	$795
Mar 12-Apr 22	PVOL206 Solar Training – Solar Business and Technical Sales – Online	Online	6 Weeks	$795
Mar 12-Apr 22	PVOL203 Solar Training – Solar Electric Design (Battery-Based) – Online	Online	6 Weeks	$795
Mar 12-Apr 22	PVOL101 Solar Training – Solar Electric Design and Installation (Grid-Direct) – Online	Online	6 Weeks	$795
Mar 12-17	PV101 Solar Training – Solar Electric Design and Installation (Grid-Direct)	Tucson, AZ	6 Days	$1,195
Mar 19-23	PV101 Solar Training – Solar Electric Design and Installation (Grid-Direct)	Ocean City, NJ	5 Days	$995
Mar 26-30	PV101 Solar Training – Solar Electric Design and Installation (Grid-Direct)	Honolulu

New power plant in western Palm Beach County is tops for greenhouse gases

eblock — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 03:41:38 +0000

Jan 13, 2012 – You have to be careful how you read the news. The Sun-Sentinel published today an article stating that the new natural gas-fueled FPL plant in Palm Beach County is tops in the nation for emission of greenhouse gases. But FPL calls the figures misleading, saying the plant is a clean, efficient natural-gas fired facility that ranks high on the EPA’s list simply because it is one of the largest power plants in the nation. That is a good point. Shouldn’t the figures show a ratio of the amount of pollution emitted per kw/h? That makes sense. It doesn’t make sense to compare emissions from a plant that is ten times larger than another. The figures are part of the EPA’s first searchable database of the largest industrial sources of greenhouse gases. It is searchable to the county level, and can be found at http://epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ghgdata/.

New Hampshire Republican Primary

eblock — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 18:53:48 +0000

Jan 9, 2012 – The 2012 New Hampshire Republican Primary is tomorrow. Mitt Romney has a comfortable lead as of today. Will any more prospective candidates quit after this primary? Michelle Bachmann left after the Iowa caucuses. How will this affect green energy going forward? Please leave your predictions here.

Rick Perry Seems to be Staying in the Race

eblock — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 22:15:17 +0000

Jan 6, 2012 – First it seemed as if Rick Perry was pulling out of the Republican primary race when he didn’t immediately head to New Hampshire. Now he seems to be staying in the race, but just avoiding the winter weather in New Hampshire in January. Keep reading here for further updates. How will this affect green energy during the upcoming debates?

Currency Rates Correspond to Energy Prices

LMerker — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:45:54 +0000

When oil prices rise, the Canadian dollar usually rises because Canada is a major exporter of oil. The Canadian Economy benefits from higher oil prices. The reverse is true for Japan, which imports most of its oil. The Japanese Yen falls in value when oil prices rise. In addition to the correlation with these currencies, higher oil prices creates more interest in alternative energy including solar power, wind energy and biofuels. The stocks of companies in these industries often rise when oil prices increase.

New Building Codes Will Force Energy Savings

eblock — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 20:56:55 +0000

Dec 18, 2011 – New building codes will force energy savings. Unfortunately, new construction is way down from its peak due to the housing implosion. Residential housing and commercial buildings make up about 40% of energy usage. Some new state codes are expected to bring about a 15% reduction in energy usage. Some cities go even further than the state requirements. However, new codes generally only affect new construction and renovations and restoration when the quantity of work is over some specified percentage of the facility’s area, e.g., 25% or 50%. However, this will increase the initial cost of the construction and that might price some families from being able to make the purchase. Of course, the energy savings will compensate. Maybe, the states or cities involved or utilities could provide low interest loans that could be paid back from the energy savings. What is going on in your area? Do you think this is viable? Please leave your comments here and sign up for our news feed so you can see future posts on this topic.

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Durban, South Africa Concludes

eblock — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:09:12 +0000

Dec 12, 2011 – The international United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Durban concluded after generating mostly hot air! The expression we hear many times with the politicians with regard to fixing the economy is that they are kicking the can down the road. The 1997 Kyoto Protocol is being extended for several years instead of being replaced. The terms of any replacement agreement will be negotiated in the future. There was agreement to develop a fund, the Green Climate Fund, for poor countries, but the details will be decided in the future. Please leave your comments here.

UN Climate Conference

eblock — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 04:12:20 +0000

Dec 5, 2011 – Are you at the UN Climate Conference in Durban, South Africa. Please write your comments here.