Salt Lake City has signed up for a utility-sponsored solar program that will double the amount of electricity the city receives from renewable energy sources. Through the program with Rocky Mountain Solar, city residents will be able to sign up for solar generated electricity starting January 2017. Additionally, the municipal government will receive 6-12 percent of …
Author Archives: Helen
Sun and wind power could generate majority of electricity in US by 2030
Despite the fact that the overwhelming majority of energy produced in the U.S. comes from fossil fuels, such as gas, coal and petroleum, there are significant efforts underway to reverse this trend. Currently, wind and solar power, only account for little more than 2 percent of the total U.S. energy consumption, according to the Institute for Energy …
Trinasolar awarded Silver Rating in EcoVadis CSR Survey [Video]
Hi, and welcome back to another Trina Solar video blog. Recently, EcoVadis awarded Trina a Silver Recognition Level in its Corporate Social Responsibility performance survey. This award comes in recognition of the company’s commitment to the environment, fair business practices, sustainable procurement, and labor practices & human rights. According to the EcoVadis assessment, Trina Solar now ranks …
San Francisco mandates solar panel installation [Video]
As more people continue to realize the advantages of clean, renewable energy sources, municipalities and local governments around the country have begun rolling out new regulations for installing solar systems. San Francisco is leading the pack. The city’s Board of Supervisors recently passed legislation requiring solar panels be installed in all new residential and commercial …
California passes net metering equality act [Video]
A new bill passed in California will give all the state’s electricity consumers equal access to net metering in rooftop solar regardless of where they live. Previously net metering was only available in certain locations depending on the utility provider. According to state assembly members who sponsored the bill, the measure provides for more consumer …
Latin America emerges as a key frontier for solar
The last year saw many emerging solar markets continue to expand and reach a greater potential for solar capacity than ever before. According to a report from GTM Research, Latin America is the third-fastest-growing region for solar and the fifth-largest for demand, globally. Though this area of the world is still in the early stages of its …
U.S. solar is now a #MillionSolarStrong [Video]
U.S. solar has reached a significant milestone: There are now one million solar installations online in the country – enough to power 5.5 million homes. This historic moment was made possible by the hard work of so many: early adopters, families, schools, churches, communities, policy leaders, advocates, entrepreneurs and solar workers. To celebrate this historic accomplishment, …
Rooftop solar could provide 40 percent of nation’s energy [Video]
As solar power continues to make great strides in generating clean, renewable energy for the country and the world, scientists have recently calculated how large the potential PV has yet to grow. The Energy Department’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory did the math to figure out the suitability of urban rooftops hosting photovoltaic systems in 128 cities across …
Solar energy a viable option for the agricultural market [Video]
Experts with the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University compiled a fact sheet on how farms can save money by using solar energy to meet their electricity needs. According to the experts, high installation costs used to be a limiting factor for farms looking to adopt renewable energy sources. However, decreasing costs …
How solar panels perform through weather extremes
When we think about harvesting the sun’s energy, we might be tempted to envision fields of solar panels in sunny, moderate climates where the skies stay clear and the wind is only a pleasant breeze. In reality, photovoltaic (PV) panels are used all over the world under a variety of weather conditions, some of which …
