Easy Energy installed a significantly sized solar water heating installation in a senior living community to show the full benefits solar projects have to offer.

The Phoenix-based company installed 600 hot water solar collectors to meet the demands of up to 85% of the water requirements for the senior living center. The thermal collectors are able to supply a sufficient volume of heated domestic water for the 650 residents, while also heating 2 of the community’s swimming pools.

Easy Energy are looking at the viability of installing more of these multi-family projects in the larger community projects as they are a far-sight more cost-effective than the alternative of installing 600 individual solar systems on individual homes.

The executive director of the Fellowship Square believes that the installation of the solar installation with the central boilers will have a significant impact on the community and will be more sustainable and cost-effective for the facility.

Beyond the thermal collectors installed on the carports, the installation also consisted of hot water storage tanks at 17,000 gallons which will effectively harvest the daytime water supply, and offer a perfect supplement for the existing boilers at the senior living community.

Taking a long-term view, it is believed that this type of large solar water heating installation provided by the Arizona solar company is a perfect fit for the larger size developments, and will certainly go on to play off in relation to overall operational efficiency and costs.

The US Department of the interior has given the go-ahead for two solar energy and one wind projects to be constructed in the regions of Nevada and California which will help to deliver a joint 1100 MW of energy to the grid system.

On completion these renewable energy projects will give enough power for 340,000 homes and in the process offer up to 1000 jobs throughout the construction and solar energy industry.

The proposed project includes the 750 MW McCoy Solar Energy Project the largest of the three projects to be agreed and is likely to create one of the largest renewable energy facilities in the world. The facility will be built on land covering 7700 acres and is located in Riverside County, California. On completion, this facility being developed by ExtraEra is likely to be capable of generating up to 750 MW once operating at full capacity.

In the same region of California’s Riverside East Solar Energy Zone, the 150 MW Desert Harvest Solar Farm has been given the green light to start on a project using photovoltaic solar panels and is likely to span across a site of about 1200 acres. This project is being overseen by EDF Renewable Energy.

The final project to get the go-ahead to proceed is the 200 MW Searchlight Wind Energy Project which will be constructed in Clark County Nevada and potentially generate up to 200 MW of energy through the use of eighty turbines, with each offering the capability of providing 2.3 MW. This last project being overseen by Duke’ Energy will cover an area of 18,949 acres which surrounds a significant area of the Searchlight town in the state of Nevada.

Prior to announcing the go-ahead, the interior department received a significant amount of opposition from tribes in the local desert regions as they believe these renewable energy projects will have a negative impact on the local area. Nevertheless, the announcement was given for the approval of these projects to continue with numerous more solar, wind, and geothermal projects planned for the foreseeable future.

You might have heard of mandatory composting and recycling, but things that being taken a step further in Lancaster, California where it is going to become mandatory for solar panels to be installed on all newly constructed properties.

In the city of Lancaster the residential zoning codes are being updated to require that minimum 1.0 kW solar systems are installed on new-construction properties in the local area. This historic and bold move by Republican Mayor Rex Parris looks set to increase his ambition of becoming the solar capital of California. This new and challenging requirement will commence from January 1, 2014 on all newly constructed single-family homes.

This isn’t the only time that the city of Lancaster has created headline news with its involvement in the solar energy industry. Back in 2010 the city launched the “Solar Lancaster” initiative in partnership with SolarCity which went on to generate solar financing for a wide range of residences and businesses. The end result of this program is that it is likely to earn the town approximately 1.5 million a year up to the year 2017, and after that the generated income is likely to be in the region of $800,000 for the foreseeable future.

The situation stands at the moment that the local building industry is trying to block the proposal by Mayor Parris coming through – although the mayor is highly confident that his proposed solar installation for all new properties will be met with approval by the city council at a later date.

Arizona has witnessed a significant increase in the job market in relation to the clean energy sector throughout the year 2012.

According to the latest reports, Arizona is being ranked in sixth position relating to a range of projects concerning energy and transportation, at present there are 14 major projects underway statewide.

The renewable standard in the state of Arizona requires that at least 15% of its energy is sourced from renewable technologies, such as solar and wind, by the year 2025, and with its continued investment in the job market, hopes are high that these targets can easily be achieved.

In 2012, it was reported that 4,082 Arizona residents are now employed in the clean energy sector, with most of these jobs already in progress for operation. Jobs growth in Arizona is continuing to expand with 1056 extra jobs announced in just the fourth quarter.

It has also been reported that the states of California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, and North Carolina also made their presence well-known on the list of locally based policies which are focusing on creating an industry in the wind and solar technologies. It has been reported nationwide the total number of clean energy jobs in the US stands at 110,000, with the state of California holding the most impressive record with a total of 26,354 jobs created.

A proposed plan to cover a significant area of farmland with solar panels has caused the local residents of Bedminster and neighboring Bridgewater Township to organize a very vocal campaign of opposition.

KDC Solar is planning on installing in the region of 45,000 solar panels which will stretch across the previously privately owned Kirby Farm. This farmland is 52 acres and situated in the townships residential area.

Local residents in opposition of the planned proposals are claiming the solar farm will be an eyesore to the surrounding rural beauty, and if this first project is given the green light to go ahead, it might well set a president for projects of a similar nature to appear in the local communities.

Even though the opposition group fully supports the concept of promoting renewable energy sources for the prosperity of the planet, they believe that there would be much better locations for a solar farm of this size.

In an effort to stop the proposed solar array on the farmland many of the local residents have signed a petition confirming their objection, while also stating they would prefer the project is constructed at an alternative location.

With most scientists agreeing that the dependence on fossil fuels has continued for too long, it is crucial that the United States is able to rely more on its own natural resources in order to generate its energy needs.

Since the hearing for the approval for this solar farm is not yet been scheduled, it is believed that this application process is likely to take many months to conclude.

According to latest figures the solar industry is seeing a slowdown in growth; state officials are now looking at the potential of making the market more stable and removing the cycle of boom-and-bust that has been apparent in this sector.

Local policymakers are mandated by law to implement the necessary strategies to have a more stable solar market which should help with avoiding the unpredictable prices experienced of late.

By implementing the right strategies to stabilize the market, the New Jersey authorities are hoping this will have the effect of the turning the solar industry back to it once-flourishing prominence, which should also make sure the thousands of jobs created in this sector aren’t put in peril.

The importance of the smooth and effective operation of the solar power industry isn’t just able to benefit the commercial organizations, but also the everyday end consumer. If the solar rebates and incentives aren’t maintained to the existing levels, this can result in homes having to subsidize the installation of solar roof panels with a levy imposed on energy bills.

A key reason for the significant amount of uncertainty in the solar industry is in part due to recent developments and the young age of the market; making it more difficult to come to a definitive conclusion.

For a clear indication of the slowdown in solar installations; newly commissioned solar installations in January amounted to 17.8 MW, which was an improvement on figures issued for December, but significantly below the 40 MW the solar industry was experiencing at the high of its peak.

One of the likely reasons for the slowdown in this sector is that the industry is having difficulty convincing businesses and homeowners to invest in the solar arrays in view of the significant drop-off in the incentives offered on the market. A solution to avoid this trend of lower incentives might be to offer contracts over a longer duration. This is exactly the situation with the main utilities in the state.

Focusing on solar installations is also changing. Going by the latest estimates; it is gauged that 80% of solar systems installed up to the end of last year were installed on commercial or residential properties. Whereas, the latest solar installations planned are more likely to relate to industrial installations, such as those on brownfields and farmlands.

Certain provisions noted in the most recent solar bill relates to meeting the states solar renewable energy ambitions, meaning this trend is likely to only increase with more investment made available for this solar project type.

Renewable energy sources (solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal) have all been reported to have performed extremely strongly in the last 12 months, while the fossil fuels and nuclear have seen a decline. Gas generated power also showed signs of healthy figures.

It is the significant efforts to address the situation with climate change, falling installation costs, and latest technologies that has seen this significant expansion in the use of energy sources to power the nation.

With the right ongoing investment, the potential is there for 60% to 70% of energy to come from renewable sources by the year 2060.

Solar energy saw a increase in production of 138.9% with the top five states (Arizona, California, New Mexico, New Jersey, and Nevada) contributing a sizeable portion of this green energy.

Elsewhere, it is reported that wind generated energy saw a positive increase in production of a 16.6%, with geothermal seeing a significant increase at 9.6%, and still in last position is biomass which is currently standing at 1.6%.

One fossil fuel that has seen a substantial decline in production is that of coal which saw its energy share drop to 37.4%; it wasn’t that long ago that coal generated over 50% of the nation’s electricity needs.

If the local and national authorities are able to continue to promote the right policy incentives for the take-up of the green energy by commercial and domestic properties, it should be possible for a large percentage of the nation’s electrical requirements to be provided by clean sources of energy within the next 15 to 25 years.

Latest figures indicate that up to 46 million pounds of potentially hazardous waste was produced in the state of California from the solar manufacturing process.

The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) indicates that many of the solar firms involved generated a significant toxic footprint throughout the period 2007 to 2011.

Even though most of the waste will be kept in state, it is likely that over 1.4 million pounds is being shipped elsewhere, with likely destinations including the Nevada and Arkansas. Due to this significant impact on the environment it is being suggested that the benefits derived from solar energy should take into consideration the necessary resources for the removal of such toxic waste.

It is likely that the clearing and disposal process of this hazardous waste is somewhat the same as losing several months of carbon emissions which could have been avoided with the right production of the solar technology.

A key reason behind the hazardous waste problem is likely to come down to some of the start-up companies not enforcing the right programs for recycling the waste materials. A cause for this might come down to the fact that certain photovoltaic cells generate more waste than others.

Even though certain companies in the solar industry are producing this hazardous waste it is still significantly below the environmental impact resulting from the more conventional energy sources, such as natural gas and coal.

Irrespective of how minimal the impact might be on the environment it is still worth considering this fact and not to go pretending it does not exist. In an effort to remedy this situation, the Energy Industries Association (SEIA), is proposing a responsibility pledge on a voluntary basis with the aim of limiting the impact on the environment. Sign-ups to this pledge are starting to come in slowly, though the SEIA isn’t pushing too hard as they are trying to avoid pushing manufacturing further afield.

According to an in-depth study conducted by the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) and the Carlos III University of Madrid (UC3M) it is deemed that the use of air conditioning units in private homes consumes up to 1/3 of the total electricity count in use throughout the summer months, which is when the energy use is in greatest demand in large cities. The aim of this research was to establish not just the consumption of energy, but also how it might impact on the environment.

The main reason for this research was to calculate the total energy used by air conditioning units in residential properties in a built up city and to determine the potential of saving energy by increasing the effectiveness of the equipment. If the right course of action is taken it is believed that the peak electrical demand could be reduced, which might be achieved by improving on the efficiency of the air conditioning units or by using an alternative source of energy. The data derived from this search might well be interesting for the utility companies to help in reshaping the way the electricity grid runs.

In order to conduct the survey, the research team was able to simulate the effects of electricity used in the Autonomous Community, situated in Madrid. To assist with this, the researchers replied on data acquired from the Instituto Nacional de Estadística (National Institute of Statistics) which was able to highlight the total volume of air-conditioning and climate control units installed in a specific local area. With this data in mind and taking into account seasonal consumption, they estimated the total energy consumption for the entire population.

According to those in charge of the research, it might well be very beneficial to establish the levels of carbon dioxide which results from the energy required for controlling air conditioning systems on a nationwide scale. In truth, this particular type of climate control has the potential to see significantly improvement, mostly due to the availability of cooling systems which are able to run on solar energy. If is viable to lower the consumption of energy through the use of the latest generation of air conditioning systems, it is certainly believed that carbon dioxide emissions will be lowered, which is one the central gasses having an effect on the greenhouse gas balance.

In order to continue the research, the team at UC3M’s Energy Systems Engineering is starting to experiment with absorption machines and heat pumps to help with improving on the overall effectiveness of cooling units which operate via solar energy. A heat pump can be designed to operate more efficiently if running on solar power.

A further line of research relates to adapting the consumption to better meet demand, which might mean when cooling isn’t required, the machine is able to consume much less energy. However, this might be difficult to achieve as the cooling machine often consumes significantly more power when running at partial load rather than at there optimal performance level. In truth, the typical residential air conditioning system functions at no more than 50% capacity in Madrid throughout the summer months. The objective of the research is to improve on the performance of the cooling machines at this partial load level as that is where the main benefits will be gained.

Synergy is often referred to as the interaction of several elements, which if combined is able to generate a superior effect to what might have been achieved with the elements standing alone.

Actual studies of synergy were recently showcased by the National Electrical Contractors Association throughout its expo and annual convention at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas. Electrical contracting executives from across the country discussed the most recent developments in relation to electric based products, while also spending time on exploring potential new markets for their businesses.

One program in place, showcased by the Electrical Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee of Southern Nevada, related to the education courses which are designed to assist local electricians. A feature of these programs is to instruct on the wind turbine and solar energy technologies, as well as electric supply technologies for the plug-in vehicles. On show was a Chevrolet Volt which was presented as the stands centerpiece.

Throughout an apprenticeship teaching program, in-class tuition is combined with paid on-site training, which is fully supervised by a qualified electrician. This is able to guarantee the abilities of an installer while also ensuring the trainee acquires the right real-world experience in solving all-types of problems.

In such places as Southern Nevada, where the sun might shine for 300+ days per year, it is certainly possible for local residents to benefit from synergy by installing roof-based solar panel systems and also to run an electric powered car. Due to the high volume of sun, it is possible for a high percentage of residents to self generate power for home appliances, while also giving sufficient fuel to run an electric or plug-in vehicle.

The combined potential of electric vehicles and solar energy cells is already in operation and available to use by the general public within three local authority facilities in Las Vegas: the Stupak Community Center, the Las Vegas City Hall’s parking garage, and the Clark County Government Center parking lot. If an owner of the Chevy Volt, the Ed Bozarth Chevrolet facility situated in NW Las Vegas, offers a solar cell array which consists of six stations, which are used to recharge the fleet of Chevrolet Volts on the premises. This is a service also offered free of charge to customers.

Costs to purchase solar energy panels have significantly dropped in recent times, most notably in the last two years due to the increase in competition coming from China. While this has resulted in companies going out of business in the US, it has benefited the end consumer who is seeing a sizeable decrease in the hardware costs for these systems, which at present stands at approx $0.84 cents per watt.

A full residential solar energy array system, including the necessary electric power conditioning system, peripheral hardware and installation, amounts to a low $4.00 per watt. In comparison, just a year back the price would have been $5.00 per watt and two years back the price would have been $6.00 per installed watt.

If well-installed a 2.5 kW solar energy array has the potential to produce up to 4000 kW hours per year. The study by NV Energy was based on a rooftop installation fixed in a south facing direction. A solar cell array which is grid-tied can offer the extra benefit of storing excess energy, which can be bought back by the utility company. As a result, a property owner would receive a monthly credit on their electricity bill.

Total cost for the installation at $4.00 per watt amounts to $10000. However, a domestic property owner is often entitled to federal tax credits, which might reduce the cost by 30%, bringing the total cost down to $7000.

An electric plug-in vehicle is able to travel for up to 4 miles per kW-hour. If able to refuel via a rooftop energy station, which is able to generate 4000 kW-hours each year, means a plug-in vehicle has the potential to travel some 12000 miles each year on just renewable sunlight energy.

Also, federal tax credits apply to plug-in electric vehicles which might go as high as $7500, although this will depend on the capability of the installed battery pack. If a typical homeowner spends on average $1500 on gasoline, an installed photovoltaic cell array has the potential to fully pay back the installation cost within less than 5-years, while also offering free fuel for the plug-in vehicle for a further 20 years or more, which is a typical lifespan of the solar array systems.

On the final day of the convention, Peter Dimandis, who is CEO of the X Prize Foundation, presented a keynote speech. Mr. Dimandis is also the author of the book called “Abundance: The Future is Better Than You Think” which allures to the latest advances in technology based synergies. In 2004, the initial Ansair X Prize was given to Mojave Aerospace Ventures, with the prize totaling $10-million. The research team created SpaceShipOne, which is a rocket place, and this was launched several times within a week from White Knight, which is its mothership. Each journey witnessed SpaceShipOne traveling some 64-miles in sub orbital space, after which it returned to base at the Mojave spaceport in California.