Envision Solar uses "Solar Trees" for its solar parking arrays

Using solar panels at parking garages and other parking facilities is a smart way to provide shade for cars and generate electricity for lighting and even electric car charging stations.

Solar parking arrays in California will be created by Envision Solar International, Inc., pursuant to a contract with a major California utility.

The project will use Envision Solar’s Solar Tree® structures.  Intended to raise public awareness of solar energy uses at parking facilities, the project will be highly visible, as well as open to the public.  The solar parking array will shade and recharge 36 electric cars, and will be completed by mid-2011.

Solar panels used for the project will use EnvisionTrak™ multi-axis solar tracking technology.  Heliotropic action follows the sun as it crosses the sky, increasing efficiency of the solar panels by about 22%, as described in this New York Times article and this video:

Robert Noble, founder and CEO of Envision Solar commented:

“In addition to clean energy from the sun, the Solar Grove® will provide much-needed shade for cars and people and be an architecturally beautiful enhancement to the neighborhood. The local community will be able to charge their electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids and see renewable energy generation in their own backyard.”

Envision Solar has paired its solar tree with batteries built by Axion of New Castle, Pa., so that the installation can deliver current after sunset, as well.  Because the solar parking arrays will be grid-connected, excess solar electricity will be fed back into the grid and, on cloudy days, electric car owners will still be able to recharge their vehicles.

New solar panels installed at FDNY District #9

New York Fire District FDNY District #9 (Bellevue) installed solar panels on its roof, going cleaner and greener than ever before!  The new solar roof array cost taxpayers very little and will save them significantly more over time.

FDNY District #9′s solar panels were funded primarily by a grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.  The grant allowed the savings of $137,000 off the original cost of $175,000 for the solar array.

The fire district’s going solar will allow them more reliable power, particularly considering the deteriorating state of NYC’s electric transmission and distribution system.

Equally important is the fact that the new solar array will reduce the firehouse’s carbon footprint by offsetting 12% of its electricity needs (otherwise served by natural gas and coal).  Over its expected 50 years of operation, the solar panels will allow FDNY District #9 to avoid emitting 1000 tons of CO2.  Some might call that a drop in the bucket, but every little bit helps our environment!

Other facts about the firehouse solar panels:

• The solar array is rated at 28 kilowatt-hours (kWh)
• Enough solar electricity to power 4 homes will be generated
• Expected lifetime: 50 years
• Solar array consists of 140 panels – 200-watts each
• Annual electricity savings (2010) $4,300/year – will increase as rates go up over the lifetime of the panels
• Installed by Solar Liberty

Bellevue Firemen show off the new solar panels at FDNY District #9

National Semi Solar Magic Technology

What if there was a magical way to increase solar panel efficiency by 20%?  This is not a fairy tale!  National Semiconductor has developed Solar Magic technology to boost solar panel output and increase power optimization.

At first, the product was introduced as an add-on accessory for existing solar panel arrays.  Now, National Semi’s solar magic chipset can be built right into original solar panel architecture.

So, how does it work?

The solar magic chip compensates for a range of potential inconsistencies that typically reduce PV solar panel efficiency, including shade, dust, inappropriate panel tilt, and even flaws in the panel design.  It works by ensuring consistent voltage and current to flow through each solar panel in the array, which boosts the overall energy output.  In short, with the same amount of sunlight exposure, a solar panel array could be generating substantially more free solar electricity.

The cost for Solar Magic technology is about 12 cents per watt.  The company primarily markets the product for utility scale solar plants, and larger commercial rooftop panel installations.

To find out more, check out the inspiring case studies or the news and events page on the SolarMagic website.

Solar panels for Audi (image source: Audi)

German automaker Audi has apparently declared 2010 its green year.  Recent news of how Audi goes green with both solar and electric cars is a breath of fresh, renewable-energy air!

A huge solar panel array has been installed at Audi’s primary factory in Ingolstadt, Germany.  From there, the company has plans to add 14,000 megawatts of wind power, as well.

Some commentators believe that Audi’s new green measures have been spurred by its decision to finally start producing electric cars.

If you haven’t heard the electric car news from Audi, here’s a quick primer:

Regardless of the motivation to go green, Audi has clearly turned the corner to renewable energy avenue.  The company has also joined forces with Desertec Industrial Initiative to in a clean energy effort in the Middle East and North Africa.  Infrastructure and renewable energy resources, including solar and wind energy, soon will be underway in these regions.

Solar power investment questions answered

What will drive solar power investment in the future?  You may think that a concern for the environment would drive funds toward renewable energy, but actually, its much like any other capital venture:  how to make more money.

In a recent Reuters blog post, Ray Kurzweil, a futurist and inventor, discussed the fact that billions of dollars are currently invested in solar power and that new advances will drive down the cost of solar energy:

“As a result, the amount of solar energy is doubling every year two years.  But ultimately it will be very inexpensive. So what’s motivating (its adoption) is economics.  It has the side effect that it’s environmentally much friendlier.”

That all sounds great to me, as a homeowner and someone concerned about my finances, but how will it actually work?

What kind of solar power investment will you make?

For now, we will have to wait for prices to continue to drop, particularly if we’re making a solar power investment.  The factor to consider before jumping in is the ROI, or “return on investment.”  This is a measure of when the money you put in at the outset will pay you back.

For example:  your solar panel array costs you $20,000, after tax credits and incentives.  Let’s say that you save $1000 a year on your utility bills, and the price of your home increases by $10,000.  What will your ROI be?  In other words, how many years until you break even?  This will vary between 5-10 years, or even less when you consider the fact that you will guard against utility bill increases once you install a solar panel system.

I sincerely wish that solar power investment was more closely related to a long-term consideration of global concerns, rather than short-term thoughts about the market.  But, after all, in today’s economy, many people are more worried about their nest egg, than the health of the planet 40-50 years from now.

Where do you stand when it comes to investment in solar power or other renewable energy?