ESA Renewables Complete Power Plant Monitoring Solution Includes Both Inverter Hardware and Software

Total solution eliminates need for separate hardware and software companies, resulting in a single source responsibility for more streamlined monitoring.

ESA Renewables, recently announced its proprietary monitoring system for renewable energy power plants that provides a complete turnkey product. This innovative solution includes not only the integrated hardware, but also the monitoring software.

“Unlike other companies, ESA doesn’t need to use third party solutions for its monitoring equipment. ESA is able to provide the inverter hardware and the software as a complete package to the end customer,” said Jeffrey Burkett. “This reliable and complete solution demonstrates that ESA truly is a cutting edge and proactive company.”

ESA’s renewable energy monitoring solution addresses strong customer demand for an integrated monitoring system. Providing both the hardware and software inside a complete monitoring option eliminates the troubleshooting, project delays and additional costs associated with traditional in-field monitoring installations. Factory integration and testing of ESA’s UL-listed monitoring solution ensures turn-key operation at installation and no need for an external monitoring software provider.

ESA’s proprietary monitoring system can be integrated into any renewable energy installation. It allows for simplified, centralized, reliable and secure data management of power plants, an essential part of achieving maximum energy production from a renewable energy system. The monitoring system also allows plant owners to reduce system downtime, increase performance and make informed decisions as to operations and maintenance (O&M) services. Additionally, with ESA’s monitoring solution, system managers are automatically alerted of events to allow for quick response, resulting in maximum energy output with minimal expenses.

With the company’s ability to provide EPC, financing, O&M services and a single source monitoring system, ESA closes the loop providing a complete turnkey solution. Customers receive a complete renewable energy plant development and management solution that is backed by ESA’s years of experience gained from their testing facility, in the engineering of innovative products, inverter monitoring, site expertise and worldwide services infrastructure for optimum project performance.

“Not only does ESA’s monitoring system give our customers one point of contact, but by partnering with ESA, our customers can count on us for everything from EPC, to financing, commissioning, monitoring and O&M. ESA does it all,” added Burkett.

Solar Powered Wireless Keyboards

The Macintosh edition of Logitech’s solar-powered wireless keyboard connects to your systems with a 2.4 gigahertz Unifying receiver.

Logitech has come out with the Macintosh edition of their wireless solar keyboard.  Like its PC-focused sibling, the Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K750 for Mac uses onboard solar cells to self-power using either sunlight or ambient light. No more batteries. On a full charge, it can work up to three months in total darkness. It connects via a 2.4 gigahertz wireless Unifying receiver.
The keyboard is shipping in the United States and Europe. It carries a suggested retail price of $59.99 and it comes in five colors: black (pictured), white, blue, green and pink.

SOURCE: http://www.zdnet.com/blog/green/green-gadget-of-the-week-logitech-solar-keyboard-for-mac/18495

Solar Trees Grow in the Silicon Valley

The new trees being planted at nine big parking lots in the South Bay aren't leafy green saplings, they're big silver specimens with 12-foot-tall trunks and broad steel canopies that will shield cars from the sun -- and produce solar power.

Known as "solar trees" because they are topped with photovoltaic cells, the "groves" are sprouting up in parking lots at Santa Clara County government buildings and health clinics in San Jose and Gilroy, and at Elmwood jail in Milpitas.

The shade they create for cars is just a popular side benefit, though cutting off the sun's glare also will save some energy by reducing the need for motorists to turn on the air conditioning right away in hot weather. The primary benefit of the parking lot projects is that the power they produce will save the county about $18 million in electrical costs over a 25-year period and reduce greenhouse gases.

The majority of solar power in California is still generated by rooftop panels. But parking-lot arrays have been springing up, including at UC San Diego, where they have been planted on the top floor of two parking garages, and at Google's Mountain View headquarters.

By March, the county will have installed more than 15,000 solar panels in nine parking lots at eight sites. The estimated $18 million in savings over 25 years is minor -- less than $1 million a year in a county that now pays $18 million a year for energy. But county officials point to the environmental benefits, saying the projects will reduce carbon dioxide by 4,116 metric tons -- the equivalent of taking 800 cars a year off the road. The projects also create at least 92 temporary jobs, they said.

The county is paying for the four smallest projects through a solar-power purchasing agreement with several cities known as a PPA. Under that arrangement, private firms build and own the solar arrays; the county and other cities buy the power at a discounted rate. However, the estimated savings from the PPA turned out to be negligible -- only about $2 million over 20 years. Construction on those will begin in January.

So at the urging of supervisors Dave Cortese and Ken Yeager, the county financed its four largest remaining projects through a combination of government incentive programs, including $7.4 million from the California Solar Initiative Program and interest-rate discounts on bonds subsidized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The county's share will be about $13 million of the $20 million cost, and it will own the arrays. Construction already has begun on Elmwood jail and on a two-lot project at the sheriff's office and nearby County Government Center.

Green as the parking lot arrays are, there's good news for the many county workers and visitors who haven't given up driving. The solar trees at the eight sites will eat up only six of more than 1,000 parking spaces.

SOURCE:  http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_18730466?nclick_check=1  

Portable Solar Power

SkyBuilt Power from Virginia has developed the SkyCase and the SkyPAK for the US Army. Both of them will work in tandem, where the former is a power storage and management module. The SkyCase will come in a weatherproof, crushproof and dustproof case which can be wheeled around like a traveler’s luggage.

The lithium ion batteries inside the SkyCase will feature sophisticated power management and safety features, where among them include graceful degradation, and short circuit/overload protection. There is an LCD read-out panel located on the case’s exterior, where it will let you know of information concerning the battery’s status during charging and discharging cycles.

The SkyPAK Portable Array Kits will work with the SkyCase, being fold-out crystalline solar arrays which are said to be twice as powerful compared to the traditional solar blanket. Since it comes in an accordion design, it is will deploy rapidly.

SOURCE:  http://www.ubergizmo.com/2011/08/skycase-offers-solar-power-in-a-suitcase-convenience/

Solar Powered Electric Vehicles To Come With Household Solar Package

Ford and solar-panel maker SunPower have created a solar-powered electric-car package.

Buyers of Ford's electric vehicles will have an option to have SunPower's rooftop solar panels installed for about $10,000 after a federal tax rebate. The companies estimate that the 2.5-kilowatt array will generate enough juice, about 3,000 kilowatt-hours a year, to fuel a car for about 1,000 miles a month of driving.

A SunPower solar panel array. Charging an electric car for a year will take 11 of SunPower's efficient panels.



The "Drive Green for Life" program means drivers can cut the cord on fossil fuels by generating power during the day and charging at night, according to the companies.

Ford plans to release an all-electric Ford Focus and its C-Max Energy plug-in hybrid in 19 states next year and in Europe in 2013.

SunPower makes high-end solar panels, which means a 2.5-kilowatt array will require 11 of its residential panels, which will take less space than less-efficient panels. Like other panels, they have 25-year warranties. SunPower said that state-specific incentives and rebates could lower the installation cost below $10,000.

The panels will be installed by SunPower's installer network and financing to offset the upfront cost is available. Customers can also monitor the solar panels' output over the Web application or an iPhone app.

In practice, grid-tied solar panels offset an entire home's electricity consumption, rather than only the power from an electric car charger. But coupling rooftop solar panels with an electric car will make for a low-polluting car and lower monthly electricity bills.

Ford's competitor General Motors last month announced a program to install large solar arrays at some offices and dealerships, including solar canopies with Chevy Volts underneath.

SOURCE: http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20090600-54/ford-evs-to-come-with-household-solar-panel-option/#ixzz1Udvc4zvB

Unusual Solar Furniture - Just Doesn't Look Comfortable!

Solar powered furniture is nothing new, but this crazy looking rocking lounge chair created by architecture students at MIT adds a couple of unique features.


Named the SOFT Rocker, the chair has a 35-watt solar panel that charges a built in battery, so you can still get juice from its built in USB ports after the sun goes down.

You can even use the battery to light up the inside of the loop Tron style, adding some groovy atmosphere.

SOURCE: http://dvice.com/archives/2011/05/solar-powered-l.php#9

Solar Powered Washing Machine Knows When Sun Shines

The new solar powered washing machine makes the most of the sunshine with smart grid. The system is being trialled in the Dutch city of Breda, where 300 new houses have been built using this new technology. Creators hope that testing it in this way will not only help to develop the technology, but also help them to understand how people use it.

The pilot is initiated by grid operator Enexis, in cooperation with power company Greenchoice and development corporation HEJA. Using special devices, residents of two neighbourhoods in Breda are able to select the most favourable time for using energy, which can be the cheapest or the most sustainable. A special website informs them about this. The test lasts for 2 years and will show if people are prepared to use these options or not.

The project involves 246 apartments with woodstoves and solar panels and 57 houses with heat pumps and solar panels, to be completed in 2012. In each home, smart devices like a smart electricity meter or a smart washing machine will be installed, connected to a smart energy computer. Besides giving residents information about the energy they use and produce, it collects their preferences and controls all devices as efficiently as possible.

Enexis' main purpose is to explore how much people are willing to use electricity in a flexible way in order to save money and the environment. The outcome shows us how we can integrate sustainable energy, like solar panels, into the grid and meet growing demands.

In this smart network, the washing machine, logged into an online weather channel, knows exactly when the sun shines or when the price of power on the energy exchange APX -ENDEX is most favourable. For example: it could be more efficient to do your laundry at night and not in the evening. Or maybe it's best to do it during the day, when solar panels produce power.

Enexis emphasizes that with this pilot it wants to contribute to a transition to sustainable power. Project manager Joris Knigge of the innovation department: "This is an example of proactive development of a smart grid. Our company, together with the others involved, prepares itself for the future. On the other hand, we ask ourselves if consumers are ready for this. That's what this test will show."

Enexis is an independent energy distribution network operator in seven Dutch provinces, responsible for the development, construction, control, maintenance and management of distribution networks. It is headquartered in Rosmalen and connects 2.6 million customers to their power companies.

SOURCE: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/solar-powered-washing-machine-knows-when-sun-shines-119752139.html

Solar Artificial Leaf is Unveiled

MIT chemist Daniel Nocera has unveiled details about his long-awaited "artificial leaf" invention, a small solar cell that mimics photosynthesis and has the potential to produce low-cost electricity for individual homes - an advance that could be particularly valuable in the developing world, where many people lack electricity.

About the size of a playing card, the solar cell - which uses inexpensive and widely available materials like silicon - is able to split water into its two components, hydrogen and oxygen. Placed in a gallon of water in bright sunlight, the device could produce enough electricity to supply a house in a developing country with electricity for a day.

The hydrogen and oxygen gases produced by the artificial leaf could be stored in a small fuel cell, which would use the gases to generate electricity. Nocera, who has been working on the technology for several years, released details about it during the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society in California. "Our goal is to make each home its own power station," said Nocera. While U.S. researchers had previously developed a so-called "artificial leaf," Nocera's recent discovery of inexpensive catalysts, including nickel and cobalt, has made the technology more efficient and cost-effective.

SOURCE: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/29/idUS81168260920110329

Solar Power Going Plastic

Cheaper and lighter compared to its more expensive, cumbersome silicon cousin, plastic photovoltaics (PV) could herald a revolution in the solar power market, according to a UK solar panel expert.

"Plastics are much cheaper to process than silicon. In principle the devices we've been making might be very, very cheap and cover large areas," said David Lidzey from the UK's University of Sheffield.

Unlike rigid silicon panels, plastic (or organic) PV is far more flexible making it easier to install, which Lidzey says could hand it a huge advantage.

"If you've got panels that almost roll up like a big sheet of wallpaper then that might be a very good way of powering developing countries," he said

Polymer solar panels differ from most commercial plastics like polythene which are essentially insulators.

Turning them from a material that prevents conductivity into ones that promote it requires chemists to "tweak their molecular structure," says Lidzey.

But he says some everyday plastic products aren't a million miles away from the plastic PV he's researching.

"If you look at a (chip) packet, what you've got is a plastic film, a few layers of inks and a printed metal layer to keep the materials fresh. Rearrange the order of those layers and you get to a structure that's very similar to the PV devices we're looking at," Lidzey said.


On of the leading lights in developing plastic PV is U.S.-based tech company, Konarka who are already applying their "Power Plastic" technology to a wide range of products including luggage and parasols.

Larger arrays are also being fitted to street furniture, as can be seen with San Francisco's bus shelters.

Researchers are also hopeful that buildings could also get the plastic treatment in the future.

In 2009, Konarka installed a "curtain wall" to an outside section of its Florida offices as part of a pilot project.

Plastic PV, say the company, can absorb sunlight from "all sorts of ranges" allowing it to be installed onto vertical walls.

Founded in 2001, Konarka are one of many companies trying to perfect the technology. And the news is increasingly promising. But there are some issues to be resolved before plastic can truly find its place in the sun.

Whereas silicon has an efficiency of around 15-18%, plastic devices can only achieve 7-8% at best, currently.

Problems also remain with operational lifetime. Silicon devices will generally last around 20 years and are very stable, Lidzey says.

Organic-based (plastic) systems are less so, degrading much more quickly. But things are improving.

"There is a lot of activity to find out what the mechanisms are by which these materials degrade so we can produce better packaging materials to prevent this," Lidzey said.

He concedes there is some way to go before plastic PV catches up with silicon's superior efficiency and durability, but even that might not be an issue, he says.

"The idea is that you might not need to catch up provided you can make them cheap enough," he said.

"My guess is that it will be between five and ten years, and then we will see a significant volume of devices being made from plastic."

SOURCE: http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/innovation/01/21/plastic.solar.panel.revolution/

Frame-Free Solar Panels - BIPV

Global Solar Energy Inc. set out 15 years ago to invent a flexible solar power panel for soldiers.

Since accomplishing that mission, Global Solar - which operates Arizona's only manufacturing plant for thin-film photovoltaic cells - has had to reinvent itself to adapt to a rapidly changing market.

Global - which was initially funded by an investment subsidiary of Tucson-base UniSource Energy Corp. - hit the market with its portable solar power packs in 2004 and still sells those products to militaries worldwide.

In recent years, the company has ramped up production of strings of thin-film solar cells for large-scale solar installations, opening a 100,000-square-foot plant on South Rita Road and another in Berlin in 2008.

The company hoped to capitalize on a lower production cost for its thin-film copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) photovoltaic cells, amid a run-up in prices for more common silicon-based modules.

"Everything was ripe for us to come in with a lower-cost product and really be able to compete," Global Solar President and CEO Jeffrey Britt said.

But by late 2008, the highly cyclical price of silicon-based photovoltaics was plummeting, due to recessionary demand pinch and oversupply and a flood of low-cost modules from China.

"Our business model was kind of flipped around - we were no longer significantly cheaper than crystal silicon, we were only competitive," said Britt. "When you have a new technology, you have to have some kind of incentive for a customer to try a new technology, and if it can't be price, what is it?"

The company decided to shift its focus to a new product line in "building integrated photovoltaics" (BIPV) - systems that are applied directly to a building, without glass-clad frames or mounting frames.

In 2009, Global announced a partnership with Dow Chemical Co. to develop photovoltaic roofing shingles as part of Dow's participation in a U.S. Energy Department initiative to commercialize American solar technologies.

In September, the company rolled out a new flexible solar module, the PowerFLEX BIPV, which consists of Global's CIGS modules laminated into 300-watt strips. The strips can be directly attached to rooftops with adhesive. That avoids the need for costly and heavy glass-clad panels and mounting frames.

"We've really gone back to our roots of a flexible product that is lightweight," Britt said. "We're no longer taking our flexible solar cells and laminating them behind a piece of glass, which sort of takes all of that advantage away."

Marketing the product mainly through roofing materials companies, the company is building up orders and ramping up production of its new stick-on panels.


The panels start out with strings of PV cells produced in Global's factory, which employs about 130 people at 8500 S. Rita Road. Reels of thin, flexible stainless steel are run through four different coating processes, adding thin layers of molybdenum, CIGS materials, cadmium sulfide and indium tin oxide.

From there, the reels are sent through a machine that prints circuitry in conductive silver ink. The material is then slit and strung with conductor material to form module strings, which are automatically tested under artificial sunlight for quality and efficiency before being packaged for panel makers or cut for other products.

On the company's new BIPV panel production line, the solar strings are arranged in roughly 19-foot-long strips, laminated with durable vinyl with an adhesive backing fitted with plugs that allow installers to quickly link panels.

Global is marketing its BIPV product in the U.S., Europe and Asia, but Britt sees more immediate opportunity initially in Europe and Asia, where land is relatively scarce and building codes favor building-integrated PV because of its light weight.

France, Italy, Spain and Germany have special incentives geared toward BIPV, while Japan has very strict building codes because of earthquakes, Britt said.

"You can imagine having a heavy load of glass on a rooftop is not an ideal situation in an earthquake-prone country," Britt said.

Industry analysts expect BIPV to be a leading sector of solar growth in the next few years.

NanoMarkets LC, a Virginia-based market research firm, projects that worldwide shipments of BPIV products will grow from about $1.9 billion in 2010 to nearly $6 billion in 2014 and more than $16 billion by 2017.

While Britt declined to discuss revenue figures, he noted that the company has an annual production capacity of about 75 megawatts, or 75 million watts, with a wholesale value of about $1 per watt.

Light weight is an asset

The head of a local solar energy installation company that is currently testing Global's new BIPV panels said he sees wide potential for the product.

The product's light weight makes it ideal for carports, which often can't bear the weight of glass-encased, metal-framed panels, said George Villec, owner of GeoInnovation LLC since 2004.

"The glass is so heavy, sometimes you have to redesign the whole structure," he said. Putting the system on existing flat building roofs is trickier, Villec said, because you have to worry about adherence and water management.

Even so, Global's plant is important to give consumers a choice of a U.S.-made product and to keep Tucson competitive in the solar market, Villec said.

Until recently, Global was the only commercial-scale manufacturer of PV cells in Arizona.

Suntech, a Chinese maker of silicon PV modules, recently opened a cell manufacturing plant in Goodyear, just west of Phoenix.

"I think it's critical," Villec said of Global's expanding presence. "We're losing business to Phoenix, which is wooing some of these companies like Suntech."

PV shingles not far off

Arizona is home to larger solar companies, including Tucson-based Solon Corp., which assembles its PV panels from cells made elsewhere. Solon owns a 20-percent stake in Global Solar and uses its PV strings in some applications.

Tempe-based First Solar Inc. is the world's biggest thin-film supplier, but it makes its cadmium telluride cells in plants in Ohio, Germany and Malaysia.

Britt said Global will continue to make and sell portable PV charging systems, which it supplies to about 15 militaries worldwide.

"It's actually a fairly small business, but with good margins," he said.

Global is still working with Dow on the PV shingles, which are expected to hit the retail market later this year, Britt said.

Meanwhile, the company continues to boost the energy-conversion efficiency of its thin-film cells.

In 2009, the company set a federally certified benchmark for cell efficiency at 15.45 percent. Global's production cells have an efficiency approaching 12 percent, and Britt said the company could approach the 15-percent efficiency mark for production cells in the next three to four years.

SOURCE: http://azstarnet.com/business/local/article_fbc9987f-fcd9-5c3e-aa65-28f5661f8bef.html

Solar Power Helping Marines

U.S. Marines may be on the verge of turning a long-time enemy into an ally. In this case, that enemy is the desert sun. Thanks to flexible solar panels, the sun can help run military equipment — and it may even cut down on casualties.

By using solar power and placing an emphasis on energy conservation, Marines and sailors of 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment say they cut diesel consumption in their generators from 20 gallons a day to 2.5 gallons a day.

The regiment tested the equipment in Afghanistan at the end of last year, in what may be the first large-scale military test of solar power there.

Marines who used the technology say it helps in three main ways:

1. Fewer Supply Convoys — With less need for fuel and batteries, fewer trucks are exposed to possible attacks on the road.
2. Quieter Is Safer — Units that rely on diesel generators to keep equipment running at night could go quiet while running on batteries, making them harder for the enemy to find.
3. Efficiency — The foldable solar blankets are light and don't take up much space. That should help patrols' mobility, and save space for other supplies — like ammunition, as one sergeant says.

That all sounds great — but another report, from a Marine training exercise here in the U.S., adds a different perspective. To work properly, the solar panels needed bright sun — something that was less abundant in the test areas of Virginia than in Afghanistan.

But for the Marines in that test, the biggest stumbling block was time:

An eight-hour charge for a single AN/PRC-119F SINCGARS radio battery took between three to four hours, which makes this an unrealistic option for Marines on the move, said Sgt. Taylor Clark, a communications instructor with The Basic School in Quantico.

"If you're on a patrol, you are not able to stop and set up for four hours; it's not very 'recon friendly,'" explained the Metairie, La., native.

Clark mentioned that in order to keep the SPACES charging at optimal levels, it had to be continually rotated to keep it in direct contact with the sun as the day progressed. It also had to be kept completely free and clear of sand, which can be time consuming and tedious when in a desert, he said.

Still, the recent tests showed that using alternative energy on military missions has both tactical and environmental benefits. And in both the Virginia and the Afghanistan tests, Marines praised the panels for being durable, light and simple — kind of the trifecta for field gear.

Just in case your appetite for Clancy-esque military-speak hasn't been sated, here's a last soupcon: The so-called Solar Portable Alternative Communications Energy System (SPACES) was deployed in a new program called ExFOB — that's Experimental Forward Operating Base to you.

Want that used in a sentence? Just ask a man known as Gunny:

ExFOB has provided immediate energy to my boys," said Gunnery Sgt. Willy Carrion, 'I' Company, company gunnery sergeant. "Logistics and resupply to my men is essential to our mission accomplishment. Marines can sustain themselves on little food and water, but the time we have saved on convoys for fuel and batteries, has been crucial.

SOURCE: http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2011/01/17/133006575/solar-powered-marines-see-gains-in-afghanistan  

New iPhone Solar Charger

iPhone users have come to expect more applications and product improvements. They also expect their solar charger to continue to perform and not become obsolete. That's what makes the PC5 the preferred long-term solar charger investment.

"Skype is releasing a new iPhone app that allows video calls over Wi-Fi, AT&T's 3G network" and "iPhone 5 Rumors Pack in Everything But the Kitchen Sink" are an indication of the continued trend toward higher power requirements for the iPhone. iPhone users can depend on the powerful compact PC5 solar charger to meet those needs.

The ability to charge the iPhone so quickly while remaining operational comes from the PC5's compact, high efficiency, solar array. The PC5 also features an efficient circuit design that helps continuously maximize the available solar energy from the sun for iPhone solar charging.

The PC5 does not include any on board batteries that interrupt the continued use of the iPhone. It needs no special adapters. It directly charges the iPhone using the supplied USB charge cord that is included with the iPhone. The PC5 solar charger is highly reliable, simple to use, and hassle free. Just place it in sun, plug it into the iPhone and notice instant usage and charging.

The PC5 is an optimized 5 volt USB solar charger. It can deliver a true 5 watts at 5 volts. This is well within the power requirements for today's and future iPhone charging. Suntactics does not advise the use of 12volt AA battery solar charger panels to charge 5volt USB devices. Doing so requires DC-DC conversion and you will often not get the full power required to charge the iPhone at an optimum level.

Use the PC5 solar charger to charge iPhones while camping, at picnics, at the beach, by the pool, or ball games. Take it hiking and keep those iPhone GPS apps running. Use it to solar charge the iPhone when there is no other power available.

The PC5 is the best solution for iPhone users requiring dependable solar charging. It is also a great solution for iPad and other high power devices that have similar needs.

Features:

No internal batteries needed, Non toxic, compact special folding design fits in purse, small CD wallets and backpacks, Water and weather resistant

Standard USB "A" connector, Solar USB output: 5vDC/1Amp, Solar panel output: 1.2 Isc, 5.8 Vcc, Open size: 6-1/8" x 11.5",Weight: 7oz/200g

SOURCE

Granite Quarry Gets Solar Garbage Cans

When the sun shines, the garbage will grind.

Waste Management has donated a solar-powered trash compactor — the first of its kind in the region — to the town of Granite Quarry in North Carolina.

It may represent the trash can of the future.

“Granite Quarry leads the way in a whole lot of things,” Mayor Mary Ponds said. “We don’t mind setting the way for others to follow. It’s all about going green.”

The solar trash compactor will be placed at the town’s Granite Lake Park.

Waste Management promotes the compactor, which is about the same size as a standard 35-gallon trash barrel, as having five times greater capacity, meaning it can reduce the collection trips needed to empty it by 80 percent.

That translates to an 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, the company claims, while it also saves 80 percent in fuel, labor and maintenance costs.

When the trash receptacle reaches capacity, sensors trigger an internal, solar-powered compactor that flattens the contents, converting 180 gallons of waste in all into “easy-to-collect” bags, Waste Management says.

The units also can be equipped with a wireless system, signaling that the unit is ready to be picked up.

Waste Management says the trash compactors have been used in many cities and public venues around the country.

“Our compactors are another example of how we are constantly looking for new ways to better manage waste and assist in meeting sustainable goals,” Stan Joseph, public affairs manager for Waste Management, said in a press release.

Joseph planned to attend the Granite Quarry Board of Aldermen’s meeting Monday night but could not make it.

Ponds said the town is always looking for ways “to reduce our carbon footprint and make the earth a greener place.”

Elsewhere, Waste Management offers solar compactors to municipalities through purchase or leasing plans. It says the compactors are made from recycled materials.

Who knows, the solar system of the future might involve trash cans, not planets.

SOURCE

Apple Juicz - Solar Power Charger for MacBook Air

If your idea of mobile computing includes going places where there are no wall outlets, QuickerTek can keep your MacBook charged with its Apple Juicz line of solar power chargers, now upgraded for use with the new MacBook Airs.

The Apple Juicz is a flexible photoelectric tarp which can be laid out upon or staked to the ground to absorb sunlight. The 27-watt model covers 41.5 by 30.5 inches, and recharges a MacBook Air in 12 hours; the 55-watt version is 59 by 43 inches, and does the same in six hours. Both fold up to notepad size for transportation in an included case.

The Apple Juicz comes with a rebuilt MagSafe connector for use with your MacBook, a 12V car charger, and a third connector to attach other QuickerTek products such as external battery packs. QuickerTek offers to add additional connectors for your other devices upon request. Their Website lists the Apple Juicz for the MacBook Air as a separate unit from the standard model, but also says their standard model is compatible with the Air; check with QuickerTek if you plan on mixing and matching your MacBooks.

Apple Juicz costs $700 for the 27-watt model, and $1200 for the 55-watt model.

SOURCE

Indiana to Open Solar Module Manufacturing Plant

Loveland-based Abound Solar has leased a 781,750-square-foot facility in Tipton, Ind., where it will establish a solar module manufacturing plant, the company said Tuesday.

Once refurbished, the plant will be the largest such facility in the U.S.

The company finalized the lease after closing on a $400 million loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Energy and a $110 million equity investment, both announced previously.

The Associated Press reported last summer that Abound said it wouldn’t start hiring workers for its Indiana factory until it ramped up production at its Colorado facility.

A company spokesman said last month that Abound employs about 350 people at its manufacturing plant east of Longmont and plans to triple the size of that facility in the next few years.

The plant, on the Interstate 25 Frontage Road with a Longmont mailing address, last month leased 37,000 square feet at 2950 Colorful Ave. in Longmont. It will assemble equipment for its solar modules at that location, with up to 10 employees.

The Indiana facility recently was bought by an investment group led by Boulder-based W.W. Reynolds Cos.

The company’s administrative office is in Centerra in east Loveland, and it also has a research and development lab in Fort Collins.

SOURCE

Cool Solar Products - Solar Flashlights

Solar flashlight are one of the essential tools for any emergency conditions. They can be used anytime and don’t need anything but the sunlight to recharge. Generally, this solar flashlights use LED bulbs, which use more less energy but give great light result.

Many campers an hikers thinks that this solar flashlight is the best equipment for them since this product designed operated without batteries. This mean the hikers and campers don’t need extra supplies in their bag. This product always have solar panels integrated into the body, and with just letting them under the sunlight in a few hours usually enough to charge them for a full night’s use. The best thins, they are also classifieds to portable equipment, so you can easily bring it on wherever you go.


Verilux ReadyLight Natural Spectrum Solar Rechargeable Flashlight
Price: $29.95

The Verilux ReadyLight, featuring 6 super-bright LED Natural Spectrum bulbs, provides a wider beam than other conventional flashlights, while eliminating the need to frequently dispose of expensive batteries. The extra-large solar panel recharges quickly and the ruggedized construction provides years of reliable service. Handy clip provides hands-free operation during emergencies. Verilux donates $1 from the purchase or each ReadyLight to the New Sudan Education Initiative (NESE) for installation of solar power in their secondary schools throughout southern Sudan.



The ‘Green’ Flashlight – 5 Bright LED SOLAR-Charged!
Price : $5.80

Definitely NOT a ‘gimmick’ flashlight – this one puts out a lot of useful light and the rechargeable batteries (included) have impressive storage and output capacity (we actually had more than the manufacturer’s stated 3-hour battery life in our tests). Sleek, easy-to-hold design – can’t roll away on you and includes built-in compass. 6″-length, 2″ width, 1-1/2″ lamp-head.




Seattle Sports Sol Jus Solar Charger
Price: $38.78

This compact solar charger is a great camp mate. With a USB outbound charger, it’s capable of charging most USB compatible devices, including iPods, cameras, and cell phones. Plug your own cable into the outbound charging socket to charge your GPS and other devices. A built-in 3-function light has 2 flashlight settings and 1 strobe setting. An easy-grip exterior rubberized coating is shock-resistant too.

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Unique Lightweight Solar Racking

KB Racking is releasing its revolutionary AeroRack model for the Canadian market at Canada's largest solar conference next week. The Canadian affiliate of Knubix GmbH Germany, a global leader in flat roof mounting systems, will reveal its best-in-class racking system at the CanSIA Solar Canada 2010 show. KB Racking can be found at booth #828 in the Toronto Metro Convention Center on December 6th and 7th.

The company's flagship product, AeroRack, employs a unique aerodynamic design that requires virtually no ballast. Even with the weight of the solar PV module, the system adds less than 2 lbs per square foot to a roof. The system is designed so that roof penetration is unnecessary. In addition, the mounting uses a patented "quick click" technique that makes it quicker to install than traditional mounting systems. KB Racking's experience with challenging roofs in Europe demonstrates the advanced system's effectiveness for Ontario's structurally weaker roofs. AeroRack has been tested in extreme windy and snowy weather conditions and comfortably exceeds all requirements for the Ontario market.

The product will be produced in Ontario, using Canadian labour and facilities. This makes it eligible for the domestic content rules outlined in the Ontario Power Authority's FIT program. AeroRack will contribute to the creation of new jobs in Ontario as a result of the Green Energy Act.


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Solar Bikini's? I Don't Think So

A year ago Bonnie modelled a solar powered bikini, but it was just a prototype. Now, the Guardian tells us that flexible solar cells will be woven right into our clothing, to charge our iPods and phones.

Dave Pritchard at Fujitsu, told David Smith of the Guardian: 'Within a year it will be possible to design clothing with solar cells on the back or arms, so you can recharge wearable devices.' He said the clothing would be useful on the ski slopes, outdoor holidays and for the emergency services. It would also appeal to the environmentally conscious as a means of reducing power consumption.

Hitachi is also working on flexible solar cells at its UK laboratory in Cambridge. Koichi Tsuzuki, head of research and development in Europe, said a full jacket of solar cells exposed to four hours of daylight could provide battery life for a typical day's use.

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Solar Powered iSlate Assists Rural Students

Soon, Indian students, who are studying in schools that lack electricity, will get new a low-cost power efficient tablet, called i-Slate.

i-Slate, which works on solar energy, is underway to hit India. Scientists at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University and Rice University are developing the i-Slate to boost the technological learning experience to rural students.

The electronic notepad i-Slate will be beneficial for at least 100 million Indian children who attend the school which face lack of electricity. The proto-type of i-Slate has been successfully tested in schools in Hyderabad.

The chips used in i-Slate make the device to run on solar energy. It is expected that new i-Slate will bring miracle of technology into thousands of rural schools.

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Solar Movie Theater

Want to have a smaller footprint without sacrificing your favorite activities like a regular trip to the movies?

The Sol Cinema, a project funded by the media arts charity Undercurrents, is the world’s smallest solar-powered movie theater. Made from a converted caravan, the theater uses four large lithium-ion batteries that are charged by two 120W solar panels. Movie theater can accommodate 8 adults or 12 children for a unique cinematic experience.

Boasting a library complete with a variety of environmental films, the Sol Cinema aims to raise awareness about solar power and spread an eco message.

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