IKEA State’s Largest Solar Owner

Solar panels sit atop roof of an IKEA store in Bloomington, MN. Nearly twice the size of what sits on the Minneapolis Convention Center's roof.

IKEA, the world’s leading home furnishings retailer, today officially plugged-in the solar energy system installed at its store in Houston, Texas – which, when combined with IKEA projects atop stores in Frisco and Round Rock, will make IKEA the state’s largest solar owner. IKEA Houston’s 116,400-square-foot PV array consists of a 813-kW system, built with 3,388 panels. The program will produce approximately 1,152,464 kWh of clean electricity annually, the equivalent of reducing 795 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), eliminating the emissions of 156 cars or powering 99 homes yearly (calculating clean energy equivalents at www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-resources/calculator.html ). … Continue Reading

U.S. Clean Energy Policies Risk Losing Lead Over China

Alex Morales, Bloomberg News  – The U.S. government is creating a “boom and bust” in renewable energy investment that threatens to undermine its lead over China, the Pew Charitable Trusts said in a report.

U.S. investment reached $48.1 billion in 2011, largely in wind and solar power, the Washington-based research group said last night in a report based on Bloomberg New Energy Finance data. Those funds trumped the $45.5 billion China allocated to renewables, for lead for the U.S. since 2008. … Continue Reading

Is Solar Power Really too Expensive or Is that Just What Opponents Want You to Think

Example of a centralized solar plant model where everything would be controlled by the utility company - even price.

Recently I visited the west coast of the U.S. and being a resident of Florida for the past twenty-plus years I must say that I was totally exhilarated by what I saw in California, and totally disappointed with what I know to be the case in Florida. Over and over, I saw the rooftops of homes covered with solar panels. Compare that to what is the case in Florida where such a sight is barely nascent. The simple fact is that Florida (the Sunshine State) homeowners are virtually non-existent when it comes to distributive solar power or rooftop solar. How is this possible when you consider the following presumption… … Continue Reading

Greek Hopes Rest on Solar Power for Economic Recovery

The "Helios" solar power plane on first test flight over Niihau after take off

Greece, perhaps more than any other country in the EU, has been the worst hit in the Euro-zone crisis. However, the Greek Prime Minister has declared that renewable energy investments will prove to be crucial to the country’s recovery. … Continue Reading

New Mexico among solar energy leaders

Visual of First Solar, Southern Co. and Turner Renewable Energy project that will add 30 megawatts of utility-scale solar power to the New Mexico electric grid.

SANTA FE, N.M.—A new report says New Mexico is among the nation’s leaders in production of electricity from solar power. … Continue Reading

North America’s Largest Rooftop Solar Power Plant Formally Completed

The Riverside Project calls for the installation of 27528 photovoltaic rooftop solar - that's plenty of jobs created and energy being saved.

GLOUCESTER CITY, N.J., PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — U.S. Rep. Robert Andrews, D-N.J., today presented Gloucester Marine Terminal officials with an award letter announcing an $11 million federal tax credit rebate for the recently-completed groundbreaking new rooftop solar power plant project, the largest of its kind in North America. … Continue Reading

Renewables future left blowing in the wind

Ireland has the potential to produce three times the country’s energy needs using renewable resources.

Ambitious plans to capitalise on renewable opportunities in Ireland appear to have stalled and it remains to be seen if the Government can get things back on track, writes JOHN REYNOLDS

THE GOVERNMENT’S jobs action plan talks of building upon our Emerald Isle image and capitalising on opportunities, particularly in renewable energy, to “green” the economy. But has the dream faded? … Continue Reading

Biden slams Republicans for blocking programs for renewable energy

More investment in “green” technology is shaping up to be a cornerstone of President Obama’s re-election effort, and the administration’s No. 2 man on Sunday accused Republicans of standing in the way of wind, solar and other renewable sources of energy. … Continue Reading