When Incandescent and Halogen Bulbs are Preferred
December 22, 2009 | Comments Off
Although many incandescent and halogen bulbs can be replaced with compact fluorescent or LED lights, there are times when traditional light is preferred. Although CF’’s have become better, the warm light of incandescent bulbs are preferred in some rooms at home.
Halogen bulbs produce a brighter whiter light and are popular in nothern areas. They can help prevent seasonal affective disorder. They are excellent when days are short or weather is cloudy.
The heat generated by halogen and incandescent bulbs may be desirable in cold weather. The added heat can add warmth to a cold room and cause the heating system to be used less.
LED lights should not be used for traffic lights in cold climates. They do not generate enough heat to melt snow making them invisible to drivers and pedestrians.
Ad Continued: Chevron Tells You To Invest in Energy Efficiency
December 22, 2009 | Comments Off
Dec 21, 2009 – Chevron is running print advertisements headlined, “Every dollar invested in energy efficiency today could return two dollars in energy savings.” That statement is meaningless by itself. Everyone wants to know how soon they’ll get back that $2. Further down in the ad, it quotes a McKinsey & Company report that states that “investments in energy efficiency [undefined] of $520 billion in the next 10 years would generate savings of $1.2 trillion. [The footnote indicates that the data are in net present-value terms & that the report only examined greater efficiency in the stationary uses of energy in the U.S. only.] The rest of the ad touts the efforts that Chevron has made in the last 25 years. The fastest means to energy savings is in energy efficiency; much faster than developing new technology to produce and transmit energy.
Reality beckons for geothermal energy dream
December 20, 2009 | Leave a Comment
EVERY time Resources Minister Martin Ferguson makes an announcement regarding geothermal energy he likes to quote the statistic that just 1 per cent of Australia’s geothermal resources could power Australia for 26,000 years.
But does he really believe it can even power Australia one time over? The pace and quantum of the government funding for geothermal suggests he is not entirely convinced.
He wouldn’t be the only one.
Continue Reading at TheAustralian
Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-12-20
December 20, 2009 | Leave a Comment
- The technology behind photovoltaics (PV) http://bit.ly/6fh0Qa #
- ECN, REC set new multicrystalline-silicon solar module efficiency record, hit 17% http://bit.ly/8LGdPy #
- EDF taps €1 billion in solar project financing: exclusive use of First Solar modules http://bit.ly/7I8ZuO #
- Phoenix Solar completes largest power plant in Berlin http://bit.ly/8vCsB3 #
- First Solar to add eight CdTe lines; targets sales US$2.9 billion in 2010 (updated) http://bit.ly/8RRJFA #
- Capacity conundrum: Are thin-film PV companies at a disadvantage versus the cheap silicon crowd? http://bit.ly/4GxLMr #
- First Solar first to 1GW annual module production http://bit.ly/7nmA0p #
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Twitter Updates for 2009-12-19
December 19, 2009 | Leave a Comment
- EDF taps €1 billion in solar project financing: exclusive use of First Solar modules http://bit.ly/7I8ZuO #
- Phoenix Solar completes largest power plant in Berlin http://bit.ly/8vCsB3 #
- First Solar to add eight CdTe lines; targets sales US$2.9 billion in 2010 (updated) http://bit.ly/8RRJFA #
- Capacity conundrum: Are thin-film PV companies at a disadvantage versus the cheap silicon crowd? http://bit.ly/4GxLMr #
- First Solar first to 1GW annual module production http://bit.ly/7nmA0p #
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SolarCity names new chief financial officer
December 19, 2009 | Comments Off
SolarCity has announced that David White has been brought on as the company’s chief financial officer. With over 20 years of experience in executive-level financial management, White will oversee financing and accounting functions. The new appointment has come just as the company passes 5,000 customers and introduces operations in Colorado.
Rudolph Technologies announces director of global process control software sales
December 19, 2009 | Comments Off
Rudolph Technologies announced Wednesday that Tony Mullins will take up the role of director of global process control software sales immediately. Mayson Brooks, Rudolph’s vice president of global sales, believes that Mullins’ experience will help him in the new position. “Tony brings a wealth of process control know-how to Rudolph,” said Brooks.
Happy solstice: Solyndra files for IPO, could become first CIGS pure-play to go public
December 19, 2009 | Comments Off
CIGS could soon have a name and a face on Wall Street–Solyndra. While much of the business community was sipping egg nog and eating Christmas cookies at office parties or buying armloads of presents on the final Friday before the coming holiday, Solyndra filed an S-1 registration statement for an initial public offering with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The purveyor of cylindrical copper-indium-gallium-(di)selenide photovoltaics will trade under the symbol “SOLY,” according to SEC documents, with Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley running the book on the proposed offering. CEO Chris Gronet and his team have come a long way in a short time since emerging from stealth mode with a splash a little more than a year ago, and the prospectus filed as part of the S-1 provides a new level of granularity about the progress and plans of the company.
Pennsylvania awards >$10M to dozen new solar projects; PV installations’ capacity to exceed 9.1MW
December 19, 2009 | Comments Off
In another example of American states taking the solar bull by the horns, Pennsylvania will invest more than $10 million in 12 new projects, following the Commonwealth Financing Authority’s approval. The awards are distributed mostly to planned photovoltaic installations, with a total capacity of >9.1MW, and include brownfield sites, rooftop systems, and commercial deployments.
Schott Solar expands 85MW PV module line in Albuquerque, hires 60 technicians to meet 24/7 schedule
December 19, 2009 | Comments Off
Schott Solar has expanded its photovoltaic module manufacturing line in Albuquerque, NM,, less than nine months after starting production at the facility. The company says it will double PV production, increasing from two shifts to four shifts on a rotating schedule, effectively creating a 24/7 manufacturing plan at the factory. As a result of the moves, Schott has hired 60 new employees.