First of several planned hybrid solar hot water and electricity systems for world-famous winery

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. & FULTON, Calif., Apr 05, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Cogenra Solar, a provider of distributed solar cogeneration systems, today announced the nation’s largest rooftop solar cogeneration system to date at Kendall-Jackson’s Kittyhawk winery in Windsor, California. Expanding on Kendall-Jackson’s existing energy and water conservation projects, the 96-module, 241kW hybrid solar photovoltaic (PV) and thermal array is expected to save approximately $30,000 in annual energy costs.

U.S. Congressman Mike Thompson and local business leaders convened today at Kendall-Jackson’s Wine Center to celebrate the company’s commitment to sustainability and unveil the solar cogeneration system, now supplying solar hot water and electricity to power the winery’s extensive tank and bottle washing operations.

“Our founder Jess Jackson was a trailblazer who made sustainability a core part of Kendall- Jackson’s DNA largely through innovation,” said Kendall-Jackson’s Vice President of Sustainability Robert Boller. “We’re thrilled to take this leadership position with Cogenra by installing the largest rooftop solar electricity and hot water rooftop system to date and two upcoming installations at our other production sites. It’s a win for the environment and our bottom line.”

Cogenra partnered with local installer SunWater Solar to construct the array on the roof of Kendall-Jackson’s Kittyhawk winery. The solar cogeneration system provides up to 60 percent of the building’s hot water needs, with the electricity powering lighting and cooling. In addition to this initial solar cogeneration project, Kendall-Jackson will install Cogenra arrays at their Vinwood estate in Sonoma County and an additional winery in Monterey County.

“The wine industry, and especially Kendall-Jackson, have been leaders in the sustainability movement,” said Gilad Almogy, CEO of Cogenra Solar. “Solar cogeneration is quickly becoming one of the industry’s most effective tools to maximize the impact of solar energy production to meet both electricity and hot water needs. We commend Kendall-Jackson for their sustainability leadership and look forward to deploying future projects.”

“This partnership between two great California companies is proof that business can boost the bottom line while helping the environment,” said U.S. Congressman Mike Thompson. “Innovative new energy technologies, like Cogenra’s, and smart, progressive businesses, like Kendall-Jackson, will drive job creation in the years ahead.”

About Kendall Jackson

Kendall-Jackson is a Sonoma County-based family owned and operated winery that is best-known for its estate-grown Chardonnay. For more information on the winery’s sustainability programs, visit http://blog.kj.com/kendall-jackson-to-become-largest-user-of-solar-cogenerated-power .

About Cogenra Solar

Cogenra Solar is a distributed solar cogeneration company that combines photovoltaic electricity production and heat collection to deliver low cost electricity and heat for commercial, industrial and institutional facilities. Cogenra’s solution enables clean, renewable energy below utility rates while reducing natural gas and grid-fed electricity consumption, offering five times the energy, three times the greenhouse gas reduction and twice the savings of traditional PV. Cogenra is located in Mountain View, California. Please visit cogenra.com for more information.

SOURCE: Cogenra Solar

Copyright Business Wire 2012

At the end of February, Apple revealed the renewable energy plans for its LEED Platinum certified data center in North Carolina that will feature a 20 MW solar array — the largest end-user owned array in the country — and a fuel cell installation with a capacity of about 5 MW. At the time, not much information was known about the fuel cell component, but a recent filing with the North Carolina Utilities Commission tells us a bit more.

The filing states that Apple will install 24 fuel cell modules with a capacity of 200 kW each next to the data center, making it the largest non-utility fuel cell installation in the country. The fuel cells will use biogas to generate electricity as soon as June 2012 and the whole 4.8 MW installation should be completed by this November.

Greensboro, North Carolina’s News and Record states that the provider will be Bloom Energy, the fuel cell startup that made huge waves two years ago when it came out of stealth mode and revealed it already had a list of clients including FedEx, Google, eBay, Coca-Cola, Staples, and Wal-Mart using its Bloom Boxes.

The same article reports that Apple will use hydrogen from natural gas coming from Piedmont Natural Gas in the fuel cells and then, to offset that natural gas use, it will produce landfill methane gas or some other biogas.

You may not want to completely turn the thermostat off when you leave the house – but if you get into the habit of turning it to at least 80 degrees you will notice a significant decrease in the amount of your electric bill.

If you install an Energy Star qualified programmable thermostat – it can save over $200.00 per year and usually pays for itself within the first year.

Some programmable thermostats even allow you to connect them to your computer for programming, and most models are very user friendly.

http://www.lower-my-energybill.com/free-energy-advice.html

Solar is the energy source of the future – a safe, clean and unlimited supply of power from the sun that has the potential to replace fossil fuels and their associated problems, be they political and diplomatic turmoil, or ecological degradation.

Now an industry-wide commitment of environmental and social responsibility released by the USA’s Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) aims to ensure its members ‘spread the love’ throughout the sector by applying the principals of sustainability and respect for human rights to the workplace.

“Solar is the cleanest, safest source of energy and the solar industry is committed to ensuring social and environmental responsibility for our supply chain,” said Rhone Resch, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association. “The release of SEIA’s Solar Commitment marks an important, proactive step toward a sustainable future for solar.”

Although the solar industry employs an estimated 100,000 people in the U.S., the SEIA still considers it a burgeoning field, allowing members to integrate the most efficient and effective approaches to sustainability management into their business practices while the sector is still young and flexible.

The “Solar Industry Commitment to Environmental and Social Responsibility,” (the Commitment) is based, in broad terms, on America’s Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition’s Code of Conduct but is tailored specifically for the solar market. It urges members to go above and beyond the letter of the law in regard to:

- establishing appropriate policies and processes to avoid infringement on human rights;

- complying with electrical design and installation standards to ensure electrical safety, including when systems are installed in ground-mount (free-field) or rooftop environments, and;

- reducing the consumption of natural resources including raw materials, water, and energy taking into consideration the entire product life-cycle from raw material sourcing through end-of-life;

- transparency in financial reporting.

SunPower senior-vice president and Chair of SEIA’s Environment, Health and Safety Committee, Julie Blunden said the Solar Commitment received unanimous support from the lobby group’s Board. An independent advisory group will be established to help guide participant solar companies through implementing the new measures.

“We applaud the founding participant companies, including my own, that have already endorsed the Solar Commitment and are actively working to develop a governance model and accountability mechanisms,” Blunden said.

The Philadelphia Eagles have formed a sustainable energy partnership with NRG of Princeton, N.J.

The plan calls for NRG (NYSE:NRG) to install more than 11,000 solar panels and 14 micro wind-turbines that will provide annually about six times the power used during all Eagles home games at Lincoln Financial Field.

The solar panels will be placed along 11th Street and the south façade of Lincoln Financial Field and in the stadium parking lot. The micro wind-turbines will be placed along the top of the stadium on the north and south sides. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

The partnership calls for NRG to become the official supplier of grid power to the stadium and a major sponsor of the Eagles. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“We’re eager to use this project at Lincoln Financial Field to continue our leadership role on environmental issues,” said Jeffrey Lurie, the Eagles chairman and CEO.

The Eagles in 2010 announced a similar clean energy partnership with Florida-based Solar Blue, but the project, which included construction of a cogeneration power plant, was later determined to be unfeasible and the alliance ended.

Solar Blue’s concept of what micro wind turbines atop Lincoln Financial Field would look like.

http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/news/2012/03/02/nrg-to-power-philadelphia-eagles.html

Chick-fil-A has received LEED Gold certification at its Fort Worth, TX location. The first Gold-certified restaurant in Fort Worth, the location has inspired the company to plan four more LEED designed restaurants in 2012.

How does a restaurant go about acquiring LEED Gold? Initiatives placed emphasis on four main areas of operation: cup recycling, energy and water efficiency in existing restaurants, sustainable new restaurant development, and sustainable supply chain.

As the chain’s first sustainable restaurant, the Montgomery Plaza location serves as a living laboratory as the company evaluates a variety of environmental initiatives as part of its overall growth strategy. The restaurant includes a host of sustainable features:

Water Usage – The restaurant utilizes low-flow fixtures in both the restrooms and the kitchen. An underground cistern (the size of a swimming pool) collects rainwater for landscape irrigation. As a result, Montgomery Plaza uses 40% less water when compared to a typical Chick-fil-A Restaurant.

Energy Efficiency – The restaurant features skylights in the dining area and windows in the kitchen, as well as the installation of energy efficient appliances. As a result, Chick-fil-A at Montgomery Plaza uses 14% less energy than industry standards.

Air Quality – Materials used in construction at Montgomery Plaza were specially selected because they do not emit harmful gasses. As a result, this restaurant has 30% more fresh air than a typical building.

Diverting Waste – 20% of the building material budget for Chick-fil-A at Montgomery Plaza was spent on products with recycled content. In addition, more than 50% of construction waste was diverted from the landfill. All cardboard and foam cups used in the everyday operations of the restaurant are being recycled.

Following the success of the Montgomery Plaza restaurant, Chick-fil-A will incorporate energy conservation measures and recycled materials into all new restaurant construction activities, and by the end of 2012, over half of the chain’s 1,600+ restaurants will receive energy and water retrofits.

In a move that’s sure to require some shrimp on the Barbie. U.S.-based Westinghouse Solar Inc. and Australian-based CDB Energy have signed a letter of intent to merge. The agreement will allow both companies a chance to expand their reach internationally.

Westinghouse Solar is a PV manufacturer that specializes in AC PV modules—modules with microinverters. And CBD is a renewable energy company that specializes in wind, solar and other forms of renewable energy.
The proposed merger builds on the relationship established late last year, when CBD Energy invested $1 million in Westinghouse Solar.

“They’re looking to expand their reach internationally. This is a great way for them to enter into the U.S. market with an established company,” said Westinghouse Solar’s Vice President of Marketing Gary Mull. “Given their background and the market opportunity in the U.S. it’s understandable why they’re looking for an opportunity with a company like Westinghouse.”

One of the attractions is Westinghouse’s name, according to Mull. Westinghouse Solar isn’t owned by the Westinghouse parent company. “We had a licensing agreement with Westinghouse to continue to sell under their brand,” he said. The company will retain the name. “It’s one of the components that makes this very attractive for CBD.”

The merger could also help CBD, which has developed projects in multiple countries, gain a foothold in the larger American market, like Canada and Latin America. Though their primary market will be the U.S., according to Mull. Westinghouse Solar also will gain access to the international market with the merger.
“Two primary advantages that a merger like this provides, is that as a larger more diversified business, there’s opportunity to expand our geographic presence as well. Our market really had been U.S. But it opens up all the markets CBD has been in, particularly Australia,” Mull said.

The other benefit for Westinghouse Solar is allowing the company to speed development of new products.
Under the proposed merger, Westinghouse Solar shareholders would receive shares of common stock in CBD Energy in exchange for their shares of Westinghouse Solar, according to Westinghouse Solar.

CBD would own 85 percent of the combined entity’s stock Westinghouse Solar’s equity holders would own 15 percent of the stock. The companies plan to finalize the merger agreement in early March, with completion of the merger targeted for the third quarter of 2012.

Chris Meehan

http://www.cleanenergyauthority.com/solar-energy-news/westinghouse-solar-and-cbd-energy-merge-022212/

Energy Saving Tip #1 – Upgrade your air conditioner: If your air conditioner is more than 10 years old, 2011 might be the year to upgrade! Replacing your existing air conditioner with a new ENERGY STAR air conditioner can reduce your cooling costs by as much as 20% or more!

When choosing an air conditioner, be sure to check the two ratings on the side: the SEER and the EER. Air conditioners with higher ratings are more energy efficient. Certain ratings (16 SEER and 13 EER for split system air conditioners and 14 SEER and 12 EER for packaged air conditioners) will qualify you for the 2011 energy tax credit!

Energy Saving Tip #2 – Use your ceiling fan: one very easy way to cut down your energy costs this spring is to use your ceiling fan instead of your air conditioner to cool your home. Crack your windows and run the fan counterclockwise to push cool air down. While this won’t change the actual temperature of the room, it will make you feel cooler – what more do you need?

Energy Saving Tip #3 – Get rid of hot air: use the exhaust fan above the stove when cooking to remove excess heat that rises off the stove (cooling costs will outweigh the fan’s energy costs). Also, take cooler showers or baths. If you enjoy taking warm showers, keep a window open and turn on the fan – you’ll keep out more humidity, which holds heat longer.

Energy Saving Tip #4 – Cook outside instead of inside: Using the stove or oven can create large amounts of heat inside your home, forcing your air conditioner to work harder in the evenings. The easiest way to avoid this problem? Celebrate the great outdoors by firing up the grill and cooking some burgers, hot dogs and sausages – whatever you want! You’ll get some delicious summer food (and a great excuse to reduce your cooling costs!). You can also keep the heat down by cooking with the microwave or using countertop appliances like a Panini press.

Energy Saving Tip #5 – Get new light bulbs: change out your incandescent light bulbs for ENERGY STAR compact fluorescent bulbs. Not only do they create less heat, they last longer and they will also save you between $30 – $40 per bulb over their lifetime.

Energy Saving Tip #6 – Schedule chores properly: waiting until nighttime to do your laundry and dishwashing will help you avoid generating extra heat inside your home. You can also take advantage of warm temperatures by hanging your clothes outside to dry instead of using your dryer.

Energy Saving Tip #7 – Keep the sunlight out of your home: this one may sound a little counterintuitive (after all, who doesn’t want sunlight?), but if you close your shades and blinds during the warmest part of the day (usually between 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM) you’ll keep your house cooler, so your air conditioner won’t have to work as hard.

Energy Saving Tip #8 – Turn down the water heater: turn your water heater down to 120°F. Not only will this save money, but it will also reduce the risk of scalding, especially if you have young children.

Energy Saving Tip #9 – Check your dehumidifier: a dehumidifier is a great way to keep cooling costs down and make your home more comfortable, but if the dehumidifier is the wrong size, it can actually end up costing you more! Make sure your dehumidifier is the right size for your home before you run it.

Energy Saving Tip #10 – Keep yourself cool: this one is kind of a no-brainer, but it bears mentioning. The most cost efficient way to keep cool is to wear light clothing and drink lots of water! It won’t cost you anything and the effects will be immediate!

U.S. companies that lease panels to homeowners thrive

There’s at least one bright spot in the troubled U.S. solar industry. After a plunge in prices sent panel manufacturers reeling, consumer demand for the alternative energy is soaring. That’s a boon for California companies such as SunRun, SolarCity, and Sungevity. These startups are buying panels at depressed prices and leasing them to homeowners at little or no up-front cost.

Homeowners can get panels installed with no up-front cost Photograph

By teaming up with lenders such as Bank of America (BAC) and U.S. Bancorp (USB) and taking advantage of a federal tax credit for renewable energy, installers can bring down the costs of panels, which for a home typically run between $30,000 to $40,000, and help consumers and businesses reduce the use of fossil fuels. Their success is helping revive the solar industry, which gained notoriety last year from the collapse of panel maker Solyndra. “The price of solar is coming down even faster than anyone expected, so who benefits? The consumer benefits,” says Steve Vassallo, a general partner at Foundation Capital, which is an investor in SunRun.

The residential market for solar is still nascent, with less than 0.1 percent of U.S. homes outfitted with panels. That number could climb to 2.4 percent by 2020, estimates Bloomberg New Energy Finance. Prices for solar cells fell 51 percent in 2011, to 88¢ a watt, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

While rising demand is boosting the installation business, the more notable story last year was the crash of Fremont (Calif.)-based Solyndra, which got a $535 million U.S. government loan. Solyndra was one of three U.S. panel makers pushed into bankruptcy in 2011, in part because lower-cost Chinese manufacturers ramped up production. Other U.S. companies that, like Solyndra, bet on thin-film technologies—which use cadmium telluride or a combination of copper, indium, gallium, and selenide, as opposed to silicon—are also struggling. Nanosolar, SoloPower, and Abound Solar, which have raised about $1.5 billion combined in government loan guarantees and venture funding, couldn’t bring down their costs enough to keep up with the plunge in panel prices. “I don’t think most of the companies that are in later stage are going to succeed,” says Mark Pinto, executive vice-president of the energy and environmental unit of Applied Materials (AMAT), which sells manufacturing gear to the solar industry.

While competition from China threatens to drive more U.S. thin-film companies out of business, it has spurred adoption of solar stateside. Developers in the U.S. added 449.2 megawatts of solar-generating capacity in the third quarter of 2011, the latest data available, up 140 percent from the same quarter a year earlier.

Demand for clean power is also driven by government incentives. In 2009 the Treasury Dept. instituted a 30 percent tax credit for construction projects using renewable energy. The subsidy, which will remain in place until 2016, has helped five solar leasing companies raise more than $1 billion in venture capital combined, according to a Dec. 27 report from Lux Research analyst Matthew Feinstein.

SunRun is backed by $85 million in venture capital. The San Francisco company also has raised $750 million in project financing from U.S. Bancorp and utility PG&E (PCG), a sum which co-founder Lynn Jurich says is enough to outfit about 20,000 homes with solar. Installing and financing panels is a more sustainable business than manufacturing, she says: “Participating downstream, we thought we’d be the beneficiary of the process of making solar cheaper.”

SunRun hires local companies in 10 states to install solar arrays on customers’ roofs. The company charges clients for the electricity they generate— at monthly rates as much as 15 percent below those of regular utilities. Jurich says she expects SunRun to have a presence in 15 to 20 states within five years.

SolarCity, headquartered in San Mateo, Calif., operates on a similar basis, except that the company employs its own installers. SolarCity counts Google (GOOG) among its backers: The search giant contributed $280 million to a financing round that closed in June. The company also secured a loan for as much as $350 million from Bank of America in November for a $1 billion project to install panels in military homes and offices in as many as 33 states.

SolarCity, which is chaired by Elon Musk, chief executive officer of electric carmaker Tesla Motors, will file for an initial public offering as early as next month, according to three people with knowledge of the matter who are not allowed to speak on the record. The IPO may value the company at more than $1.5 billion, one of them said. SolarCity spokesman Jonathan Bass declined to comment.

Sungevity has raised more than $175 million for residential solar projects. The Oakland (Calif.)-based company sold a minority stake last year to home improvement retailer Lowe’s (LOW), which has said it will eventually offer the company’s installation services through its stores.

Heather Smith, a partner at Greentech Capital Advisors, expects there to be consolidation in the market over the next 18 months. The winners will be those that have developed a profitable all-in-one package of delivery, installation, maintenance, and finance that works for homeowners. “The only way we’re going to deploy solar in the U.S. isn’t by the government telling people to put solar panels on your roof,” Smith says. “It’s by an economic model which makes sense to the consumer.”

The bottom line: Tax breaks have helped solar leasing companies raise more than $1 billion in venture capital financing.

by Michael Goulding/The Orange County Register/Zuma Press
By Ari Levy
With Andrew Herndon

Levy is a reporter for Bloomberg News.

“For the last 15 years, SELF has always believed and said that energy is essential for life,” says Bob Freling, Executive Director, SELF. “Access to energy is foundational to achieving a broad range of basic human rights and all of the Millennium Development Goals. Without it, life is very, very difficult as I’m sure 1.5 billion people can attest to.”

Through its Whole Village development model, SELF works hand-in-hand with communities to create and implement innovative solar energy solutions to improve people’s health and education, ensure food and water security, and spur economic development. Recently, it made a commitment to the United Nation’s Sustainable Energy for All Initiative to continue scaling up this model in Benin, West Africa by installing solar systems to power water systems, schools, health clinics, community centers, and street and household lighting systems. Mr. Freling is also co-chairing the initiative’s Working Group on Energy and Health, which will be examining ways to provide access to renewable energy sources for hospitals and health care clinics to support medical services.

“We proudly support the U.N. initiative and look forward to closely working with them to provide universal access to energy to those in need,” says Freling. “Our hope in launching this human rights campaign is to call attention to the critical role energy can play in helping people lift themselves out of poverty and create a better life.”

About SELF

The Solar Electric Light Fund is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit whose mission is to implement solar energy solutions in developing countries to assist rural communities with economic, education, health and agricultural development. Its “Whole Village” development model takes an innovative approach in using integrated solar systems to improve the lives of the 1.5 billion people living in energy poverty throughout the world. Since 1990, SELF has completed projects in more than 20 countries, pioneering unique applications of solar power for drip irrigation in Benin, health care in Haiti, telemedicine in the Amazon rainforest, online learning in South Africa, and microenterprise development in Nigeria. Connect with SELF on the web at www.SELF.org ; on Twitter @solarfund; and at www.Facebook.com/solarelectriclightfund .

SOURCE: Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF)