Solar Cells Info

Employee-Volunteers of San Jose-Based Company Will Help Finish Two Local Homes

SAN JOSE, Calif., Dec 15, 2006
source: SunPower press release
http://investors.sunpowercorp.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=222605

SunPower Corporation (Nasdaq: SPWR) a Silicon Valley-based manufacturer of the world’s highest efficiency, commercially available solar cells and solar panels, today announced that a team of SunPower volunteers will spend the day finalizing two of Habitat for Humanity’s homes located on Murphy Avenue in San Jose. The volunteers will assist with painting and landscaping, readying the home for their new occupants. SunPower has experienced significant growth since its move to San Jose earlier this year and now it’s time to step into a leadership role and give back to the community,” said Tom Werner, CEO of SunPower Corporation. “With housing prices continuing to sky-rocket, it’s very rewarding to help these families realize their dream of owing their own home. We are proud to support Habitat for Humanity and to volunteer our time.”
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Lennar’s 650 New Homes Expected to Save 40 to 60 Percent on Electric Bills

SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan 15, 2007
Source: SunPower Press release
http://investors.sunpowercorp.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=225664

SunPower Corporation (Nasdaq: SPWR), a Silicon Valley-based manufacturer of the world’s highest efficiency, commercially available solar cells and solar panels, and its subsidiary PowerLight Corporation, today announced the opening of the nation’s largest solar-powered neighborhood. Built by Lennar Corp. (NYSE: LEN) in Roseville, Calif., the planned 650 homes will use SunPower’s roof-integrated SunTile(R) solar electric system, featuring the world’s most efficient solar cell. Lennar estimates that homeowners are expected to save an average of 40 to 60 percent on their monthly electric bills.
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Australian Transcontinental World Record Attempt on a solar-powered car
source:
http://www.sunswift.com/

For the past 12 months the UNSW Solar Racing Team has designed, constructed and refined several key components in our current solar car, Jaycar Sunswift III in preparation for a world record attempt. The vehicle is powered by an array of high-efficiency silicon solar cells which are up for adoption! Adopt-A-Cell project is to involve both the local and corporate communities in a partnership to help our team make history by developing the most advanced solar powered vehicle in Australia.

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13 January 2007: Day 4 – on track to break record
Today we covered a little less than 800km’s between Wirrulla and Renmark (near the SA/VIC border). Our drive took us through diverse terrain: from the arid outback, to the coast near Port Augusta, over the hills north of the Clare Valley and down past the Murray River at Morgan. The weather was good again, and thanks to some fixes made to the solar array last night, the car was performing relatively well.

So far we’ve talked mostly about our solar car, but to run if safely and efficiently on the road we actually require a fair amount of ‘technology’ in the support cars. As can be seen in the picture below we have the expected CB radios, GPS, a rotating beacon and so on connected in the lead vehicle. Thanks to support from the NRMA via use of their van, we also have spare batteries, a built-in air compressor for easy tyre changes and two fuel tanks for extended range. Additionally, inverters have been fitted in each vehicle to charge our phones and power a laptop or two (which apart from data analysis also provides entertainment/distraction in the form of music). We even tried to install a rear vision camera and display system in our tow vehicle for increased visibility (okay, so this one is still a work-in-progress).

Just before we arrived at our ‘campsite’ (on some land out the back of Monash), we got our first flat tyre on the solar car for the trip… not a bad result for almost 3,000km of driving (sometimes with fairly strong crosswinds). For an estimated time of arrival in Sydney and details of our finish location, please check back here tomorrow night or Monday morning.

12 January 2007: Ceduna (day 3)
It is now our third day on the road and we have just passed Ceduna in South Australia. The team has made great progress considering we had significant cloud cover for our first two days of travelling. Today, we woke up to a star-filled sky eager to get an early start. There was some disappointment when we were unable to fix problems with two trackers this morning (meaning we have been driving with only two-thirds of the solar array functioning properly today). Despite this, our car is running with most of its aerodynamic fairings fitted and is consequently using very little energy.

Solar cars traditionally incorporate spats (wheel coverings) and fillets (an aerodynamic join between the spats and bottom shell). These fittings allow the already highly streamlined vehicles to travel close to the speed limit whilst using a fraction of the energy required by conventional vehicles. While these and other devices have been known to reduce the energy consumption of vehicles for some time, it is only recently that we have seen an attempt by manufacturers to incorporate them into vehicle design. Additionally, the aesthetics of highly streamlined vehicles are yet to be widely accepted by the general public.

By the end of the day, we will be roughly half way to Sydney. At this stage we are already around one week ahead of the original record set by the Quiet Achiever in 1983. Given progress so far, the team is also confident that we will break the present (unofficial) record of 8.5 days.

Jan 11, 2007
Source: Oilweek.com
http://www.oilweek.com/news.asp?ID=6968

TORONTO (CP) _ A site has been chosen on the Toronto waterfront for what is being billed as Canada‘s largest solar research facility.  The solar park at the Portlands Energy Centre will create between 500 kilowatts and one megawatt and harvest enough solar energy to power up to 1,000 homes. University of Toronto students and staff at ARISE Technologies will use the facility to conduct research on renewable energy systems and technologies.
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PG&E Solar Education Program Provides a Total of $1.7 Million in 2006 to Public Schools in Underserved Communities in Northern and Central California

Sacramento, CA,  Jan 10, 2007
Source: Pacific Gas and Electric Company press release
http://www.pge.com/news/news_releases/q1_2007/070110.html
Pacific Gas and Electric Company today announced that it has awarded $200,000 in Bright Ideas grants to 39 underserved schools in northern and central California for their innovative solar science projects in 2006. The Bright Ideas program is part of PG&E’s Solar Schools education program, which awarded $1.7 million throughout the year. “In providing Bright Ideas grants to fund innovative solar science programs, we hope to teach tomorrow’s leaders about solar power and the environmental benefits of renewable energy,” said Ophelia Basgal, Pacific Gas and Electric Company vice president of civic partnerships and community initiatives. “This goal would not be possible without the unwavering dedication of the program’s teachers, who have found creative ways to convey the importance of renewable energy to their students.” PG&E’s Bright Ideas initiative provides grants of $2,500 and $5,000 to underserved schools in PG&E’s service area for innovative solar science projects.
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By Mark Boshnack, Staff Writer / Jan 11, 2007
Source: DailyStar of Oneonta, NY
http://www.thedailystar.com/news/stories/2007/01/11/mbhartwick3.html

The future is looking bright at Hartwick College’s Pine Lake Environmental Campus in Davenport. Recently installed solar panels on Robertson Lodge will help the college’s sustainability program take another step forward, officials said Wednesday.  The panels were put in place just before Christmas, said Patrick Drohan, director of the Pine Lake Institute for Environmental and Sustainability studies. It is only fitting, he said, because “the campus is the cornerstone of sustainability for the college. It has driven a lot of the movement.”
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ASSOCIATED PRESS /December 27, 2006

Source: Albuquerque Tribune
http://www.abqtrib.com/news/2006/dec/27/solar-station-will-power-center/

LAS CRUCES — New Mexico State University plans to build a combination solar power generation station and parking structure early next year, using the energy to help power the school’s Student Health Center. The NMSU Institute for Energy and the Environment and College of Engineering are finalizing the design. Built on the main campus in Las Cruces, the target date for completing the structure is early 2007.
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Dec 30, 2006
source:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200612/s1819590.htm

The New South Wales Opposition says it will focus on renewable energy initiatives in the lead-up to the March state election, promising that all public schools in the state will be powered by solar panels within 10 years. Opposition environment spokesman Michael Richardson says 100 schools each year will be fitted with the solar panels, at a cost of $12,000 per school.

Mr Richardson says the policy is aimed at stimulating investment in the renewable energy sector. “It’s certainly going to help the solar power industry and we’ve had discussions with them about this proposal,” he said. “But as I say, more importantly it’s actually going to teach kids about the benefits of solar power and encourage them to become enthusiastic advocates for it throughout their lives.”

Brett Gundlock/ January 10, 2007
Source: Cochrane Times
http://www.cochranetimes.com/News/279717.html

The Sustainable Development Committee at Cochrane High School completed phase two of their project, Monday Jan. 8 when they installed ten more solar panels at their school. The new panels will run the school’s scoreboard in the gym. There are currently 30 panels, which were put up in phase 1 of the groups project and they contribute 1 per cent of the schools electricity.  The new panels are rated at 125 volts, opposed to the old ones that are rated at 110 volts. The committee saw the price of the panels fall over the two years since they bought the old ones.  The committee raised $30,000, most of the money came from grants.
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By AARON NATHANS, The News Journal/ January 7, 2007
Source: Delawareonline
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070107/NEWS/701070366

SEABROOK, N.J. — A refrigerator repairman with a modest home backing onto a spinach farm, Bob May doesn’t appear to be the kind of fellow who can afford to go solar. Renewable-energy advocates love solar energy, but acknowledge it hasn’t caught on more because it’s expensive. It takes between $50,000 and $80,000 to buy the equipment to power a single-family home. But last winter, May and his father installed 60 solar panels, largely paid for by the state, in the yard of his southern New Jersey residence. These days, the electric meter in front of his house is running backward, as he generates so much solar power he’s selling what he doesn’t use back to the electric company. “To some people it’s an eyesore,” said May. “This isn’t anything new. It’s been around for a while. It’s just become more affordable.”
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