Solar-powered Homes Remain a Distant Dream for Many in the U.S.

Although the title of this article sounds a bit doom and gloom it really isn't. Capital today is flowing towards utility-scale renewable energy projects. This is a good thing. I'd rather have more renewable fuels in my utility's portfolio than fossil fuels. However, as the article states there are other options besides the traditional owner-financed solar photovoltaic (PV) array on a residential rooftop. The market for leasing solar panels is growing fast. This is an attractive option for those homeowners who can't afford the upfront capital costs for PV modules, inverter, and the labor to install it. However, for those that like to buy rather than lease, the cost of PV is dropping each year. PV will be competitive with traditional fossil fuels soon.

The last thing I'd like to mention, which always seems to get overlooked in renewable energy discussions and articles is something less sexy, but is the best bang for your buck - energy efficiency. Making a residential or commercial building use the least amount of energy possible is where the smart money is. A quicker return on investment (ROI) can be realized by completing energy efficiency projects such as caulking, insulation, low-flow shower heads, Energy Star appliances, efficient HVAC systems, and the cheapest of measures - behavioral change (turning off lights when leaving the room or taking shorter showers). Once the building is enhanced to use the least amount of energy possible, there is a really good chance that you won't need as many solar PV modules on your roof and therefore won't need to finance as much. Energy efficiency is low-hanging fruit.

Reading, Writing, ‘Rithmetic, and Sustainability

Great article written by Paul Valenta on the importance of educating our children (and ourselves) on the benefits of energy efficiency. As I've said before, altering our residential and commercial buildings to use energy more efficiently not only makes our air, water and land cleaner it saves us cold hard cash. Here's a good quote from the article that sums it up:

"Children should understand that we use fossil fuels for almost everything and that they account for roughly 80 percent of all carbon dioxide emissions. One of the cheapest ways to reduce CO2 emissions and reduce our use of fossil fuels is through energy efficiency – using less energy to provide the same service or using the same energy to provide more services and consuming renewable energy."

Dems Press Reid to Put Renewable Power Standard in Energy Bill

We are going to need a lot more than just the Dems to bring about a federal renewable energy standard (RES). I wonder why the Republicans don't want a federal RES? A federal RES would provide stabilization to the clean energy market and would reduce our consumption of fossil fuels like coal and natural gas. Many states already have a standard but they vary in scope and time to complete. And for the southeastern states that don't have many renewable resources the federal RES standard could be adjusted for them using scientific renewable energy data (see NREL).

Even Boulder Finds It Isn't Easy Going Green

This article from the WSJ highlights the growing pains in the energy efficiency industry. Boulder, Colorado is walking the path less traveled with respect to creating an energy policy and educating the public on their carbon footprint. The city will eventually be the model to which the rest of the nation looks. All good policy is built on mistakes.

The article also implies the critical need for certified energy auditors (see RESNET) to help homeowners and businesses save the most money on their energy efficiency efforts. I remember one of my energy teachers saying in class, that we need a license to drive a car but we don't need a license to own a home. He was implying that we really don't know how our homes work (see carbon monoxide deaths due to blockage of combustion air) just as we don't know how to drive a car until we are taught. Each home is unique in that it uses energy differently and wastes energy at different rates. A certified energy auditor will be able to examine your home or commercial building and recommend enhancements that will help your home use energy wisely.

Finally, maybe it's time we all looked in the mirror, myself included. I like gadgets - desktop computers, LCD TVs, cell phones, laptop computers, stereo systems, etc. And our society if increasingly becoming dependent on electricity to use those gadgets. We all have to begin to realize the amount of energy each of our gadgets and households consume and then take the steps to reduce the amount of electricity we consume. It's possible if you educate yourself.

And I'll leave you with this one quote in the 4th paragraph of the article:

"What we've found is that for the vast majority of people, it's exceedingly difficult to get them to do much of anything," says Kevin Doran, a senior research fellow at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

I wonder if humans have always been this way. It is certainly possible that we need some sort of existential threat to light a fire under our posterior.

Green Promise Seen in Switch to LED Lighting

Once they perfect light emitting diodes (LEDs) it'll make the compact fluorescent bulb look like an oil burning reading lamp from the 1800s. This is a great article in the Times about the pros and cons with LEDs right now. I know that numerous companies are working hard to perfect the LED for all types of lighting applications. LEDs are really the perfect light. They don't give off any heat and they use very little electricity. The major problem? LEDs are extremely expensive right now and the light that they give off isn't quite right. But this will certainly be a cleaner planet once LEDs are widespread.

Spam E-mails Killing the Environment, McAfee Report Says

Interesting. Calculating the carbon footprint of spam. Here's the money quote:

"The McAfee report, which was written by consulting company ICF International, said the estimated 62 trillion spam e-mail that get sent each year consume 33 billion kilowatt hours of electricity, enough to power 2.4 million homes. In addition, spam e-mail releases as much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere as 3.1 million cars consuming 2 billion gallons of gasoline."

Save the planet. Ban spam.

Xcel Seeks Bids on World's Biggest Solar Project

Wow. This is awesome. An RFP for a 600 megawatt solar utility plant has been released by Xcel energy with responses due April 10. Six hundred megawatt's of electricity can supply about 150,000 homes. Kudos to Xcel for going big. I hope we start seeing more of these utility-scale renewable energy plants in the coming decade.

Colorado Seeks Protections Amid Energy Boom

This article really demonstrates the recklessness which the Colorado oil and gas industry and Republican Colorado state lawmakers exhibit towards human, animal, and environmental life. I wouldn't refer to myself as a strict environmentalist. I think there needs to be some balance between commerce and the environment. And yes, "jobs" in the oil and gas industry in Colorado are important as one of the arguments from the article goes. But a nurse's vital organs almost failed because she inhaled from a patient's boots some secret sauce used during the natural gas extraction process and natural gas proponents still think that we should proceed with business as usual? Am I so naive as to think that someday these people will come to their senses and stop this myopic gratification for some long-term sustainability?

I have another bit of wishful thinking. I would like it if there were mandatory field trips for all of these blind supporters of the oil and gas industry to these natural gas drilling sites so they could see just how much damage this does to the air, land, and water around the area. I bet that these field trips would open a few eyes and show exactly how we get the non-renewable fuel that powers our furnaces and hot water heaters. Only then may we see a change in behavior and a reduction in myopic and political posturing.

Xcel Energy Lowers Solar Credits, Angering Solar Installers

Well it was expected that Xcel would reduce the amount paid for solar renewable energy credits (they dropped it to $1.50 from $2.50). On the one hand I don't blame them for doing it since the Federal government extended solar credits in the recent financial bailout bill. Also, according to Xcel's calculations with the $1.50 per watt credit the consumer would have to come up with about $425 out of pocket to pay for a 4.5 kilowatt system. However, the amount of notice for the credit reduction that Xcel gave to the community and solar installers was too short and on the sly. Perhaps it's time to start another ballot initiative that requires Colorado to get 40% of their energy from renewable sources by 2020, instead of the current 20% by 2020? That might bring back the $2.50 per watt credit, eh?

The Big Difference in Obama's and McCain's Plans for Our Energy Future

Great article on the difference between Obama's and McCain's energy plans. Both plans do not go far enough in my opinion, but there is one plan that is heads and shoulders above the other. Read the article and find out who you should vote for.

Building Jobs with Renewable Energy: Colorado's Booming Energy Business

Great article on Colorado's bright future as a renewable energy leader. I am convinced that we can become the RE capital of the U.S. if not the world. We have the educated workforce, the desire to innovate, and a solid foundation of educational and research institutions on the Front Range (think Colorado School of Mines, NREL, and Red Rocks Community College). It's possible with a little perseverance and elbow grease. In addition, the impending recession doesn't have to be as brutal if we can begin to think about how to transition the old economy workforce to the new RE economy workforce.

Bloomberg Calls for Alternative Energy

In addition to businesses speaking up about renewable energy, we also need mayor's and governor's engaging their constituents on the issue. Renewable energy doesn't just have to be for the suburban or rural folks. We can start thinking about how to transfer our urban areas into renewable energy power plants.

Sunnyvale School Districts Installing Solar Panels to Cut Energy Costs

Hopefully we will begin to see more of this. Schools are open during peak solar time (so are most businesses) and should be able to meet part of their electricity needs with a modest PV installation. Add a solar hot water heater and they could meet some more. And even before that an energy audit of the building itself. Just think, every school across the land generating most of their own power. What a learning experience for the children.