Lawmakers will vote on solar panels again next week when Sen. Royce-West, D-Dallas,
presents his major HOA bill to the Senate. The bill also requires associations to
show greater transparency, ensures homeowners pay late dues before attorney fees and
prevents foreclosure without a court order. A similar bill passed the House last
session but failed by a vote in the Senate.
West, who has pushed for stronger HOA regulation for years, also sponsored the solar
panel legislation that passed today on a fast track calendar. Homeowner supporters
see the reform bill as a barometer for potential change.
The Senate has already passed bills that would give greater voting rights to
homeowners and help prevent military families from returning to foreclosed homes.
The House has yet to act on legislation this session, although the Business and
Industry committee has jumped on a number of bills.
It approved a similar solar panel bill earlier this session, along with ones that
stipulate late dues get paid to HOAs before fines. In a special hearing yesterday
afternoon, the committee passed bills that would ban most fees on the sale of
property, restrict HOAs from prohibiting religious displays, require more
information for new homeowners about their associations and allow residents to put
campers or swimming pools on their adjacent property.
Both association representatives and homeowner supporters say things are moving
quicker than in previous sessions. They should know. Attempts at legislative reform
have stalled in both chambers for more than a decade.
But don't expect any outright bans on HOAs' ability to foreclosure.
2011年3月31日星期四
2011年3月30日星期三
Thanks to Subsidies
That's the case with Dave Shiels and his wife Kathleen Kiely. With his Harley and her Cadillac and their sprawling ranch house, they aren't central casting's version of environmentalists, but they are the kind of people who must embrace solar if it's going to take off in the U.S.
Rebates and credits are the main reason Mr. Shiels and Ms. Kiely have 72 solar panels on their red-tile roof and are considering installing another 20 later this year. For 11 months of the year, their meter spins backwards. Only in Arizona's August heat do they typically use more electricity than they generate, and even then credits they have banked during cooler months mean they won't have to pay to keep their house cool as desert temperatures outside hit 110 degrees.
There is debate, though, about whether it makes sense to subsidize solar power, as it is more expensive than power generated from coal or natural gas. The Energy Department estimates that solar panels, all in, cost about $210 for each megawatt hour, more than twice as much as a coal, which runs about $95, and nearly twice as much as natural gas, which costs about $125.
Those who support subsidies say they are necessary to drive demand to achieve market scale so that prices continue to drop. Opponents say the government supports only make power more expensive for all users.
Right now, the sun contributes only 0.2% of the power on the electric grid. Even if that doubles in the next five years, as expected, it will remain a teeny portion.
Solar has long held great promise. The sun is cranking exactly when power demand is typically highest and electricity is most expensive—during daylight hours. And residential installations can feed power directly into homes and power grids without needing to build giant new transmission lines. Installing panels is hailed as a green job that can't be outsourced.
In 2009, government support for residential solar systems was about $600 million, according to Larry Sherwood, a consultant who tracks solar programs for the Interstate Renewable Energy Council. That is split roughly evenly between federal tax credits and rebates paid for by electricity customers.
Rebates and credits are the main reason Mr. Shiels and Ms. Kiely have 72 solar panels on their red-tile roof and are considering installing another 20 later this year. For 11 months of the year, their meter spins backwards. Only in Arizona's August heat do they typically use more electricity than they generate, and even then credits they have banked during cooler months mean they won't have to pay to keep their house cool as desert temperatures outside hit 110 degrees.
There is debate, though, about whether it makes sense to subsidize solar power, as it is more expensive than power generated from coal or natural gas. The Energy Department estimates that solar panels, all in, cost about $210 for each megawatt hour, more than twice as much as a coal, which runs about $95, and nearly twice as much as natural gas, which costs about $125.
Those who support subsidies say they are necessary to drive demand to achieve market scale so that prices continue to drop. Opponents say the government supports only make power more expensive for all users.
Right now, the sun contributes only 0.2% of the power on the electric grid. Even if that doubles in the next five years, as expected, it will remain a teeny portion.
Solar has long held great promise. The sun is cranking exactly when power demand is typically highest and electricity is most expensive—during daylight hours. And residential installations can feed power directly into homes and power grids without needing to build giant new transmission lines. Installing panels is hailed as a green job that can't be outsourced.
In 2009, government support for residential solar systems was about $600 million, according to Larry Sherwood, a consultant who tracks solar programs for the Interstate Renewable Energy Council. That is split roughly evenly between federal tax credits and rebates paid for by electricity customers.
'Going green': Solar panels installed on roof of town's community center
WOODFORD - Woodford officials are doing their part to help the environment and conserve money at the same time.
Mayor Charles Stoudemire says the town has installed energy- and cost-saving solar panels to the roof of its community center, added more insulation to its buildings and upgraded to energy-efficient air conditioning and heating units.
Jeffery Derwort, Lower Savannah Council of Governments community development planner, helped the town apply for a federal Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant of approximately $45,000 to make all of the improvements, the mayor said.
"Step one of our 'going green' campaign was to install solar panels on the community center," Stoudemire said.
"The solar panels were installed on the roof of the community center where they would remain safe and sit, quietly doing their job," he said. "Even with thousands of visitors here for the Hummingbird Festival, I am not sure that anyone even noticed them."
The mayor said while the initial cost for the panels was a big investment, they will pay for themselves in 20 years and carry a life expectancy of more than 50 years.
"There are no moving parts, nothing to wear out and the panels will provide service as long as the sun shines," Stoudemire said.
He said the town has seen a benefit from the panels since they were installed three months ago, adding that he hopes more towns will start looking at renewable energy sources.
"We don't need any more radiation like they have in Japan right now. We don't need more pollution which comes from coal plants," Stoudemire said. "We need to start looking at ways that we can be clean and efficient."
The solar panels were installed by Sunstore Solar Energy Solutions of Greenville, he said. The panels convert sunlight into energy for the community center, Stoudemire said, noting, "Any unused power is sold back to SCE&G."
Stoudemire said town officials are happy with the savings and look forward to future improvements in solar technology. As more people use solar panels, the price will come down, he noted.
"The price of the solar panels went down just during our grant process," he said.
The mayor said with the savings Woodford has realized, there was enough money left over to purchase 22 additional solar panels, which will be installed soon.
"So we are benefiting from the price coming down already and doubling the amount of energy we will be able to produce," Stoudemire said.
While the town still has to purchase electricity from SCE&G, the panels have reduced Woodford's utility bill, he said.
Woodford Town Council members have been big supporters of the solar panels, the mayor said.
"Anything to save money, and since the money was there, we went for it," Stoudemire said.
The town has even converted its Christmas decorations to energy-efficient LED bulbs.
"One of the big expenses for a town is streetlights and other electricity that we use, and if we can cut that, then we can cut down our operating costs," Stoudemire said.
"We can use the money we save for other improvements in the town that we need."
Mayor Charles Stoudemire says the town has installed energy- and cost-saving solar panels to the roof of its community center, added more insulation to its buildings and upgraded to energy-efficient air conditioning and heating units.
Jeffery Derwort, Lower Savannah Council of Governments community development planner, helped the town apply for a federal Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant of approximately $45,000 to make all of the improvements, the mayor said.
"Step one of our 'going green' campaign was to install solar panels on the community center," Stoudemire said.
"The solar panels were installed on the roof of the community center where they would remain safe and sit, quietly doing their job," he said. "Even with thousands of visitors here for the Hummingbird Festival, I am not sure that anyone even noticed them."
The mayor said while the initial cost for the panels was a big investment, they will pay for themselves in 20 years and carry a life expectancy of more than 50 years.
"There are no moving parts, nothing to wear out and the panels will provide service as long as the sun shines," Stoudemire said.
He said the town has seen a benefit from the panels since they were installed three months ago, adding that he hopes more towns will start looking at renewable energy sources.
"We don't need any more radiation like they have in Japan right now. We don't need more pollution which comes from coal plants," Stoudemire said. "We need to start looking at ways that we can be clean and efficient."
The solar panels were installed by Sunstore Solar Energy Solutions of Greenville, he said. The panels convert sunlight into energy for the community center, Stoudemire said, noting, "Any unused power is sold back to SCE&G."
Stoudemire said town officials are happy with the savings and look forward to future improvements in solar technology. As more people use solar panels, the price will come down, he noted.
"The price of the solar panels went down just during our grant process," he said.
The mayor said with the savings Woodford has realized, there was enough money left over to purchase 22 additional solar panels, which will be installed soon.
"So we are benefiting from the price coming down already and doubling the amount of energy we will be able to produce," Stoudemire said.
While the town still has to purchase electricity from SCE&G, the panels have reduced Woodford's utility bill, he said.
Woodford Town Council members have been big supporters of the solar panels, the mayor said.
"Anything to save money, and since the money was there, we went for it," Stoudemire said.
The town has even converted its Christmas decorations to energy-efficient LED bulbs.
"One of the big expenses for a town is streetlights and other electricity that we use, and if we can cut that, then we can cut down our operating costs," Stoudemire said.
"We can use the money we save for other improvements in the town that we need."
2011年3月28日星期一
Redlands: Solar panels going in at sewer plant
Construction has begun on a photovoltaic array that will provide renewable energy to Redlands' wastewater treatment plant.
Use of the solar panels at the sewer plant at the end of Nevada Street will allow the city to be less reliant on electricity from Southern California Edison, city spokesman Carl Baker said. The savings are expected to amount to more than $36,000 annually, he said.
The project, expected to be completed by early May, is being built on a former brine pond that has been paved over and can't be used for other development, he said.
"This is a way of using that property in a productive fashion. Otherwise it would have sat fallow," he said.
The solar plant is the city's first and fits in with the Community Sustainability Plan, adopted March 1 by the City Council. The plan aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote growth based on sustainable business practices and energy-efficient technologies.
The solar project is being funded through an allocation grant from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program, which is an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 funding source.
Additional funding is coming from the California Solar Incentive Program, which has allocated up to $250,000 worth of rebates based on the levels of energy produced by the panels over the first five years of use.
The wastewater treatment plant also is the site of a larger energy proposal. In February, the Redlands City Council agreed to negotiate with North American Biomass Co. for a project that would use gas from the wastewater treatment plant and adjacent landfill to generate electricity to power the wastewater plant.
That project also could include a gasification reactor to turn trash to energy.
Use of the solar panels at the sewer plant at the end of Nevada Street will allow the city to be less reliant on electricity from Southern California Edison, city spokesman Carl Baker said. The savings are expected to amount to more than $36,000 annually, he said.
The project, expected to be completed by early May, is being built on a former brine pond that has been paved over and can't be used for other development, he said.
"This is a way of using that property in a productive fashion. Otherwise it would have sat fallow," he said.
The solar plant is the city's first and fits in with the Community Sustainability Plan, adopted March 1 by the City Council. The plan aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote growth based on sustainable business practices and energy-efficient technologies.
The solar project is being funded through an allocation grant from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program, which is an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 funding source.
Additional funding is coming from the California Solar Incentive Program, which has allocated up to $250,000 worth of rebates based on the levels of energy produced by the panels over the first five years of use.
The wastewater treatment plant also is the site of a larger energy proposal. In February, the Redlands City Council agreed to negotiate with North American Biomass Co. for a project that would use gas from the wastewater treatment plant and adjacent landfill to generate electricity to power the wastewater plant.
That project also could include a gasification reactor to turn trash to energy.
2011年3月27日星期日
Solar canopy energizes Cincinnati Zoo
Visitors to the Cincinnati Zoo are marveling at a new sight: Nearly 4 acres of solar panels have been installed over a vast span of the parking lot.
Billed as one of the largest public urban solar displays in the country, the $11 million solar "canopy" will do much more than help control the zoo's utility bills and shelter visitors from the elements when it's turned on in mid-April, developers say.
While it puts solar technology on display, the project also "will help put Cincinnati on the map as a national leader in the adoption and promotion of clean energy," said developer Steve Melink, Clermont County businessman and renewable energy advocate.
Workers finished installing the last solar panels Friday. The project has already sparked calls from more than a dozen zoos from as far away as California and Oregon interested in the project and how it was put together.
Mark Fisher, the zoo's senior director of facilities, planning and sustainability, said it's creating a buzz from visitors as well. "Some people wonder what the heck it is, and those who have heard about it are surprised at how big it is," he said.
According to Melink, the project consists of 6,400 photovoltaic solar collection panels assembled on more than 100 metal arrays, 15 to 18 feet high. They cover about 800 of the 1,000 parking spaces at the zoo's main entrance. The project is designed to produce 1.56 megawatts of electricity, about 20% of the zoo's annual need and enough to power 200 homes.
It isn't the largest solar project in Ohio. The Wyandot Solar farm, a utility-sponsored project near Upper Sandusky, covers about 80 acres and is designed to produce more than 10 megawatts of electricity.
Because the zoo's parking canopies are so public, officials say it will dramatically spur interest in solar here.
"The education aspect is worth a lot," says Raju Yenamandra, vice president at SolarWorld, a German-based company that produced the zoo's solar panels at its plant in Hillsboro, Ore. He thought so highly of the zoo project that he accelerated the delivery schedule for the zoo's solar panels, so the project would be ready this spring.
"When you think of the number of people who visit the zoo (about 1.3 million annually), particularly younger kids, the educational aspect will be fantastic," he said.
Solar canopies, which harness the sun's rays for electricity and provide shelter from its harsh rays, have been popular in warmer climates such as Southern California and Arizona. They're gaining in popularity in other parts of the country in the face of rising energy prices and government incentives to make solar technology more affordable.
"We're bidding multiple projects all over the country," said Dana Rudolph, president of ProtekPark Solar, which fabricated and installed the metal structures holding the solar panels. ProtekPark, a sister company of greenhouse constructor Rough Brothers, has been building parking canopies for about 10 years but lately found solar projects are the fastest-growing part of its business. It recently supplied metal canopies for solar projects at two community colleges in New Jersey.
The Cincinnati Zoo project grew out of a casual meeting between Fisher, Melink and Jeremy Chapman, Melink's business development manager, at a green building conference in Phoenix two years ago.
Fisher, who was looking for opportunities to expand the zoo's growing green profile, said Melink was looking for a signature project to demonstrate its developing solar installation business: "I told them: I have a parking lot."
Melink, which is developing a smaller pre-engineered solar array system for homes and businesses, was intrigued.
"We want to make a difference," he said. "And this was the scale we wanted."
The biggest hurdle was structuring the project's financing.
"It was about 99% financing and 1% engineering," Melink said.
The project relies on financing through a combination of federal New Market Tax Credits and federal energy tax credits through PNC Bank. It relies on cash from the tax credits, sales of electricity over the next seven years to the zoo and selling the renewal energy credits generated by the investment to Akron-based FirstEnergy.
Fisher said that initially the parties couldn't make the deal work financially until the non-profit Uptown Consortium and New York City-based National Development Council agreed to contribute New Market Tax Credits allocated to them toward the project.
Fisher said the project allows the zoo to lock in the price for about 20% of its electricity at about 8 cents a kilowatt hour for the next seven years. The agreement gives the zoo the option to buy the system in the eighth year if it chooses.
Billed as one of the largest public urban solar displays in the country, the $11 million solar "canopy" will do much more than help control the zoo's utility bills and shelter visitors from the elements when it's turned on in mid-April, developers say.
While it puts solar technology on display, the project also "will help put Cincinnati on the map as a national leader in the adoption and promotion of clean energy," said developer Steve Melink, Clermont County businessman and renewable energy advocate.
Workers finished installing the last solar panels Friday. The project has already sparked calls from more than a dozen zoos from as far away as California and Oregon interested in the project and how it was put together.
Mark Fisher, the zoo's senior director of facilities, planning and sustainability, said it's creating a buzz from visitors as well. "Some people wonder what the heck it is, and those who have heard about it are surprised at how big it is," he said.
According to Melink, the project consists of 6,400 photovoltaic solar collection panels assembled on more than 100 metal arrays, 15 to 18 feet high. They cover about 800 of the 1,000 parking spaces at the zoo's main entrance. The project is designed to produce 1.56 megawatts of electricity, about 20% of the zoo's annual need and enough to power 200 homes.
It isn't the largest solar project in Ohio. The Wyandot Solar farm, a utility-sponsored project near Upper Sandusky, covers about 80 acres and is designed to produce more than 10 megawatts of electricity.
Because the zoo's parking canopies are so public, officials say it will dramatically spur interest in solar here.
"The education aspect is worth a lot," says Raju Yenamandra, vice president at SolarWorld, a German-based company that produced the zoo's solar panels at its plant in Hillsboro, Ore. He thought so highly of the zoo project that he accelerated the delivery schedule for the zoo's solar panels, so the project would be ready this spring.
"When you think of the number of people who visit the zoo (about 1.3 million annually), particularly younger kids, the educational aspect will be fantastic," he said.
Solar canopies, which harness the sun's rays for electricity and provide shelter from its harsh rays, have been popular in warmer climates such as Southern California and Arizona. They're gaining in popularity in other parts of the country in the face of rising energy prices and government incentives to make solar technology more affordable.
"We're bidding multiple projects all over the country," said Dana Rudolph, president of ProtekPark Solar, which fabricated and installed the metal structures holding the solar panels. ProtekPark, a sister company of greenhouse constructor Rough Brothers, has been building parking canopies for about 10 years but lately found solar projects are the fastest-growing part of its business. It recently supplied metal canopies for solar projects at two community colleges in New Jersey.
The Cincinnati Zoo project grew out of a casual meeting between Fisher, Melink and Jeremy Chapman, Melink's business development manager, at a green building conference in Phoenix two years ago.
Fisher, who was looking for opportunities to expand the zoo's growing green profile, said Melink was looking for a signature project to demonstrate its developing solar installation business: "I told them: I have a parking lot."
Melink, which is developing a smaller pre-engineered solar array system for homes and businesses, was intrigued.
"We want to make a difference," he said. "And this was the scale we wanted."
The biggest hurdle was structuring the project's financing.
"It was about 99% financing and 1% engineering," Melink said.
The project relies on financing through a combination of federal New Market Tax Credits and federal energy tax credits through PNC Bank. It relies on cash from the tax credits, sales of electricity over the next seven years to the zoo and selling the renewal energy credits generated by the investment to Akron-based FirstEnergy.
Fisher said that initially the parties couldn't make the deal work financially until the non-profit Uptown Consortium and New York City-based National Development Council agreed to contribute New Market Tax Credits allocated to them toward the project.
Fisher said the project allows the zoo to lock in the price for about 20% of its electricity at about 8 cents a kilowatt hour for the next seven years. The agreement gives the zoo the option to buy the system in the eighth year if it chooses.
2011年3月22日星期二
Company Poised to Blanket Former Sears Tower With 2 MW of Solar Panels
Alternative energy startup Pythagoras Solar is dreaming big and it has sold the owners of one of America's most iconic skyscrapers on its vision.
Chicago's Willis Tower (formerly known as the Sears Tower) is among the most recognizable man-made landmarks in the country. Towering over local high-rises, its 108 stories make it the tallest building in the U.S. and the fifth-tallest freestanding structure in the world.
During summer months solar heating contributes to energy costs and sun glare can be an issue at times.
Pythagoras Solar power has cooked up a novel solution -- transforming the building into the nation's largest vertical solar farm. The farm will produce up to 2 MW of solar energy, reducing the building's reliance on the power grid.
Its panels -- to be installed on the building's southern-facing windows that get the highest sun exposure -- will help remedy both issues, while preserving the view and producing electricity.
The company's pane design is dubbed high-density photovoltaic glass units (HD-PVGUs). The device acts similar to louvered windows (think slat blinds). It contains a thin layer of monocrystalline silicon, sandwiched between glass, which acts as a cell. An internal plastic prism directs angled (direct) sunlight onto the cell, while allowing diffuse daylight and horizontal (less intense) sunlight through.
The result is that you still have attractive views out the window, without the glare or heating. Meanwhile your panel produces electricity that Pythagoras Solar claims is on par with rooftop panels.
If the installation is a success, it could set a precedent for high-rises across America. The Willis Tower installation alone is expected to produce as much power as a 10-acre ground installation would.
Conserving land, particularly in a city, is obviously a tremendous concern. The Willis Tower project could serve as a blueprint for skyscraper owners to reduce their energy costs and improve their buildings' sustainability in years to come.
Cost and maintainability are obvious concerns in the long run for solar window panels from companies like Pythagoras Power. Indeed, Pythagoras Power offered little insight into how it would handle the extra maintenance burden or what the cost-per-window might be.
That said, even if the company did provide such metrics, it'd be hard to fairly judge them, as this project is the first of its kind on this kind of magnitude. Initial implementations of any technology typically start off high in terms of maintainability problems and cost, but eventually bring down both metrics.
And the cost must not be overly exorbitant. After all, the panels are good PR for the Willis Tower's owners, but they are in business to make money. If the panels were overly expensive, the project likely wouldn't have received the green light to begin.
Chicago's Willis Tower (formerly known as the Sears Tower) is among the most recognizable man-made landmarks in the country. Towering over local high-rises, its 108 stories make it the tallest building in the U.S. and the fifth-tallest freestanding structure in the world.
During summer months solar heating contributes to energy costs and sun glare can be an issue at times.
Pythagoras Solar power has cooked up a novel solution -- transforming the building into the nation's largest vertical solar farm. The farm will produce up to 2 MW of solar energy, reducing the building's reliance on the power grid.
Its panels -- to be installed on the building's southern-facing windows that get the highest sun exposure -- will help remedy both issues, while preserving the view and producing electricity.
The company's pane design is dubbed high-density photovoltaic glass units (HD-PVGUs). The device acts similar to louvered windows (think slat blinds). It contains a thin layer of monocrystalline silicon, sandwiched between glass, which acts as a cell. An internal plastic prism directs angled (direct) sunlight onto the cell, while allowing diffuse daylight and horizontal (less intense) sunlight through.
The result is that you still have attractive views out the window, without the glare or heating. Meanwhile your panel produces electricity that Pythagoras Solar claims is on par with rooftop panels.
If the installation is a success, it could set a precedent for high-rises across America. The Willis Tower installation alone is expected to produce as much power as a 10-acre ground installation would.
Conserving land, particularly in a city, is obviously a tremendous concern. The Willis Tower project could serve as a blueprint for skyscraper owners to reduce their energy costs and improve their buildings' sustainability in years to come.
Cost and maintainability are obvious concerns in the long run for solar window panels from companies like Pythagoras Power. Indeed, Pythagoras Power offered little insight into how it would handle the extra maintenance burden or what the cost-per-window might be.
That said, even if the company did provide such metrics, it'd be hard to fairly judge them, as this project is the first of its kind on this kind of magnitude. Initial implementations of any technology typically start off high in terms of maintainability problems and cost, but eventually bring down both metrics.
And the cost must not be overly exorbitant. After all, the panels are good PR for the Willis Tower's owners, but they are in business to make money. If the panels were overly expensive, the project likely wouldn't have received the green light to begin.
2011年3月20日星期日
ENERGY: Electric car owners prone to going solar
Electric car buyers said they're purchasing solar panels to support their new, electricity-
intensive driving habits.
The first in the most recent wave of plug-in electric cars rolled out last year in San Diego
County, an all-electric vehicle from Nissan, followed a month later by Chevy's mostly
electric Volt.
While there's no hard data for Volt owners, 40 percent of Leaf owners have solar panels,
according to the California Center for Sustainable Energy, a San Diego nonprofit. Owners
reached by the North County Times said they decided on solar panels at the same time they
decided on electric cars, both to reduce their contributions to global warming and to offset
the extra electricity they'd have to buy for their new vehicles.
"We wanted to go electric because it's green and all that," said Rosa Enriquez, a teacher
with the Vista Unified School District. "But we went solar also because our electric bills
were so high ---- hundreds and hundreds of dollars."
For customers like Enriquez, the "going green" element comes from the reduction in
greenhouse-gas production that comes with emissions-free solar power, which then is used to
run an electric car, itself an improvement on gasoline-burners in terms of greenhouse impact.
"When a person goes solar and buys an electric car, they essentially have their own gas
station on their roof," said Daniel Sullivan, founder of Sullivan Solar Power in San Diego.
Many owners also said they'd come out ahead financially, thanks to the way California
utilities bill for power.
The price of electricity in California escalates as customers' consumption passes usage
plateaus. Owning an electric car not only adds to total usage, but it also puts more
customers into the most expensive tiers of electricity.
Using solar panels to generate electricity and pump it back into the grid allows customers to
reduce their usage, and to pay a lower rate for the power they use, lowering their bills.
San Diego Gas & Electric Co. would prefer car owners use an alternate billing system in which
the owners pay for power priced on when it's used. Electricity used in the middle of the day,
when it's most needed in offices and factories, costs the most, while power at night is the
cheapest, said SDG&E spokesman Art Larson.
Customers have the option of putting their whole house, including the solarpower generation,
into a time-of-use billing system. Their solar panels would produce power in the mid-
afternoon, when the sun is brightest and electricity the most expensive, and they would,
SDG&E hopes, charge their cars at night, when electricity is cheapest, Larson said.
SDG&E is working with another company called Ecotality Inc. to test three different pricing
schemes that make the daytime-nighttime contrast more or less extreme.
Electric car owners can also choose a hybrid scheme in which they install a second meter
specifically for time-of-use billing for their electric vehicles, while the house would
remain on the traditional tier system.
Installing a meter and charger can be expensive, as much as $3,500 total, plus another $1,000
for a charger, according to Mark Ferry, transportation program manager for the Center for
Sustainable Energy. In San Diego, a thousand customers are participating in a federally
funded program that pays all of those expenses.
"Ecotality only agreed to put in the second meter two or three months ago, and that was
because of solar customers," Ferry said.
SDG&E holds personal meetings with electric vehicle customers to help them figure out the
optimal program, but Ferry said not everyone chooses based on finances.
"Some people want to generate enough solar energy to cover 100 percent of their electric
needs, even if from an economic view that doesn’t make sense for them," he said.
Glen Rhoades, a retiree in Carlsbad, has his Volt, but construction won't start on his 4.5
kilowatt solar generator for two weeks. At the moment, he's still on a traditional tier
system, and his bill, which included expensive lighting for his fish aquariums, ratcheted up
to $550 last month.
But he upgraded his lighting system with more efficient bulbs, which he hopes will
dramatically lower his bill when combined with the solar system. Also, once he's had a chance
to talk to his solar installer, he hopes to switch to time-of-use pricing, to tap lower night
rates.
intensive driving habits.
The first in the most recent wave of plug-in electric cars rolled out last year in San Diego
County, an all-electric vehicle from Nissan, followed a month later by Chevy's mostly
electric Volt.
While there's no hard data for Volt owners, 40 percent of Leaf owners have solar panels,
according to the California Center for Sustainable Energy, a San Diego nonprofit. Owners
reached by the North County Times said they decided on solar panels at the same time they
decided on electric cars, both to reduce their contributions to global warming and to offset
the extra electricity they'd have to buy for their new vehicles.
"We wanted to go electric because it's green and all that," said Rosa Enriquez, a teacher
with the Vista Unified School District. "But we went solar also because our electric bills
were so high ---- hundreds and hundreds of dollars."
For customers like Enriquez, the "going green" element comes from the reduction in
greenhouse-gas production that comes with emissions-free solar power, which then is used to
run an electric car, itself an improvement on gasoline-burners in terms of greenhouse impact.
"When a person goes solar and buys an electric car, they essentially have their own gas
station on their roof," said Daniel Sullivan, founder of Sullivan Solar Power in San Diego.
Many owners also said they'd come out ahead financially, thanks to the way California
utilities bill for power.
The price of electricity in California escalates as customers' consumption passes usage
plateaus. Owning an electric car not only adds to total usage, but it also puts more
customers into the most expensive tiers of electricity.
Using solar panels to generate electricity and pump it back into the grid allows customers to
reduce their usage, and to pay a lower rate for the power they use, lowering their bills.
San Diego Gas & Electric Co. would prefer car owners use an alternate billing system in which
the owners pay for power priced on when it's used. Electricity used in the middle of the day,
when it's most needed in offices and factories, costs the most, while power at night is the
cheapest, said SDG&E spokesman Art Larson.
Customers have the option of putting their whole house, including the solarpower generation,
into a time-of-use billing system. Their solar panels would produce power in the mid-
afternoon, when the sun is brightest and electricity the most expensive, and they would,
SDG&E hopes, charge their cars at night, when electricity is cheapest, Larson said.
SDG&E is working with another company called Ecotality Inc. to test three different pricing
schemes that make the daytime-nighttime contrast more or less extreme.
Electric car owners can also choose a hybrid scheme in which they install a second meter
specifically for time-of-use billing for their electric vehicles, while the house would
remain on the traditional tier system.
Installing a meter and charger can be expensive, as much as $3,500 total, plus another $1,000
for a charger, according to Mark Ferry, transportation program manager for the Center for
Sustainable Energy. In San Diego, a thousand customers are participating in a federally
funded program that pays all of those expenses.
"Ecotality only agreed to put in the second meter two or three months ago, and that was
because of solar customers," Ferry said.
SDG&E holds personal meetings with electric vehicle customers to help them figure out the
optimal program, but Ferry said not everyone chooses based on finances.
"Some people want to generate enough solar energy to cover 100 percent of their electric
needs, even if from an economic view that doesn’t make sense for them," he said.
Glen Rhoades, a retiree in Carlsbad, has his Volt, but construction won't start on his 4.5
kilowatt solar generator for two weeks. At the moment, he's still on a traditional tier
system, and his bill, which included expensive lighting for his fish aquariums, ratcheted up
to $550 last month.
But he upgraded his lighting system with more efficient bulbs, which he hopes will
dramatically lower his bill when combined with the solar system. Also, once he's had a chance
to talk to his solar installer, he hopes to switch to time-of-use pricing, to tap lower night
rates.
2011年3月14日星期一
U.S. Military to Save $336,000 Annually With Newly Installed Solar Panel Installation
The U.S. military has been at the forefront of solar energy research for the past few years,
albeit quietly. The Department of Defense has funneled large amounts of money into solar
research and has looked to utilize the technology's power to help troops, power its bases and
bring about technological advances in the field.
In Iraq and Afghanistan, for example, the military has worked with solar technology firms to
develop equipment that is light weight and powered by solar panels; the benefits of such
technology are myriad: Troops fighting abroad are able to cover longer distances, carry less
heavy equipment and have a source of energy with them that is not oil-based.
In yet another example of the military's commitment to solar power, Kyocera Solar Inc.
announced this week that it has completed the installation of a 1.4-megawatt solar panel
system on the U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. Located just north of San Diego,
California, the base recently celebrated the photovoltaic system's completion with the Naval
Facilities Engineering Command Southwest.
The solar panel system is vast in scope: It comprises 6,300 KD235 solar modules and not only
is the largest photovoltaic system on any Marine Corps base in the U.S., but also is one of
the biggest solar systems in San Diego County. The photovoltaic array was built to help
offset the base's electricity use and to serve as a model for other military bases throughout
the U.S. and around the globe, according to the base.
The solar panel system will save the Marines money on electricity in the future and will help
the base slash its greenhouse gas emissions, according to Bernadette Rose, NAVFAC Southwest
ROICC construction manager at Camp Pendleton. In fact, the photovoltaic system will generate
about 2,400 megawatt-hours of clean energy every year - enough to power 400 U.S. homes - and
save about $336,000 in reduced utility costs.
Moreover, in keeping with the military authorization law President Obama signed into law back
in January, the military bought all of the solar panels used in the construction of the
photovoltaic system domestically. The 225 solar panels used in the installation were sourced
from Kyocera's San Diego manufacturing facility, ensuring American workers benefited from the
military's newest renewable energy facility.
The military contracted Synergy Electric Company, through a partnership with AEE Solar, to
install the solar panel system; the photovoltaic array was actually installed on the site of
the Box Canyon landfill, which according to the military was a previously unused parcel of
land. Now, the land serves as the site of a renewable energy system.
The development of the solar panel system was a test for engineers, said the project's
backers. The land the solar array sits on presented difficult topographical challenges, but
the global engineering firm AECOM guided a team of designers to address the specific problems
that they were faced with, including the environmental hurdles they had to cross.
"AECOM incorporated numerous design elements to address the unique environmental and
engineering challenges of the landfill site," said AECOM project manager David Cyr in a
statement. "We are proud to have contributed to the success of this significant project."
"The Bos Canyon PV project is a very exciting venture that is making use of a previously
unusable piece of real estate, and providing a renewable energy source to help Camp Pendleton
meet its on-site renewable energy generation goals," said Ross. For its part, the U.S.
military has said it equates energy independence with national security and the solar panel
system is yet another example of the military's working to reduce its reliance on foreign
oil.
"This sizable solar installation and the Marine Corps' sustainable energy goals demonstrate
its commitment to environmental preservation and advancing national security through energy
independence," affirmed Steve Hill, president of Kyocera Solar, Inc.
albeit quietly. The Department of Defense has funneled large amounts of money into solar
research and has looked to utilize the technology's power to help troops, power its bases and
bring about technological advances in the field.
In Iraq and Afghanistan, for example, the military has worked with solar technology firms to
develop equipment that is light weight and powered by solar panels; the benefits of such
technology are myriad: Troops fighting abroad are able to cover longer distances, carry less
heavy equipment and have a source of energy with them that is not oil-based.
In yet another example of the military's commitment to solar power, Kyocera Solar Inc.
announced this week that it has completed the installation of a 1.4-megawatt solar panel
system on the U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. Located just north of San Diego,
California, the base recently celebrated the photovoltaic system's completion with the Naval
Facilities Engineering Command Southwest.
The solar panel system is vast in scope: It comprises 6,300 KD235 solar modules and not only
is the largest photovoltaic system on any Marine Corps base in the U.S., but also is one of
the biggest solar systems in San Diego County. The photovoltaic array was built to help
offset the base's electricity use and to serve as a model for other military bases throughout
the U.S. and around the globe, according to the base.
The solar panel system will save the Marines money on electricity in the future and will help
the base slash its greenhouse gas emissions, according to Bernadette Rose, NAVFAC Southwest
ROICC construction manager at Camp Pendleton. In fact, the photovoltaic system will generate
about 2,400 megawatt-hours of clean energy every year - enough to power 400 U.S. homes - and
save about $336,000 in reduced utility costs.
Moreover, in keeping with the military authorization law President Obama signed into law back
in January, the military bought all of the solar panels used in the construction of the
photovoltaic system domestically. The 225 solar panels used in the installation were sourced
from Kyocera's San Diego manufacturing facility, ensuring American workers benefited from the
military's newest renewable energy facility.
The military contracted Synergy Electric Company, through a partnership with AEE Solar, to
install the solar panel system; the photovoltaic array was actually installed on the site of
the Box Canyon landfill, which according to the military was a previously unused parcel of
land. Now, the land serves as the site of a renewable energy system.
The development of the solar panel system was a test for engineers, said the project's
backers. The land the solar array sits on presented difficult topographical challenges, but
the global engineering firm AECOM guided a team of designers to address the specific problems
that they were faced with, including the environmental hurdles they had to cross.
"AECOM incorporated numerous design elements to address the unique environmental and
engineering challenges of the landfill site," said AECOM project manager David Cyr in a
statement. "We are proud to have contributed to the success of this significant project."
"The Bos Canyon PV project is a very exciting venture that is making use of a previously
unusable piece of real estate, and providing a renewable energy source to help Camp Pendleton
meet its on-site renewable energy generation goals," said Ross. For its part, the U.S.
military has said it equates energy independence with national security and the solar panel
system is yet another example of the military's working to reduce its reliance on foreign
oil.
"This sizable solar installation and the Marine Corps' sustainable energy goals demonstrate
its commitment to environmental preservation and advancing national security through energy
independence," affirmed Steve Hill, president of Kyocera Solar, Inc.
2011年3月13日星期日
Solar power's outlook grows brighter in Pittsburgh region
In a city meteorologists call one of the cloudiest in the United States, Michael Ramsey's
North Side apartment seems an unlikely locale to tap the sun's power.
But technological advances, coupled with rising energy prices and a bevy of state and federal
incentives, are selling people such as Ramsey, a University of Pittsburgh geology professor,
and Stephen Lee, head of the school of architecture at Carnegie Mellon University, on the
benefits of solar power.
Last week, Ramsey had 48 solar panels installed on part of the roof of his 2,000-square-foot
apartment. The rest of the roof will be covered with plants, designed to provide maximum
insulation and drainage.
Lee, who worked on the first urban solar project in Pittsburgh in 1976, had 13 solar panels
installed on the roof of his Polish Hill office in December.
"To walk the talk, I put an array on our roof," Lee said. Although Ramsey estimates the
panels will provide most of his power, Lee estimates his smaller system will provide a
quarter to a third of his office's energy.
Statistics from the National Climatic Data Center indicate Pittsburgh, with an average of 59
sunny days a year, is among the country's cloudiest cities. Michelle Waldgeir of Astrum
Solar, the company that installed Ramsey's system, said there's adequate sunshine to power
solar systems.
"It's one of the things that surprises a lot of folks. It's cloudy here, but even when there
are clouds there is some light. Germany is the leader in solar technology and, relative to
Germany, Pittsburgh's got quite a lot of light," Waldgeir said.
"And on beautiful sunny days when it produces more energy than you need, it will flow into
the grid, so your meter flows backwards," she said.
Department of Energy figures show Pennsylvanians are adopting solar power at a rate far
outstripping many sunnier climes. According to the agency's National Renewable Energy
Laboratory, only California and New Jersey rank ahead of Pennsylvania in the number of solar
systems installed.
Joe Morinville of Energy Independent Solutions, the Robinson firm that installed Lee's
system, got involved in solar energy in the late 1980s. He said the addition of
microinverters that allow each solar panel to work to maximum capacity is a major plus for
homeowners. In the past, when shade covered some panels, all worked at lower capacity.
"I have 13 panels. If one is shaded, the others all are in full sun and operate at maximum
capacity," Lee said.
The availability of Pennsylvania Sunshine rebates, a state grant program that expires this
year, might have played a role in solar's ascendancy.
According to the state Department of Environmental Protection, the program had reservations
for about $94 million in rebates by the end of 2010. Tom Bell, director of the Pennsylvania
Energy Development Authority, said the program, begun in 2009, logged reservations for money
for solar systems for 658 small businesses and about 4,800 homes.
Bell said home and business owners might cancel some of those reservations, but he believes
the program helped boost the state's standing in alternative energy output. He said
contractors in Western Pennsylvania told him customers still clamor for grants.
Lee and Ramsey conceded it took a combination of state grants, federal tax credits and the
knowledge that they could sell solar renewable energy credits -- known as SRECs -- every year
to utilities, to put solar systems within their reach.
Ramsey said the 30 percent federal tax credit on his system, coupled with a $10,000
Pennsylvania Sunshine grant and a contract that means he'll collect about $3,000 a year in
SREC credits, made his $50,000 investment doable.
Lee said the grants and credits mean his $23,000 system will pay for itself in seven or eight
years, maybe sooner.
"All the numbers ... go out the door as soon as power starts going up," Lee said.
North Side apartment seems an unlikely locale to tap the sun's power.
But technological advances, coupled with rising energy prices and a bevy of state and federal
incentives, are selling people such as Ramsey, a University of Pittsburgh geology professor,
and Stephen Lee, head of the school of architecture at Carnegie Mellon University, on the
benefits of solar power.
Last week, Ramsey had 48 solar panels installed on part of the roof of his 2,000-square-foot
apartment. The rest of the roof will be covered with plants, designed to provide maximum
insulation and drainage.
Lee, who worked on the first urban solar project in Pittsburgh in 1976, had 13 solar panels
installed on the roof of his Polish Hill office in December.
"To walk the talk, I put an array on our roof," Lee said. Although Ramsey estimates the
panels will provide most of his power, Lee estimates his smaller system will provide a
quarter to a third of his office's energy.
Statistics from the National Climatic Data Center indicate Pittsburgh, with an average of 59
sunny days a year, is among the country's cloudiest cities. Michelle Waldgeir of Astrum
Solar, the company that installed Ramsey's system, said there's adequate sunshine to power
solar systems.
"It's one of the things that surprises a lot of folks. It's cloudy here, but even when there
are clouds there is some light. Germany is the leader in solar technology and, relative to
Germany, Pittsburgh's got quite a lot of light," Waldgeir said.
"And on beautiful sunny days when it produces more energy than you need, it will flow into
the grid, so your meter flows backwards," she said.
Department of Energy figures show Pennsylvanians are adopting solar power at a rate far
outstripping many sunnier climes. According to the agency's National Renewable Energy
Laboratory, only California and New Jersey rank ahead of Pennsylvania in the number of solar
systems installed.
Joe Morinville of Energy Independent Solutions, the Robinson firm that installed Lee's
system, got involved in solar energy in the late 1980s. He said the addition of
microinverters that allow each solar panel to work to maximum capacity is a major plus for
homeowners. In the past, when shade covered some panels, all worked at lower capacity.
"I have 13 panels. If one is shaded, the others all are in full sun and operate at maximum
capacity," Lee said.
The availability of Pennsylvania Sunshine rebates, a state grant program that expires this
year, might have played a role in solar's ascendancy.
According to the state Department of Environmental Protection, the program had reservations
for about $94 million in rebates by the end of 2010. Tom Bell, director of the Pennsylvania
Energy Development Authority, said the program, begun in 2009, logged reservations for money
for solar systems for 658 small businesses and about 4,800 homes.
Bell said home and business owners might cancel some of those reservations, but he believes
the program helped boost the state's standing in alternative energy output. He said
contractors in Western Pennsylvania told him customers still clamor for grants.
Lee and Ramsey conceded it took a combination of state grants, federal tax credits and the
knowledge that they could sell solar renewable energy credits -- known as SRECs -- every year
to utilities, to put solar systems within their reach.
Ramsey said the 30 percent federal tax credit on his system, coupled with a $10,000
Pennsylvania Sunshine grant and a contract that means he'll collect about $3,000 a year in
SREC credits, made his $50,000 investment doable.
Lee said the grants and credits mean his $23,000 system will pay for itself in seven or eight
years, maybe sooner.
"All the numbers ... go out the door as soon as power starts going up," Lee said.
2011年3月9日星期三
Sparks Fly Over Solar Panels at School Board Meeting
Tuesday night's meeting of the Culver City Unified School District Board of Education was
mostly routine until a presentation of upcoming capital projects sparked a lot of questions
about the time-sensitive issue of installing solar panels on three CCUSD schools.
After several presentations honoring students with American Citizenship Awards, and
recognition of Culver City High School's Academy of Visual and Performing Arts as part of
Arts Education Month, the board was given a presentation of several capital improvement
projects by Ali Delawalla, the district's Assistant Superintendent for Business Services.
Included in the presentation was an update on plans for renovating the athletic fields at
Culver City High School. However, what sparked the most interest was the update on the
potential installation of solar panels on the rooves of Culver City High School, Middle
School and Farragut Elementary School.
The project, approved by the board at the February 14 meeting, involves applying to the
California Solar Initiative for rebates that will make the panels affordable, plus add
revenue to the district's general fund and create significant cost savings by generating the
electricity for the three schools involved.
Because the rebates funds are limited, the application to the CSI must be made before the
funds are allocated elsewhere, making the issue somewhat time-sensitive. Board member
Katherine Paspalis asked Delawalla why the delay?
"This is the third or fourth meeting [since the board directed the district to make the
application]," Paspalis said. "Why isn't it completed?"
Delawalla said that according to his conversations with Southern California Edison, the
vendor for the panels makes the application for the rebates through Edison, rather than
directly to the CSI, and that to get a vendor, the district had to assemble a complete
Request For Proposals.
Several board members then questioned Delawalla about the process, citing earlier information
from Todd Johnson, head of the board's environmental sustainability committee, that the
application could be made directly to the CSI without an RFP to lock in the rebates.
Neither Johnson, who was present, nor Delawalla explained why there was the discrepancy about
the process, even though several board members pressed Delawalla on the issue.
"It's a legal document," Delawalla told the board about the RFP. "We wanted to make sure the
document is complete and addressed every possible scenario."
After board member Karlo Silberger expressed his frustration and asked why there was a
difference between Johnson's and Delawalla's information, Interim Superintendent Patricia
Jaffe broke in.
"Ali Delawalla works on this every single day," she said in Delawalla's defense. "This is a
project we are all interested in. So, it's not like he's saying we don't want solar. It might
be we don't want to buy these panels."
Delawalla said that he would have the RFP ready by "the end of next week." He mentioned an
upcoming meeting with Southern California Edison and was urged by the board to have Johnson
accompany him to that meeting to iron out the procedural questions.
In other business, the board heard from Silberger about a sub-committee meeting in which
members of the public were invited to suggest ideas to help the district in the face of a
potential 10 percent cut in funding. Silberger and fellow board member Patricia Siever said
that the meeting was helpful and that the next step would be to look at what ideas will
realize what savings.
mostly routine until a presentation of upcoming capital projects sparked a lot of questions
about the time-sensitive issue of installing solar panels on three CCUSD schools.
After several presentations honoring students with American Citizenship Awards, and
recognition of Culver City High School's Academy of Visual and Performing Arts as part of
Arts Education Month, the board was given a presentation of several capital improvement
projects by Ali Delawalla, the district's Assistant Superintendent for Business Services.
Included in the presentation was an update on plans for renovating the athletic fields at
Culver City High School. However, what sparked the most interest was the update on the
potential installation of solar panels on the rooves of Culver City High School, Middle
School and Farragut Elementary School.
The project, approved by the board at the February 14 meeting, involves applying to the
California Solar Initiative for rebates that will make the panels affordable, plus add
revenue to the district's general fund and create significant cost savings by generating the
electricity for the three schools involved.
Because the rebates funds are limited, the application to the CSI must be made before the
funds are allocated elsewhere, making the issue somewhat time-sensitive. Board member
Katherine Paspalis asked Delawalla why the delay?
"This is the third or fourth meeting [since the board directed the district to make the
application]," Paspalis said. "Why isn't it completed?"
Delawalla said that according to his conversations with Southern California Edison, the
vendor for the panels makes the application for the rebates through Edison, rather than
directly to the CSI, and that to get a vendor, the district had to assemble a complete
Request For Proposals.
Several board members then questioned Delawalla about the process, citing earlier information
from Todd Johnson, head of the board's environmental sustainability committee, that the
application could be made directly to the CSI without an RFP to lock in the rebates.
Neither Johnson, who was present, nor Delawalla explained why there was the discrepancy about
the process, even though several board members pressed Delawalla on the issue.
"It's a legal document," Delawalla told the board about the RFP. "We wanted to make sure the
document is complete and addressed every possible scenario."
After board member Karlo Silberger expressed his frustration and asked why there was a
difference between Johnson's and Delawalla's information, Interim Superintendent Patricia
Jaffe broke in.
"Ali Delawalla works on this every single day," she said in Delawalla's defense. "This is a
project we are all interested in. So, it's not like he's saying we don't want solar. It might
be we don't want to buy these panels."
Delawalla said that he would have the RFP ready by "the end of next week." He mentioned an
upcoming meeting with Southern California Edison and was urged by the board to have Johnson
accompany him to that meeting to iron out the procedural questions.
In other business, the board heard from Silberger about a sub-committee meeting in which
members of the public were invited to suggest ideas to help the district in the face of a
potential 10 percent cut in funding. Silberger and fellow board member Patricia Siever said
that the meeting was helpful and that the next step would be to look at what ideas will
realize what savings.
2011年3月7日星期一
JA Solar and MEMC link up for new cell plant
JA Solar Holdings Co and MEMC Electronic Materials Inc will join forces to build a
photovoltaic solar cell factory in China, the latest expansion by the fast-growing
renewable energy industry.
JA Solar and MEMC said on Monday they will form a 50-50 joint venture to build a 250
-megawatt facility at JA's site in Yangzhou to make solar cells, which are put
together to create solar panels.
The solar industry is coming off its biggest year ever in sales, and companies around
the world are spending heavily to increase their production capacity and grab a
larger share of the market.
The plant is expected to begin commercial production in the second half of the year,
and could eventually grow to a production capacity of 1,000 MW.
Shares of JA Solar were up about 1 percent in premarket trading to $7.10.
2011年3月3日星期四
PSE&G Explains Solar Panels on Poles
As reported in yesterday's Township Committee meeting roundup, representatives of
PSE&G appeared before the Committee on March 1 to answer questions about the solar
panels that are being installed on utility poles throughout town.
PSE&G Director of Renewable Energy Projects Frank Czigler explained that the panels
were part of $515 million investment by PSE&G in solar and renewable energy to meet a
mandate to generate 30% of its energy from renewable resources by 2020. Czigler said
that 200,000 poles statewide will be hosting the 2' x 5' panels. Ultimately, there
should be between 330 to 400 panels on poles in Maplewood (that's 10-15% of the 3,276
PSE&G poles in town).
Czigler said the panels are noiseless, give off no heat, contain no hazardous
chemicals, and are shatterproof. He said tax credits for the panels would lower rate
payers' energy bills but would not show up as a line item reduction on statements.
Czigler and his two cohorts from PSE&G were grilled by Deputy Mayor Fred Profeta who
questioned the safety of the panels. Czigler explained that panels were as safe as any
other fixture on the poles and that poles were selected based on the amount of
southern exposure they received. He assured the town that no trees would be trimmed to
accommodate more sun exposure for any panels. Czigler also added that no panels would
be installed on poles in historic districts.
Czigler said that the panel installations began in Maplewood in mid-December. Patch
noticed and reported on panels appearing around Maplecrest Park in January.
Mayor Vic DeLuca asked, "What right do you have to put these up?" PSE&G Assistant
General Regulatory Counsel David Richter assured the Committee that PSE&G "has every
right" to use public rights of way and its poles to supply and distribute energy.
Profeta, who is deputy mayor for the environment and a founder of Sustainable Jersey,
noted that "There's nothing I'm more in favor of than solar power and renvewable
energy." However, he was disturbed that "We had no conversations [between the town and
PSE&G] beforehand."
Ultimately, DeLuca apologized for not passing along the notification of the program
that he received via phone from PSE&G Public Affairs manager Everton Scott although he
felt that PSE&G should have sent out a letter and visited the committee before
installation.
"I think they're ugly but we are talking about generating renewable energy and getting
off our dependence on fossil fuels. This is the 'new normal' — if I can steal a
phrase from the governor," said Mayor DeLuca, who added that despite his concerns,
"Overall, the program is a good one. We ought to move forward."
PSE&G appeared before the Committee on March 1 to answer questions about the solar
panels that are being installed on utility poles throughout town.
PSE&G Director of Renewable Energy Projects Frank Czigler explained that the panels
were part of $515 million investment by PSE&G in solar and renewable energy to meet a
mandate to generate 30% of its energy from renewable resources by 2020. Czigler said
that 200,000 poles statewide will be hosting the 2' x 5' panels. Ultimately, there
should be between 330 to 400 panels on poles in Maplewood (that's 10-15% of the 3,276
PSE&G poles in town).
Czigler said the panels are noiseless, give off no heat, contain no hazardous
chemicals, and are shatterproof. He said tax credits for the panels would lower rate
payers' energy bills but would not show up as a line item reduction on statements.
Czigler and his two cohorts from PSE&G were grilled by Deputy Mayor Fred Profeta who
questioned the safety of the panels. Czigler explained that panels were as safe as any
other fixture on the poles and that poles were selected based on the amount of
southern exposure they received. He assured the town that no trees would be trimmed to
accommodate more sun exposure for any panels. Czigler also added that no panels would
be installed on poles in historic districts.
Czigler said that the panel installations began in Maplewood in mid-December. Patch
noticed and reported on panels appearing around Maplecrest Park in January.
Mayor Vic DeLuca asked, "What right do you have to put these up?" PSE&G Assistant
General Regulatory Counsel David Richter assured the Committee that PSE&G "has every
right" to use public rights of way and its poles to supply and distribute energy.
Profeta, who is deputy mayor for the environment and a founder of Sustainable Jersey,
noted that "There's nothing I'm more in favor of than solar power and renvewable
energy." However, he was disturbed that "We had no conversations [between the town and
PSE&G] beforehand."
Ultimately, DeLuca apologized for not passing along the notification of the program
that he received via phone from PSE&G Public Affairs manager Everton Scott although he
felt that PSE&G should have sent out a letter and visited the committee before
installation.
"I think they're ugly but we are talking about generating renewable energy and getting
off our dependence on fossil fuels. This is the 'new normal' — if I can steal a
phrase from the governor," said Mayor DeLuca, who added that despite his concerns,
"Overall, the program is a good one. We ought to move forward."
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