The Energy Department will say only that the project is mired in the "competitive procurement process." Spokeswoman Joelle Terry declined to go into details of the holdup. Questions about when that process might be completed also were rebuffed. So were queries about the projected cost of adding the panels and where the panels would be located.
The National Park Service, which put solar panels on White House outbuildings during the administration of President George W. Bush, said it couldn't comment on why the previous installation was completed more quickly. It directed questions to the White House, where press spokesman Clark Stevens deferred to the Department of Energy, where spokeswoman Terry stuck to her original statement.
Not even Solar Design Associates, which according to the magazine Solar Today installed the previous panels, was willing to comment. A search of the government contracting website USASpending.gov did turn up a $10,000 contract, awarded in January, to Overly Manufacturing Co. That contract was to "support the contractor" for the photovoltaic system and "ensure that the integrity and warranty of the White House roof is maintained."
No one was willing to reveal the details of the formal government bidding proposal, which was not posted online.
Solar panels atop the White House, America's most famous government building, have long been a policy statement. President Jimmy Carter installed 32 in 1979 when an Arab oil embargo spiked fuel prices.
"No one can ever embargo the sun or interrupt its delivery to us," Carter said at the installation ceremony, having never seen the episode of "The Simpsons" where Mr. Burns blocks out the sun with a giant disk.
President Ronald Reagan removed the panels in 1986. Then came the National Park Service-directed installation during the most recent Bush administration. Those panels went on a maintenance building and on the president's cabana to heat water for the outdoor White House pool.
Chu announced that panels would be going up on the White House itself at the GreenGov Symposium, which was described on its website as "a three-day educational event to identify opportunities around greening the Federal Government." It was sponsored by the White House Council on Environmental Quality and held at George Washington University in Washington Oct. 5-7, 2010.
"As we move toward a clean energy economy, the White House will lead by example," Chu said then when he promised that solar panels would be returned to the White House roof. "It's been a long time since we've had them up there."
The project was intended to be part of the Energy Department's larger SunShot Initiative to make solar technology cost-competitive.
Solar power is one of the staples of the growing alternate energy sector. Both commercial buildings and homes are incorporating the technology, though it still makes up only about 1 percent of the energy produced by alternative fuels in the U.S., according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
A spokesman for the organization 350.org, named after an atmospheric target of 350 parts per million of carbon dioxide recommended by some scientists to ward off the "greenhouse effect" blamed for global warming, expressed disappointment that the solar panels hadn't yet made it to the roof of the White House.
"This isn't rocket science. Hammer it in, make a few connections — you're good to go," said Jamie Henn, the group's spokesman. "If the first lady is going to go out and get her hands dirty planting her garden, then it's up to the president to do some home improvements as well."
His group has been a leading proponent of heads of state adding solar panels to their residences.
"The administration needs to do more to show that they're serious about moving clean energy forward," he said. "There's no better way of doing that than getting on the roof of the White House and proclaiming that there shouldn't just be solar panels there, but on rooftops all across America and around the world."
While it may be a little more complicated than Henn jokes, two other heads of state have installed solar panels on their official residences.
2011年8月31日星期三
2011年4月11日星期一
GE Invests $600 Million into Manufacturing New Solar Technology
The manufacturing base (location yet to be announced) is expected to employ 400
workers, create 600 jobs, and manufacture 400-MW worth of solar panels each year.
NextEra Energy has ordered 60 MW of thin film solar panels so far and Invenergy has
ordered 20MW of panels and new GE Brilliance inverters (another technology just
launched by GE).
National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) verified the record-breaking efficiency of GE’
s new technology. It found a 12.8% aperture area efficiency. This technology
actually started out at NREL before its research and development were passed on to
PrimeStar in 2007.
“This panel surpasses all previously published records for CdTe thin film, which is
the most affordable solar technology in the industry,” said GE in a statement.
GE has put a lot into wind energy (has a $6-billion wind energy business) and now,
as another key part of its renewable energy strategy, it is looking to focus a lot
more on solar. It’s specific focus: make solar cheaper.
“Our wind business was just a couple of hundred million dollars in 2002. Now it’s
a $6 billion platform. GE knows how to scale,” Victor Abate, vice president of GE’
s renewable energy business, said. ”We are addressing the biggest barrier for the
mainstream adoption of solar technology – cost – and the NREL certification proves
that we are on track to deliver the most affordable solutions for our customers.”
“Our plan to open a US solar manufacturing facility further demonstrates our
confidence in this technology and is just the first phase in a global, multi-
gigawatt roadmap. We’re not only excited by the efficiency milestone, but by the
speed at which our team was able to achieve it and the innovation runway for future
improvements in this technology.”
Looks like GE is moving fast on solar. Of course, it’s got a lot of competition in
this field, from First Solar in the U.S. to a number of Chinese solar companies that
benefit from cheap labor and much stronger government support for cleantech.
workers, create 600 jobs, and manufacture 400-MW worth of solar panels each year.
NextEra Energy has ordered 60 MW of thin film solar panels so far and Invenergy has
ordered 20MW of panels and new GE Brilliance inverters (another technology just
launched by GE).
National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) verified the record-breaking efficiency of GE’
s new technology. It found a 12.8% aperture area efficiency. This technology
actually started out at NREL before its research and development were passed on to
PrimeStar in 2007.
“This panel surpasses all previously published records for CdTe thin film, which is
the most affordable solar technology in the industry,” said GE in a statement.
GE has put a lot into wind energy (has a $6-billion wind energy business) and now,
as another key part of its renewable energy strategy, it is looking to focus a lot
more on solar. It’s specific focus: make solar cheaper.
“Our wind business was just a couple of hundred million dollars in 2002. Now it’s
a $6 billion platform. GE knows how to scale,” Victor Abate, vice president of GE’
s renewable energy business, said. ”We are addressing the biggest barrier for the
mainstream adoption of solar technology – cost – and the NREL certification proves
that we are on track to deliver the most affordable solutions for our customers.”
“Our plan to open a US solar manufacturing facility further demonstrates our
confidence in this technology and is just the first phase in a global, multi-
gigawatt roadmap. We’re not only excited by the efficiency milestone, but by the
speed at which our team was able to achieve it and the innovation runway for future
improvements in this technology.”
Looks like GE is moving fast on solar. Of course, it’s got a lot of competition in
this field, from First Solar in the U.S. to a number of Chinese solar companies that
benefit from cheap labor and much stronger government support for cleantech.
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.
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