http://go-off-grid.com/solar-power Solar and Wind Power Sun, 05 Feb 2012 07:29:24 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Seed Starting in 10 Steps Seed starting isn't rocket science, yet we've all have our triumphs and disappointments. Here are some tips and basics to give you the advantage when starting your garden seeds this spring....Read Full Post Source: About.com Gardening http://go-off-grid.com/solar-power/organic-gardening/seed-starting-in-10-steps Middle Class Leading Solar Push in California There’s a new trend in solar—at least in California: More middle-class homeowners are installing solar than ever before. As such a new crop of cities are showing tremendous growth in solar. That’s according to a new report by SunRun and PV Solar Report that ... http://go-off-grid.com/solar-power/solar-power-news/middle-class-leading-solar-push-in-california Patent Applications Prove Coda Automotive Moving into Energy Storage Greentech Media recently reported that Southern California electric vehicle startup Coda Automotive (Coda) launched a battery business called Coda Energy, which will enter the grid-scale energy storage market. Coda’s patent portfolio offers a window into the battery technology that might be part ... http://go-off-grid.com/solar-power/solar-power-news/patent-applications-prove-coda-automotive-moving-into-energy-storage Adobe Orders More Bloom Boxes @ HQ Earlier this week Adobe announced that it had added another 400 kilowatts of Bloom Energy fuel cells to its current fleet of Bloom Boxes. I spoke with Mike Bangs, Adobe’s Director of Global Facilities, about the installation. The two 200-kilowatt units installed at the ... http://go-off-grid.com/solar-power/solar-power-news/adobe-orders-more-bloom-boxes-hq $1B Prize for 100 MPG Gasoline Car As the GOP works to eliminate the renewable energy production tax credit and the $7500 rebate for electric and plug-in cars, they’re pushing for efficient cars that still run on oil. Rep. Dan Lungren (R-CA) introduced legislation to offer a $1 billion prize to the first ... http://go-off-grid.com/solar-power/solar-power-news/1b-prize-for-100-mpg-gasoline-car Creating Energy Champions In late January, I had the great pleasure of joining a group of Charlotte, N.C. city employees at an “Energy Champions” training hosted by Duke Energy and Charlotte Center City Partners. The city workers were bursting with enthusiasm, inventing creative ideas on the spot about how to motivate ... http://go-off-grid.com/solar-power/solar-power-news/creating-energy-champions SPV Concept by Omer Sagiv Designer Omer Sagiv’s futuristic Solar Powered Vehicle (SPV) is an ideal vehicle for long rides in deserts or other open lands. The SPV is a typical solar vehicle design. The aluminum structure mounts plenty of flexible thin film modules, which can generate much energy for long ... http://go-off-grid.com/solar-power/solar-power-news/spv-concept-by-omer-sagiv 2011 Cleantech Partnerships and Collaborations In cleantech as with most sectors, partnerships and collaborations are vital to drive innovation and move forward, this is particularly true during difficult economic times. This was certainly the case in 2011 and all indications are that it will be even more of an important trend ... http://go-off-grid.com/solar-power/solar-power-news/2011-cleantech-partnerships-and-collaborations Rooftop Solar: New Roof Needed? Before you consider investing in a roof mounted solar PV or solar water heating system, there are several things to consider. The first, of course, concerns the added weight of the solar system.  Is the roof structurally sound to accept it?  As a rule of thumb ... http://go-off-grid.com/solar-power/solar-power-news/rooftop-solar-new-roof-needed Why Distributed Solar is a Big Deal A buzzword often used in promotions for small-scale solar PV development is the term “distributed generation”. It’s a broadly defined term, partially because it’s still more of an idea than a tested alternative to centralized power grids common in most communities. Centralized electricity generation ... http://go-off-grid.com/solar-power/solar-power-news/why-distributed-solar-is-a-big-deal