Misconceptions are rampant. Politicians have a big stake in your confusion. What you think you know can hurt you.

It’s hard to argue the fact that reducing our dependence on fossil fuel will benefit everyone and that the economy will benefit as well by our conversion to solar or wind energy.

Now is a very exciting time for the solar industry and rebates make solar energy a no-brainer. It’s a revolution a long time in the making and seriously overdue. The financial return far exceeds what one would imagine and if we -as a country - take full advantage of the technology, we will have made a more sustainable future for generations to come.

While the number of solar panels being installed in homes across the world is increasing, so is the number of misconceptions regarding them. Listed below are some of the more common examples…don’t be fooled by them!

Click here to see the 7 reasons!

Thinking about investing in a solar array but concerned about the lifespan of photovoltaic cells? Consider this: the world’s oldest solar panel — a 60 year-old crystal ball-like contraption — still works. The panel was built by a British science teacher who wanted to prove the novel idea that sunlight could be converted into electricity.

Of course, the panel doesn’t produce much electricity–just 1.5 volts of electricity in direct sunlight, or enough to power a digital watch. And while today’s panels only need indirect sunlight to function, the 60 year-old version requires direct sunlight. Still, the selenium-based panel is surprisingly similar to current models.

The half century-old device is the first example of a modern solar panel, but it isn’t the first piece of solar technology. That distinction goes to Charles Fritts, who built the first solar cell in 1883. Want to check out the panel for yourself? It’s currently on display at Antiques for Everyone, a British antique event.

Via UK Daily Mail

Read More: http://www.inhabitat.com/2010/04/08/worlds-first-modern-solar-panel-still-works-after-60-years/

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The University of Florida Solar Decathlon team will hold several events this week to showcase its project: a student-designed solar home that will compete internationally this summer.

The events culminate in an open house Friday where the public can tour the home that will compete in Solar Decathlon Europe, an international competition designed to advance innovation and research in solar, sustainable and industrialized housing.

The Project: RE: FOCUS team will encourage the UF community to “Make a Change, Not a Footprint” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Plaza of the Americas with an expo featuring solar panels, renderings of the home, the home’s floor plan staked out to scale, and other information on the project.

On Thursday morning, Project RE:FOCUS will take over the 34th Street wall to inspire the Gainesville community members to make a small change in their lives to reduce their carbon footprint.

Friday’s open house will feature tours of the home, information about the project and presentations by College of Design, Construction and Planning Dean Christopher Silver, team leader and building construction professor Robert Ries and student team leader and doctoral student Dereck Winning.

“The Solar Decathlon gives students from across the university the opportunity to work together on a real-world project, and Friday will be the first opportunity for the team to present their work to the sponsors and the community,” Ries said.

The open house will take place at the UF Solar Energy Park, 2610 S.W. 23rd Terrace, from 3 to 6 p.m., with the presentations delivered at 3:15 p.m. Those who attend are encouraged to carpool to promote sustainability and due to limited parking.

The UF team, comprised of more than 125 students from four colleges and eight disciplines, will compete in Madrid this June in 10 categories that include solar power, innovation, sustainability and communication. The team’s entry fuses innovation with the design of the historic Florida Cracker House to further the field of solar energy and inspire solutions for sustainable living that fit market needs.

For updates on the house, visit http://www.floridasolardecathlon.org/

Writing Credits: Kathryn Watson

Solar FIT program was the first of its kind in the US

November 6, 2009

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) announced Gainesville Regional Utilities as the winner of the SEPA Award for Solar Business Achievement in the area of Community Outreach and Public Awareness last week. GRU was recognized during SEPA’s Annual Membership Meeting in Anaheim, Calif.

SEPA selected GRU and the other award nominees from the 700 SEPA member utilities and solar companies. SEPA Executive Director Julia Hamm applauded GRU’s tireless work in raising awareness of the solar feed-in-tariff program locally and among the utility and solar industries.

GRU’s Solar FIT program was the first of its kind in the US. Based on highly successful models in Europe, it offers GRU electric customers a chance to invest in solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and sell electricity directly to the utility under a contract for 20 years at a fixed price.

“Gainesville Regional Utilities has moved itself to the forefront of photovoltaic development in the Southeast with its new feed-in-tariff program, which required both customer and solar industry involvement and ‘learning while doing’ as part of its development,” Hamm said.

GRU’s Solar FIT program will add 20 megawatts of solar electricity to GRU’s power supply within 5 years. GRU has received enough completed applications to reach the utility’s annual target of 4 megawatts through 2016.

The solar energy system rebates are issued by the Florida Energy & Climate Commission pursuant to Sections 377.801-377.806, Florida Statutes, and Chapter 27N-1, Florida Administrative Code, contingent upon an annual appropriation by the Legislature of the State of Florida for the specific purpose of funding solar rebates. Rebates can only be issued if funding is available. There is no Guarantee of Funding.

• The Energy Office has recently ramped up staffing to deal with the thousands of solar rebate applications received to date.

• The initial $5 million Federal Stimulus Allocation from the State Energy Program (SEP) Funds has been received and expended.

• The $9.4 million from the Federal Stimulus Allocation from the Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grant was denied by the Department of Energy.

• On September 29, 2009, the Florida Energy & Climate Commission (FECC) reallocated $9.4 million from the SunSmart School Program to the Solar Rebate Program.

• Total funding for the Solar Rebate Program for fiscal year 2009-2010 . . . $14.4 million.

• Since July 1, 2008, a total of 4,780 solar rebate applications have been approved and are being processed for payment representing approximately $12.2 million.

• The remaining balance as of October 16, 2009, according to the Energy Office’s website is $2.2 million.

• The Energy Office is currently processing applications from May 2009.

• The Energy Office updates the website every Friday.

• The Energy Office has approximately 4,570 solar rebate applications remaining to be processed and continues to process them daily.

• The Energy Office receives on average approximately 40-50 solar rebate applications daily.

• The Energy Office finds approximately 30% of the solar rebate applications rejected for insufficient information (these are returned to the applicant for completion) or found to be ineligible for the program.

The main measure of solar system performance is energy production. Understanding what factors affect the solar array energy production may be helpful in determining optimum performance. The factors include: Amount of Sunlight, Ambient Temperature, Orientation of Solar Array Surface, Tilt Angle of Solar Array, Voltage Drop in Wiring, Inverter Efficiency in Power Conversion, Obstructions Which Shade Solar Array, Dust, Dirt, Leaves etc. on Solar Array Surface. If you have any questions regarding these factors please feel free to use this blog as an avenue to post and discuss these topics. I will do my best to provide you with accurate information in a timely manner.
Pure Energy Solar,
Director of Engineering

Wayne Irwin of Pure Energy Solar works on the Inverter bank at Akria Wood in Gainesville, Florida.

Roof Top of Akria Wood.

Dear Friends of SAC:

We are very excited to announce the debut of SAC’s sustainability hub website – please see the article below this letter.

But before we delve into the world of technology, we are compelled to take a moment to ask for YOUR SUPPORT in SAC’s continued existence and expansion.

During our 2009 reincarnation, you have helped the all-volunteer board take SAC to a new level. You have talked with us at the Community Stakeholder meetings in February. In response, we have created the VIRTUAL HUB that you asked for!

You also have participated with us in the budding Food and Energy Working Groups. The Food WG is mapping and envisioning what a sustainable local food system would look like. The Energy WG is discussing how SAC might help to further the goals of energy conservation, particularly for low-income residents who spend a disproportionate amount of their incomes for energy.

SAC has been participating in UF’s Sustainability Forum of community leaders, and we have made our organization available to provide coordination, social marketing, and accountability services for potential stimulus grants that may be coming to our community.

We have not made a plea for funds since 2007, so NOW IS THE TIME!

We need funds to create a PHYSICAL HUB to mirror the virtual hub. We envision a space where we can offer community meetings, sustainability workshops, and a lending library of sustainability tools. We want to offer an ongoing slate of workshops in coordination with our community partners.

In SAC’s view, the worlds of computer social networking and learning skills for energy conservation and backyard gardening walk hand in hand toward a sustainable future.

PLEASE MAKE A DONATION TO SAC by visiting our new website at
http://sustainablealachua.org/ and clicking the “Make a Donation” tab. Better yet, sign up to participate in the website, and you will offered an opportunity to donate.

If you would like to discuss a major donation of physical space or sponsorship of events, please contact Susan Marynowski at sustainableac@gmail.com. You also may mail a check to Sustainable Alachua County, PO Box 2772, Gainesville, FL 32602-2772.

Thank you for all you have done for sustainability in our community and for making a donation to SAC today. We greatly appreciate your support.

For all things sustainable,
Susan Marynowski
and the entire SAC Board

Clean energy is one of the fastest growing industries in today’s economy, and Gainesville is positioned to be a leader in this dynamic field. According to a 2008 report from research firm Clean Edge, fuel cells, solar PV, wind energy and biofuels — a combined $77.3 billion market in 2007 — will increase to $254.5 billion (or 229 percent) within a decade.

Florida averages roughly 240 days of year-round sunshine and receives 85 percent of the maximum solar resource available in the U.S. With more than 430 companies and nearly 16,000 employees, Florida has one of the largest concentrations in the U.S of suppliers of silicon, solar PV module components and balance of systems components, according to Enterprise Florida, the state’s economic development entity. Florida ranks among the top five states in the production of solar thermal collectors. Florida researchers are already developing next generation photovoltaic technologies, like thin film PV based on amorphous silicon, cadmium telluride, CIS/CIGS and other emerging and nano materials.

The Council for Economic Outreach (CEO) is seeing an influx of clean energy projects considering Gainesville. Of the 35 projects CEO has worked with in 2009, nearly a third are in the clean energy sector.

For more information, go to http://www.gainesvillechamber.com/Clean-Energy-Economy.aspx

Recently, we were at Indigo’s Anniversary Party and we asked the people that stopped to see us to list some of the reasons they love living in Gainesville. Here are their answers (not necessarily in any sort of ranking):

1. Because there are so many cool businesses right here!
2. Because we can ride our bikes anywhere we need to go.
3. Culture, UF, “Small town attitude”, Weather, Location, Lack of concrete
4. Great, eco-centered community.
5. Biking, Hiking and the outdoors.
6. It’s a college town, I grew up in a college town (Boston) and I love college towns!
7. Because I met my hubby here ☺
8. The low-intensity commercial development and it feels like home.
9. Burrito Brothers!!
10. Great music!
11. Tree canopy and vegetation keeps us cooler.
12. Best bike roadways I’ve seen.  So easy to get around and love the University.
13. Because it’s my hometown and I love it.  It will only ever change for the better.
14. Because it’s a small town and everyone knows what’s going on.
15. Because of all the nature trails and forests.
16. Great bike trails/paths and lots of natural areas.
17. Because there are a lot of trees.
18. Because of the gorgeous winters and low traffic.
19. I love the diversity of the people and the exchange of information amongst them.
20. We love the friendly people and the feeling of home.  We love the beautiful trees and the great outdoor weather.
21. It’s a tree city with a lot of cultural diversity.
22. Lots of great outdoor spaces and variety of culture.
23. Change of seasons.
24. Because it’s so opposite of Detroit is so many ways!
25. Because I can easily get around.  It has what is usually found only in large cities – Art/Culture/Performing Arts/Great Sports.  And it’s still small enough to offer great friendships and connections.
26. Access to Payne’s Prairie.
27. Provides a relatively good living environment.
28. Because I don’t know any different.
29. Eclecticism.
30. “It’s a green city with a heart of gold”; a conscious community with a generous spirit of giving.