News for July 08, 2003

Jim and Rob (UK Adventurers) leave Rahus Central in Martinez, CA after outfitting
their cycles with a solar battery charger. The battery charger will help keep the
tunes flowing from their campground mini-stereo during their trip across the USA. Read more
about Jim & Rob's trip, send them an email, and perhaps invite them to stop for a visit.
They are hoping to arrive in New York early September and are tripping across the upper states.

The Power of 'We' - Organizations Working Together help move Solar Energy Forward in California. [Tor Allen]

Alameda’s Solar Education [Solar Schoolhouse project]

Alameda's Lincoln Middle School: Instructor Bill Dodge and students show off a
solar panel and array in the background.

Mohr Power Solar installs 81 kilowatt system for Riverside Revitalization Project

Gridless Solar Cell hits 20% efficiency mark [SunPower Corp]

The Energy Grows Greener - Utility Scale Renewable Energy

ChevronTexaco Installs California’s First Solar Project To Power Oil Production

LADWP Reaffirms $150 Million Commitment to Solar

Study Shows Renewables Will Play a Critical Role in Diversifying the Supply of Electric Energy

Bay Area Solar Consortium achieves Million Solar Roof Goal

Solar is hot- Subsidies hike interest, but costs still high [Sacramento Bee]

Big savings take savvy planning [Ainsworth - Sacramento]

Hybrid Wind/Water System envisioned for Altamont Pass

Solar Sebastopol Fair & Celebration Kicks Off New Solar Program [Aug.17th]

Solar power keeps Ferris wheel turning [Alameda]

IN BRIEF

Solar Car race starts July 13 - Chicago to LA - 3 cars from California entered - Welcome to the American Solar Challenge! From July 13th to 23th, 2003, 2300 miles of solar raycing will challenge teams from around the world. High tech and high efficiency solar cars will cross the Great Plains, climb the Rocky Mountains, and dash over the Great American Desert to the finish line in Southern California.Check the route and progress here

Subsidies Gone Wrong: Lessons From Solar Hot Water - When considering renewable energy market transformation1 in a competitive New England electric market, there are valuable lessons to be drawn from earlier experiences in the 1970's and 80's. These experiences were mostly characterized by a series of grant/subsidy programs which, while important at the time to provide initial impetus to public procurement, left little lasting infrastructure required for a robust solar industry. . read more here.....Energypulse Joel Gordes 2003.6.09

BP Statiscal Review of World Energy 2003 - "In a year when events have brought energy issues back into high profile with fears of disruption to supplies and of price instability, it is instructive to take a long-term perspective and to consider the gradual changes that are reshaping the global energy market. This is the 52nd edition of the BP Statistical Review of World Energy. In its early years, the Review recorded the growth in the consumption of oil, particularly in Europe and North America, in response to the increase in the number of cars. It also recorded the growth in energy trade, again concentrated in oil. Five decades on, we are seeing a series of important shifts in the pattern of energy consumption and supply. Natural gas is overtaking coal as a source of energy around the world. Trade in both oil and gas as a proportion of total energy consumption is growing, and the geographical pattern of that trade is changing as economic growth, particularly in China, leads to an increase in the requirement for energy imports. The continuing development of Russian energy resources is steadily increasing production and opening up the potential for new trading links. So, too, is the development of the energy resources in the Caspian region. The growth in natural gas consumption is contributing to the shift to a lower carbon fuel mix as well as providing a further important element of security in an energy market where the sources of supply are more diversely spread than at any time over the last century. These are the trends that will shape the world's energy market over the decades ahead. They are also the trends shaping BP's business activity as we approach our first centenary in 2008. The Statistical Review is a document of record that has tracked change for more than half a century. I would like to thank all those within BP and beyond who have helped produce this year's edition. I hope you will find it a useful and stimulating summary of a fascinating and ever evolving story that remains crucial to human progress." [Foreword by John Browne, CEO of BP]. Excellent charting tools available online. also for download free.

New Patent Issued to WorldWater Corp. For Automatic Solar Switching Technology - Source: press release 2003.6.17. -WorldWater Corporation announced today that it has been issued a patent for proprietary technology that enables solar systems to perform multiple functions and to switch automatically between solar and grid-tied power. The U.S. Patent Office will formally issue patent number 6,583,522 on June 24 to WorldWater Corporation for a proprietary array switching technology that makes it possible for a solar electric system to provide multiple functions such as water pumping and battery charging. It also enables a grid-tied solar system to be switched automatically to power pumps, compressors and chillers directly from solar if the grid goes down. The technology already is in use in systems the company has installed in California. WorldWater Corporation already holds one patent on this technology and has three more pending or in process. WorldWater Corporation is a full-service solar energy and water management company with unique high-powered solar technology providing solutions to water supply and energy problems. The company recently developed proprietary AquaMax solar water pumping systems capable of operating pumps up to 600 hp, making it the first solar company in the world with the power to deliver mainstream electric pumping capacity.

New Solar Resource Data available online from NASA - The Atmospheric Sciences Data Center at NASA Langley Research Center announces the availability of Release 4 Surface meteorology and Solar Energy (SSE) data.

Calenergy.org Connects Consumers to Solar and Wind Energy - CALENERGY.ORG is now on-line, allowing consumers to determine if solar or wind energy is right for their home or business. The website has a unique service that provides tips on how to choose a contractor, and connects consumers to a database of professionals that design, install and service solar and wind energy systems in California. This brings to consumers an important tool; a means by which to judge the skills and qualifications of solar and wind energy professionals, giving consumers increased confidence in the renewable energy industry and rewarding practitioners for meeting high standards of training and practice. The website includes a multimedia learning center, featuring video and audio clips that cover a host of topics important to consumers. The website also includes hands-on projects for kids. A new video series for kids, "Sunny and Friends".

Events

6/23-7/30 Intro to Alternative Energy Systems [Diablo Valley College- Pleasant Hill] - This course will cover present day energy systems, and then cover an in-depth analysis of the design and installation of alternate energy systems. Alternate energy systems to be covered in detail are solar water heating systems, solar electrical systems, wind electrical systems, wind mechanical systems, small hydro-electrical systems and unique conservation methods. Also presented are topics on geothermal energy, fuel cells, and biomass systems. Additional topics include applications of alternate energy in transportation, industrial, commercial and residential systems. Tom Chatagnier Instructor. See here for registration and more details

June-Aug SEI Workshops [Colorado] - Solar Energy International is hosting some great workshops this summer in beautiful Carbondale, Colorado. Subjects include: Women's Photovoltaic Design and Installation, Women's Carpentry, Advanced Strawbale Construction, Solar Water Pumping, Alternative Fuels, Wind Power, Microhydro Power, Coed PV Design and Installation, PV Design Online. To learn more and registration details visit the SEI website or call (970)963-8855 sei@solarenergy.org

7/13 to 7/23 American Solar Car Race Challenge! From July 13th to 23th, 2003, 2300 miles of solar raycing will challenge teams from around the world. High tech and high efficiency solar cars will cross the Great Plains, climb the Rocky Mountains, and dash over the Great American Desert to the finish line in Southern California. to learn more and for volunteer opportunities visit this website. Cars from Stanford, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, UC Berkeley are entered in the race.

8/23-24 SolFest [Hopland, CA] - Real Good Solar Living Center. With over 55 workshops on sustainable living and renewable energy, tons of delicious organic food, beer and wine, and up to 10,000 of your closest friends, this is an event not to miss! Workshops during the SolFest weekend inspire and inform SolFest participants. Yearly surveys indicate that most attendees come to our event expressly for the workshops. Here is a sampling of workshops titles scheduled for 2003: Fuel Cells and Marketplace Challenges, Off-Grid Financing, Cob and Strawbale Construction, Solar Hot Water, Wabi Sabi for Westerners, Practical Hydrogen, Building with a Conscience, Bringing Nature Home and Save Money from Solar Tax Rebates. to Learn more and registration details

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