News for November 20, 2001

Cypress Semiconductor to install 335 kW Solar System on San Jose Headquarters

Architect Wagner Incorporates Passive Solar Features

Benefits of Solar Power Depend On Its Use - (Fresno Bee)

Photovoltaic Panels Stolen from Joshua Tree National Park

Energy Conversion Devices announces 1st Qtr Results

Bundling Solar/Wind & Broadband in the Outback

Spire Corporation Reports 38% Rise in Sales for Third Quarter

IN BRIEF

Solar Forum - Cal PV Alliance - San Francisco December 14th - The California PV Alliance is hosting a Solar Forum on December 14th in San Francisco. Hosted at PG&E's Pacific Energy Center, the Forum is Free and open to all interested parties. Pre-registration is required so register early. Learn about nitty gritty of the industry, while networking with other solar industry/advocates. Preliminary Agenda.

CEC-Sponsored PV Training continues through June 2002. Designing and Installing Code-Compliant PV Systems Workshop - being held December 2001 through June 2002 at various locations in California. For details and info on dates and places

Solar Energy in New Home Construction - Workshop -Date: November 28, 2001/ Time: 8:00 am to1:00 pm /San Diego. Hosted by San Diego Regional Energy Office, the workshop will provide an overview of solar electric and solar water heating technologies, available cash incentives and tax credits for solar energy and the economics of solar technologies. The workshop will include two panel discussions: Shea Homes High Performance Homes Project (Project Team Panel); Builder Perspectives on Solar Energy (Homebuilder Panel). The workshop is designed for homebuilder project managers, strategic planners, purchasing and marketing managers.

Sunset Magazine features Photovoltaics ...Produce your own electric power -Photovoltaics explained: How you can convert to solar - The quietest power plant on Earth costs nothing to run, has no moving parts, requires no maintenance, and produces no pollution. It's an array of photovoltaic cells (a grouping of panels containing many roughly palm-size cells) installed on your roof and powered by the sun...Peter Whiteley- Sunset November 2001

Local Government Commission offers new program - Stimulating Public-sector Implementation of Renewable Energy (SPIRE). SPIRE provides financing and procurement assistance to municipalities for the installation of renewable energy systems. SPIRE combines the State's buy-down rebate (up to 50% of system cost) with low-interest, long-term financing and aggregated procurement to make distributed generation a cost-effective option for the public-sector. Local governments play an important role in stabilizing the State's power supply as well as stabilizing municipal electricity expenditures through self-generation. An October 2000 study(pdf 249kB) by the U.S. Dept. of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) for the Local Government Commission revealed that California's cities and counties have the potential to generate up to 200 megawatts (MW) of rooftop PV power.

Energy Conservation Under the Sun - A resource book for local governments is available online(under Resources section). Includes information on solar access laws and other solar ordinances adopted by communities in California.

Renewables Forum - Nov. 30, 2001 Sacramento. The Governor's Office of Planning & Research will host a forum to discuss the progress and development of renewable energy and technologies. For more info contact Sandra Vargas (email) or 916-327-7735.

President Signs Energy and Water Appropriations Bill -Statement by the President:"I have signed into law H.R. 2311, the "Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, 2002." I appreciate the bipartisan effort that has gone into producing this Act. The bill abides by the agreed upon aggregate funding level for Fiscal Year 2002 of $686 billion. It provides funding for several important programs with significant national benefits including...

Renewable Energy Summit on Fed Lands. November 28-29, 2001 [Washington DC] - Background: In May 2001, Vice President Cheney's National Energy Policy Development Group recommended to the President that the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Energy work together to re-evaluate access limitations to federal lands in order to increase renewable energy production such as biomass, wind, geothermal, and solar. While oil and natural gas will remain the greatest source of our energy supply, renewable energy is a critical part of the supply mix. In response to this request, Interior Secretary Gale Norton and Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham will convene a National Summit on Opportunities to Expand Renewable Energy on Public Lands.

Greenpeace releases study- Solar Promise [2001.11.08] illustrating the present widespread low level use of solar power in the United States and how simple it would be to make giant leaps forward. Greenpeace has published this study so that individuals and communities can become informed on the status and potential of solar power in their states and counties.