Solar Cost Guide
  • Get Solar Estimates
  • Solar Costs Near You
  • Guide To Solar

This Week In Solar 31 Oct – 6 Nov 2015

Green Energy News From Around The World


Solar news weekly

This week in solar saw another massive victory for the industry as a Milwaukee judge said no to utilities.

Here are our top green energy stories of the week:

  • Kyocera and partners target US solar market for big push.
  • 8th grader’s revolutionary $12 invention wins scientist of the year award.
  • Victory for solar as Milwaukee judge rejects utility rate increase.
  • Could solar actually be aggravating global climate change?
  • How Hawaiian solar will continue to flourish after NEM.
  • Watch this graph to see how the US power grid evolved over the last 20 years.

8th Grader’s Revolutionary $12 Energy Invention

Hannah-Herbst

8th Grader Hannah Herbst was recently named America’s Top Young Scientist of the year at the 2015 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge.

Her revolutionary invention, named BEACON ( Bringing Electricity Access to Countries Through Ocean Energy Collection ), is a low-cost method of producing energy from ocean currents.

Herbst told Business Insider that she was inspired by her 9-year-old pen pal in Ethiopia who has limited access to electricity. “I can’t even imagine a day without electricity,” said Herbst.

The 15-year-old inventor from Florida came up with a floating probe with a 3D-printed propeller, a small pulley, and a hydroelectric generator.

It makes use of the probe to convert the natural movements of the ocean into usable electricity, and it only costs $12 to make!

Milwaukee Judge Rejects Utility Rate Increase

angry judge

Last year, the PSC ruled in favor of Milwaukee-based utility We Energies to set up a monthly fee of $20 for utility customers who generate some of their own power through rooftop solar.

Solar advocates, however, have just been granted a huge victory as Dane County Circuit Court Judge Peter Anderson has rejected the fee from kicking in this January.

The Wisconsin solar tax reversal is applauded by industry as it was ruled that the PSC did not have enough evidence to back up it’s decision and proposal for special fees on distributed energy which will not be applicable anymore.

Rooftop solar customers would have been charged an extra monthly fee of $3.79 per kilowatt (kW) of installed capacity, meaning that customer who installed a 5 kW rooftop solar system would have been billed an extra $18.95 per month.

Is Solar Actually Causing Climate Change?

Bighorn sheep

According to latest studies, large solar arrays may actually have some surprising side effects, including changes in the local climate. 

It also came to light recently that the Mojave Solar Project may actually be adversely affecting the Bighorns in the Soda Mountains of California.

Figuring out how renewable energy sources will affect their local landscapes is an increasingly relevant challenge for scientists.

It is important, however, to not ignore the solar cornucopia if we are serious about moving towards a renewable energy future.

Hawaiian Solar Can Still Flourish After Net Metering

hawaii-solar-news-net-metering

Utilities and solar advocates are still at it. Even after realizing the benefits of solar, they’ve still not reached an agreement on net metering.

Solar groups in Hawaii are suing utility commissions, and solar leaders are warning lawmakers they are so close to capping their net energy metering limits that the whole solar industry could come to a dead stop.

Even though net metering in Hawaii is over, there is still light at the end of the tunnel.

By taking advantage of smart, affordable technologies available in the marketplace, all electricity users could move “towards a more integrated grid that reduces costs and enhances reliability for both customers and the utility,” said RMI Senior Associate Mark Dyson.

So what happened in Hawaii, and how can demand flexibility help replace net metering as well as offer more benefits to everyone?

All this and more is available here.

Graph Shows US Power Grid Evolution Over 20 Years

solar news renewable vs

The US energy mix is changing shape. It’s often spoken about, but how does it look?

This graph shows 5 interesting power trends, representing how electricity is generated across the states, and how it has changed over the years.

Ultimately this is about us, the choices, transitions, and opportunities we have created. Where will technology and innovation take us if we allow it?

Solar is claiming its share of the spotlight by increasing scale and dropping costs rapidly.

When it comes to energy, one thing seems quite clear: The only constant is change.

US-Energy-Evolution

Originally posted on Synapse Energy Economics.

Kyocera Corp’s Big Solar Push

Kyocera solar

In mid-November it was a announced that Kyocera Corp. had partnered with Dynamic Solar Solutions for the installation of 24.75 kilowatt solar modules atop Emilio Bacardi Group headquarters in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

This week Kyocera announced the completion of their 9-megawatt solar power station in the western prefecture of Shiga in conjunction with Century Tokyo Leasing Corp.

Kyocera is currently trying to double its US solar footprint and ramp up solar plus storage sales as they push to seek other profitable avenues outside of their domestic market of Japan.

 

Costs Reported Nationwide:

Solar Installation


Minimum Cost - $ 10,500
Average Cost - $ 19,555
Maximum Cost - $ 30,000

Speak To A Solar Pro

Use our free, no obligation service to tell us about your solar needs and we'll put you in touch with a qualified solar pro in your area.


  •   Freely Compare Solar Options
  •   Get A Personalised Solar Solution
  •   Easy, Quick & Professional Service
  •   Get The Best Solar Deal For You!
Charles Clarkson
Solar Energy Expert
Member since 2015
 
 
Solar Cost Guide

Off grid container home
New Off-Grid Solar Homes Made From Shipping Containers
 
This Week In Solar 25 – 31 July
 
  • Back to top
  • Solar Cost Guide
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Use & Privacy

All Rights Reserved © SolarCostGuide.com - All Trademarks & Patents Belong to Their Respective Owners.