Illinois Residents will “Be Solar Inspired” by attending the world’s largest solar energy event on Saturday, October 1
Be solar inspired! View renewable energy systems in action! The Illinois Solar Tour is a FREE self-guided, statewide event that demonstrates how Illinois homes and businesses are using solar, wind, geothermal, passive solar design, and energy efficiency to become energy independent.
Renewable energy system owners and installers will be providing tours TOMORROW Saturday, October 1st from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tour guides will answer questions on how you can harness the power of the sun and wind to fuel your home and business. Learn how you too can reduce your monthly utility bills, increase property values, and be part of the energy solution.
In the Chicagoland area, tour participants will have the opportunity to meet with homeowners who not only power their homes with renewable energy but also Continue reading 'Illinois Solar Tour 2011'»
There is plenty of buzz about solar panels, but making sense of the facts can still be a challenge.
Here is a high-level overview that we hope will inspire you to investigate solar further (or at least rent a good Spaghetti Western) in the near future.
The Good:
Many people are recognizing that in this volatile financial market, a solar panel system can be a good investment. (My financial advisor even has them!) The ‘payback’ time of solar panel systems can vary based on the incentives, but 5-8 years is a common range.
After that, all of your costs are re-couped, and of course you continue to get free energy, and most panels these days come with a 25 year warranty! With conventional energy prices going nowhere but up, this becomes even more appealing.
In addition, I learned recently of a study* that looked at home sales from 2001- 2009. Homes with solar panels sold for an average of $17,000 more than their conventional counterparts. In many cases, after incentives, the premium Continue reading 'Solar Panels: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly'»
There’s an age-old idiom you’ve likely heard: “it takes a village to raise a child.” Today, the global village is tasked with taking on the unprecedented challenge of global warming—a problem whose consequences every child the world over faces. The spirit of Climate Cycle is founded upon the principal of local solutions to global pollution. Through this, we generate bite size solutions to a problem that can otherwise feel isolating and overwhelming, with students and schools at the heart of those efforts.
This past May 22nd we completed our 3rd annual Ride to Recharge. The first three rides combined have brought out over 1100 riders and raised a combined $250,000 through rider pledges. On top of this, a variety of wonderful sponsors, including Motorola, Whole Foods, ING Direct, Chevy, REI, Surf Sweets and others have contributed crucial monetary and community related support for our efforts. As a result, to date 10 schools have received solar installations and 15 additional green school Continue reading 'Climate Cyclelogy'»
A few weeks ago, some of the 2nd graders at the Academy for Global Citizenship had an “aha!” moment. We were talking about our solar panels and how the sun’s energy excites the electrons, allowing them to flow freely. I saw that familiar look of understanding on some faces and asked them to tell me what they were thinking.
“So, when the sun is out, it is sending energy to the solar panels, just like when I go out to recess and sit in the sun and have a lot of energy to run around?!” asked (proclaimed) Michael.
While scientists and engineers might challenge this epiphany, it struck me differently, “YES! Exactly like that!”
Continue reading 'Kids are Full of Energy. So is the Sun!'»
Please join PVPower and our partner, Bright Electric Supply Co. at tomorrow’s seminar: Breaking into the Illinois Solar Market: A PV Primer for Professionals
Bright Electrical Supply Co. and PVPower have teamed up to offer an in-depth solar seminar, taught by leading national solar training organization Infinite Solar. This 3-hour session will cover three crucial topics to getting started in solar in Illinois, including photovoltaic (PV) technology basics, customer tax incentives and how to capitalize on the growing PV industry.
WHAT: Breaking into the Illinois Solar Power Market: A PV Primer for Professionals
WHEN: June 8, 2011, 2:00-5:00PM CST
WHERE: Bright Electrical Supply Co. – 217 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60612
REGISTRATION: $50.00 to Attend [CLICK HERE TO REGISTER]
The 3-hour session will help answer the following questions: Continue reading 'Join PVPower Tomorrow Afternoon to Learn More About Solar!'»
The Academy for Global Citizenship has begun an exciting conversation with the Clean Energy Trust (CET). CET is an Illinois nonprofit corporation with a mission to further the growth of clean energy technologies and businesses in the State of Illinois and the broader Midwest. CET believes clean energy will define the future, help secure our nation’s energy supply, and enable the highest quality of life for all citizens. Illinois can be a global leader in clean energy. The Trust strives to support regional economic development and address our nation’s energy and environmental crisis by encouraging innovation in the sector. Continue reading 'Clean Energy Trust & The Academy for Global Citizenship'»
From the City of Chicago’s Department of Environment
Calling all future scientists, engineers, and designers: the Chicago Center for Green Technology invites you to attend its annual Chicago Solar Powerup! Solar Powerup! This gives kids ages 9-12 the opportunity to design, build, and race model solar powered cars while learning about renewable energy resources.
Participants are given instruction in photovoltaic technology and opportunities to experiment with various design factors and thoroughly test their models. The workshops culminate in a drag race tournament at the Chicago Center for Green Technology on Saturday, July 23rd. Two sessions will be held this July:
- Session I: July 12th (Tue) through July 15th (Fri), 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
- Session II: July 19th (Tue) through July 22nd (Fri), 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
The registration deadline is June 30, 2011. Please note: registration is limited to 20 students per session. Students will be admitted on a first come, first served basis. Registration fee is $75. Spots may only be reserved by receipt of payment (check only, made payable to “Chicago Center for Green Technology”) no later than June 30, 2011.
Please call 312.746.4155 before mailing in payment to check registration availability and for more information. Limited scholarships are available upon request.
The past two Mays, a group of passionate environmentalists have descended upon Chicago’s lakefront trail by bicycle to raise money for solar panel installations and other green projects in local schools. Combined, 900 riders have raised $175,000 in the first two rides. This has spurred 15 green school projects including edible school gardens, bike clubs, anti-idling campaigns, camping excursions and solar panel making clubs. Additionally, 10 schools have “gone solar” to date.
Just as Climate Cycle schools are located all across Chicago, so to do our supporters come from all neighborhoods and walks of life. It is a rare and inspirational experience to see so many ages and ethnicities coming together for the common cause of improving our children’s future while addressing global warming. This is what Climate Cycle is all about.
The routes include lengths of 4,10,20,62 and 125 miles. All skill levels are welcome, with a dynamic closing celebration Continue reading 'Recharge Revolution'»
I spent the day last Thursday at the Midwest Energy Forum representing my company, PVPower. We were one of ten finalists in the Clean Energy Trust contest. The contest offered a $100,000 Department of Energy prize for the company that the judges agreed is most promising. The judging panel was made up of various energy industry professionals, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and other financial professionals. There was plenty of excitement about the event and it was attended by both the future mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel, and Illinois Governor Pat Quinn.
Unfortunately, we didn’t win the prize money, but a conversation that I’ve been having with VCs for the last few months came to a head during the Q&A section of our presentation. Two VCs from the San Francsico Bay area (Battery Ventures and Nth Power) asked the question: “How can you compete with the solar leasing products being offered by large, consolidated solar integrators like Sungevity, SunRun and SolarCity?” To give you some context, our company is focused on providing small, independent regional and local solar installers with the tools and support they need to be more profitable. Continue reading 'The Future of Solar is Exactly What You’d Expect'»
I. Introduction to Brownfields
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that there are between 450,000 and 1 million brownfield sites in the United States. These brownfields are usually industrial or commercial facilities owned by private-sector companies, which are abandoned or unused due to contamination. Brownfields pose a special set of problems, both to their owners and to the communities in which they are located. For owners, brownfields often represent an enormous liability with almost no redemptive value, since contamination makes the property difficult to sell. Community members often consider brownfields to be a leech on the neighborhood, since they depress nearby property values, which in turn affects school funding and other public services. Continue reading 'Brightfields'»
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