Solar

Keeton Construction, Temecula, CA by HelioPower

From the PR Newswire today, 9.15.08: "If Congress Passes Bill, 440,000 permanent jobs will be supported by the U.S. solar energy industry by 2016."

Already an innovator in its efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, the city of Palm Desert is one step closer to realizing its goal of reducing citywide energy consumption by 30 percent before 2012. Governor Schwarzenegger recently signed Assembly Bill 811 into law as an “urgency measure,” for the first time allowing city and county governments throughout California to provide loans to property owners planning home or business improvements that will reduce energy consumption. The bill, termed locally the Energy Independence Program, was written and lobbied for by Palm Desert’s civic leaders.

Palm Desert’s City Council is has passed a program to put the bill into effect locally as quickly and simply as possible, and has already heard from more than 275 residents who are interested in participating.  The Council approved the Energy Independence Program at its regular meeting on August 28. The city plans to provide loans for as little as $5,000, with no upper limit, for improvements such as efficient air-conditioning, dual-pane windows, pool pumps, solar panels, or white roofs—anything that will reduce electricity consumption and is considered a permanent fixture. The city will provide low-interest loans requiring no credit checks or other qualifications other than the title to improved property. The loans will be paid back as part of the property tax bill—meaning if the home or business is sold, the loan stays with the property.

“Three years ago, we set a lofty goal of reducing our energy use by 30 percent, and now we have the means to accomplish it,” said Councilman Jim Ferguson, who spearheaded the passage of the Energy Independence Program. “During the summer months, when temperatures regularly reach over 100 degrees, Palm Desert residents can pay over $1000 a month for electricity. This program will empower them to explore renewable energy sources and make meaningful changes for the environment as well as their own finances.” 

The city has enlisted the expertise of EcoMotion, a consulting company that also advises cities such as Anaheim and Santa Monica on their environmental initiatives. Under the leadership of president Ted Flanigan, EcoMotion will coordinate and help facilitate the loan program. Flanigan will also work to document Palm Desert’s carbon footprint and suggest further improvements to the city’s already aggressive energy- and emissions-reduction programs.

For more information please see, http://www.cityofpalmdesert.org/.

From Vote Solar today…

Today, the Senate comes back from their summer vacation.  And today, we are visiting every Senator to remind them that unless they get the job done on extending the solar investment tax credit, America's clean energy workforce will be going on a 'vacation' of another sort.  We are going to deliver a green hard hat – symbolizing the more than 100,000 solar and wind jobs that could expire with the tax credits in December – to every office.

Will you contact your Senators to ask if they received the green hard hat, and ask them to work to end the stalemate and put clean energy to work?

Click here for directions to contact your Senators.

This in from Forbes.com writers Joshua Zumbrun and Brian Wingfield, in their piece "Solar's Convention In The Sun":

Beneath the blazing August sun, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. took the stage in front of Coors Field's outfield bleachers and said that importing energy "is the principal drag on American capitalism and American prosperity."

The solution to the problem was literally beating down on him. At least that's the message at solar energy's keystone event at the Democratic National Convention. Kennedy, environmental lawyer and son of Robert F. Kennedy Sr., was the keynote speaker at the Solar Energy Industries Association's SunFest 2008.

SEIA's Wednesday afternoon event epitomized just how far and how fast the industry has come. In addition to Kennedy, several congressmen, including House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., spoke at the event.

"People have been saying solar is out in left field, and today we are out in left field of Coors Field," said SEIA President Rhone Resch.

In Denver, at least, the solar industry is feeling loved, seizing on the twin issues of energy and the environment to boost its profile. "It's great to be wanted at a convention," Resch remarked. "By Tuesday, I'd lost my voice talking to people. It's a fundamentally different convention than in the past."

Click here for the complete story.

Editor's note:  HelioPower's Steve LoRusso reported from the scene after his performance, "It was hot.  It was exciting and it was very gratifying to see the kind of support the industry garnered here today!"  See HelioBlog post dated August 22 for more info.