Arizona Solar Center - Your Guide to Solar and Other Renewable Energy Sources in Arizona

Morgan Stanley is backing a $300 million fund to finance installation of residential photovoltaic systems - yet another sign that the turmoil roiling solar panel manufacturers has been a boon for installers. Plummeting costs for solar panels have driven several solar manufacturers and developers into bankruptcy in recent months but the 75% price plunge of photovoltaic modules in the past three years have made rooftop solar increasingly attractive to homeowners and financiers like Morgan Stanley.

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We're thrilled to announce that U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu will address a plenary session, and take questions from the audience, at WREF 2012.

It will be the first time a U.S. Energy Secretary has addressed the National Solar Conference. As United States Secretary of Energy, Dr. Chu is charged with helping implement President Obama’s ambitious agenda to invest in clean energy, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, address the global climate crisis, and create millions of new jobs.

Early registration prices expire April 20th, so register today -- there is a special registration plus membership price as well!

Best,

Susan Greene
President, American Solar Energy Society

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Women + Clean Energy
On Sunday, May 13, 2012, WREF will be kicking off the forum with “Engaging Women in Energy Solutions”, a workshop emphasizing energy, poverty, and gender issues in developing worlds. And later in the week on Wednesday, May 16, you’ll be able to attend the Women in Solar Energy Luncheon (ticket required).

WREF Workshops + Tours
We’ve added many noteworthy workshops and tours to WREF2012. Workshops will include Fundamentals of Electrified Transportation, among others, and tours will include the NREL facilities, as well as Denver’s Sustainability Park. (See the detailed program for more.)

Register Now!
Early bird registration closes on April 20. Don’t miss your chance to save up to $200 off of your entry to WREF2012.  There are several registration options, and we’ve provided information about discounted lodging near the Colorado Convention Center in Denver. When calling hotels to make reservations for your lodging, please mention WREF2012 for the best deals.

The World Renewable Energy Network (WREN) and the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) have joined forces to present the World Renewable Energy Forum (WREF). The 2012 conference also is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the Colorado Renewable Energy Society (CRES) and the International Solar Energy Society (ISES). Conference details are at wref2012.org

In 2011, solar became a far deeper ingrained part of energy portfolios for utilities across much of the United States, and that adoption was fueled by significant leaps in everything from large-scale power plants to residential rooftops. This week, the Solar Electric Power Association released a preview of its Solar Top 10, an annual look at which utilities are taking the lead of solar development.

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Net metering is becoming an increasingly divisive issue in the US, with a dividing line as distinct as night and day. Solar companies and their customers count their sunshine dollars earned or saved - utilities count their revenue losses.

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Now that the daylight hours are increasing, a newly finished apartment building in the city will soon find out exactly how much benefit there is from being the world's first large residential project to use a combination of glass fiber veils that act as a controlled light diffuser, insulation to eliminate air convection and aerogel to create a daylighting system with the same insulation value as that of a solid wall.

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Dear Solar Supporter,

The advantages of attending the 2012 World Renewable Energy Forum (WREF) are getting better by the day.  I'm happy to announce that the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) have each approved more than 30 sessions at WREF for continuing-education and learning-unit credit. 

Yes, by attending, an architect can come up to speed on the state of the art in solar and sustainable design, and get all the required AIA Learning Unit credits for an entire year.  Though we have offered AIA LU credits at past conferences, this is the first time we've also gotten approval for GBCI learning credits.

It's no secret that green building is a great way to increase efficiency while lowering impacts in our daily lives.  That's why I'm proud to say that WREF is able to contribute to the efforts by empowering our sustainable-conscious engineers, architects, builders and installers.  Before I forget, note that WREF will host the annual meetings of the Society of Building Science Educators (SBSE) and the Solar Buildings Division of ASES. 

Now, all I want to know is, will I see you at WREF 2012?

Sincerely,

David Panich
Chair, ASES Solar Buildings Division

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Program Highlights

Attending WREF 2012 will allow you to earn continuing education credits from 30+ sessions approved by the AIA and the GBCI.  An AIA member can earn up to 20 AIA Health, Safety, Welfare and Sustainable Design Learning Units, and a LEED Professional can earn up to 33 credits.

Sessions include:

• Daylighting and Bioclimatic Design
• Building Integrated PV
• Solar Shading Strategies
• Building Performance Modeling and Design Tools
• Merging of Sustainability and Affordability
• Building Case Studies and Examples of Exemplary Design
• Emerging Architecture (highlighting the AIA Committee on the Environment 2011 Winners)

Sessions approved for credit are noted on the detailed WREF schedule -- check out the whole list!

Register Now!
If you're a member of any of WREF 2012's Participating Organizations, be sure to use your discount code during registration.  Additionally, we are still in the early bird registration period, and there are several registration options as well as discounted lodging near the Colorado Convention Center in Denver. When calling hotels to make reservations for your lodging, please mention WREF 2012 for the best deals.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW

The World Renewable Energy Network (WREN) and the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) have joined forces to present the World Renewable Energy Forum (WREF). The 2012 conference also is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the Colorado Renewable Energy Society (CRES) and the International Solar Energy Society (ISES). Conference details are at wref2012.org.

Temperatures plunged in San Jose after last week's US commerce department preliminary ruling took the heat out of the US trade dispute with China. Countervailing tariffs on imports did not have the chilling effect that the US industry feared, with lower than expected ranges set between 2.9% and 4.73%. Even the US commerce department's addition of an anti-dumping levy investigation on May 17 is unlikely to bring the total tariffs up to the 20-30% predicted by some analysts.

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The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) announced the three winners of the 2012 Photovoltaic Projects of Distinction Awards today at PV America West in San Jose, Calif. Recognizing major achievements in U.S. PV solar energy, the awards were presented to Arizona Western College Solar Installation, Yuma, Ariz.; Clean Energy Collective Community-Owned Solar Farm, Holy Cross Energy, Garfield County Airport, Rifle, Colo.; and the Bachelor Enlisted Quarters (BEQ-9) Complex at the U.S. Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC), Twentynine Palms, Calif.

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2012 marks the 20th Anniversary of the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA). During that time, solar energy has advanced from a niche resource with limited applications to a significant energy source for electric utilities and their customers across the U.S. In 1992, a new organization was formed to accelerate the use of photovoltaic (PV) power. The founders of SEPA, which was then called the Utility PhotoVoltaic Group (UPVG), consisted of 13 electric utilities, the Edison Electric Institute, the American Public Power Association, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and the Electric Power Research Institute.

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The 2011 U.S. Solar Market Insight Report was released yesterday by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and GTM Research. Let’s run down some of the key findings, using several of the reports wonderful charts, of course. From SEIA: "The U.S. solar energy industry installed a record 1,855 megawatts (MW) of photovoltaic (PV) capacity in 2011,...

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The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Section 1603 program, which expired at the end of 2011, could be revived via a proposed amendment to the Surface Transportation Bill (S.1813), legislation focusing on highway improvements. An amendment proposed by Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., would extend the 1603 program and other renewable energy tax incentives, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) said in an email to members.

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Imagine having a refrigerator-sized battery in your garage that stored solar-generated electricity so you could use it any time you needed. If your utility asked, would you be part of such an innovative pilot? Last spring, that's what the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) asked residents of the Anatolia SolarSmart Homes Community.

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(Originally from Feb. 7, 2012)
BMW Manufacturing has completed the installation and commissioning of solar panels that are providing solar energy to fully power the 24,000 square foot Zentrum Museum, the plant's heritage museum and visitors' center. In addition to the new solar panels, the plant also installed three new electric vehicle charging stations throughout the main facility.

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The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded $9 million in funding to its Bridging Research Interactions through collaborative Development Grants in Energy (BRIDGE) program for solar energy research and development. As a result of the funding, which is part of the DOE's SunShot Initiative, research teams will be able to access the tools and staff expertise at existing DOE Office of Science research facilities so fundamental scientific discoveries can be rapidly transitioned to existing product lines and projects.

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It's a tiny home, but promoters contend it is energy self-sufficient and environmentally green. Powered by solar panels and propane gas, the 400-square-foot home is designed to eliminate the need for an electric utility connection. It also offers the option of using a "gray water" filtering system and toilets that don't need to be linked to a septic tank or sewer.

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The nominations have been reviewed; the editors votes are in and we are now pleased to announce the winners of the 2011 Excellence in Renewable Energy Awards. Over the next three days, we'll be announcing the winners in the Innovation, Leadership, Project and Readers' Choice categories. Today we announce the Innovation winners.

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President Obama announced several new actions he is taking to support clean energy during his third annual State of the Union Address Tuesday night. Over the course of his speech, he reiterated his disdain with Congress in not passing comprehensive clean energy and climate change legislation over the last several years so he decided to boldly pursue Executive orders in order to bolster this sector, as opposed to leaving it in the hands of Congress.

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The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has struck down a controversial "network usage charge" (NUC) that would increase fees for San Diego Gas & Electric's (SDG&E) customers who own PV systems. In a Jan. 18 decision, the CPUC ordered SDG&E to file a new rate proposal that does not include the NUC, which was deemed to be illegal.

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The Obama administration moved Tuesday to boost renewable energy on both coasts, approving onshore solar and wind farms in the West and pushing for offshore wind power in the Atlantic Ocean. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said his department has approved a 300-megawatt solar farm on public land in Arizona and a 200-megawatt wind farm in Southern California. The wind farm includes 186 megawatts that would be produced on federal lands.

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MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co., Warren Buffett's energy company, said Friday it will add to its nascent position in renewable power by investing in a second solar farm. MidAmerican will buy a 49% share of a $1.8 billion solar-power plant owned by NRG Energy Inc. that U.S. solar-panel maker First Solar Inc. is building in the Arizona desert. Terms of the deal weren't disclosed.

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