Retirees are having a more difficult time these days ensuring that their future will be comfortable and secure because of the Great Recession. Although asset values have recovered somewhat over the last few years, some retirees were unable to take advantage of this upswing or are still waiting for their 401k and savings accounts to come back to pre-recession levels. As a result, many are looking for alternative investments that could help them reclaim some of…

This year, the United States’ total solar generating infrastructure surpassed the 10 gigawatt (GW) mark, making us the fourth nation to reach that benchmark after Germany, Italy and China. GreenTech Media Research (GTMR) and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) predict that by the end of the 2013, the country will have added 4.3 gigawatts, representing an increase of 27 percent. In other words, 2013 was a big year for solar energy. The country took significant…

The California General Assembly has approved the creation of the Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC), a program that will invest millions of dollars in research, development and demonstration (RD&D) of clean energy and efficiency technology. The National Resources Defense Council reports that the EPIC program will have a budget of $162 million to invest in advancing renewable energy. California utilities, including Pacific Gas & Electric, San Diego Gas & Electric and Southern California Edison, will be…

As temperatures rise, California residents and businesses are starting to really crank up their air conditioners and house fans to keep their homes livable. Consequently they’ll see their utility bills rise dramatically, giving some pause for thought about whether it might be a good idea to consider switching to California solar power for their electrical needs. A recent article in the Pocono Record, a local news publication, declares that, given rising electricity rates and the…

Efforts across the state of California to make energy-efficient upgrades to homes and businesses have certainly paid off, as a new study reveals that the Golden State continues to lead the country in solar panel installations. On March 14, GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) jointly released a year-in-review report detailing trends in photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP) markets. According to the data, 2012 was a record-breaking year for the industry, with…

The Christian Science Monitor recently published a piece detailing how solar leasing and financing options are making this technology feasible for families of all incomes. The advent of leasing, which allows homeowners to switch to California residential solar energy with no down payment, gives these residents the option of using solar electric systems for their energy needs without a large upfront cost. The article goes on to provide interesting information about how the families that have most…

A new report by market researcher NPD Solarbuzz says that California once again lead the U.S. in solar installations for the second quarter of 2012. The Golden State added 53 percent of all the solar power installations that were completed during the three month period from April 1 to June 30, for a total of 521 megawatts (MW) of capacity. Overall, the country installed 976 MW in the second quarter, about a 24 percent increase over the previous quarter. This was…

California has always been at the forefront of solar energy technology. The latest evidence of this is a report from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), a solar energy advocacy group, and GTM Research, released on June 11. The report states the Golden State led the nation in new solar capacity for the first quarter of 2013. While the report doesn’t detail statistics from individual states, overall the nation added 723 megawatts (MW) of solar…

Reuters reports that the Solar Impulse, a plane powered entirely by energy generated from photovoltaic panels, has completed the second leg of a 4-part trip across the United States. The first segment of the trip took the plane from San Francisco to Phoenix in early May, and the second leg went from Phoenix to Dallas. The plane is being piloted by two former members of the Swiss Air Force, Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg, as part of a…

A recent report by Environment America, an environmental advocacy organization, sheds light on how California’s solar energy capacity compares with that of other states. The study, titled “Lighting the Way: What We Can Learn from America’s Top 12 Solar States,” was released on July 24 and reveals some interesting information about California solar power. One of the most salient facts is that although the Golden State led the nation with 1,033 megawatts (MW) of solar capacity…

Solar power solutions continue to catch on in California as more people are discovering the incredible benefits of renewable energy sources. This is good news for anyone who cares about environmental issues and energy independence. California ISO, the agency that runs most of the state’s power grid, announced through Twitter on May 23 that solar power hit a statewide peak of 1,872 megawatts (MW) of generation. This means that enough solar energy was flowing into the…