One of the bigger controversies in the last few years as been the Chinese practice of “dumping” photovoltaic (PV) panels into the U.S. marketplace, driving down prices and making American PV panels look less competitive as a result. The conventional wisdom is that China can produce solar panels for homes so cheaply because the manufacturing firms pay their workers much less than American companies could get away with. But a new study from the U.S.…

California residents who have found themselves wondering whether residential solar energy solutions are the right choice for them can benefit from solar panel advocacy organization Sun Number’s new service, which helps individuals determine how suitable their homes are for this particular kind of alternative power system. According to a March 26 press release, people who live in San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland and other surrounding towns can go to the Sun Number website, type in their address…

It’s easy to see the benefits that solar can offer, but as a homeowner, there is usually one huge unknown. The major concern most homeowners in the greater Sacramento and San Francisco Bay area have is just how many solar panels they will need put on their roof. Answering this question starts with this consideration: How much power does your home need? Have you ever spent time drilling deep down into your electricity bills? Do you even…

When reading or discussing renewable energy and California residential solar, one often hears the term Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) used, which refers to the minimum amount of electricity that utilities must procure from renewable sources. RPS levels are set by the state and enforced by the California Public Utilities Commission. We often write about these subjects on this blog, but you may be wondering how they work exactly. Here is a basic rundown on California’s RPS…

Innovation and research into renewable energy, especially solar power, is booming, according to a new paper in PLOS One. An analysis conducted by researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Santa Fe Institute have found that the number of renewable energy patents filed per year have increased fivefold from 200 in 2000 to 1,000 annually in 2009. Patents for fossil fuel related technologies rose as well, but just only tripling from 100 per…

With cooler weather and shorter days ahead, it’s time to start thinking about the best ways to keep your home warm without blasting the heater all winter. Space heating is the largest energy expense in the average U.S. home. While you could just kick up the thermostat a notch, those few extra degrees can add up big time.  When it comes to selecting a heating system for your home, you have a few options. Active…

Palo Alto is known as a hub for technological innovation and excellence. Sitting right in the middle of Silicon Valley, it’s the home of many tech companies and venture capitalists, as well as one of the best colleges in the world, Stanford University. It’s also a spectacular place to live, with safe communities that provide a superb environment for raising children and leading healthy lives. So it’s not surprise that Palo Alto is also joining cities…

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has issued its annual heating expense forecast for Americans, and the numbers indicate that many utility customers may see their bills go up this winter. The DOE predicts that customers with natural gas systems will pay an average of $679 for their heat, an 13 percent increase over the prior year. Residents with electrical HVAC systems will also see an increase of a more modest 2 percent. The DOE…

Solar energy is one of the fastest growing electricity production methods in the country, but one obstacle to even faster expansion of photovoltaic technology are the sometimes costly and lengthy permitting and zoning procedures that are enforced by municipal agencies. The Department of Energy estimates that regulatory processes can raise the cost of installing solar panels by as much as $2,500. But a new effort by the city of Palo Alto indicates that city officials are willing…

Bay Area solar power still needs to play a much bigger part in the state’s and the country’s energy infrastructures, but two new reports indicate that we’re at least heading in the right direction. Although the world will still derive 80 percent of its energy from fossil fuels in 2040, recent research suggests that this trend could be reversing. A report released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration states that the fastest growing energy sources over the…

In an April 17 press release, the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) – an educational nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. – announced that Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is the leading electric utility in the United States when it comes to adding solar power to its energy grid. The source states that PG&E connected 805 megawatts of new solar energy throughout 2012, which, according to The Sacramento Bee, is significantly more than second-place company Southern California Edison’s 195 megawatts.…

One of the biggest obstacles to greater integration of Bay Area solar power and other renewable energy sources into the country’s electrical grid is the persistence of rumors that are simply untrue, spread by opponents of clean technology. If you’ve thought about going solar in the past but were dissuaded by someone claiming that the costs were too high or the red tape was too much of a barrier, you should be skeptical of these…