The "GREEN" thread

Seattle is building a massive edible forest with free food...

Taking the urban garden to the next level, Seattle, Washington has officially broken ground on a dedicated seven acre area of city land set to be converted into an “edible forest” that will produce free food for the city’s residents and visitors, human or otherwise.

According to the Beacon Food Forest’s website, the project’s mission is “to design, plant and grow an edible urban forest garden that inspires our community ... www.royalyogabailey.com/sustainable-living.html

SoloPower’s Second Generation Flexible Modules Certified to UL and IEC Standards

www.solarthermalmagazine.com/2012/07/29/...ed-ul-iec-standards/

SoloPower, the San Jose, California-based manufacturer of high efficiency, lightweight, and flexible thin-film solar cells and modules, has received certification of its next-generation SF1, SP1, and SP3L SoloPanels(R) to both Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards, the company announced today.


“Certification to UL and IEC standards for our SoloPanels is a testament to the outstanding work of our technology team, which has a proven track record of industry firsts for flexible CIGS modules,” said Tim Harris, CEO, SoloPower.

It represents another step towards our goal of making solar the main source of energy for commercial and industrial buildings worldwide.

SoloPower’s remaining next generation module, the SP3S SoloPanel, has been certified to UL standards, and the company anticipates certification to IEC standards in the near term. The SF1 and SP1 SoloPanels are optimized for twelve-inch and sixteen-inch standing-seam metal roof integration. The SP3L and SP3S SoloPanels are optimized for commercial and industrial low-slope building applications.

SoloPower’s new suite of solar solutions feature three first-of-their-kind, easy, non-penetrating installation kits: the SoloSaddle(TM), SoloEdge(TM), and the SoloBridge(TM), which increase application versatility while maximizing module performance across rooftops and geographies. The SoloSaddle easily integrates the SP3S into membrane-based roofing systems, while a low-slope curve provides self-cleaning and high performance in hot climates. The SoloEdge easily integrates the SP3L into membrane based roofing systems. A five-degree slope provides self-cleaning and high performance in cold climates. The SoloBridge integrates the SP3L into metal roofing systems.

“Being certified to both UL and IEC standards is a significant milestone on the road to full scale commercialization,” said Bruce Khouri, President & Chief Commercial Officer and a building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) pioneer. “In addition to bringing to the market world-class, high efficiency, flexible modules, our first-of-their-kind rooftop installation kits are designed to rapidly expand the versatility for commercial and industrial rooftop solar applications. With BIPV as one of the fastest growing segments of the solar industry, we are thrilled to be able to share our unique solutions at Intersolar.”

SoloPower will showcase its next generation technology this week at Intersolar North America in San Francisco, one of the largest solar exhibitions in the world. Mr. Khouri will speak at Intersolar’s “Building Integrated Solutions — Concepts and Applications” session on July 10. The session will explore the meaning, history, and evolution of BIPV for rooftop applications. On July 12, Mr. Harris will be featured as part of “The Future of PV — A Market and Technology Outlook & CEO Panel.”

The certifications come at an exciting time for SoloPower. In June, the company announced an expansion of its senior leadership team to incorporate two veterans of the solar energy space, appointing Paolo Pietrogrande, Chairman of Element Power Solar, as a member of its Board of Directors and Bart Van Ouytsel to lead sales in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. SoloPower is also preparing to open its state-of-the-art, high-volume manufacturing facility in Portland, Oregon, which will begin commercial production later this year. Operations in Portland are ultimately expected to have a capacity of 400MW and employ 450 people.

SoloPower’s proprietary approach embodies critical technology, manufacturing, and cost advantages that enable large-scale “fab-style” production of high-efficiency CIGS-based photovoltaic cells. The CIGS cells are packaged into unique, flexible, lightweight solar modules that require less balance-of-system hardware and are easier to install than traditional solar panels.

For more information, visit www.SoloPower.com .

About SoloPower

Headquartered in San Jose, California, SoloPower Inc. uses innovative, proprietary roll-to-roll electrodeposition manufacturing technology to produce low-cost, lightweight and flexible high efficiency copper, indium, gallium and (di)selenide (“CIGS”) based photovoltaic cells. The CIGS cells are then packaged into unique, flexible, lightweight solar modules. The modules require less balance-of-system hardware and are easier to install than traditional solar panels. SoloPower modules are certified to both UL and IEC standards. The company is in the process of constructing its manufacturing headquarters and first high-volume manufacturing lines in Portland, Oregon. Lead investors in the company include Hudson Clean Energy Partners, Crosslink Capital, Convexa, and Firsthand. For more information on SoloPower, please visit www.solopower.com .

The SoloPower logo is available at www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=13460

SOURCE: SoloPower

www.solarthermalmagazine.com

a site with "good" environmental news

www.greatnewsnetwork.org/index.php/categories/news/Environment/

Honda offers $3000 free fuel for CNG Civic. I don't know how green natural gas is but it sure is economical.

www.businessweek.com/news/2012-10-09/hon...to-promote-cng-civic

Only found this story on Fox, sorry leftist. Another "Opps!, Sorry." from this "Green" Admin.

Solyndra, the sequel? Bankrupt solar firm, DOE facing scrutiny over panel problems
"House Republicans are pressing the Obama administration for more information about a solar-panel company that received a $400 million loan guarantee, then went bankrupt and is now the focus of a criminal investigation."

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/10/11/another-bankrupt-solar-firm-facing-scrutiny-from-lawmakers-investigators/#ixzz295tYFbIG


I did a larger search and SURPRISE, not on the MSM sites. On didn't check, huff&puffington post, & mother jones, they don't seem to come up on my computer????????

This administration is far from green, which is why screw-ups keep happening; we're half-assing our effort to get off of oil. D's pander to the oil companies same as R's do - have you seen any oil subsidies getting rolled back? Uh uh. Yeah, he's made some efforts, but he hasn't been tough enough.

Agreed, but just where would you find what ALL the subsdies are, without spending hours reading the budget?
Like this site showing where all the $$$ go... http://www.opensecrets.org/index.php

Good for you switching from 60w to 40w. Laeves more for the rest of us, and besides you'll pay for it in eye care. So, I ask which is cheaper 40w bulbs or eyecare? Yes, you sold me on LED bulbs, but until they come down in cost, I'll keep using the one I won, and getting 60watt, until than...


Come to think of it candles are even cheaper, look at all the electric you'll be saving the EARTH.