Now is the time to produce your own power.

Today, people all over the world are harnessing the power of the sun, wind, and water to produce their own clean, reliable electricity.  As the environmental and monetary costs of fossil fuels rise, people are looking at renewable energy technologies for a solution.  Recent advances in technology, the growing need for reliable power, a new emergence of energy accountability, and the best government assistance programs we’ve ever seen are making renewable energy systems an unignorable reality.  

The renewable energy industry is one of the fastest growing industries today.  Renewable sources of power allow people or businesses to obtain reliable, clean, high-quality energy.  As the industry and production continue to grow, the cost of renewable energy systems and components continue to drop.   

By utilizing renewable energy sources, we allow ourselves an increase in energy independence.  An increase in energy self-sufficiency and less reliance on foreign oil will foster the growth of our national and economic security.   As more individuals take the step to produce their own power, our nation will consume less fossil fuels and produce less pollution.  Our electrical grid will become stronger, cleaner and “greener”.

In recent years, we have seen increases in our electrical rates.  Our electrical grid is experiencing record high demands, leading to electrical shortages and now, rolling “black-outs”.   It does not have to come to this.  Recent legislation, referred to as net metering, has allowed us to plug our renewable power back into the grid.  This means that power companies will credit you for the electricity your renewable energy system produces.  Think of it as an ebb and flow of electricity between you and the utility.  If you use more power then you produce, you pay the difference.  If you use less power then you produce; the utility will pay you. 

By harnessing the power of the sun, you break yourself free from our rising cost of energy.  Local, state and federal tax incentives and rebates are have never been stronger.  Sunshine is free and plentiful.   It is yours for the taking.

Obama, Solar, and California

Last night's speech was awesome.  I love the way "solar" rolls off Obama's tongue.  The attention renewable energy is getting these days is a real treat.  It gives me great pleasure to see such a growth in our counties interest.  One of my favorite part of the speech was when President Obama pointed out that while the US invented solar, it sure doesn't manufacture much of it.  How great would it be if the US not only bought more panels, but if the panels were made here in the US?  No shipping cost--No shipping energy.  (this is about energy, right?)  

I have followed Evergreen Solar (ESLR) for a while.  They are headquartered in Marlboro, Massachusetts.  I bought some stock a while back because, well, because it appeared to be of great value -- a great booming US solar company.   Like some other solar companies, their stock has tanked, big!  They must really be screwing up.  I wish someone would take a step back and determine what to do with this company.  Maybe that new solar manufacturing plant they just invested in should have been in the US.  I think I could find a few people in this country who would love to work there....

Last week I was in the Bay Area for a cool conference on LED lighting.  This is another industry that is growing astonishizly fast (and for good reason).  Getting out of the cold here in the northeast was nice.  It has been a while since I had been to California.  The solar presence there is really amazing.  I saw tons of solar, just driving around Palo Alto, Cupertino and Redwood City.  I saw lots of PV, but also several solar hot water systems.  So many residential arrays have been constructed, and the commercial ones I saw, like on the (new to me)  building at De Anza College makes a strong statement.  But then, they all do.  Besides seeing solar panels and collectors everywhere, I saw three beautiful passive-solar homes.  Someday, I hope to be able to build one of my own.

EnergyShip.com opens it's doors next month

EnergyShip.com is an online resource of products and information aimed at stopping our current energy crisis.  Although they are still under construction, they will offer the newest technologies in renewable energy systems and components, including: Solar Panels, Inverters, Batteries, Charge Controllers and all the other required electrical components required to safely install a green energy system of your own.  They also have a full line of LED light bulbs for all applications.  These LED lamps are about 80% more efficient than the common 60 watt bulbs you are used to today.  The information contained on the site will include everything you need to know to set up your own renewable energy system.  Wind energy and micro-hydro products and information will also have a presence on the site.  Isn't it time we had a single source of information online which provided us with the knowledge of how to apply these technologies into our lives?