A tremendous wide open market for solar & wind power

BUSINESS & ECONOMICS
August 19, 2011
Solar Entrepreneurs’ New Sales Pitch
Having seen well-intentioned but unsuccessful attempts to bring alternative energy to the developing world, several NGO founders suggest a more collaborative approach.
By Esha Chhabra

Solar Sister eradicates energy poverty by empowering women with economic opportunity. We combine the breakthrough potential of solar technology with a deliberately woman-centered direct sales network to bring light, hope and opportunity to even the most remote communities in rural Africa.
mobile phones are the great leapfrog story of the past decade distributed solar is next.

simpanetworks radical affordability

From USA Today:

For the environmentally conscious who think driving an electric car isn't doing enough, there'll be a chance to go solar at the same time.

Ford is announcing that it is teaming with an established solar provider, SunPower, to sell a solar energy system through Ford dealers in conjunction with the Focus electric sedan that goes on sale later this year.

MORE AT:

Ford Focus Electric to come with home solar option

Nissian Leaf will provide emergency power for homes

Nissan unveils system to provide household electricity from all-electric LEAF

By Darren Quick

19:41 August 2, 2011

Nissan has unveiled a new power supply system that allows electricity stored in the lithium-ion batteries of the all-electric Nissan LEAF to be supplied to a house. With the LEAF's batteries able to store up to 24 kWh of electricity, Nissan says the system could supply the average Japanese household with electricity for about two days. This would be enough to provide a stable electricity supply in the event of power outages or to allow consumers to store cheaper off-peak power for use in high demand periods.

Pssst. It’s a secret; the Solar panel home market is exploding

I guess that Rupert Murdoch forbids publicizing the boom in solar electric generation. You have to search for articles like this:

Solar Leasing Companies Head Eastward. Popsicle, Anyone?

Backup power for power outages

With this heat wave and other extreme weather becoming the “New Normal” power outages may become a regular occurrence.

This is something I haven’t tried but looks interesting. I think I could add this to my existing power set up. 

SmartBox Plug-in Solar SmartBox Wind SmartBox Backup Clarian Power

CLIMATE REALITY

Climate Reality Project 

Continuing “Ferocious Cost Reductions” for Solar Energy

Sometime in the next 5 years photovoltaic power generation will be less expensive than most coal powered electric generation. Add the hidden health and environmental cost of coal and solar is dramatically lower in cost.

SEE:
Climate Progress

Anatomy of a Solar PV System: How to Continue “Ferocious Cost Reductions” for Solar Electricity

By Stephen Lacey on Jul 6, 2011 at 11:52 am

Most everyone knows the pace of products in digital technology. It was only 10 years ago that going to all digital photography was unthinkable for professional photographers now film is hard to find. IPhones do more than a desktop computer of a decade ago. The rate of change in photovoltaic technology has a pace similar digital technology.

The cost of photovoltaic manufacturing has dropped so dramatically that Balance of Systems Costs; labor, structure, wiring, design, financing and permitting costs are where the cost savings are.

Rocky Mountain Institute

Solar PV Balance of System

Next Steps and Key Recommendations

With a relatively young industry and no silver-bullet technology solution, reducing BoS costs is a challenge. Each PV system has unique characteristics, must be individually designed, and is regulated by one of nearly 30,000 local jurisdictions.Yet many near-term opportunities for cost reduction do exist, primarily related to improving technology, more appropriate regulations, better information and economies of skill and scale.