News & Articles on Solar Energy
While I have primarily worked with wind energy, I have long been a proponent of renewable energy in the broadest sense. This includes solar energy. My work in Canada, especially Ontario, stressed inclusion of solar energy because it had been previously overlooked. At one time Ontario was one of the leading jurisdictions in North America developing solar photovoltaics due in part to the programs I and others pushed. The political winds changed and these policies were abandoned and with it Ontario’s progress toward a renewable energy future.
Who Invented the Solar Feed-in Tariff (FIT)? –Or What We Can Learn From Aachen’s Success in Harnessing Clean Energy
By
Bob Johnstone
The solar industry is booming. During the past decade PV shipments have grown by three orders of magnitude. In 2010 shipments were up over a hundred percent on 2009. How to account for this explosive growth? Though success has a thousand fathers, most analysts agree that the trigger was Germany’s solar feed-in tariff, first enacted in 2000 then turbocharged in 2004. Who deserves the credit for this extraordinarily effective policy mechanism? . .
Ontario Church follows the light: Richards Memorial United Church plans to plug in its cross-shaped solar array Wednesday
By
Worshippers at Richards Memorial United Church say they’ve always got their power from on high. Now they’re connecting their energy source to the grid.
Feed-in Tariffs for Renewable Heat, Solar Thermal, Solar Domestic Hot Water (DHW), Efficiency, and Biomass
By
Paul Gipe
Below are some sources on feed-in tariffs for renewable heat and solar DHW.
Going Solar in Ontario, Canada
By
Our family is one giant step closer to being part of Ontario’s innovative micro-FIT program, which is encouraging the growth of renewable energy production in the province by paying a premium to regular folks like us for generating electricity using renewable technologies and feeding it back into the grid.
Beyond Biofuels: Renewable Energy Opportunities for U.S. Farmers–
By
A Transatlantic Comparison on a Growing Business for Agriculture .
Solar Car Skiing and Solar Donuts
By
Jim White
XOF1 and Jim White made history with the first ever Solar Power Skiing. The event took place over the frozen Arctic Ocean.
Brief Summary of World Solar PV Market Stats 2009
By
Paul Gipe
March 30, 2010 Total Market World PV 6,000 MW/yr 20,000 MW Total Worldwide Growth: 20-40%/yr ~90% of World PV from …
Ontario Reaches 46 MW of Solar PV in 2009
By
Paul Gipe
The Ontario Power Authority (OPA) reports that 40 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) contracts were in commercial operation by the end of 2009. This represents about 46 MW of installed DC capacity in the industry’s standard notation.
Energy Self-Reliant States–a Review
By
Paul Gipe
Is another valuable tool for renewable energy advocates in building a case that “yes, even the US can” move to renewables–and the sooner the better.
TREC’s SolarShare Home Page
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SolarShare was created by TREC Renewable Energy Co-op in January 2010 in order to purchase, own and operate solar PV installations across the Canadian province of Ontario. Through SolarShare’s co-operative model, Ontario residents can now enjoy financial, environmental, and social benefits from commercial-scale solar PV installations.
