News for October 15, 2002
[***Help us make California Solar Center even better. Click here to take Calfornia Solar Center survey and win some cool prizes***]

750 kW PV Installation at NAS Coronado - San Diego. Part of presentation at recent (10/14) San Diego Solar Forum

Can Oil Giants and Green Energy Mix?

National Mall site of 14 homes with solar flair [Washington DC - Solar Decathlon]

Maybe you could create that [solar hot water] system yourself -- but why?[Ken Sheinkopf]

Religions find new soul mate in ecology

Solar Panel Plan for Student Union Moves Forward [UC Berkeley]

City pursues clean power sources [Vallejo]

Sonoma State University solar energy project receives support

ASUC Senate Encourages University of California to Use Renewable Energy

Beyond Fossil Fuels - Power Lunch with Executives and Environmentalists

WorldWater Corp. to Install Largest Solar Pump in the World at Edison, California

IN BRIEF

CEC Public Workshops on Renewables Program scheduled in Sacramento [Oct. 28 & Nov.1]. - The Renewable Energy Program staff have scheduled public workshops in Sacramento to discuss the future implementation of the following program areas on the following dates: October 28 - Existing Renewable Resources Account, Customer Credit Renewable Resources Purchases Account/ November 1 - Emerging Renewable Resources Account, Renewable Resources Consumer Education Account Please read the notice for details. Passage of SB 1038 and SB 1078 last month enables the CEC to continue the Renewables program for another 10 years, starting in January 2003. The workshops are designed help to guide the evolution of the program. YOUR input is desired.

PULSE Funds Public Energy Projects - The California Consumer Power and Conservation Financing Authority (CPA) in inviting cities, counties, special districts, schools, colleges and state agencies to take advantage of the Public Leadership Solutions for Energy (PULSE) fund to help manage their energy needs and costs. The new loan pool overcomes limitations of other State energy loan programs by supporting larger transactions, a broader range of eligible technologies, and longer
loan terms. Eligible projects include energy efficiency, advanced building metering and controls, thermal storage, on-site renewable energy, on-site distributed generation, and incremental costs of exceeding Title 24 building energy standards in new construction and major renovations. Project costs such as feasibility/engineering design, performance guarantees, equipment warranties, project management, and equipment can be included. Loan amounts start at $2 million and can be taken in stages with no maximum amount. Repayment periods can be as long as the expected life of the project. It is anticipated that bond issues will be made twice a year, or more frequently depending on demand. The first issuance, expected to be in the $50-100 million range, should occur this fall. CPA is soliciting letters of interest to help determine the issuance amount. For more information, contact Lynne Butler at (916) 651-9750, or cpapublicloans@dgs.ca.gov; or visit the CPA web site

State announces grants for schools, biogas projects - SACRAMENTO(AP 2002.10.16) - The California Energy Commission and the California Power Authority have set up a program to distribute $1.25 million in grants for schools to install rooftop solar energy systems, officials said Wednesday. The money is from settlements reached between Attorney General Bill Lockyer and two energy companies with long-term contracts with the state. Calpine Energy Services agreed to pay $6 million and Constellation Power Source Inc. agreed to pay $2.5 million. Of that total, $2.75 million will be used for retrofitting schools, hospitals and other public buildings, Lockyer's office said. The $1.25 million "Solar Schools" program will be funded by that money. More money could become available if Lockyer renegotiates additional long-term contracts with other energy companies. State energy officials also announced that nearly $2.4 million was awarded for five research projects on the production of electricity from California landfills, livestock farms and food processing and wastewater treatment plants. The "biogas" projects could take advantage of ample sources of the gas at landfills, dairies and swine farms. The power produced at these sites could be used to offset electricity at those sites, or could be sold to the grid. The Energy Commission estimates that biogas sites could have the potential to produce up to 240 megawatts. A megawatt is enough electricity for about 750 California homes. The awards are from the Energy Commission's Public Interest Energy Research program, which is collected from
utilities and used for research into cleaner and more reliable energy sources. [Ed Note: forms for the CEC Solar Schools Program will be posted in the coming weeks with details of the program]

Money for Sustainable School Construction in California - The Division of the State Architect in the California Department of General Services has pulled together a compilation of resources and contracts for school districts to contact in the process of greening their schools. The incentive programs are organized in the following areas: energy, water, materials efficiency, siting, green building, landscaping and transportation, and include programs sponsored utilities, local, state and federal governments. This matrix is available on the DSA web site and includes hyperlinks to the programs listed.

Renewable House on Video - A home video version of This Renewable House is available as a free video rental, and is offered for sale by the American Solar Energy Society (http://www.ases.org/). The program originally aired across California on public television (PBS) stations. The home video is an extended version of the PBS program. Using a format similar to the popular PBS series This Old House, the video covers a variety of topics for home or building owners interested in installing solar electric systems. The video includes perspectives from a variety of contractors, home owners and building owners that have installed and lived with solar and wind energy. Topics covered include: how to determine if solar or wind energy is right for you, how the technologies work, purchase incentives available, tips for selecting a contractor, and what to expect before, during and after your installation. Free rental is also available through Wherehouse Music and Bradley Video stores. Check http://www.calenergy.org/ for a complete listing of PBS air times, a list of video rental stores carrying the video, and details on how to purchase the home video. For more information contact Scott Cronk, executive producer, at (707) 546-6919 or scott@calenergy.org; or visit http://www.calenergy.org/.

APex solar cell makes top 100 list - AstroPower, Inc.announced today that R&D Magazine has named its eight-inch APex(TM) solar cell one of the 100 most technologically significant new products of the year. The September issue of R&D Magazine, showcasing AstroPower's APx-8 solar cell, hits the desks of 100,000 research scientists and engineers at high-tech industrial companies and research laboratories this week. R&D Magazine's R&D 100 awards recognize inventions that are significant gains over previous technologies and have the potential to improve the quality-of-life of large numbers of people. This is the third R&D 100 award AstroPower has received.

Fall Events...Workshops/Conferences/classes...

Solar Forums - San Diego (10/14), Sacramento (10/28), Los Angeles (10/29) - Hosted by California Solar Center, San Diego Regional Energy Office, SMUD, LADWP. The Solar Forum is open to all parties interested in learning about current issues regarding Solar Energy policy and development in California and an opportunity to network with others in the field. The forum will provide information on the recent California solar and renewable energy legislation, Solar Tax Credit, program updates (CEC, SELFGEN etc.), special projects, Title-24, installer certification, solar schools, challenges for the year ahead, and an opportunity to network with others involved in the solar industry. The event is FREE and lunch is provided. More information and online registration.

10/21 & 10/24 Photovoltaic Fundamentals: Residential Buildings & Non-Residential Buildings [SF/SJ - Pacific Energy Center] Instructor: Darren Bouton
San Francisco: Monday, October 21 from 9:00 am to 12 noon [Res] and 1:30- 4:30 [non-Res]
San Jose: Thursday, October 24 from 9:00 am to 12 noon [Res] and 1:30- 4:30 [non-Res]
Note: These two FREE half-day programs take place in the morning and afternoon of the same day. Darren Bouton will cover fundamentals of photovoltaic (PV) systems, discuss benefits and costs associated with PV, describe current financial incentive programs, and offer case study examples of system siting, sizing, and design issues. As the program titles suggest, the morning session focuses on smaller, typically single-family residential applications of 10 KW or less. The afternoon session focuses on larger, typically non-residential and multi-family housing applications of more than 10 KW. You may register for one or both programs.

10/21 Steve Strong - Solar Electric Architecture Lecture Event [San Diego] - Solar architecture expert Steven Strong of Solar Design Associates Inc. will present a broad overview of building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) and discuss applications from across the U.S. and the world. The lecture is designed to give architects, design and energy professionals and the general public a basic understanding of how photovoltaics (PV) can be integrated into the design of commercial and residential buildings. The event is FREE and hors d'oeuvres will be served. This event is co-sponsored by Uni-Solar (www.uni-solar.com) and San Diego Gas & Electric. Space is limited so reserve your spot today! Time: 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm, Place: Courtyard Marriott, 8651 Spectrum Center Blvd, San Diego, CA 92123
For more information and to REGISTER for these events, please visit SDREO's event page at http://www.sdenergy.org/events/index.html

10/26 to 12/14 PV System Design and Installation- Saturdays at Diablo Valley College, taught by Tom Chatagnier. AET-150B Introductory course on Photovoltaic system design and installation. Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, CA. It is in the schedule under "Alternate Energy Technologies". The DVC website is: http://www.dvc.edu The school is a community college, so the courses are only $12/unit for CA residents

11/4 to 12/13 Online PV Design Course - Solar Energy International - Learn how to design a complete solar electric (photovoltaic) power system without leaving your home by participating in a six week Internet-based, online course of instruction with text, CD-ROM reference materials and Internet resource links. Learn more & register

This listing is maintained on the Events page. Check here for updates