Tag: residential energy

Green home energy is leading the way among renovation trends

Alicia Moore
Green Energy Home - Residential renewble energy

A growing number of homeowners are opting for microgeneration technologies such as solar. Building an addition or an extension onto an existing house can be a phenomenal way to boost home value and ensure that a current residence continues to suit a family’s needs without having to move. However, a bigger home can lead to rising electrical and heating demands and costs. As a result, many homeowners are choosing to participate in a rapidly growing green home energy trend. By installing microgeneration technologies onto existing homes or those that have…

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Researchers develop new solar energy solution

Tami Hood

University of Michigan researchers create new solar cells that can track the sun’s movement Researchers from the University of Michigan have developed new solar cells that are more efficient and capable of tracking the sun’s movements. The new solar cells may be a boon for homeowners interested in solar energy, as they will provide consumers with a way to make better use of clean power. There are already sun-tracking solar panels available in the market, but these solutions are often part of complex and expensive systems that homeowners cannot generally…

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Solar energy is growing quickly in the US

Stephen Vagus

Installed solar capacity is on the rise throughout the United States The solar energy sector in the United States is beginning to gain significant momentum, largely due to advances being made in clean technology. In 2008, the U.S. had approximately 1.183 gigawatts of installed solar energy capacity. Now, however, the country has more than 21 gigawatts of installed capacity, which is enough to power more than 4 million homes. Advances in photovoltaic technology have contributed heavily to the growth of the solar energy sector. Homeowners are showing aggressive support for…

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SolarCity to offer energy storage solution as well as solar energy systems

Erin Kilgore

Solar energy company will make Tesla’s Powerwall storage solution available to homebuilders SolarCity, a leading solar energy company that has made it possible for thousands of homeowners to embrace solar power, has officially announced that its new energy storage solution will be available for new homes in California. The storage solution, called the Powerwall, comes from SolarCity’s parent company, Tesla. The storage solution designed to make renewable energy more feasible for homeowners. The Powerwall is also meant to improve the energy efficiency of homes. Powerwall will be acquired through the…

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Solar energy is finding support among homeowners in Australia

Alicia Moore

Australian homeowners and businesses are showing strong interest in solar energy Solar energy is gaining ground in Australia, despite lacking support from the nation’s government. In Australia, the large-scale renewable energy industry has come to a standstill, with government support being decreased and investors showing a lack of confidence in the sector as a result. Small-scale energy projects, such as household energy systems and those used by businesses, are beginning to gain significant momentum, however. In the coming years, small-scale solar energy systems are expected to become more popular throughout…

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Stay cool and save money this summer

Press Release

When summer’s heat bears down, it can be very tempting to crank up the air conditioning and hibernate until the cooler days and nights of fall come around. That sounds like an appealing option – at least until you get your energy bill at the end of the month. The price of staying cool doesn’t have to be that high, however. There are ways to reduce your energy costs while staying cool. Turn down the thermostat You probably don’t really need your air conditioning to be turned up as high…

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Californian homes to be provided with free solar panels

Amanda Giasson

A new plan in California will bring free solar power to disadvantaged neighborhoods. While there are already many government incentives in the state of California to encourage the use of solar power among residents, a new plan will result in free solar panels being installed on the rooftops of homes of some of the state’s low-income homeowners, saving each of these residents hundreds of dollars in electrical costs, annually. Solar energy continues to be an expensive home improvement. According to a 2013 study by the Center for American Progress, a…

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Fund launched to help build commercial solar energy projects

Alicia Moore

SolarCity to use new fund to aid in the financing of solar energy projects SolarCity, one of the world’s leading solar energy developers, has received access to a fund exceeding $1 billion. This funding will be used by the company to develop new commercial-scale solar energy systems, as well as battery storage systems. Much of the fund is comprised of money provided by Credit Suisse. The growing demand for solar energy systems has presented SolarCity with promising opportunities. The fund is expected to help the company take advantage of these…

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Residential hydrogen fuel cells coming to Japanese homes

Erin Kilgore

Japan begins to support the concept of residential fuel cell systems for homeowners Japan is moving closer to becoming a hydrogen society. This means that the country is planning to rely more on hydrogen as a primary energy source as it continues to distance itself from fossil-fuels. The Japanese government has already begun heavily supporting fuel cell vehicles, and clean transportation in general, by building a hydrogen fuel infrastructure and offering consumers tax credit for purchasing clean vehicles. Now, the government wants to see fuel cells be used for residential…

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Renewable Energy and Financing

Alicia Moore

When it comes to renewable energy, it is common knowledge that government funding is the lifeblood of large-scale projects. In the coming years, small-scale projects may account for the majority of growth seen in the clean power field, however. While governments support small-scale projects in a variety of ways, the private sector is where these projects tend to thrive. As such, it is up to the consumer to make these projects successful. If small-scale projects see no adoption among consumers, government support could be moot. Many people are interested in…

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Hydrogen fuel cells are breaking into the residential sector

Tami Hood

IE-CHP has won more funding for the development of a new fuel cell system IE-CHP, a joint venture from SSE and Intelligent Energy, has plans to change the way domestic energy is produced in Scotland. The company has received more funding from several investors, including the Scottish Investment Bank, and this funding will be used to develop a prototype energy system that leverages hydrogen fuel cell technology. Fuel cells are becoming quite popular as primary energy systems and they could have a major impact on the way electrical power is…

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Japan has big plans for hydrogen fuel cells

Stephen Vagus

Japanese government set to launch 25-year plan focused on hydrogen The Japanese government has outlined a 25-year plan concerning the adoption of fuel cell vehicles and the incorporation of hydrogen fuel into various industries. The country is eager to break away from fossil-fuels and adopt more environmentally friendly energy sources to make itself more sustainable in the future. Embracing clean transportation is part of this overarching goal and fuel cell vehicles may help make new energy systems more attractive throughout the country. First phase of plan will focus on clean…

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Solar energy company expands to Hawaii

Angie Bergenson

Hawaii is now an open market for SolarCity and the company’s solar power products and services SolarCity, a leading provider of sola technologies, has announced its expansion to Hawaii Island, the largest island in the U.S. Hawaii has become a strong advocate for renewable energy, particularly solar power. Clean energy is becoming an attractive option for the state because it relies heavily on fuel imports in order to produce its own electrical power. The economic prospects of solar power are often lauded in the state and consumers and businesses alike…

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Solar energy company receives funding to expand leasing program

John Max

SunPower acquires funding that will be used to expand leasing program and accelerate adoption of solar power SunPower, a manufacturer of photovoltaic technologies, has secured $42 million in funding. This money is to be used to expand the company’s solar leasing program. These leasing programs are becoming very popular among homeowners that are interested in renewable energy. The programs allow homeowners to install solar panels on their properties without having to deal with the upfront costs associated with the purchase and installation of these energy systems. Funding comes as a…

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California opens renewable energy financing program to homeowners

Erin Kilgore

CaliforniaFIRST program has been made more accessible to homeowners throughout the state California’s property-assessed clean energy (PACE) loans may soon become available to the state’s homeowners again through the CaliforniaFIRST program. PACE financing is designed to promote the adoption of clean energy among homeowners and businesses by reducing the upfront costs associated with this adoption. Over the past three years, California’s PACE financing has been stalling because of conflicts with mortgage lenders. The CaliforniaFIRST program had, therefore, only been available to commercial property owners and multi-family housing units. Changes to…

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NRG Energy to focus on bringing solar energy to homeowners

John Max

NRG Energy announces plans to acquire Roof Diagnostics Solar NRG Energy, a leading energy company based in the U.S., has taken steps to begin playing a larger role in the rooftop solar power sector. The company has announced its plans to acquire Roof Diagnostics Solar, one of the largest installers of rooftop solar energy systems in the U.S. The terms of the acquisition have not yet been released to the public, but the acquisition itself shows that NRG Energy is beginning to focus more heavily on bringing solar power systems…

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