It was wonderful to work with Pastor Caleb, Jan Peters, and the rest of the congregation at St. Andrew’s to truly help them put into practice the environmental stewardship they preach. Their 9.2 kW system will generate clean, renewable energy and reduce their dependence on the energy coming in from the grid, which is mostly generated using fossil fuels.

Solar Forward was happy to be a part of St. Andrew’s Solar Sunday event to educate attendees about the ins and outs of generating clean energy. If you’re a member of a church interested in going solar, don’t hesitate to give us a call at 310-433-3770. Utility rebates are still available for tax exempt customers. Don’t worry, we’ll walk you through the process from start to finish.

Check out the photos below to see highlights from the day:

A huge group of jellyfish clogged the cooling pipes at a nuclear power plant, forcing one of its units to shut down. After a couple days, the jellyfish had finally been cleared and the reactor ready to be restarted.

So next time you’re up on your roof giving your solar panels a gentle cleanse, feel secure in knowing that the only thing you have to worry about is some bird poop. And while the jellyfish situation is comical, having to shut down a nuclear reactor can be dangerous. So you’ll be breathing a little easier knowing that going solar means relying less on conventional energy.

Why is everyone looking at me? I was just exploring a cool looking pipe.

A state bill is working its way through the Legislature that would charge customers (not just solar customers) with a $10/month fee to make up for revenue losses utility companies have experienced due to the rising popularity of solar panels.

We at Solar Forward think this another blunder by the utility industry.  Solar saves everyone money and reduces the need for power plants and transmission lines.   Solar energy is generated where it is consumed, saving 10% on normal loss in wires and transformers.

This fee would apply to customers within Southern California Edison, Pacific Gas & Electric and San Diego Gas & Electric territories.

Consumer groups produced the video below, prompting Southern California Edison to issue a cease and desist letter.

Now customers are making their voices heard by rallying outside Edison’s offices in Rosemead and expressing their outrage at utility companies creating even more roadblocks for clean, renewable energy.

At Solar Forward, we will do everything in our power to make sure the bill does not become law so California residents can continue to choose solar energy for their homes and businesses.

The Southwest is the hottest on a planet that is measurably hotter.  We are extracting an endless supply of carbon from the ground and releasing it into the atmosphere with some clear results.

How do we live with ourselves and our planet as we change our already dynamic eco system?  The key is to not add heat to our environment.  Solar energy cools the planet.  Be part of the solution.  Put out the fire.  Go Solar.

Doce Fire – Photo Credit: Rhonday Snyder

Going solar together

When it comes to our energy future, we need to change the debate. Clean power is readily accessible but is there the political will to make it a priority? Or will old school oil barons continue to secure fossil fuels now in order to have them in the future?

A recent New York Times article  showed countries finding success while transitioning almost entirely to renewables. In 2011, the U.S. got 12.3% of its electricity from renewable sources, while our Canadian neighbors met 63.4% of their energy needs through renewables.

Countries in Europe have invested heavily in transitioning to renewables.

The U.S. has a great advantage: plenty of land to set up wind and solar projects.  The costs of wind and solar are decreasing as is the price of natural gas.  But the real cost of natural gas is not currently realized since fracking is ruing groundwater and the resulting CO2 produced is burned.

California has immense solar energy potential yet to be tapped. Let’s tap into this potential together. If you refer a friend, family member or co-worker to go solar with Solar Forward, both you and your friend can earn $200 each when you refer through our SunPower referral page.

Solar Forward, based in Santa Monica, has been installing solar panels since 2005.

At its core, Solar Forward is driven by environmentalist principles.  Yes, we love to save our clients money and keep ourselves afloat, but the company was founded out of a desire to preserve and better the world around us.

Before establishing Solar Forward in 2005, Mark Smith was educated by one of the first environmentalists to warn of global warming, Barry Commoner.  Commoner was essential to the environmentalist vanguard of the 1950’s and beyond, advocating for now common ideas like recycling, bans on nuclear atmospheric testing, organic farming, and renewable energy.

Today, American electricity consumption has climbed steadily since the 1960’s.  Since the majority of this energy comes from greenhouse gas emitting fuels like coal and natural gas, this upward trajectory is undeniably dangerous.

With iPhone 5 sales surpassing 5 million in 3 days, curtailing energy consumption seems like a losing proposition.  While energy conserving efforts are important, they alone won’t keep our planet from melting.  What we must shift are the sources that keep us powered.

Each solar system we install moves us one step further away from damaging fossil fuels, which is why we like to say we’re, “Saving the planet, one solar system at a time!”

Many of our clients are also environmentalists.  Others are not.  Either way, we are grateful to you all for making the decision to power with the sun.  Forward!