wind and solar | Solar Forward

Panel Cleaning System

admin — Sat, 27 Jul 2013 01:04:21 +0000

This is a panel cleaning system we saw at Intersolar 2013. Your panels will be clean and shiny, but surprise surprise, it’s more expensive than the panel itself.And it has lots of moving parts so it probably won’t last as long as our 25 year warranty panels!

More SunPower Than Ever Before

admin — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:30:16 +0000

Andrew and Mark at Antelope Valley

Deserts may look barren to the untrained eye, yet as California’s Antelope Valley proves, they’re a fertile breeding ground for solar.

Last Friday, Mark and Andrew took a trip out to what will be the world’s largest solar power plant. Known as the Antelope Valley Solar Projects, the development consists of two solar installations side by side in Kern and Los Angeles counties.

The Antelope Valley Solar Projects are creating 650 jobs and injecting more than $500 million into the regional economy

Through a partnership with Sunpower and MidAmerican Solar, construction on the 579 megawatt project is anticipated to be done by 2015. Not only will this project provide enough clean, renewable energy to power 400,000 homes, but jobs are already being created for the construction, operation, and maintenance of the project.

The panels used for the project exhibit the quality and cutting edge technology you’ve come to expect from SunPower. SunPower panels, which already provide the most energy in the least amount of space, will be mounted on Sunpower T0 Trackers, allowing the panels to track the sun throughout the day, resulting in a 25% increase in energy capture.

Check out more photos below from the kickoff celebration that took place Friday April 26th.

Think Fossil Fuels are a Necessary Evil? Think Again.

admin — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 17:44:55 +0000

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 p age.

Solar Pinball

admin — Thu, 24 May 2012 22:10:00 +0000

Combine solar permitting bureaucracy and a no nonsense Solar Forward employee, and the result is a frustrated (and illustrating) work of art. See creation above.

Gaining a permit may be the most cumbersome step involved in solar. As city departments acclimate to the ever-increasing demand for renewable energy, contractors and clients sit. And wait. And wait.

In some cities (cough Van Nuys, cough Calabasas) obtaining a permit to install solar can feel like a cruel game of pinball, bouncing from one hurdle to the next. The diagram above depicts a recent Building & Safety Department adventure.

Three hours, eleven lines, one permit. I’d rather deal with the DMV.

We all know “time is money”. Are you familiar with this one, “wasted time is wasted money”?

This is not a meaningless gripe. Attention must be given to these issues if we hope to see the solar industry and government work symbiotically. When this happens, we will see more efficient, cost-effective, and greener cities.