Verizon is pumping $40 million into local solar

Verizon's corporate facilities in California, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, or New York, are setting up new equipment for local solar. This investment is expected to increase statistics of the state and also help in advancement of the state. The new solar will power company office buildings, call centers, data centers, and other facilities in eight different localities. The company said that it is expected to deploy upward of 25 megawatts of green energy upon completion of the new solar projects. This project can generate equal amount of green energy that would power more than 8500 homes each year.
The green energy effort reduces carbon damage efficiently and is a perfect example for all residential and commercial customers. SunPower Corporation, design, manufactures and delivers highly efficient solar panels to Verizon. Solar Energy Industries Association say that "Verizon may well become the #1 solar- power producer among all U.S. communications companies through its efforts." Verizon is aiming at cutting its carbon intensity in half by 2020 and an advance of this kind is not only important to the climate, but enhances the service continuity, even during general outages. This advancement is seen in many giant companies like Apple and Google, thus creating awareness and inducing the thought that using solar power can benefit all of us.

GEM’s NEV Gets Driven

GEM’s NEV Gets Driven

The author of the article reviews a car that he got to drive, called the GEM (Global Electric Motorcars). It is basically a glorified golf cart, which reaches a top speed of 25MPH. The basic design looks unappealing and the car itself is overpriced. The vehicle doesn’t have side protection and this makes it an unsafe option, if it were to be hit by a speeding truck. The positives of the GEM is that one never needs to buy gas ever again and it has a decent enough range to make it wholly usable in a small town or a medium sized city. It also has ample room for carrying grocery bags and seat 3 people. The downside is that the vehicle looks like a golf cart, and it doesn’t have the style factor. Priced at $11,000, the vehicle is expensive for the features that it offers.

Yet Another Claim For World’s Largest Floating Solar Plant

Yet Another Claim For World’s Largest Floating Solar Plant

The “Floating Solar” is the new concept floating around these days, where a giant floating solar panel or a frame of panels are placed in reservoirs of water. Both India and Japan stake claim at building the world’s largest floating solar power plants. In July of 2014, India’s National Hydro Power Corporation announced plans to set up a 50 MW solar photovoltaic project over the water bodies in the southern state of Kerala. Later in September, Kyocera proclaimed that they would be constructing the largest floating solar plant in Kato City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. This would be a 2.9 MW installation. In Japan, this seems to be a viable option due to the lack of space for a power plant of that magnitude on land. At the moment the largest floating power plant is in Okegawa, Saitama prefecture, Japan.

U.S. Solar Manufacturer Wants Tariffs On The Chinese As Punishment For Cyber-Attacks

U.S. Solar Manufacturer Wants Tariffs On The Chinese As Punishment For Cyber-Attacks

The largest solar panel manufacturer in the U.S, SolarWorld Americas, argued that the Chinese government was providing subsidies to the local solar manufacturers and allowing them to sell solar panels at lower costs across the world. Due to this solar market, U.S manufacturers are facing financial threat. Reacting to this issue, the Commerce Department imposed taxes on solar panels coming from China. In response to this, Chinese manufacturers moved their supply to countries like Taiwan. Also, according to the Justice Department, Chinese military sources hacked into the SolarWorld’s computers and stole some business files. The Chinese hackers targeted six American companies and four of them reported this issue.

On the other hand, Chinese foreign and defense ministry denied this cyber-crime and claimed that the U.S is doing so to promote this norm against industrial espionage. Chinese government got even with the U.S by imposing its own high import duties on American shipments of polysilicon, a key component in solar panel construction. The subsidized Chinese manufacturers remain competition to the U.S manufactures, whereas for other U.S companies who install and maintain solar systems on homes and businesses, are able to buy cheap solar panels and thus provide good service.

The debate over this issue continues, as some that the U.S should enjoy the cheap solar panels coming from China, while others have advised negotiating a policy compromise through diplomatic channels.

World’s Largest Private Bank Says Solar Power Could Dominate

World’s Largest Private Bank Says Solar Power Could Dominate

Zurich based bank, UBS, sent a briefing paper to its clients, stating the importance of clean energy. Clean energy could replace the energy from conventional fossil fuel plants and hence drives the home and business owners to generate their own power. They also predicted that by 2025, everybody will be able to generate and store power. This method is cheaper than buying power from utilities. When solar energy is not continuously available due to some factor,Electric vehicles and storage batteries could help store solar produced electricity. The UBS report says that such consumer investment will have a good return as well.

Fracking Boom Hits Water Wall

Fracking Boom Hits Water Wall

Unlike the old days where fracking was performed in sparsely populated areas, modern technology has enabled fracking operations to take hold in highly populated areas also. But modern fracking operations need more gallons per well than previously, and consequently millions more gallons of contaminated waste water. Apart from contamination problem, the current fracking method needs a lot of water and hence is in a competition for water supply. According to the author of this article “40% of countries with the largest shale reserves have severely limited freshwater supplies.386 million people live over shale plays, making water-related conflicts more likely around new hydraulic fracturing operations in populated areas.” There has been strong pushback on fracking operations due to other concerns like earthquake and local air quality impact.

World Resource Institute has recommended the oil and gas industries to understand the availability of water in order reduce risk. On the other hand, due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, there is a recent push for US natural gas exports. 

Top 10 Solar Energy States per Capita (US)

Top 10 Solar Energy States per Capita (US)

As per the Broad Climate Plan unveiled by U.S president Barack Obama,  one part focusing on frequent severe weather caused by climate change , on 27th June 2013, it is said that the plan would expand production of solar and wind energy , to regulate and jointly lower the emission of gases that warm the atmosphere. Most of which is produced by the power plants. Seeing that plan emphasizes on the reduction of carbon content at power plants, adapting the initiatives and policies to go Solar seems like a very benefiting and environment-friendly undertaking.  Also at a local level, Usage of these solar functioning photovoltaic not only provide numerous benefits ecologically, but also is found to be population friendly as it enables reduction in expensive investments for power lines, provides power at peak times of demand and also creates job opportunities  for the local population. Hence, there indeed should be a positive welcome for a Solar Energy Revolution that should be appropriately implemented under recommendations and considerations of local, state and federal governments.

Finance ministry website to provide regular updates on enterprise-related charges

Finance ministry website to provide regular updates on enterprise-related charges

In order to increase the efficiency of the Management of Charges on Enterprises, the General office of the State Council follows a system of annual announcement of a directory of Enterprise-related charges. Although the charges are marked, some specific details of the policies are not clearly mentioned or understood by the Enterprises and members of public. The changes in the charging policies were not announced in a timely manner. Therefore, the Ministry of Finance aims to establish an official website for making public announcement of items of funds and charges and regularly publish the administrative charges approved by the Ministry of Finance and the National Development and Reform Commission. This system intends to reduce the burden on Enterprises. This directory could be easily updated when a change is made in the policies. After this system is implemented, every charging policy that is not included in this directory will be considered illegal.

Such a system helps in the development of Enterprises, especially small and micro enterprises. This method of announcement should be adopted by every country as it helps avoid confusion and illegal practices. 

Centinela Solar — 170 MW Solar PV Power Plant Completed By Fluor In California

Centinela Solar — 170 MW Solar PV Power Plant Completed By Fluor In California

Centinela solar is 170 MW solar photovoltaic power project located in El Centro, California. It was constructed by the Fluor Corporation and was recently completed. Construction and operation of the Project benefits the people of Imperial County, the State of California, and the region by providing employment opportunities and tax revenues, enhancing the reliability of the regional electrical system, and helping the State meet its needs for renewable energy. Though the power project is operated and maintained by Fluor Corporation, it is owned by LS Power. The executive vice president of LS Power, John King, commented on the completion of the project: “Having achieved this important milestone, Centinela will serve California and the region with clean, renewable energy for decades to follow.”