Well established Roofing and Solar energy company is hiring for
marketing help. Work where and near to where you live. Salary plus
bonuses. Canvass to homeowners in select neighborhoods and inquire if
they would like a free estimate on our services. Work between 12 to 20
hours a week while earning $12 per hour plus 15% of total commission
paid. Expect to earn $600 to $1000 per week!! Steady pay for steady
performance...we want you to reach your earning potential and everyone
wins. Perfect part-time work opportunity, afternoons, evenings and
weekends.
** Must have transportation and a self starter with a good personality.
Call and ask for Brian Colunga at 714 778 5163 and email resume. Hiring
Organization: Cira energy and Western Roofing Systems. Hiring
Organization: Brian Colunga - 714-778-5163
Location: SFV, Santa Clarita, Northridge California
2011 Solar Decathlon winning home "Watershed" built by the University of Maryland team has been sold to electrical service company Pepco. Watershed was purchased for an undisclosed price and will relocate it to one of Pepco's facilities in Maryland County, Maryland.
Pepco and the Uni of Maryland will team up to take care of the home while designing ways to educate the public about the famous solar home. It will become a "living classroom" where visitors can see not only the design of the home but Pepco's technology at work such as their smart thermostats and electrical vehicle charging station.
Watershed will do double duty as a conference facility and will host educational presentations as well as public tours.
The Uni of Maryland 200 strong Solar Decathlon team is thrilled with the purchase:
"We inspired ourselves and thousands of others through the Solar
Decathlon, but an organization such as Pepco has the resources and power
to reach millions," says Leah Davies, WaterShedstudent team leader. "With Pepco, WaterShed can serve as an educational backbone for future innovations in residential energy use - just as we designed it!"
Solar Inverters - What to Look For When Buying an Inverter For Your Solar Power Project By Greg Murry
It does not matter if your solar project is a DIY or off the shelf system, you will need an inverter to convert your power from DC to AC current. Inverters can be quite costly and so are a major consideration in your project. If your solar system is to provide power in a remote location such as a small farm or "back woods house", then you need to buy one that suites your needs. Begin by looking at the type of appliances and what loads you will have. Check the wattage, continuous and surge power requirements. You may find that a cheaper modified square wave inverter would do the job rather than the more expensive sine wave units. While it is possible to buy cheaper inverters, most people would agree that you get what you pay for, so here are a few hints when comparing units.
Safety: Many people place this as a last consideration, however, you must consider the safety aspect of the unit you intend to purchase. You need to know if the inverter meet all relevant safety and RFI standards of the country you live in. When fitted it should be connected via a safety cutout.
Wattage: Check the wattage, note that bigger units may not suite your needs. Look for inverters that provide information on continuous, intermittent (30 minute), and surge rating. Large inverters will be less efficient on very small loads than smaller inverters. Lightweight inverters with no transformer may not have the ability to handle surges. Look for units that suite your power requirements rather than its capacity.
Wave Type: The best inverter produces power as a true sine wave. Many cheaper inverters are likely to be what is called, "modified" square or sine wave inverters. While square wave units are cheaper, some appliances including fans, washing machines, stereos, digital clocks and timers, do not work as well and will run slower, hotter or noisier than on a sine wave unit.
Standby : Does the inverter have a standby or auto-start mode. This can cut its power draw significantly, without this feature, the unit can draw quite a lot of power from your batteries. Also check how much power the inverter uses when it is waiting to detect a small load.
Input Handling: When your solar panel system is operating and charging batteries, output can vary from as low as perhaps 10 volts up to 15.5 volts. A good inverter should operate with input voltages between 10 to 16 Volts.
Distortion : Make sure the inverter hold its output frequency to within 0.01% and has less than 4% harmonic distortion. You should also check that the inverter can maintain its output AC voltage to within 3-5% off the desired voltage.
Efficiency : Ask how efficient the inverter is, does it give its specifications in 'peak efficiency' or does it show you how it performs with small 50-100 Watt loads up to its rated power.
Diagnostics: What on-board diagnostics does the unit have. Can it identify, low and high battery, overload and over temperature.
Warranty: What kind of warranty does the unit have and what are the service agreements. Countries such as Australia and the USA are big places, and the service center should be as local as possible. Look for a long warranty period and local service.
Providing information to online users interested in living a lifestyle using ecologically sound solutions. Helping people find DIY Eco-Friendly solutions to everyday living. Visit SolarDIYTips for information solar DIY solutions. http://EzineArticles.com/
We are a residential Solar Installation Company looking for Journeyman
Electricians to start immediately. We are scheduled through June of 2012
and a backlog of 200+ projects. This is steady work for skilled and
motivated people.
Please have a current Journeyman's license. Must be okay with working on a roof.
If you are interested in working in the Solar Industry, with or without
solar experience, please email us your resume and hourly rate
requirements.
You will be the face of our company, working in and around our customers' homes. Please carry yourself with professionalism.
Drug Testing and Background Checks are required.
So says Michelle Kinman clean energy advocate for Environment California Research & Policy Center. The group has a new report called "California’s Solar Cities 2012: Leaders in the Race Toward a Clean Energy Future" that ranks California cities according to the number of solar rooftop systems installed.
There are more than 4,500 rooftop solar systems installed on residential, commercial and educational homes and facilities throughout San Diego. The beautiful city by the sea generates almost 37 megawatts of solar electricity installed, more than any other Golden State city.
"San Diego's #1 solar status is the result of innovative state and local
policies aimed at growing the solar industry, such as the California
Solar Initiative, which has provided clear, well-designed support for
solar," said Andrew McAllister, director of policy and strategy at the
California Center for Sustainable Energy, administrators of the
initiative in San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) territory. "The
collaboration, entrepreneurship and vision that underpin San Diego's
solar success are fundamental for scaling up solar adoption statewide in
the next few years. We still have many more rooftops to reach."
Other California cities rounding out the top solar ten include:
- Los Angeles
- San Jose
- San Francisco
- Fresno
- Bakersfield
- Santa Rosa
- Roseville
- Clovis
- Sacramento
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimates that California has the capacity to reach more than 80,000 megawatts of rooftop solar. That would be more than a third as much electricity as California uses in one year.
Michelle Kinman commented " With the right leadership, San Diego can continue to lead the nation in transitioning to a clean energy future.”
San Diego is the birthplace of California, it's first city and now America's Solar City.
Two thumbs up for California's top solar cities! Let's see if America's other top cities will be motivated to challenge the Golden State's rooftop solar success.
How Current Solar Panel Technology Can Eliminate Your Monthly Electricity Bill By Kathy Morrison
Early adopters of creating solar energy at and for residential homes are growing. Recently, my mom even had solar panels installed on her roof. Not only does this system generate all the electricity she'll ever need, it will generate a surplus which she gets credit for!
I pay about $250 a month for electricity. When you consider that cost could go away entirely for some number of years, it's a small fortune!
Here are five factors that indicate whether considering this technology now makes sense for you.
First, the cost of buying or leasing a new solar panel system for your roof is a huge factor. Fortunately, the cost here is coming down, fast. There can also be system purchase or lease incentives (price reductions) offered at certain times of the year.
Second, the government rebate program(s) available to you at the time of signing has been a major plus historically as it could reduce the cost substantially. My mother's total rebate was 70% of $40,000. Each year what is available in terms of rebates changes and it also depends on where you live.
Third, what your home gets for southern exposure is a big factor. If your home has little or no southern exposure, this will probably not be something you can pursue now, while at your current home. Some people think that because they have a wide open, unused field right next to their house, this problem goes away. It doesn't. The cost for a photovoltaic system that is stand-alone goes up exponentially, at least at this writing. This is not going to be financially feasible for you given what is currently available here and its current cost.
Fourth, the flanking usable roof surface footage for the portion facing south is another thing that must be considered. If you have dormers, for example, it disrupts the continuity and will drop your usable footage for solar panel installation.
Fifth, the amount of daylight and sunny days your region gets annually on average counts a lot. If you live in Seattle, Washington or Portland, Oregon, for example, the numbers may not work out for you based on where the technology and cost is at today.
I worked with Solarcity and Sungevity earlier this year. Both are knowledgeable firms. With their help, you'll be able to answer each of these questions.
There is one more thing to consider which is different from the 5 factors I've already covered, but perhaps equally important. It has to do with your electrical consumption. You might think any excess you don't need you'd get credit for, etc. Well, how a credit is handled is not always the same. It depends on your utility and where you live. My mom, for example looses any credit she has accumulated at the end of the calendar year. Contrast that with (I'm told), some utilities in some parts of the country will actually cut you a check and pay you directly for the energy, on a regular basis.
Also, even though I had a south facing house and roof, the usable surface area was not very much. The system would only be able to handle about 30% of my electricity needs. My break-even point would be just 3 years. But, since I wasn't getting much of my bill paid for, I've decided to hold out for more efficient photovoltaic technology that has a smaller footprint. It's a calculated chance I'm taking. The technology may take 10 or 15 years to become available. I hoping it will be just a few! It was a 15 year lease I'd be locked into. I simply want to keep my options open for right now.
Every situation is different. And I know that for many of you, the timing is going to be perfect to pursue this now!
Astrum Solar is a rapidly-growing company whose goal is to spread
solar power to rooftops across the U.S., targeting residential
customers. We aim to innovate in the sales and marketing of solar to
consumers and to make it easy and exciting for homeowners to utilize
solar energy.
We are currently seeking Project Leads in the New York tri-state area.
Areas of activity may include Westchester, Rockland and surrounding
counties, northern New Jersey and Fairfield County, Connecticut.
Project Lead
As our customers' point of contact between the sale of the system and
the completion of the installation, the Project Lead is in a
mission-critical role, guiding Astrum's customers through the
installation process and ensuring that each system installation is
completed correctly, efficiently and in a timely manner. The Project
Lead will also guide the project through the various state and local
regulations, facilitate communication between the customer and Astrum
and ensure that the project proceeds smoothly.
Responsibilities:
• Communicate regularly with customers about the progress of their installation
• Acquire necessary permits
• Guide projects through any homeowners' associations, historic preservation or zoning issues
• Guide the installation team's interactions with the customer
• Coordinate inspections and interconnections with the customer, local jurisdiction and the relevant utility
• Ensure projects are completed within scheduled timeframes
• Attend inspections and resolve any problems to ensure that systems pass inspections
• Track progress through project management software
Qualifications:
• Bachelor's degree with 2 years of experience in construction, project
management and/or customer service, OR Journeyman license (any trade)
with 4 years residential experience
• Experience using Windows 7, Microsoft Word and Microsoft Outlook
• Valid driver's license
Benefits:
Astrum Solar is committed to providing a valuable suite of benefits to
help attract, retain and reward the best and the brightest. We offer a
work/life balance through:
• Paid holidays
• Personal and sick time off
• Basic life insurance
• Personal accident insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Direct deposit/e-PayStub
• Optional voluntary insurance benefits
In addition, full-time employees have additional options:
• A choice from up to 4 group medical plans
• Dental and vision coverage
• Commuter benefits, if applicable
• Adoption assistance
• 401(k) plan
Thousands of San Diego residents who have rooftop solar have made their opinions clear to local utility San Diego Gas & Electric. SDG&E says that when a solar system owner wants to send their excess electricity back to the grid it costs money to distribute that energy. The utility claims that it's unfair for non-solar residents to pay for solar owners to distribute their electricity. SDG&E wants to start charging solar owners a fee called a "Network Use Charge" to distribute the energy back to the grid.
While SDG&E debuted their new Energy Innovation Center, Solar owners held a protest outside. The proposed hefty fee would've caused a substantial increase in electricity bills for residential, commercial and educational solar customers. If the fee had been approved critics argue thousands of jobs would be lost in the California solar industry. One protester claims he knows of people who have cancelled their solar installations because of the proposed fee.
But, San Diego area solar owners will be relieved to hear that today brought a stop to SDG&E's planned distribution fee. California's Public Utility Commission or CPUC has rejected SDG&E's proposed Network Use Charge on the grounds that it was a new fee and as such illegal under California law.
The CPUC did order SDG&E to submit a new rate proposal by February 17th and reasons for the increase that would not include the idea of a Network Use Charge.
CalFinder has answers 5 of the most common complaints (theories/rumors really) regarding solar power. More solar installations occurred in the last quarter of 2011 than all of 2009!
Here are fact-based answers to common complaints against the use of solar power.
MIT research scientists Alexander Mitsos and Corey Noone discovered that the heliostat (mirror) design that is typically used in concentrated solar power arrays aren't as efficient as they could be.
They found that the staggered movie theater-type of mirror placement was actually casting shadows on the other mirrors reducing the reflection of light to the tower. Computer models were used to find out what degree of change in placement would perform best. They found that reducing the space between heliostats and rows reduced space used by 10 percent without losing reflected light.
Further study led to an interest in nature's repeating patterns. It was discovered that a sunflower's florets are oriented toward the next floret at a 137.5 degree angle called the "Golden Angle." More computer models experimented with turning mirrors to the Golden Angle degree and the researchers found out they reduced the land space by 20%.
By mimicking the sunflower's spiral pattern the amount of shading and shadowing on the mirrors was also reduced creating more reflective efficiency. The study showed by using this pattern a concentrated solar power plant could use less land and few heliostats which would reduce the cost of materials, installation, operation and maintenance.
The Crew Lead will report into the regional Operations Manager and will
function as the lead PV technician for SolarCity. They will meet with
clients to coordinate the completion of the array and all related
equipment necessary to provide a complete and working photovoltaic
system.
Responsibilities include:
The Crew Lead will provide leadership and technical expertise
photovoltaic installation teams. In this position, the Crew Lead will
communicate the necessary job status data to the SolarCity operations
management team to assure the successful operation of complete and
working systems. The ideal candidate will also lead efforts for safe
working practices for the SolarCity installation team.
Requirements:
• Must have a minimum of two years of PV installation experience, including at least 6 months of leading a crew of two.
• Proficiency in installing all types of grid-tied inverters & able
to work with various ground and roof mount racking systems.
• Understanding of the NEC codes that relate to PV installations.
• Must be very organized and be able to meet aggressive timelines.
• Willing to do residential, commercial & service work.
• Willing to work in extreme environments (hot sun, high places/roofs, and crawl spaces).
• Be able to lift at least 100 pounds.
• Must have a valid driver's license with a clean driving record.
• Must have excellent interpersonal and communication skills; must deliver a high level of customer service.
• All candidates must submit and be able to pass a background check and drug test
About SolarCity
SolarCity® is a national leader in solar power and energy efficiency
services. The company's mission is to help millions of homeowners and
businesses adopt clean power to reduce pollution and save money.
SolarCity's financing options can make it possible for many homeowners
and businesses to switch to solar power for less than they currently pay
for electricity. The company also offers a range of energy efficiency
services, including efficient heating, cooling and lighting, and is a
leading provider of electric vehicle charging stations. The U.S.
Department of Energy named SolarCity a Green Power Supplier of the Year
in 2010, and Fast Company Magazine called it one of the 50 most
innovative companies in the world in 2011. SolarCity's 25 office
locations serve more than 2,000 communities in Arizona, California,
Colorado, Maryland, Massachusetts, Oregon, New Jersey, New York,
Pennsylvania and Texas and Washington, D.C.
Heat Transfer: How Heat Gets Out of Your Home and Costs You Money
By Don Ames
Heat flows out of your home in two ways, transmission and air leakage. Transmission and air leakage occur through all surfaces of the home - walls, floor, roof, windows and doors.
The amount of heat transfer depends on two factors: thermal resistance and surface area. Thermal resistance has to do with the quality and quantity of the material in the walls, floor, roof, windows, and doors.
Surface area has to do with the size of the home and the size of the holes in the home. There are two other factors that influence the amount of heat loss and, of course, the size of the heating bill: temperature difference and pressure difference. The greater the temperature difference between inside the home and outside the home, the more heat transfer will take place through the structures of the home.
Also, the greater pressure difference between inside the home and outside, the more heat will leak through the holes in the home. In most cases, pressure difference is caused by wind hitting the home. Windows are a special concern because of the low thermal resistance and the significant surface area. Doors have less associated overall energy loss because thermal resistance is greater and surface area is small.
Attic Floor Insulation
Insulation is important because it resists the flow of heat. Insulation in a wall cavity forces the heat to conduct from one insulation fiber to another and through one air pocket to another which slows the passage of heat.
A materials heat conductivity describes how much heat flows through a 1-inch thick by 1-square foot slab of a material in a hour when there is a 1 degree difference in temperature from one side of the material to the other side. Heat conductivity, denoted by the letter K, allows us to compare how well common building materials conduct heat.
Aluminum is the most conductive common building material. Air, as it turns out, is one of the poorest conductors of heat. Here are some common building material and their rel=nofollow [http://hearth.com/econtent/index.php/articles/k_values_what_does_it_all_mean]associated K values. The lower K value the better.
Therefore, as homeowners and utility payers, we begin to see and understand how our homes work and how the heat gets away from us and ends up costing us more money to keep warm. To control heat loss is to control our power bill. Here's some things you can do.
Seal Windows
Windows:
1. Limit heat loss through windows by air sealing the connection between the window frame and the wall.
2. Install insulated window curtains to increase thermal resistance.
3. Replace single pane windows with new double pane windows.
4. Install plastic window covering or storm windows.
Holes:
1. Go on a draft finding tour of your home. Use the smoke from an in-scents stick to help locate air leakage.
2. Fill holes and cracks with caulk or insulating foam.
3. Air seal the attic floor and air seal the floor between the indoor space and the ground. Caulk or foam all wire, pipe, and heating duct penetrations.
4. Construct a wind barrier in the yard. Plant a row of trees or bushes that will protect the windy side of the home.
Caulk Penetrations
Walls, ceiling, and Floor:
1. Air seal all penetrations and install generous layers of insulation.
2. Identify your homes air barrier. This is the solid barrier that separates the outside air from the inside air. Think of it as the barrier that keeps the wind out.
3. Identify your homes thermal barrier. This is the layer that resists the passage of heat. Think of it as the insulation barrier.
4. Establish a complete thermal barrier and a complete air barrier. Have both barriers on the same plane, in the same place and touching each other.
5. Maintain the integrity of the homes shell by protecting the thermal barrier and the air barrier with a good roof and a good exterior paint job.
Like changing the oil in your favorite car, your home will perform better and cost you less with regular improvements and routine maintenance. With an understanding of how your home is constructed and how your home can perform better, you can provide retrofit upgrades that will keep heat transfer at a minimum and that will keep you warmer for less money.
Thank you for stopping by, hope you will come back soon, but I won't leave the light on for you...
By Don Ames, your home energy auditor that believes there is security in home energy savings. Visit Don at http://www.detectenergy.com and register for the FREE eNewsletter called the Energy Spy Insider.
Tips on how to apply caulking to the outside of your windows:
Buyer/Planner for a Global Solar Power manufacturer.
5 Years in an ERP system environment- Oracle preferred, in a manufacturing environment.
Familiar with contract manufacturing relationships
Ability to generate and track Purchase Orders, RMA, and Work orders
Some stockroom work- cycle count, part issue.
Contract to hire. $50 to $60K
Every year the Las Vegas based Consumer Electronics Show showcases the latest and greatest electronic gadgets. One of the solar powered standouts this year will be the solar powered Kindle cover, the SolarKindle.
The SolarKindle Lighted Cover sports a little solar panel on the cover and also features USB charging as well. It's built-in high capacity battery allows for charging the Kindle even when a light source isn't available. One hour of charging in the sun will provide approximately 3 days of light for reading.
There's a bright 800 lux LED light that flips out for nighttime or closet reading and a light indicator that will show the status of the charge.
SolarKindle will be available for shipping in a few days and starting retail price is $79.99.
Rapidly growing solar energy company is in need of a full-time EXPERIENCED Solar Architect!
Responsibilities include:
-Preparation of technical drawings, specifications of electrical
systems, and topographical maps to ensure that installation and
operations conform to current standards and customer requirements.
-Familiarity with Autocad is a MUST
-Oversee project production efforts to assure projects are completed on time.
-Inspect completed installations and observe operations to ensure
conformance to design and equipment specifications and compliance with
operational and safety standards.
Hours:
Mon-Thurs 9am-5pm
Fri 9am-4pm
Please call 818-358-4261 to schedule an interview.
Greenbang is reporting that California's cash-poor water utilities have turned to solar installations in an attempt to deal with continuously tighter budgets. It takes a lot of electricity to run high volume water facilities.
The typical cost of supplying water to urban areas in the U.S. is $1 to $2 per cubic meter. Consumers pay their share and subsidies are provided to water facilities from local and state governments as well as debt financing in the form of credits from commercial banks and financial institutions.
Four California water utilities (Santa Clarita, the city of Galt, and Riverside County) have had solar installations come online in recent months. SunPower Corp specializes in providing solar solutions for water agencies and treatment facilities and currently has 25 facilities using their solar systems. The water agencies financed their system installations through solar power purchase agreements with SunPower.
The solar installations are expected to save the utilities millions of dollars in energy costs over the years as they're paying below-retail rates.
