Solar installations at Ikea

Northeastern Pennsylvania doesn't have any Ikea stores yet, but this is good news from any retailer. I have long hoped that Walmart, Lowes, or Home Depot would lead the way in retail solar installation, since they have enormous amounts of rooftop square footage and could synergistically sell solar panels to homeowners. But if Ikea is going to take the initiative, I'll be happy to keep my eye open for their installations the next time I'm near one of their stores!

Ikea A Rooftop Solar Juggernaut

Pottsville Republican Herald: Schuylkill County plants turning to solar power

Solar projects and problems in Schuylkill County.

Schuylkill County plants turning to solar power - News - Pottsville Republican Herald

Representative Chris Ross discusses the future of solar energy in Pennsylvania

Also, some backround information on Solar Renewable Energy Credits.



See here for more from Chris Ross on this topic.

Penn Future -Solar Jobs Bill will create employment,protect Pennsylvania’s businesses, and clean up our environment

A press release from Penn Future regarding HB 1580, the Solar Jobs Bill.

Penn Future: Solar Jobs Bill will create employment,protect Pennsylvania’s businesses, and clean up our environment

Scranton Times-Tribune: Don't let sun set on Pa. jobs

An opinion piece that appeared in the Scranton Times-Tribune this week regarding the collapse of Pennsylvania's SREC (Solar Renewable Energy Credit) market, and what state legislators could do to remedy the situation.

Don't let sun set on Pa. jobs - Opinion - The Times-Tribune

Calfinder: Last Call for Pennsylvania Solar Rebates

Is time running out for Pennsylvania homeowners to get solar rebates?

Calfinder: Last Call for Pennsylvania Solar Rebates

East Lycoming School District solar project

The East Lycoming School District threw the switch yesterday on a 600 kW ground-based solar array located near the Hughesville High School.

Solar project kicks off at high school - Williamsport Sun-Gazette

Mike Kroboth, president of PPL Renewable Energy, said 2,550 solar panels will produce 700,000 kilowatt-hours of green energy each year. The amount of energy could power 60 homes. The project will reduce the district's annual greenhouse gases by 1.1 million pounds of carbon dioxide, which is equivalent to planting 100 acres of pine forest or removing 95 cars from the road.

East Lycoming Goes Green - Solar Power

The East Lycoming School District solar project was also featured on a segment of WNEP's The Power to Save.

Is there an oversupply of solar power in Pennsylvania?

While solar power development in Pennsylvania is still in a relatively nascent stage, the all-important solar renewable energy credit (SREC) market has become glutted, resulting in a crash in the prices offered for SRECs. Is there a legislative solution to this problem? Or is the Pennsylvania government too committed to natural gas extraction to care about renewable energy?

Pennsylvania's solar-energy industry suffering from success - Philly.com

Spring Solar Training Conference - Philadelphia, June 9-11

This news from the Penn State Center for Sustainability:

Northern Mid-Atlantic Solar Center partner ONTILITY will host the Spring Solar Training Conference at the Philadelphia Airport Marriott Hotel on June 9-11. The conference opens with two days of workshops led by leading solar industry manufacturers, followed by a full day of solar sales training provided by ONTILITY. For NABCEP Certified PV Installers, continuing education credit will be offered. On Thursday evening, participants are invited to tour the Clean Energy Campus at the Navy Yard. The tour will be followed by a reception hosted by Eaton Industries. Attendees of the SIPD 402 Solar Instructor Professional Development from June 6 through 10 will attend part of this conference on Friday, June 10.

More information: http://www.ontility.com/training/manufacturer-workshops


In related news, the Northern Mid-Atlantic Solar Education and Resource Center has put out an application for participation in the Solar Instructor Training Network Summer 2011 Hands-on Workshop SIPD 402 - Advanced Solar PV Assembly and Commissioning, being held in Philadelphia June 6th through June 10th. See Northern Mid-Atlantic Solar Education & Resource Center for more details.

Federal Consumer Energy Incentives

Directly from the Department of Energy, information about consumer energy incentives.

Department of Energy - Tax Breaks

The bit about solar incentives:

Consumers who install solar energy systems (including solar water heating and solar electric systems), small wind systems, geothermal heat pumps, and residential fuel cell and microturbine systems can receive a 30% tax credit for systems placed in service before December 31, 2016; the previous tax credit cap no longer applies.

Solar Rebates and Incentives for Pennsylvania

Solar Rebates and Incentives for Pennsylvania

Excellent information on solar rebates and incentives in Pennsylvania. Also includes a list of useful links.

10 MW PA Solar Park to be built in Nesquehoning

This is news from last Summer, but I just found out about it a few weeks ago. Still, very exciting!

GreenEnergyFinder - NEW - 10 MW PA Solar Park

HARRISBURG, Aug. 7 – State Rep. Keith McCall, D-Carbon, was joined by officials from Kovatch Enterprises and Green Energy Capital Partners to announce that a site adjacent to the Green Acres Industrial Park in Nesquehoning will be home to a 10.6 megawatt ground-mounted solar-energy-generating plant – the largest solar plant in Pennsylvania and one of the largest in the nation.

SEEDS

SEEDS (Sustainable Energy Education & Development Support)

While this site is currently undergoing some renovations, their History page has information about the organization:

http://seedsgroup.net/about/history/

SEEDS is a community-based organization in Northeastern Pennsylvania committed to developing a local renewable energy infrastructure and promoting more sustainable living in our area. SEEDS was founded in 2008 by a group of passionate, engaged communities members and in 2009, registered as an official 501c3 non-profit.

Over the past two years, SEEDS has held 12 open forums on various topics ranging from geothermal heating to small-scale wind to solar thermal hot water systems. These events have been well attended, providing free information to over 800 residents of northeastern Pennsylvania.

The Pennsylvania Renewable Energy Festival

The Pennsylvania Renewable Energy Festival

Sept. 16, 17, & 18 2011 at the Kempton Community Center, Kempton, PA
A three-day festival about renewable energy, natural building construction, sustainable agriculture, land-use planning, forestry and healthy living practices in general.

The PA Renewable Energy Festival: Festival Information