Intel presents energy management innovation as a proof of concept. …
… “Intel Home Dashboard Concept enables users to manage energy use, reduce costs, pay their bill and earn rewards. Family members can access the energy manager at any time for an at-a-glance view of utility rates, usage and billing. Users can set monthly energy targets and learn how to reach them, discover where energy is used and take control. ” …
Via Intel: Intelligent Home Energy Management Proof of Concept (PDF)
Colorado State offers educational seminars to the public at local events. On Saturday, January 16, energy efficiency will be the topic. …
… “Rusty Collins, Jefferson County Extension director, hosting a program titled, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy presented by CSU Extension, and featuring keynote speaker Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture, John Stulp. There will also be two speakers discussing energy efficiency and solar power. ” …
Via Colorado State University: Seminars
President Obama invests in clean energy business growth and job creation through $2.3 billion of Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credits. This investment positions the United States to regain leadership positions in green technologies globally. The competition for the tax credits was 
intense as the program was significantly oversubscribed with cleantech manufacturing projects. …
… “The investment tax credits, worth up to thirty percent of each planned project, will leverage private capital for a total investment of nearly $7.7 billion in high-tech manufacturing in the United States. One hundred eighty three projects in 43 states will create tens of thousands of high quality clean energy jobs and the domestic manufacturing of advanced clean energy technologies including solar, wind and efficiency and energy management technologies. ” …
Via The Whitehouse: 183 projects, 43 states, Clean Energy
Sample cleantech project:
Clean-Tech Manufacturing: “Solar Energy: PPG Industries, Inc. will produce a double anti-reflective coating for glass to make solar cells more efficient. At their Louisiana facility, PPG will produce a special tire tread component that reduces rolling resistance and improves fuel economy. Before the solar industry had begun, PPG pioneered the first low-iron glass that has been used in solar cells and on countless solar installations over the past two decades. Today, this credit will help to expand the manufacture of one of the critical components of glass solar cells, the transparent conductive oxide (TCO) coatings of the glass, without which the cells cannot function. ”
ClimateWorks: “ClimateWorks is a globally distributed network of philanthropic, technical, and policy advocacy organizations … ”
Patent index shows acceleration in solar energy patents, driving technology innovation in this cleantech industry space. …
… “Solar patents in the last quarter tracked approached the level of wind patents, which have been in second place to fuel cell patents … ” …
Via Renewable Energy World: CLEAN ENERGY PATENT GROWTH INDEX
Clean Energy Patent Index.
Staples installs solar photovoltaic power on the roof of its Hanover, Maryland facility with help from SunEdison. …
… “largest single rooftop solar power installation in Maryland at Staples’ 200,200 square foot fulfillment center in Hanover. The 1.01 megawatt solar installation covers nearly 175,000 square feet of roof space, larger than three football fields. The environmental savings associated with the system will offset more than 43 million pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) over 20 years, equivalent to removing CO2 produced by more than 4,200 automobiles driving 12,000 miles per year. The zero-emission, silent photovoltaic system will generate approximately 1.2 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity per year, and 21 million kWh during the initial 20 years of the project. ” …
Via Staples: Maryland’s Largest Single Rooftop Solar Power Installation
1366 Technologies will focus its research efforts on the solar manufacturing process, targeting efficient path to photovoltaic cells. …
… “The Boston company‘s approach would decrease the total installed cost of a solar power system by half. It would also decrease the amount of expensive silicon material needed to make solar cells by a factor of more than three … ” …
Via New York Times: Achilles Heel of Photovoltaics
Via 1366 Technologies: ARPA-E Funding: “1366 Technologies was selected for their Direct Wafer technology that forms high-efficiency monocrystalline-equivalent silicon wafers directly from molten silicon, with the potential to slash the cost of PV installations by half. ”
Californians debate the value of isolated solar power farms versus leveraging distributed local rooftops with solar panels, which are closer to the power need. Of couse, the idea of solar roofs undermine the power utility business model. …
… “California should cover every available rooftop with photovoltaic solar panels, especially commercial buildings. The panels can be installed quickly, unlike large solar power plants … ” …
Via San Francisco Chronicle: Small-scale solar
The California Solar Initiative: “The California Solar Initiative offers financial incentives for solar installations based on the expected performance of a given solar installation. The expected performance is derived from the size of the solar array, and also takes into consideration the angle and location of the system installation. ”
South Dakota State University makes facilities investment to sustain solar research momentum. The university will build a new cleanroom which will be enabling research activities by the end of 2010. …
… “SDSU‘s 3,000-square-foot cleanroom will be be used chiefly for research with some use for the instruction of graduate students. ” …
Via Brookings Register: SDSU Cleanroom
Solar Cell Research at South Dakota State Univ: “There are currently two areas of solar cell research being conducted at SDSU; nano-crystalline silicon-based solar cells and photonic band gap structure to trap light in solar cells. ”
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick launches new rebates to accelerate the state towards its goal of 250 MW of solar energy installed by 2017. The rebates will be complemented with a new renewable energy credit market for solar. …
… “Commonwealth Solar II and Commonwealth Solar Stimulus will begin accepting rebate applications from residents and businesses seeking help financing their solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. The new rebate programs will benefit from a two-pronged funding scheme.
Funding for Commonwealth Solar II, providing rebates for small residential and commercial photovoltaic (PV) systems (5 kilowatts or less), will come from $1 million per quarter in existing funds from the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust. Now, as part of the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (CEC), the Trust is financed through a small renewable energy charge on utility ratepayers’ monthly bills. ” …
Via Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs: Commonwealth Solar rebate program
The state has made commendable progress with their solar stimulus. …
Massachusetts Solar Progress Dashboard (PDF).
Solar credit marketplace will be established …
Commonwealth Solar Rebate Program: “These new rebates are specifically targeted to complement and support the introduction of the new Solar Credit market in Massachusetts in January 2010 … ”
Via Massachusetts Clean Energy Center: Next Phase of Solar Power Enablers: “The Clean Energy Center, through the Renewable Energy Trust, looks forward to putting this new pool of funding to work providing rebates for solar projects that will get us to Governor Patrick’s goal of 250 MW of solar energy – enough to power at least 37,500 homes – by 2017 … ”
Nevada solar power plant will use molten salt to store heat energy in event that solar panels reduce their power output. The reserve heat will continue to drive steam turbines and generate electricity due to the thermal conductivity of molten salt. …
… “SolarReserve, a California-based company that says it has the answer: technology that uses salt to store the sun’s energy. And it is making its debut in the form of a solar plant just outside of Tonopah, Nevada. ” …
Via msnbc: Solar energy plant
SolarReserve Molten Salt Solar Technology: “The heated molten salt then flows into a thermal storage tank where it is stored, maintaining 98% thermal efficiency, and eventually pumped to a steam generator. ”
IBM Research and collaborative partners from Central Glass, King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology, and the University of Texas, Austin have developed an energy efficient water filtration membrane. …
… “Membrane filtration is currently one of the most energy efficient techniques for removing salt and improving water quality. But, conventional membranes used today are easily damaged by chlorine, which is commonly added to water to prevent bacterial growth that can cause health problems. Now, the collaborative research team has designed a new concept in membrane materials that combines resistance to chlorine damage and high performance separation behavior in mildly basic conditions, making it suitable for arsenic removal in addition to water desalination. ” …
Via IBM: Clean Water
IBM Research: “IBM Researchers push the boundaries of science, technology and business to make the world work better. ”
Sandia National Laboratories researchers see competitive performance from glitter-sized photovoltaic cells and envision novel applications for solar power using these tiny cells. …
… “The solar particles, fabricated of crystalline silicon, hold the potential for a variety of new applications. They are expected eventually to be less expensive and have greater efficiencies than current photovoltaic collectors that are pieced together with 6-inch- square solar wafers. The cells are fabricated using microelectronic and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) techniques common to today’s electronic foundries. ” …
Via Sandia National Labs: Glitter-sized solar photovoltaics
Sandia National Labs: “Sandia creates innovative, science-based, systems-engineering solutions to our Nation’s most challenging national security problems. ”
DuROCK Alfacing International Ltd.’s headquarters in Woodbridge uses rooftop solar panels that generate power from both sides of the solar panels. A reflective roof coating sends light to the back of the panels, boosting the energy generation capacity of the solar installation. …
… “SANYO HIT Double PV modules generate power from both sides, resulting in up to 30% higher energy output than standard single-sided PV modules, making them ideal for carports, canopies and porch coverings. DuROCK Tio-Coat is a high-strength white elastomeric urethane roof coating that provides 89% solar radiation reflectivity and weather resistance, reducing the energy usage required for the building compared to traditional roof coverings. ” …
Via SANYO Solar: DuROCK Alfacing International Headquarters in Woodbridge
SANYO HIT Double Panels: “Bifacial Effect: The back face of a HIT Double panel generates electricity from ambient light reflected off surrounding surfaces, and combines with power from the front face of the panel. Depending upon system design and site albedo, this results in up to 30% higher power generation (more kWh) per square foot. ”
Avacos Renewable Energy: “Avacos Solar is a one-hundred percent Canadian owned company founded in 2007, offering complete renewable energy power solutions. ”
Chartwell School used green building design features to strive for net-zero energy footprint. …
… “The school building’s features include tall, north-facing windows that control enough light and heat gain to reduce the school’s need for electricity by 50 percent. In addition, classrooms and many other areas in the building rely on naturally occurring convection currents rather than noisy, high-maintenance and energy-hungry ventilation systems. ” …
Via University of Califonia at Berkeley: Livable Buildings, 2009
Chartwell School in Seaside, California: “Chartwell School was engineered for success to achieve LEED Platinum Certification for energy use, lighting, water and material use as well as incorporating a variety of other sustainable strategies. To accomplish these goals, industry leader EHDD Architecture and general contractor Ausonio, Inc. designed and built a number of innovative features, including a 32-kilowatt solar array from Blueline Power. ”
Lincoln Hall Solar Power: “UIC is part of the solar power community, with the new 51.52 kW array of 224 solar panels that were recently installed by SoCore Energy on the top of the newly renovated Lincoln Hall … ”
Sustainable solar charging station is demonstrated in New York City. …
… “The drive-in station was built by Beautiful Earth (using recycled shipping containers) on land it owns just blocks from company headquarters. ” …
Via New York Times: Solar Car-Charging
Research leaders, including Professor Bruce Parkinson, have bee awarded with Fellow designation from the American Association for the Advancement of Science for their contribution to the sciences. …
… “A renowned solar energy researcher and a professor in the Department of Chemistry and the UW School of Energy Resources, Parkinson was recognized for significant contributions to fields such as photoelectrochemical energy conversion, materials chemistry, surface science, scanning probe microscopies and nanomaterials. ” …
Via University of Wyoming: AAAS Fellows
Sempra Generation has gained approval for Pacific Gas & Electric to procure 48 megawatts of solar photovoltaic power from the California Public Utilities Commission. This enables Sempra to begin the facility construction. …
… “The CPUC’s approval of the contract signals the January 2010 construction start for the facility, an expansion of Sempra Generation’s existing 10-MW El Dorado Solar power plant. Both projects are located near Boulder City, Nev., about 40 miles southeast of Las Vegas, and each will provide power to PG&E under two 20-year power contracts. When completed by late 2010, the combined 58-MW installation will become the largest operational photovoltaic solar-power facility in North America. Together, the two facilities will utilize nearly 1 million photovoltaic panels. ” …
Via Sempra Energy: Largest operational photovoltaic solar facility in North America
The market for solar cells is expected to show positive growth in 2010. …
… "However, these lower prices, diversification of the demand base, and positive incentive movement in multiple regions are now expected to drive substantially higher demand in 2010. " …
Via Semiconductor Today: Solar cell growth forecast