As of the end of the third quarter 2011, the OPA had 20,936 megawatts (MW) of electricity supply capacity, based on average contract capacity, under contract. This includes 10,277 MW of renewable energy, 7,659 MW of clean energy, and 3,000 MW of nuclear energy. Within this 20,936 of supply capacity, 4,717 MW were procured from existing generating facilities, which required minimal or no new capital investment. The remaining capacity, 16,219…

WASHINGTON, D.C. – It is a myth that switching to safe, renewable energy would mean an unreliable U.S. power supply that also is too expensive to afford. That is the major conclusion of a new Synapse Energy Economics report prepared for the nonprofit Civil Society Institute (CSI) that details a future with more energy efficiency and renewable energy and less reliance on coal and nuclear power. Key highlights of the…

*For instance, look at the efforts of one Brazilian entrepreneur Fabio Rosa. His donation of 560 solar panels (Built in Canada) to an impoverished villages in the Amazon that will soon receive reliable, solar power to help keep their water clean, their lights on and to refrigerate medicine and food! This is just one example of how Solar Power improves LIVES, in the best ways possible. This one small example demonstrates…

Feed-in tariff, also known as “CLEAN Contracts.” Perhaps most famous for its successful implementation in Germany, a feed-in tariff is a policy tool that guarantees a fixed price at which renewable generators can sell the electricity they produce. http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/12/14/388988/feed-in-tariff-electric-rates/

The OPA is pleased to move forward with the revised FIT Program, which incorporates the results of the two-year FIT Program review. The objective of the review was to ensure the long-term sustainability of the program. READ MORE AT: http://fit.powerauthority.on.ca/results-fit-program-review-now-available

An entire school district will soon be using solar power to operate their many school buildings and electrical devices. They will be getting 90 percent of their electricity from solar panels and over the next 30 years will save an estimated $200 million. Mount Diablo Unified School District will build the largest solar power system of all school districts around the country. They will have a 12-megawatt system, costing about $80…

With gas at more than three dollars a gallon and more people concerned about global warming, electric vehicles have found a new surge of popularity.  The major hurdle for electric cars is that the infrastructure to support them doesn’t exist yet. CHARGING STATIONS! Honda is one of the companies trying to change that, as they have begun trial testing an electric vehicle charging station that is powered by solar energy. When car companies…

The SolarWorld GT solar car landed in San Francisco as part of its round-the-world tour. A team of German students from Bochum University of Applied Sciences in Germany designed a two-seater electric car in collaboration with SolarWorld, a solar panel manufacturer, to compete in the 2011 World Solar Challenge in Australia. The vehicle works by collecting solar energy through photovoltaic panels on its roof, its solar generator can reach up to…

When every ounce on the trail counts, outdoor adventurers dream about ditching batteries. They might not have to wait. Designers at Colorado State University are developing solar-powered clothes from natural fibers that can charge a number of devices, including phones, tablets and GPS units. Read More at: http://news.discovery.com/tech/solar-powered-fabric-120422.html Source: Discovery News http://news.discovery.com

Are you interested in using solar in your home for water heating but not quite ready to “take the plunge?”  If you’re doing a major renovation or building a new house you can save hundreds of dollars later on by preparing your home now. Learn more about Solar and PV Installation at http://ethosolar.com/