Solar-Powered Holiday Gift Ideas

Give the gift of green this holiday season and avoid the dreaded "no batteries included" clause with these solar-powered gift suggestions from UMA Solar.

Solar Holiday Lights

All the festive charm of traditional holiday lights without paying the traditional electric bill! Most solar-powered holiday lights use LEDs which run cooler and shine brighter than incandescent lights. Not only will they last longer, there is less risk of fire from overheating. Best of all, you won't have to worry about extension cords!

Solar Backpack

Convert an existing backpack or messenger bag into a solar-powered super bag with a Piggyback Solar-Powered Gadget bag from ThinkGeek . The charger includes two pouches, big enough for computer tablets and e-readers, plus built-in channels for running USB cables between pouches.

Solar Wireless Keyboard

The Logitech K750 wireless solar keyboard charges itself in any kind of light, artificial or sunlight, and will stay charged for up to three months in total darkness!  Just 1/3" thick, the keyboard features sleek lines and portability, perfect indoors and on the go.

Solar-Powered Sound System

Let the music move you, wherever you are. The portable Soulra XL solar-powered boom box features a flip-out solar panel. The panel allows you to charge your mp3 player or smart phone while listening to music through its eight speaker drivers (two tweeters, two woofers and four passive radiators).

Solar Hybrid Automatic Lawn Mower

The Husqvarna hybrid automatic lawnmower comes with a large integrated solar panel that allows the mower to extend its cutting periods before it needs charging. Best of all, you can leave it to cut your lawn while you sit back with a cold glass of lemonade. The fully automatic robotic mower will happily graze your lawn, return to its charging station when power is low, and send you a text message if anything goes wrong.

Solar Pool Heating

A gift for the entire family that keeps giving, a solar pool heater by Heliocol or SunStar will double the swim season in any climate. Enjoy a resort lifestyle in your own backyard! Heliocol and SunStar solar pool heating systems are maintenance-free and work with your existing pool pump, providing you with free heat from the sun.

Solar Toy Robot

For the eco-concious kiddies on your list, consider a solar-powered robot. The 3-in-1 Transforming Solar Robot not only teaches kids about solar energy, it transforms from a robot to a tank to a scorpion!

Solar Charger and Battery Back-Up

The Solio BOLT is a slick little charger that also works as a battery back-up for your smartphone, mp3 player, e-reader, GPS or camera. Just connect to the BOLT using your device's own USB cable. The BOLT holds a charge for up to a year and gives most smartphones more than two charges! 

MyGenflex offers increased flexibility and monitoring

Kyocera Solar's MyGen Kits — all-inclusive kits available as part of UMA Solar's Heliolectric line for residential and light commercial solar energy installations — have expanded to include MyGenflex. This latest addition offers increased versatility for installation, expansion and monitoring services, featuring Kyocera’s premier KD240 watt solar modules, and new M215.

The MyGenflex kit is Enphase Energized™ with high efficiency M215 microinverters from Enphase, enabling a scalable solar system by converting direct current (DC) produced by solar modules into alternating current (AC) from each individual module in an array. This allows owners the flexibility to add to their solar energy system as needed. Further enhancing the MyGenflex system is the Enlighten monitoring and analysis software from Enphase, which monitors each microinverter and solar module in the system. Performance information is available via the web as part of a monitoring solution that allows owners and installers to track system performance. “A Kyocera Enphase Energized solution not only enables a flexible, high-performance solar energy system that is expandable and intelligent, it is also backed by the same dependable support that Enphase customers swear by,” said Bill Rossi, chief marketing officer of Enphase Energy.

Kyocera’s current MyGen line is already recognized as a comprehensive, convenient way to integrate solar power — the pre-engineered systems include the modules, inverter, racking, monitoring, grounding, manual, drawings, and minor components needed to complete a grid-tied solar energy installation. MyGen “Made in America” kits, which qualify for participation in the ARRA “Buy America” Program, offer the benefits of U.S.-based manufacturing with the expertise that comes from Kyocera’s 37-year experience in the solar industry.

“Kyocera’s pre-engineered MyGen kits greatly simplify the task of installing a solar electric generating system on a home or business,” stated Steve Hill, president of Kyocera Solar, Inc. “These turn-key kits offer the reliability and industry-leading output of Kyocera’s modules, which have repeatedly achieved record-breaking cell efficiencies. With the innovative features of the Enphase Microinverter System, MyGenflex represents an ideal solution for those seeking to invest in solar energy for cost and environmental benefits.”

America Should be Leading the Way in Renewable Energy Development

Bill Gallagher, president of the Florida Solar Energy Industries Association, responded to the recent Daytona News-Journal's article, "Proceed Carefully on Solar Energy Policy," with a letter to the editor explaining that solar energy makes fiscal sense for Americans.

As appeared in the Daytona News-Journal "Opinions" section November 21, 2011:

Reading Thursday's News-Journal article, "Proceed carefully on solar energy policy," I could not help thinking about the plight of the blacksmith 110 years ago, when the automobile was threatening to replace the horse and buggy. It is easy to envision statements such as, "That new contraption is noisy, it belches smoke, it is too expensive, and it will never amount to anything!" Fortunately, this short-sighted thinking did not deter the development of the automobile, the aircraft or the space shuttle.

As the rest of the world turns to renewable resources as a means of producing clean power, energy security, and a permanent hedge against ever-increasing utility costs, political affiliations continue to divide and effectively paralyze our nation and state from adopting common-sense energy policies.

There is little doubt that some folks, for political reasons, would like to see solar development postponed or eliminated. The recent loan-guarantee debacle has provided fodder for them, and they will continue to attempt to discredit solar utilization using phrases such as "too expensive, too soon, needs more development, hold off, proceed carefully." In the meantime, other nations are moving forward with renewable energy deployment, undeterred by attempts to derail their goal to provide clean, reliable energy for their citizens.

The fact is that the vast majority of Floridians and Americans support the use of solar energy as a cost-effective, viable alternative to conventional energy sources. They are confused by the messages being sent that are contrary to their notion of "common sense."

When they hear "too expensive," they ask "compared to what?" Continuing to purchase electricity to heat water?

Let's make a comparison: A typical solar water-heating system in Florida can be installed for $4,000-$6,000, depending on the size of the family, offset 20-25 percent of a homeowner's utility costs, and pay for itself through energy savings in as little as five years. This means that for every four or five homeowners who install a solar hot-water system, the cost of powering one home is effectively removed from the utility grid. Encouraging Floridians to invest in solar for their homes and businesses reduces our dependence on fossil fuels, saves utility dollars, and creates jobs that are crucial to Florida's economic recovery.

America should be leading the way in renewable energy development and deployment. We have the ingenuity, the determination and the work force to make this happen. It is time to put political persuasions aside and do what is best for our community, our state and our nation.

--Bill Gallagher, Holly Hill

Eneref's Solar Heating Article Focuses on Commercial Building Market

Commercial Building Products magazine, the leading US publication targeting owners, architects and engineers of low-rise buildings, featured an article by Eneref Institute intended to demonstrate the immense benefits of solar heating and cooling. The story was developed in conjunction with numerous solar thermal manufacturers and industry associations.

The story was printed in Commercial Building Products annual “Green Issue” in conjunction with the GreenBuild tradeshow. For a printed copy of the magazine contact the publication. Or download the article from eneref.org.

To download a pdf from eneref.org

http://www.reports.eneref.org/eneref_commercial-building-products_shc-benefits_sep11.pdf

 

To view the story on line from Commercial Building Products

http://tinyurl.com/6k3to67

About Eneref Institute:

Eneref Institute is a research and advocacy organization, whose Solar Thermal Advantage initiative is designed to encourage the adaption of solar heating and cooling in commercial and residential facilities.

Opportunity to Support Solar Industry and Squash Media Misinformation

From SEIA:

With national media still focused on solar issues, I wanted to share with you a few recent opinion pieces that help counter some of the misinformed articles that we’ve seen recently, including this skewed New York Times piece from this past weekend.

First, in the Columbus Dispatch, State Representative Peter Beck argues that Ohio is receiving a strong return on investment today solar power.

SEIA also placed op-eds this week in two outlets that have been traditionally lukewarm on solar. The first appears in the conservative online news portal, The Daily Caller. And in today’s Investor’s Business Daily, I argue that federal support for solar is not an anomaly - all energy industries have historically received federal policy support to power our economy.

It is important that we continue to push back on press pieces that are misinformed about solar. If you see a story that needs correction or context, feel free to use SEIA’s talking points on the industry’s real story. Keep the conversation civil and fact-based, but push back aggressively to show our industry will not let myths about solar go unchallenged.

I also have a quick request that will help extend the 1603 Treasury Program. Take ten seconds and add your company’s name to this letter. We will present the letter to Congress to show that allowing this program to expire will harm businesses across America. Real jobs are at stake – 37,000 next year alone hang in the balance according to EuPD Research. Please fill out the form at the end of the letter and we'll take it from there.

Radio Interview with UMA Solar Director of Marketing Tod Ellington

UMA Solar Director of Marketing Tod Ellington was recently interviewed by Bill Gallagher on the Solar-Fit Renewable Energy Show. Follow the link to learn a little more about Tod and hear his thoughts on UMA Solar and the solar industry.

http://files.wnzf.com/solar_fit_111211.mp3

UMA Solar to Host Classes in Ohio

As appeared in Solar Industry Magazine

Close to 80% of the world's energy supply could be met by solar power and other forms of renewable energy by mid-century if deployment is backed by the right enabling public policies, according to a new report from researchers working with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

The findings also indicate that the rising penetration of renewable energies could lead to cumulative greenhouse gas savings equivalent to 220 to 560 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide between 2010 and 2050. The upper end of the scenarios assessed, representing a cut of around one-third in greenhouse gas emissions from business-as-usual projections, could assist in keeping concentrations of greenhouse gases at 450 parts per million.

This change could contribute toward a goal of holding the increase in global temperature below 2 degrees C - an aim recognized in the United Nations Climate Convention's Cancun Agreements.

"The report shows that it is not the availability of the resource, but the public policies that will either expand or constrain renewable energy development over the coming decades," says Ramon Pichs, co-chair of Working Group III. "Developing countries have an important stake in this future: This is where most of the 1.4 billion people without access to electricity live, yet also where some of the best conditions exist for renewable energy deployment."

The six renewable energy technologies reviewed in the report are bioenergy, direct solar energy (including photovoltaics and concentrating solar power), geothermal energy, hydropower, ocean energy and wind energy. More than 160 existing scientific scenarios on the possible penetration of renewables by 2050, alongside environmental and social implications, were reviewed, with four analyzed in depth, the IPCC says.

Although the scenarios arrive at a range of estimates, the overall conclusions are that renewables will take an increasing slice of the energy market. The most optimistic of the four in-depth scenarios projects renewable energy accounting for as much as 77% of the world's energy demand by 2050 - up from just under 13% of the total primary energy supply in 2008.

The report concludes that although the proportion of renewable energy will likely increase even without enabling policies, past experience has shown that the largest increases come with concerted policy efforts. For instance, if environmental impacts such as emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases were monetized and included in energy prices, more renewable energy technologies may become economically attractive.

Currently, direct solar contributes only a fraction of 1% to total global energy supply, the report adds. Potential deployment scenarios range from a marginal role of direct solar energy in 2050 to one of the major sources of energy supply. The actual deployment will depend on continued innovation, cost reductions and supportive public policies.

The full report is expected to be made available here after May 31.As appeared May 5, 2011 in SmartPlanet.