The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has released its 2009 US Solar Industry Year in Review, finding 2009 to be another year of strong growth despite the economic recession. A combination of policies, new business models, and declining prices drove expansion in 2009; and growth is expected to continue during 2010.

Overall US solar electric capacity, including both photovoltaic and concentrating solar power installations, increased by 37% in 2009. According to the SEIA, this was driven primarily by strong demand in the residential and utility-scale markets, state and federal policy advances and declining technology prices. As a result, total solar industry revenue reached $4 billion, a 36% increase on that reported in 2008.

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PRINCESS ANNE, Md. — Homeowners Steve and Sandy Townsend wanted a new house with all the charm of a 142-year-old historic lighthouse, but with none of the worries about high energy bills. When the plans for the Hooper Strait Lighthouse became available, Townsend hired a Maryland architect to draw up blueprints for a lighthouse home with more modern conveniences. Once a design was agreed upon, finding a way to control the space’s temperature created a challenge. In stepped John Maguire.

A LIGHTHOUSE, A HOME?

Understanding the importance of retaining the integrity of the historic design eventually led Townsend and his design and construction team to choose a Daikin Variable Refrigerant Volume® system that has built-in intelligence enabling the homeowner to maintain precise zoning control over every square inch of his new home. Serving as general contractor on the job, Townsend brought in Maguire of All Seasons HVAC in Eden, Md., to recommend the right system for the unusual home.

“There were a number of features of the Daikin system that made it perfect for Steve’s home,” said Maguire. “First, although it was a two-story home, Steve and his wife Sandy were going to primarily live on the first floor, so they wanted a system that could be easily zoned for their lifestyle. Second, living in an area with a lot of heat and moisture they needed a system that excelled at removing humidity from the living space. Third, they required a system that required minimal ductwork, which gave them much more flexibility in the design.”

NO WASTED ENERGY

Standing in front of the home of the Townsend family are (from left) John Webster of Parks & Webster Inc., John Maguire of All Seasons HVAC, Sandy Townsend, Steve Townsend, and Michael Panopoulos of Daikin AC.
Maguire recommended the Daikin VRV-S heat pump, with one 48,000 Btuh outdoor unit that connects to five wall-mounted FXAQ fan coil units and three slim-ducted, concealed FXDQ duct units. He explained that the VRV-S system is the Daikin model with a small capacity and would be more than adequate for the home.

“The genius of an inverter system is that the home will only use the energy it needs at any one time. Since the Townsends are zoning the house, they may never use more than 24,000 Btuh at a time,” he said. “The way the system operates, it will only deliver enough refrigerant to feed whichever units are calling for it. So they will not be paying for the energy in unused rooms.”

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By: Robert Stavins

In just a few days, Senators John Kerry, Lindsey Graham, and Joe Lieberman will release their much-anticipated proposal for comprehensive climate and energy legislation – the best remaining shot at forging a bipartisan consensus on this issue in 2010. Their proposal has many strengths, but there’s an issue brewing that could undermine its effectiveness and drive up its costs. I wrote about this in a Boston Globe op-ed on Earth Day, April 22nd.

Government officials from California, New England, New York, and other northeastern states are vociferously lobbying in Washington to retain their existing state and regional systems for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, even after a new federal system comes into force. That would be a mistake – and a potentially expensive one for residents of those states, who could wind up subsidizing the rest of the country. The Senate should do as the House did in its climate legislation: preempt state and regional climate policies. There’s no risk, because if Federal legislation is not enacted, preemption will not take effect.

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Abrahm Lustgarten

New York State environment officials shoved a cumbersome task off their plates Friday when they announced that their controversial environmental review of natural gas drilling in New York’s Marcellus Shale would not apply to drilling inside New York City’s 1,900-square-mile watershed.

The decision appears to protect the unfiltered water supply for nine million residents — as well as another unfiltered watershed near Syracuse, N.Y. — because energy companies will be required to undergo a separate and exhaustive review for each well they propose to drill and hydraulically fracture inside the area, a hurdle that may amount to a de facto ban.

But it also removes a significant political and scientific obstacle to completing the two-year statewide review process, paving the way for drilling to proceed across much of the rest of the state as soon as next spring.

“Clearly there will be less analysis required to finish the job now that we are going to be focusing on the environmental safety of the process and not getting into the unique components of the FAD watersheds,” said New York State Department of Environmental Conservation assistant commissioner Stuart Gruskin, referring to the Filtration Avoidance Determination, the federal permit that allows New York City’s water to be delivered untreated. “We are not giving special treatment to those FAD watersheds or deciding that it is unsafe to drill there — rather we are pulling them out and recognizing that there are a distinct set of issues.”

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By: Ryan Dunlap

Denver, CO– Heat pumps are often misunderstood or not understood at all. Because of this, consumers may not realize that there may be a better heating and cooling option than a furnace or air conditioner.

“Although its name is misleading, a heat pump is an efficient method of heating a home during the cold winter months and also cooling it during the blistering summer months,” said Ryan Dunlap, Service Manager of Dunlap Plumbing Heating & Air.

Whether it’s winter or summer, a heat pump works by moving heat to keep indoor environments comfortable. During the winter, heat is collected from the outside and used to warm the air inside. Even “cold” air contains heat. In the summer, a heat pump operates like a standard electric air conditioner. It collects heat from the air within a home and expels it outside.

“Heat pumps are capable of providing years of worry-free heating and cooling and significant savings on electric bills,” Dunlap said. The amount a consumer can save depends on many factors. For example, the efficiency of old equipment compared to that of a new heat pump can have an effect on how much will be saved. The climate in which a consumer lives, as well as electric rates, are also factors.

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