Solar City is a California-based startup company that offers its solar-related services to homeowners, businesses and government. “Install solar. Save money from day one. No upfront investment. And you have a predictable forecast of what your power costs will be for the next 20 years” is their selling proposition. The company’s customer base includes 10,000 homeowners, companies such as Intel and eBay, over 75 schools and universities, and government agencies. Solar City provides solar system financing, design, installation and monitoring.

Lyndon Rive is the CEO of Solar City, and his brother Peter Rive is its chief operating officer. They founded the company in 2006.

Solar City is one of many companies that allow lease of solar equipment; the others include SunRun and Sungevity. All are CA-based companies, and for good reason. According to Lyndon, over half of the estimated 80,000 US homes with rooftop solar are situated in the area covered by PG&E Corp., a solar-friendly utility company which has invested in both Solar City and SunRun.
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And impressive (but not gross) demonstration.

ATLANTA, Ind. — Indiana-based research firm, Inventive Research Co., announced that it has invented a new way to generate ac power from a solar panel without using costly dc-to-ac power conversion equipment. When commercialized, the company said its new AC Solar Generator could not only revolutionize how solar power is generated but also make it practical to input solar power into the grid system competitively and profitably.

Inventive Research’s Jason Oliver is credited with developing the patent-pending process to obtain and generate alternating current (ac) power directly from solar cells through the company’s AC Solar Generator, which works on the same principle as existing generators. Inventive Research said the new invention has caught the interest of several companies who would like to develop the product for large-scale use.

For Oliver’s ac solar process, solar cells are arrayed in a circular pattern. Above them is a spinning disc with slots that alternatively allow light to shine on the panels to produce an ac waveform. The resulting voltage produced is sinusoidal or ac that can be configured to three-phase power usable with the national power grid.

In addition to developing a method to successfully and consistently generate ac power, the researchers also developed and patented a sensing technology to match the phase of the power from the AC Solar Generator to the phase of the power grid.

Oliver believes the product can bring about substantial power savings during peak daylight hours. “Many years of research, testing, and ultimately successful application has brought about the very real possibility of affordable, clean, and renewable energy to our fingertips now.”

The AC Solar Generator is a candidate for General Electric’s 2010 Ecomagination Challenge, a competition that awards funding to projects designed to improve energy use.

Bosch Thermotechnology North America, a leading provider of high quality water heating and comfort heating systems for homes and businesses, announced today that it has launched a new consumer education website at http://bosch-climate.us.

The website features links to product information covering Bosch’s portfolio of residential and commercial solar thermal tankless water heaters, gas tankless water heaters, electric tankless water heaters and electric mini-tank water heaters.

Visitors to the site can explore an interactive Energy Efficient Home, learn about available tax credits and rebates and discover how Bosch’s patented tankless water heating condensing technology works to heat water up to 50 percent more efficiently than a traditional gas storage tank water heater while reducing NOx and CO2 emissions, making for a more sustainable world. Additionally, visitors can take advantage of the site’s Dynamic Sizing Calculator to determine the appropriate model tankless water heater for their needs. An insightful intellectual challenge awaits those ready to put their energy efficiency knowledge to the test by taking the site’s Energy Quiz.

“We wanted to create a site that really drove home the idea of becoming more energy efficient because for most consumers, the home is where it starts. Bosch offers a large variety of products and solutions that can improve the quality of life of consumers while becoming more energy efficient. This new website presents information on energy efficient Bosch products in a professional, entertaining and engaging way, proving that becoming more energy efficient doesn’t have to be hard work, and the return is not only great on your pocketbook, it’s great for the environment too,” says Nuno Fernandes, customer engagement and demand creation director, Bosch Thermotechnology. “Bosch tankless water heaters and Bosch solar thermal systems are among the highest quality and most reliable products in the industry and are backed by the strongest service organization in the industry. Our goal with this project was to design an industry-leading website to appropriately showcase our industry-leading products and services. ”

The site’s Support Center tab features a comprehensive suite of customer service materials ranging from product manuals, warranty information and technical support to a sophisticated new “Where to Buy” contractor look-up to quickly connect to a local installation professional.

Database and calculation portions of this new site where designed and are maintained by the MyPointNow.com network.

WASHINGTON — A major U.S. union is asking the Obama administration to crack down on various Chinese trade practices that it says are robbing American workers of jobs in the burgeoning field of clean energy such as solar and wind power.

The United Steelworkers union on Thursday filed a 5,800-page petition with the administration contending that China’s central and provincial governments are giving Chinese companies unfair advantages over American firms through the use of government subsidies that are prohibited under global trade rules.

Under U.S. law, the administration will have 45 days to decide whether to accept the petition and launch an investigation that could lead to cases being filed against China before the Geneva-based World Trade Organization.

The deadline for the administration to decide the case will occur just a little over a week before this year’s November congressional elections, a fact union officials hope will bring pressure on the administration to rule in its favor.

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