Category Archives: Environment and Clean Technology

Articles about environmental issues and clean technology products besides solar.

solar batteries

Bring your own battery programs: what you need to know in 2019

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

As solar batteries become more and more popular, individual utilities are beginning to offer rebate and incentive programs to make the economics of adding storage to your solar panel system more favorable. Given that solar batteries are a new product, utilities have begun experimenting with new program designs specific to solar batteries. One of the newest, increasingly common program types is a bring your own battery, or bring your own device, program.

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hybrid wind plus solar energy system

Hybrid energy systems: combining wind plus solar

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

Renewable energy resources are an easy, cost-effective way to reduce both electricity costs and carbon emissions. However, a common criticism leveled at renewable energy resources like wind and solar is: what happens when the wind isn’t blowing and the sun isn’t shining? There are many options to solve for this criticism, from net metering policies to pairing solar with energy storage. One additional new method for combating this critique is through hybrid energy systems: by installing wind and solar hybrid systems, renewable energy developers are finding innovative ways to produce more energy with even greater consistency.

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how much does a tesla cost graphic

What are typical Tesla car prices? Model S, Model X crossover and Model 3 costs explained

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Reading Time: 5 minutes

The U.S. electric vehicle (EV) industry is poised for further success in 2019 after a massive year of growth in 2018. There’s no one single reason for the uptick in EV sales in America – states like California are requiring car dealers to offer electric car options, costs are coming down, battery technology is improving, and manufacturers are inventing stylish new designs for the modern-day electric car.

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economic benefits of renewable energy

Economic benefits of renewable energy

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Reading Time: 4 minutes

As renewable energy becomes more widely adopted throughout the United States, it is worth pausing to take stock of the economic benefits associated with increased levels of solar, wind and other renewable energy resources. From providing lower cost electricity to generating reliable, local jobs and to avoiding costly externalities associated with emissions from burning fossil fuels, renewable energy is an economic boon.  

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solar carve-out

Solar carve-outs

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

More than thirty states in the United States currently have renewable energy policies. Most of these goals, targets, and mandates allow for compliance from a range of different types of renewable energy technologies. In a few cases, however, states have included a technology-specific mandate as a part of their renewable energy policies. One such policy mechanism is a solar carve-out.

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solar thermal energy

Solar thermal: what you need to know

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

There are two key methods for harnessing the power of the sun: either by generating electricity directly using solar photovoltaic (PV) panels or generating heat through solar thermal technologies. While the two types of solar energy are similar, they differ in their costs, benefits, and applications.

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100 percent renewable targets

100 percent renewable targets

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Reading Time: 2 minutes

Since Hawaii became the first state in the country to pass a 100 percent renewable energy target in 2015, a number of other states, cities and utilities have followed suit. In fact, more than a dozen states and US territories have gotten in on the action with targets to procure all of their electricity from either renewable or non-emitting resources. As new states pass legislation, we will be sure to keep this list up to date.

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