Solar Power - Rochester, NY area 

RochesterEnvironment.com

Considering Solar Power as a major renewable energy  source for our area.    

Page Contents:  Newslinks | Discussions |Education | Resources

 

 


My photo of Steel Winds project in Lacawanna, NY.

Solar Power

Yes, New York State, the sun shines here too We need to get moving on renewable energy.  The collapse of the Great Lakes Off-shore wind project (GLOW) leaves our state vulnerable to the Fracking boon.  A boon is the economic code word for saying forget everything you know about human rights, property rights, environmental health, and go after the stuff you want in the ground with no holds barred.   Drill baby drill! Somehow we have decided that off-shore wind turbines are so ugly and expensive that we have to tear up our New York State country-side, dig up more fossil fuel to warm our atmosphere, and put our drinking water at risk.  And, just to show our distain for the Climate Change Crisis, we’re probably going to allow one of the most polluting fossil fuels to run a pipeline through our country from Canada, get refined in the Gulf, and then spewed into our atmosphere: more...


Community Solar Meetups Everywhere - Meetup "Around the globe people are coming together take a picture of a school, place of worship, community building or local park that they plan to occupy with beautiful solar panels. Start a group today and begin moving your community towards energy independence! "

 

 

 

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Solar Power Discussion

Rochester area information or discussions pertaining to the use of solar power in our area. 

  • NYSEIA recognizes seven solar projects TARRYTOWN – Solar projects across the state from New York City, Long Island, Hudson Valley, Capital Region and Western New York - at locations ranging from city housing and government buildings to a winery and landfill - were recognized by the New York Solar Energy Industries Association (NYSEIA) with 6KC awards. “These projects recognize the best and brightest solar projects and individuals in the Empire State,” said NYSEIA Executive Director Gail Markets. NYSEIA President Ron Kamen was recognized as the 2011 Solar Industry Champion. Kamen, also chairman at EarthKind Energy in Kingston, has served as president of the membership association since 2009 and has more than 20 years of experience in the energy industry. Kamen and the association have been strong supporters of the Solar Jobs Bill, among other statewide policies and initiatives. (September 29, 2011) [more on Solar Power in our area]
  • Will Japan’s nuclear power disaster mean more solar power in Rochester region? One has to wonder if the one-in-a-million disaster scenario occurring in Japan with their nuclear plants and the major earthquake will wake up area communities to the dangers of nuclear power. Second Explosion at Reactor as Technicians Try to Contain Damage - NYTimes.com TOKYO — A second explosion rocked a troubled nuclear power plant Monday, blowing the roof off a containment building but not harming the reactor inside, while cooling systems failed at a third reactor, Japanese officials said. (March 14, 2011) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia Though we here don’t have a major earthquake fault running through Rochester, we are not immune to the other environmental and health issues which are always a concern with nuclear power. Nuclear power, which to many people may seem like a real solution to our energy needs and curbing greenhouse gases, is not benign or cheap. Our media fails to focus on the real and present danger nuclear power presents.   more...

 

Solar Power Newslinks

Learn about the issue of Wind Power with online sites and articles.

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2011

2011

Solar Power Resources

Various Online Resources on local Solar Power.

  • Solar Energy - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation "Solar energy is abundant, non-polluting and does not contribute to global warming. Even in the northeastern United States, solar energy can make a significant contribution to meeting demands for electricity. The New York State Renewable Energy Task Force has recommended that New York increase its generation of electricity from photovoltaics eight-fold by 2011. "
  • NYSERDA - Power Naturally - School Power Naturally "School Power...NaturallySM is an innovative program from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) that is designed to educate New Yorkers about energy, and, in particular, the role solar electric power – photovoltaics, or PV – and wind power generation can play in providing clean energy for our homes, schools, and workplaces. "
  • New York Solar Study "An Analysis of the Benefits and Costs of Increasing Generation from Photovoltaic Devices in New York On August 4, 2011, the Power New York Act of 2011 (the Act) was signed into law. Section 22 of the Act directed NYSERDA to conduct a Study on Increasing Generation from Photovoltaic Devices in New York (the Solar Study). While the current contribution of solar photovoltaic (PV) energy generation is small and the cost of the technology is at a premium compared with market electricity prices, the Act sought analysis of the benefits and costs of PV, acknowledging that costs are declining and noting the potential for PV energy generation to contribute to economic development and job creation in the State. "
  • Solar Energy in Rochester: How do we go about that? Check here: Solar America Communities - Solar Powering Your Community: A Guide for Local Governments, Second Edition "The U.S. Department of Energy developed this comprehensive resource to assist local governments and stakeholders in building sustainable local solar markets. This second edition of the guide was updated to include new market developments and innovations for advancing local solar markets that have emerged since the first edition was released in 2009. This updated edition also contains the most recent lessons and successes from the original 25 Solar America Cities and other communities promoting solar energy. The guide introduces a range of policy and program options that have been successfully field tested in cities and counties around the country. The guide describes each policy or program, followed by more information on: Benefits: Identifies benefits from implementing the policy or program. Implementation Tips and Options: Outlines various tips and options for designing and implementing the policy or program. Examples: Highlights experiences from communities that have successfully implemented the policy or program. Additional References and Resources: Lists additional reports, references, and tools that offer more information on the topic, where applicable. " Department of Energy
  • Solar Server - phototovoltaics, solar heating, solar power - SolarServer "Since 1999, SolarServer with up to 16.000 users per day is the most visited German Solar-Portal. "
  • Solar Energy | SEIA - Solar Energy Industries Association "Established in 1974, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) is the national trade association of the U.S. solar energy industry. Through advocacy and education, SEIA is working to build a strong solar industry to power America. As the voice of the industry, SEIA works with its 1,000 member companies to make solar a mainstream and significant energy source by expanding markets, removing market barriers, strengthening the industry and educating the public on the benefits of solar energy. SEIA is a 501 c (6) non-profit association. A separate 501 c(3) called The Solar Foundation oversees policy-driven research and develops education outreach programs to promote positive policy and further deployment of solar energy in the U.S. "

  • Solar Energy - Information about Solar Power & Renewable Energy “We recently launched the independent website 'Solarcontact.com', which provides free information about solar power and solar water heating for our users. For example, we have developed an innovative solar power calculator which - and this is unique in the US - takes into account precise solar intensity on a ZIP code level. Have a look if you like! Our main goal is to inform about green energy and support the distribution of eco-friendly, renewable energies by putting interested people in contact with qualified installers. We inform about topics like incentives, profitability and installation of solar systems and keep track with new developments. Our service is completely free for our visitors.”