Xcel Energy to add 257 megawatts or solar power

DENVER (AP) - Xcel Energy has added more than 257 megawatts of solar power to its plan for meeting Colorado's renewable energy standard by 2020.

We should bump up the time frame on this to 2015, we can save money the environment and reduce oil dependancy all at the same time.

How can solar power help your garden

One easy way to extend your gardening season is to use mirrors, with some of my seedling beds I Put a mirror behind the bed facing SOUTH this reflects the sun and heat back so the sun is shining from both North and South.

I have been able to grow tomato seedlings in September this way, one thing to watch for is burning if you use a plastic cover over your growbox or seedling bed make sure to open it on hot days with full sun.

I use the Mittleider method taught by the Sustainable gardening Non-Profit Food for Everyone Foundation.

Without the sun no plant will live, thats the ultimate in Solar Power

Starwood energy buys majority share

Starwood bought a majority share of the Nautilus company. Nautilus constructs grid sized solar power system. There output capacity should be up to 500 megawatts of power within the next two years. Great steps towards our Independence from oil.

Portable solar power lens

Just updated my Portable solar power Squidoo lens

Super small solar power gadgets

Did you know you can now power your Laptop or cell phone with a portable solar panel? As each week goes by the prices go down. Do you have a favorite portable solar panel? They come attached to backpacks and also as single units.

My Christmas gift to myself is a portable solar power system. Why pay for electricity when God provides us sun for free.

Ecotality leading the way in solar power

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Emcore Corp, a leading supplier of space based solar power and communication systems has signed a contract to supply 60MW of solar power systems to Pod Generating Group in Ontario, Canada. From their space-based experience, Emcore has formed a Solar Power division to bring advanced technology to terrestrial applications.

On the ground, Emcore provides multi-junction solar cells that are combined into concentrator photovoltiac (CPV) arrays. CPV technology uses lens and mirrors to concentrate the solar power onto the multi-junction cell. The concentrator allow a cell 1 cm square to generate the same power as a 500 sq. cm of solar cells would without concentration. The use of low cost materials to manufacturer the concentrators make the arrays more cost effective than conventional silicon modules.

Emcore developed the first generation of CPV in 2006 and is working on gen II. It appears this sale to Pod Generating Group will be the first large scale application of their technology. Their different approach to solar power generation may make them a company to keep an eye on.

Source

http://ecotality.com/life/2007/12/14/space-based-solar-power-goes-terrestrial/

New solar power video Squidoo lens

Solar power Squidoo video lens