Photo Credit: SolarDecathlon.org

Congratulations to Team Germany who has, for the 2nd time in 3 years, claimed the top spot in this year’s Solar Decathlon. Germany’s innovative home design took advantage of the power of solar energy and covered every side of the home with solar electric panels. The innovative designed squeezed out an 11.1 kW system which even took advantage of the north side of the building, a side that is not traditionally used in photovoltaic design. To see and learn more about the system check out the Solar Decathlon video profile below:

Helping push Germany over the top was their perfect net metering score! The building integrated and innovative solar energy system along with energy efficient features provided the boost Germany needed to surpass the runner Team Illinois.

Congratulations to all of this year’s Solar Decathlon participants. You did an amazing job with your projects and provide excellent examples of what solar energy can do to help families live powerfully in the new energy economy. We can’t wait to see what you come up with next year.

Image Credit: David DeFranza: Treehugger.com

The 2009 Solar Decathlon has taken over the National Mall in Washington DC. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Solar Decathlon, it is a competition with over 20 University teams from around the world working to design and build the most attractive and efficient solar homes.

For three weeks in October 2009, the U.S. Department of Energy will host the Solar Decathlon—a competition in which 20 teams of college and university students compete to design, build, and operate the most attractive, effective, and energy-efficient solar-powered house. The Solar Decathlon is also an event to which the public is invited to observe the powerful combination of solar energy, energy efficiency, and the best in home design.

If you have never seen some of the amazing homes that come out of the competition it is a great place to see some innovative, attractive and energy friendly home designs. We’ve included a few links to some photo galleries that help explain a little more about the homes.

http://www.solardecathlon.org/

http://www.treehugger.com

http://www.msnbc.com (note: msnbc uses dynamic pages and the content may change after posting)

The Center for Resource Conservation has just announced that this year’s SolarWeek Seminars are free!

The seminars run from Monday through Thursday of this week.

Here is the list of seminars (date, topic, location):

• Mon, 9/28, Homeowner’s Have the “Power” on Boulder’s Path Toward Sustainability, CRC
• Tue, 9/29, Sustainable Landscaping for Your Green Home, CRC
• Tue, 9/29, The Energy-Water Nexus in Your Home, Longmont Library
• Wed, 9/30, Seven Residential Green Building Case Studies, CRC
• Wed, 9/30, Weatherization: The First Step to Energy Efficiency, Louisville Library
• Thu, 10/1, The Future of Renewable Energy Technology, REI
• Thu, 10/1, Steps to Going Solar, Longmont Library

You can read summaries of each seminar and register: http://www.conservationcenter.org/e_solarweek_workshops_select.html

Hope to see you at an interesting and inspiring seminar this week!

Come visit us at this Saturday’s Solar Home Tour in Boulder County!

Boulder County Solar Week – Register Now!

See possibilities, be inspired, and learn how create sustainable systems in your own home at the Center for ReSource Conservation’s Boulder County Solar Week. The week starts with the 14th Annual Boulder County Tour of Solar & Green Homes, Saturday, September 26, which is one of the largest solar & green home tours in the country. Registration begins at 9am at the CRC office. Along with 14 homes to tour, Saturday includes 2 Green Products & Services Expos at the CRC in Boulder (2639 Spruce Street) and the Louisville Public Library. The following week will feature the Solar Week Seminar Series, covering topics such as installing a photovoltaic system, green building basics, energy efficiency, and the future of renewable energy technology. Expo and tour admission is $10; $8 for students and seniors; $5 for Louisville homes only. The week concludes with “Ask an Expert,” a One-on-One Consultation Day with members of the Boulder Green Building Guild (BGBG)
Saturday, September 26, Boulder and Louisville:
Green Products & Services Expos; Tour of 14 Solar & Green Homes
September 28 – October 1, in Boulder, Louisville & Longmont:
Seminars on Green Building, Energy Efficiency & Water Conservation
Saturday, October 3, in Boulder:
Ask An Expert on Residential Green Building Projects
Register early online to avoid long lines on Saturday! Visit http://www.conservationcenter.org/e_solarweek.htm
for more information and to register. Find a coupon for $2 off SW registration attached!

Thanks for all your hard work for this tour!

Sept. 2 2009 – Near the most recent solar addition to Colorado State University’s campus, renewable energy leaders from throughout Colorado met to champion the rapidly growing renewable energy sector. Jim Welch, founder and CEO of Bella Energy, attended the event:

All seven speakers from across the state agreed the renewable-energy sector is growing at a rapid rate, and with the right legislation, Colorado is well-positioned to capitalize on the renewable revolution Bella Energy CEO Jim Welch dubbed as big as the IT industry.

Welch, who provides solar solutions to companies, said he saw a 210 percent compound annual growth in business when Amendment 37 passed in 2004 instituting a new Renewable Standard Portfolio, which requires 10 percent of electricity produced by the state to come from renewable sources by 2015.

“You pay a little bit more to build a market … that will pay back over the next 20 to 30 years, and you will build the industry for your kids,” Welch said. “Solar can be decentralized and integrated in the grid.”

Welch projected that Colorado’s renewable-energy sector is one of the state’s fastest growing industries with $1.1 billion in revenue and 10,000 jobs this year. He projected that by 2030, that number could grow to $13 billion and 113,000 jobs. FROM: coloradoan.com

Xcel Energy Withdraws Proposed Rate Increase!

Great news for solar energy, Xcel Energy withdrew their proposed rate increase on solar and net metered customers!

Denver, CO – August 4, 2009 – We have just learned that Xcel Energy has withdrawn the proposed increase on solar customers. We want to thank everyone who took the time to write or voice their concerns to the PUC. The response we received was overwhelming, and thanks to you Xcel has withdrawn their proposal for now.

We couldn’t have done this without you so thank you for supporting solar!

Please note that there are additional proposals that may affect electricity rates if you would like to learn more about these proposals please read the PUC request…

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Public Hearings and Training Session on Xcel’s Fossil Fuel Rate
Increases

Developing news in the ongoing proposal from Xcel to raise rates on solar energy customers.

Xcel is presently asking for back-to-back rate increases for your utility bill.

These rate increases could total a 13% increase for residential bills and are almost entirely for the costs of investments in fossil fuel generation including the new Unit 3 coal plant in Pueblo (”Comanche 3″), new gas turbines at Fort St. Vrain (which will cost over 30 cents/kwh to run) and millions of extra $$ to pay for operating costs at coal plants and other fossil fuel infrastructure. Xcel is also proposing to charge a new fee to owners of solar systems that are tied to Xcel’s system.

The next public hearing is Wednesday August 5, 2009 from 4-6 pm at the PUC, 1560 Broadway (corner of Broadway and Colfax, at the top of the 16th Street Mall in Denver and across the street from the State Capitol).

Training sessions to provide background information in Boulder (7/30) and Denver (8/3) are optional but will help you understand more why those “cheap” fossil fuels are driving up utility rates….

Monday August 3, 2009, 6-8 pm–Denver Training
Blair Caldwell Library
2400 Welton St.
Denver, CO

Wednesday August 5, 2009, 4-6 pm–PUC Public Hearing
Colorado Public Utilities Commission
1560 Broadway
Denver, CO

Comments can be submitted electronically to
pucconsumer.complaints@dora.state.co.us.

MOST IMPORTANTLY–Tell your elected officials (both state, local) that you are sick of rate increases for fossil fuels, that you want more clean energy and you want better oversight over the PUC to help protect consumers.

Bella Energy has received an update to the proposal by Xcel Energy from the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association. In an effort to keep all our customers informed on the manner we are posting the full email we received regarding Xcel Energy’s Proposed rate change.

Dear All,

Last Friday CoSEIA and the Solar Alliance met with Public Service (with their respective Counsel) to discuss the current rate case which includes a proposal that will effect net metered PV customers.

The proposal from PSCo is a distribution and transmission charge to recover costs from residential and commercial ratepayer classes. This is a variable minimum charge that can be higher than the existing minimal charge for other rate payers. Xcel Energy believes net metered customers need to pick up their fair share of the costs and this is an appropriate allocation of cost. What Xcel didn’t include in their cost analysis were the benefits of PV to the electrical grid. We believed this is a misplaced charge and have asked PSCo to remove the proposal from the rate case.

In the discussion, we learned the net metering charge would not go into effect until April of 2010 and all net metered customers prior to that would be grandfathered in. Also the calculations for the charge are different than anticipated. CoSEIA and the Solar Alliance have been waiting for answers to our discovery questions which are a week late. Without these answers we draw our conclusions from the testimony given and attempt to make them as accurate as possible.

CoSEIA and the Solar Alliance offered to send PSCo reports completed by NREL, SMUD, and others, which analyze and describe the benefits of solar electric systems to the grid. Xcel Energy stated they would take into consideration what was discussed and would follow up once the reports were received.

Despite the better understanding of the proposal, we know these charges are ridiculous when the benefits of PV are not calculated into the equation. We appreciate PSCo meeting with us and will continue to work for good policies.

More updates soon. Have a great Monday,
Beth Hart
Executive Director

We need support from solar households and residential net metered customers!

It has come to the attention of Bella Energy that Xcel Energy is proposing another rate increase this year. This new measure is targeted specifically at net metered customers and will penalize home owners that have chosen to invest in solar energy.

We need your voice! If you don’t stand up no one will.

We are asking each and every one of our customers, and anyone is considering solar energy for their home, to call or write the PUC to voice their opposition the the proposed rate changes.

The proposal will have a public comment hearing on:
Wednesday, August 5th
4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
1560 Broadway, Suite 1550
Denver, CO 80202

If you cannot attend this meeting, please write the PUC to voice your opposition to the new rate change, and your support for solar energy, BE SURE TO REFERENCE DOCKET #09AL-299E.

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Federal Economic Stimulus Bill Expected to Fund Expansion of Program

BOULDER, Colo., March 9 — Bella Energy, a Boulder-based solar energy client, trained workers learning green construction skills as part of a Boulder County Green Jobs Pipeline Program. Together the crews installed a 10 kW solar system on an affordable housing unit in Louisville, Colorado. The Green Jobs Pipeline is dedicated to helping low-income Coloradoans in need of work attain the renewable energy and energy efficiency skills necessary to compete in the nation’s New Energy Economy.
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