Arizona awarded a certificate of Environmental Compatibility to the commercial solar installers that will be building the new 150 MW Crossroads Solar Energy Facility. The approval is the final step in the process before work can begin and it comes shortly after the connection of a transmission line from the facility to Arizona Public Services (APS) was approved. The vote this week by the Arizona Corporation Commission was unanimous, as was the vote last November from the APS, a positive sign that government in Arizona is fully behind private industry efforts in solar energy. (more…)

Even the United States Marines are making a commitment to renewable energy. Camp Pendleton, a marine base in California, announced this morning that their new solar array is now online and generating electricity for base operations and the Stuart Mesa housing community, making Pendleton one the greenest US armed forces bases on the planet. The array, which is made up of two hundred twenty-five commercial solar panels, generates 1.5 Megawatts of power, about five percent of the base’s total energy requirement. (more…)

It’s been said by many that the only reason solar isn’t the primary power source for homes and businesses in the United States is that it’s too expensive for most to install. Subsidies and tax breaks have helped more companies install commercial solar panels, but many homeowners still find the installation costs too rich for their blood. The US Department of Energy is setting out to change that with their new “Sun Shot” initiative. Modeled after the Kennedy Administration’s “Moon Shot” program, Sun Shot is a multi-year plan designed to lower the costs of solar installation by 75% over the next decade. (more…)

The state of New Mexico begins the year with a new 364 acre solar plant called Cimarron 1 fully operational and generating twenty seven of the thirty Megawatts it will be producing regularly for homes and businesses in Northern New Mexico between Cimarron and Springer. The Cimarron Solar Facility was officially declared commercial at the end of last year, but partners in the project decided to wait until now to issue a joint news release and photos. One of those partners is Ted Turner, whose Vermejo Park Ranch is in the service area that will be covered by the facility. (more…)

Minneapolis based Xcel Energy completed a four-part New Mexico Community Solar project this past week with the installation of a thirteen kilowatt solar array at Leyva Middle School in Carlsbad. The project was initiated back in 2009 to provide education to the public about the benefits of solar generated energy. The other three locations where project installations have been done by Xcel are in Hobbs, Clovis, and Roswell. (more…)

The debate continues and much of it is political rhetoric and posturing. Does the SREC system work? The numbers released for 2010 show a system that is still in its infancy that may or may not be the best way to handle the distribution of profits on electricity generated by residential and commercial solar panels. There are currently 7,700 solar generators in SREC states and only twenty of them produce more than one megawatt. Of those, only two are over ten megawatts, a 10MW facility in Illinois and a 12 MW plant in Ohio. By comparison, the Blythe Project in California, which is not an SREC state, will be producing 1.25 Gigawatts of power by the end of the year.

Some would say that’s comparing apples to oranges, but the complexities of the SREC system might be the greatest obstacle to its success. In order to cash in, generators of solar electricity need to hit a certain level of production before they’re eligible to do anything with their certificates. The State of New Jersey, where the SREC program originated, has a total solar capacity of 145 MW and a minimum SREC requirement of 260 MW for 2011. The requirements were put in place to encourage growth in the solar industry, but they are going up faster than solar installations are.

Why do states without SREC offer a better opportunity for solar development? Some of it is climate. The Mojave Desert is certainly one of the best venues for commercial solar installers to place PV panels. Another reason is the installation incentives offered by the state legislatures. The SREC program was put into effect in New Jersey when the state ran out of money to invest in renewable energy. Tax rebates were taking their toll and grants were out of the questions. SREC was the supposed solution.

In the UK, a system called FIT (feed-in tariffs) is being used as incentive for solar development. During the first six months of feed-in tariffs, over eleven thousand generators have registered for the tariff, marking the largest surge in solar photovoltaic installations to date. With 11,352 renewable systems now installed, it suggests that the scheme has been more successful than predicted, with enough output to power thirty five thousand homes. Feed-in tariffs work by offering fixed, premium rates for both the energy generated from renewable systems (which is then fed-back into the grid), and the energy used. So far, it’s proving to be more effective than the SREC system.

Earlier this week, British Petroleum (BP) released a report titled “BP Energy Outlook 2030” which predicts that renewable energy will see unprecedented growth in the next two decades. Basing their numbers on past growth, current prices, and approved projects that are already underway, BP took the risky step of predicting energy futures. According to them, the future looks bright for solar, wind, geothermal, and bio-fuels. Nuclear power is also expected to see an increase in popularity. (more…)

As the push for renewable energy reaches Main Street America, businesses from around the country are wondering about the financial and practical benefits. Is solar more affordable? Are there advantages to being self-sustaining or do you lose the security of being connected to an existing infrastructure? These are two of the most common questions that our customers ask us when they first investigate the possibility of installing commercial solar panels. What they basically want to know is whether or not it’s a sound business decision. You can judge for yourself. (more…)

Commercial Solar Installation | The Boulders Apartments

The Boulders is an environmentally friendly apartment complex located in Boulder, CO. In the summer of 2010, Bella Energy helped install 99 kW of solar energy systems across 9 buildings. Combined these systems help lower the carbon footprint of their operations by over 225,000 pounds per year. Thanks to Bella Energy’s commercial solar installation, The Boulders powers much of their outdoor lighting and clubhouse facility with free, clean, renewable energy.

In addition to bolstering their environmental branding, the commercial solar pv system also provides significant financial savings to the property owners. This helps keeps costs low and prices attractive in the highly competitive Boulder rental industry. To learn more about how your company can save money and bolster your sustainable identity request your free solar energy consultation…

Louisville, CO, July 6 2010 – Colorado State University’s recently completed solar energy system provides clean energy for the campus and shade for students, faculty and visitors parking at the Lake Street Parking Garage. The 132.5 Kilowatt solar electric system is the fourth project between Colorado State University and local solar energy provider, Bella Energy.

“Colorado State University has been committed to energy conservation on campus for many, many years,” said Carol Dollard, energy engineer for Colorado State University. “This solar project is one of the many tools in our toolbox and it’s an important piece of the joint efforts with the City and Colorado State to make the downtown area – including the main CSU campus – a net zero-energy district.”

“Bella Energy is extremely proud of our work with Colorado State University,” said Jim Welch, CEO of Bella Energy. “The company was founded in Fort Collins so it is always nice to do work in our hometown. Projects like these are a critical element of our ongoing growth as a company. This year Bella Energy slated to install over two Megawatts of solar energy systems, which is twice the business we did last year.”