Students who participated in last semester’s Renewable Energy and Ecological Design (REED) at Green Mountain College (GMC) have designed solar-powered garage that won them a $50,000 grant to build it from the E2 Energy to Educate program sponsored by the Exelon Company, Constellation.

The structure, which they have named after the Welsh sun goddess, “Olwen Solar Garage,” optimizes cold weather performance of electronic vehicles. Designed for use by the REED program and the working farm at GMC, it features a a 16 panel 3.86-kilowatt solar array with a fiberglass passive solar south-facing wall that can augment early-season germination of crops. Serving as a miniature power plant, the building consumes the power that it produces while serving a need for sustainable food production.

“It’s clear that oil is becoming increasingly expensive and that carbon based nonrenewable fuels are contributing to climate destabilization. This project will demonstrate that solar energy can be a less expensive and renewable fuel for cars,” said REED course instructor and energy expert, Dr. Steven Letendre, associate professor of economics and environmental studies. “In addition, cars that are connected to the grid can themselves become energy storage devices, potentially earning money for the owner.”

Having received the grant from Constellation, and working closely with contractor mentors and performing most of the labor, students broke ground on the project last September. “The building was designed and constructed in one semester,” said lead design-build instructor, Lucas Brown, assistant professor of environmental studies.

Here’s an update to an old article about a tree-shaped charger powered by solar energy. Vivien Muller’s Electree+ is on Kickstarter seeking to raise $200,000 to mass-produce these little home/office gadgets here in the USA. The new prototype will be made with an 14,000 mAh internal battery, 27 amorphous silicon solar cells (each about 3.7 inches), and an easy-to-assemble tree structure that can be customized. In case you’re interested, the early bird gets in at the ground level for ~$199.00.

[+] More about the solar bonsai tree called electree+.

Turns out the Rhône Alpes team from France with the Canopea house won Solar Decathlon Europe held in Madrid.  Their home is actually the top of a conceptual “Nanotower” that the team proposed to bring single-family style living back to the urban core.  The top level acts like a rain forest’s canopy — hence the name — by collecting 95% of all solar energy and 30% of rainwater for the tower.  Canopea was built of a prefab CORE, site-built SKIN, and a SHELL capable of off-site fabrication as well.

[+] More about Canopea from the Rhône Alpes (France) team.

Photo credits: SD Europe.

I’ve been watching plug-and-play solar systems like the one offered by SpinRay Energy to see how viable and affordable these can get.  It turns out GoGreenSolar.com just unveiled a similar system called the SunPlug Plug n’ Play Solar Kit.  The kit includes one 235-watt polycrystalline panel, a 120 VAC/60 Hz grid-tie inverter, racking mount, WiFi module for monitoring, and a connector to plug directly into an AC outlet.

Although the output from one panel isn’t much — about 1 kWh of electricity per day in average conditions, according to Go Green Solar — the kit is scalable up to eight solar panels per branch circuit.  There’s a 25-year warranty on the solar panel, a 10-year warranty on the inverter, and the entire kit currently costs $1,199.95, excluding potentially available tax credits and other incentives.

[+] More about the SunPlug Plug n’ Play Solar Kit by Go Green Solar.

I really like the dark-blue/black look of solar PV, but I suppose there may be someone that needs a different color, whether for aesthetics, compliance, or branding, etc.  Colored Solar is trying to grab a toehold in this market with red, emerald green, forest green, and polished marble panels.  In terms of panel efficiency, NREL found there is little performance compromised for a 16%+ efficiency colored 225W panel, according to Colored Solar.

The solar panels have ETL safety certification to UL1703 and a listing by the California Energy Commission, said Colored Solar in a company release.

The Stylish Solar Panels are produced and assembled in the USA and come with a 5-year workmanship and 25-year power warranty.  Colored Solar CEO Michael Mrozek said: “Our customers can be comfortable knowing that our panels have been tested to ETL’s respected standards and will meet and qualify for all rebates and tax incentives … our game changing colored solar panels are built to a higher standard.”

[+] More about Colored Solar polycrystalline silicon PV.

I spent three days camping and hiking in the mountains of Utah last week and used my iPhone to snap the above photo while slightly downhill from the summit of Mount Timpanogos, which has an elevation of 11,749 feet.  In preparation for this trip, I researched for a sustainable, backpacker-worthy solution to keeping my iPhone powered in order to take photos, jot notes, listen to music, and maybe communicate with family when presented with an available signal.  I don’t have an iPad, but this solution works for both iPhones and iPads, either one.  Here’s what you need:

#1: Instapark 10-watt Portable Solar Charger
Price: ~$70 on Amazon.

This foldable, 10-watt package has a pocket with the USB charging ports to keep your gadgets unexposed while the panels harvest energy from the sun.  I received a defective version, and the manufacturer immediately replaced the product.

#2: Anker Astro2 Dual-USB 8400 mAh Battery Pack
Price: ~$55 on Amazon.

A battery pack gives you the ability to store power to charge your iPhone even when there’s no available sun.  I powered the Astro2 with my solar panels and got several phone charges out of this little workhorse.

#3: Nite Ize Gear Ties 6-Inch
Price: ~$6 (2-Pack) on Amazon.

Nite Ize makes colorful gear ties that can be used to strap solar panels to your backpack, tent, or anything else.  With two sets of these ties, you can strap the solar panels to the top and bottom of your backpack and bank solar power all day.

What do you use to keep powered while in the middle of nature?

It’s surprising how easy it is these days to line up all the components necessary for a residential-scale photovoltaic array. Solar panels can be purchased on Amazon (among other places) and tracking systems are readily available, too. If you have the land or your roof isn’t right for your needs, Arizona-based Schletter makes a ground-mount kit for up to 2.5 kW of solar PV and it can be purchased for under $1,000.

The 2.5 kW FS Kit — introduced this year in response to customer feedback — has all the solar mounting hardware, posts, rails, and clamps for $892 (standard load) or $953 (high load), plus shipping. PV panels are sold separately, and orders before noon ship the same day.

Schletter says they have the first complete ground mount system to meet UL 2703 and UL 1703 requirements. The system requires two concrete foundations, and Schletter can provide a stamped permit package for most states.

[+] More about Schletter 2.5 kW FS ground-mount kit.

Since I last shared photos of the Dow POWERHOUSE Solar Shingle, this line of business has picked up.  In October 2011, the Solar Shingle launched in Colorado, and Dow expanded the launch to Texas and California in April 2012.  As part of the launch, this commercial — lazy roof — aired recently to show these markets how Dow is helping to reinvent the roof so that it not only provides shelter but power, too.

POWERHOUSE is offered as an easy, turn-key roof solution.  For example, in San Antonio, the system includes a custom-designed solar array, a DC-to-AC inverter, and a monitoring system that shows real-time production.

In California, the first install in the state was documented by Ucilia Wang for Forbes recently.  The owners Frank and Cyndy Ann Madrigal needed a new roof and wanted power production to go with it.  They opted for POWERHOUSE Solar Shingles because they’re integrated into the roof.  All told, the Madrigals purchased a 5.47 kW system for ~$44,100, after utility rebates and the federal ITC, according to Forbes.

The design is what makes these solar panels work.  The CIGS-based shingles have plug-in connectors from shingle-to-shingle.  This allows for a flush install and eliminates what could be a spider web of wires behind the shingles or in the attic.

[+] More re: technical/financial aspects of POWERHOUSE Solar Shingles.

Credits: Dow Solar (top); Ucilia Wang (#2-3)

This is the first and only UL-listed, 120-volt, plug-and-play solar kit in the world, according to SpinRay Energy.  The DeckPower120 comes with one, 240-watt solar panel and can be hung on a deck or elsewhere outdoors using a simple mount bracket.  The system allows for up to 1,300 watts of AC power with five solar panels and should qualify for available federal (and sometimes state) tax credits.

Upon installation and plugging into a standard 120-volt outlet (with a continuous use cover), the DeckPower120 starts producing energy for your home.

Of course, safety is a critical point of discussion when it comes to these DIY-type systems.  SpinRay Energy’s DeckPower120 has UL-listed solar monocrystalline panels and microinverters.  If there’s a loss of power from the utility, the inverter will immediately cease any backfeeding for the safety of line workers.

The DeckPower120 solar appliance is currently sold on Amazon.com for $1,099 and the reviews have been positive from what I’ve seen so far. What do you think?

[+] More about solar products by SpinRay Energy.

Credits: SpinRay Energy; noticed at CNET.

California-based Sunrun and Harris Interactive recently announced the results of a survey of 2,211 adults (1,475 homeowners) about the cost and desirability of installing a home solar system.  The main sound bite is the one-liner that “97% of Americans overestimate the cost of going solar,” as well as the stat that “nearly 8 out of 10 of those who do not already have solar panels say they would install solar if cost were not a factor.”

The survey asked respondents to guess: ** the actual cost to install solar panels with solar power service on an average-sized home.**

You may disagree but I view this as a trick question to see if anyone really knows what a “solar power service” is.  That is to say, only 3% responded with what could be seen as a correct answer of “less than $1,000.”

With a solar power service – i.e., third-party owned solar in the form of a solar lease or a power purchase agreement, depending on the state – the purchaser doesn’t own the panels, so the upfront cost to the homeowner is nominal compared to purchase cost of the same system.  With a solar power service, one could “go solar” without buying the panels.

As a side note, it’s hard to tell if the question clarifies whether “actual cost” is viewed from the homeowner’s perspective or from the installer perspective.  Regardless of purchase, lease, or other financing, the actual cost is what it is – someone pays for the solar panels and that someone is probably the homeowner in the form of a lease or power purchase payment over time.

In any event, Sunrun found that nearly eight out of 10 homeowners who do not already have solar panels would install solar if cost were not a factor.  That to me is another way of saying: if the solar panels were free, would you like to have them?  Most likely (unless you’re thinking nothing in this world is free), the answer is yes.

Seems like the real takeaway from the survey is many Americans have no idea how solar panels can be leased or financed under various contractual models that tie into state laws.  And this lack of familiarity means the decision to “go solar” should be made after diligence, investigation, and full understanding.

[+] Americans Overestimate Upfront Cost of Installing Solar.

Credit: Sunrun.