This week, Lowe’s, the second largest home improvement retailer in the world, and Oakland-based Sungevity, a residential solar juggernaut, announced an agreement to work together, according to a press release. As part of the agreement, Lowe’s will take an undisclosed equity position in Sungevity, and Sungevity will offer its solar solutions to Lowe’s customers through an interactive, in-store experience.
California-based EchoFirst, formerly known as PVT Solar, makes an interesting Echo solar system that I noticed locally on the Solaris homes (Style A/Style B) in Daybreak, Utah. It’s the kind of system that could work wonders for a lot of homes because Echo delivers more than just electricity from photovoltaic panels. Echo captures air from under the panels to provide home heating, home cooling, water heating, and fresh air ventilation.
Oregon-based Grape Solar is now selling grid-tie capable, kilowatt-scale solar photovoltaic systems online via Amazon. These systems ship in various bundles which include a racking system, an inverter, and several 230-watt panels, depending on the size of the system.
U.S. Sunlight this year introduced a new product in the form of a low-profile skylight with flexible tubing and a 14″ ceiling lens. Similar to the flat-glass Sun Tunnel by Velux, Skylight Tube ditches the dome-shaped roof lens for a flatter, square design. The new product was designed for simplicity and efficiency and can be installed in a couple hours by a professional or an afternoon by a DIYer (with the right tools).
Pythagoras Solar makes a revolutionary solar-powered window – literally an insulated window with integrated photovoltaics – that has the ability to turn buildings into massive power producers. The company has been testing a pilot project on the south-facing windows of the 56th floor of Willis Tower, formerly known as Sears Tower. If the pilot goes well, Willis Tower could end up with a surface area of up to two megawatts of solar.
Project Profiles
