SOLAR TERACOTTA TILES

Is there an architectural style more romantic than a hacienda with rooftop of Spanish barrel tiles? The terracotta, rounded tiles, the curve of the Mediterranean Revival style could never accomodate square, flat solar panels.

Until a company called SRS Energy designed the Solé Power Tile, incorporating a flexible photovoltaic laminate produced by Uni-Solar into roof tiles made by US Tile, photo by SRS Energy
makers of clay tiles. About 20% of the home roof would be covered with the blue tile that is flexible enough to conform to the barrel shape.

Read More

SUN RAIL--AGAIN?

The off again, off again Central Florida Sun Rail commuter train received an extension which may bring it back to be rejected again by next year's Legislature. The Orlando Sentinel reports meetings of US representatives with federal officials from the Obama administration to identify funding.

Read More

CLIMATE BILL EEKS THRU - HOW DID FLORIDA?

The House vote on H.R.2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act, needed 216 votes to pass. It received 219. The Bill, a momentous step toward our energy future, has enough things contained within to alienate a number of groups, most notably Green Peace and Friends of the Earth. However, the feeling among many of us is we have to start somewhere and doing nothing is not an alternative.

Lots of 'no' votes from Florida--all Republicans. Below is a list of those who voted 'yes.' Florida could have used Alcee Hastings vote, not sure why he was not present for the vote. Apparently, Rep. Allen Boyd had to be coaxed into voting for the bill. I remember his mantra at last year's energy forum in Leon County: we must be free from our dependendance on foreign oil!

Since Florida voted straight party lines, it's difficult to tell who may support the bill's intent, but is busily guarding his/her political career. The Senate begins consideration of its version of the bill min September.

F. Allen Boyd	D	FL-2
Corrine Brown	D	FL-3
Kathy Castor	D	FL-11
Alan Grayson	D	FL-8
Ron Klein	D	FL-22
Suzanne Kosmas	D	FL-24
Kendrick Meek	D	FL-17
Debbie Wasserman Schultz	D	FL-20
Robert Wexler	D	FL-19

Read More

WILL SOLAR ADVOCATES GET BURNED?

Many who have been following the FP & L proposed rate increase of more than 30% (the largest rate increase in Florida's history) for its customers hear that these revenues will be invested in future renewable energy. However, there is no guarantee that funds will be invested in solar and other renewable sources. Unlike the Gainesville Regional Utilities, the Public Service Commission lacks the power to enact feed-in tariffs to promote solar, sought by about half of the speakers at the public hearing. This would take legislative action.

According to the Sarasota TV station mysuncoast.com
FP & L spokesperson was quoted:

"The reality is, we are projecting total bills to go down starting in January 1^st, 2010. And that's because of the investments we've made in our infrastructure to make it more fuel-efficient."

Speaking for the Office of Public Counsel, Earl Poucher said it is opposed to the rate increase, calling it misleading. The decision about the rate increase will be made by the Public Service Commission in November, following a series of nine public meetings.

Read More

THANKS FOR BEING GREEN

Growing up, many of our Dads were Green before it was Green. Here's the top ten ways mine was an early adopter of energy conservation:

1. Saved gas by refusing to drive me to the mall
2. Conserved water by timing my showers
3. Saved electricity by making me turn off the TV and go to bed
4. Reduced laundry loads by wearing his socks more than once
5. Reused old T shirts as rags
6. Saved energy by cooking outside on the grill
7. Reduced dishwasher usage by drinking his beer directly from the bottle
8. On summer evenings, turned off all the house lights and sat us all outside to watch the fireflies
9. Covered my textbooks with brown grocery bags
10. Walked through the house shouting 'turn these lights off. Do you think money grows on trees?'

This Father's Day, thank a Dad for conserving energy way before it was cool.

Read More

An old argument in the anti-solar world goes something like: no sun, no solar generation. Well, any good physicist knows, just because it's dark doesn't mean there is no light. But how do solar devices capture this energy after the sun rolls over to the other side of the world?

Researchers at the US Department of Energy's Idaho National Laboratory claim to have unlocked the secret of harnessing the infrared light that the earth radiates as heat after absorbing energy from the sun during the day.

Microscopic nanoantennas, each with a diameter 1/25 the size of a human hair, capable of absorbing infrared energy and drawing energy after the sun has set, could be imprinted on flexible materials in commercial products that potentially cost pennies a yard. The tiny circuits absosrb energy not unlike the antenna in a cell phone.

So, when some naysayer dimisses solar as it can't collect the sun's energy after dark, they could be wrong.

Read More

MEETING ON THE GREEN

Don't miss the Sustainable Tallahassee's first Meeting on the Green Thursday night. Details at Green Calendar.

Read More

DADS WERE GREEN A LONG TIME AGO

I remember my father walking through the house many nights and shouting 'turn these lights off. Do you think money grows on trees?'

An unscientific poll from We Add Up shows that most Dads 'thing' is turning off the lights off when you leave the room. . .

This Father's Day, thank a Dad for conserving energy way before it was cool.

Read More

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE CHAT

Tonight (Sunday) at 8:00 PM, Civil Eats is sponsoring a 'twitter chat' to discuss: how are you engaging with your community around food?

To participate, you may want to use Tweetchat, the easiest way to keep track of the conversation. Enter the room 'sustagchat' announce yourself and your affiliations. Then, you can post directly from there. You can send questions and comments to the moderator through either Twitter or Tweetchat to @sustagchat

Read More