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Topic Page: Solar
Sunlight is the most abundant energy source known to man: it powers solar cells, warms the air and is the essential energy for photosynthesis. PF Members offer innovative plans to utilize this valuable resource. Have an idea in Solar? Tell us
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Webisodes
Beer as a Model for Sustainable Business
THIS WEEK: Holy cow! This week Planet Forward got up close and personal with some Virginia livestock. DC Brau, the first local brewery in D.C. feeds their organic waste to livestock in the Virginia area. Take a look!
Empowerhouse: Community-Based Sustainable Living
THIS WEEK: How to turn a Solar Decathlon house into a home. GW students Melissa Turley and Jon Fenech followed Team Empowerhouse through the Solar Decathlon. Their innovation? Making it affordable enough to be a Habitat for Humanity home.
WATCH!
A Solar Conversation with Secretary Chu
THIS WEEK: In this week’s webisode, Planet Forward’s Frank Sesno interviews Secretary of Energy, Dr. Steven Chu at the 2011 Solar Decathlon! Chu talks about the coolest innovations, and even wonks out a bit on r-values and building materials.
Solar and the City – Team New York’s Solar Decathlon House
THIS WEEK’s WEBISODE: The Solar Decathlon teams are in Washington DC! Check out Team New York’s Roof Pod — it sits atop a sky rise building and helps generate power PLUS: Brendan Owens, Planet Forward’s newest Expert weighs in the use of new building materials.
WATCH!
Solar in the Southern Hemisphere – New Zealand’s Solar House
THIS WEEK: In this week’s webisode check out the New Zealand team’s neat innovations like the hydronic drying cupboard that can dry 6 bath towels in an hour and a half using…water?
WATCH!
Energy Secretary Bill Nye?
Planet Forward met up with Bill Nye at the Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision Awards last week. See the first item on his #EnergyToDo list. Tell us yours on twitter. (@Planet_Forward)
LEEDing after Disaster: AIA Architect on Why You Should
Can your community turn tragedy into opportunity? Bill Worthen, American Institute of Architects’ National Director and Resource Architect for Sustainability, sits down with us to talk about LEED certification and how disaster can provide opportunity to build back better.
Rolling out the Red Carpet: First Up, Solar Leasing
Planet Forward is gearing up for the April 2011 PBS special. Take a look at one nominee and find out how you can weigh in on the idea and have your comment appear on national television
New Technology Updates Public Transportation
Erin Parsons and Lexi Combs, Planet Forward members and students at Ole Miss, share an innovation that is making bussing around Mississippi the hot new trend
Solar Artist Sculpts with Renewables
Environmental artist Rein Triefeldt calls on more than just stone to make his sculptures. In this week’s webisode, we look at his innovative way of making solar beautiful. Sorry Garden Gnome, these front lawn ornaments aren’t just pretty decoration, they produce energy too. Watch>>
The Rink of Fire
The Rockville Maryland Ice Arena is powering almost a third of its energy use from the sun. In this week’s webisode, Planet Forward features a video that explains how.
Sandia Labs Aces Solar Golf Carts
Planet Forward hosted a LIVE event during the White House’s GreenGov Symposium, a conference focused on making all levels of government more sustainable. In this segment, Sandia National Laboratories shows the potential of how a little change can go a long way. In webisode 215, we see how and learn what our esteemed panel (Laura …Read More…
TV Segments
Solar Decathlon: The Race to Build the Most Efficient Solar Home
Peek into the solar powered house designs from Middlebury College in Vermont and University of Maryland. It’s all for the Solar Decathlon competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy.
Leasing the Sun: An Innovative Business Model from Sungevity
Last month we test drove Nissan’s Leaf…this month, we show you one way you may be able to afford solar panels with zero upfront costs. Check out our piece on PBS’s Nightly Business Report and let us know what you think of Planet Forward member Danny Kennedy’s business model.
Behind the Scenes: Planet Forward’s New NBR Segment
This Thursday, Planet Forward member Danny Kennedy, will show you his idea on PBS’s Nightly Business Report. Check out this behind the scenes reel from our NBR shoots and don’t forget to set your DVRs to record Nightly Business Report this Thursday.
Articles From the Blog Related to Solar
William Paterson Wins! Sustainability Initiative Boosts School Pride
The students at William Paterson University clearly take a lot of pride in their sustainability initiatives. As a finalist for the 2012 Second Nature Climate Leadership Awards, they won the public voting competition on Planet Forward featuring their innovative climate leadership. The video details how the campus has come together to support the American College …Read More…
Minnesota Goes Green
Happy Birthday, Minnesota! Today in 1858, Minnesota was admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state. To celebrate, we’re going to take a look at what’s going on in the land of 10,000 lakes to make the state turn from blue…to green! We’ve partnered with Minnesota 2020 to get great stories from the north. From …Read More…
Aloha Alternative Energy
In the past week I was lucky enough to be asked to travel to Hawaii with a good friend of mine over spring break. It was my first trip to Hawaii and I was unsure of what was to come—I knew there would be beaches, surf and sun but what surprised me most when I …Read More…
Solar: Does Size Matter?
A key issue for scaling up solar is where to put it: on every home or in huge arrays on the desert? Some businesses, like Sungevity, are trying to get solar panels on every home by breaking down the up-front cost barrier. They partner with financial institutions to spread the cost of going solar into …Read More…
Innovator Update: Solar is 100,000 strong and growing stronger!
Contrary to some of the media circus’ coverage, solar is doing great. Sungevity’s Danny Kennedy tells us why in this innovator update.
On Houses and Homes: Top 5 Stories Behind Solar Decathlon Entries
We build houses, but it’s the living in a house that makes it a home. Every home — even your home — has a history that represents who lived there and how they lived. The same goes for the houses in Solar Decathlon. While they’re lauded for their innovation, they also use their region’s rich …Read More…
Race for the Green Flag: 5 Auto Innovations to Sustain Our Planet
5. Is Nissan’s Leaf Too Sexy for Your Pocketbook? Tradition is sacred in the sport of auto racing. In the field of innovation, it’s a practical joke. Wireless refueling, EPA approval, and no tailpipe. These features separated the Nissan Leaf from its predecessors in the electric car business, and prompted 16,000 reservations of the vehicle …Read More…
President Obama calls for Electric Vehicles and Clean Energy in his State of the Union Address
During his State of the Union address, President Obama set a new goal: by 2035, 80 percent of America’s electricity will come from clean energy sources.
Watch
It’s a Full Contact Game
When I started working on solar energy issues several years ago, I heard it repeatedly: “Everyone loves solar.” Back then, many people in solar and other cleantech sectors saw long-term meritocracy in the energy business. Public demand, technological advances and an inevitable price on carbon were going to drive cleantech to dominance over time. “Renewable energy,” it …Read More…
Qatar 2022: A Carbon Free World Cup?
At approximately 10:45 AM EST Thursday, FIFA (Soccer’s international governing body) announced Qatar as the host of the 2022 World Cup. The announcement, which shocked people around the world, came minutes after Russia was announced as the World Cup 2018 host. The announcement has not been without controversy. From questions about strong cultural differences and …Read More…
Viva Green Vegas!
Las Vegas is considered a city of excess, with its neon lights, massive buffets, and perhaps too many Elvis impersonators. Lately, Vegas hotels and casinos are keen on a new green trend. For example, the awe-inspiring CityCenter conglomerate with the world’s first green fleet of stretch limousines and energy-efficient slot machines. The 18-million square feet …Read More…
Sampling Solar in Saudi Arabia
When most people think of Saudi Arabia, they think oil. But now, the world’s largest oil exporter is taking steps toward solar. SolFocus, a California-based solar power developer, recently announced plans to install Saudi Arabia’s first commercial solar power plant. The system, located in Bahra, will also be the largest concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) system in …Read More…
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