https://solarfactor.com Solar power information and news Tue, 18 Oct 2016 19:52:00 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.3 https://solarfactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/cropped-New-Project-32x32.png https://solarfactor.com 32 32 https://solarfactor.com/sustainable-women-series-tips-for-contractors-the-future-of-solar-workforce-development/ Tue, 18 Oct 2016 19:52:00 +0000 http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/articles/2016/10/sustainable-women-series-tips-for-contractors-the-future-of-solar-workforce-development.html The solar industry is booming, and there’s a lot to keep track of. From system configuration to energy storage, O&M (Operations and Maintenance) and beyond, the job of Franklin Beach Energy’s Managing Director Carter Wall is never really done. Sustainable woman Carter discusses her career, trends in solar, tips for contractors, faulty O&M contracts, preventative maintenance and workforce diversity.

]]> The solar industry is booming, and there’s a lot to keep track of. From system configuration to energy storage, O&M (Operations and Maintenance) and beyond, the job of Franklin Beach Energy’s Managing Director Carter Wall is never really done. Sustainable woman Carter discusses her career, trends in solar, tips for contractors, faulty O&M contracts, preventative maintenance and workforce diversity.

]]> https://solarfactor.com/sustainable-women-series-powering-growth-profit/ Wed, 05 Oct 2016 14:46:00 +0000 http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/articles/2016/10/sustainable-women-series-powering-growth-profit.html If gender-diverse companies financially outperform their less inclusive counterparts, then why do women make up only 24 percent of the solar industry? Why does this discrepancy exist and how can we work to eradicate it? Kaitlin Borstelmann of Portland Oregon Women in Renewables and Elemental Energy (POWER) has a few ideas. We spoke to her about the state of the industry, POWER and the benefits of bringing more women to the table.

]]> https://solarfactor.com/sustainable-women-series-building-powering-an-award-winning-net-zero-energy-home/ Wed, 28 Sep 2016 13:39:00 +0000 http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/articles/2016/09/sustainable-women-series-building-powering-an-award-winning-net-zero-energy-home.html Can a home be beautiful, powered entirely by solar energy, use sustainable heating and cooling systems and save it’s owners roughly $3,500 a year? Why, yes it can. Just ask Joanne Coons, who built her award winning, single-family, Net Zero Energy Home in 2010. Sustainable Woman Joanne talks Net Zero standards, efficient appliances and goods, her 10kW solar panels and more.

]]> Can a home be beautiful, powered entirely by solar energy, use sustainable heating and cooling systems and save it’s owners roughly $3,500 a year? Why, yes it can. Just ask Joanne Coons, who built her award winning, single-family, Net Zero Energy Home in 2010. Sustainable Woman Joanne talks Net Zero standards, efficient appliances and goods, her 10kW solar panels and more.

]]> https://solarfactor.com/sustainable-women-series-global-crisis-a-wealth-creating-opportunity/ Thu, 22 Sep 2016 16:46:00 +0000 http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/articles/2016/09/sustainable-women-series-global-crisis-a-wealth-creating-opportunity.html Boosting our economy — both nationally and globally — and solving humanity’s shared climate change challenge are not mutually exclusive endeavors. In fact, many of today’s brightest minds say they go hand in hand, and even make the case that climate change can be turned into a trillion dollar wealth-creating opportunity. A joint initiative of the Stanford Law School and Graduate School of Business, Stanford’s Steyer-Taylor Center for Energy Policy and Finance is on a mission to design innovative policies and financial mechanisms to scale-up the deployment of clean energy in the US and globally.

]]> Boosting our economy — both nationally and globally — and solving humanity’s shared climate change challenge are not mutually exclusive endeavors. In fact, many of today’s brightest minds say they go hand in hand, and even make the case that climate change can be turned into a trillion dollar wealth-creating opportunity. A joint initiative of the Stanford Law School and Graduate School of Business, Stanford’s Steyer-Taylor Center for Energy Policy and Finance is on a mission to design innovative policies and financial mechanisms to scale-up the deployment of clean energy in the US and globally.

]]> https://solarfactor.com/sustainable-women-series-stylish-solar-bags-gaining-traction/ Wed, 14 Sep 2016 20:17:00 +0000 http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/articles/2016/09/sustainable-women-series-stylish-solar-bags-gaining-traction.html Solar is cool. Well… at least BirkSun’s new Boost Sports Collection is. Designed to be lightweight, durable, and waterproof, these bags were made for the active, youthful, and adventurous. Just under $250 and rechargeable via the sun or a wall outlet, Boost Sport bags can charge your phone and other electronics easily – and anywhere.

]]> Solar is cool. Well… at least BirkSun’s new Boost Sports Collection is. Designed to be lightweight, durable, and waterproof, these bags were made for the active, youthful, and adventurous. Just under $250 and rechargeable via the sun or a wall outlet, Boost Sport bags can charge your phone and other electronics easily – and anywhere.

]]> https://solarfactor.com/sustainable-women-series-uw-greek-community-perpetuating-college-sustainability-movement-2/ Tue, 30 Aug 2016 14:13:00 +0000 http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/articles/2016/08/sustainable-women-series-uw-greek-community-perpetuating-college-sustainability-movement.html Officially launched in November 2015, the Green Greek Representative Program (GGRP) is a student-run program at the University of Washington working to make the Greek Community a more sustainable place. Working through UW EcoReps and supported by the UW Sustainability office, this newly-created program has already been extremely successful. 

]]> https://solarfactor.com/sustainable-women-series-uw-greek-community-perpetuating-college-sustainability-movement/ Tue, 30 Aug 2016 14:13:00 +0000 http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/articles/2016/08/sustainable-women-series-uw-greek-community-perpetuating-college-sustainability-movement.html Officially launched in November 2015, the Green Greek Representative Program (GGRP) is a student-run program at the University of Washington working to make the Greek Community a more sustainable place. Working through UW EcoReps and supported by the UW Sustainability office, this newly-created program has already been extremely successful. 

]]> https://solarfactor.com/sustainable-women-series-amassing-analyzing-zero-energy-building-data/ Tue, 23 Aug 2016 14:25:00 +0000 http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/articles/2016/08/sustainable-women-series-amassing-analyzing-zero-energy-building-data.html Many believe that the future of net-zero energy is already here. At the forefront, the Net-Zero Energy Coalition is not only leading the movement, but also creating what their team refers to as “The Hub,” a place where all-things-Zero-Energy (ZNE) can be discovered.

]]> Many believe that the future of net-zero energy is already here. At the forefront, the Net-Zero Energy Coalition is not only leading the movement, but also creating what their team refers to as “The Hub,” a place where all-things-Zero-Energy (ZNE) can be discovered.

]]> https://solarfactor.com/sustainable-women-series-amassing-analyzing-zero-energy-building-data-2/ Tue, 23 Aug 2016 14:25:00 +0000 http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/articles/2016/08/sustainable-women-series-amassing-analyzing-zero-energy-building-data.html Many believe that the future of net-zero energy is already here. At the forefront, the Net-Zero Energy Coalition is not only leading the movement, but also creating what their team refers to as “The Hub,” a place where all-things-Zero-Energy (ZNE) can be discovered.

]]> Many believe that the future of net-zero energy is already here. At the forefront, the Net-Zero Energy Coalition is not only leading the movement, but also creating what their team refers to as “The Hub,” a place where all-things-Zero-Energy (ZNE) can be discovered.

]]> https://solarfactor.com/sustainable-women-series-driving-down-solar-soft-costs-a-70-percent-reduction-in-5-years/ Mon, 15 Aug 2016 17:47:00 +0000 http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/articles/2016/08/sustainable-women-series-driving-down-solar-soft-costs-a-70-percent-reduction-in-5-years.html Launched by the Department of Energy in February 2011, the SunShot Initiative was designed to make solar energy cost-competitive by 2020. In 2010, the cost of one solar watt was $3.80. The SunShot project was attempting to reduce soft costs – non-technology costs – to $1 per watt or $0.06 per kilowatt-hour, an almost 75 percent decrease in the 2010 cost.

]]> Launched by the Department of Energy in February 2011, the SunShot Initiative was designed to make solar energy cost-competitive by 2020. In 2010, the cost of one solar watt was $3.80. The SunShot project was attempting to reduce soft costs – non-technology costs – to $1 per watt or $0.06 per kilowatt-hour, an almost 75 percent decrease in the 2010 cost.

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