August 14th, 2012
Via Seed Daily, an interesting report that rooftop farms are taking hold in Hong Kong: On the rooftop of a tower block above the hustle and bustle of teeming Hong Kong, dedicated growers tend to their organic crops in a vegetable garden. Against a backdrop of skyscrapers and jungle-clad hills, earth-filled boxes are spread out […]
Read more »Solar Economics: Lease Vs. Own
August 3rd, 2012
Via The Institute for Local Self Reliance, an interesting analysis of the economics behind solar power: It’s a case study of solar in Ithaca, NY, but it provides a good framework for comparing leasing to ownership in any place in the U.S. Comparing solar ownership to a solar lease can be tricky. The following analysis […]
Read more »August 2nd, 2012
Via Greentech, a contrarian view on the massive amount of funding (more than $250 million) that has poured into third-party solar firms such as SolarCity, Sunrun, OneRoof, and Borrego Solar in just the last few weeks. Many people think it is a growth segment in solar and a bright spot in the industry, but here […]
Read more »BrightFarms = Bright Future?
August 2nd, 2012
Via Reveries.com, a quick review of BrightFarms: Paul Lightfoot is a “supply-chain guy” and environmentalist with a plan to deliver fresher produce at lower cost to more retailers, reports Jane Black in Fast Company (Jul/Aug 12). His enterprise is called BrightFarms and his plan is “to build and manage hydroponic greenhouses on store rooftops, parking […]
Read more »July 28th, 2012
Via EarthTechling, a report on the state of the residential solar industry: Where’s the money in solar power these days? It’s not in manufacturing the stuff; companies that do that are dropping like flies. No, the returns are in owning and installing the systems, with the combination of falling module prices and solid government subsidies […]
Read more »Solar Hot Water: Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed
July 13th, 2012
Via Greentech Media, a look at solar hot water: The crowds swarming this year’s Intersolar North America at San Fransicso’s Moscone Center did an unusual thing. After combing the aisles and aisles hosting the photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies’ booths, they wandered over to the two aisles dedicated to solar thermal and […]
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