SAN ANTONIO — CPS Energy recently took some lumps for its proposed solar fees. That proposal was shelved after concern the fees would be an obstacle to residential solar, which is only beginning to gain traction in San Antonio. But … Continue reading →
Distributed electricity generation, especially solar PV, is rapidly spreading and getting much cheaper. Distributed electricity storage is doing the same, thanks largely to mass production of batteries for electric vehicles. Solar power is already starting to erode some utilities’ sales … Continue reading →
SAN ANTONIO — The landscapers at a 45-acre solar farm northeast of downtown do not complain that they are paid only in shrubbery. After about three months, the bleating crew has kept the grounds well maintained. Since April, the site’s … Continue reading →
Imagine if several of the world’s largest companies joined together to make clear their common interests in accessing renewable energy. Such an accord, if it contained actionable intent, would send a potent signal to the energy market that corporate renewable … Continue reading →
Talk about risky business. Over the last decade, oil went from being a necessary ingredient of global growth to being its primary constraint. New modeling is now blaming oil’s inability to keep up with demand as a primary driver for … Continue reading →
CPS Energy is putting together a community program that would allow San Antonians who either can't afford to install solar panels on their roofs or live in apartment buildings to nevertheless have access to the renewable power. The effort would … Continue reading →
Although the price of solar has dropped over the years, the up-front cost of installing a residential solar PV system — on average $7,000 to $10,000 after the federal tax credit and CPS Energy rebate — can still be prohibitive. … Continue reading →
When Wes Kennedy started engineering solar systems in the mid-1990s, he pretty much had one integration option: batteries. At that time, Kennedy designed and installed systems for Jade Mountain, a Colorado-based distributed energy retailer that eventually merged with Real Goods … Continue reading →
Brundage Management Co. has accepted the Bill Sinkin Solar Award for the company’s work in advancing the adoption of solar energy in San Antonio. San Antonio-based Brundage installed 825 kilowatts of solar energy systems on 11 of the company’s A-AAAKey … Continue reading →
Like many consumers, David Polstein had already done much to reduce energy use in his large Victorian home in Newton, Mass. He replaced his appliances with energy-efficient models, installed better heating and put in new insulation. But he was unable … Continue reading →
CPS Energy has dropped its proposed fees for solar customers — either for the time being or altogether. The utility detailed the proposal for the City Council last week, with council members raising concerns about whether the fees would discourage … Continue reading →
Mahatma Gandhi once said, “India is to be found not in its few cities, but in its 700,000 villages.” Though that may at one time have been true, it is no longer the case. With about 30 country dwellers moving … Continue reading →
This map shows how little space we’d need to power the entire world with solar panels. The area in the red box is about 25,000 square miles, slightly larger than the state of West Virginia. The small red square shows … Continue reading →
SAN ANTONIO — City Council members told a CPS Energy official Wednesday that the utility's hoped-for timeline to charge fees for future solar customers is too abrupt, saying they need more information before making a decision. In a council briefing, … Continue reading →
First, Randy Ross bought a Chevrolet Volt. Faced with the need to charge his car and eager to cut his utility bill, he installed solar panels on the roof of his Pleasanton, Calif., home. Now Ross, 61, has taken the … Continue reading →
Barclays recently downgraded the U.S. electricity sector. That’s right, the whole sector. It’s now listed as “underweight,” meaning that if you were to hold a full portfolio of bonds for the U.S. economy, you might want to be a bit … Continue reading →
Now is your chance to tell City Council to reject CPS Energy’s proposed fees on solar. The utility will make the proposal at City Council’s B-Session at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, June 11. The proposal, approved by the utility’s Board … Continue reading →
Barclays recently downgraded the entire U.S. electric utilities sector to "underweight" on the threat posed by widespread adoption of solar-storage. These systems allow homeowners to use rooftop solar panels and a battery to cut all but the figurative emergency backup … Continue reading →
Will efficiency projects get sliced and diced like mortgages, car loans and rental units? Only if the industry gets serious about standards. For proof of how securitization can grow a market really quickly, consider the single-family home rental market. After … Continue reading →
CAMBRIDGE, MA—Stating that they just want to make sure it’s something everyone keeps in mind going forward, an international consortium of scientists gently reminded the world Wednesday that clean energy technologies are pretty much ready to go anytime. “We’ve got … Continue reading →
