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TECH CRUNCH: How Technology Is Fueling The Push Toward Solar
Solar energy in the United States has seen immense momentum throughout the years. When the Solar Energy Industries Association released its annual report in 2008, it concluded that U.S. solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity reached a total of 1.183 gigawatts — a stellar achievement at the time.
Contrast that figure with today, and the number is dwarfed by the United States’ installed capacity of 21.3 gigawatts, enough energy to power 4.3 million homes.
As to what is powering this widespread adoption, one only needs to look at the residential market. According to recently released research by GTM, 72 percent of the market growth in 2014 is a result of solar tech companies offering diverse financing solutions and easy-to-navigate web platforms. Going solar for homeowners has become as easy as online shopping.
THE TELEGRAPH UK: Britain is falling behind in solar energy while other nations surge ahead
One week. Two nations. Two dramatically different approaches to enabling people to tap renewable energy in their homes. In the US on Monday, Barack Obama announced a $1 billion programme to increase the number of homes with solar panels. In Britain, three days later, the Government announced plans effectively to close its own existing scheme down.
“We are going to make it even easier for individual homeowners to put solar panel on the roof,” the President told the National Clean Energy Summit. “People are beginning to realise that they can take more control over their own energy. So we are taking steps that will allow more Americans to join this revolution, with no money down.”
Back in Britain, by contrast, ministers announced that they planned to slash the tariffs paid to homeowners who install rooftop solar panels (already down by 70 per cent since their inception five years ago) by a further 87 per cent, far more than anyone had expected, reducing them almost to zero – despite having announced, shortly after the election, that they wanted to unleash “a new solar revolution”.
THE HUFFINGTON POST: What You Need to Know about Solar Power
“The world is finally producing renewable energy at an industrial scale.” -Achim Steiner
The U.S. energy is booming and now is the time for businesses, homeowners and investors to profit. Solar energy isn’t just limited to the US; it has now become a global standard. Increasing worries about climate change have compelled many to relook at the role of solar energy. It’s not just sustainable, but also renewable like wind and biomass, which means there will always be enough of it to go around.
However, with so much information on solar energy systems and companies, installation, cost and companies, it can be difficult to know how to get started. This article gives a step-by-step overview on solar energy companies, the associated cost and types of solar energy systems.
COUNTER PUNCH: How the US and the WTO Crushed India’s Subsidies for Solar Energy
Four hundred million Indians—one quarter of India’s population—have no electricity, but as far as the United States and the World Trade Organization (WTO) are concerned, they can keep sitting in the dark.
On Wednesday, it was announced that a WTO dispute panel had found that India’s subsidies for solar power contravene WTO trade rules. India must now remove the subsidies or face trade sanctions.
The United States filed the WTO complaint in 2013. The US alleged that India’s subsidies for the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (NSM) discriminate against foreign suppliers of solar components.
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