Research Guides: ENVS 148: Solar Revolution: Web Resources

Web Resources for Solar

WEB WARNING ABCs

Authority - Is the website from an authoritative source? Check "About Us."
Bias - Is the website trying to sell you goods or an idea?
Currency - Is the information current? Check the website date

Although excellent .org, .com, .net sites exist, use the search engine's Advanced Search to get more
reliable results by limiting the domain name to .gov or .edu -- or use Google Scholar.

Web Resources for Solar

Govt: CA l Govt: U.S. l Non-Governmental l Energy Maps l Calculators l Storage

Economics/Incentives l Developed World Projects l Developing World Projects

GOVERNMENT: CALIFORNIA
California Energy Commission: Solar Energy Projects
Details the large solar projects in California, including site descriptions and key elements of each facility.
California’s Renewable Energy Portfolio
Energy providers must increase renewables to 33% of California's energy needs by 2020. Site provides overview of renewables program and details the progress of large energy providers.
Green California: Renewable Energy
Includes links to solar initiatives, wind, a directory of renewables projects, etc.
Go Solar California
California's Public Utilities and Energy Commissions' site has a solar contractors database, information on how to go solar for new homes and retrofits, news, pdf handbooks, and more. California Solar Initiative offers rebates for installing solar on home or business.
Go Solar San Jose
Information on solar workshops, events, and steps you can take to install solar. Includes FAQs and a link to "San Jose's Green Vision."
GOVERNMENT: U.S.
Brookhaven National Laboratory: Photovoltaic Research Center
Downloadable documents on photovoltaics from a range of sources: IEEE to the New York Times. Plus a bibliography.
Dept. of Energy: U.S. Energy Sources
Information on renewables, nuclear, electricity, and fossil. Data on production and consumption. Solar links to SunShot, "a national initiative to make solar energy cost competitive." SunShot includes news, videos, how-to guides, and more.
National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL)
NREL information on renewables, including solar. See NREL's Report: "Opportunities and Challenges for Development of a Mature Concentrating Photovoltaic Power Industry."
NREL: Renewable Energy Science & Technology
Renewables and the science behind them: from photovoltaics and wind to geothermal and building efficiencies. Links to concentrating solar power includes short videos. Photovoltaics includes links to engineering aspects.
Renewable Electricity Futures Report
Download all four volumes of the report, published by NREL and RE Futures. Investigates the extent to which renewable energy can meet U.S. electricity demands of the near future.
NON-GOVERNMENTAL
American Solar Energy Society
National trade group site includes modules on solar installers and incentives; their online magazine; news articles from elsewhere. ASES's solar calculator.
California Solar Energy Industry Association (CALSEIA)
Search or browse the long list of solar companies that are members of CALSEIA, whose board helps write state solar laws and policies.
PVGroup
Companies that supply photovoltaic equipment, materials, and services. Includes PV international news, policies, and newsletters that address standards, best practices, etc.
Solar Electric Power Association
Trade group whose Resources tab includes solar mapping tools: graphics showing solar projects nationwide with embedded info links. (Reports require a login.)
Solar Energy Industry Association
Site include database of solar companies nationwide, major U.S. solar projects, reports, etc.
ENERGY MAPS
Maps showing clean and renewable energy activity.
San Francisco
Silicon Valley
CALCULATORS
American Solar Energy Society
Solar panel calculator.
National Renewable Energy Lab
PVWatts: calculates energy production and cost savings.
Solar Estimate.org
A free public service to help calculate both solar and wind energy system costs.
SRoeCo Solar
Solar array sizing.
STORAGE
NREL: Concentrating / Storing Solar
From the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Sandia National Lab: Compressed Air Graphic
ECONOMICS / INCENTIVES
A feed-in tariff--or FIT--is a policy that promotes investment in renewable energy by offering long-term contracts based on the costs of each renewable technology.
California Feed-In Tariff Plan
DSIRE: Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency
One-stop shopping from the U.S. Dept of Energy for state, federal, local, and utility incentives that support renewable energy and energy efficiency. Click a state on the homepage map for links to incentives for solar water heaters, solar-heated homes, green buildings, and more.
PG&E Standard Feed-In Tariff Contract
DEVELOPED WORLD PROJECTS & VISIONS
Google's Green Campuses
Site describes Google's energy efficiencies at its Mountain View, CA, headquarters and at Google campuses around the world.
TED Talk: Solar-Powered Aircraft
Bertrand Piccard, who circumnavigated the Earth in a hot-air balloon, talks about doing the same in a solar-powered aircraft (18 min.). Piccard's biography. New York Times article on his solar-powered plane.
DEVELOPING WORLD PROJECTS & VISIONS
Angaza
An international social venture, Angaza provides low-cost solar power for household lighting and for charging mobile phones in underserved communities worldwide.
Energy Map: Solar
Ayllu, partner with SCU's Center for Science, Technology and Society, offers information on solar-powered projects worldwide in its Energy Map: Clean Power for the Underserved.
Kamworks - Cambodia Solar
Kamworks, a social enterprise and the leading solar company in Cambodia, has developed award-winning products, such as its Moonlight solar lantern.

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Web Resources for Solar