From Vote Solar..."The report was released October 7th and is titled, 'Supporting Solar Power in Renewables Portfolio Standards: Experience from the United States.' Research found that well-designed RPS programs are already an important, albeit modest, driver for solar development in the U.S. and that those impacts are projected to significantly expand in the coming years.

According to renewable advocates, the report provides an important guide to opportunities, challenges and proven best practices for RPS designs that successfully support solar energy."

Click here to read the full press release and download the report & presentation.

Many Americans believe they can save energy with small behavior changes that actually achieve very little, and severely underestimate the major effects of switching to efficient, currently available technologies, says a new survey of Americans in 34 states.

...The largest group, nearly 20 percent, cited turning off lights as the best approach—an action that affects energy budgets relatively little. Very few cited buying decisions that experts say would cut U.S. energy consumption dramatically, such as more efficient cars (cited by only 2.8 percent), more efficient appliances (cited by 3.2 percent) or weatherizing homes (cited by 2.1 percent). Previous researchers have concluded that households could reduce energy consumption some 30 percent by making such choices—all without waiting for new technologies, making big economic sacrifices or losing their sense of well-being. (read full article)

The White House Council on Environmental Quality will hold the first GreenGov Symposium on October 5-7, 2010, hosted by The George Washington University on its Foggy Bottom Campus in Washington, DC.

The 2010 GreenGov Symposium represents the first time the Obama Administration will bring together leaders from Federal, state and local governments, nonprofit and academic communities and the private sector to identify opportunities around greening the Federal Government. During the three day educational event, participants will share challenges and best practices, and discuss cutting-edge approaches for the future. (full article)

The most famous residence in America, which has already boosted its green credentials by planting a garden, plans to install solar panels atop the White House's living quarters. The solar panels are to be installed by spring 2011, and will heat water for the first family and supply some electricity.

...Based on available roof space, administration officials expect the photovoltaic system will include between 25 to 75 panels and will convert sunlight into 19,700 kilowatt hours of electricity a year. That would save a typical household $2,300 on its electricity bill, based on commercial rates in Washington. The solar hot water heating system, based on government estimates, could save an additional $1,000 a year. (full story)

Commercial scale pv array, solar thermal for domestic hot water and space heating, and geothermal.

7.6 kW Solar PV on garage to power equipment to rehab home.  Home has solar thermal for radiant floor heating and domestic hot water.

Eilert home has a 1.8 kW horizontal axis turbine and a 2 kW pv system.

Robinson Home with Solar thermal, pole-mounted pv and a wind turbine.
Where are the blades?

Their turbine catches "squirrelly" wind and caused damage to the blades.  They are looking at a vertical axis design.