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 A PV array is installed on another Nevada rooftop. There is some good news on Nevada’s renewable energy scene. For those of you who have been waiting for the right opportunity to invest in a solar electric (photovoltaic or PV) system for your home or business, this might be the time to jump in. Prices are down, efficiency is up, incentives are strong and the return on investment for solar has never looked better. Continue reading SolarGenerations Rebate Program.   Panels on the roof of this home have provided domestic hot water and space heating for years. My last column focused on our man-made solar eclipse, some of the damage that results from drilling for fossil fuels and ways we can reduce our need for natural gas by using the sun to heat water and even our homes. A new solar hot water rebate program is in the works for Nevadans, similar to the rebates already in place for photovoltaic (PV) systems. The program details are not finalized but it will be available to NV Energy and Southwest Gas customers. Continue reading Solar Hot Water Incentives.  Solar eclipse. Are fossil fuels blocking our full use of the sun? There was a time when a solar eclipse struck fear into the hearts and minds of those who did not understand what caused the sun to briefly disappear during the middle of the day. Now when the moon casts its shadow while passing between the earth and sun we enjoy the relatively rare experience. We’ve long lived in the shade of another solar eclipse of sorts; however no celestial body was responsible. I’m referring to man’s discovery, use, and abuse of fossil fuels. By building a modern society that relies too heavily on coal, oil and natural gas, we’ve deprived ourselves of the benefits of using clean solar resources to their maximum potential. The irony is that, although we can’t see this eclipse, it has the potential to create lasting harm. Continue reading Longest Solar Eclipse Ever. O There are a lot of pieces to the energy picture. As I’ve mentioned previously, the Southern Nevada Solar Home Tour will take place on Saturday, October 3 and that’s no coincidence. It’s a part of the American Solar Energy Society’s 14th annual National Solar Tour, the world’s largest grassroots solar event. Last year’s tour was attended by over 140,000 people in over 3,000 communities across the country. Continue reading 2009 Solar Home Tour.  Leave a commentTags: incentives - local - nv energy - rebate - renewable energy - solar - solar home tour. I’m writing this column from the heart of California’s Sierra Nevada range near Yosemite National Park. It’s beautiful here and not as hot as Las Vegas in early September, but there is ample evidence of rising temperatures as the effects of climate change become increasingly obvious. The wide-spread bark beetle infestation in the western U.S. has resulted in large numbers of dead or dying trees. And California’s fire season is now seemingly without end, …(more) Continue reading Living Lighter to Save the Pika Perspective is an interesting thing. If you’re too far away from something, you don’t see the details. If you’re too close, you miss the big picture. In my experience, the best strategy for maintaining a healthy perspective is to keep both in mind. Look at the big picture and use it as a guide as you handle the necessary details. With regard to Green Living, the big picture is the health of the planet …(more) Continue reading 2009 National Clean Energy Summit Leave a commentTags: climate change - economy - education - hot water - post-carbon - renewable energy - solar - video. We’ve all heard a lot about green jobs lately. But what exactly is a green job? When are they coming? Where can a person find one? A lot of people want to know how they can make a living while making a difference. While I believe that any job in any company can be “greened” with the right attitude and attention to detail, there are some that fall squarely in the green job category. …(more) Continue reading HomeFree Nevada One commentTags: appraisal - climate change - efficient - energy star - green jobs - hot water - Nevada - nv energy - pv - renewable energy - solar - UNLV. It’s exciting to see the transformation taking place in the home building market. Perhaps the best example is the new Villa Trieste development by Pulte Homes. Located in Summerlin, this community of 185 homes is leading the way when it comes to responsible building in Southern Nevada. The community has gotten some good coverage recently but I noticed the focus is mostly on energy savings and the electrical solar panels that come with each …(more) Continue reading Green Options for Homebuyers Leave a commentTags: appraisal - co2 - efficient - footprint - green building - LEED - renewable energy - solar - sustainable - USGBC - video - water. The left side of the street faces south. The north-facing side is in shade. A few days after the snow fell, it's clear which side is warmest. I love winters in Southern Nevada! In fact, just about anytime from October to June is fine by me, but deep winter is special. I suppose it’s a stretch to call our relatively mild and brief period of cool weather “deep winter” but hey, it’s all …(more) Continue reading Let the Sun Shine In Leave a commentTags: passive solar - performance - renewable energy - solar - sustainable - thermal mass. |  Download the flyer (PDF). Green Transportation: Getting Over OilThursday, May 31 6:30 p.m.The future of transportation is exciting and changing rapidly. Learn how people are saying adiós to the gas pump, saving money and helping the environment.  | ||
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ctober is National Energy Awareness month and this year’s theme is “A Sustainable Energy Future; Putting All the Pieces Together.” The idea is to encourage everyone to see how they fit into the big picture. According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s website, “No matter how large the problem may appear, the fact remains that each of us is a part of the solution. Every day, each of us makes decisions that can stimulate sustainability and a new energy economy.” It sounds as if they may have borrowed those lines from one of my earlier columns!
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