Written by Rafael Reyes Thursday, 20 September 2012 16:21
Bay Area 2nd largest EV sales, charging challenges
or electric-car owners and would-be owners of the vehicles, finding public charging stations, particularly fast-charge ones, in the Bay Area remains a major issue. But more options for drivers aren’t too far down the road. To help keep these vehicles going, firms such as NRG Energy Inc., 350Green and Ecotality Inc. have plans to install more electric-car charging facilities in the Bay Area.
- as seen on the Daily Bright Spot www.cabrightspot.org
Written by Rafael Reyes Monday, 17 September 2012 16:45
Sebastopol May Require Solar Arrays on New Businesses
The city of Sebastopol, which prides itself on being a small community with a big solar energy footprint, will consider requiring photovoltaic arrays on new commercial construction. If the city adopts Councilman Patrick Slayter’s proposal, it will be among the first in the nation. While there are many incentives to solar development in the form of rebates and credits and many renewable energy goals, there are few absolute mandates.
- as seen on the Daily Bright Spot www.cabrightspot.org
Written by Rafael Reyes Monday, 17 September 2012 16:44
Zipcar Will Start Carsharing Honda Fit Electric Vehicles in San Francisco
The newest San Francisco treat just might be the Honda Fit Electric Vehicle (EV), which car-sharing service Zipcar says will be available to its customers there starting this month. Zipcar will station Fit EVs at City Hall as well as the InterContinental and Parc 55 hotels. The car-sharing company, which says the EV can be recharged from a 240-volt station in less than three hours, will rent out the car at a starting rate of eight dollars an hour.
- as seen on the Daily Bright Spot www.cabrightspot.org
Written by Rafael Reyes Monday, 17 September 2012 16:40
Solar Companies Look to the Eastern Edge of the Bay Area
Solar companies hoping to harness the sun’s energy have eyes on flat land just west of Mountain House near the San Joaquin County line. At least four applicants proposed building solar energy facilities—ranging from 14 to 2,000 acres—on prime farmland, prompting members of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors to ask their planners to begin work on a policy to guide development. County supervisors say the priority should be to save prime farmland and put such solar facilities on land that won’t affect agriculture.
- as seen on the Daily Bright Spot www.cabrightspot.org
Written by Rafael Reyes Monday, 17 September 2012 16:32
Stanford Researchers Awarded $2.2 Million
Stanford University’s Precourt Institute for Energy (PIE), TomKat Center for Sustainable Energy and Precourt Energy Efficiency Center (PEEC) have awarded nine faculty seed grants totaling $2.2 million for promising new research in clean technology and energy efficiency. Seed funding supports early work on concepts that have the potential for very high impact on energy production and use. A committee of Stanford faculty and senior staff awarded the grants to researchers from a broad range of disciplines, including engineering, economics and psychology.
- as seen on the Daily Bright Spot www.cabrightspot.org