Arizona could be the next state to establish a statewide goal for the increased use of renewable energy. In the upcoming 2018 midterm elections Arizona residents will have the opportunity to vote on Proposition 127, a measure that, according to cleanhealthyaz.com, would take advantage of Arizona’s climate and “gradually increase the amount of our energy that utilities get from renewable sources, like solar and wind, to 50% by 2030—up from 15% today.” The measure would also require that Arizona draw 10% of all energy from distributed sources like rooftop solar panels.

According to the Arizona Renewable Energy Assessment, “Arizona is thought by many to have relatively limited opportunities for comparatively lower cost renewables, such as wind, biomass, geothermal and hydroelectric.” This leaves solar holding the greatest promise for Arizona’s future renewable energy growth....

The focus of a new initiative in the U.S. will be its $1 per Watt soft costs for residential PV systems. The Solar Foundation and The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) are set to activate the new Solar Automated Permit Processing (SolarAPP) program on the first day of the SPI 2018 event.

The goal of this initiative is to reduce financial stagnation and processing difficulties with regards to permitting and inspections for both solar production and energy storage. It will include a new certification process for installers and for key components which is intended to make the process more fluid for homeowners.

“The solar permitting process could greatly benefit with attention to what is causing delays and difficulty during the solar panel installation process. By reforming this process, solar will become more convenient and affordable, especially for...

by Geddy Friedman

LOS ANGELES — Mayor Eric Garcetti and Los Angeles Department of Water and Power have announced a $100 million home insulation rebate program Friday. Its goal is to reduce energy consumption and cut DWP bills.

Garcetti suggested that adding insulation will reduce usage of air-conditioning and reduce pressure on the city’s power grid.

“We are here to help people shrink their bills and make their homes more comfortable,” Garcetti said. “This insulation rebate program will help take pressure off the electrical grid, which is increasingly stressed by a warming climate, so we can keep reducing the number of power outages caused by extreme temperatures.”

This program will prove...

by Geddy Friedman The state of California has made a bold declaration Monday, joining Hawaii as the only two states in the U.S. committed to 100% renewable energy by 2045. Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill which builds to the momentum set by the state to offset the effects of climate change. The bill was authorized barely days before Brown’s hosting of a global conference on climate change in San Francisco, in a grand finale of gravitas to usher California’s leadership in environmental safety and long-term sustainability. “California is committed to doing whatever is necessary to meet the existential threat of climate change,” Brown stated during a signing observance at the Capitol. “And yes, it is an existential threat. No matter what the naysayers may say, it is a real, present danger to California and to the people of the world.”...

By Geddy Friedman

The first spam message was transmitted over telegraph wires in 1864. Ever since, companies have been struggling to say the right things to get their customers' attention. In regard to solar, you may have heard phrases like "Get solar at no cost!” or “Never pay utility bills again!” This would be considered solar spam . Whether it be a telemarketing call, mail brochure, TV or radio advertisement, or even an otherwise legit solar company, selling solar isn’t always easy because many people don’t understand it. So rather than educate their customers on the facts, some companies try to the bait and switch effect to get homeowners to make the move toward solar. At Green Solar Technologies , we do our diligence to provide you with only correct and useful information so that...

by Geddy Friedman

Summer is notoriously the season for family picnics, BBQs, going to the beach, and all around fun in the sun. It’s known across the U.S. as the time for county fairs, street festivals, vacations, and pool parties. But sometimes, it just gets too hot to enjoy the outdoors. Air conditioning is vitally necessary which isn’t always cheap if you own a medium to large home and have it turned on high all day. Utility company dependency, coupled with powering indoor summer activities, can potentially boost your monthly electricity cost way up. This begs the question, are we being smart about our electricity costs? Is there a way we can lower our electricity bill without having to change our lifestyle? Traditional methods like getting all of your electricity from the utility company have...

by Geddy Friedman

Solar initiatives are spreading across the nation. A couple months ago, California passed a mandate requiring all new homes built in California to include solar panels starting in 2020. Colorado is the latest state among many to join the renewable energy trend.

Mayor Michael Hancock of the city of Denver, CO Michael Hancock last week unveiled the City of Denver’s 80×50 Climate Action Plan. Its stated goal is to transition Denver to 100% clean, renewable electricity by the year 2030. This would make Denver the 73rd city in the U.S. to commit to 100% clean electricity, joining nine other Colorado communities which have also adopted the clean energy objective.

"We're going to lead by example by moving our city facilities to 100 percent...