Adair Solar

Courtesy of FedEx-Enchanted-Forest

Big companies and giant corporate complexes are starting to step forward with efforts that will benefit the planet. Oftentimes, it seems as though their intentions may primarily be part of a larger marketing campaign, but if it winds up doing something positive for the planet in the meantime, does it really matter?

Last week, FedEx announced it’s new partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation in an effort to drive a more globally aware image. The branding of “EarthSmart” for FedEx is now complete, and consumers can visit the results at www.FedEx.com/earthsmart

But most importantly, and probably most fun of all is the Enchanted Forest. It’s pretty dreamy, especially considering the only way to get there is via Facebook. But here’s where the giving back to the planet comes into play: You can actually plant a tree in the Enchanted Forest, and yes, there’s an app for that! Just log in, visit the FedEx Facebook page, (or click here) and it will take you there.

So why all this environmental hullabaloo? According to FedEx, it’s all about cleaning and greening up. Electric trucks, increased amounts of recycled shipping materials and more and more low-emission planes are all on the docket for the shipping mogul, and plans for a greener future seem sincere, well-meaning, and part of a larger picture of corporate responsibility that we at Adair Solar Company in Mesa hope will rub off on other big businesses. Wouldn’t you love to see a UPS sponsored whale preserve or a Walmart brand Spare the Air app? We can dream can’t we!?

We hope you’ll all take the time to go plant a tree in the Enchanted Forest. Here’s a video from FedEx to entice and enthrall your imagination.

Happy planting!

[[Call today for your free in-home consultation for a solar installation from Adair Solar Company in Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, Chandler, Tempe, and beyond by calling (480) 827-1162.]]

Solar dye: On a solar panel coming soon...

A new press release from Science Daily explains the positive potential of new and upcoming lightweight dyes that will hopefully be perfected soon enough to take the place of many of the old types of photovoltaic solar panels we still see in use today. While many solar installers in Phoenix and beyond pride themselves on using the most modern and up to date technology available in solar panels, the truth is that what’s available for many installers to use for consumers, while relatively cutting edge, simply isn’t on par with newer discoveries like dyes that can make use of solar energy, and solar panel “stickers” such as those we have blogged about in the past.

Modern advances in solar panels shouldn’t shake consumer confidence though. Think about other technologies, such as computers. Why, you can barely get a PC or a Mac out of the store and into the car without a better, newer model showing up in the display area of Best Buy before you leave the parking lot!

Science Daily tells us, “Solar power is an essential part of the green energy mix, but adoption has been limited in many parts of the world where government subsidies and financial incentives have not been in place. However, as part of a sustainable approach to electricity generation, it offers a clear view of a future in which domestic supply relies less and less on grid power systems or else provides a localised grid for remote places, particularly in sunny climes. Photovoltaic solar cells based on poly-crystalline silicon are the most commonly used devices, having first been used as space satellite technology back in the 1950s and 1960s.”

The reason consumers and homeowners who have already installed solar panels in Phoenix should not be downtrodden in light of this news is because it means the industry is moving and shaking–it means that the future where we shed our addiction to oil and start to use more renewable resources isn’t a fantasy anymore–it’s a real future with real innovators working on it–and it has real legs!

[[Call today for your free in-home consultation for a solar installation from Adair Solar Company in Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, Chandler, Tempe, and beyond by calling (480) 827-1162.]]

Inspiring news comes to us today from Kuwait by way of REVE.com. According to their early May report, Kuwait is going into its second phase of implementing solar energy as a widespread–and hopefully widely used resource. REVE notes, “Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) and Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) signed here on Sunday a contract to execute the second stage of the country’s solar energy project costing KD 1.5 million.”

The cost is high, but the hope is that the savings will be higher, and that the country’s overall interest in solar energy will continue to grow and thrive. This is particularly interesting news for a small burgeoning country, but especially one that is nestled in the oil-rich region of the Middle East. The fact that nations in this region–and indeed their governments are looking to solar and wind power is an amazing show of faith in these energy sources.

But it also tells us something else. Could it be that the people of the Middle East, in places like Kuwait, Jordan, Syria, and Saudi Arabia know something about the longevity of oil that we don’t know? If they are preparing for a future sans oil, shouldn’t we be too? And even if there is no shortage of oil, the fact that these groups so near to the supply are so ready to move on tells us a great deal about where global culture is when it comes to alternative energy sources: The time is now, and everyone knows it… or do we? That’s a sharp-edged question, but one that certainly deserves a response.

Here in the US, there are no real reasons why home owners should not invest in rooftop solar panels for their homes, but the enthusiasm and zest for solar energy should be like a fever that Americans can’t help but catch. So why is it not taking hold here like it has in Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, and even now parts of Africa and the oil-laden Middle East?

Food for thought, but it’s about time Americans begin to take solar energy seriously. It’s not alternative if it’s the only thing left–and really, how far away are we from that reality?

[[Call today for your free in-home consultation for a solar installation from Adair Solar Company in Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, Chandler, Tempe, and beyond by calling (480) 827-1162.]]

A hot little idea!

According to a recent article in the Annapolis Capital, recycling and garbage is getting a much needed makeover in one of the area’s most heavily littered areas. According to Pamela Woods, “Solar-powered compactors have been installed at Lawyers Mall in downtown Annapolis. The tens of thousands of visitors to the popular gathering spot now have an option for getting rid of their soda cans, water bottles and trash.”

The cost of the compactors does seem at least somewhat prohibitive at first, coming in at just over $8000. But when you consider that parks workers will be able to focus on other duties that can make the area more lucrative and productive rather than emptying the trash cans all day, it begins to make sense. In addition, the amount of supplies used (trash bags, gloves, etc.) will go down, and the amount of space saved in land fills will also lower the overall cost of simply throwing stuff away. This doesn’t even include the money saved by setting aside recycling, which to date has never been done in a publicly owned area in Annapolis. So this “solar first” will hopefully save tons of money and tons of space (literally) over the life of the compactors.

We at Adair Solar Company in Mesa strongly support Annapolis in their adventures with the solar powered compactors, and hope their success will eventually lead to the same kind of technology popping up here in the Valley of the Sun before too long.

We hope that Arizonans will be inspired to get clean and green when they see what is going on to better the environment in other cities across the US. More solar water heaters in Phoenix and other solar installations across the state of Arizona will help to make this possible! Here’s to greening up our great country!

[[Call today for your free in-home consultation for a solar installation from Adair Solar Company in Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, Chandler, Tempe, and beyond by calling (480) 827-1162.]] 

It might sound like the set up for a stand up routine, but the title of this blog is a list of some of the top money earners in our economy right now. You may not want to use all three items at the same time (especially if you’re into Bikram yoga!) but yes indeedy–yoga, hot sauce, and solar panels are rockin’ their way at the top of the black in this super salty down economy.

Why is that? According to studies lead by IBIS World, American consumers have turned over a new leaf because of the economy itself, and because of gas prices and that’s followed by a renewed interest in other cultures and increased awareness of self-image. So people are working out more, but they want to do it in a manner that lowers stress, and this newfound love affair with Eastern philosophy is opening the gateway to try more foreign foods and get green!

We at Adair Solar Company in Mesa certainly won’t complain–we think this is all great news! Not just because solar panels are imminently more affordable in Arizona due to solar tax rebates, but also because we sure do have plenty of yoga studios here in the Valley too. But on a serious note, it’s nice to hear that people want to take better care of themselves–and that in so doing, they are also branching out into uncharted territories. Trying new food is one of the first signs of acceptance of other cultures according to many sociologists.

So here’s the ideal scenario: A yoga studio powered by solar panels in Phoenix complete with a salsa bar! Too far? Let us know your thoughts and what kind of salsa is your favorite!

[[Call today for your free in-home consultation for a solar installation from Adair Solar Company in Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, Chandler, Tempe, and beyond by calling (480) 827-1162.]]

That's some flower!

Just when we think the solar industry can’t get anymore cutting edge, NASA chimes in with ideas of sun power right from the source to prove us wrong. We just blogged a couple short months ago about nanotechnology and microscopic solar panels, and now, here’s the latest scoop about flower-like solar arrays beaming energy from outerspace–not unlike a moment out of Stargate.

PCWorld tells us, “The idea is to use a satellite with an array of mirrors to collect energy from the Sun and send it back to Earth via a Microwave beam. It might sound like another crazy death ray beam to us, but NASA thinks that it’s realistic enough that they’ve funded the Artemis Innovation Management Solutions group to develop its Solar Power Satellite via Arbitrarily Large PHased Array (SPS-ALPHA).”

“The array will feature a modular, tulip shaped satellite equipped with thin-film mirrors to reflect sunlight into photovoltaic cells. The collected solar energy will be converted into microwaves that will then be transmitted back to a receiving station on Earth at a low frequency and intensity.

Power plants on Earth will be able to convert the Microwave energy into electricity and add it to the power grid. NASA says that each array system could create anywhere from tens to thousands of megawatts of energy.”

Did you think you’d ever hear of coming so close literally energizing right from the sun? If something like this can be done on a large scale over time, imagine the global impact–parts of the world that have never had a regular source of electricity would suddenly be able to plug in, and places where the cost of electricity is wildly prohibitive would become overnight metropolises.

We hope that while it’s still being researched and studied that the NASA solar energy program will help to raise awareness of good old regular planet earth style solar energy and create a newfound spark that will entice home owners to look into solar panels for their houses and businesses too. As a local Mesa AZ solar panel installer, we here at Adair Solar Company are always thrilled to hear about any new advances that could spring board solar to a new level in the United States.

[[Call today for your free in-home consultation for a solar installation from Adair Solar Company in Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, Chandler, Tempe, and beyond by calling (480) 827-1162.]]

Solar panels get cheaper and the savings are passed on to you!

According to CNN Money, Americans have not wasted anytime getting solar installations on their homes and businesses–especially when the cost of doing so fell in their geo-specific region.

James O’Toole of CNN notes, “Installations of solar energy systems in the U.S. more than doubled in 2011, according to a new report, fueled in part by declining solar panel costs. The U.S. added a record 1,855 megawatts of photovoltaic capacity in 2011, a 109% increase versus the year prior, said GTM Research and the the Solar Energy Industries Association, a national trade group. The report projects that new installations will increase further to more than 2,800 megawatts in 2012. Average photovoltaic system prices fell 20% last year, with a glut of solar panels hitting world markets.”

This is just what we were expecting to hear about looking back on solar energy in 2011 and the first quarter of 2012, nonetheless, it is a wonderful thing to see actually come true!

This means that here in Arizona, solar tax credits and rebates, along with the lowering industry-wide cost of solar panels and installing solar panels in Phoenix, more and more residents of this area are getting rooftop solar panels and other types of solar installations.

When you look at the unbelievable savings you get on utilities bills when you install rooftop solar panels in Phoenix, and with the lowered upfront and overall cost in solar equipment to consumers now, there’s no reason not to consider solar as the way to go, especially in a place like Phoenix!

If you’re ready to become the proud owner of solar panels or a solar water heater in Phoenix, give Adair Solar Company in Mesa a call today to get started with a free in-home consultation. Just dial (480) 827-1162

Fractal Trees under the microscope, courtesy of www.physorg.com

CleanTechnica’s Tina Casey is on the case (excuse the play on words!) and is informing us of a completely mind-blowing new way that solar energy could be delivered to us in the future. The technology is called “nanoscale silver trees,” and Tina’s story goes something like this:

“A team of researchers at the University of California, Davis has developed solar energy’s Next Big Thing: nanoscale silver filaments grown in a treelike pattern. Just as a tree’s leaves collect sunlight over a broad surface area relative to their trunks, the filaments of silver nano-trees would be able to collect solar energy over a broad surface area relative to their supporting structure.”

Now THAT sounds cool. But it reminds us a whole lot of that middle school student, Aidan Dwyer who was technically the first person on the books (as far as we’ve been able to find) who had the idea of creating tree branch-like structures that would deliver solar energy to us consumers in much the same way that it leaves deliver the nutrients from the sun to plants. Read more about Aidan Dwyer’s idea from our previous blog about him here.

Nonetheless, nanoscale silver trees has quite a cool ring to it. Casey writes, “Aside from the potential for greater efficiency, the fabrication method (which depends primarily on a chemical reaction rather than mechanical processes) represents a broad approach to lowering the cost of solar energy. Other factors are the cost of materials, the installation process, and the permitting process, all of which are being tackled under President Obama’s SunShot Initiative.”

Now THAT is the kind of information we in the solar sector are interested in hearing! Lowering the cost of providing solar equipment is always on our minds, because the lower the cost, the more people can afford it, and the less we will have to lean on government programs, meaning the cost of solar energy installations could some day be so low the out-of-pocket cost could be on par with buying a new washer and dryer. Think about that for a minute! Pretty great stuff from some little silver trees

[[Call today for your free in-home consultation for a solar installation from Adair Solar Company in Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, Chandler, Tempe, and beyond by calling (480) 827-1162.]]

clear solar panel

According to Calfinder, transparent, or at least translucent solar panels are on their way. “One day, windows are likely to provide the electricity for homes and businesses. Invisible solar technology took another step towards reality this week when New Energy Technologies announced that collaboration with scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) resulted in a 70-square-inch see-through glass solar module.

The solar window is over 14 times larger than other see-through modules made at the NREL, and the largest in the world so far.Under the guidance of New Energy principle scientist Dr. Scott Hammond, NREL scientists applied electricity-generating coatings to glass. Made of conductive polymers, the coatings are produced through an organic synthesis process. The end result is revolutionary BIPV, or building-integrated photovoltaics.

Last month, New Energy announced that they were using a high-speed, high-volume solution coating process, another important development on the road towards a viable commercial organic photovoltaic (OPV) product.

New Energy confirmed that this latest solution-coating technique is compatible with roll-to-roll fabrication methods that are commonly used for printing, which means that OPVs have the potential to be manufactured on a large scale. New Energy foresees that the process will eventually mean that solar windows will be produced faster, cheaper and safer than conventional photovoltaic panels.”

This may not mean that you will be able to have clear solar panels next week, or even next year, but perhaps the advent of clear solar panels will be the allure that some people need to get used to the idea of having solar panels on their own home.

Rooftop solar panels in Phoenix are one sure way to save energy and money, that’s for sure. If you want to learn more about solar panels, call us today at (480) 827-1162. You’ll be glad you did!

A new campaign lead by the Solar Electric Light Fund is on firm footing now, and MarketWatch discussed today what they’re up to. For a basic understanding of what this campaign proposes to do, read the below excerpt:

“The Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF), a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit working to eliminate energy poverty through the use of solar power, today announced that it is launching ‘Energy is a Human Right,’ a campaign to provide a voice to the nearly 1.5 billion people around the world living without access to electricity and other forms of modern energy. It is also calling upon the international development community and general public to join the campaign by visiting www.EnergyIsAHumanRight.com to show their support for those living in energy poverty, and to learn how they can help provide energy access to assist in their economic, education, health and agricultural development.”

As a small local business and as a solar equipment installer in Phoenix, AZ, we support the SELF campaign. We invite and encourage Arizonans to visit the campaign’s website by clicking here.

SELF has been using solar energy across the world for more than a decade, bringing light and indeed hope to regions of the world that had neither. The story of SELF and their new human rights campaign tells the story of the power of solar energy–it’s not just a way to cheapen energy costs in places like the United States, it’s also a way to BRING any kind of energy to places it has never previously been even imagined.

We wish the Energy is a Human Right campaign all the best and will continue to track their progress and keep you posted.

[[Call today for your free in-home consultation for a solar installation from Adair Solar Company in Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, Chandler, Tempe, and beyond by calling (480) 827-1162.]]