Solar@Work: Elon Musk has Discovered a New Passion in Life - and it Could be Tesla's Best Product Yet

Elon Musk has Discovered a New Passion in Life - and it Could be Tesla's Best Product Yet

Tesla CEO Elon is the best car salesman in history. And as CEO os SpaceX, he's declared his intention to retire on Mars. But what are supercar-fast electric vehicles and low-Earth orbits in the face of ... roofing. Against all odds, Musk has become perhaps the biggest booster in the history of the roofing business, thanks to a new Tesla product, the Solar Roof, that officially went on sale Wednesday. More

Lightweight 'Printed Solar' Touted as a Way to Provide Electricity in Times of Disaster

A solar panel development that has taken decades is a step closer to reality. Final trials of printed solar panels on sheets of plastic are underway at the University of Newcastle in the New South Wales Hunter region. Using conventional printing technology, electronic ink is printed onto clear plastic sheets with the finished product incredibly lightweight. More

Solar Mini-Grids Could Shield the U.S. from Terrorist Strikes

The diversification of energy sources that feed the American electric grid should be a national security priority to ensure a robust national grid system that can withstand natural disasters and terrorist attacks on U.S. infrastructure. But, according to a new paper by the Michigan Technological University (MTU), that's not enough. More

The Business Case for Pollinator-Friendly Solar Sites

A critical opportunity is being largely overlooked on solar sites developed on farmland and outside of the desert Southwest - there has been too much focus on the hardware and not enough consideration of the vegetation under and around the panels. Some folks don't like living next to solar arrays, particularly when the array is "solar-centric" in design (gravel covering the site). More

This Summer's Eclipse Will Put California's Solar-Powered Grid to the Test

On August 21, a total solar eclipse will travel across North America -- and put grid operators to the test. The solar industry's success means that utilities and grid managers across the U.S. will have to plan for a period of time when the sky goes dark and solar generation plummets. This is especially true in California, where solar makes up 10 percent of the electricity mix and accounts for around half the entire nation's total solar generating capacity. More

Sunlight Financial Secures $500M Commitment for Residential Solar Loans

Sunlight financial, a fast-growing home solar loan provider, announced this week Technology Credit Union has committed up to $500 million for about 20,000 new rooftop projects originated by Sunlight's national network of installers. The announcement marks the startup solar financier's largest single funding commitment to date, and expands on an existing relationship with Tech CU, which is based in Silicon Valley. More

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