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Elon Musk provides glimpse into the future of energy
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Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, spoke at the National Governor’s Association meeting in Providence on July 15 and discussed what the future of transportation and energy will look like within the next two decades.
Musk predicts that in 10 years, half of all new car production will be all-electric and autonomous. In 20 years, the gasoline-powered cars we drive today will be gone.
Turning the conversation to energy, Musk opined that a theoretical solar farm, measuring 100x100 miles, could generate enough electricity to power the United States, utilizing a battery pack the size of one square mile.
In the future, Musk predicts that most of nation's energy will be generated by a combination of rooftop solar and utility-scale solar farms. Neighborhood solar will reduce the need for massive new transmission lines, providing localized energy production and storage.
Watch the full interview on C-SPAN.
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Drone video of Capitol Hill Solar Project shows progress
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New aerial drone video shows the progress of the Capitol Hill Solar Project, which has been taking place throughout the spring and summer.
The contractor,
Newport Renewables, is installing 890 solar panels on three government buildings across the street from the State House. These buildings are home to the Department of Administration, including the Office of Energy Resources, the Department of Revenue, Department of Health and Department of Transportation.
In total, the panels have a nameplate capacity of 288 kW and are expected to generate 330,000 kWh annually.
Newport Renewables provided the drone video, which is available on
YouTube and
Wistia.
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Cranston & Charlestown residents are signing up for solar
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The communities of Cranston and Charlestown were busy in July, spreading the word to neighbors about a limited-time offer on solar panel installations. The more residents who sign up, the lower the price for everyone.
Solarize RI is a program that uses pre-selected installers and access to flexible financing to make going solar easy and affordable for Rhode Island residents.
Home and business owners in Cranston and Charlestown may sign up for a free no-obligation site visit to determine if solar is right for their property. Over 290 people between Cranston and Charlestown have expressed interest in this program so far.
There are many opportunities in August to learn more about the Solarize Rhode Island Program.
Upcoming events in Cranston include tabling at William Hall Library on August 10 and 17 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m., as well as Pawtuxet Village Farmer’s Market on August 12 and 19.
Upcoming events in Charlestown include tabling at the Church of the Holy Spirit Farmer’s Market on August 11, 18, 25 and September 1 and 8.
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Road to 1000 MW: Church Community net-zero home
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The
Church Community Housing Corporation (CCHC) is dedicated to helping low and moderate income people in Newport County to live in safe, decent, affordable housing and neighborhoods. The
organization provides housing through rental, home ownership, rehabilitation, preservation and other means.
CCHC built a single-family house in
Tiverton, Rhode Island, that looks and functions like a conventional home, but produces enough electricity to offset its entire electrical consumption over the course of a year. This is known as a "net-zero" building.
Christian Belden, senior project manager of CCHC, took advantage of a Renewable Energy Fund grant, provided by Rhode Island Commerce Corporation, to help pay for the project.
The home features:
- Extra insulation in the roof, walls and basement.
- Electric air source heat pumps for heating and cooling.
- Electric air source heat pump hot water heater.
- 9 kW solar system on south-facing roof.
As a result, the house is estimated to produce 2 percent more electricity than it uses, saving the occupants about $3,200 per year and reducing CO2 emissions by 26 tons.
In March, Governor Raimondo announced an ambitious goal to add 1,000 megawatts of clean energy and 20,000 clean energy jobs to Rhode Island by the end of 2020. CCHC's net-zero home is just one example of the types of projects that are contributing to this goal.
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Leading by Example: Electric Vehicle Charging Stations installed on Capitol Hill
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If you own an electric car or have been thinking about getting one, we have some great news.
The small parking lot north of the Powers Building (One Capitol Hill) now has two dual (level II) charging stations with connections to charge four cars at a time. And charging is free!
Additionally, the Francis Street State parking lot across from the State House has two new dual stations serving four spaces.
These are not the first electric car charging stations on Capitol Hill. The Powers Building garage has five dual stations – six spaces are for employee use and four are reserved for state fleet vehicles.
All outdoor stations are reserved for State employees during work hours and are open to the public on nights and weekends.
The State's
Lead by Example initiative
promotes the adoption of clean energy measures across public sector facilities and state agencies. State and municipal employees are helping to reduce energy costs and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, consistent with Rhode Island's economic, energy and environmental goals.
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UPCOMING EVENTS & MEETINGS
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August 17
3:30 to 5:30 p.m.
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1 Capitol Hill, Second Floor, Conf. Room B, Providence, RI
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September 16
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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Would you like to add your energy-related event to our calendar? Send the details and event URL to our editor at robert.beadle@energy.ri.gov.
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