Catch “Burning In The Sun” this Sunday on PBS!
Tuesday, January 24th, 2012Back in 2009, Solar One was fortunate to host the World Premiere of “Burning In The Sun” as part of our Solar-Powered Film Series. Now the film is coming to your local airwaves as PBS will be airing it this Sunday, January 29th as part of their AfroPop series, hosted by Wyatt Cenac. In NYC, you can catch it at 8am, 2pm, 9pm and 2am on WLIW World or set your DVR to record one of those times (check your local listings for time/channel confirmation).
Directed by Cambria Matlow and Morgan Robinson and originally screened in collaboration with Rooftop Films and IFP, the film tells the story of 26-year-old Daniel Dembele, who decides to return to his homeland in Mali and start a local business building solar panels. As it follows his progress from startup to viable business, the film touches on themes of climate change, poverty, and African self-sufficiency. Check out the trailer:
Congratulations to Cambria and Morgan on getting their film in front of a nationwide audience! Also check out our update from March that features a 7-minute video by Morgan called “Burning In The States” focusing on the efforts of local NYC students building small-scale projects.
Posted in Energy, Film, Global Warming, Photovoltaics, Renewables, Solar One, Solar Power, Technology | Permalink
Missed Carbon Nation at Lincoln Center? You Still Have a Chance to See It!
Monday, February 14th, 2011
Last Thursday, Solar One partnered with Film Society of Lincoln Center’s Green Screens program to show Carbon Nation, Peter Byck’s climate change solutions documentary. The screening on Thursday was a phenomenal success, with a full house, a great discussion with director Peter Byck, Solar One Executive Director Chris Collins, Solar One Green Workforce Development Director Diallo Shabazz and “green hawk” Dan Nolan. Thanks to everyone who was able to come!
However, if you weren’t able to be there, you can still see Carbon Nation this week at the Cinema Village at 3:30pm and 7pm from now through Thursday February 17. You can get tickets HERE!
After Thursday, Carbon Nation is going on the road, and if you happen to live in one of the following cities, you’re in luck:
Los Angeles, CA- February 18
Austin, TX- February 25
Portland, OR- March 4
Seattle, WA- March 4
San Francisco, CA- March 11
Group tickets are available for the above screenings- please contact Jackie Papier, jackiepapier[at]hotmail[dot]com.
Posted in Film, Food, Global Warming, Green Building, Green Collar Jobs, Organic Farming, Photovoltaics, Pollution, Recycling, Renewables, Sustainability, Technology, Transportation | Permalink
Federal Renewable Energy Tax Grant has been extended!!
Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010As 2010 comes to a close, great news comes in from DC! With the passage of the Federal Tax bill, President Obama also signed an extension of Section 1603, the renewable energy Tax Grant Program. 
This extension is a boon for businesses that want to put up renewable energy on their property. Currently, a commercial entity interested in installing a renewable energy system is eligible for a 30% federal tax credit on all expenditures related to the installation. This tax credit, by the way, is called the Business Energy Investment Tax Credit (ITC). Section 1603 is super cool because it allows the entity to receive that 30% federal tax credit as a cash grant. Since its launch in 2009, this program has been incredibly successful and, to date, has helped encourage more than 4,000 clean energy projects.
Section 1603 is only available to businesses who install one of the qualified renewable energy sources, which include solar, small wind, fuel cells, microturbines, and Combined Heat and Power. There are size and financial caps for each technology, so read the IRS’s literature about the program before you start your renewable energy project.
If you have a company in New York and are interested in installing renewable energy, now is the time to do it! In addition to the federal tax program, NY state also has a host of financial incentives for renewables available through the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).
For more information about Section 1603, check out the IRS website.
There is also a really great write-up about the program from Green Tech Media.
For more information about NYSERDA’s programs, you can contact one of the Energy $mart Communities Coordinators, whose contact info is here.
You can also check out NYSERDA’s Renewable Energy website: PowerNaturally.org.
Posted in Clean Energy Connections Blog, Energy, Energy $mart Communities, NYSERDA, Photovoltaics, Photovoltaics, Renewables, Solar One, Solar Power, Technology | Permalink
Film Crew Travels Cross Country Showing How Solar Is Working for America and Putting America Back to Work
Monday, November 29th, 2010
Award-winning director and producer Alan Blake traveled cross-country, from Massachusetts to California, visiting the people that use solar power or work in the industry. The Solar Generation USA Road Trip campaign chronicles his three-week trip as a three-part online webisode series to educate the public on the benefits of solar energy.
Webisode No. 1 focuses on the Northeast capturing smaller residential and commercial applications, from a boat marina, fire station and horse farm, to a New York City rooftop and the Crayola Crayon manufacturing plant in Pennsylvania. Webisode No. 2 captures installations in the Midwest including a zoo (with ‘solar bears’), a gas station converted to a solar charging station for electric vehicles, the Ohio Governor’s mansion and a solar manufacturing facility. The last webisode (Webisode No. 3) covers larger scale solar in the West including Denver International Airport, a Garbett Homes community with both solar water heating and solar electric as standard features, Colorado State University, the ballpark of the 2010 World Series champions, the San Francisco Giants, and a Napa Valley vineyard.
Check it out and pass it on: www.solargenerationusa.org
Posted in Education, Energy, Energy $mart Communities, Energy Efficiency, New York City, Photovoltaics, Photovoltaics, Solar Power | Permalink
Going Solar on Block Island
Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010Last month, Solar One spent some time talking to the folks at Now Or Never Radio. Producer Sarah Bacon was investigating solar as an option for her mother’s house on Block Island, Rhode Island and Operations Manager Jamie Paquette helped walk her through the process and available incentives. Then she consulted with an installer to help get the ball rolling. It’s a lot of good information for anyone considering going solar on their own home. You can listen here.
Block Island has no electrical connection to the mainland and the electricity on the island comes mostly from diesel generators. This makes their electricity rates among the highest anywhere. There are plans to build an offshore wind farm to help supply electricity to the island, though they are currently hung up in a legal battle. This means that Block Island is particularly ripe for solar development, since the incentives available and the high cost of energy will combine to reduce the payback period significantly. We hope Sarah will update us as the project progresses.
Posted in Energy, Housing, Photovoltaics, Renewables, S1 in the News, Solar Power | Permalink
