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
Community Environmental Center Hosts Symposium on Solar Hot Water Technology
Tuesday, August 9th, 2011More solar thermal water heaters for NYC! That was the conclusion of a symposium on the technology hosted on July 28 by Solar One’s parent company., the Community Environmental Center (CEC). CEC is the largest installer of solar hot water systems in New York.
120 years and one symposium later, solar powered hot water heating systems may finally be getting the attention they deserve in New York City. Since their invention in 1891 by American businessman Clarence Kemp, Americans on the whole have been very slow and reluctant in adopting renewable energy water heating systems. However, that has not stopped solar hot water systems from becoming extremely popular in China and Europe; Germany, according to EarthKind Solar’s Ron Kamen, installs as many as 200,000 systems a year.
Fortunately, New York City may be just the city to put solar hot water systems back on the map for Americans. Executives from Quixotic Systems Inc., EarthKind Solar, and Sunnovations reported that the existing technology functions excellently in New York City’s temperate climate –especially atop buildings that have flat roofs and are 13 stories or lower (the majority of buildings in the city). In addition, building owners and managers such as Peter Bourbeau, of PWB Management Corporation, described how installing solar hot water systems in two of his rental buildings have lowered fuel oil expenses as much as 30 percent.
So should New Yorkers expect to see their neighbors tossing out their rusty old hot water heaters in exchange for shiny, green, solar powered systems? Perhaps not immediately, but progress is definitely underway: CEC is assembling a task force to follow through on the issues that the symposium raised.
Posted in Energy Efficiency, Global Warming, Green Building, Other Events, Renewables, Solar Power, Sustainability, Technology | Permalink
TONIGHT – Can NYC Have a Wind Industry?
Thursday, April 14th, 2011
Tickets are going fast for tonight’s panel discussion: “Can NYC Have a Wind Industry?” This is the first in the new Clean Energy Connections series created by Solar One and the New York City Accelerator for a Clean and Renewable Economy (NYC ACRE).
April 14, 2011 from 7-9pm
Jerome L. Greene Performance Space, 44 Charlton Street (at Varick Street), New York, NY, 10014.
A networking reception will follow the event.
General admission is $25, and student admission is $10. Advanced registration is required at www.cleanecnyc.org.
Panelists:
- David Bragdon, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability
- KC Sahl, NY Project Director for NRG Bluewater Wind
- Jacob Susman, CEO of OWN Wind Energy
- Russell Tencer, CEO of Wind Products, Inc., a recent graduate of the NYC ACRE incubator
Clean Energy Connections is sponsored by NYSERDA and Con Edison’s Commercial & Industrial Energy Efficiency Programs; Greentech Media is the media sponsor for this series.
Posted in Clean Energy Connections Blog, Cleantech, Economy, Energy, Green Collar Jobs, New York City, Renewables, Solar One | 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
