Worlds Collide: Mary Tchamkina Interviews Greg Kiss for GreenHomeNYC
Thursday, March 18th, 2010
If you came to a Solar One event last summer, or if you’ve attended any of our Green From the Inside Out workshops, you may know, and have most likely seen, NYSERDA E$C Program Assistant Mary Tchamkina. But did you know that she’s a wonderful designer and aspiring architect? It’s true! And now she can add another talent to her resume: journalism. When she’s not working at Solar One or preparing grad school applications, Mary finds time to work as a staff volunteer for GreenHome NYC, a community-oriented, volunteer-run organization that promotes green building practices in our city. And it just so happens that they recently published an interview she did with Greg Kiss of Kiss+Cathcart Architects, the very same firm that designed the Solar 1 building and are designing Solar 2!
You can read the interview here.
Posted in Design, Energy Efficiency, Green Building, New York City, Photovoltaics, Solar 2, Sustainability, Technology | Permalink
Cleantech from the Frontlines Workshop
Wednesday, February 10th, 2010
NYC-ACRE and Solar One come together to showcase some of the newest wind and energy projects in NYC, while providing invaluable and practical discussion on how to further establish a cleantech market in NYC.
SPEAKERS:
Micah Kotch, Director of Operations at NYC-ACRE at NYU-Poly
John Humphrey, Co-Founder of Sollega Inc.
James Gallagher, NYCEDC Senior VP for Energy Policy
Russell M. Tencer, CEO of Wind Products LLC
Diana Pangestu, Energy $mart Communities Coordinator at Solar One
Wine & Cheese networking reception to follow!
LOCATION:
NYC-ACRE at NYU-Poly, 160 Varick Street, aka 10 Hudson Square,
12th Floor, New York City
FREE EVENT!
Please RSVP by March 15 as space is limited: www.solar1.com/acre-cleantech
Posted in Cleantech, Economy, Energy, Energy $mart Communities, Green Collar Jobs, NYSERDA, New York City, Photovoltaics, Renewables, Solar One, Solar Power, Sustainability, Technology | Permalink
Cleantech from the Frontlines Workshop
Wednesday, February 10th, 2010| March 17, 2010 | ||
| 6:00 pm | to | 8:00 pm |
NYC-ACRE and Solar One come together to showcase some of the newest wind and energy projects in NYC, while providing invaluable and practical discussion on how to further establish a cleantech market in NYC.
SPEAKERS:
Micah Kotch, Director of Operations at NYC-ACRE at NYU-Poly
John Humphrey, Co-Founder of Sollega Inc.
James Gallagher, NYCEDC Senior VP for Energy Policy
Russell M. Tencer, CEO of Wind Products LLC
Diana Pangestu, Energy $mart Communities Coordinator at Solar One
Wine & Cheese networking reception to follow!
LOCATION:
NYC-ACRE at NYU-Poly, 160 Varick Street, aka 10 Hudson Square,
12th Floor, New York City
FREE EVENT!
Please RSVP by March 15 as space is limited: www.solar1.com/acre-cleantech
Posted in Cleantech, Economy, Energy, Energy $mart Communities, Green Collar Jobs, NYSERDA, New York City, Renewables, Solar One Events, Solar Power, Sustainability, Technology | Permalink
Green from the Inside Out – Downtown
Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009| January 25, 2010 | ||
| 6:15 pm | to | 8:15 pm |
Posted in Education, Energy, Energy $mart Communities, Energy Efficiency, Green Building, Housing, New York City, Other Events, Photovoltaics, Recycling, Solar One, Solar One Events, Sustainability, Technology | Permalink
Follow Us
Tuesday, December 1st, 2009Well, we could only hold out so long before we caved to the allure of Twitter. All the jokes have become cliche, so we’ll just put the link out there and ask you to follow us and pass it on.
http://twitter.com/solaronenyc
We will use this for quick links, announcements, event updates, stray thoughts and anything we feel is worth passing along. We also will have Chris Neidl posting updates from the UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen beginning December 14th. He will also have more detailed video updates posted daily in this space.
Posted in Energy, Global Warming, Links, New York City, Technology | Permalink
The Staten Island Enconomic and Development Corp’s First Annual Health and Environment Conference
Thursday, September 17th, 2009| September 24, 2009 | ||
| 8:00 am | to | 8:00 pm |
| 8:00 am | to | 8:00 pm |
Join the SIEDC and Solar1 on this fun filled day and learn how to live a happier, healthier and greener life in New York City!
The Staten Island Health and Environmental Conference 2009 will present the latest information on healthcare and environmental issues by industry experts and professionals, and is the first of its kind on Staten Island. The day long forum will consist of vending, seminars, panel discussions and keynote addresses. Free on-site medical screenings will also be provided! In addition, The Health and Environment Conference will demonstrate why a clean environment is important to a healthy lifestyle. Participants will also learn the latest ways to incorporate green practices into their businesses, homes and lifestyles and about the environmental impact of current practices.
WHEN: Thursday September 24th, 2009, 8:00am-8:00pm
WHERE: Hilton Garden Inn- Staten Island
For more information contact: SIEDC at 718-477-1400, or visit SIEDC.org
Posted in Green Building, NYSERDA, New York City, Other Events, Photovoltaics, Renewables, Solar One, Solar One Events, Solar Power, Technology | Permalink
Solar-Powered Film Series: “Burning In the Sun”
Friday, September 11th, 2009| September 19, 2009 | ||
| 8:00 pm | to | 11:00 pm |
Saturday September 19th
Short: Blue Marble Ice Cream (from From Elegance to Earthworms)
Feature: Burning In the Sun
WORLD PREMIERE! 26-year-old Daniel Dembele decides to return to his homeland in Mali and start a local business building solar panels – the first of its kind in the sun drenched nation. Burning in the Sun tells the story of Daniel’s journey growing the shaky startup into a viable company and of the business’ impact on Daniel’s first customers in the tiny village of Banko. Taking a controversial stance on climate change, poverty, and African self-sufficiency, the filmmakers shed light on progress in Africa, and infuse optimism across culture. This 2008 IFP Documentary Lab selection will be shown in collaboration with Rooftop Films and IFP.
Speakers: Cambria Matlow and Morgan Robinson (Directors)
Cambria Matlow is a founding filmmaker of Birdgirl Productions, and Burning In The Sun marks her debut as a documentary feature director. She began production of the film in 2005 and has garnered national support from LEF Foundation and the Brooklyn Arts Council. Before her work with Birdgirl, Cambria directed and lensed several short narrative films which crossover styles lending a ‘documentary’ feel to fiction filmmaking. Cambria’s abilities are anchored by her dynamic background in filmmaking, foreign language ability, rich intercultural experience and political awareness.
Morgan Robinson worked as field producer and cinematographer for documentary filmmaker John Halpern. Previously he worked in the production department of Spike Lee’s HE GOT GAME andSUMMER OF SAM. Currently, In addition to co-directing Burning in the Sun, Morgan works for Punched in the Head Productions making MTV True Life documentaries. Morgan wrote, directed and produced the award winning short film CATABASIS, and JI DUMA: BRING THEM WATER.
Posted in Energy, Film, Global Warming, Green Collar Jobs, Photovoltaics, Solar One Events, Solar Power, Sustainability, Technology | Permalink
Gov. Patrick Backs Major Wind Initiative
Wednesday, January 21st, 2009
Political proclamations and big gusts of wind often go together.
This paradigm of civic symbiosis was never more true than last Tuesday, when Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick announced plans to markedly boost his commonwealth’s wind power capacity by 2020. While Massachusetts currently produces just 7 MW of wind-generated energy annually, Patrick hopes to ramp up production to 2000 MW – enough to power 800,000 homes and 10% of overall anticipated need – by the end of the next decade. The ambitious policy will supplement his administration’s recent commitment of 250 MW of solar power by 2017.
The announcement also comes on the heels of the DOE’s 2007 decision to locate one of two planned Wind Technology Testing Centers there, spurring speculation that Massachusetts could join California as a leader in forging a green economy. In a statement issued by Governor Patrick’s office, the new center will provide a framework for the “economic rewards of technological development, entrepreneurship and jobs.” Assuming an even greater commitment to clean energy policy at the federal level by the incoming Obama administration and new DOE honcho Steven Chu, this is a trend that should continue.
Though some hurdles remain in getting locals on board (one proposed Cape Cod offshore wind farm comes to mind), Massachusetts Secretary for Energy and Environmental Affairs Ian Bowles noted that last year’s incentive-laden Mass. Green Communities Act has “municipalities around the Commonwealth… lining up to bring wind power to their communities.” In part to alleviate concerns about the blight of turbines on the seascape, the state is also formulating a comprehensive ocean-management plan to identify other suitable locations for “appropriate-scale renewable energy facilities.”
The initiative is part of a broader attempt to reduce the commonwealth’s greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2050 and 25% by 2020, as mandated by the 2007 Massachusetts Global Warming Solutions Act.
Sources: “Patrick sets 2000-MW wind-power goal”, Providence Business News; “Deval Patrick unveils big push for wind power”, Your Industry News; “Residents upset over Cape Cod wind-farm plan”, www.sfgate.com; “Massachusetts Moves Closer to Having Nation’s First Offshore Wind Farm and More Secure Energy Future” (press release; Jan. 16, 2009), www.capewind.org; “”Summary of S. 2768, The Green Communities Act”, Conservation Law Foundation; “Senate Bill, No. 534″, “Governor Patrick Sets New Goals for Wind Power” (press release; Jan. 13, 2009), www.mass.gov.
Posted in Energy, Green Collar Jobs, Legislation, Politics, Renewables, Sustainability, Technology | Permalink
Silver Nanoparticles Boost Thin-Film Efficiency
Friday, January 9th, 2009
In 2008, thin-film solar became the latest candidate on the short list for the holy grail of renewables, achieving record efficiency ratings in the laboratory that caught the attention of both the energy industry and the mainstream press. While not quite as effective as traditional silicon-based photovoltaics, which regularly achieve conversion efficiencies of over 20%, the newer thin-film panels offer an obvious advantage in that they use less material and are therefore cheaper to produce. Now new developments promise to increase thin-film’s efficiency enough to lower the costs of generating energy near the range of cheaper-but-oh-so-dirty fossil fuels.
Researchers at the Australian National University and the Center of Nanophotonics at the Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics in Amsterdam have discovered that “sprinkling” the surface of thin-film panels with nanoparticles of silver (Ag) can significantly increase the amount of light the panels can absorb. Previous thin-film applications proved less effective at handling wavelengths of light from both the longer (redder) and shorter (bluer) ends of the electromagnetic spectrum, limiting their efficiency in experiments. Incorporating minute silver flecks, however, has the effect of “thickening” the cells horizontally, allowing for the conversion of these more elusive wavelengths. The electrons in silver are highly sensitive to visible light and react by emitting their own photons in the form of “surface plasmons”, electromagnetic waves that propagate across the surface of the panel rather than through it. By traveling in this manner, the plasmons come into contact with more of the cell’s silicon, increasing its ability to convert light into electricity.
According to the researchers’ findings recently published in Optics Express (see abstract), this breakthrough could improve the conversion rates of these wavelengths nearly tenfold. And though silver is expensive, the overall cost of thin-film technology should hardly be affected. The metal is used in such small quantities that analysts predict a price increase of no more than a few cents per panel.
Sources: “19.9%: New Thin Film Solar Efficiency Record”, TreeHugger; “Seeing Red”, The Economist; Catchpole, K.R. and A. Polman, “Plasmonic Solar Cells”, Optics Extress (Vol 16, Issue 26); “Enhancing solar cells with nanoparticles”, www.nanitenews.com; Paddon, Paul and Bernhard Michel,“Enabling Solar Cells: Virtual Prototyping of Nanostructures”, www.simuloptics.com; “Surface plasmon resonance”, Wikipedia; www.erbium.nl (Photonic Materials Group website).
Posted in Energy, Energy Efficiency, Photovoltaics, Renewables, Technology | Permalink
Green Renter – Offshore Wind Power and New York City: Technology, Proposals and Potential, with KC Sahl, Project Director, Bluewater Wind
Sunday, January 4th, 2009| January 19, 2009 | ||
| 7:00 pm | to | 8:30 pm |
The potential of wind turbine technology to provide for our growing electricity needs on a utility scale increases every year as technology improves and its costs decline versus rising fossil fuel prices. However, wind power is limited by two key factors: time and location. Put simply, the wind doesn’t always blow and the areas with the highest wind resource are often located far away from population centers or in areas where development is controversial.
Developing turbines miles off shore along coastal shelves, where wind is more constant, speeds are higher and the imposing 30-story scale of today’s turbines are minimized to the size of thimble from land, may help mitigate both of these obstacles going forward. In spite of these advantages, recent large scale project proposals to develop offshore wind in the the Northeast have either succumbed to local opposition or escalating project costs. However, new proposals, including a few in the New York City harbor area, are again on the table, and important allies – including Mayor Bloomberg – have come to advocate for its development in the region.
KC Sahl, the New York Project Director for Bluewater Wind, one of the nation’s leading developers of offshore wind projects, will speak about offshore wind turbine technology and potential in the local context.
Posted in Energy, Global Warming, Renewables, Solar One Events, Technology, Water | Permalink
