Come to Solar One for the first Family Day of 2012, presented in collaboration with NYC Wildflower Week. RSVP to daisy[at]solar1[dot]org.

Event attendees will be able to recycle old textiles and electronics; participate in the exciting Recycling Olympics; learn how to conserve energy and save money on utility bills; walk to the East River and test the water; build mini wind turbines and measure electricity; race solar cars; identify their local tress; learn about green jobs and volunteer opportunities; and discuss current, pressing area and global environmental issues.

At 2pm, Solar One’s Energy $mart Communities Coordinator will team up with GrowNYC and BeamNY for a special presentation covering recycling and lowering energy bills with information on consumer rights and a free program for moderate-income households to make energy-saving upgrades.

The event will be held at Smith Park and Recreation Center at 80 Catherine Street on Saturday, May 5. Solar One will be joined by a host of other great environmental organizations and initiatives, including P.S. 126/Manhattan Academy of Technology’s Dragon Garden GreenTeam, GrowNYC, Lower East Side Ecology Center, Tress NY, Good Old Lower East Side, and the Al Smith Parks Department Recreation Center.

If you are interested in volunteering at the event, please contact jeff@solar1.org with your availability.

Event Details:
WHEN: Saturday, May 5, 11:00am – 5:00pm
WHERE: Smith Park, 80 Catherine Street, New York, NY 10038
ADMISSION COST: Free
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit http://central.ly/greenday2012/

Sixteen residents of the Cooper Square Mutual Housing Association were delighted to receive free energy-efficient refrigerators last Friday. That’s right, we said “free”! A collaborative effort between community groups has emerged to revamp sustainability in the Lower East Side. The refrigerators are the first of many steps to weatherize CSMHA properties and provide upgrades that reduce energy costs while improving the quality of life for Cooper Square residents. Solar One and participating organizations are thrilled by the success of this project, which lays the foundation for similar grassroots action to be replicated in other communities throughout Manhattan – helping to green NYC one block at a time.

This latest advancement of the community greening program is a result of collaboration between  Solar One, Cooper Square Committe, Fourth Arts Block (FAB), New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), Go Green Lower East Side, and Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer. Solar One has played a very active role in this initiative from the beginning – from introducing the program to the Cooper Square MHA, assisting in the outreach to and sign-up of building residents, to working with NYSERDA and Honeywell to adapt the EmPower New York program for multifamily buildings.

In 2011, members of Go Green Lower East Side launched the “Model Block” initiative to comprehensively green a whole city block. Residents, businesses, city and state agencies, and community groups worked collaboratively to coordinate a bottom-up approach to local sustainability.

Through the efforts of Solar One as NYSERDA’s Energy $mart Communities Coordinator, residents of Cooper Square Mutual Housing Association were enrolled in NYSERDA’s EmPower New York program and will be receiving upgraded appliances, lighting, and other sustainability improvements. Queens-based nonprofit Community Environmental Center will be also providing upgraded appliances and lighting. Enrolled Model Block residents will receive weatherization treatment and a new boiler from the Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation (NMIC), ensuring that the units are retrofitted head to toe.

The refrigerator is the most expensive appliance to operate in the kitchen and accounts for a significant portion of energy use and cost within the home. Depending on the model year of the old refrigerators, residents could save up to $200 each on their energy costs annually by replacing them with an ENERGY STAR® qualified model, according to NYSERDA. Due to a variety of advanced energy efficiency features, ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerators use 20% less energy than conventional models.

Other recent Go Green! Efforts on the “Model Block” include:

The painting of 35,000 sq feet of roof space white to increase energy efficiency
Trainings organized by GrowNYC Office of Recycling Outreach and Education (OROE) and the NYS Public Service Commission to with building managers and residents about increasing energy efficiency and proper recycling techniques
Drive to distribute compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) light bulbs to residents

“This initiative demonstrates how energy efficiency programs can be implemented in communities that need them the most, and it shows just how much can be accomplished when community groups join forces,” said Christopher Collins, Executive Director of Solar One. “As a long-time partner helping to make NYSERDA’s programs and incentives as accessible as possible in the region, it’s fulfilling to deliver resources that will bring long-term benefits to residents.”

To learn more about the NYSERDA programs mentioned above, please feel free to contact your Manhattan Energy $mart Communities Coordinators at 212-505-6050.

Read press coverage of this initiative in Multihousing News Online, NY Daily News, the Local East Village Times, and the Village Voice.
See the press release here.

From left to right: Betsy Imershein, FAB; Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer; Chris Collins, Solar One; Steve Herrick, Cooper Square Committee; Kelvin Keraga, NYSERDA

Delivering the new refrigerators to Cooper Square residents

Come to first outdoor dance party of the season! Solar One is host to the Dance Your Values Party, which is part of Shop Your Values Week. Dance Your Values is the only FREE, outdoor, solar-powered dance party where you can make a pledge to live your values AND have a beer AND dance by the East River!

Co-presented by Solar One and Fourth Arts Block

Discount beer graciously provided by Brooklyn Brewery

With DJ Anton Bass of Sea To Sun; live music by Stega.

Here are the projects:

Veggies to Jamaica-Learn More & DONATE!

Learning through growing: Help us build a vegetable and flower garden for Queens Collegiate students.

LEDing the Lighting Future of NYC Sustainable Schools-Learn More & DONATE

Replacement of one hundred and four 300 watt incandescent bulbs with 12 watt LED bulbs across our NYC elementary school, PS 57.

 

What’s sprouting up at MS 8- Learn More & DONATE!

Help establish the first community garden at a high needs middle school in Brooklyn.

 

Solar Powered Eco-Shed-LEARN MORE & DONATE!

Install a solar panel system on the Eco-Shed of the Bushwick Campus Farm to provide clean energy for the school’s outdoor greenhouse, vertical farm and hydroponic systems.

 

Pedal Powered Bicycle Blenders at P.S. 33-Learn More & DONATE!

Pedal Power Bike Blender – Teaches students about the importance of eating healthy, exercising, and energy production and conservation.

 

Support these fine school projects and make some kids very, very happy!

If you’re up and around tomorrow morning before 9am, come on over to Solar One to check out the start of Earth Day NY’s Co2 Electric Car E-Drive. The cars will be arriving at Solar One at 7am and leaving between 8:30-9:00.

This is the second year in a row that Solar One has been the launch site for the E-Drive and the cars are pretty amazing to look at. Check out some of the pictures from last year below. If you’ve never experienced it, early morning is a really beautiful time at Stuy Cove! And you might get to see the Electric Delorean (pictured at bottom)!

BBC AMERICA and Rooftop Films present a special screening of episode one of the uncut, David Attenborough-narrated original landmark natural history series Planet Earth, followed by the World Premiere of The Making of Planet Earth. Tasty treats from Coolhaus & savory snacks from Mexicue food trucks will be available all evening.

Be sure to WATCH: Planet Earth Uncut, plus an all new world premiere special The Making of Planet Earth, all Earth Day Weekend, April 21 & 22, only on BBC AMERICA .

Saturday April 21 at 7pm at Solar One (map and directions)

RSVP on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/279328155484723/

And the first 250 people to arrive will get a free pass to another Rooftop Films Summer Series screening!

Come see Solar One at the Green Economy, Jobs & Opportunities Fair @ The NYC Green Festival
Date: Saturday 4/21 and Sunday 4/22, 12pm – 5pm
Location: Javits Center North-11th Ave between 39th and 40th St.
Tickets:  http://www.greenfestivals.org/nyc/admission 

Green Festivals, the nation’s premier sustainability event, is kicking off the 2012 year this spring with it’s first ever event in New York City on Earth Day weekend April 21-22, and Solar One will be there. The fair includes eight stages with more than 125 visionary speakers including: Amy Goodman, Van Jones, and Russell Simmons. In addition to Solar One, more than 300 exhibitors will be showcasing their green products and services. This is an opportunity to learn more about going green that you don’t want to miss!

Solar One has partnered with UrbanGoGreen to host the Green Economy, Jobs and Opportunities Fair, which will take place on Stage A of the vast and comprehensive NYC Green Festival. The fair will provide information on how jobs seekers, entrepreneurs, contractors, and small business owners can access training, funding and career opportunities in the energy efficiency, green energy, and clean technology sectors in New York City. In addition, tenants, homeowners, and property owners will learn about subsidized energy efficiency programs that can help them reduce their energy costs and carbon footprint.

Come see Solar One’s own Green WorkForce Director Michael Johnson-Chase, Director of the Energy Connections Program Max Joel, and NYSERDA Energy $mart Communities Coordinator Jeff Irvine as panelists in live discussions from 2pm to 4pm on Saturday, and get your questions answered about green training opportunities and energy efficient retrofits. But these are not the only panels the Green Jobs and Opportunity Fair has to offer. With a panel symposium spanning throughout the festival and comprised of green economy thought leaders, community service organizations, and training and service providers in the energy sector, the fair is designed to answer some of the most pressing questions for people interested and involved in the green economy today. Participants will also have opportunities to sign up for audits, access on the spot savings opportunities, and submit their resumes for varied opportunities in the clean tech and energy efficiency fields.

Click to learn more about the Green Economy Fair @ the NYC Green Festival. If you are interested in seeing the festival by volunteering at Solar One’s table, contact jeff@solar1.org.

Location: El Puente Williamsburg Leadership Center

211 South 4th St, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, 11211

The New York Community Solar Confluence will bring together community-based organizations, neighborhood residents, advocates for renewable energy, solar developers, local officials, and funders of programs for low income communities and renewable energy projects to learn about community solar models nationwide and opportunities to bring community solar to people across New York State. Participants will outline obstacles and brainstorm the key ingredients to bringing community solar to New York State—the policy and financing solutions, organizing efforts and other initiatives. This event is part of a series of community solar “confluences” happening in Boston, Denver, and San Francisco.

Dinner will be provided. The event is FREE but donations are welcome.

RSVP TO: rsvp@solargardens.org

Speakers include:

Joy Hughes, Founder, Solar Gardens Institute

David Brosch, Founder, University Park Solar

Tom Price, Director of Policy and Market Strategy, CleanPath

Max Joel, Energy Connections Program Director, Solar One

Laurie Reilly, Communications Director, Sustainable CUNY

Peter Olmsted, Mid-Atlantic Solar Advocate, The Vote Solar Initiative

Discussion and brainstorming will follow

New York City took leaps toward a greener future on Wednesday with the approval of new zoning proposals known as Zone Green. The City Planning Commission approved measures to smooth the process for New York property owners to construct green buildings and retrofit older ones  - paving the way for vast energy savings and lower energy costs for residents.

In February 2010, the Urban Green Council created the Green Codes Task Force, which released recommendations for certain regulations to be amended to promote greener buildings. Under the initiative of Mayor Bloomberg and Council Speaker Quinn, a Citywide text amendment “to remove zoning zoning impediments to the construction and retrofitting of green buildings” allows building owners to make decisions to improve energy efficiency and save money while preserving quality of life in their neighborhoods.

Features of the proposal include loosened regulations for solar panel installation, energy-efficient and insulating building walls, and green roofs. Solar power can provide pollution-free energy for electricity or hot water, reducing utility bills and carbon emissions. Previously, zoning regulations prohibited solar installations above the maximum permitted building height. Now, solar panels can be placed on flat roofs anywhere below the parapet, regardless of building height. Building owners can now take advantage of state incentives to install solar panels and start producing their own energy in the upcoming years.

Well-insulated building walls are more energy efficient – reducing the need to crank up the heat in winter and the AC during the summer, which translates to lower energy bills. Existing buildings can add insulation walls within the property lines. In addition, new buildings with walls that are considerably more efficient than required by the New York City Energy Conservation Code (NYCEDD) can be exempted from floor area, encouraging high-performance buildings without altering the amount of usable space in the building.

The proposal also allows for extended rooftop use. In a city where space is a valued commodity, this goes a long way – for both functional and aesthetic purposes. Rooftops can help manage stormwater, provide recreational space such as gardens, generate renewable energy, and improve insulation. In addition, it is often safer and more efficient to locate systems such as boilers and cogeneration facilities on roofs. Rooftop greenhouses have been given the okay as long as there are no residents in the building. Constructing rooftop greenhouses on industrial, commercial and school buildings is a great way to create year-round local food production and provide valuable education for urban students who might not otherwise be exposed to such opportunities.

These energy savings from improved access to renewable energy, insulation, and rooftops can drastically reduce New York City’s whopping $15 billion annual energy bill. Buildings constitute 80% of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions, so reducing these numbers not only cuts costs, it is a critical part of continuing New York City’s leadership in energy efficiency and sustainability.

For more details, visit the Department of City Planning’s website: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/greenbuildings/index.shtml

When you think of innovative technology, light bulbs probably aren’t the first things that come to mind. But maybe they should be. New federal efficiency standards are inspiring big improvements to the light bulbs you use to illuminate your home.

You may have heard about these changes. Some commentators have said that the government is “banning” incandescent light bulbs, the traditional bulbs that have remained largely unchanged since Thomas Edison invented them over 125 years ago. But this is not the case.

The new federal lighting standards, which phase in from 2012-2014, do not promote or mandate one type of light bulb over another; rather, they require all light bulb technologies to use about 25 percent less energy than current usage rates while providing the same amount of light.

How does this affect you?

The federal efficiency standards, established by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, will come into effect over the next two years, affecting the bulbs that use the most energy first. The law already applies to the old 100 watt bulbs, and it will cover bulbs that consume less energy according to the following schedule:

New, more efficient incandescent bulbs that meet these requirements are already on sale, and highly efficient compact fluorescent and LED bulbs that save even more energy are also available.

The end result is that you will see a wider variety of energy-saving bulb technologies at the store. All of these bulbs will save you money on your electric bills, but the variety of technologies and the terminology that describes what they do can feel overwhelming. Below we include an overview of what you need to know.

How bright a bulb do you want?

Back before the new highly efficient bulbs were on the market, we measured the brightness of our bulbs by the amount of power they used, which is measured in watts. For that reason, most people have a general sense of how much brighter a 60 watt incandescent bulb is than a 40 watt incandescent bulb.

But now that bulbs are more efficient, you can get bulbs that provide the same amount of light as a 60 watt incandescent bulb while using about 25 percent less energy. As a result, light bulbs now come with with a more accurate measure of brightness called lumens. The more lumens a bulb has, the more light it provides. A traditional 60-watt incandescent bulb provides about 825 lumens, while a brighter 100-watt incandescent bulb provides roughly 1690 lumens.

The packing of most new bulbs will say if it provides the equivalent output to a traditional bulb, but for a more accurate measure you can see how many lumens it provides on a new lighting facts label on the packaging. Make sure you look for the ENERGY STAR logo, which guarantees that the light meets the Environmental Protection Agency’s efficiency guidelines.

Do you want your light to appear yellowish or bright white?

Traditional incandescent bulbs give off a yellowish hue of light that appears warm, but bulbs that provide a brighter white color with a bluish hue, similar to the color of sunlight, have long been available. The new high efficient bulb technologies, whether they are CFLs, LEDs or incandescent, each provide a range of options for the color of light.

How warm (yellowish) or cool (bluish) the light appears is called the color temperature, which is measured in degrees Kelvin (K). The higher the number of degrees, the bluer the light will appear, and the lower the number of degrees, the more yellowish the light will appear. The warm, yellowish light of a traditional incandescent bulb is roughly 2700-3000K. For a brighter white, look for bulbs that are 3500-4100K, and if you want a bluish white light similar to daylight, look for 5000-6500K. This information can also be found on the new lighting facts label on bulb packaging.

What type of bulb should you buy?

Each of the new bulb technologies have different pros and cons, from initial price to energy efficiency to how long the bulbs last, that may make each more appropriate in different situations. Many of these features are listed on the lighting facts label, including estimated yearly operating cost based on 3 hours of use per day. However, this estimate is based on an average electricity cost of 11 cents per kilowatt hour. If you live in New York City, you will typically be paying closer to 19 to 21 cents per kilowatt hour, so a safe estimate would be to double the operating cost listed on the packaging. Below is a brief overview of the high efficient bulb technologies.

Compact Fluorescent Bulbs: Most people recognize CFLs as the spiral-shaped bulbs, but CFLs now come in many shapes and sizes for different fixtures. The recognizable spiral structure is often placed behind an additional layer of glass to make it look more like a traditional bulb. ENERGY STAR-qualified CFLs use about 75 percent less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer. They contain a trace amount of mercury in gas form, so if a CFL bulb breaks, proper precautions should be taken to clean it up. There are also special recycling centers for these bulbs. People have voiced a variety of criticisms about CFLs over the years, from the color of the light to the bulb performance. In new CFLs, these issues are largely resolved. A list of how common concerns, such as the color and the flicker, have been fixed is here.

Light Emitting Diode (LED):  LED bulbs are relatively new on the market, but the technology is advancing quickly. ENERGY STAR-qualified LEDs last at least twice as long as – or more than – CFLs and cost 90 percent less to run than incandescent bulbs. LED bulbs are currently more costly to purchase than CFLs on average, but prices have been falling and the long life of the bulb helps save money during operation. Unlike CFLs, LED bulbs do not contain mercury. The technology used in LED bulbs — the light emitting diode — is quite small, and, as a result, you can find LEDs for a wide variety of applications, from holiday lights to candelabra bulbs.

Efficient (Halogen) incandescents: As described above, the new federal lightbulb standards will not ban incandescent bulbs. Incandescents that meet the efficiency guidelines will still be available, and many options are already on sale. These energy-saving incandescents are called halogen lamps. This type of incandescent bulb is about 25% more efficient and can last up to three times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs. They are available in a wide range of shapes and colors, and can be used with dimmers.

Solar One’s Green Design Lab program is now accepting applications for the 2012/2013 school year! This program uses the school building itself to teach about the environment, energy, food, water, materials and air quality, all while helping students”green” their school building. Click HERE to download the RFP and instructions, and please visit gdl.solar1.org to learn more about this fantastic opportunity.

7) 28.Number of projects over 10 megawatts completed in 2011.

In 2009, only two PV projects over 10 megawatts were completed in the U.S. In 2010, the number rose to eight. In 2011, 28 such projects were connected to the grid, marking the true beginning of a burgeoning utility-scale solar market.

5)  776 megawatts. PV installations in Q4 2011.

The U.S. installed 776 megawatts in Q4 2011, up 64 percent over Q3 2011 and up 115 percent over Q4 2010. Every market segment had a record quarter, as did ten individual states

New York made the top 10 states in terms of MW of solar installed, coming in at #7. You can download the executive summary for free (you’ll have to provide some info), but the whole thing will cost you a healthy amount. They have to keep the lights on, after all.

Solar One is making some changes to our phone system today and you may have trouble reaching us by phone as a result. But we will happily respond to e-mail, Facebook messages or Tweets (@solaronenyc) if you need to get in touch with us. Thanks for bearing with us.

Click on the image above to explore this fascinating interactive map of energy use by building across the city. Usage was calculated statistically, based on this study on spatial distribution of urban energy consumption (in other words, no utility records or private information was used). Congratulations to Professor Vijay Modi and PhD student Bianca Howard of the Modi Research Group at Columbia- the map’s  been featured in the NY Times, the Wall Street Journal and CNET.

Join us Tuesday, January 31, for the first 2012 event in Solar One’s and NYC ACRE’s cleantech discussion series Clean Energy Connections: No Money No Problems? Financing Cleantech in the Post-ARRA Era.

Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2011 7:00pm-9:00pm (doors open at 6:30p)
The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space at WNYC
44 Charlton Street, New York, NY 10014
General Admission: $25, Students: $10

Register for your advanced tickets here
A limited number of tickets will be available at the door.

The beginning of 2012 ushers in a new era in renewable energy funding. Section 1603 Treasury Program is dead in the water thanks to a gridlocked Congress, and low tax appetites have hamstrung potential investors. As we move into an uncertain financial landscape, where will today’s renewable energy upstarts find funding for their projects and companies? Will private financing step in to sustain the industry’s momentum? How can the considerable financial power of New York City take a leadership role? Financial experts will examine these issues and offer a realistic assessment of where cleantech is headed now that the federal buck has stopped.

A networking reception will follow the panel discussion and audience Q&A.

Opening Speaker:
- Nathanael Greene, Director of Renewable Energy Policy, Natural Resources Defense Council

Panelists:
- Izzet Bensusan, President and CEO, Karbone
- Ann Davlin, Director of Development, Carbon War Room
- Jason Scott, Partner, EKO Asset Management Partners

Moderator:
- Michael Molnar, Partner, Greentech Capital Advisors

Can’t make it? Greentech Media is the media sponsor for this series and will host a free live web stream of this event at www.greentechmedia.com. Questions for the panelists and comments can be submitted via Twitter@CleanECNYC, #CleanNRGx.

No Money No Problems? is the first event of the second season of the cleantech discussion series Clean Energy Connections. Clean Energy Connections is a program of Solar One and NYC ACRE at NYU-Poly that brings together professionals, policymakers, investors and academia to explore major topics shaping NYC’s blossoming cleantech industry, and provides an expert forum to share best practices and new inspirations.